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Alive in ChristFollowers of Jesusidentitymercynew creation

God’s Special People

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Today we reflect on Peter’s address about being God’s special people. As a new creation, born into the family of God, old things have passed away and all things become new. Peter speaks to the old things, describes the new reality, and proclaims the believers new identity.

Jesus our cornerstone, the cornerstone of God’s House.

Old Things

Peter, like the writer to the Hebrews, states that certain things must be left behind. They are part of the old life and have no place in the new. What things are they? These are characteristics that don’t line up with being children of our Father who is love. He lists malice which is the desire to hurt someone, all guile which is being duplicitous in the attaining of goals, hypocrisy, saying one thing and living another, envy, wanting someone else’s good things, and all evil speaking. Peter says “laying aside.” It is a process of putting these behaviours away.

New Reality

Instead, he writes, if you have tasted that God is gracious, long for God’s word the way a new baby wants milk so you can grow up into Him. You are different. You have come to a living stone, “the chief cornerstone”. Though chosen by God and precious, He is the starting place of God’s house despite His rejection by men. You also are like living stones being built together into a “spiritual house” a “holy priesthood” for the purpose of offering spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, through Jesus Christ.

New Identity

He furthers speaks to the believer’s new identity. You are “a chosen generation, a holy priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” Your purpose is to proclaim His praises. He is who called you “out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Now you are God’s people when you were not a people. You have now obtained mercy when you had not experienced mercy before.

Put away the old ways, they don’t fit your new life. Don’t be disobedient to the word and stumble. You have a position within a new reality. You are a new creation being built up in the Lord Jesus for the praise of God. You have experienced mercy and become people of God.

Peter speaks still, to the old things, describing the new reality, and proclaiming the believers new identity.

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Followers of JesusidentityJoynew creationPeter

Peter Writes a Letter

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Having looked at the Epistles of John, we now turn our attention to the First Epistle of Peter. He identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. We know him from the gospels as a fisherman, a man whose faith was tested, who denied the Christ and was restored to the Kingdom of God. He writes his letter to the temporary residents of the scattering of the Jews to places like Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. He calls them elect in regards to three significant positions.

Position One

First they are elect according to the foreknowledge of God. They were already in God’s thoughts. He was the source, the One with the plan, who sees it through to its completion. Paul’s writing confirm this truth. In Ephesians 1:4 he wrote “He chose us before the foundations of the world.” Then in Romans he further writes, “For whom He foreknew.” God’s plan of salvation had long been in the works.

Position Two

Secondly, they are elect according to the sanctification of the Spirit. The helper came once Jesus departed. It is He who works in believers to set them apart for God’s work. the gospel came in the power of the Spirit, with much assurance and with joy.

Position Three

Thirdly, they are elect for a purpose, “for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.” The prophet Isaiah spoke of Jesus, “So shall He sprinkle many nations, Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them, they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.” Paul wrote in Romans 1:5, “through Him we received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all the nations for His name.” God’s plan gave great purpose. The apostle Peter calls them elect in regards to these three significant positions. This word still speaks.

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Finding strengthnew creationThe word

In Deceptive times

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The apostles wrote to fight the deceptive times they were living in. Jesus, before ascending to heaven, commissioned them to go and make disciples. As they did so, the intensity of the lie threatened the faithful. In 1 John we read the words he wrote to strengthen the believers. He writes where to live, the promise for which they live and the anointing under which they live.

“Abide in Me.”

Where to Live

First he tells them where to live. “Abide in the Son and in the Father.” This new life is hiding with Christ in God. It is living in the things heard at the beginning, truths which the Spirit worked in their hearts to make new creations in Christ. These truths must become home, the place in which the soul abides. Jesus came to save sinners, He is the way, the truth and the life, and He is coming back to receive His own. These truths must be the Christian’s home.

The Promise

Secondly he writes of the promise. “This is the promise.” Jesus promised eternal life. Live in the promise. Hold on to it. Don’t let anyone deceive you. It is a rock solid truth for it came from the mouth of Jesus. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” He is truth. Believers cling to the words of Jesus.

The Anointing

The third point of which he writes is the anointing. He tells them it came from God and lives within the believer. He writes, “You don’t need anyone to teach you.” “The anointing teaches you about all things.” “It is true and is not a lie.” You have the Holy Spirit, who is the seal of God’s truth within. Abide in Him. Then when Jesus returns there will be nothing to be ashamed of. He is righteous. The person who practices right living and loves his brother thereby shows he is a child of God.

John writes to the family of God, who face deceptive times about where to live, the promise for which they live and the anointing under which they live.

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Life in Christnew creation

Put Up, Put On and Put In.

