Not Redeemed with Corruptible Things 1 Peter 1:18

Peter the apostle told the “scattered” Christians they were to “pass the time of” their “sojourning here in fear”, and in verse eighteen of the first chapter of his letter to them, Peter gave them reassurance they were “not redeemed with corruptible things” where we read:

Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

The verse begins, “Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,...” Peter began with the word, “Forasmuch as you know” or “perceive with the eyes or senses, notice, discern and discover” “that you were not redeemed” which is the Greek phrase, “lytroō ou lytroō” and means “were not released of receipt of ransom, liberated by payment of ransom or delivered” “with corruptible things” which means “perishing, decaying and perishable things”, “as silver and gold” which refers to “precious metals used for money”. Peter wanted the Christians to know their salvation was not based upon precious metals which have temporary value.

The verse goes on to say, “from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;” Peter went on to add, “from your vain” or “devoid of force, truth, success and result” “conversation” which means “manner of life, conduct, behavior and deportment” “received by tradition from your fathers” or “handed down from one's father's or ancestors”. In other words, the people who were “scattered” were “redeemed” from their former manner of living which was passed down by the “tradition” of their ancestors.

When we consider these words of Peter, we begin to understand how people place such great value on “silver and gold”, and yet, we were “not redeemed” with these. Christians are “redeemed” from their former lives which was inherited from those who preceded them, and this was the reason Jesus came. The price for our salvation and redemption was not afforded with perishable valuables, and Peter knew those reading his words would be interested in the price for their redemption.

Next time Peter tells the Christians with what they were “redeemed”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.