Live As People Who Are Free

Music Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Christian, you know that Christ came to set us free. But what does it look like to live as people who are free? Are we freed only from the consequence of our sin and left to figure out the rest on our own?

How does our new identity change the way we view hardship, relationships, and life purpose? This is the beginning of a study through the book of 1 Peter, titled Live as People Who Are Free. Rich starts our series in 1 Peter 1, 1-2, where Peter reminds us where we belong. I've got you a copy of the scriptures open to 1 Peter as we begin our series now.

The title of this series is Live as People Who Are Free. The date was July 18th. The year was A.D. 64. A fire broke out in the marketplace in the city of Rome.

The fire raged for six days. And when the smoke cleared, 70% of Rome was in ashes. 50% of the population of Rome was now homeless. There was a significant number of Christians in Rome. That's why the book of Romans is in the New Testament. It was a tremendous church there. And the Christians were associated with the Jews.

And believe it or not, it was already significant anti-Semitism. And it is historically documented that Nero wanted to blame the Christians for the fire of Rome. So it's very possible that many Christians fled Rome because they were homeless and because of the stepped up persecution because the Christians were being blamed for the fire.

So many people were left destitute. And if nothing else, the reputation of the Christians throughout the Roman Empire was now slandered because of this event. This could be very much the reason why Peter is writing the letter of 1 Peter. We do know that the reason why he's writing is because Christians are being slandered and reviled.

And he mentions that. He also mentions fiery trials. And the suffering of believers is mentioned in every chapter of this book. Look at it with me in chapter one, verse seven, he says, when you are grieved by various trials. Chapter one, verse eight, he speaks of gold that is tested by fire that our inheritance, he says in verse four, is imperishable.

It's not going to burn up like so many people's homes did. It is an imperishable inheritance, more precious than gold, though it is tested by fire. Chapter two, verse 19, he talks about enduring sorrows while suffering unjustly. Chapter three, verses 14 to 17, he speaks of those who suffer for righteousness sake and it's there that he mentions the slander and the reviling. In chapter four, verse 12, he says, don't be surprised when the fiery trial comes upon you.

So tested by fire, fiery trial, it keeps mentioning that. Look with me now, I want you to read it with me chapter four and verse 19. Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will and trust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good. I want you to know that verse. Christians, mark that verse, plant it in your heart. This is what we are called to. Let those who suffer according to God's will and trust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good.

That's kind of this whole reason for writing this letter in a nutshell right there. I will never forget while reading one of the Voice of the Martyrs magazines, I was particularly interested in this one gentleman who was a Colombian. He was ministering in Colombia.

I'm interested in Colombia. That's where I was born. That's where I grew up. And he was ministering to this Marxist rebel group called FARC. And they're a Marxist group and they want to revolutionize Colombia.

They've risen up again. But years before when they were doing this, this man would go into these camps who are atheist groups and they hate Christians. And he would go into these camps and a lot of them are just acting out of ignorance. They're only acting on what they've been taught. They don't know what the truth is.

He would go into these camps and he would deliver Bibles to these people and share the gospel with them. And some people would come up to him and say, don't you know what they can do to you? And he said this, and I will never forget it.

It has never been able to leave me. He said, they might kill me, but nothing bad can happen to me. That's a whole new way of looking at things, isn't it? Let those who suffer according to God's will and trust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good. That is the people who are free.

That man was free. In chapter five, verse nine, he says the same kinds of suffering is experienced by your brothers throughout the world. So in every chapter of first Peter, suffering is mentioned. Suffering is central there. It is in the, at least in the background of what he is saying. So why did Peter write first Peter?

Why did he write this letter? The question comes down to this. How are we as Christians to understand our pilgrimage?

Give me some feedback here. What is a pilgrimage? What is pilgrimage? It's a word we use.

Maybe many don't understand what that means. What is a pilgrimage? Traveling? A journey?

Okay. It's a journey. And it's often considered just a short journey or a short stay. So here we are on this earth, the third rock from the sun in this solar system, which is a tiny speck on just a blip on the radar of the eternal perspective. How are we to understand our pilgrimage? How do we understand? How do we perceive?

How do we engage all the stuff that we observe and experience? That is the question that is answered in Peter's letter to suffering Christians. When we were in Amelia Island at the end of June, we listened to a message in Amelia Baptist Church. He's the associate pastor of the church, and he said this.

His name is Adam Page. Those who abide in Christ will experience simultaneous security and vulnerability. It's true, isn't it? We see it throughout the scriptures. Hebrews 11 is full of it.

The Heaven's Hall of Faith. Those who abide in Christ will experience simultaneous security and vulnerability. Like that man in Columbia, they may kill me, but nothing bad can happen to me. There's security and there's vulnerability.

And we have to recognize that that's our position in this world. The one you follow, the one who made you, the one who died for you to redeem you, the one who rose again, was he not vulnerable? He was crucified to a cross, and yet he could not have been more secure. You see, it wasn't about his physical survival.

Not at all. For this is the will of God, Peter says, 1 Peter 2, 15 and 16. This is the will of God, that by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover up for evil, but living as servants of God. That's the whole book of 1 Peter right there. This is the will of God. So mark that down. How many people are wanting to know what's the will of God?

Here it is. By doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. The slander, the reviling of people who hate Christ or do not understand Christianity. Live as people who are free. Free from what? Ah, that is the question. And that's going to be answered in this book. Not using your freedom as a cover up for evil, but living as a servant of God.

You see how that's juxtaposed there? Live as people who are free, but servants. You are a servant to someone or something. There is no such thing as an absolutely free individual. You cannot be, because you are a contingent being. So live as people who are free.

Why? Because we serve a God who set us free. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover up for evil, but living as servants of God. Here's a statement I want you to remember. Free people flourish and can help others flourish.

That's the whole point of 1 Peter. Free people flourish. If you're bogged down, remember the parable of the sower and the seed? And some of it fell among thorns and it was choked out by the cares of the world. That's not a free person. Or some of it fell on shallow ground and it started to grow.

And yet when the heat, when the heat of the sun came, it couldn't handle it because it was shallow. That's not a free person. Free people flourish and can help others flourish. We're so glad you've joined us for Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. You can hear this message and others anytime by visiting our website, www.delightingrace.com. You can also check out Pastor Rich's book, Seven Words That Can Change Your Life, where he unpacks from God's word the very purpose for which you were designed. Seven Words That Can Change Your Life is available wherever books are sold. As always, tune in to Delight in Grace weekdays at 10 AM.