Hans Sangtoki Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:13-25
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy”. (1 Peter 1:13-16)
As Christians, we have the greatest hope that can be found in the whole universe. The blood of Christ has bought us, we have been made right with God, we have a relationship with God, we are awaiting the arrival of His full glory, and all this has been secured and made sure in the actual reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Nothing can shake the hope of a Christian. Christ Himself binds together its roots.
If we have the greatest hope out there, what should we do? What should our response be? “What now?” asks the newborn Christian.
Peter introduces this in v. 13. “Therefore, preparing your minds for action”. This message of hope leads to action in our lives. This message should transform our minds, our wills and eventually our actions. What action and how do we get there?
Our hope in Christ calls us to the following life-transforming applications, which we must consider seriously if we genuinely believe in the hope we profess.
First, our hope calls us to be sober-minded and set our full hope on the grace to come at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our mind, heart and will cannot be double-sided. If we believe that Jesus is the only way and that in Him is our only hope for eternity, He must be everything. Check what is in your heart. Do you yearn for Christ alone? Or does the world and its joys entice your hope and lure your desires more than Christ? Set your full hope in the grace to come when Jesus returns.
Second, If Christ has become our full hope, we must obey to put away our past sins. Peter calls us to not conform to the passions of our former ignorance. There is no way one can serve two masters. When we submit to a new master, we bid goodbye to the other. If we have submitted to Christ, we must put to death our submission to sin. If our hope in Christ is everything, then sin should have no place in our hearts. We must continue to put sin to death every day. It is our continuous duty.
Third, as a result, we ought to be holy. To be holy means to be separated. God saved us and gave us hope so that we would be separated from sin and worldly evil. God separated us — out of his love — that we might be His holy people. We must know who God called us to be. He has taken us out of the world. We do not belong there anymore. We belong to a heavenly kingdom, and so our lives on earth are for a heavenly business. We have been separated for knowing God and serving Him. We have been called to be Holy.
And here, Peter gives a timely reminder. Often, holiness seems like a duty. It seems we are restricted to do sin, and good deeds must continually bind us. That is not where holiness stems from. We ought to be holy because God is holy. God was the one who first made us holy by separating us from our worldly and sinful nature. God ransomed us from our futile ways by the blood of Christ. The Son of God was the one who bore our sins and set us apart to be Holy. He is holy, and so, out of fear, awe and love, we ought to be holy.
One of the most ground-level applications of our hope is then to love our brothers. An example of a life renewed by hope in holiness is the life of one described in v. 22. “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another from a pure heart”.
Introspect your own life. Has your hope in the gospel radically changed your life? Has it brought you to prepare your mind for action? The hope of the gospel should change everything. If it hasn’t, why not pray that it starts now? Let us all set out full hope on the grace in Jesus Christ and let us live for Him from today forevermore.
Lord, thank You for the blessed hope we have in Christ. Thank You that You are faithful to Your promises, and our hope lies unshakeable in You. Please help me understand the truth of the hope You have given me. Please help me prepare my mind for action, and may You work in my life to serve and know You as I walk this life. Teach me to be holy. Forgive my sin. Make me more and more like You each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Hans Sangtoki (18) is the coordinator of RE Generation Z. He has a passion for serving his generation and sharing hope in Christ. He also has an interest in classical music and dreams of conducting an orchestra one day.