Right Reasons for Holy Fear | 1 Peter 1:17-21
Peter explains three right reasons for Christians to live with a holy fear: (1) our privileged relationship; (2) our precious ransom; and (3) our providential response. This sermon is part 8 of "A Fisherman's Hope," Bryan Craddock's series on 1 Peter 1:1-2:10.
Watch on YouTube | Listen on Spotify
During a recent vacation, I attempted to make my way through a high ropes course. It was perched on the side of a steep hill and stretched out over the treetops. I climbed through a big cargo net and walked over a bridge of individual boards with several big gaps. There was a section with boards that tilted forward and back, and another in which I had to jump from one swinging board to another.
I was wearing a safety harness, of course, so I was never in any real danger. But my body did not seem to understand that. My heart started pounding and my knees started shaking. That’s what fear does to us--in this case, the fear of heights. What on earth was I thinking?
We have a strange relationship with fear. On one hand, fear can be paralyzing. Many people go to counseling and take medication to overcome it. But we also find excitement and even entertainment in fear. We seek it out through watching scary movies, doing high ropes courses, or even just reading the daily news.
So, what does the Bible have to say about fear? We find a similar dichotomy. On one hand, we find dozens of instances where the Lord says, “Fear not.” We can find comfort and peace through faith in his sovereignty, goodness, and love. Yet there are many other places where we are called to fear him. The book of Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, a source of confidence, and a fountain of life (1:7; 9:10; 14:26-27).
We even find this dichotomy in 1 Peter 1. We have seen that in the first part of the chapter Peter speaks of the great hope that Christians have in Christ. We have a secure inheritance in the future and we are guarded by God’s power in the present. So, there is no reason to be afraid. But then in verses 17-21, Peter says,
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
How do we distinguish between good fear and bad fear? Let’s backup and review the context of this passage. In verses 14-16, we saw that Peter presented three reasons for Christians to become holy. He spoke of the change that we experience being born again as children of obedience, the call that we have received from a holy God, and the covenant relationship that inspires our devotion. Peter was not pressuring believers to conform to some external standard. He was digging down to get at a fundamental heart response to the hope of salvation.
So, in verses 17-21, he presents a fourth reason to live a holy life. He says that we should conduct ourselves with fear. But he continues digging down by explaining three right reasons for it. As we work through them, we will see that this fear is not one of doubt or dread, but a response to our great hope.
Our Privileged Relationship
From our earliest age, we begin to form a picture of who our father is. It may be positive, negative, or mixed. But somewhere along the way, we discover that there is more to his life: experiences, responsibilities, and choices that we never knew. This understanding may change the way we look at the relationship. It is part of growing up.
Peter wants us to live with a mature understanding of who our heavenly Father is. Look again at 1 Peter 1:17. There he says,
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile…
The Lord is the perfectly righteous, impartial judge of all the earth. Because he is all-knowing, he sees every deed and will allow no evil deed to go unpunished. Yet we as Christians have a privileged relationship with him. Some translations say that we “address him as Father.” But the form of the Greek verb that Peter uses here, the middle voice, refers to prayer. In other words, we enjoy the privilege of calling upon the judge of all the earth for his fatherly assistance.
So, how does this privileged relationship lead us to conduct ourselves with fear? Should we be afraid of losing this relationship with God? Is it possible that he might reject us? Those who reject Christ should fear God’s eternal condemnation, but born-again believers should not. In verses 4-5, Peter said that we have a guaranteed inheritance in the future and are guarded by God’s power here and now. In verse 7, he said that our faith will result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Christ.
Rather than causing us to fear that God will reject us, our privileged relationship with him as Father overcomes that fear. In Romans 8:15-17, Paul presents this relationship as a source of assurance. He says,
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Another explanation of 1 Peter 1:17 is to say that those who call upon God as father should fear his discipline. When he speaks of God judging, he uses a verb form that may indicate that it is presently happening. Paul speaks of God’s judgment this way in 1 Corinthians 11. He claims that some in Corinth were sick and that others had died because they ate the bread and drank the cup in an unworthy manner (vv. 27-30). In verse 32, he identifies these circumstances as God’s discipline. He says, “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”
Even though this instance of discipline seems frightening, Paul still presents it in a comforting light. The Lord does not let his children go astray. In fact, the Bible always describes his fatherly discipline in positive terms. The author of Hebrews, for instance, says that discipline seems painful but yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (12:7-11). Since no other biblical passages say that we should fear God’s discipline, I do not think that Peter has that in mind in 1 Peter 1:17.