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Paul continues directing the Colossians in regard to what life should look like after the cross. He is speaking to those he calls “the elect” “holy” and “beloved.” The apostle Peter also refers to the new believers as elect and in Ephesians Paul writes of those chosen, and set apart. Such a privilege to be chosen, set apart to obey God and cherished of Him. Paul’s letter to this esteemed group comes with some instruction about what to put up with, what to put on and what to put in.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Col 3:16.

Put Up With

In verses 12-14 of Colossians 3, Paul writes about relationship. He describes the character one must put on. He lists several things to put on; tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, forgiving one another. Thus the title, “Put up with”. It describes how relationship must be. There are things we need to put up with as we journey along with others; offences, being overlooked, what about me? (but that is another list.) Isn’t that what longsuffering is and bearing with one another and forgiveness. Paul writes, “if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” It is an act of the will. But must I? How can I? After what they did to me?

What to Put On

There is an extent to which any human can show kindness or patience but the relationships God requires of us demand the power of love in Christ. It is the perfect unity based on the truths of l Corinthians 13. It is the cloak over all. Putting up with can be done in the flesh but we must put on the love of God. There is the power. As we live and move and have our being in Him, He patiently teaches us to love. It requires in addition to putting on, some putting in.

What to Put In

Within us the peace of Christ must rule. We are all apart of the same body where Christ is the head. Be thankful! Where would a body be without a hand or a toe? In addition, the word of Christ must dwell in us. Reading God’s word is not enough. Thinking on it is not enough. It must dwell in us richly, take up residence in our lives, plant a garden and get to know the neigbours. It must be full of life and be life giving. The life of the word, its ministry to our spirits enables us to be part of the Spirit’s flow to others. When life and its circumstances come at us, the things we have put in will be what comes out. It comes out when we relate to one another.

All of our life, whatever we do, whatever we say is in the name of Jesus our Lord. All the while, we give thanks to God who is our Father through Jesus the Christ. Paul’s letter to this esteemed group gives us instruction about what to put up with, what to put on and what to put in.

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new creationvictorious living

Kill It

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

When Paul writes to the Colossians about a new life in Christ, he is serious about what it entails. It has the ring of something he wrote in his letter to the Romans, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Put to death the old man, put off the sinful behaviors of the flesh and put on the new man renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Put to death the old man

Putting to death is an act of violence. It means taking away whatever gives life such as oxygen to a fire or life to a plant. The part of you that belong to your sinful flesh, kill it. He lists them: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and covetousness which is idolatry. It seems a straightforward list but upon reflection I wonder about covetousness. Is there anything in my life I desire more than God? Kill what ever gives life to the deceitful heart.

Paul explains why. God hates sin and His wrath is towards it. Yes He poured out His wrath on the cross. Yet only those who find their refuge in Him are safe from God’s wrath. The cross changed everything. Before the cross we lived out our old way of life. Now we live out our new life in Him.

Put off the sinful behaviors

In addition we must put off certain behaviors. Again, he makes a list: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, evil speech, and then one whole verse about lying to one another. Putting off requires action. It is a process and it takes times. Put off these things. Put it off like an old winter coat on a summer’s day. You don’t need them any longer.

Put on the new man

Instead he writes, Put on! The new man dresses in white robes of righteousness. These Christ purchased by the blood of the cross. Study God’s word and be made new in the spirit of your mind. Paul writes to the Romans, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” and to the Philippians, “meditate on these things,” and to the Corinthians, “take every thought captive.” Now be renewed in the spirit of your mind. God’s Spirit now lives in us. As this new person is in Christ, there are no earthly divisions for Christ becomes everything.

Like newborn babes, as Peter 2:2 says, “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” And for the mature the writer to the Hebrews says, “everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are full of age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Put to death the old man, put off the sinful behaviors of the flesh and put on the new man renewed in the spirit of your mind.

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Alive in Christnew creation

Paul and Timothy Write of a Different Life

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Paul and Timothy continue to direct the Colossian believers. They write to them about a different life. Sometimes it is difficult to understand Paul’s writings just as the apostle Peter said about them, “in all of his epistles, … , in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught twist to their own destruction.” but we have the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth as we look to Him. Paul uses symbols from the life of Christ to help new believers understand their new life in Christ, where to live the life and its future.

New Life in Christ

New Life in Christ

Our new life comes as we are raised with Christ. God raised Jesus from the dead and is using that same power to work within the believer. It is a spiritual work. Through it, God places believers in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus. There, we enter a whole new world replete with things to think about and consider, things that do not perish with time. We can set our minds on truths not affected by mold or rust or thieves. For Christ is there, and in Him we find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It is the place to go in prayer to seek answers for our lives. We gain a new mind set.

