Our Toleration of Evil

 

“Our Toleration of Evil”

Prov. 28:13-14; 3:12; 1 Pet. 1:14-15; Isa. 59:1-2 

SUBJECT: CORRECTION ADVERSITY COMPELS US TO MAKE

THEME: Examine Your Attitude Toward Evil and Sin When Trouble Invades Your Life. 

RELEVANCY: God Desires for Us to Correct Our Attitude Toward Evil and Turn Away from the Practices of Sin. Sin usually leads to even more sin; it is certain that the “hardened heart shall fall into mischief.” God desires to compel all of us to engage in periodic self-examination so we may face up to our own sin and to do the difficult work of changing our beliefs and our behavior. Once more we want to encourage you to, look at your own heart and life to see what you may need to correct when adversity comes your way. Our goal is to live in total harmony with what Jesus would believe and do.

INTRODUCTION:

The Scriptures tell us, God is a God of absolutes. We are either evil or righteous, based upon what we have decided to do in response to Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross. If we accept that what Jesus did on the cross was for us and for the remission of our sins, and we receive Him as our Savior, then we move from the classification of sinner to the classification of saved.

Sin is the Worldwide separation of people from God.

 Romans 3:9-10, What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; [10] As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Paul uses these verses to show that humanity in general, in its present sinful condition, is unacceptable before God.

Have you ever thought to yourself, ‘Well, I'm not too bad.’ I'm a pretty good person?

Have you ever lied? Have you ever hurt someone's feelings by your words or tone of voice?

Are you bitter toward anyone? Do you become angry with those who strongly disagree with you?

The Bible tells us the world stands silent and accountable before almighty God. No excuses or arguments are left. Have you reached the point with God where you are ready to hang up your defenses and await his decision? If you haven't, stop now and admit your sin to him.

MESSAGE: 

WHY DO WE CARELESSLY TOLERATE SIN AND EVIL?

We answer this question by asking another one.  What does the Bible say about God's holiness? Our view of sin is directly related to our view of God’s perfect holiness.  With a low opinion of God’s holiness we tolerate and harbor more sinful attitudes and actions.  When we have a high admiration for God’s holiness, we are far less passive regarding our sin.  The following are some principles that help us quickly grasp the infinite holiness of God.

A.  WE DISMISSED GOD’S HOLINESS WHICH IS BEYOND COMPARISON.  

1 Peter 1:14-15, As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Being holy in the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing certain essentially divine qualities in contrast with what is human—‘holy, pure, divine.’^[1]

We are called to abandon our former, sinful lifestyles and align our daily behavior with the perfect holiness of God. This radical transformation as followers of Christ replaces worldly ignorance with active obedience and moral purity.

The moral excellence of God that unifies his attributes and is expressed through his actions, setting him apart from all others. Believers are called to be holy as God is holy. —Systematic Theology

    1.  God Sets the Standard of Morality.

The God of Israel and of the Christian churches is holy—he sets the standard for morality.

The believers’ living hope based on their new birth should lead to a lifestyle of holiness. Those chosen for new birth are also called to be holy. Peter exhorted his readers to prepare to meet the challenge of obedience by adopting a new mind-set. The price paid for a believer’s redemption calls for reverence and obedience. Obedience involves purifying oneself and practicing holy living, while offering spiritual sacrifices as a royal priest.^[2]

Unlike the Roman and Greek gods, God is not warlike, adulterous, or spiteful. These ancient gods acted like spoiled, jealous, and powerful humans; many ancient religions featured immoral and unethical gods and goddesses. They supposedly had superpowers but also bad habits like stealing, lying, and cheating. Unlike the gods of the pagan cults popular in the first century, Jehovah is not bloodthirsty or promiscuous. He is a God of mercy and justice who cares personally for each of his followers. Our holy God expects us to imitate him by following his high moral standards. Like him, we should be both merciful and just; like him, we should sacrifice ourselves for others.

    2.  God's Holiness Is Our Universal Standard for Pure Living.

God is holy; He is utterly unique, distinct from all of creation, and entirely perfect in moral purity. It is the defining characteristic of His nature; His absolute purity—He is completely unstained by sin or evil. There is no darkness or falsehood in his thoughts, statements, and activities—He is perfectly good and just.  

