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Getting
Ready for Heaven
1
Peter 1: 6-21
The Biblical topic we have been following through
this past few weeks is that of salvation. In the
Bible salvation means to be set free from the
consequences of our sins. It involves forgiveness, a
new relationship with God, the hope of eternal life
and the promise of an eternal home in Heaven.
The Bible
assures us that Heaven is a wonderful place. Some of
the language used to describe Heaven may be
figurative but we are told enough in plain language
to assure us that Heaven is far better than anything
we will ever know here.
Think of all
the wonderful things that the Bible tells us are in
Heaven.
Streets
of Gold
Great
White Throne
The
river of the water of life
The
tree of life – 12 crops of fruit – leaves for
healing the nations
Now
think of all the terrible things that will not be
allowed in Heaven.
No
sickness
No
separation
No
sorrow
No
sin
In
the passage we are studying today we are encouraged
to think about how this salvation will be worked out
in our lives to prepare us for an eternity of
enjoyment in Heaven.
Prepared
by fire (6-9)
Back when I was
a young Christian I met some young people who told
me that they did not need to be baptised in water;
they had been baptised by fire. At that time they
did not know what they were talking about; I trust
for their sakes that they still have not learned
through bitter experience what that entails.
Let me set the scene for these verses. The letter is
written to Christians who have been scattered
throughout what used to be called
Asia Minor
but is now known as
Turkey
. We are not told where they had been scattered from
but we know that at various times Roman Emperors
drove the Christians out of
Rome
. These pogroms were accompanied by persecutions and
tortures almost beyond imagining. Stories are told
of how Nero set Christians up on stakes and set fire
to them to illuminate his gardens for a party. That
seems to me what Peter has in mind here. When faith
is tested by the possibility of such a fate it will
either be immeasurably strengthened or completely
destroyed.
These
Christians were rejoicing because of the hope of
Heaven in spite of the suffering they were
experiencing. Their faith would one day be proved
genuine. In the meantime their love for the Lord
Jesus was filling them with an inexpressible and
glorious joy as they experienced the salvation of
their souls.
Prepared
by the prophetic Word (10-12)
They not only
had persecution as a witness to the genuineness of
their faith; they also had the words of the
prophets. The suffering, death and resurrection of
the Lord Jesus were told in graphic detail in the
Old Testament writings. (Malachi 3:1-6).
Mal 3:16-18. Then those who feared the LORD spoke to
one another and the LORD listened and heard them;
So a book of
remembrance was written before Him for
those who fear the LORD and
who meditate on His name.
17 "They
shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts,
"On
the day that I make them My jewels.
And
I will spare them
As
a man spares his own son who serves him."
18
Then you shall again discern between
the righteous and the wicked,
Between
one who serves God and
one who does not serve Him. NKJV
Prepared
by the precious blood (13-21)
Prepare
your mind for action.
Set
your hope on the grace to be given.
Do
not conform to evil desires.
Be
holy in all you do.
Live
your life as strangers here.
Peter urges this course of action because of the
great price paid to redeem us from the slavery of
sin into the freedom of the children of God
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