1 Peter 1:17, commentary and pictures

Those who call on God as Father are to spend their brief earthly stay in reverent fear because He judges each person impartially according to deeds, with no favoritism for race, status, position, or place. This fear is reverent and sober, not slavish terror or distrust of His grace, but fear of offending Him and coming short through self gaining supremacy, which is the beginning of wisdom and keeps one under His protection. The call to such fear rests on knowing that redemption was not with perishable silver or gold or vain tradition, but with the precious blood of Christ as a spotless lamb without blemish, foreordained before the foundation of the world and manifested in these last times. God keeps an account of works, with a continual record of words, conduct, and influence to be reviewed and opened in the great day of final reckoning, where reward corresponds to works and each must answer for themselves. That holy fear is shown in daily obedience to all His commandments and sanctification of soul, body, and spirit, in purified souls and fervent love with mercy and humility, and in honoring all the redeemed without distinction of race or color.

Words and Surrounding Context

The verse is addressed to those who call on God as Father, and its sojourning means earthly life is a brief, temporary stay whose conduct matters in light of judgment. That short time is to be lived with care, giving up bitter feelings toward others and not using speech to lead them into temptation, and it is reason to give oneself fully to God, since bitterness and harmful speech bring harm and reveal the sure result of one's actions. The call to live the brief earthly sojourn in reverent fear belongs to a life of holiness and rests on knowing redemption was not with silver or gold but with Christ's precious, spotless blood from a futile inherited way of life.

Without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work means the Father judges each person impartially according to deeds, with no favoritism for race, status, position, or place. Those who call on Him as Father are therefore to live their time on earth with reverent fear, recognizing His judgment and the seriousness of conduct, and this belongs with holy, obedient living grounded in redemption not with silver or gold but with Christ's precious blood. His goods must therefore be used without undue preference for one place or group over others, since He does not favor particular people or places.

Pass the time in fear means reverent, sober fear, not slavish terror or distrust of God's grace. It is fear of offending God or losing His favor through impurity, and fear that self will gain the supremacy and that by sinful inclination any will come short, so the will must be placed firmly, decidedly, and intelligently on the side of God's will with earnest striving toward a high standard and with a faith that works. This fear is the beginning of wisdom, keeps a person under God's protection from deception and harm, and is consistent with being cheerful, pleasant, and courteous while putting away trifling and presumption; faith centered in God cannot be shaken.

In its immediate setting the verse belongs with girding up the mind, being sober, hoping to the end for grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ, living as obedient children not shaped by former lusts in ignorance, and being holy in all conduct because God is holy. It requires strictly guarding the mind so it stays at all times under God's control, pure, clean, and healthy, controlled by the Holy Spirit, wholly surrendered to God and sanctified through the truth. It then leads to purified souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren and to loving one another with a pure heart fervently as those born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which lives and abides forever, leaving no place for discord, variance, alienation, and strife. This reverent life rests on knowing redemption was not with corruptible silver and gold from vain tradition received from the fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot, foreordained before the foundation of the world and manifest in these last times for those who by Him believe in God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that faith and hope are in God.

The chapter around the verse is important to study and understand, to be studied with all powers of intelligence until words and actions express its meaning. It is instruction to be read in the churches in every place and practiced with watchfulness and prayer, giving a most precious representation of what Christians may be if they hear and obey, warning those lifting up their souls unto vanity and calling all to enter into its counsel. It gives rich food from God's word that comforts, strengthens, and blesses sick, aged, and afflicted believers and feeds hungry souls who seldom have preaching, showing God's love bestowed in large measure on His chosen ones while calling those present who are not of the faith to walk in the light of truth shining on their pathway. The chapter upholds the importance of the Old Testament Scriptures against the claim that they were done away with the law of God.