After people commit their lives to Christ, they usually still feel a pull back to their old ways. Peter tells us to be like our heavenly Father -- holy in everything we do. Holiness for us means being totally devoted or dedicated to God, set aside for his special use, and set apart from sin and its influence. Rev. 15:4, says,

“Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”

We’re to be set apart and different, not blending in with the crowd, yet not being different just for the sake of being different. What makes us different is having God’s qualities in our life. Our focus and priorities must be his. All this is in direct contrast to our old ways (1Pet. 1:14). We cannot become holy on our own, but God gives us his Holy Spirit to help us obey and to give us power to overcome sin. Don't use the excuse that you can't help slipping into sin. Call on God's power to free you from sin’s grip.

Commonly God’s standard of holiness is trumped by the “new morality” which is a wide-ranging cultural and ethical shift from traditional, Bible-based absolute moral frameworks toward bases centered on individual self-fulfillment, situational ethics, and bodily self-government. That is moving in favor of flexible, context-driven ethical notions—from God-centered to human-centered ideas! (See Christianity Today). These modern principles emphasize living an authentic, personally rewarding life, prioritizing happiness and emotional well-being over self-denial. Current morality relies increasingly on psychological and observed characterizations of right and wrong. It is closely tied to required concerns for others' welfare, fairness, and justice, driven by secular humanist philosophies rather than traditional biblical views. Our society is presently feeling the woes of that mistake!  

B.  WE DISMISSED GOD’S HOLINESS WHICH CANNOT ALLOW SIN.

Isaiah 59:1-2, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: [2] But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

God is always willing and able to save His people, but our willful sins create a spiritual barrier. Instead of God losing His power or ignoring prayers, our iniquity breaks fellowship, causing Him to withhold His deliverance until repentance occurs.

There is widespread perversion of justice and dishonesty. People conceive evil and bring forth crime. Their activities are as dangerous as vipers’ eggs and as useless as a spider’s web. Sin controls every area of their lives—what they do, where they go, what they think. They care nothing for peace and justice, preferring what is crooked. What was true of Israel is also true of the entire human race (Rom. 3:15–17).^[3]

God's inability to tolerate sin is mentioned in Habakkuk 1:13, saying. "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity..."

Sin prevents prayer from being answered (cf. Ps. 66:18). Those sins included murder, lying, injustice (cf. Isa. 59:9, 11, 14–15), and planning evil (vv. 3–4). Their actions were like those of deadly poisonous snakes (vipers and an adder), for they were harming each other. ^[4]

God is absolutely holy. In fact, his moral perfection is so vast that He cannot look upon sin with approval or tolerate its presence. Psalm 5:4, says, “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.” This embraces the concept of God’s zero-tolerance policy toward sin and wickedness.

    1.  There Is a Colossal Problem with All of Us Before a Perfect God—our sins have cut us off from any relationship with Him. Because of our sinful attitudes and actions, he has completely turned away from us and utterly refuses to listen.

    2.  Sin Offends Our Holy God and Separates Us from Him. Because God is holy, he cannot ignore, excuse, or tolerate sin as though it didn't matter. Sin cuts people off from him, forming a wall to isolate God from the people he loves.

No wonder this long list of wretched sins makes God angry and forces him to look the other way. People who die with their life of sin unforgiven separate themselves eternally from God. God wants them to live with him forever, but he cannot take them into his holy presence unless their sin is removed. Have you confessed your sin to God, allowing him to remove it? The Lord can save you if you turn to him.

    3. Beloved, this is God’s Second Correction—the Purging Away of Sin from Our Lives. Proverbs 28:13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

There is a stark contrast between two responses to sin—concealment versus confession—and their ultimate outcomes.

1. “Covereth” (this is hiding/excusing sin). Trying to hide, deny, or justify wrongdoings. God warns that this approach “shall not prosper”. Hiding sin requires constant energy, leads to inner turmoil, and ultimately blocks spiritual success or peace.
2. “Confesseth” (relates to admitting/owning our sin). Honestly acknowledging faults to God and taking responsibility for those wrong actions.
3. “Forsaketh” (is turning away from sinful behavior). True repentance involves not just saying sorry, but actively abandoning or changing that sinful behavior.
4. “Mercy” (refers to God’s forgiveness and compassion). The reward for complete repentance is God's grace, pardon, and compassion.

1)    Choose Transparency with God over denial. God already sees everything, so attempting to hide sin is foolish. Admitting fault brings peace and breaks the hold that the secret has on your life.

