The Gospel According To Peter

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

! He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return.

When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed, for you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

Amen.

We know that any form of Christianity that does not have the atoning work of Jesus Christ at the very center of its faith and of its practice is no Christianity at all.

But let's personalize that in a more direct way.

We would have to also acknowledge, if that's true, that any professing Christian who does not hold the atoning work of Jesus Christ and all its implications as the sole foundation for salvation is no Christian at all.

The good news that Jesus Christ has satisfied the wrath of God against sinners, reconciling them to God through the forgiveness of their sins, that is the essence of the one true gospel.

And Christians are gospel people.

We are gospel people.

We believe that that gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.

So the gospel of Jesus centers our fellowship.

It fills our songs as we have sung this morning.

It marks our preaching.

We are a gospel people.

And this gospel permeation that we know and that we experience and should be faithful to is evident throughout Peter's letter.

And we've seen it again and again and again and again.

From the very beginning of chapter 1, verse 1, we have seen this gospel continually coming to the surface.

Jesus and his atoning work are at the very heart of all that Peter has to say to these Christians in Asia Minor.

In fact, it's on account of their faith in Christ that he is able to call their experience an exile and describe it as an exile.

Through the gospel, God called them, as we read earlier in chapter 2, out of darkness and into his marvelous light,

making them a chosen people, representing God in this fallen world.

But exile isn't easy, is it?

And many of them are struggling.

Many of them are suffering on account of their faith.

So what did Peter do to address their suffering?

He wrote again here of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ who suffered for us.

Why?

What good is that?

What help is it to the Christian slaves to whom Peter is addressing directly at this point in the letter?

What help is the suffering of Christ to their suffering?

Because we're gospel people and because the work of Jesus Christ anchors our faith,

it comforts our souls,

it offers us true and lasting hope,

and it instructs us on how to endure to the end.

That's why Peter returns to it once again here.

He said,

it would have been just more helpful if he would have just maybe commiserated with them for a little while,

showed maybe a little more empathy than what he seems to show here.

No, the best thing for them,

the best thing for us in the midst of suffering,

is not to dwell on our sorrows,

it is to look at our Savior.

It is only in our Savior

that we find hope and comfort

and endurance.

But we need to keep the immediate context in mind, don't we?

Remember in this section of the letter,

Peter is instructing us on

how to submit to authorities,

human authorities that are over us,

but to do so in the fear of God.

In other words,

human authority is not absolute.

And whenever earthly authorities contradict God's commands,

our duty as his people

is to joyfully submit to God,

even over and above,

as we've seen in one passage,

civil government,

and then in the most direct passage that we're at now,

to those,

in Peter's case,

who were slaves,

serving unjust masters.

That means that Christians

are going to inevitably face suffering

for their obedience to the Lord.

And using the circumstances of Christian slaves

suffering under unjust masters,

Peter instructs all believers,

this isn't just an application for them,

he's using them as a springboard

to address all Christians.

He instructs all believers

on how to faithfully endure suffering

for the glory of God.

And what does he do?

He points us to the perfect model

of faithful endurance

when suffering for good.

Our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ.

And here again,

even in his address to these slaves,

what is it that comes to the surface?

What is it that takes center stage?

It's the gospel.

So then the larger point of the text,

we have to keep that in mind,

we don't want to escape it too quickly,

but the larger point of the text

is that believers are to follow Christ

in his suffering.

And last week,

we considered Jesus' example

of suffering as a model

for how to suffer well

and how to suffer faithfully.

But Peter also acknowledges

in the text that we're now settling into,

he acknowledges that our suffering

is not fully comparable

to Christ's suffering.

It's not exactly the same.

We follow him in it,

certainly.

We endure as he endured

with the spirit that he endured,

but we ought not to think

that his and ours

is exactly the same.

Christ's suffering was unique.

His suffering was atoning.

His suffering provides the basis

for salvation.

So it's good for us to linger

just a bit longer on these verses.

