who gave himself for us so that redeeming us from all lawlessness and purifying himself a special people, zealous for good works.*
Jesus gave himself for us to redeem us. It is by grace through redemption that we are justified.* We have received redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sin, from the riches of his grace.* The word special refers to a people of His own, (perioúsios (from perí, "all-around, encompassing" and eínai, "being, to exist") The special people are the highly favored people in the Beloved, of his creation not created by the hands and will of men, but a new creation receiving from the riches of his grace; adoption, redemption, the forgiveness of sin.* The special people are his workmanship prepared beforehand to do good works thus he gave himself not for a people to do good works alone, but to prepare them, to consecrate them, a special people of his own.
for if the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more will those receiving the superabundant grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.*
Grace is received along with the gift of righteousness through faith. We reign in life in Christ but what role does grace and righteousness play? Sin reigned in death, like as grace reigns through righteousness.* What comparison is this, like as what? like as fruit, Paul writes, when fully grown, ripened, the sinful nature produces fruit of death, and like as fruit, the grace of God (which we have bold access to through faith) produces righteousness as God planted the seed. Of course one must be a new creation, God's seed abiding in him, if so the seed will grow up to produce fruit of righteousness. "For if many died through the one transgression, much more over and beyond the grace of God and the gift in the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflow to many.* The grace of God is a service, sufficient as His is power is perfecting in weakness.* Perfection is maturity, godliness accomplished through growing up in knowledge of the Son, thus the outcome is purity. What we receive leads us to sanctification, its outcome is life.
For the grace of God manifested to all men, teaching us so that we renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, living right minded and justly and piously in the present age.*
True grace produces righteousness. This is what Paul means when he writes sin will not rule over us as we are under grace, not the Law. And those who go back to the Law, fall from grace, sever themselves from Christ not living in the power of life in the Spirit but trying to be perfected in the flesh.* Jesus was manifested in the full radiance and nature of God to make purification for sin.* He was revealed from the Father full of grace and truth.* A light appearing among darkness in which many did not receive but to all who did, who believe in him, he gives the right to become children, a people of his own.* The word all is usually in the substantive, thus belonging to people in context of what is being spoken, which in the above verse is a people being taught, or a special people. All of the special receive God's grace. Paul writes we receive justification, peace, and grace or we have access to these through faith.* Therefore in context peace, redemption is available to all men but must be received through faith. And we stand in grace, having access to through faith. This makes sense in other scriptures, Jesus is a propitiation not just for our sin but for the world's and God's love has been revealed to the world in such a way that he loves all and wishes all to know him but they are not saved, but condemned already and will perish if they do not believe in Jesus.*
Now, you are a chosen offspring, a royal priesthood, a holy multitude, people to the extent his own specialty in order that you proclaim the deeds of the one calling you out of darkness into his marvelous light.*
The word proclaim (eksaggéllō (from ek, "completely out from," which intensifies anaggéllō, "to declare, announce") speaks of consecration, completely out from darkness proclaiming his marvelous light. The idea of proclaiming here is very related to the idea of confession, both speak of the concept of walking as Jesus walked, which is not living to laws, not even elemental principles of what would Jesus do, but being like Him in character, reflecting his image, which is pure and holy without sin, walking in the light. Well how can I proclaim light if I live in darkness and how can I proclaim freedom if I am enslaved to sin? it is like putting a basket over the light. So in regards to my confession and proclaiming Christ, what better way than consecration, proclaiming in my life I am set apart, coming out of darkness and walking in the light, in truth and love.
consecrate them in truth, that your word is truth, just as you sent me into the world I also send them into the world and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they exist consecrated in truth.*
The concept of consecration is of setting a part, a people of His own, one that shares in his character and nature which is holy and pure and righteous. If I am consecrated I would not love the things of this world, as I belong His own. If I am called to heaven, I am called to holiness as no unclean, impure thing inherits heaven. If I am consecrated I will separate myself, present my body a living sacrifice unto holiness, this is my reasonable service. But you say, I have received everything in Christ, even godliness, it is finished. The scriptures say a child is not fully known, he looks dimly into who he is.* To know Christ is to grow up in knowledge of him.* If I am not mature, pure, I do not know Christ deeply.* We are being transformed from glory to glory into the image of Christ. The special people, those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.* It is one thing to struggle against sin, it is another to have no desire to be pure and holy, to be conformed to the image of His Son. Even in the Old covenant God knew all, the special people elected, to the extent of His own.*
the one saving us and calling us to a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace, the one given in Christ Jesus before time eternal.*
God had planned according to His own purpose and grace in the beginning, to make it known, calling us to a holy calling, not according to works. God called us according to grace to holiness, he gives gifts to the church according to grace for the work of ministry so the children will grow up, conformed to the image of Jesus, his workmanship prepared beforehand. If I put the good works before the calling to holiness, if I serve but have not entered my reasonable service, if I offer all my money but have not offered him holiness, if I help orphans but am not pure, then I either do not know him or do not know Him in maturity, neither understand my calling. I had better make sure of my calling. Perfection, maturity, becoming like Him in character, pure and holy is the purpose of consecration. If we misalign this, becoming zealous for good works like offerings of money to God neglecting the offering of purification that God reasonably desires, the body a living sacrifice unto holiness, then what are we? Not so special a people, not consecrated, not having pure religion, not proclaiming to the world that we walk out of darkness in that his marvelous light.