Instead, we should interpret this verse in light of verse 7. There Peter says that the faith that believers have will result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We will receive God’s commendation. But what about the times when our faith falters, when our hope is misplaced, when we fail to be holy in our conduct? Paul is very clear in Romans 8:1 that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We should not fear that. But we should fear that we might forfeit some of God’s fatherly commendation through unworthy behavior.
Paul seems to have a similar idea in mind in 2 Corinthians 5:10-11, and it led him to fear the Lord. He says,
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
We must all live with the awareness that we will stand before the Lord. In Christ, we enjoy the privilege of forgiveness and the assurance of salvation. But the impartial judge will still examine the deeds that we have done. In 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, Paul pictures our works being tested by fire so that some of them are burned up. But those that remain are rewarded. He feared that he might waste his time doing things that were not worthy of God’s reward and commendation. So, he focused his efforts on persuading people of the gospel of Christ.
If you have this privileged relationship with our heavenly Father, don’t take it for granted. Seek his commendation. Live with this holy fear.
Our Precious Ransom
Many of us think of animals in emotional ways. We pay attention to their cuteness and cuddliness. We might spend a lot of money on them as pets, but we probably don’t think of them as an investment. In a pastoral society like ancient Israel, however, a good healthy lamb would be of great value for the long-term well-being and productivity of the flock.
So, when the Lord told the families of Israel to kill their prized lambs during the Exodus, it was a great sacrifice. They even took the lambs into their homes four days beforehand. Perhaps they did form an emotional connection with them like a pet. Either way, the blood that they spread on their doorposts was extremely valuable to them. But this was God’s way for them to redeem their firstborn from the plague that was coming upon Egypt (Ex 13:15). They gave up their lambs to save their sons.
Of course, our heavenly Father made an even greater sacrifice. He gave up his only begotten Son to redeem a bunch of unhealthy wayward sheep like us. Peter presents that precious ransom price as another reason to conduct ourselves in fear. In verses 18-19, he says that we should do so,
… knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
We often think of a ransom in relation to someone being held hostage. But it can also refer to the price paid to redeem someone from slavery. Before the Exodus, the people of Israel were enslaved to the Egyptians. The Lord did not pay off the Egyptians in any way. But he redeemed Israel in the sense that he set them free.
Peter says that his readers were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from their forefathers. These futile ways could be the cultural traditions of their pagan society. Many point to this reference as proof that Peter is writing to Gentiles, and that may be so. But whether someone is pagan, Jewish, or Christian, we have all inherited futile ways from our forefathers. We are enslaved by a sinful nature that has been passed down from Adam and Eve. Paul refers to this in Romans 5:19 when he says, “For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.”
The righteousness here is that of Jesus Christ which is reckoned to us when we believe in him. Though we are sinners, God declares us to be righteous. That is justification. But the work of Christ also begins to transform us so that we can begin to live a righteous life. That is sanctification. Paul goes on to speak of that transformation in Romans 6 and links it to Christ’s death and resurrection. We are set free from slavery to sin because we receive new life in him.
Peter is getting at the same idea here in 1 Peter 1:18-19, but he links it to the blood of Christ. He does not mean that Christ’s blood has mystical power. The shedding of his blood is simply part of his sacrificial death on the cross. It fulfills the purposes established in the Old Testament sacrificial system. His blood establishes our covenant relationship with God, purifies us, and grants us access to God’s presence so that we can live for him now and live with him forever.
How, then, does this precious ransom lead us to conduct ourselves in fear? The main idea here is value. Peter says that our ransom costs far more than gold or silver. Jesus shed his blood to redeem us. So, when we continue to live in futile sinful ways, we are in effect saying that Christ’s blood does not really matter. We are acting as if it is cheap and meaningless. Shouldn’t we be afraid of doing that?
If we are grateful for Christ’s redeeming work, then we should do everything that we can to honor his sacrifice. Paul sums up this focus in Titus 2:11-14. He says,
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
We have been redeemed and purified through Christ. He purchased us to be his own special possession. So, we should not cling to the old ungodly way of life, indulging worldly passions. We should be zealous for good works. We should grow in godly character and be filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Later in Titus 3:14 Paul also links good works to meeting the urgent needs of people around us.
The fear of cheapening Christ’s blood and this zeal for doing good works are two sides of the same coin. They go together. Everything we do should show how much we value the sacrificial death of Christ.