2)    Engage the two-step path to forgiveness. Genuine repentance requires both confession (admitting it) and forsaking (turning away from it).

3)    Take the biblical promise to heart. Align yourself with 1 John 1:9, where God promises that if we confess our sins, He is “faithful and just to forgive us”.

Admitting our faults and actively turning away from these behaviors are the only path to forgiveness and grace. Remember God will never admit a sinful, arrogant soul, into his kingdom. But if we confess our sin, with a broken heart, forsake every evil way, and we give proof that we are serious with God. The sincerity of the confession is proved by our forsaking sins (Job 34:31-32). Then mercy is guaranteed to such a soul (Ps 32:5; 1 John 1:8-10).

     4. God deals with our Shame effectively in Salvation!

These two previous discussions bring us to the unavoidable subject of shame. This is a painful relational consequence of sin that causes a person to feel worthless, exposed, and alienated from God and others. While guilt is about breaking a rule, shame is about feeling that your core identity is irreparably flawed—a valid moral conviction.

Spiritually, shame is often viewed as a heavy burden on the soul rather than a mere character flaw. It is defined as an internalizing force that attacks your core identity, whispering that your whole self is flawed and unworthy of love.—Unknown

Shame causes individuals to hide their authentic selves from God and from their community (like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—Gen. 3:7-10). It emerged immediately after the Fall when Adam and Eve realized their nakedness, felt exposed, and hid from God. Again, shame is not just an internal feeling; it is a degraded, defeated, or outcast state within a community (e.g., poverty, barrenness, or disease). Experiencing brief shame can motivate a straying believer to repent and return to godly standards.

Practice God's Solution for Shame!
God seeks to remove our shame. Through Christ, God replaces our disgrace with honor, grace, and a new identity.

• Isaiah 54:4: Assures us we will no longer remember the shame of our youth.
• Romans 10:11: says, “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (this persistent theme is also promised in 1 Peter 2:6).
• Hebrews 12:2: Highlights that Jesus “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” to secure victory over sin and restore us to fellowship with God.

Guilt is judicial in character; shame is relational. Though related to guilt, shame emphasizes sin's effect on self-identity. Sinful human beings are traumatized before a holy God, exposed for failure to live up to God's glorious moral purpose. The first response of Adam and Eve to their sinful condition was to hide from God, and consequently from one another (Gen 3:7-8; 2:25). Christ's unhindered openness to the Father was both a model for life and the means of removing humanity's shame. Christian self-identity is transformed "in him."

When one confesses Christ and openly rebels against him, however, the work of Christ is publicly shamed (Heb 6:6). Christians must be diligent to renounce shameful behavior, though tempting because of its hidden character (2 Cor 4:2).

Shame is a godly motivator. A virtuous life shames the ungodly, providing a context for evangelism (Titus 2:8; 1 Peter 3:16). A believer's shame for past sin is a spur to forsake sinning (Rom 6:21), to renounce disobedience (2 Thess 3:14), and to minister the gospel (2 Cor 4:2).

Shameless people flaunt their unholiness, calloused to God (Zep 3:5) and glorying in their shame (Php 3:19). Yet no one is shameless ultimately. "Shameless Acts" receive the judgment inherent in the act (Rom 1:27). Also, at the final judgment the nakedness of those not clothed with Christ' righteousness will be exposed (Rev 3:18; 16:15).—Bradford A. Mullen

 

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^[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 744.

^[2] Roger M. Raymer, “1 Peter,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 842.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 984.

^[4] John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1114.

Was Jesus Angry?

Was Jesus Angry? 

Some people attempt to justify their anger under the banner of righteous indignation. They often point to the behavior of Jesus when He drove the moneychangers from the temple. They conclude, “I can be angry because Jesus was angry.” God teaches us the important difference between righteous indignation and ungodly anger.

Why did Jesus get so furious here? What profound truth was He defending, and what does this act of righteous anger teach us about God’s character and our own spiritual lives? Beloved, we are about to investigate this powerful and often misunderstood event, exploring the Temple’s purpose, the nature of Jesus’s holy anger, and the timeless lessons it holds for all who seek to walk in His ways. (Biblewithlife, May, 2026)

LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE EXAMPLES OF CHRIST (Matt. 21:11-17).

