Obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls (1 Pet. 1:9). In 1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul says that the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (emphasis added). That emphasizes the marvelous reality of the believers present deliverance from sin. Peter stressed the same truth in 1 Peter 1:8, where he says that believers obtain as the outcome of their faith the salvation of their souls. The Greek word translated obtaining in 1 Peter 1:18 literally means presently receiving for yourselves. It speaks of obtaining something that is due you as a result of your faith in Christ. Outcome of your faith refers to the logical result or end of faith. Souls speaks of the whole person. The entire verse could be translated, You rejoice because you have and continue to hold onto the logical result of your proven faith—your ongoing deliverance from sin. You need ongoing deliverance because sin is an ongoing problem. You have new life in Christ, are a new creature in Him, and are no longer a slave to the penalty and power of sin, but youre not yet fully glorified. Consequently youre still subject to sins influence. Paul personalized that struggle in Romans 7, where he says, The good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. . . . I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. . . . Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (vv. 19, 21, 24). The victory comes in verse 25, which says, Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Jesus is the Great Deliverer, through whom you have victory over sin, death, and hell. Thats the last spiritual privilege in Peters brief list, but its by no means the least. As you love and trust Him, youll know the joy of present deliverance. From Drawing Near by John MacArthur
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:50:46 +0000
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