Meditate on the unique nature

of Christ's sufferings

as an atonement for our sins

and how the benefits

of that atonement are applied.

In other words,

if this is what Christ's suffering accomplished,

how can I ensure

that it was accomplished for me?

If on the cross,

Jesus provides salvation,

how can I receive the salvation

that he has provided?

And I think what we find here

in these verses

is what we might call

the gospel according to Peter.

The gospel according to Peter.

Three main points of emphasis

that I want to point out to you

that Peter gives us here.

First is this.

I want you to see Christ's perfections.

Christ's perfections.

We get this in verses 22 and 23.

Now last week we examined Christ's example.

We're picking back up on that here.

We're returning to it

so that we might see

that there is a deeper truth at play

in what Peter is saying here

than merely to say

that Christ's suffering

was only to give us an example.

Certainly it is that.

It is not merely that.

There's more that Peter

is affirming here.

Jesus isn't just a model

for how to suffer.

He is the model.

And undergirding his application

to suffering for good,

particularly for the slaves,

is the truth of Christ's perfections.

That's undergirding

everything that Peter is saying

in 22 and 23.

Jesus' faithfulness in suffering

owes to his divine, sinless nature.

And it is his divine person

that Jesus is God himself in flesh

that makes everything we believe

about the atonement,

that makes everything that Peter says

about the atonement possible.

And that's what Peter's emphasizing here.

And there's two key areas

of Christ's perfections

that Peter brings into view.

His fulfillment of both these areas

of perfections are what qualify him

to actually be our Savior.

If either one of these fail,

he is not a Savior for anyone.

But if they both stand,

he is indeed the Savior

for all who will believe.

The first category is this,

perfect obedience.

Perfect obedience.

Look back at verse 22.

He committed no sin,

neither was deceit found in his mouth.

He committed no sin,

neither was deceit found in his mouth.

Now in all four of these verses here,

Peter is leaning heavily on Isaiah 53.

And if you know Isaiah 53 well,

you know that it foretells

that the servant of the Lord,

that coming Messiah,

will be a suffering servant.

And that in regard to his suffering,

he will provide salvation.

That through that suffering,

he will provide salvation

for God's chosen people.

The New Testament repeatedly affirms,

even Jesus himself,

multiple times acknowledging

that he is the fulfillment

of that suffering servant

in Isaiah 53.

And here, Peter directly quotes

Isaiah 53 in verse 9,

which reads,

and they made his grave with the wicked.

So his suffering is not just hardship,

it's death.

They made his grave with the wicked,

with the rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Direct quote from Peter here

of Isaiah 53, 9.

Now why does he do that?

Now his point in quoting this verse

is to emphasize that not only

was Jesus sinless in his suffering,

that he did not sin as he suffered.

Of course that's true,

that's an application that we make,

but that's not all that Peter is saying.

He's quoting Isaiah 53

in order that he might say

that Jesus was sinless altogether.

Sinless.

Whereas Adam and all of Adam's descendants

fail to love and obey God,

Jesus perfectly obeyed in every way.

And think about how the scriptures

begin to piece this together for us.

John 1 says that Jesus exists

in eternity as God,

but in history he took on humanity

in order that he might bring us salvation.

We call this the incarnation.

God has taken on flesh.

He doesn't become less God.

He maintains his deity fully,

but he adds to that humanity,

true humanity,

as the scriptures teach us.

Given that this incarnation

comes through the supernatural conception

and birth of a virgin,

Jesus did not inherit Adam's corruption

as you and I have inherited Adam's corruption.

Yet, he's truly human.

As we read earlier in Philippians 2,

he was in the form of God.

That is his very essence

and his nature is divine.

And then he emptied himself,

not of his divinity,

but of his divine rights and prerogatives

in order that he might take on flesh.

Whereas as the divine,

he is worthy of all worship,

he humbles himself

and becomes the man of sorrows.