  1.  It is True That Christ Expressed Anger on Occasions.

       A.  Christ’s Expressions of Anger Consistently Rejected Sinful Behavior in Others.

             — QUOTE: “Jesus became angry with his disciples when they forbade children to be brought to him (Mark 10:14) and with the hardhearted member of the Capernaum synagogue (Mark 3:5). Similar expressions of anger were directed at the Sadducees (Mark 12:24-27), the scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23:13-36), and Peter (Matt 16:23) and on each occasion represented his rejection of unrighteousness.”   — Evangelical Dictionary of Theology

       B.  Our Lord’s Actions in the Cleansing of the Temple on Two Different Occasions Were Expressions of Anger.  Let's look at one incident more closely.

             1.  Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called the house of prayer,’ but ye have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them (Matt. 21:12–14; see also Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46). 

The Temple in Jerusalem was more than just a building; it was the sacred center of Israel’s worship, a house of prayer for all nations (Isa. 56:7). But in the time of Jesus, it had been corrupted by greed and human systems.

             2.  Mark added in his account that Jesus would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple (Mark 11:16). Immediately upon the removal of those who were buying and selling, Jesus engaged in his healing ministry.

             3. His righteous indignation was completely without sin and without any diminishing of His spiritual anointing and power. Jesus’ anger in the temple is worth considering closely:

·        He found it filled with merchants and temple money changers.

·        He was upset that the temple, a place of worship, was being used for commercial activities.

·        Jesus literally overturned the tables of the money changers and drove out those selling animals.

·        He quoted scripture, emphasizing that the temple should be a house of prayer, not a den of thieves.

·        His actions demonstrated a call for reverence for God and purity in worship practices.

·        This event highlighted the conflict between genuine spiritual integrity and commercialism of temple related sacrifices and offerings.

Jesus walked into the Temple and found it filled with merchants selling sacrifices (doves, sheep, and oxen) and money changers. While these services were necessary for worship (as travelers needed to exchange their foreign money for temple currency and buy animals for sacrifice), the religious leaders had moved these services into the Temple courts themselves, turning a place of worship into a profitable marketplace. They were taking advantage of the poor and making a profit from the very act of worship.–Biblewithlife, May, 2026

   2.  It is True That Christ Used a Whip to Drive People Out of the Temple (Jn. 2:13-17).

Jesus was in the Temple with a whip whirling and eyes blazing as He cleanses the temple. Jesus is obviously angry. But is it justified?

John 2:13-17,  And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, [14] And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: [15] And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; [16] And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. [17] And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

       A.  Jesus did use a whip, and his actions did overturn the tables of the money changers.

       B.  Throughout the incident, Jesus' actions were calculated and measured. No riot resulted. Nobody was out of control.

   3.  It is Not True that Jesus Actions Were Sinful.

Throughout the scene, Jesus' behavior was:

      A.  Without Real Violence. We have no record of any person being hurt, but the Savior was forceful and assertive.

      B.  Without Resentment. For example, Jesus did not call upon His disciples to continue the behavior. Nor did He cite any past wrong done to Him as a reason for what He was doing.

      C.  Without Bitterness. Jesus had no held-over feelings against those who were cast from the temple. He did not use a piece of information to threaten or intimidate someone with it. He never mentioned these matters again. (C. Stanley)

Jesus' actions were vented not merely against the individuals themselves but against their actions-behaviors and attitudes, and against the system that allowed buying and selling in God's house of prayer. In every way, Jesus acted in accordance with righteous indignation–holy rejection of sinful practices.  (See Eph. 4:26.)

   4.  Jesus Was Indignant or Angry in a Righteous Way.

He did not sin in what He did or the way He did it.

       A.  Righteous Indignation Is a Healthy Response to Evil.

It is an agitation in the spirit against something that is wrong in God’s eyes, without any partiality toward or against the perpetrators of the wrong. The behavior or circumstance is wrong, apart from the personality of any person. While God detests the sinful act; he still loves the sinner! 

       B.  Righteous Indignation Is Expressed in a Measured and Calculated Way. It does not bring physical or emotional harm to another human being. It is thought through in a rational way, and it is behavior that has been pre-approved by God through prayer. (C. Stanley)

Throughout the Scriptures, we are admonished to speak God's truth boldly and to do so in love. I believe that is what Jesus was doing in the temple those occasions. His words bore great conviction because they were statements of truth. When we speak the truth boldly, we can expect results, too.