therefore gird up the loins of your mind, discreet, hoping completely unto the grace brought to you in manifestation of Jesus Christ.*
Paul counted all things as loss in order to know Christ. The grace of God appeared for a purpose, a purpose that the Old covenants had as goals but did accomplish, did not perfect because of the weakness of sinful nature; a people consecrated, set a part, of God's own. We see there was a condition of the covenant of Old, and warnings in regards to consecration.* They did not obey his commands and keep his covenant and because they did not continue to abide in His covenant he abandoned them.* Did not Jesus in the New say if we do not abide, continue in the branch we will become like branches withered and broken off?* If I am chosen then I am indebted to righteousness, I am destined, called to be holy like Jesus.*
Stand against him, steadfast in faith, knowing the same sufferings perfecting to the end, that your fellow brothers in the world. Now the God of all grace, the one calling you into His eternal glory in Christ after suffering for a while himself will prepare, set fast, strengthen, and establish, his own power for all time... this is the true grace of God, stand fast in it.*
We stand in grace which we have access to by faith. Peter is writing we stand fast in grace. Grace is a service to us, as God's power is perfecting us. Perfection is maturity, becoming like Jesus, conforming to his image, of purity and holiness. And like Jesus who was perfected in sufferings, we are perfected in sufferings. It is a mature plant that endures the world to bear fruit. There is a growth process in which maturity achieves the desired goals and in which grace is a means in which we stand. True grace we see is for what God purposed in Christ, to be manifested through the Church. Grace reigns through righteousness, therefore true grace allows the child in which God's seed abides to grow up to bear fruit of righteousness. Unlike the Old where God gave scriptures to men through a mediator, in this New covenant God sent His Son, Jesus, whose words achieve consecration, a setting a part a special people of purity and holiness. Evil uses this weakness of the flesh to war against our soul, thus as Peter writes grace and faith are given for the goal of salvation of our souls which is related to purity, becoming holy.* When we abide in His words we purify the body of sin, we grow up to bear fruit of purity, holiness, godliness, and we become a special people of his own, chosen for such a purpose to be like him.
for if the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more will those receiving the superabundant grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.*
Grace is received along with the gift of righteousness through faith. We reign in life in Christ but what role does grace and righteousness play? Sin reigned in death, like as grace reigns through righteousness.* What comparison is this, like as what? like as fruit, Paul writes, when fully grown, ripened, the sinful nature produces fruit of death, and like as fruit, the grace of God (which we have bold access to through faith) produces righteousness as God planted the seed. Of course one must be a new creation, God's seed abiding in him, if so the seed will grow up to produce fruit of righteousness. "For if many died through the one transgression, much more over and beyond the grace of God and the gift in the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflow to many.* The grace of God is a service, sufficient as His is power is perfecting in weakness.* Perfection is maturity, godliness accomplished through growing up in knowledge of the Son, thus the outcome is purity. What we receive leads us to sanctification, its outcome is life.
For the grace of God manifested to all men, teaching us so that we renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, living right minded and justly and piously in the present age.*
True grace produces righteousness. This is what Paul means when he writes sin will not rule over us as we are under grace, not the Law. And those who go back to the Law, fall from grace, sever themselves from Christ not living in the power of life in the Spirit but trying to be perfected in the flesh.* Jesus was manifested in the full radiance and nature of God to make purification for sin.* He was revealed from the Father full of grace and truth.* A light appearing among darkness in which many did not receive but to all who did, who believe in him, he gives the right to become children, a people of his own.* The word all is usually in the substantive, thus belonging to people in context of what is being spoken, which in the above verse is a people being taught, or a special people. All of the special receive God's grace. Paul writes we receive justification, peace, and grace or we have access to these through faith.* Therefore in context peace, redemption is available to all men but must be received through faith. And we stand in grace, having access to through faith. This makes sense in other scriptures, Jesus is a propitiation not just for our sin but for the world's and God's love has been revealed to the world in such a way that he loves all and wishes all to know him but they are not saved, but condemned already and will perish if they do not believe in Jesus.*
Now, you are a chosen offspring, a royal priesthood, a holy multitude, people to the extent his own specialty in order that you proclaim the deeds of the one calling you out of darkness into his marvelous light.*
The word proclaim (eksaggéllō (from ek, "completely out from," which intensifies anaggéllō, "to declare, announce") speaks of consecration, completely out from darkness proclaiming his marvelous light. The idea of proclaiming here is very related to the idea of confession, both speak of the concept of walking as Jesus walked, which is not living to laws, not even elemental principles of what would Jesus do, but being like Him in character, reflecting his image, which is pure and holy without sin, walking in the light. Well how can I proclaim light if I live in darkness and how can I proclaim freedom if I am enslaved to sin? it is like putting a basket over the light. So in regards to my confession and proclaiming Christ, what better way than consecration, proclaiming in my life I am set apart, coming out of darkness and walking in the light, in truth and love.
