Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 308
296
IMMERSE
•
MESSIAH
1:11–2:3
you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within
them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for
you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who
preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so
wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your
hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is
revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t
slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t
know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just
as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy
because I am holy.”
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must
live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you
inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless,
spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the
world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed
your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and
gave him great glory.
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now
you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each
other deeply with all your heart.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your
new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of
God. As the Scriptures say,
“People are like grass;
their beauty is like a flower in the field.
The grass withers and the flower fades.
But the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy,
and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual
milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for
this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