       C.  When You Take an Action or Speak the Truth with Righteous Indignation, you must be prepared to reap the consequences that may be associated with the act. Jesus certainly did. The chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people sought to destroy Jesus after He took this action in the temple. (See Luke 19:47–48.) God stayed their hand until Jesus’ ministry among the people was complete, but very soon after, Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified. Jesus was prepared to die for the good that He had done, including this act of cleansing the temple. (C. Stanley)

If you truly act in righteous indignation against evil, then you must be prepared to put your life on the line for what you believe and do. The angry person doesn't do this. To the contrary, an angry person tends to act in hopes of destroying the enemy and then to live with a sense of smugness at the victory. The angry person isn’t at all interested in suffering or dying for the very person who has done wrong in his eyes.

Jesus's anger in the temple is a profound theological statement about God's character, His holiness, and the sanctity of His presence.

A Demonstration of God's Holiness

Jesus's zeal for His Father's house was a demonstration of God's holiness, a holiness that cannot tolerate sin, injustice, and greed. God's presence is sacred, and it must be approached with reverence and purity. Jesus's actions were a powerful reminder that our worship must be sincere and that we cannot turn a place of prayer into a place of greed.

The Atonement: A House of Prayer

Jesus's cleansing of the Temple was a prelude to the ultimate atonement that He was about to make on the cross. He was cleansing the Temple, the house of prayer, to prepare it for His ultimate sacrifice, a sacrifice that would open a new and living way to God's presence. The tearing of the veil (Matthew 27:51 KJV) was the ultimate act of cleansing, a sign that the way into the Holy of Holies was now open to all who believe.—Biblewithlife, May, 2026

THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE ANGRY WITHOUT SINNING.

Ephes. 4:26, Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

   1. Anger Can Be a Holy Response to Sin.

Mark 3:5, And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 

         A.  Jesus was angry about the Pharisees' uncaring attitudes. Anger itself is not wrong. It depends on what makes us angry and what we do with our anger. Too often we express our anger in selfish and harmful ways.

         B.  By contrast, Jesus expressed his anger by correcting a problem -- healing the man's hand. Use your anger to find constructive solutions rather than tear people down.

         C.  We may react to sin in the way that Christ did-in holiness and without desire for personal vengeance (Rom 12:19-21).

   2. Anger Does Not Have to Lead to Sin.

Mark 11:17, And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.  

        A.  Jesus became angry, but he did not sin. There is a place for righteous indignation. 

        B.  Christians are right to be upset about sin and injustice and should take a stand against them. 

        C.  Unfortunately, believers are often passive about these important issues and instead get angry over personal insults and petty irritations. Make sure your anger is directed toward the right issues.

   3. Anger Is a Danger Signal.

Matthew 5:22, But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

        A.  Moses said, "Thou shalt not kill [murder]" (Ex 20:13), Jesus taught us to avoid anger because it is committing murder in your heart. The Pharisees read this law and, not having murdered, felt righteous. Yet they were angry enough with Jesus that they would soon plot his murder, though they would not do the dirty work themselves. 

        B.  Killing Is a Terrible Sin, but Anger Is a Great Sin Too Because it Also Violates God's Command to Love. Anger in this case refers to a seething, brooding bitterness against someone. It is a dangerous emotion that always threatens to leap out of control, leading to violence, emotional hurt, increased mental stress, and spiritual damage.

        C.  Anger keeps us from developing a spirit pleasing to God. Have you ever been glad that you didn't strike out and say what was really on your mind? Self-control is good, but Christ wants us to practice thought-control as well. Jesus said we will be held accountable even for our attitudes.

Jesus's righteous anger in the temple is not a license for us to act in anger, but it is a call for us to stand for holiness and justice in our own lives and in the world around us.

The Sanctity of God's Presence

Our hearts are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus's actions in the temple are a powerful reminder that we must not allow greed, bitterness, or sin to desecrate the temple of our hearts. Our worship of God must be sincere and our hearts must be pure.

The Nature of Righteous Anger

Jesus's anger was not a sinful act. It was a righteous, holy anger against injustice. This is a profound lesson for us today: anger can be a just response to sin, but our anger must be a righteous anger, an anger that is controlled by the Holy Spirit and that seeks justice, not vengeance.

