1 Peter 1:13, 14 “ 13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon
the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children,
not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;”
As Christ's followers, we have been redeemed from darkness. But to be redeemed fully, the light of Christ must shine into “every” area of darkness. Darkness operates in any area where there is no light or knowledge of the truth. We can’t afford to stay ignorant of spiritual warfare. The Light shines in to give us knowledge so we are no longer entangled by the darkness. As Christ's followers, we must be aware that certain environments are more dangerous, and we must be healed and free from captivity to have the strength to go into these dangerous
places.
The word “conform” in this verse is the word, “suschematizo”, which means to “conform to the same
pattern.” It means in this verse (1 Peter 1:14), to conform oneself to or to be conformed to anything (as we see in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the washing of the Word.” This is the same word for conform as in 1 Peter 1:14.
It is the pattern of our sinful nature that gives us a clue to where the enemy has had access. It can even be described as the pattern (which is the “iniquity of our forefathers being passed to the third and fourth generation”) that may cause us to be bent towards a particular sin problem. Each time we partake in this sin or iniquity, we come back into agreement with the same fallen sin nature that plagued our forefathers for years and years, which instead of being dealt with, was swept under the rug,
ignored, justified, or excused. It may not have even been called sin. Thus, since this iniquity was not properly dealt with, and nailed to the cross, through repentance, it was passed down to your generation. Each generation has a certain bend in their nature of how they handle the fallen part of the sinful nature. We each have a responsibility to how we handle the broken, fallen part of who we are. We each have our strengths, weaknesses, gifts, longings, and desires, and because of each of our genetic blueprints, we are more likely to participate in one or more sins or groups of sins, by merit of our bloodline and the family we grew up
in.
We each have a responsibility for how we handle how God created us. Each of us must surrender our mind, will,
and emotions to the authority of Jesus Christ. This is why Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:13 to “gird up the loins of
your mind…and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
We must pursue holiness to guard ourselves from falling into the same pattern of the fallen nature, the
iniquities that we have been redeemed from. We read in 1 Peter 1:15, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be Holy, for I am holy.” Yes, Romans 8:1 tells us, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, and His blood has secured our Salvation. He has erased the handwriting that was against us because He defeated Satan and got the keys to death, sin, hell, and Hades.
1 Peter 1:13 “And rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ.”
The word revelation used here is written in Greek as apokalupsis. This means an “uncovering”, of the
removal of the veil of ignorance and darkness by the communication of light and knowledge, illumination. In the sense of revelation, disclosure, manifestation, (Rom 2:5, 8:19). So, of that which before was unknown and concealed, especially the divine mysteries, purposes, doctrines, etc. (Ro 16:25; 1 Cor 14:6, 26); of Revelations from God or Christ (2 Cor 12:1, 7); Gal 1:12; 2:2; Eph 3:3.) The word, fully in this passage is translated in Greek as teleios. It means, “perfectly, entirely, steadfastly, unwaveringly.” (Hebrew-Greek, Key Word Study Bible), NKJV, 2319). Jesus wants to take off the veil of ignorance from our minds and hearts. When we are born again into the body of Christ, we are given a new nature and new identity in Christ. However, it is up to us as to whether we daily walk in Christ, or if we choose to revert to our old sin nature we have been redeemed from.
Maybe you do not understand this concept of the revelation of Jesus Christ or of the light of Christ.
Maybe all these terms are foreign to you. I challenge you to cry out to Jesus in faith and belief. Cry out to Jesus. Today can be your day of salvation. Don’t go another day without knowing Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Simply believe in Him and receive His free gift of salvation by grace through faith!