Gospel Grace in 1 Peter

Today, on Renewing Your Mind, what does it mean to be born again? To be born again means to be born anew. It means to be begotten again. We can't birth ourselves into the kingdom.

We can't cause this to happen, but it is God who sovereignly regenerates us, and He causes us to be born again. Psalm 3.8 says, salvation belongs to the Lord. That sums up the central message of redemption in the Bible.

It means that every aspect of our salvation is dependent on God, from start to finish. That's what we're studying this week on Renewing Your Mind as we explore the doctrines of grace with Ligonier teaching fellow, Dr. Stephen Lawson. We find ourselves again in the book of 1 Peter, and I want to invite you to take your Bible and be turning with me to 1 Peter as we continue our study of the doctrines of grace as coming through the pen of the Apostle Peter. As we noted last time, Peter has been under the instruction and discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ, and as Peter now carries out his ministry both in preaching in the book of Acts as well as writing in his 1 and 2 Epistles, we find much the same that he had learned from the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is a sovereign grace preacher and author. And so in this session, we want to begin with definite atonement, and if you'll turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 1 in verses 18 and 19, a very signature passage on the death of Christ purchasing our salvation, I want you to note in verse 18, he says, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers. What is important for us to note is the word you.

That's a very limited restricted word. It is as wide as what we see in verse 15, those who are called, but like the Holy One who called you. Those who are called in verse 15 are those for whom Christ died in verse 18. As he continues in verse 19, but with precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. When he says precious blood, it is a Greek word that means valuable, costly, of great value.

It also means honored and esteemed. The blood of Christ is the most valuable blood, and it is the most valuable commodity, if you will, that can be given to purchase our salvation. But it is focused upon you who are the called of Jesus Christ. Those who are called are those for whom Christ has died. But look at the next verse in verse 20. For he was foreknown before the foundation of the world, meaning he has been foreordained for this death, and he has been foreloved by the Father, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.

And the you is very specific and very limited. He did not come to die for the sake of the entire world. He did not come to die for the sake of every living person. But this notes at the end of verse 20 that he came in these last times for the sake of you.

You very clearly speaks of believers. In chapter 2 and verse 4, 1 Peter 2 and verse 4, Peter writes, In coming to him, referring to Jesus Christ, as to a living stone, and by the way, that is quite an oxymoron, a living stone, which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God. Christ has come and has given himself for those who come to him.

Verse 4 begins with a statement of saving faith as it also speaks of his saving death. Again, the emphasis is upon Christ dying for those who come to him. In the same chapter in verse 24, 1 Peter 2 and verse 24, we read, He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross.

Who is the our? Well, the our refers to all who are believers in Christ, who come to faith in Christ, who are called by the Holy Spirit to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by his wounds you were healed.

Please note these pronouns, our, we, you, speaking of all true believers. In this passage, in this verse, Christ died for all those who died to sin. Christ was raised to life for all those who live to righteousness. It's a very intricate, tight interconnection here that Christ has come for those who are believers in him and who die to sin.

In chapter 3 and verse 18, we see the same argument again. For Christ also died for sins once for all, and when he says all here, the all refers not to all people, it refers to all time. In contrast with the priests in the Old Testament who had to make continual sacrifice because their sacrifice could not take away sin. But when Jesus, the great high priest, came, he laid down his life once for all time, never to be repeated again. It was the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God.

The us very clearly speaks of elect believers. So, he died for the sins of all those whom he will bring to God, having been put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit. I think what we see here is a very clear pattern of our Lord dying for us who believe, for you who believe, for you who come to him by faith. Well, not only do we see the doctrine of definite atonement in 1 Peter, we also see irresistible grace.

And if you'll go back to the beginning of 1 Peter, I want to walk through this wonderful book with you yet one more time. And I want you to note at the end of verse 1 and the beginning of verse 2, Peter writes, to those who reside as aliens, and then he says, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood. Here is a Trinitarian statement, foreknown by the Father, sprinkled with his blood by the Son, and the sanctifying work of the Spirit – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Those who are foreknown by the Father and those who are chosen by the Father are those who are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and also these are those who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit. That means to be set apart by the Holy Spirit of God. And this sanctifying work begins the moment one is converted, and it is at that moment that they begin to obey Jesus Christ. Do you see that? This is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit.