Our Providential Response
When someone sets out to construct a building, they start by digging. The topsoil is not stable. It might settle, shift, or wash away. They need a concrete footing at the very least. If they can, they dig down and anchor the structure in bedrock.
As I mentioned, I feel as if Peter is digging down in 1 Peter 1:14-21. In Greek, these verses are all one long complex sentence. The main commands are “be holy” in verse 15 and “conduct yourselves with fear” in verse 17. Yet he elaborates on these two ideas with several other clauses that go beyond surface level conformity to address the motives of our hearts.
As Peter comes to verses 20-21, however, he hits bedrock. He begins with two clauses that elaborate on who Jesus is, but then he links those truths back to our experience of salvation. He wants us to see that our personal response to the gospel is anchored in the providence of God. He says,
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Most English translations make these verses a separate sentence, but it is not. Peter continues to deepen our appreciation for the blood of Christ. Jesus is not just a man. As the Son of God, he was foreknown by the Father. The Triune God existed before the world was created, from eternity past. But the Son of God was made manifest through his incarnation. He took on flesh and was born of a virgin. These truths make his blood even more valuable.
Peter sees Christ’s first coming as the beginning of the last times. Most of us probably associate the last times exclusively with the cataclysmic events described in the book of Revelation that will happen in conjunction with his second coming. Perhaps our familiarity with his first coming numbs us to its great significance in the fulfillment of God’s prophetic plan. The long-promised Messiah has come!
Specifically, Peter says that Christ has come for our sake! If they did not know that this statement is directly from Scripture, some Christians I know would probably say that it is too man centered. They aspire to maintain a sense of reverence for the sovereignty of God, but they go too far! They end up portraying God in a detached way that undermines the gospel.
Peter, however, describes God’s sovereign plan in very personal terms. Christ was manifest for your sake. You believe through him! God raised him from the dead and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in him. We do not recognize as we are drawn to faith, but afterward we learn that our response to Christ and his gospel is part of God’s sovereign plan.
This thought should be a great source of comfort for us, but it also imparts to us a lofty sense of privilege, purpose, and responsibility. In the sovereign plan of God, we live in a pivotal time in history, the period between Christ’s first and second coming. As Peter said back in verses 10-12, we experience the salvation that the prophets foretold and into which angels long to look. Are we living in a way that reflects the part that God has assigned us?
Verses 20 and 21 are far removed from the mention of fear in verse 17, but they are still part of the same sentence. They link back to the same command to conduct ourselves in fear. Doesn’t this thought of our providential response inspire fear? Shouldn’t it lead us to become holy?
Paul expresses a similar line of thought in Philippians 2:12-13. He says,
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
No one can work their way into salvation. But once we have been brought to salvation, we must work those truths out into every part of life. We should do so with a sense of fear because we know that God is working in us. This Christian life is not my idea or plan. It is all by his will. He is working for his pleasure.
So, what should this fear and trembling produce in us? Paul continues in Philippians 2:14-16 by saying,
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Paul says that he did not want his ministry to be in vain. I think this statement is part of holy fear. We should not want this response to which God has providentially led us seem vain or pointless. We should rise above complaining and arguing to shine as lights. Live as blameless children of God in this crooked world. Hold fast the word of life like Paul did.
__________
Some people would simply define this fear as reverence. But expressions of reverence can become superficial, focusing on how someone dresses or on using a pious tone of voice. Peter directs us to anchor the motives of our hearts in the hope of the gospel. We should conduct ourselves in fear because of our privileged relationship, our precious ransom, and our providential response.
As I have mentioned, this fear is a response to the hope of salvation. If you have not been saved, then you should have very different fears. You are a slave to sin, and you stand condemned before a holy God. You are heading toward eternal punishment. But you can be redeemed. Trust the one who came to give his life as a ransom. Believe in Jesus Christ. Ask him to set you free. If you want to learn more about his saving work, I encourage you to read 2 Corinthians 5.
If you know the Lord, do you live with this holy fear? You might do well to focus on one of these reasons that we have considered in 1 Peter. Meditate on this passage, and let it shape your outlook. Perhaps you know someone who needs help to understand the fear of God. It could be someone who has no fear and needs to hear the gospel. It could be someone who has constant fear and needs to hear the gospel. May we shine as lights and hold fast the word!
Reflect
How would you explain the difference between the fear that believers should have of God and the fear that unbelievers should have of him?
How does this passage change your understanding of fearing God? Which of these reasons is most helpful for you? How so?
How would you describe your own fear of God? How does it need to change to be more biblical?