Redemption Through Christ's Blood

The call to reverent fear rests on knowing that redemption was not with perishable silver or gold but with Christ's precious blood as a spotless lamb without blemish. That ransom was not by earthly possessions nor by the vain tradition received from the fathers, from the inherited futile way of life, but solely by His sacrifice as the only means of redemption. Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world and manifested in these last times, and through Him believers put faith and hope in God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory.

By Christ's sacrifice every provision has been made for believers to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness, which is the source of strength for reaching the highest standard. The perfection of His character makes it possible to gain perfection and reach the standard of glory and virtue and Christian perfection. That standard is reached by learning His meekness and lowliness.

Because redemption is by Christ's blood, His blood is to be magnified and worldly wealth is not to be treated as a god. Service for God is not to be treated as a bargain of labor for pay, where selfish demands for greater reward can cost God's grace, which is worth more than wealth. The call to live the earthly sojourn in reverence is grounded in the fact that people were redeemed not with silver or gold but with Christ's precious blood.

Impartial Judgment According to Works

God keeps an account of human works, and the reward given corresponds to those works. That judgment rests on a continual record of words, conduct, influence, and good or evil deeds, which is reviewed before God and will be opened in the great day of final reckoning when each one is judged according to work. Self-denial for God's cause belongs to such work and brings blessing. Words are part of the work judged and will decide standing then, including stout words against God, doubting, questioning, accusing, saying it is vain to serve God and keep His ordinance, disheartening the church, and presenting truth in an objectionable light. Accusing the brethren is Satan's work since his fall, and those who do it will face confusion of face, shame and despair when every person receives according to deeds done in the body.

Each person must answer to God for themselves according to their own works. Another person's sin does not lessen one's own guilt or excuse following the same course, and one's own choices affect one's record before Him. Position and influence do not make a person righteous or greater in God's sight, for God values character and judges every person impartially according to deeds. He shows no favoritism for particular people or places, so His goods must be used without undue preference for one place or group over others. Those serving in responsible roles need Christ's righteousness and the Spirit's sanctifying work and must not exalt themselves or depart from enduring principles by bringing common things into God's service, lest the work be scattered.

The verse shows faith by works and the responsibility laid on every recipient of truth. It belongs to the instruction of 1 Peter 1 and 2 exhorting believers to a godly life, in which those who call on the Father who judges without respect of persons according to every man's work must pass the time of sojourning in fear. It is to be presented to the people now as a message of warning and appeal, to impress that the time has come to work intelligently and earnestly for the accomplishment of salvation as the world prepares for the closing work of the third angel's message.

Holy Life in Reverent Fear

The verse sets a high standard for what those who call God Father may become if they hear and obey, a most precious representation to be read and practiced with watchfulness and prayer and to be studied with all powers of intelligence until words and actions express its meaning. It warns those lifting up their souls unto vanity and calls all to enter into the spirit of its counsel by a daily life of obedience to all the commandments of God, bringing the law of heaven into everyday experience as evidence of receiving Christ. That obedience means partaking of the divine nature and escaping the corruption in the world through lust while engaging in constant spiritual warfare in this world of sin. Seeking sanctification of soul, body, and spirit, with Christ's presence in believers, prepares them to become members of God's heavenly family. Living the earthly sojourn with reverent care under the impartial Judge of every man's work is not wild speculation about sailing around in the heavens, but obeying God's Word, following the Redeemer, and watching unto prayer, and those who follow Him may enter the city of God and see the King in His beauty.

The verse teaches the importance of practical godliness for all who call on God as Father. Obedience to God and a life pleasing to Him give evidence of fellowship with the Father and the Son, since the Father judges every person impartially according to works and those who call on Him are to live their time on earth with reverent fear. This reverent, holy life is shown in pure speech and conduct, for those cleansed by the Holy Spirit are to be holy in all behavior, and when Christ is formed within them and they put on His righteousness their words and lives reveal that righteousness.