It is a powerful work. Look at the next verse, verse 3, 1 Peter 1, verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Now, this word to be born again means to be born anew. It means to be begotten again, and this says that it is God who caused this new birth. We can't birth ourselves into the kingdom.

We can't cause this to happen, but it is God who sovereignly regenerates us, and He causes us to be born again. This theme continues, and later in this very same chapter in verse 15, 1 Peter 1, verse 15, we read, But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior. We are called by the Holy One. We are called to the Holy One. We are called for the Holy One. The One who calls us, calls us to Himself. We read much the same again in chapter 2 and verse 9. Peter is very strong on this sovereign effectual call of God that is extended to the elect that draws them to faith in Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 2, verse 9, we read, But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you. Those who are chosen at the beginning of verse 9 are those who are called at the end of this verse. You are called out of darkness into His marvelous light.

I want to say it again. All who are chosen before the world began are those who are called within time. And this word called is a Greek word kaleo, which means to call with a loud voice. And the idea is that this call is so powerful and so loud that it drowns out any other voice from any other false teacher or from the world, and it overpowers us and apprehends us and brings us into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Later in this very same chapter, in chapter 2 and in verse 21, we read the same. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. Again, we see Peter speaking in the language of sovereign grace that all believers are called into fellowship with Jesus Christ, are called into saving faith with Christ. This is a work that God must do or we would remain in darkness or we would remain in unbelief. In chapter 3, verse 9, we read much the same again of this effectual, sovereign, overpowering call.

In 1 Peter 3 and verse 9, we read, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead, for you are called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. The pronoun you refers to all believers. It refers to all those who have faith in Jesus Christ, and the reason that they have faith in Jesus Christ is because they were called.

No one believes in Jesus Christ until they are called at the appointed time. And this call, again, lays hold of us and draws us into relationship with Jesus Christ. And if you can believe it, there's one more verse that I want you to see on this sovereign call. It's 1 Peter 5 and verse 10, after you have suffered for a little while.

And let me just stop here for a moment. This is addressed to believers in the first century who have been, in essence, run out of their town, run out of their city, run out of their homes, and they have been scattered like aliens throughout Asia Minor. Think of what comfort they drew from this sovereign grace, that though they are rejected by the world, they have been chosen by God. Though they have been scattered abroad by the persecution of the world, they have nevertheless been summoned and subpoenaed by God into relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. What strength this gave them as they are in the midst of great tribulation, what encouragement this was to their soul, that the reason they even find themselves in this fiery ordeal of suffering for the gospel is because it is the Lord Himself who has apprehended them and brought them into this place in which they are now in conflict with the world, in which they are hated by the world. They are, in essence, in the fiery trials of persecution by divine appointment. And what an encouragement that should be to each one of us here today, because many of us live in families and with extended family in which there are unbelievers, in which we receive flack for our faith, and it is strength for our soul to be reminded that we find ourselves on the front lines of spiritual conflict because of Christ as a result of the sovereign call of God out of the world and out of darkness into faith in Jesus Christ. So look at this verse again, 1 Peter 5 verse 10. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. This call here is more than a mere invitation.

It is the elect being apprehended and drawn into faith with Jesus Christ. And I find it interesting here in this verse that He called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, again reminding them that this world is not their home. You're just strangers and aliens here. This world is not your home.

You're just passing through. Your citizenship is in heaven from which you await a Savior. As long as you are in this world, you shall have tribulation. All who are in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. And to remind them that they're just passing through in 1 Peter 5, 10, He says, He called you to His eternal glory.

It's beyond this world. Your eternal home is in glory and in heaven. So this is the irresistible call of God. Now there's one more doctrine of grace that I want us to note. And so I want you to go back to the beginning of 1 Peter one more time with me. One more time, back to chapter 1, starting in verse 3, we read, and I want us to consider now, preserving grace, persevering grace.

1 Peter 1, verse 3, He has caused us to be born again and to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Now, He proceeds in verse 4, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable. That means it can never be subject to death. It can never be subject to destruction. And undefiled, meaning it is unstained and unpolluted and will not fade away, meaning it can never wither or die, reserved in heaven for you. It could not be any more safely secure, this inheritance, this treasure that is laid up for you in heaven. Thieves cannot break in and take it.

