1st Peter 1:13. “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, and be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” THE REASON. Perhaps he paced awhile before he sat down to write As the Holy Spirit moved upon him giving some new light To his understanding so that he could know and tell The saints why suffering is to be expected – why some fell Under the painful sword of suffering for righteousness’ sake Letting them know why the road saints walk is hard to take But God has a plan which most certainly will be fulfilled In which the testimony of suffering will the teaching of grace be upheld.
The mind that wanders so easily must be wrapped up tight Like garments tightened around a body before the actual fight For actions demand that our scattered thoughts be focused On Him and the calling He has placed before us. Grace has its demands – faith must be placed in Him And the controlled mind is then able to overcome sin Keeping us looking ahead – way ahead, in hope Knowing we have only experienced a little of grace’s wide scope.
A day beyond trials and suffering that hones the mind To a sharpness beyond nature to where we can find The faith that allows us to suffer in life and die That we with Christ our example will truly know why He went through all He did before His revelation And we too testify to a coming day of full salvation From not only the consequences, but the presence of sin And by grace, share His glory when His kingdom here is seen.
“Help me to be resolute in purpose, O God, that Thy glory may be glimpsed in some little way through my response to Thy grace. When Christ is revealed there will be justice and righteousness. May there be a response today from my heart to Thy grace, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Toward the last of chapter one we are taught about a redemption price that goes far beyond all silver and gold in its value. How much is the "precious blood of Christ" worth? It is an "inestimable ransom" paid with by the only perfect life lived on earth. The perfections of the Lord Jesus Christ were in evidence when He was seen daily by imperfect human beings. He was "without blemish" in His nature and "without spot" in His testimony.
Because of the nature of the salvation God has given us, we have been born again by an "incorruptible seed." This seed is not capable of being morally corrupted and it is impervious to decay. The new life we have been given by God cannot fade nor fail forever. This life enables us to reach for the command our Gracious Father has given us by making us "a new creation" and giving us a "new nature," to "Be ye holy; for I am holy."