Whereas in his divinity,

he is worthy of worship and exaltation,

he condescends in his humanity

in order that he might die,

becoming obedient to death.

Consider also the multifaceted temptations

Jesus endured.

You can read about these in Matthew 4.

Just after Jesus' baptism,

we read that the Spirit of God

leads him into the wilderness

for the purpose of being tempted.

For 40 days,

he fasts in the wilderness.

For 40 days,

he endures temptation from Satan.

That temptation, I believe,

continuing throughout his life

until the day of his death

and resurrection.

And what is that all about?

It was necessary

that he be tempted

in every way,

yet to prove victorious

over that temptation

to have never sinned.

And that's exactly what Jesus did.

He succeeded

where you and I have failed.

Thus the writer of Hebrews says,

Since then,

we have a great high priest

who has passed through the heavens.

That was,

he was divine,

and he passed through the heavens

in order to become a man.

Jesus, the Son of God,

let us hold fast our confession.

For we do not have a high priest

who is unable to sympathize

with our weaknesses,

but one who in every respect

has been tempted as we are,

yet without sin.

And it is only because of that

that the writer of Hebrews then says,

Now let us with confidence

draw near to his throne of grace

that we may receive mercy

and find grace

to help in our time of need.

That's Peter's emphasis here.

It's not just that Jesus didn't sin

as he suffered on the cross.

It's that he was sinless altogether.

Yes, he's lifting up Jesus

as our example,

but he also means for us to see

that Jesus' example

owes to his sinless perfection.

We are to follow him in suffering,

but we need to acknowledge

that his obedience is unique

and distinct from ours

because he is indeed

the sinless Son of God.

So we find here in verse 22

Christ's perfect obedience,

but it's not just perfect obedience

that Peter emphasizes for us here.

We get to verse 23

and we find perfect faith.

Perfect faith.

Verse 23.

When he was reviled,

he did not revile in return.

When he suffered,

he did not threaten,

and here's his faith.

He did not follow him,

but continued entrusting himself

to him who judges justly.

Now, to obey God's moral law is important.

It's not the only thing.

There is a positive side

to Jesus' perfections

that is just as important

as his restraint.

The negative emphasis

is that he restrains himself

from temptation and from sin.

The positive emphasis

is that he not only demonstrated

perfect obedience,

but perfect faith.

Both essential

if he is to qualify

to be our Savior.

Now, again,

here in 23,

Peter is alluding

to Isaiah 53

and verse 7,

writing about Jesus' silence

in his suffering.

As he suffered

at the hands

of the unjust,

he neither reviled

in return,

neither did he threaten

to retaliate.

Instead,

we're told

that Jesus

continued entrusting himself

to him

who judges justly.

What is that?

What is that about?

Jesus demonstrates

perfect faith

as he endures the cross,

trusting that the Father

will vindicate his righteousness

and will judge his enemies.

And how does that vindication come?

It comes through resurrection.

In the resurrection

of Jesus Christ from the dead,

his true righteousness

is vindicated.

He is risen

because he's sinless.

And when will God judge his enemies?

At the final judgment.

All wrongs will be made right.

All righteousness will be vindicated.

All wickedness

will then be judged.

And Jesus,

the perfect son of God,

fully,

in every way,

and at every moment,

demonstrates perfect faith.

not only in his suffering,

but his suffering

demonstrates

a faith

that permeated

all of his life.

In every way,

Jesus perfectly loved

and trusted

the Father.

Now,

why are these

perfections important?

Why would Peter

bother to emphasize these?

Why would he bring in

Isaiah 53

in order

to provide

the support

for what he's trying

to get across?

And it's this.

If Jesus is not

the sinless son of God,

then we are all

hopelessly

lost

in our sin.

If Jesus is not

the sinless son of God,

if he did not have

perfect obedience,

if he did not

have perfect faith,

then his death

was no atonement

at all.

And that leaves

the wrath of God

to be poured out

on us.

