1 Peter 1:13-21

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:13-21

Well, since this salvation is such a big deal, Peter calls his readers to gear up and get focused.  He says, "set your hopefully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ".  They are also called to "not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance".  So, they are called to go "all in" and not be bothered or concerned with things of their past life.

With regards to setting hope fully on this grace, Peter actually began by saying "preparing your minds for action, and being sober minded".  This is something to be ready, prepared and alert for.  This is not something to do half-heartedly or just as an afterthought.

With regards to not being conformed to former passions, Peter actually begins by saying "as obedient children".  Obedience is what calls believers to stay away from these former passions.  This is because believers are called to holiness.  Peter directs his reader's attention to God who says "you shall be holy, for I am holy".

Committing to going all in on this amazing grace and steering clear of passions of the past are two very important things.  This is what Christians do.  It's not just about believing but also being holy because God is holy.

Peter moves on to encourage his readers to "conduct yourselves with fear".  He is calling them to the gravity of their actions and the seriousness of their salvation.  God is judge and he is a fair judge.  This means that your wrongdoing will not go unnoticed.  Just because you were ransomed doesn't mean your sin doesn't matter.  God's saving of you wasn't a simple thing that makes little difference either way.  It was so serious because of what we were ransomed from, which is why Peter brings this up.  Also, it is a big deal because of what was used to ransom us.  We were ransomed with the precious blood of Christ.  He was "like that of a lamb without blemish or spot".  This too was a big deal and a prime sacrifice.

Just in case you thought Jesus was some last minute plan to fix what was broken, Peter explains that "he was foreknown before the foundation of the world".  This was planned a long time ago.  So, why now of all times?  Why not long time ago?  Well, Peter simply says that he was "made manifest in the last times for the sake of you".  "You" are his readers and those he describes as "elect exiles of the Dispersion".  It is for the believers.

It is through Jesus that makes believers "believers in God".  How does that work?  Well, this is probably in relation to what Peter says next.  God is the one "who raised him (Jesus) from the dead and gave him (Jesus) glory.  The result is that faith and hope are in God.  God raises and glorifies Jesus.  Yet, this works both ways, doesn't it?  Just look at the way Jesus talks about it in John 5.  I know some who deny that Jesus is God will point to that as a reason why Jesus is not God, but we also see a way in which honoring the Son means to honor the Father who sent him.  Even going back to what Peter says here, we see that God giving Jesus glory is related to hope and faith in God.  Once again, one might argue that this doesn't necessarily point to Jesus being God because God is described as the actor in raising Jesus and giving Jesus glory.  I guess maybe what I'm wrestling with is this: how does giving Jesus glory result in faith and hope in God?  This mainly makes sense to me if Jesus is God.  How does God get faith and hope if he glorifies something or someone other than himself?  In any case, Jesus is God and his raising and glorifying is for believer's faith and hope being in God.