How does 1 Peter 1:18 connect with Ephesians 2:8-9 on salvation? The Cost of Redemption (1 Peter 1:18) “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,” • Redemption is a purchase, but not with earthly currency. • Silver and gold—symbols of the world’s highest value—are declared powerless to save. • Peter reminds believers that salvation rescues us from an “empty way of life,” breaking every chain handed down by ancestry, culture, or personal effort. • The very next verse (1 Peter 1:19) anchors that purchase price in “the precious blood of Christ,” underscoring that only a divine, spotless sacrifice could secure eternal freedom. Grace, Not Works (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” • Salvation is a “gift” granted, never a wage earned. • Faith receives what grace provides; it is the open hand, not the payment. • Human effort is excluded—“not by works”—closing the door on personal merit or boasting. Connecting the Dots: One Message, Two Angles 1. Source of Salvation • 1 Peter 1:18 – Originates in God’s priceless payment. • Ephesians 2:8 – Originates in God’s unmerited grace. • Common thread: God alone initiates and completes redemption. 2. Means of Appropriation • 1 Peter underscores the objective price paid. • Ephesians highlights the subjective reception by faith. • Together: Christ paid; we believe—nothing more, nothing less. 3. Exclusion of Human Currency • “Not with perishable things” (1 Peter). • “Not from yourselves… not by works” (Ephesians). • Whether money, morality, or religious ritual, all human contributions are ruled out. 4. Purpose and Result • Rescue from an “empty way of life” (1 Peter). • So “no one can boast” (Ephesians). • God’s glory is showcased when people freed from futility live in humble gratitude. Supporting Echoes from the Rest of Scripture • Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy.” • Isaiah 55:1 – “Come, buy without money and without cost.” • 1 Corinthians 6:20 – “You were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.” • Romans 3:24 – “Justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Living in the Light of Redemption • Rest in the sufficiency of Christ’s blood—no spiritual debt remains. • Reject any impulse to earn favor; good works flow from gratitude, not for merit. • Celebrate freedom from inherited patterns and worldly measures of worth. • Walk humbly, giving God alone the praise for a salvation paid for by Christ and received by faith. |
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