The Call to Stand for Justice

We are called to stand for holiness and justice in a world that is filled with greed, injustice, and corruption. We are called to be a voice of truth against the lies of the world, and to be a people who are a testament to God's holiness and righteousness.—Biblewithlife, May, 2026

 

Awakened by Holy Stimuli

1 Peter 1:17-21

                   Spiritual Stimulation Involves Holy Considerations.

A fear of God is largely missing in our society, but that is not the saddest reality. Far too many Believers have little to no measurable respect for God as Father or Judge. From the appearance of things not many Christians cherish deeply the extraordinary price paid for our redemption. The result is a generation of professing Believers who have little or no desire to sustain holy and godly lifestyles. Immorality, sex outside of marriage, lying, cheating, coveting, and materialism are more a part of Believers’ lives then the Word of God and walking in the Spirit. We need a special blend of holy stimulation to awaken godly desires deep within the recesses of our souls. Here are some helpful considerations:

A.     Consider how God is the Father and the Impartial Judge; continue your journey with the utmost respect for Him (17).

                                                   i.      Get Serious About Combating Sin.  Interactivity with a father and a judge demands respect! As God’s children, we need to respect Him by being serious about refusing sin and pursuing holiness. Our Heavenly Father is a holy (John 17:11) and righteous Father (John 17:25). He will not compromise with sin. He is merciful and forgiving, but He is also a loving disciplinarian who cannot permit His children to enjoy sin. After all, it was sin that sent His Son to the cross. If we call God “Father,” then we should reflect His nature.

                                                 ii.      Don’t Worry About Punishment for Sins. 

1.      What is this judgment that Peter wrote about? It is the judgment of a believer’s works. It has nothing to do with salvation, except that salvation ought to produce good works (Titus 1:16; 2:7, 12). When we trusted Christ, God forgave our sins and declared us righteous in His Son (Rom. 5:1–10; 8:1–4; Col. 2:13). Our sins have already been judged on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), and therefore they cannot be held against us (Heb. 10:10–18).

2.      The Fathers judgment of His own in this life is chastening and corrective, not eternal punishment; He has committed the judgment of sinners to the Lord Jesus (John 5:22). The prospect of God’s corrective measures should awaken holy respect in the heart of God’s people.

3.      Lincoln writes: “He is looking on, taking notice of all, whether there is integrity of purpose, intelligence of mind, and desire of heart to please Him.”

                                                iii.      Prepare for the Judgment Seat of Christ.  But when the Lord returns, there will be a time of judgment called “the Judgment Seat of Christ” (Rom. 14:10–12; 2 Cor. 5:9–10). Each of us will give an account of his works, and each will receive the appropriate reward. This is a “family judgment,” the Father dealing with His beloved children. The Greek word translated judgeth carries the meaning “to judge in order to find something good.” God will search into the motives for our ministry; He will examine our hearts. But He assures us that His purpose is to glorify Himself in our lives and ministries, “and then shall every man have praise of God” (1 Cor. 4:5). What an encouragement! –Wiersbe: The Bible Exposition Commentary

                                               iv.      Live Daily with a Healthy Fear of God.

1.      We are to pass the time of our stay on earth in fear. As we realize the extent of His knowledge and the accuracy of His judgment, we should live with a wholesome fear of displeasing Him.

2.      Christians are not at home in this world. We are living in a foreign country, exiled from heaven. We should not settle down as if this were our permanent dwelling. Neither should we imitate the behavior of the earth-dwellers. We should always remember our heavenly destiny and behave ourselves as citizens of heaven (MacDonald, W.).

B.     Consider how Christ is our Redemption Sacrifice; place your faith and hope in God (18-21).

                                                   i.      Remember Your Bondage (1:18).  Redeem means to buy back someone from bondage by the payment of a price; to set free by paying a ransom. “Redemption” was a technical term for money paid to buy back a prisoner of war. Here it is used of the price paid to buy the freedom of one in the bondage of sin and under the curse of the law (i.e., eternal death, cf. Gal. 3:13). The price paid to a holy God was the shed blood of His own Son (cf. Ex. 12:1–13; 15:13; Ps. 78:35; Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:24; Gal. 4:4, 5; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:11–17).

                                                 ii.      Do Not Lead a Full, But Empty Life (1:18).  We were not redeemed with perishable money (18).

1.      Before our conversion, we were the same as the rest of the world (1:18). Our talk and walk were as empty and trivial as everyone else around us. Our unconverted days are described as vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. Peter’s focus is not on any specific action, but on the way of life that we inherited from our ancestors. Those old ways were futile, empty of power and incapable of securing salvation. Like Peter’s readers we all needed to be snatched from our hopeless condition. 

