Some Things We Know

I Peter 1:18-23

Believers are men and women who are taught of God. Being taught of God, they know some things. Others have opinions, theories, speculations, and conjectures, but believers know some things. Here are four things that Peter says the people of God know.

1. WE KNOW THAT WE WERE NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS. "Silver and gold" refers to anything we can do, give, or produce. Any fool, except one blinded by the papal doctrine of indulgences, knows that money cannot buy grace. Yet, most people foolishly imagine that it can be bought by human works! The price of redemption is much higher than anything you and I can offer God; and believers know it. The price on the sinner's head is blood and death! God's law must be honored. His justice must be satisfied.

2. WE KNOW THAT WE WERE REDEEMED WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST. This is the doctrine of Holy Scripture. In the Bible wherever you find forgiveness, you find blood. Wherever you find atonement, you find blood. Wherever you find mercy, you find blood. Wherever you find the sons of Adam worshipping the holy Lord God, you find blood. God said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you!" (Read Ex. 12:13; Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:11-22).

3. WE KNOW THAT OUR REDEMPTION BY CHRIST WAS ARRANGED AND PURPOSED BY GOD'S SOVEREIGN DECREE AND ETERNAL FOREORDINATION. The blood of Jesus Christ, his sin-atoning death, his substitutionary sacrifice was not an after thought with God! He became our Savior, our Substitute, our Redeemer before the world began (Rev. 13:8). Though this doctrine sounds strange and new to a generation of lost religionists who have never heard from God, it is no new doctrine at all. It is the doctrine of the prophets and apostles (Acts 2:23; Heb. 13:20).

4. WE KNOW THAT REDEMPTION IN CHRIST WAS PURPOSED, PURCHASED, AND PROVIDED FOR A PARTICULAR PEOPLE. Infidels and freewillers may be ignorant of this, but God's saints know that the blood of Christ was not shed in vain. He died for someone in particular. Jesus Christ died "for you, who by him do believe in God," for you who obey his gospel, for you who are born again by the power of his grace!

Don Fortner