The only way

for his wrath

to be satisfied

then

is for us

to spend

an eternity

in hell.

The stakes

are high.

But because

of Christ's

divine perfection,

as our new

confession of faith

reads,

he is

every way

qualified

to be a

suitable,

compassionate,

and all-sufficient

Savior.

That's who he is.

He's not just

a man.

He is truly

the God-man

who did what

Adam was meant

to do,

love and obey God.

And these

perfections

qualify Jesus

and Jesus

alone

to bring us

salvation.

But how

exactly

does he bring

that salvation?

That's where

Peter moves to

next.

So we not only

see Christ's

perfections,

we now look

to Christ's

atonement.

Christ's atonement,

verse 24.

He himself

bore our sins

in his body

on the tree

that we might

die to sin

and live

to righteousness.

By his

wounds

you have

been

healed.

Now let's

define

atonement.

We use that

word a lot.

Let's make sure

we understand

what it means.

It's a simple

definition really.

Atonement,

it just simply

means a payment

for sin.

A payment

for sin.

Peter here

focuses on

the payment

that Christ

made

for the sins

of those

who follow

him.

Through the

centuries,

for 2,000

years,

many theories

or models

explaining

the nature

or at least

attempting to

explain the

nature of

Christ's

atonement

have been

suggested.

Some of

them are

helpful.

Some of

them are

not helpful

at all.

What Peter

writes about

here is not

a theory

of the

atonement.

It's not

a model

of the

atonement.

It is

the true

essence

of Christ's

atonement.

It's the

heart of

it.

Every other

model,

every other

explanation

you might

add to

this

cannot

possibly

stand

unless

what Peter

is emphasizing

here is

at the

heart of

it.

It's not

a theory.

It's what

it is.

And what

does Peter

do?

Well,

again,

he leans

on Isaiah

53.

He writes

that,

quoting

Isaiah

53,

Jesus

bore

our sins

in his

body on

the tree.

By his

wounds

you have

been

healed.

Let me

give you

just a

couple of

important

theological

words and

we're going

to move

on from

that.

But these

will be

good for

you to

know.

I would

encourage

you to

write them

down if

you don't

know them

already.

Jesus'

death

on the

cross

was,

number

one,

substitutionary.

It was

a

substitution.

He took

our

place.

He didn't

suffer merely

as an

example.

He suffered

in the

place of

those who

were worthy

of that

judgment.

Isn't that

what Peter

says?

He bore

our sins

in his

body on

the tree.

It was a

substitution.

Second,

it's a

propitiation.

propitiation.

It's a

biblical term.

We read it in

Romans and a

couple of

other places.

It just

simply means

that on

the cross,

Jesus fully

satisfied the

wrath of

God.

Full

satisfaction.

God's wrath

against sinners.

Jesus stands

in between the

father and those

sinners,

interposes his

precious blood as

we sing in

another song.

And what does

that accomplish?

It fully

assuages the

wrath of God.

It turns it

away.

It satisfies

it.

It is a

true

propitiation.

Third,

it was an

imputation.

An imputation

or an

expiation.

It removes

our guilt.

But how

does it do

that?

The removal

of the guilt

is the term

we would say

is expiation.

But how does

it actually do

that?

It does that

through imputation.

In other

words, our

sin is

credited to

Jesus on

the cross.

And his

righteousness is

in return

credited to

us.

We just

sang before

the throne

of God

above.

What is the

whole point of

that?

It's a

courtroom,

isn't it?

The whole

point of the

song is that

we stand

before God,

the righteous

judge, and

we stand

righteously

before him.

But it is

not a true

righteousness.

It is an

alien righteousness

that is credited

to our

account.

On the

cross, Jesus

took on

our sin.

He has

made him

to be sin

who knew

no sin

so that

in him

we might

become the

righteousness

of God.

A great

exchange

takes place

there.

Imputation.

That's the

essence.

That's the

nature of

Christ's

atonement.

That's what's

happening.

