Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  (5) who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (6) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, (7) that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (8) whom having not seen you love.  Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (9) receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls.

This first letter of Peter was written by the Apostle Peter to the Christians living in the ancient world of the Roman empire.  It was likely written from Rome and was again likely written before the persecution of Christians which took place after the fire in Rome in A.D. 64.  There was open hostility toward Christians in the first century.  They were mocked, ridiculed harassed, marginalized, imprisoned and put to death.  Peter’s purpose in writing this pastoral letter to “God’s elect” was to help the early believers see their temporary sufferings in the light of the coming eternal glory.

Peter tells his audience that man has a need for meaning and purpose and hope that is met – through faith- by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  By God’s mercy man can take hold of that great gift of grace and promise of salvation and will be reborn into a new life – a living hope that can never be extinguished. This is a lively hope that cheers the soul, inspires confidence and sustains courage based on God’s promise.  Future hope brings present joy.  Peter advocates for a life lived by faith rather than works – life lived waiting to be judged righteous through faith in Christ. He states that the foundation of our absolute  assurance of future hope is based on the resurrection  and the only work that God requires of people for salvation is faith in Christ Jesus – the believer is already saved by grace through faith.

Present hope is based on past calling. We are called to be holy and blameless before Him and hope in the gospel anchors us.  Our inheritance is eternal, not subject to decay.  It is imperishable, not like an earthly inheritance – it will not corrupt the soul, will not tempt or defile the heart.  God has “caused us” to be born again.  This is a gift from God – even the faith to believe is a gift from God.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.  (2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  (3) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  (4) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

The letter to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul to the Christians in that city – Paul never visited Colosse.  The first 2 chapters of this letter concern doctrine – the mystery of Christ in them and the circumcision of their hearts “made without hands”.  Paul was saying that the Colossians should put away their fleshy nature of this world as they had died and were raised with Christ in their faith.    Now Paul is turning to the practical application of this doctrine.

How we live is determined by how we think.  Through faith in Christ risen we are new men and women and Paul emphasizes our personal holiness – being outside of worldly concerns in relation to ourselves  and in relation to others.  The sequence here is important:  we must be right in our inner lives before we can be right in our relationships with others in Christ.  This is an ongoing process of sanctification.  If we are raised with Christ in faith we must realize this change – we must BE in practice what we are in position in Christ.

Paul tells us to seek not things of earth but things of the spirit.  We are to become what we already are by God’s grace.  A believer’s relationship with Christ gives him/her a renewed mind and calls for a definite act of will.  We are to find our true north in Christ.  This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pursue our callings and responsibilities on earth but we are to keep our eyes on the prize which is not of this world.  We are drawn into this way of life through faith:  first with baby steps and as we grow in love for Christ we mature.  Things above get daily more important and things of this earth grow daily less important.

Earlier in the letter to the Colossians Paul tells his audience not to pursue or concern themselves with things “which perish with the using”.  We are to keep our feet on earth and our minds and hearts in heaven.   This does not mean to have contempt of things in this world but we are not to set the heart on transitory things as they are only subordinate and instrumental.  What is seen is temporal and what is unseen is eternal.  The things of this world cannot last – all trials, crosses and conflicts are also temporary.  The cross will be replaced by a crown and only things from above are eternal.

I am closing with a quote from c.s. lewis on man’s true purpose:

Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists……. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy the most probable explanation is that it was made for another world.  If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it that does not prove the universe is a fraud.  Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.

Jesus Christ, Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  (9) Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.  (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Apostle Paul wrote this magnificent passage on the nature and person and work of Christ Jesus.  He was writing to the Philippians to correct a minor problem in the church there.  Paul wrote to tell them the cure for their/any condition is to know the mind of Christ.  Paul described the suffering of Christ and emphasized here that Jesus, true God and true man, did not cling to His divine nature.  Jesus is equal with God but took upon Himself the nature and likeness of men.  And was obedient to death – not a common death but the lowest and most painful of death the Romans could apply.  But, as was the humility of Jesus also was and is His exaltation:  all created things shall pay homage to Him.

Paul tells us that essential nature cannot be changed and Jesus is essential and unalterable God and this was an objective reality  before the beginning of time.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow – He is always God.  The essence of Jesus is divine and this never changes.  He emptied Himself of His divine glory but not of His divine nature.  He emptied Himself of the self manifestation of His divine essence but not of His divine nature.  He continued to be the Son of God.