2.      But now we have been ransomed from that futile existence by a tremendous transaction. We have been rescued from the slavery of world-conformity by the payment of an infinite ransom. No, it was not with silver or gold that we kidnap victims have been freed (see Ex. 30:15)!

                                                iii.      Note the Cost of Your Redemption (1:19-21).  We were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ (19-21). Peter describes Christ as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, who is offered in our place to pay the price for our sins. God’s way of salvation is contrasted to human attempts at gaining salvation through the use of earthly means (v. 18).

1.      Nothing Compares To His Perfection (19).  Christ is a lamb without blemish or spot, that is, He is absolutely perfect, inwardly and outwardly.

a.       Precious blood: a lamb: The analogy here may be a reference either to the Passover lamb (see Ex. 12:3–6) or to the many lambs without blemish that were offered as part of the Old Testament sacrificial system (see Lev. 23:12; Num. 6:14; 28:3).

b.      If a believer is ever tempted to return to worldly pleasures and amusements, to adopt worldly modes and patterns, to become like the world in its false ways, he should remember that Christ shed His blood to deliver him from that kind of life. To go back to the world is to re-cross the great gulf that was bridged for us at staggering cost. But even more—it is positive disloyalty to the Savior.

c.       “Reason back from the greatness of the sacrifice to the greatness of the sin. Then determine to be done forever with that which cost God’s Son His life.” –MacDonald: Believer's Bible Commentary

2.      Nothing Compares To His Predestination (20). “Foreordained” indicates that God has known (v. 2) the One who would bring salvation, even as He has known those to whom that salvation is offered and secured (see Rom. 11:2).  Christ’s death was planned, not and accident or unexpected turn of events.  God designed it with us in mind!

3.      Nothing Compares To His Manifestation (20b).  “But was manifest,” this phrase contrasts with the first half of the verse. What was known only to God before the creation of the world is now made known to us. The payment for sin was planned before the Creation of the world and revealed for people’s sake through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. (The present Age is these last times [1:20] whereas the coming Age is “the last time” [v. 5].)

4.      Nothing Compares To His Resurrection (21). 

a.       Peter made it clear that Christ’s death was an appointment, not an accident; for it was ordained by God before the foundation of the world (Acts 2:23). From the human perspective, our Lord was cruelly murdered; but from the divine perspective, He laid down His life for sinners (John 10:17–18). But He was raised from the dead! Now, anyone who trusts Him will be saved for eternity.

b.      When you and I meditate on the sacrifice of Christ for us, certainly we should want to obey God and live holy lives for His glory.

5.      Nothing Compares To His Glorification (21). The Father indicated His complete satisfaction with Christ’s redeeming work by raising Him out from among the dead ones and honoring Him with the place of highest glory in heaven. The result of all this is that our faith and hope might be in God. It is in Him, not in the present evil world system, that we live and move and have our being.

a.       That our faith and hope might be in God (21).  It is through Christ, whom the Father resurrected (1:3) and glorified in His Ascension (John 17:5; Heb. 1:3) that people may come to know and trust in God. As a result of God’s eternal plan and priceless payment for sin, faith and hope can be placed in Him.

b.      Loyalty to the Lord Jesus is further demanded by the fact that it is through Him we have come to believe in God. He is the One who has revealed the Father’s heart to us. As W. T. P. Wolston says: “it is not by creation nor providence nor law that man knows God, but by Christ.” 

Conclusion:

We can cultivate stronger desires to live holy by believing, embracing, and acting on strong biblical and theological truths. Allow the holiness of God and the price of redemption to deeply impress your innermost being! Find stimulating hope in the Revelation of Jesus Christ! Make a point of living holy in practical ways each day of life. Christ died for you and me that we should live for Him! Is your desire to live holy spiritually strong, or is it beginning to weaken under the pressure of worldly appeals to conform? Are you fully persuaded to lead a devoted life? Is it your defining aim to please Christ? Have you prepared for living differently by placing the grace of Christ return before you?  Have you decided to be an obedient child living holy because God, your Father, is holy?  Can you think deeply upon the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ and still harbor casual attitudes toward sin? Allow these questions to awaken and alert you to where you are presently in your walk with the Lord. While you are at it, have a large mug of God’s holy java!