All three

of these

truths of

Christ's

atonement,

they're

implicitly

at least

expressed

here in

what Peter

is saying.

But I

want you

to notice

three benefits

of this

atonement.

Three benefits

of this

substitution

and propitiation

and imputation.

Number one,

Christ's

atonement is

a substitution

that reconciles

sinners to

God.

It reconciles

sinners to

God.

Now you know

what reconciliation

is.

You are

enemies and

now enemies

are reconciled.

They're made

to be

friends.

If you

made your

wife mad

this week,

you didn't

do what

you were

supposed to

do,

perhaps for

a season,

you were

enemies and

at some

point you

humbly and

contritely come

in and say,

sweetheart,

I'm sorry.

I was wrong.

Will you

forgive me?

And a

reconciliation

is made,

right?

What are

we?

We're

enemies of

God by

nature because

of our sin.

What does

Christ's

substitution on

the cross do?

It reconciles

enemies.

It makes them

friends.

It brings

together sinful

men and a

holy God and

reconciles them in

peace with one

another.

Now it's

implicit here.

It's

explicit in

the next

chapter over

and I want

you to see

it in

chapter 3

and verse

18.

Notice what

Peter says

there.

Christ also

suffered once

for sins,

the righteous

for the

unrighteous,

that's the

substitution.

Why?

That he

might bring

us to

God

being put

to death

in the

flesh.

What is

the great

benefit of

the atonement?

That on

the cross

Christ brings

sinners to

God and

he reconciles

us to

God in

peace.

Second,

it's a

substitution

that frees

sinners

from the

bondage of

sin.

It is a

substitution

that frees

sinners from

the bondage

of sin.

Back in

chapter 2

and verse

24,

he himself

bore our

sins in

his body

on the

tree.

Why?

Peter says

it,

so that

we might

die to

sin.

Sin might

be put

to death

in us

so that

we might

then live

in righteousness.

What is

this?

The effect

of Christ's

sin bearing

atonement is

that it breaks

the power of

sin in the

lives of his

people.

Well,

fully

through his

sacrifice,

Jesus put

your sin

to death

so that

if you are

in him,

you are

now truly

free

to live

in righteousness.

Prior to

coming to

Christ,

we only think

ourselves free,

but we are

not free.

We are in

bondage to

our sin,

to our

nature.

But when

Christ's

atonement is

applied,

he sets us

free,

having put

to death

our sin

on the

cross,

so that

now we

can truly

be righteous

and live

righteously,

and we must

pursue

that

righteousness.

In fact,

persistent

repentance

from sin

and pursuit

of righteousness

are the

fruits

of Christ's

atonement

having been

applied to

you

at salvation

in the

new birth.

Christ

works

his

righteousness

into those

who have

been truly

born again

of God

through faith

in him.

I just want

you to let

that settle

on your

mind for

just a

second.

He

accomplished

that,

finished,

on the

cross.

You are

free.

We sang it

last week,

it was the

last song we

sang last

Sunday,

not I,

but through

Christ in

me.

I can

sing.

I am

free,

not because

of me,

but because

Christ has

set me

free.

How did

he set

you free?

By putting

your sins

to death

on the

cross.

He wasn't

putting his

sins to

death on

the cross.

He had

no sin.

Whose

sins was

he putting

to death?

Your sin,

my sin.

Now,

you are

free to

live,

truly.

Third,

it's a

substitution

that brings

healing to

the soul.

It's a

substitution

that brings

healing to

the soul.

Again,

this is a

direct quote

from Isaiah

53 and

verse 5.

Jesus'

wounds,

his

substitutionary

death on

the cross

bring us

healing.

Now,

I want you

to think

about the

illustrative

material Peter

is using

here.

Who is he

addressing

directly at

this point

in the

letter?

Slaves.

Slaves

serving unjust

masters

who are

being beaten

for doing

good.