Moths cannot corrupt it. It is safe in heaven waiting for you. Now, notice what He goes on to say, and this is really good news. Not only is your inheritance saved for you, but He will go on to say, you are saved for your inheritance. Not only is it secure in heaven awaiting you, you are secure in Christ and will surely one day be in heaven to receive this inheritance. So He goes on to say, after He says this inheritance is reserved in heaven for you, He writes, who are protected by the power of God.

Who is a personal pronoun which speaks to all the elect. It speaks to all true believers. It speaks to those who are born again in verse 3. We are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

So, our inheritance is protected and we are protected. It is inevitable that we will one day be in heaven in glory to receive this inheritance. Now, in the same chapter, look at verses 8 and 9.

And though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. And this salvation is glorification. And a salvation comes in three installments in reality. You can say you have been saved, you are being saved and you will be saved. That is justification, sanctification, glorification. You can say you have been saved from the penalty of sin, you are being saved from the practice of sin and one day you'll be saved from the presence of sin.

And it's all interconnected. And that is the reference here as He is pointing to our future phase of salvation, our glorification. You will with certainty obtain the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Let me put it to you this way. You are just as certain for heaven this very moment as though you've already been there 10,000 years. It's so certain, Romans 8.30 says you've already been glorified and you haven't even arrived yet because it's so sure and certain in the mind of God and in the eternal purposes of God, nothing can thwart it or prevent it from happening.

Now there's one more verse I want you to note in 1 Peter and it's 1 Peter 5 verse 10 which we looked at earlier. The God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus will Himself perfect, meaning bring to wholeness, confirm, meaning you will be held fast, strengthened, made sturdy and establish you, meaning you will have laid a permanent foundation. You are called to His eternal glory. And we've already discussed this but it's as though this call just bypasses this world and the call goes all the way to the consummation to your eternal glory in heaven. If you've been called to faith in Christ you have been likewise called to eternal glory.

It's a package deal. So again we see the preserving grace of God, the eternal security of the believer, the perseverance of the saints, however you would like to label it. Peter was so strong on the doctrines of grace. To a hurting people who are so persecuted, who are so in the midst of fiery tribulation, what would encourage them?

What would strengthen them? Peter continually emphasizes the sovereign grace of God in their salvation. And surely you and I can draw much strength from this in our lives today as we live in a world that is growing darker and darker, as we live in a culture and society that's becoming more ungodly and more unChristlike and we are going to find ourselves more and more on the front line of spiritual warfare, because we will be hated by the world. Let us remember how it was that we even came to be in this spiritual warfare. We're here by divine appointment for God's own purposes and it's because we have been chosen out of the world to now suffer in the world for our faith in Jesus Christ. But look what they did to the Savior.

They crucified Him. We cannot expect better treatment than what our Lord received while He was in this world. That gives us a great perspective in our trials, doesn't it? We're glad you're with us today here on Renewing Your Mind. I'm Lee Webb, and our teacher is Dr. Stephen Lawson. The message we just heard is from his series, Foundations of Grace, New Testament.

When we realize that God has authored every aspect of our salvation, including our perseverance, it gives us great hope and comfort. Let me recommend that you contact us and request Dr. Lawson's entire series. Walking through the New Testament with him will help you see clearly how God has planned every aspect of our lives. So request it with your donation of any amount to Ligetier Ministries. Our phone number is 800-435-4343. You can also make your request and give your gift online at renewingyourmind.org. By the way, Dr. Lawson is one of the teachers that you will hear regularly on our 24-hour internet radio station, RefNet. You'll also hear music and audio books. You'll find a full schedule at RefNet.fm, and you can listen for free at any time.

Again, the web address, RefNet.fm, or download the free RefNet app. We'll continue our look at God's sovereignty and salvation tomorrow, and here's a preview of Dr. Lawson's message. If the root is sovereign election, the fruit will be a changed life. There is no way you could be living the way that you are living with a desire to know God and to love God and to pursue holiness, except it is God who has dramatically intervened in your life. Please make plans to join us again Friday for Renewing Your Mind.