In my last post, we examined our desire for Jesus Christ and His unsearchable riches in light of the desire of the angels ~ which things the angels desire to look into (I Peter 1:12, KJV).

Though Peter addressed his first letter to the believers scattered in the Diaspora. The ESV combines verses 1 & 2, and renders it: "To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion." However, in this life, all Christians are, in reality, "elect exiles." "Elect exiles": a weighty phrase – reminding us that as we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, having been plucked from the fire and given Christ's robe of perfect righteousness so we might enjoy fellowship with the Holy, Holy, Holy God, we are now children of God and citizens of heaven, which makes us aliens in regard to this world and all this world has to offer. (The Greek word for "exiles" ("strangers" (KJV) / "pilgrims" (NKJV)) is parepidemos: "an alien alongside, i.e. a resident foreigner:--pilgrim, stranger" (Strong's Concordance).)

All the elect, all those who have been foreknown by God the Father and redeemed by the precious blood of the spotless Lamb of God are not only saved from God's just wrath (justification), but are also set apart by God  for obedience to God (sanctification) – that we might no longer live to ourselves but to live for Him through His indwelling Holy Spirit (II Cor. 5:14-15).

I Peter 1:1  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood... (ESV)

I Peter 1:1  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (KJV)

Later in chapter 1, Peter reminds us that because we are now citizens of heaven, we're to live as pilgrims here and to conduct ourselves in fear, not being conformed to [our] former lusts (KJV) and the passions of [our] former ignorance (ESV) – but rather to be holy as our God who has called us is holy (1:13-21). Peter continues that teaching throughout his first epistle.

2:11  Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

4:1  Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2  so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3  The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4  With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you...

In other words, because we who are Christians have been made new creations in Christ (II Cor. 5:17), our desires, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds ought to increasingly reflect that spiritual reality. If the root has indeed been made new, the fruit ought to be new also! If we have been born again, if Jesus Christ has truly made His Advent into our lives, the tree has been made good, and we ought to bearing fruit in keeping with repentance.

Jesus Christ described of the Kingdom of heaven and its citizens in this way:

Matthew 11:12 (KJV) And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

In Isaiah 5, the Beloved comes to examine His vineyard and laments because in place of the good grapes which He expected, He finds wild grapes. J.A. Alexander calls these disappointing grapes "acrid and unwholesome."

Are we bearing the spiritual fruit of a holy violence for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom:  an increasing and overwhelming love for God and delight in God, and an increasing and overwhelming desire and delight to do God's will? Do our desires, thoughts, words, and deeds reflect a holy zeal for our God? Are we taking His Kingdom by force? Do we show ourselves possessed with a holy violence? Are we striving to enter the Kingdom? Do our lives resemble the Shulamite woman in Song of Solomon 3?

3:1  On my bed by night
I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not.
2  I will rise now and go about the city,
in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but found him not.
3  The watchmen found me
as they went about in the city.
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
4  Scarcely had I passed them
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go
until I had brought him into my mother's house,
and into the chamber of her who conceived me.

Or, instead, are we bearing "acrid and unwholesome fruit"? Are we lackadaisical and lukewarm toward Christ and His Kingdom? Do we bear a stronger resemblance to the Shulamite woman in Song of Solomon 5?

2  I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night.”
3  I had put off my garment;
how could I put it on?
I had bathed my feet;
how could I soil them?

How does our passion and zeal for our God compare with the passion and zeal of Black Friday shoppers? (For example, read here.)

It is, beyond expression, a thing to be lamented, that so small a number of men regard God, the author of their being, that so few live to him in whom they live, returning that being and life they have, and all their enjoyments, as is due, to him from whom they all flow. And then, how pitiful it is, that the small number who are thus minded, mind it so remissly and coldly, and are so far outstripped by the children of this world, who follow painted follies and lies with more eagerness and industry than the children of wisdom do that certain and solid blessedness which they seek after! Plus illi ad vanitatem, quam nos ad veritatem:  They are more intent upon vanity, that we upon verity. Strange! that men should do so much violence one to another, and to themselves in body and mind, for trifles and chaff; and that there is so little to be found of that allowed and commanded violence, for a kingdom, and such a kingdom, that cannot be moved (Heb. xii. 28); a word too high for all the monarchies under the sun.  

~ Robert Leighton’s “Commentary on First Peter” (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1972), 397.