As they

gather on

the Lord's

day for

worship with

fresh wounds

suffering for

good,

Peter says,

by his

wounds you've

been healed,

not the

wounds in

your body,

but as a

healing of

the soul,

far greater

healing.

Given

Peter's

focus on

the atonement

in this

text,

we gather

and understand

that this

healing is

the forgiveness

of sin and

the fruit of

righteousness that

he's just

spoke of,

putting to

death our

sin so that

we might live

to righteousness.

That's the

healing.

Healing for

the soul.

Forgiveness.

Righteousness.

man of

sorrows.

What a

name.

For the

son of

God who

came.

Ruined

sinners to

reclaim.

What's the

next line?

Hallelujah.

What a

savior.

Bearing

shame and

scoffing rude.

In my

place,

condemned he

stood.

Sealed

my pardon

with his

blood.

Hallelujah.

What a

savior.

Guilty,

vile,

helpless

we.

Spotless

lamb of

God was

he.

Full atonement

can it be?

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

What a

savior.

And lifted

up was he

to die.

It is

finished was

his cry.

Now in

heaven he's

exalted

high.

Hallelujah.

What a

savior.

Christ's

perfections

qualify him

to be our

suitable and

sufficient

savior.

savior.

His

substitutionary

death on

the cross

is the

means by

which he

paid for

sin and

satisfied God's

wrath against

sinners.

But there's

one more

place that

Peter takes

us.

How is it

that the

benefits of

this atonement

are then

applied to

sinners?

How can I

receive this

salvation provided

in the death

and resurrection

of Jesus

Christ?

Third, we

see Christ

invitation.

Christ

invitation.

We're going to

bring the

first verse of

this section

and the last

verse of

this section

together.

Verse 21

and verse

25.

For to this

you have been

called because

Christ also

suffered for

you, leaving

you an example

so that you

might follow in

his steps.

25.

for you

were straying

like sheep

but have

now returned

to the

shepherd and

overseer of

your souls.

Now we put

these two

verses together

it's forming

somewhat of an

inclusio if you

understand that

language and

into this little

section of the

gospel that Peter

is expressing

here.

We see how

one receives the

salvation provided

in Christ's

atonement in

these two

verses.

First there's

a call to

follow in

his steps.

I said this

last week

calling in the

New Testament

is never

about a

vocation.

It's never

about a

gifting.

The New

Testament never

uses that word

that way.

We use it

that way.

It's not wrong

to use it

that way but

it's not how

the Bible

uses the

term.

Calling in

the New

Testament is

always the

effectual call

of God to

salvation.

And here

Peter uses it

again.

this call

that comes

by the

work of

the Spirit

through the

preaching of

the gospel

message.

So the

gospel goes

out.

That's the

call.

The Spirit

of God

energizes

that call

so that it

takes effect

in the heart

of the

sinner.

And what

is the

nature of

the call?

It's an

invitation.

invitation.

It's

Jesus'

invitation to

say I

have paid

the debt.

Now turn

and come

to me.

Come to

me.

Trust in

me.

Turn from

the sin.

Turn from

the path

you're on.

Come to

me and

receive what

I have

done on

your behalf.

faith.

It's

trusting in

Christ's

death and

resurrection.

It's an

invitation to

follow him

not only as

Savior but

as a Lord.

It's an

invitation.

And then in

verse 25 we

see the

elements of

genuine

conversion.

Don't we?

One hears

the call of

God in the

gospel and

responds with

repentance and

faith.

And again

wouldn't you

guess it Peter

quotes Isaiah

53.

This time it's

verse 6.

In our

sinful condition

we are like

sheep who

have strayed

away from

their shepherd.

I just want

you to grasp

the illustration

here from

Isaiah and

Peter.

We're like

sheep who

have wandered

away.

We're out of

the fold.

We've left

the shepherd.

We've followed

this world.

We've followed

its sin.

We've followed

its philosophies.

We've followed

everything that it

offers.

We've wandered

away.

