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1 Peter 1:13

by Don Costello
3/13/2011 / Bible Studies

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1. "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind"

a. gird [328 * anazonnymi] [Zodhiates: Occurs only in 1 Peter 1:13, where it is applied to the mind being held in constant prepraration. It is taken from the custom of the eastern nations who, when they had occasion to exert themselves (as in journeying, running, etc.), used to bind up their long flowing garments by a girdle or belt about their hips. [Vine: the Christian is to have his mental powers alert in expectation of Christ's coming.] [Bullinger: to gird up as with a belt.]

b. The phrase "gird up your loins" is used in a few places in the Old Testament. The two most notable are in Exodus and 1 Kings.

1). Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

a). It is used here to show God commanded His people to be ready at a moments notice. The use of the phrase in 1 Peter 1:13 suggest that we must be ready also. [Compare 2 Timothy 4:2].

b). We must remember that Jesus is our Passover, 1 Corinthians 5:7.

2). 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

a). The distance between Mt. Carmel and Jezreel is about 25 miles. Elijah ran the whole way because the hand of the LORD was upon him. It was a supernatural marathon.
c. The use of this phrase, in light of its uses in the Old Testament is very significant especially because Peter is not talking about our physical loins, he is speaking of the loins of our mind, our thought life. When we gird ourselves we wrap something around us such as a belt, to strengthen us, but since he is speaking of our minds, Peter is exhorting us to wrap and strengthen something around our minds. We are to strengthen and gird our minds with the word of God because as we shall see, it is from revelation knowledge that the grace comes to us.

d. This phrase, "gird up the loins of your mind" is no doubt another way to exhort us to meditate the Scriptures.

2. "be sober"

a. sober [3525 * nepho] [Thayer: to be sober, to be calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.

3. "and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

a. This is the grace Peter was referring to in verse 10 that is part of the salvation the prophets searched and inquired of.

b. revelation [602 * apokalypsis] [Thayer: laying bare, making naked, a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning things before unknown, used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all, manifestation, appearance.] [Zodhiates: "a grander and comprehensive word, includes not merely the thing shown and seen but the interpretation, the unveiling of the same.]

c. This is the grace Peter was referring to in his second epistle that comes through revelation knowledge.

1). 2 Peter 1:2, 3 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

d. As Jesus is revealed to us through the Scriptures by the Holy Ghost, there will be a grace that is given also, a grace that will give us the Divine ability to be obedient to what the Scriptures reveal.

1). Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

e. This is the grace, the word of his grace that we are to meditate in and allow it to build us up and give us our inheritance, and empower us to be obedient to His word.

1). Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

2). 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

f. It is also the grace that Paul warned us about receiving in vain, in other words, receiving the forgiveness and mercy of the grace but not yielding to its power to change our behavior. This also is a perfect example of the grace that was prophesied that would come to us.

1). 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

2). The above verse was a reference to a prophetic utterance written down from Isaiah.

a). Isaiah 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

g. After Peter writes about the grace, the divine ability that comes through revelation he leads us into what to do with that grace, the divine ability.
Be obedient to it.

My name is Don Costello. Ever since I received Christ in November of 1976 I have had a passion to study and know God's word.My wife Melissa and I have 5 children.

My e-mail address is [email protected]

I have a blog located at:
www.theophilus-loverofgodsword.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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