May 20, 2025
The resurrected Jesus gave a mandate to His disciples that we refer to as the Great Commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations (or ethnic groups), baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
We are to share the good news verbally, but our focus passage also informs followers of Christ that we must combine our verbal witness with a lifestyle that does not follow the way of the world.
Peter challenged the believers in the provinces of Asia Minor to walk in holiness as witnesses to a secular society. The apostle called believers to be ready for action and to be sober-minded and to live with a positive attitude of hope because of the revelation (or Second Coming) of Jesus.
Christians prepare for His coming by living a lifestyle that honors the Lord. God calls us to practice holiness in our conduct before a watching world. We are saved by faith, but we will be judged by God and our neighbors based on our conduct.
In the meantime, we live as strangers in this world because this world is not our final home. God redeemed us from an empty way of life. Both Peter and Paul based their teachings about the Christian life in the doctrinal content of the gospel. Jesus died for our sins, and we should therefore live holy, pure lives before God and the unsaved world.
What obstacles can we anticipate when we pursue holiness?
To redeem a slave from the slave market in the first century, an individual would pay a price of silver or gold.
Christians, however, have been redeemed by something more precious than silver or gold. We are liberated by the precious blood of Jesus Christ who gave His life as a substitute on our behalf. Peter challenges us to witness through the holiness of our lives.
Jesus died as our unblemished or sacrificial Lamb. The death of Jesus was not a plan of the month. Rather, the offering of Jesus as a spotless Lamb was the plan of the ages. The plan existed from before the foundation of the world.
Through Jesus alone we can believe in God who raised Jesus from an empty tomb and gave Him glory.
Why did Jesus have to die for our sins?
We sing a song from our hymnals about the cleansing power of the Lamb. Peter stated that obedience to the truth purifies believers.
This truth is more than intellectual truth. Christians should live in obedience to the truth in a culture of relativity and denial of absolute truth.
Peter challenged all believers to show sincere, brotherly love toward other believers. Receiving divine forgiveness results in sincere brotherly love from a pure heart.
Loving other Christians does not leave out a responsibility to love non-Christians. However, Christian love is to be sacrificial love for fellow believers.
This love is evidence of being born again through the living and enduring Word of God. Physical birth involves two parents. Likewise, spiritual birth involves both the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
How does your relationship with Jesus influence your daily life?
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This lesson was written by Mark Rathel, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, Fla., and originally published by The Baptist Paper. This study is based on the Explore the Bible curriculum from Lifeway Christian Resources. The Sunday School lesson outlines are provided by Lifeway.