Matthew 11:12 (KJV) And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew Henry likens this heavenly violence to that "of an army taking a city by storm, or of a crowd bursting into a house," and he describes such souls engaged in this holy violence as...

An importunate multitude. This violence denotes a strength, and vigour, and earnestness of desire and endeavour, in those who followed John's ministry, else they would not have come so far to attend upon it. It shows us also, what fervency and zeal are required of all those who design to make heaven of their religion. Note, They who would enter into the kingdom of heaven must strive to enter; that kingdom suffers a holy violence; self must be denied, the bent and bias, the frame and temper, of the mind must be altered; there are hard sufferings to be undergone, a force to be put upon the corrupt nature; we must run, and wrestle, and fight, and be in an agony, and all little enough to win such a prize, and to get over such opposition from without and from within. The violent take it by force. They who will have an interest in the great salvation are carried out towards it with a strong desire, will have it upon any terms, and not think them hard, nor quit their hold without a blessing, Gen. xxxii. 26. They who will make their calling and election sure must give diligence. The kingdom of heaven was never intended to indulge the ease of triflers, but to be the rest of them that labour. It is a blessed sight; Oh that we could see a greater number, not with an angry contention thrusting others out of the kingdom of heaven, but with a holy contention thrusting themselves into it!

O, LORD our God, we confess that we often bear "acrid and unwholesome" fruit, for which Your Spirit is grieved and for which Your name is blasphemed among the nations. What more could You have done for us? Holy Father, we come to You in Jesus' name, and ask that You forgive us that we live so far below our blessed privileges as Your children and citizens of heaven. Forgive us for forgetting Whose we are! Forgive us, Father, for not giving earnest heed and neglecting such a great salvation which You wrought for us by sending Jesus Christ to die for us while we were yet sinners! Forgive us for receiving Your glorious grace in vain. Forgive us for thinking so lightly of Christ's precious blood. Forgive us for grieving Your Holy Spirit. Forgive us that our desire for You and for Your Kingdom is so weak and faint, while our desire for the earthly and temporal is often so strong and resolute. Forgive us for our spiritual sluggishness – so often we end up like the Shulamite woman, who would not be bothered to put on her robe or dirty her feet to get up to open the door to her Beloved as He knocked for her! How pathetic that our desires for You pale in comparison to the world's desires for trinkets, toys, and trivialities! Open the eyes of our hearts so we might see You for who You really are! O! LORD! Incline our hearts to fear Your name, and give us whole hearts to run after You and to open widely to You and to no other lover – for You are the chief among 10,000! Forgive us that we are so often put to shame by the zeal, activity, ingenuity, and resourcefulness of the children of this world. Forgive us for not valuing and treasuring You and Your Kingdom as we ought, for if we did, we would certainly explode and overflow with an unquenchable holy violence for You and Your Kingdom! Forgive us for wasting so much of our time running in the ways of the world and living for the lusts of men, rather than living to Your will. You know our frame and remember we are dust. Though we are Yours, our flesh continues to lust and battle against Your Spirit. Have mercy upon us, for the sake of Your New Covenant in Your Son's blood. Be gracious to us, strengthen us by Your Spirit, and enlarge our hearts that we might glorify You by showing ourselves to be children of wisdom and light. May we be filled up to overflowing with a holy violence that shows itself by resolutely setting our minds on things above, running in the way of Your commandments with a holy fervor, loving You supremely, and delighting to do Your will as our Savior did. May Your love constrain and compel us to a joyful, whole-hearted, single-eyed, complete, and zealous obedience. May Your Holy Spirit impart to us a holy violence for You that has no parallel or rival in the world, that we may show ourselves to be Your holy bride, sanctified by Your Holy Spirit and washed by the water of Your Word, bearing sweet and wholesome fruit to Your glory, for Your joy and for our joy! God forbid we be ashamed at Your coming, but rather when You return, may we be found neither sleeping nor sluggish, but violent and importunate, taking Your Kingdom by force! May we be diligent to make our calling and election sure! Work in us that holy contention that is well pleasing in Your sight, that we might be inflamed with a holy fire to run after You and Your Kingdom to the praise of Your glorious grace!

"A sight of Christ gains the heart, makes it break from all entanglements, both of its own lusts, and of the profane world about it." ~ Robert Leighton’s “Commentary on First Peter” (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1972), 396.

