As I consider 1 Peter 1:3-4, I consider that there are many beautiful things in this world. There are many people and places that receive our affections and love. And yet, no matter how lovely they are, the fact remains that they are decaying, they are defiled by sin, and they are fading away. This is a sad thing for us to know. But the knowledge of this fact makes the beauty of our inheritance all the greater, for it will be far lovelier than any thing or person we love today. Our affections for it will be greater than any affection we have felt for any thing or person ever, and it is not affected by sin; it is perfect in every way, and it will not go away ever. For that reason we set our hope there, keeping our eyes fixed on that prize.
I am struck by two passages of scripture this morning and the direction they give to us. The first is 1 Timothy 4:10, “For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially those who believe.” The second is 1 Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
Much could be said about each of these verses, but what strikes me is the use of words like toil, strive, fight and take hold. They communicate a deliberateness and an intentionality in the Christian life. They create a picture in the mind of a person who knows what they want and pursues it with their full strength.
I think we must be instructed by these words and understand that being a Christian dictates that we have a singular focus on Christ and the life to come. The life to come seems to be “the end” spoken on in 4:10, and 6:12 is clearly focused on “eternal life” or “the life to come.” Furthermore, the singular focus must be a driven focus, which drives us to do the things that bring us closer to our destination, things like pursuing godliness (1 Timothy 4:8), righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:11). And the drive to pursue these things must be powerful, leading us to fight and strive.
In the end, this is what we are about. Strive to achieve heaven. Now, I know that one only enters heaven by the blood of Christ and his righteousness, but scripture is clear that one who is redeemed by the blood of Christ out of bondage to sin and death will have a passionate desire to prove his or her faith genuine so as to not enter eternity with a false hope and will long for the life to come with such a longing so as to be driven to pursue it even with a holy violence.
Do you long for the life to come enough to pursue it? Pray that the Holy Spirit would fill you with just such a longing and then take hold of that eternal life, pursue it with all that is in you, and keep your eyes on your Savior the entire time. My He who saved you also sanctify you.
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Revelation 13:10 may appear fatalistic in nature to many. It may appear to some as the image of one who has given up to determinism; fate has become the master of the person and the person is resigned to it, but nothing could be further from the truth. The text says, “If anyone is taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.”
Now, if the text ended here I might agree in the fatalistic reading, but it does not. God gives us the proper mind set, the proper take away from this text and by doing so, points us away from fatalism toward the highest hope possible. He says, “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” In other words, because God has ordained that some will find their victory through captivity and some will find their victory through martyrdom, they should strive to endure their suffering; they should exercise their faith in the midst of great trials knowing that their trials are leading them to an everlasting crown of righteousness and an eternal weight of glory.
This thought brings me great encouragement and motivates to more diligent and selfless service under Christ. I can’t help but think how souls can be saved, lives can be changed and nations can be redeemed by the selfless sacrifice of Christ’s followers, who know that if they suffer for the cause of Christ, that suffering is propelling them toward glory.
I pray today that it might be said of me that my work in the Kingdom of God was evidence that I loved not my life even unto death (Revelation 12:11). I’m not asking to be a martyr. I am asking to be what God has providential decreed that I will be and that I will be such with endurance and faith.
