Bile Verse of the Day Friday March 31st, 2023

1 Peter 2:25 For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Throughout this first letter from the Apostle Peter, he summarizes what the follower's relationship and belief in Christ Jesus should be in various worldly societal divisions. He reflects on a traveler's affiliation to the world, an inhabitant's affiliation to the government, and a servant's liaison to his master. Then, he connects all that with a saved born-again believer's walk with Christ Jesus. In each case spoken of here, the objective is the same; we should all be good reflectors for the light of Christ Jesus that shines out in this lost, dark, and dying world. As followers and believers in Christ Jesus, we should conduct our lives in a manner that will bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. Being a good reflector for the light of Christ Jesus is especially critical when going through trials or tribulations. Peter Identifies Christ Jesus as the perfect model and pattern of forbearing stamina while undergoing underserved and unwarranted shame, pain, and suffering. Jesus is our representative and the one we should model our lives after.

The Apostle Peter compares our former relationship with Christ Jesus before our salvation. Before, we were like sheep going astray (Isaiah 53:6), but now we are safe in the arms of the shepherd of our flock. Sheep have the instinct to wander off without paying attention to how far they have walked away from the shepherd. Before the point of our salvation, we had warped and worldly views of who God is and what He has done and will continue to do for all that accept Him through faith. The world was deceiving us through Satan's influence, thus having twisted views of who Jesus is and that He is the only way to eternal life (Matthew 24:4; 2 Timothy 3:13; 1 John 4:6). 

His anguish, shame, and pain were propitiatory to our lives because the Sacrifice He made on the Cross of Calvary was on behalf of anyone and everyone prepared to surrender their lives to Christ Jesus. Through the power of the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, we are transformed daily into His likeness. Though we will never reach that lofty goal in this life, we will grow spiritually day by day and continue to strive towards the goal of being more like Him through sanctification.

Christ Jesus will nurture and sustain our spirits and souls until we are with Him in His glorious abode (Ecclesiastes 12:7). We are spiritual beings transported around by these frail physical bodies in which we reside. Had it not been for the patient endurance of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, during the torment of His chargers, we would all be going astray like lost sheep. However, because of the greatest act of love, the world has ever witnessed, we all can return to our great shepherd and overseer of our souls (Hebrews 13:20-21).