The dramatic act of incarnation – added to the divine nature of Christ was a complete human nature and the divine glory was veiled – voluntarily.  Christ Jesus submitted to human limitations APART from sin.  There is a profound truth here – we think of Christ’s miracles and His putting forth His powers as God:  quieting the storm, raising the dead, causing the blind to see and the lame to walk.  But a truer understanding of this human nature shows He did nothing of Himself.  The works He did were not His own but the Father’s who sent Him.  His human life was one of faith even as our life should be one of faith.   He is our PERFECT example.

A study of today’s verses tell us that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall give praise to God.  Even the fallen unredeemed angels and unredeemed man – even though under eternal condemnation –  will HAVE to bow before Jesus and acknowledge He is the Son of God.  Even hell itself will confess Jesus Christ is Lord – ultimately this will be so, either by choice or by force, that all will submit to Jesus Christ as Lord.   All that has happened and ever will happen moves through time toward this moment.  History shows the pattern and rhythm toward this conclusion and history is not an aimless sequence of events.  There is a meaning and purpose for everything in this world.  All history tells us of the sovereignty of God – all the Bible tells us this story.

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  (9) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.  (10) And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  (11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The letter to the Romans was written by the Apostle Paul to the Christians living in Rome.  In a previous chapter Paul had raised the question:  “Who will deliver me from this body of death?”  The answer is that through the completed acts of Christ Jesus we are delivered in faith by the indwelling Son and Spirit of God.  Paul is teaching here that at the moment of belief we receive the Spirit of God.  The Mosaic Law could never be followed by fallen and sinful man.  So God initiated reconciliation and sent Christ to be the once and forever sin offering for the justification of believers.  Because of this sacrifice, man who has faith is justified – made right with God.  Believing Christians no longer walk in the ways of the flesh (sin) but walk according to the spirit.  Paul qualifies this saving faith by saying that if anyone does not have true faith, “he is not His”.

The verses we study today contrast life and death – the body and the spirit.   There is the death of the body because of sin but there is the life of the spirit because of justification of man through Christ.  There is the flesh and there is the spirit:  both states have a path and an end and the goal of both these ends acts on man.  To gain the goal of death man needs   more and more complete separation from God – this is the path of death.  The spirit aims for life in God and works toward that goal of salvation.  So on the one hand there is a state of death in which not a spark of life remains.  Or, there is the goal of spiritual life –  that perfect life from which the last vestige of death has disappeared.

For you were once darkness, but not you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light (9)  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), (10) finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  (11) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.  (12) For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.  (13) But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.  (14) Therefore He says:  Awake you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.

The letter to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul who was speaking to believing Gentiles – those who had been in total spiritual darkness and now, in faith, were in light.  Paul wrote the Gentiles that all those sinful behaviors were behind them – in darkness they chased sin but now sin chases them.  The faithful are regenerated – born again believers in Christ Jesus.  Their lives have changed but not their circumstances.  Men in darkness were evil and they were spiritually dead but they have put on Christ and become children of light.  God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.  Darkness is Satan’s domain.

Paul tells the Ephesians – and us – that the result or fruit of the light is moral goodness and that this goodness in the way believers live and interact gives proof of the possession of the Spirit. Believers walk in light because they are the people of truth with nothing to hide.  This truth is reality which is hidden under appearances.

Paul further asserts that without faith it is impossible to please God.  Believers must put every thought, word, and  action to the test to find out what does please God.  We do not determine this by our own feelings, or by the world or even by what other Christians say or think –   but by growing to understand His Word and not act out of selfish motives.  Believers have a new personal relationship with Christ. So, first we are to become children of light and then to walk as children of light to please The Lord.

Paul commands believers not to participate in unfruitful deeds of darkness.  This principle of separation of God’s people is all through the New and the Old Testaments. Paul further is saying that it is not good enough to separate from evil but to expose men of darkness.  Believers can get used to darkness – to become desensitized to evil. This gradual process begins with broadminded tolerance which becomes a peaceful coexistence with evil when we stretch our conscience.

All things are visible when exposed to the light in contrast with things done in secret. Our lives should be a light contrasting good and evil. I cannot do better than to quote Paul’s letter to the Romans,  Chapter 13, verse 12:

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand.  Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, amd let us put on the armor of light.”