Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 FAITH COMMUNITY TO BE REFORMED BY THE WORD OF GOD

1 PETER 1:13-25
VS 23   For you have been born again not by the perishable seed but of imperishable through the living and enduring word of GOD.

The Bible teaches that God is God of mercy. His mercy is vast and beyond our comprehension. No matter how great our sin, if we truly repent and come to the throne of his grace, He is there to forgive. His assurance is that there is no sin in the world that the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary cannot cleanse and blot out. When David cried and asked for mercy, God heard and blessed him. The reckless son, when he got his right sense back, went back to his father and pleaded for mercy. His father took him with open hands.
When we commit our lives to Jesus and accept him as our Savior and Lord, we become his children. At one time we were alienated from God with no rights and privileges. But once you accept Him as Lord and savior, we are accepted into his family. He gave us the privileges and right to call him Abba Father and approach him for all our small and big needs.
God wants us not to be selfish while enjoying His blessings. He wants us to serve Him and those belonging to Him suffering around us. He wants us to keep our eyes and ears opened to hear the cries of the suffering and the marginalized in the community.

Here in this passage the apostle is exhorting us to be obedient children of God. He created us not to be conformed to the evil desires and pleasures of this world. He had bought us, redeemed us with a high price by the blood shed on the Calvary. Our sins are totally paid, and the debt sheets are torn away. He gave us a clean slate to start a new life. Paul says if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old self is gone, and he accepts the new. We are now clothed in Christ’s righteousness and hence we are a privileged class that can enjoy all the privileges and blessings from the father. We are God’s special possession and citizens of heaven. We must lead a life that is Holy and pleasing to God. A forgiven and holy life transforms us into the new self and enables us to produce the fruits of the spirit. Peter says here that we are not bought by the perishable and corruptible currency but by the precious blood of the lamb. By grace we are saved even though we do not deserve, and it is a gift of God. He did all the work for us to secure our salvation once we accept Him as the Lord of our life our salvation and eternity becomes a reality.

PRAYER
Gracious God help us to take you as our Lord and Savior and enable us to lead a life that is pleasing to you. Keep us clean from all the stains and impurities of the world. As clay to the potter we surrender our lives to you. Mould us and cleanse us, Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Let our lives and attitudes be a fragrant aroma for Christ to be happy and delight.
 
Annie Jose, The Mar Thoma Church, Staten Island.
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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