This reverence is consistent with being cheerful, pleasant, and courteous while putting away trifling, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Those who call on the Father form another class distinct from the eating, drinking, and marrying world that exists as it was in the days of Noah until the day the Son of man is revealed, living a holy and separate life. While living in the world they are not to be of the world but to remain forever separate from its contaminating influences, and the first and second chapters of First Peter give instruction in the manner in which they should labor. That separation includes heeding the message of health reform to be borne in every church and practiced and taught in the schools. It means the medical missionary work is to be bound up with the gospel ministry in right principles and right relation between physicians and their brethren, molded after the similitude of Christ, standing on the platform of truth uninfluenced by false theories, not binding up with worldlings in councils nor bringing worldly lawyers into connection with God's work, but laboring unitedly with the church and ministers in soul-saving work.

The verse, with its call in 1 Peter 1:13-19 to sober, holy, obedient living in fear before God who judges every man according to his work, is to be obeyed by every church member in letter and in spirit with full purpose to carry it out. For men and women seeking office, solemn belief produces a decided change in words and in spirit toward others. Obedience requires bowing the knees before the Lord Jesus Christ in individual intercession for the converting influence of the Holy Spirit. That heeded word includes unity that prefers one another in honor and loves without dissimulation as evidence that God sent His Son, and God gives special victories only when workers heed it. He will not bless manifest disregard of it, for to bless disobedience would dishonor Himself and ruin the workers.

Impartial Love and Practical Duties

Because the Father judges every person's work without favoritism, no race or skin color determines character or worth before Him, and faithful colored believers are to receive the same respect as any of His children. To despise or mistreat them is to despise those redeemed by Christ's precious blood, not by silver or gold, and such partiality dishonors Christ. That shared redemption and impartial judgment call those who call Him Father to live their earthly time with reverence, obeying the truth and loving one another sincerely and fervently.

Reverent living purifies the soul through obeying truth, bringing Bible sanctification into practical life and producing sincere, fervent love with mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. It leaves no place for discord, variance, alienation, strife, and harshness, but gives a world broken by discord, hatred, and strife convincing evidence that truth is lived and that God sent His Son that the world through Him might be saved and receive life through faith. This reverence belongs with girding up the mind, being sober, hoping to the end for grace, living as obedient children not shaped by former lusts but holy in all conduct because God is holy, and resting on redemption by Christ's blood as a spotless lamb foreordained before the foundation of the world and manifested in the last times so that faith and hope are in God who raised Him and gave Him glory.

Because His ways are merciful and impartial, His workers are to be tender-hearted, treat each case as Christ would, and reflect His fairness and mercy rather than using authority to dominate others. They must not grasp advantages for themselves or excuse unfairness as service to the cause, for position does not make anyone greater in His sight, since He values character. Humility and faithful obedience are essential, and to disregard His instructions while expecting His blessing dishonors Him and harms the workers.

Reverence includes speech, for hasty, idle, foolish, harmful, gossiping, and joking words do no good, grieve Christ, sadden angels, lead others into temptation, and will be accounted for before God. The brief earthly sojourn is therefore to be lived with care, giving up bitter feelings, giving oneself fully to God, and refusing speech that leads others into wrong. The verse is part of God's words that give hope and courage and increase faith, calling believers to put on the whole armor of God to stand in the evil day in the struggle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness. It calls them to see self in a different light, to learn as His workmen, and to work as Christ worked with efficiency from God and not of self, which is sanctification. One afflicted by the wrong course of others should contemplate its instruction, pray, refuse exasperation and control by natural feeling, refuse retaliation whatever course others pursue, and commit the case wholly to Jesus who knows all and stretches pitying tenderness to every suffering child.

The verse warns those lifting up their souls unto vanity and calls all to enter into the spirit of its counsel, and self-denial for God's cause is a work that brings blessing in view of God's account of works and reward corresponding to works. It teaches reverent seriousness and holy, obedient living grounded in knowing that redemption came not through perishable wealth, silver or gold, or inherited empty ways, but through Christ's precious, spotless blood.