Where the Life is Lived

The new life results from having died to sin because of the work of the cross. This life is a hidden life. In it, we hide away with Christ in God. We die to the world and live to Christ. You cannot see someone who is hiding nor does a dead person respond to anything. It reminds me of the words of an old hymn, “Let me hide myself in Thee” and of the Psalmist, “Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.” It is a safe place in temptation or in trouble. Paul says this is where we can live. It isn’t just a place to retreat, it is a place from which we live our lives.

What it Will Be

Now, Christ becomes our new life. He enables us to be something different. No wonder the world seems so strange to us and us to the world. We are being fitted for a new dwelling. He has promised to come again and when He does, we will appear with Him in glory. I get excited when I read Paul’s writing to the Corinthians in this regard. “The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. it is raised in weakness, it is raised in power.” As another old hymn puts it, “What a day that will be!”

Paul uses symbols from the life of Christ to help new believers understand their new life in Christ, where to live the life, and its future. Ponder it!

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Body of ChristFamilynew creationPaul the Apostle

Submitting to One Another

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

In a culture of “my life, my way”, submitting to anyone or anything is a foreign concept. Our day is not so different from Paul’s day. The Spirit of Jesus confronts people with truth. To help establish them in the truth, He gives some to be teachers. Paul teaches practical things such as what relationships should look like in this new creation where Jesus is Lord. These concepts clash with the prince of the power of the air; He whose deceitful tactics show up as “my life, my way”. Paul teaches how relationships as a new creation differ. Jesus is Lord. There is a submitting to one another in marriage with husband and wife, in the family with parents and children, and in the workplace.

Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord.

In Marriage

Marriage is God’s idea and shows up in Genesis. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Marriage is to be a picture of Christ and His church. Jesus as the groom and the church as His bride. There is a submitting to one another in the fear of God. Love and respect are the order of the day. It flows as each individual lives under the Lordship of Jesus. It is an ideal in which God tests our hearts and motives as He completes all that concerns us in Him, through mercy and grace.

In the Family

When the marriage foundation is secure on the rock Christ Jesus, family life can offer a place of safety for children to learn and grow. When our children were little, my husband would say “do as you are told so that your days may be long.” It is actually biblical. The first commandment that came with a promise was “honour your father and mother that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” When children rest secure in the family’s love, where there is no provoking them to anger, but a loving nourishment within their instruction, God brings His peace and His joy into the situation. It rests not only with children in the home but also as parents age, there is mutual respect and honour toward each other. God promises success and long life as the reward.

In the Workplace

Paul addresses servants and masters. There was no equality. It was oppressive. The closest I can relate to it, however, is in the workplace. As Christians, there is One Master over all. The Christian Master submits to Christ. He realizes his position of authority under submission. The Christian servant works to please Jesus as Lord. Not just to please the boss and look good, but obeying Christ at the heart level. The Christian servant works to please Him. God sees it all and rewards the good.

“My life, my way” no longer exists. Jesus is Lord. Darkness has gone, the Light has come. There is a submitting to one another in marriage as husband and wife, in the family with parents and children and in the workplace. Jesus is Lord.

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Bible reflectionBody of Christnew creation

What Should It Look Like Now?

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Paul speaks to the Ephesians, a mix of Jews and Gentiles. They are born anew to a life of right living, set apart for God. Paul continues to instruct them how to put off the old man and put on the new. Things have changed. What should it look like now? They are part of one another, one body in Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and it looks different.

My brother Jim baptizing my husband Dave into newness of life in Christ.
My brother Jim baptizing my husband David into newness of life in Christ.

One Body in Christ

His readers are now part of a body. One’s actions affect the whole. Self-centred living no longer reigns. So don’t be telling lies, half truths, fibs; tell the truth instead. When you are angry, deal with it before you go to sleep. Take it to God in prayer. Leave it with Him. Don’t allow room for the devil to get in. In addition, don’t be a thief. Work hard at good honest labour to make enough money so you can help those in need. Finally, watch what you say. You want to build up the body of which you are apart, not tear it down. Every word counts.

Sealed by The Holy Spirit

As a redeemed people there is a seal, a promise of eternal life. It is the life of the Holy Spirit within us. Paul tells his readers not to grieve Him. Awareness of this sacred life entwined with our own demands honour and respect. It is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. Live your life in such a way that does not weary or sadden Him.

It Looks Different

What should it look like now? They are part of one another, one body in Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and it looks different. To those in Christ who have received, “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness”, life has changed. Therefore, put off, throw away, cast off; futile, destructive behaviours. Paul writes of them. Get rid of all bitterness. When it takes root, the devil can use it to defile many. It doesn’t hurt just you, it also hurts those around you. It weakens the body of Christ. Don’t entertain wrath or anger. Loud quarrelling and speaking evil don’t belong here. Malicious, hostile behaviour has no place.

Meditate on Jesus. Think about His dealings with you. Treat others the same way. Be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. What should it look like now? They are part of one another, one body in Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and it looks different.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” Psa. 19:14.

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