I Peter 1:23-25

First and foremost, it's been a little while since I posted, and I miss it dearly. I've been a bit sporadic in my postings lately, and I intend to change that. I write because I love it. It edifies me to write because it's simply a reflection of what I have learned. I want to be a conduit through which the Lord speaks, nothing more, and this blog is my opportunity to do exactly that. So today, I look at I Peter 1:23-25. This was influenced by the message John Piper preached last Sunday, but it is mainly an illumination of the text.

"Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God. For

'all flesh is like grass, and all it's glory like the flower of grass. The glass whithers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord remains forever.' (Isaiah 40:6,8)

And this Word is the good news that was preached to you."

This is an absolutely amazing passage. How are we born again? By the imperishable, meaning never fading, always perfect, always pure, but more directly, always fresh Word of God. We get it, it's how we're born, but what is the Word? The Word is the Gospel. It's so simple, it's almost ridiculous.

We have this message, it's called the gospel, and when people hear this message, God saves them.

Is that too simple to understand? An obvious question would be, "if that's how it works, than why isn't everyone who hears the message saved?" Human wisdom suggests perhaps they didn't quite explain it right. If God's gospel is supposed to be so simple, why doesn't everybody get it? If faith comes by hearing the Word of God, as Paul says in Romans, and the Word of God is the Gospel, than why are parents praying for decades that God will save their wayward sons and daughters? Why can't the sincere and heartfelt plea with a stranger to repent of their sins and put their faith and trust in Christ immediately cause them to drop to their knees, mourn over their sin, and leap for joy at the understanding of the news they just heard? After all, the Bible says it is that simple.

Well, Paul gives us an answer. He says in 2 Cor 4 that God has veiled the Gospel to those who are perishing. We don't know why God has done this, more specifically, why some hear the Gospel and receive Christ with gladness, and why others go to their grave rejecting Christ. We only know it happens. So for those of us who have "received with meekness the implanted Word," What are we supposed to do? Thankfully Peter makes that clear:

"But You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own posession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

I take great joy in telling others what it is like to live in the light. When you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, your life changes, and soon you begin to see what a marvelous blessing He is, even on top of the salvation. Christ has created us, so only He knows what suits us best if we would just listen and obey Him.

I Peter 3:13-16

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.


To begin, it's been a while since I've posted anything, so I wanted to take this opportunity to apologize to all of my readers who look forward to my posts... sorry mom.

So today I got a phone call from Bill Bartz who said to me, "Hey Jake, do you want an opportunity to give your testimony and share the gospel with thousands of people?" I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was certainly intrigued. He said Kim Jefferies, who hosts a radio program on KTIS was asking people to call in and give their testimony. Bill said he thought he'd be better at calling people and telling them to do it than doing it himself. I hesitated, but I couldn't say no, so I called not expecting to get through. Sure enough, it rang, and sure enough, they picked it up, and my heart starting racing... I had about 3 minutes to prepare what I would say, and I was terrified. I remember praying, but I don't know exactly what I said. Even if I didn't pray, I'm sure Bill prayed for me. I quickly grabbed my Bible, and raced out to my car. I sat there, too nervous to speak, and then I came on. Kim was very pleasant, and put me at ease. I had never listened to her program before, and had no idea who she was. I was so nervous, I could barely speak. I don't remember much of the conversation, I just remember feeling as if I was failing miserably. I couldn't articulate a single sentence to save my life. She wanted me to share my testimony in three minutes, and I knew I wanted to talk about Jeremiah 17:9, and my own sinfulness before a just and holy God, and how Christ's death was for His glory, and despite my sinfulness, Christ still died to save me, so all of creation could glorify Him as a not only just God, but a saving God as well.

*please insert virtual 10 minute pause here...............

So if you want to listen to podcasts of her show, you can go here and download hour 2 of November 15th of her show by right clicking and going to "save Target as" My testimony begins at 46:40... and I must admit I listened to it, and I am SO thankful it didn't sound nearly as fumbled as it did in my pea-brain while I was speaking. WHICH... brings me to the text found in I Peter 3:15...

The context of this text is clear. Peter was talking to people who were not nervous because it was "just difficult to do" like me, (forgive me, God) but these men were brought before high courts who wanted to kill them for their faith, so when Peter says that, it's with an understanding that these men must always be ready in the face of persecution to give an answer for why on earth they would endure such pain. It makes sense, because I believe a powerful testimony in the early church was the fact that these martyrs would go through such agonizing pain simply because they refused to speak a few supposedly meaningless words... "I deny Christ." Think about what would go through the secular mind looking at that situation. "Why not! This is your life! You have children, a family, health, youth! Are you really this STUPID! How could you be so ridiculous and give your life simply for not just muttering a few words!" I guess it could be argued how could they be so ridiculous for killing someone for not muttering a few pointless words, but the secular world has never been without it's contradictions. Peter obviously recognized this as a golden opportunity to share not some personal experiences, and "because God makes me happy and gives me a better life" would have hardly seemed appropriate under those conditions, but, in the faithfulness of Romans 10:17, he urges us to tell them why... and so ask yourself... why? Why is found in a right understanding of the Truth... Why for me was because God saved me from Sin. God's love was displayed on that cross, and I am undeserving, and still ungrateful, but He still saved me. I can't imagine what I would have said if Kim Jefferies held a gun to my head and told me to give my testimony instead of being as kind and encouraging as she was, but I loathe any thought of it changing. I'm sure why for many of those martyrs echoed the words of Paul in Romans 8,

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."


I am so grateful for ministries like Kim Jefferies' program. God bless her for being faithful.