Romans 6:22  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

7:1  Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2  Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3  Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

4  Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5  For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6  But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

I John 2:28  And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29  If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Psalm 119:32  I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! (HT: Leighton for the Scripture reference, p. 398)

I Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.  12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (KJV)

The angels look upon what they have seen already fulfilled, with delight and admiration, and what remains, namely, the full accomplishment of this great work in the end of time, they look upon with desire to see it is finished; it is not a slight glance they take of it, but they fix their eyes and look stedfastly on it, vix., that mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh; and it is added, seen of angels, 1 Tim. iii. 16.

The Word made flesh, draws the eyes of those glorious spirits, and possesses them with wonder to see the Almighty Godhead joined with the weakness of a man, yea, of an infant; He that stretcheth forth the heavens bound up in swaddling clothes! And to surpass all the wonders of his life, this is beyond all admiration, that the Lord of life was subject to death, and that his love to rebellious mankind moved him both to take on and lay down that life.

It is no wonder that angels admire these things, and delight to look upon them; but it is strange that we do not so. They view them stedfastly, and we neglect them:  either we consider them not at all, or give them but a transient look, half an eye. That which was the great business of the Prophets and Apostles, both for their own times, and to convey them to us, we regard not; and turn our eyes to foolish wandering thoughts, which angels are ashamed at. They are no so concerned in this great mystery as we are; they are but mere beholders, in comparison of us, yea, they seem rather to be losers some way, in that our nature in itself inferior to theirs, is in Jesus Christ exalted above theirs, Heb. ii. 16. We bow down to the earth, and study, and grovel in it, rake into the very bowels of it, and content ourselves with the outside of the unsearchable riches of Christ, and look not within it; but they, having no will nor desire but for the glory of God, being pure flames of fire burning only in love to him, are no less delighted than amazed with the bottomless wonders of his wisdom and goodness shining in the work of our redemption.

It is our shame and folly, that we lose ourselves and our thoughts in poor childish things, and trifle away our days we know not how, and let these rich mysteries lie unregarded. They look up upon the Deity in itself with continual admiration; but then they look down to this mystery as another wonder. We give them an ear in public, and in a cold, formal way stop conscience's mouth with some religious performances in private, and no more; but to have deep and frequent thoughts, and to be ravished in the mediation of our Lord Jesus, once on the cross, and now in glory,––how few of us are acquainted with this!

~ from Robert Leighton’s “Commentary on First Peter” (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1972), 71-72.

* * *

The word "desire" (as in "which things the angels desire to look into" ~ I Peter 1:12) is the Greek word epithumeo / epithymeo (1937), meaning "to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise):--covet, desire, would fain, lust (after)" (from Strong's Concordance).

* * *

O, LORD our God, it is indeed strange that we do not desire to look into these things as we ought. It is a particularly strange thing that during Advent that we find ourselves looking into and preoccupied with all sorts of activities with the name "Christmas" –– and yet so many of those have little-to-no relation to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the rich mysteries surrounding Him; and, furthermore, so many of those serve to distract us from looking more steadfastly into those rich mysteries and becoming more and more intimately acquainted with You and the great salvation You have so kindly provided for us out of the riches of Your sovereign grace. Grant us grace to take to heart the example of Martha and Mary, that we might choose the good portion and not miss out on the one thing that is necessary! (Luke 10:38-42)

Holy Father, for Jesus' sake, forgive us for our sin of neglect and forgive us for our sin of apathy – we have foolishly and perilously contented ourselves with the outside of the unsearchable riches of Christ! Be merciful to Your people and teach us to number our days, so we might get a heart of wisdom!  The testimony of the angels is a great indictment of us. Should not Your own people delight in and admire Jesus Christ to an even greater extent than the angels –– because unlike the angels, we have been made Your sons and daughters – heirs of salvation and joint-heirs with Christ – having been bought with His precious blood and indwelt with Your Holy Spirit? And, are we not partakers of Your divine nature? O, merciful and gracious God, cleanse us from our sin and circumcise our hearts, that they might be whole, undivided, and ardent toward You. Impart to our hearts a holy longing for You and a sanctified lust to press on to know You, so we might not trifle our days away here, particularly these days during the Advent Season. May we be jealous for You with a godly jealousy as You are for us. Heighten our desire for You, our delight in You, and our admiration of You, so we might indeed glorify You by enjoying You!

