Thursday

Related Verses
1 Pet. 2:21-23
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered on your behalf, leaving you a model so that you may follow in His steps;
22 Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth;
23 Who being reviled did not revile in return; suffering, He did not threaten but kept committing all to Him who judges righteously;

1 Pet. 1:17-19
17 And if you call as Father the One who without respect of persons judges according to each one’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear,
18 Knowing that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were redeemed from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers,
19 But with precious blood, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, the blood of Christ;

Eph. 5:15-17
15 Look therefore carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Related Reading
In 1 Peter 2:23…according to the usage of the verb kept committing in Greek, all needs to be inserted here as its object. This word refers to all the sufferings of the Lord. He kept committing all His insults and injuries to Him who judges righteously in His government, to the righteous God, to whom He submitted Himself. This indicates that the Lord recognized God’s government while He was living a human life on earth. 

We are accustomed to saying that we commit things to the Lord who is faithful or merciful or kind. Have you ever said, “I commit everything to God who judges righteously”?…The reason we do not pray like this is that our prayer, expression, and utterance are still too traditional. This keeps us from applying many of the thoughts and utterances in the pure Word. Therefore, in reading a verse such as 2:23, we may take it for granted and fail to get into the real meaning. (Life-study of 1 Peter, pp. 185-186) 

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While the Lord Jesus was on earth suffering, He kept committing all to the One who judges righteously. This brief word indicates not only that the Lord lived a life that was a model for us but also that He lived a life absolutely under God’s government. He Himself was always under the government of God, and He committed everything related to Him to God’s judgment. 

In 1 Peter 1:17 Peter urges us to pass the time of our sojourning in fear. This is a holy fear, as in Philippians 2:12. It refers to a healthy, serious caution that leads us to behave holily. 

The words pass the time include every minute of our daily life. 

Years ago I visited some saints in Las Vegas. Some of them suggested that I visit a gambling casino just to see what it was like. I replied, “No, I will not go…Because you have invited me, I am now here with you. But I will not go to see a gambling casino.” If I had gone to such a place, then a certain amount of time that day would not have been passed in fear. 

Every minute of our sojourning must be in fear. This is related to the holy manner of life. In all our manner of life we need to be holy, separated from the world. 

First Peter 1:18 and 19 explain why we should pass the time of our sojourning in fear: “Knowing that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were redeemed from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, the blood of Christ.” Why should we pass the time of our sojourning in fear? Because we know that we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. It is because we know this that we now pass the time of our sojourning in fear. The point here is that the holy manner of life should issue out from the dear and precious redemption of Christ. 

Paul tells us that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sin and from this evil age. Peter, however, tells us that Christ has redeemed us from the vain manner of life. It is vain to indulge in worldly entertainments or to purchase worldly clothing. The vain manner of life may also be related to the way we do our shopping. Some sisters very much like to go shopping. Every week they go to the department store at least to look around, even if they do not buy anything. Do you not know who you are? You are sons and daughters of the King. As children of the King, you should not go to a department store in a light way. On the contrary, you should be stately and dignified even in your shopping. I use this as an illustration of being redeemed in a practical way from the vain manner of life. (Life-study of 1 Peter, pp. 186, 93-94) 

Further Reading: Life-study of 1 Peter, msgs. 11, 21