1 Peter 1:18

1 Peter 1:18 ‘knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,'

‘knowing' -‘For you know' (TCNT). The connection between this verse and the previous section: ‘Live holy, obedient lives that manifest respect for God, for after paying such. high price for your salvation, God wouldn't be pleased if you casually disregard the liberation from your sins.'

‘you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold' -1. The word ‘redeemed' means: ‘to release on receipt of ransom, liberate by payment of ransom.' (Thayer p. 384) (Titus 2:14; Matthew 20:28) ‘was frequently used in the days of slavery to indicate the act of obtaining freedom for enslaved persons through the payment of. sum of money for their release.' (Woods p. 45) 2. The verse vividly reveals the true depth of every sin. No amount of perishable things, even valuables such as silver and gold could make atonement for even one sin. In addition, other passages tell us that sin cannot be atoned for even by the sacrifice of our own lives (1 Corinthians 13:1), or the lives of our loved ones (Micah 6:6). 3. There exists no human or earthly endeavor, accomplishment or sacrifice that can remove sin. Sin is moral evil and rebellion against the nature of God. We need to take our sins more seriously! (Psalms 51:4)

‘from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers' -1. ‘Futile'-‘idle, empty, fruitless, useless, powerless, lacking truth' (Arndt p. 495). 2. So much for the idea that ‘family traditions' must always be right. We must love God and His ways more than even earthly parents and their ways (Matthew 10:37). 2. This suggests Christians from. Gentile background, who had been introduced into idolatry and all its practices by their parents. 3. Jesus not only can deliver us from our sins, He can deliver us from the ‘environment' of ignorance, superstition, false religion, etc…that keeps people enslaved. 4. Talk about the subject of the Bible being relevant to the needs of modern man! We are surrounded by people who have been raised in. ‘futile way of living'. People brought up in atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Denominationalism, ‘Good-ole-boyish', materialism, hedonism, feminism, etc…Sharing the gospel with someone means giving them the chance to escape from. meaningless life! Please note that sinful ways of living are not genetic, rather they are learned. And also note that men and women can break from sinful, addictive, generational, and societal living patterns and pressures. Peter doesn't buy the excuses, ‘But the vast majority endorse it, the great middle section of society is always right', ‘if it was good enough for mom and dad it is good enough for me', ‘blood is thicker than water', ‘when in Rome do as the Romans', ‘we must keep this family tradition alive at all cost'.