consecrate them in truth, that your word is truth, just as you sent me into the world I also send them into the world and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they exist consecrated in truth.*
The concept of consecration is of setting a part, a people of His own, one that shares in his character and nature which is holy and pure and righteous. If I am consecrated I would not love the things of this world, as I belong His own. If I am called to heaven, I am called to holiness as no unclean, impure thing inherits heaven. If I am consecrated I will separate myself, present my body a living sacrifice unto holiness, this is my reasonable service. But you say, I have received everything in Christ, even godliness, it is finished. The scriptures say a child is not fully known, he looks dimly into who he is.* To know Christ is to grow up in knowledge of him.* If I am not mature, pure, I do not know Christ deeply.* We are being transformed from glory to glory into the image of Christ. The special people, those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.* It is one thing to struggle against sin, it is another to have no desire to be pure and holy, to be conformed to the image of His Son. Even in the Old covenant God knew all, the special people elected, to the extent of His own.*
the one saving us and calling us to a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace, the one given in Christ Jesus before time eternal.*
God had planned according to His own purpose and grace in the beginning, to make it known, calling us to a holy calling, not according to works. God called us according to grace to holiness, he gives gifts to the church according to grace for the work of ministry so the children will grow up, conformed to the image of Jesus, his workmanship prepared beforehand. If I put the good works before the calling to holiness, if I serve but have not entered my reasonable service, if I offer all my money but have not offered him holiness, if I help orphans but am not pure, then I either do not know him or do not know Him in maturity, neither understand my calling. I had better make sure of my calling. Perfection, maturity, becoming like Him in character, pure and holy is the purpose of consecration. If we misalign this, becoming zealous for good works like offerings of money to God neglecting the offering of purification that God reasonably desires, the body a living sacrifice unto holiness, then what are we? Not so special a people, not consecrated, not having pure religion, not proclaiming to the world that we walk out of darkness in that his marvelous light.
therefore gird up the loins of your mind, discreet, hoping completely unto the grace brought to you in manifestation of Jesus Christ.*
Paul counted all things as loss in order to know Christ. The grace of God appeared for a purpose, a purpose that the Old covenants had as goals but did accomplish, did not perfect because of the weakness of sinful nature; a people consecrated, set a part, of God's own. We see there was a condition of the covenant of Old, and warnings in regards to consecration.* They did not obey his commands and keep his covenant and because they did not continue to abide in His covenant he abandoned them.* Did not Jesus in the New say if we do not abide, continue in the branch we will become like branches withered and broken off?* If I am chosen then I am indebted to righteousness, I am destined, called to be holy like Jesus.*
Stand against him, steadfast in faith, knowing the same sufferings perfecting to the end, that your fellow brothers in the world. Now the God of all grace, the one calling you into His eternal glory in Christ after suffering for a while himself will prepare, set fast, strengthen, and establish, his own power for all time... this is the true grace of God, stand fast in it.*
We stand in grace which we have access to by faith. Peter is writing we stand fast in grace. Grace is a service to us, as God's power is perfecting us. Perfection is maturity, becoming like Jesus, conforming to his image, of purity and holiness. And like Jesus who was perfected in sufferings, we are perfected in sufferings. It is a mature plant that endures the world to bear fruit. There is a growth process in which maturity achieves the desired goals and in which grace is a means in which we stand. True grace we see is for what God purposed in Christ, to be manifested through the Church. Grace reigns through righteousness, therefore true grace allows the child in which God's seed abides to grow up to bear fruit of righteousness. Unlike the Old where God gave scriptures to men through a mediator, in this New covenant God sent His Son, Jesus, whose words achieve consecration, a setting a part a special people of purity and holiness. Evil uses this weakness of the flesh to war against our soul, thus as Peter writes grace and faith are given for the goal of salvation of our souls which is related to purity, becoming holy.* When we abide in His words we purify the body of sin, we grow up to bear fruit of purity, holiness, godliness, and we become a special people of his own, chosen for such a purpose to be like him.