1 Peter 1:21, commentary and pictures

Through Christ people come to believe in God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that their faith and hope rest in God to the end. That access comes by His redeeming precious blood as of a spotless lamb without blemish, not by corruptible things like silver or gold, redeeming them from empty conduct and vain tradition in a work foreordained before the foundation of the world but made manifest in these last times for believers. His resurrection grounds their living hope of an incorruptible inheritance reserved in heaven. This faith purifies the soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto holiness in all conduct as obedient children, being holy because God is holy. Those thus purified are to love one another with a pure heart fervently with unfeigned love, putting away selfishness and strife, which joins believers of every race as one family impartially loved by God.

Christ Grounds Faith in God

Through Christ people believe in God, who raised Christ from the dead and gave Him glory, so that faith and hope are in God and rest in God to the end. This access to God comes by Christ's redeeming precious blood, not by corruptible things like silver or gold, for salvation could not be bought with silver or gold. That blood is as of a spotless lamb without blemish and without spot, redeeming people from their empty way of life and from vain tradition received by empty custom. Christ's saving work in giving that life as the price of redemption was foreordained before the foundation of the world, planned before the world began, but manifest in these last times for believers, revealed in the last times for those who believe.

God raised Jesus from the dead and gave Him glory, and Christ's resurrection grounds the living hope of an incorruptible inheritance reserved in heaven. The sacrifice by which redemption was made was infinite, preserving the honor of Eternal Justice while delivering the transgressor, for to save the race from ruin Christ became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That sacrifice, satisfying the principles of justice by which heaven is governed, gives Christ the right to take captives out of Satan's hands and rescue them from the deceiver, paying on Calvary the redemption price that justice demanded. As creditor God had the right to provide for redemption, the Son of God was the only One who could pay the price, and He volunteered to come where Adam fell as Redeemer to conquer the foe and save all who accept Him as Saviour.

Christ is the believer's only hope for the removal of sin, for though sinless He bore human guilt, and those who trust Him as their personal Saviour are accounted pure and guiltless through His imputed righteousness. Those who by Christ believe in God, whose faith and hope are in God, are judged by the Father without respect of persons according to every man's work. In those heavenly courts the color of the skin does not determine character.

Faith Lived in Love

True faith is more than reading Scripture or merely agreeing with its teaching; it is a lived experience shaped by the Holy Spirit, shown in obedience and in doing what pleases God. Such faith gives evidence of belonging to God's family and of having fellowship with the Father and the Son.
This faith purifies the soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit and produces Bible sanctification, holiness in all conduct. It is lived out as obedient children not fashioning themselves after former lusts in ignorance, being holy because God is holy. Faith and hope thus set in God hold to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ, as those born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which lives and abides forever.
Purified believers are to love one another with a pure heart fervently with unfeigned love. That love puts away selfishness, discord, variance, alienation and strife, and makes believers one in sentiment and practice. It becomes the convincing witness to a world broken by hatred that God sent His Son that the world through Him might be saved and receive life through faith in Christ.

Belief in Christ as Redeemer joins people of every race as members of one family, for no race is less loved or valued by God. Those who believe should therefore treat one another with tender, impartial love. This includes giving colored brethren who are true and faithful just as much respect as any of God's children, since the Father judges without respect of persons according to every man's work and color of skin does not determine character in the heavenly courts.
The soul is to be committed to God in faith and trust every day and entrusted to Jesus because He alone can keep it, rather than to human agency. No one but God can be trusted with its keeping, and no one is able by self to appreciate or care for it. Its worth is estimated only by the cross of Calvary, more precious than gold, silver and precious stones, and worth the price Christ paid to redeem it.
Jesus loved and gave His precious life and died in order that believers might believe in Him and trust Him in every trying hour and under every adverse circumstance. When afflicted by the wrong course of others who ought to have helped, they are to commit the case wholly to Jesus who knows it all. They are not to let go faith in Jesus or drop His hand stretched out in pitying tenderness to every suffering child, not to cherish retaliation or let feelings of the natural heart control them, for Jesus has never failed and is sufficient for the present hour of trial.

Faith and hope placed in God through Christ lay hold of every provision made by Christ's sacrifice for life and godliness. Christ's perfect character and the perfection of His character make it possible for believers to reach Christian perfection and the highest standard of glory and virtue. By learning His meekness and lowliness they become a church without spot or wrinkle, for eternal life is knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. The verse increases faith and confidence in God and gives hope and courage by the evidence that God cares. Taken as God's own word, it shows believers themselves in a different light and makes them God's workmen learning lessons from Him, to work as Christ worked with efficiency from God and not from self, which is sanctification.

Study and Proclamation

The scripture containing this verse is for churches in every place to read and to practice with watchfulness and prayer. It gives a most precious representation of what Christians may become if they will only hear and obey, and its language warns those lifting up their souls unto vanity. Fathers and mothers are to study the whole chapter with all their powers of intelligence, enter into the spirit of its words of counsel, and let their words and actions express its meaning. Its teaching is valuable instruction for all, especially for those who preach, calling them to study the Bible faithfully, to entrust their souls to the living God rather than to human agency, and to serve as humble learners without exalting themselves.

The instruction in 1 Peter 1 and 2 exhorting believers to a godly life is to be presented to the people now while the world is preparing for the closing work of the third angel's message. The chapter containing the verse is therefore to be studied carefully, for following the Spirit of truth in willing obedience brings spiritual strength.