LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

SEPTEMBER 16, 2026

1 Peter 1:17-21

17 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, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the

futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with

the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 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.

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v 17 – “And if you call on him …”

Jesus taught us that God is our Father in heaven

A father is also an authority figure, and if we call God our father, we acknowledge our duty to

obey him

“who judges impartially …”

“the one impartially judging according to each one’s work [ergon].”

“For God shows no partiality.”—Romans 2:11

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is

due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”—2 Corinthians 5:10

We are no saved according to works, but we are accountable to God for who we are and what we

do

“conduct yourselves with fear …”

This is to Christians.

more lit. “in fear” – phobos

“throughout the time of your exile”

paroikia, sojourning, from para + oikos, referring to being a by-dweller, a resident alien

v 18 – “knowing that you were ransomed …”

This knowledge should reassure and bless us—but it also adds to our fearful reverence to

recognize what cost has been paid on our behalf

“ransomed” – the correct word, as when someone is kidnapped. We were bought back from

bondage.

“the futile ways inherited …”

The audience was mainly Jewish Christians

This is referring to living under the law, which could never save us

“not with perishable things …”

silver and gold—money—then and now, is what is typically looked to as having value

the payment for our release was infinitely more valuable than silver or gold

v 19 – “but with the precious blood of Christ …”

What could be a more costly gift? What monetary value could be attached to it?

2

What has God paid on our behalf!

“like that of a lamb …”

Peter is drawing up a completely familiar image or the Jewish Christians, the Passover lamb,

sacrificed, whose blood on the threshold caused the angel of death of pass over that home

Lambs were also sacrificed on other occasions for sin

Jesus is the Lamb of God

“without blemish or spot”—required of a sacrificial lamb, and now taken to another level by the

life of Christ

v 20 – “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world …”

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my

glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”—

John 17:24

“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and

blameless before him …” —Ephesians 1:4

“and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the

foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”—Revelation 13:8

“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to

destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life

from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is

to come.”—Revelation 17:8

“in the last times”

last - eschatos

times – chronos

We are in the last times, the eschatou tōn chronōn

“but in these last [eschatou] days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the

heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”—Hebrews 1:2

“But this [Pentecost] is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days

it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh …’”—Acts 1:16-

17

v 21 – “who through him are believers …”

As opposed to previously, they had been believers in God, but not “through him.”

“believers” – pistos, adj., usu. trans. “faithful”—so this could be read “who through him are

faithful unto [eis] God.”

“who raised him from the dead …”

The vindication of Jesus and proof that he is the Christ

Worthy of worship!

“so that your faith and hope …”

“are in God” – read the phrase with emphasis on these words

The one who trusts in Christ is trusting in God.

“No one comes to the Father except through me.”—John 14:6