Psalm 27:4  One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Related:

don’t waste your Christmas | exchange this world’s madness for Heaven’s gladness (letter 95 on joy)
Advent Hope: What does Jesus Christ mean to you? ~ Is yours a lively or a dead hope?
consider … our ways, the great cloud of witnesses, Susanna Anthony
“… since thou hast been thus gracious …” ~ Susanna Anthony and grace upon grace
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from Jonathan Edwards
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from George Whitefield
blogging to placard Jesus Christ ~ the highest felicity
Linger, linger, linger – so you might know God’s love

Photo credit:  “The Nativity” by Federico Fiori Barocci found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Barocci,_Federico_~_The_Nativity,_1597,_oil_on_canvas,_Museo_del_Prado,_Madrid.jpg / {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

The doctrine of justification by faith –– a Biblical truth, and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self-effort –– has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may be "received" without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver. The man is "saved," but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and encouraged to be content with little.

The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word. We have almost forgotten that God is a Person and, as such, can be cultivated as any person can. It is inherent in personality to be able to know other personalities, but full knowledge of one personality by another cannot be achieved in one encounter. It is only after long and loving mental intercourse that the full possibilities of both can be explored.

All social intercourse between human beings is a response of personality to personality, grading upward from the most casual brush between man and man to the fullest, most intimate communion of which the human soul is capable. Religion, so far as it is genuine, is in essence the response of created personalities to the Creating Personality, God. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent.". . .

To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart. St. Bernard stated this holy paradox in a musical quatrain that will be instantly understood by every worshipping soul:

We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

. . . How tragic that we in this dark day have had our seeking done for us by our teachers. Everything is made to center upon the initial act of "accepting Christ" (a term, incidentally, which is not found in the Bible) and we are not expected thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls. We have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic which insists that if we have found Him we need nor more seek Him...

. . . Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present, or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.

Every age has its own characteristics. Right now we are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart. The shallowness of our inner experience, the hollowness of our worship, and that servile imitation of the world which marks our promotional methods all testify that we, in this day, know God only imperfectly, and the peace of God scarcely at all.

~ A.W. Tozer, excerpts from Chapter I, Following Hard after God in "The Pursuit of God," first published in 1948.

* * *

Psalm 63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

Is your soul following hard after Him – or are you ensnared by the deadly foe complacency and tangled in the web of religious complexity?

"Those who think they have grace enough give proof that they have little enough, or rather that they have none at all; because, wherever there is true grace, there is a desire of more grace, and a pressing towards the perfection of grace." ~ Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Philippians 3:13.

O LORD our God, incline our hearts, souls, minds, and strength to follow hard after You, to cling to You, to hold fast to You, and not to let You go. God forbid we be too-easily-satisfied religionists at ease in Zion –– but rather may we be diligent to make our calling and election sure, and show ourselves to be Your purchased possession – children of the burning heart. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon us that we might be found in the company of the Shulamite woman:– zealously and jealously pursuing, panting, and pressing on for You with a holy violence!

Song of Solomon 3:1  By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 2  I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3  The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? 4  It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 

"Note, They who would enter into the kingdom of heaven must strive to enter; that kingdom suffers a holy violence; self must be denied, the bent and bias, the frame and temper, of the mind must be altered; there are hard sufferings to be undergone, a force to be put upon the corrupt nature; we must run, and wrestle, and fight, and be in an agony, and all little enough to win such a prize, and to get over such opposition from without and from within. The violent take it by force. They who will have an interest in the great salvation are carried out towards it with a strong desire, will have it upon any terms, and not think them hard, nor quit their hold without a blessing, Gen. xxxii. 26. They who will make their calling and election sure must give diligence. The kingdom of heaven was never intended to indulge the ease of triflers, but to be the rest of them that labour. It is a blessed sight; Oh that we could see a greater number, not with an angry contention thrusting others out of the kingdom of heaven, but with a holy contention thrusting themselves into it!" ~ from Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Matthew 11.

 (Scripture quotations are taken from the KJV.)

What is a nominal Christian?
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from Jonathan Edwards
Moderation in pursuing God? An answer from George Whitefield
How’s your spiritual appetite? (Jonathan Edwards)
consider … our ways, the great cloud of witnesses, Susanna Anthony
Amazing Grace . . . upon Grace ~ the 240th anniversary
Thank Him for a little grace, and ask Him for great grace ~ Spurgeon | letter 158 on assurance & joy