And through

the gospel of

the cross the

great shepherd

Jesus Christ

calls out for

us.

His wandering

sheep.

I've taken

care of it.

Come back.

He cries out

from the cross.

It's finished.

He cries.

And those who

hear his call

what do they do

in verse 25?

They return.

What is this

returning?

It's repentance.

repentance.

Literally means

to turn.

And faith.

They hear the

call.

They abandon

sin.

Everything that

it offers.

In order that

they might follow

their shepherd.

The overseer of

their souls.

They turn away

from sin.

They trust in

Christ alone.

They obey him

as Lord.

Because the

shepherd has

laid down his

life for his

sheep.

And he now

calls for them

to submit.

And to

follow him.

Follow him

where?

To heaven.

On the path

of suffering.

So how is it

that Christ

atonement is

applied?

How can you

be saved?

Well having

heard this

gospel.

It's time that

you turn.

And follow.

Not to put

Jesus on the

shelf alongside

of your own

ideas and

alongside of

all the other

things that you

want to try to

hang on to in

this life.

No.

It is a full

turn.

Full faith.

Him and

him alone.

Shepherd and

overseer in this

case.

We think about

this illustration

we often first

imagine the

notions of

tenderness.

That is not

the way that

Peter is using

the illustration

of a shepherd

here.

Think about

the context.

It's not about

tenderness.

It's about

authority.

What does it

mean?

To come to

Christ in

repentance and

faith.

It means to

acknowledge him

as Lord.

And to follow

his authority

as the shepherd

and overseer of

your soul.

Which means that

you can't just

do away with

this.

You can't take

the things that

you like and

take out the

things that you

don't like.

No you submit

to him in all

things.

You submit to

his word in

all things.

That's what it

means to return.

That's what it

means to come.

And here's the

good news of it

all.

He's paid the

debt of your

sin.

Doesn't matter

what you've

done or how

many times

you've done

it.

His sacrifice

is sufficient.

And now he

invites you to

freely receive

this salvation

by coming to

him in faith.

So return.

You want to be

saved.

Come to

Christ.

Turn to him.

There's nothing

left for you to

do.

There's nothing

for you to

pay.

He paid it

all.

There's nothing

for you to

do.

What needs to

be done is

done.

Fully

satisfied.

So believe

him.

Trust him.

And follow

him.

Because if you

confess with

your mouth that

Jesus is Lord

and believe in

your heart that

God raised him

from the dead,

you will be

saved.

For with the

heart one

believes and

is justified.

And with the

mouth one

confesses and

is saved.

For the

scripture says

everyone who

believes in

him will not

be put to

shame.

For there's no

distinction between

Jew and

Greek.

For the same

Lord is Lord

of all,

bestowing his

riches on all

who call on

him.

For everyone

who calls on

him will be

saved.

Christians are

gospel people.

And Christ's

atonement on

the cross and

his subsequent

resurrection from

the dead are the

essence of the

gospel message.

That's what it

is.

It is to center

not only our

conversion,

but every facet of

our lives.

God's

which is why

Peter keeps

bringing it up.

He's now in the

practical part of

the letter where

he's instructing us

on how to live.

And what's at the

center of that

instruction?

The gospel is at

the center.

It gives us hope

in our exile.

It guides us on how

to faithfully live as

Christ's people in

the world.

And that's Peter's

whole point.

In our

suffering, we

take our cues from

Jesus who

suffered for us.

But as we look to

him, we must

remember that his

suffering was unique

and atoning.

It is the basis of

salvation for all who

will believe and

follow him.

Therefore, we

rejoice in our

sufferings, knowing

that as we suffer for

the gospel and for

good, we are

following in the

steps of our

Savior as we

await his return,

at which time we

will receive the

fullness of our

inheritance that Peter

has already said is

imperishable and

undefiled and

unfading, kept in

heaven for you who

by God's grace are

being guarded through

faith for a

salvation that is

ready to be

revealed.