📖 1 Petro — Somo la Kina — Sehemu ya 3: Iweni Watakatifu; Mmekombolewa kwa Damu📖 1 Peter Intensive — Unit 3: Be Holy; Redeemed by the Blood

Andiko: 1 Petro 1:13-25Text: 1 Peter 1:13-25

Vifungeni Viuno vya Nia Zenu, Wekeni Tumaini LenuGird Up Your Mind, Set Your Hope

"Kwa hiyo." Kwa neno hilo moja Petro anageuka kutoka kwa kile Mungu alichotenda kwenda kwa jinsi mwamini anavyopaswa kuishi sasa. Kwa sababu ya tumaini lenye uzima, urithi, na wokovu ambao ameueleza punde, anasema, "vifungeni viuno vya nia zenu, mkiwa na kiasi, mkitumaini kwa utimilifu ile neema mtakayoletewa katika ufunuo wake Yesu Kristo" (1 Petro 1:13). Katika siku za Petro mtu alikunja vazi lake refu na kulichomeka katika mshipi wake kabla ya kukimbia au kufanya kazi, ili kitu chochote kisimkwaze. "Kuvifunga viuno vya nia zenu" ni kukusanya mawazo yaliyolegea na ya uvivu na kuiweka nia tayari kwa kazi. Mwe na kiasi — mwenye akili timamu, asiyelewa na ulimwengu. Na mwekeni tumaini lenu, kikamilifu na mwishowe, si juu ya starehe za maisha haya bali juu ya neema inayokuja Kristo atakapotokea. Tumaini lililozaliwa ndani yetu wakati wa kuzaliwa upya linakusudiwa kuunda jinsi tunavyofikiri na kuishi sasa hivi."Therefore." With that one word Peter turns from what God has done to how the believer must now live. Because of the living hope, the inheritance, and the salvation he has just described, he says, "gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:13). In Peter's day a man tucked up his long robe into his belt before he ran or worked, so that nothing would trip him. To "gird up the loins of your mind" is to pull in the loose, lazy thinking and make the mind ready for action. Be sober — clear-headed, not intoxicated by the world. And fix your hope, fully and finally, not on the comforts of this life but on the grace that is coming when Christ appears. The hope born in us at the new birth is meant to shape the way we think and live right now.

Iweni Watakatifu, kwa Kuwa Mimi ni MtakatifuBe Holy, for I Am Holy

Kutoka katika tumaini hilo thabiti Petro anatoa amri yake kuu. "Kama watoto wa kutii, msijifananishe na tamaa zenu za kwanza za wakati wa ujinga wenu; bali kama yeye aliyewaita alivyo mtakatifu, ninyi nanyi iweni watakatifu katika mwenendo wenu wote" (1 Petro 1:14-15). Zamani tuliishi katika tamaa za ujinga wetu; sasa, kama watoto wa kutii, hatupaswi kumiminwa tena katika kalibu ile ya zamani. Badala yake tunapaswa kuwa watakatifu — waliotengwa, safi, kama Baba yetu — "kwa maana imeandikwa, Mtakuwa watakatifu kwa kuwa mimi ni mtakatifu" (Mambo ya Walawi 11:44). Kipimo si chini ya tabia ya Mungu Mwenyewe.From that settled hope Peter issues his great command. "As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct" (1 Peter 1:14-15). Once we lived in the desires of our ignorance; now, as obedient children, we are not to be poured back into that old mold. Instead we are to be holy — set apart, clean, like our Father — "because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy'" (Leviticus 11:44). The standard is nothing less than the character of God Himself.

Hapa somo lazima lizungumze waziwazi, kwa maana tumezoea starehe. Kama Wakristo mara nyingi mno tumeridhika na "vizuri kiasi" badala ya utakatifu. Sote tunaweza kunukuu, "Wote wamefanya dhambi, na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu" (Warumi 3:23) — lakini mstari huo unaeleza hitaji la mtu aliyepotea, nasi hatupaswi kuugeuza kuwa kisingizio cha mwamini kutulia katika dhambi. Tunatarajia ulimwengu ulegeze msimamo; Mkristo halazimiki kufanya hivyo. Hatutakuwa kamwe na furaha, raha, wala afya ya kiroho mpaka tuweke mioyo yetu katika kuwa watakatifu.Here the lesson must speak plainly, for we have grown comfortable. As Christians we have too often made peace with "pretty good" instead of holiness. We can all quote, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) — but that verse describes the lost man's need, and we must not turn it into an excuse for the believer to settle into sin. We expect the world to compromise; the Christian does not have to. We will never be happy, restful, or spiritually healthy until we set our hearts on becoming holy.

Jinsi Kristo Anavyoshughulikia Dhambi: Adhabu, Nguvu, UwepoHow Christ Deals with Sin: Penalty, Power, Presence

Lakini mtu anasema kwa uaminifu, "Naamini Yesu ananisamehe dhambi zangu; shida yangu ni kwamba ninatenda dhambi tena, nami ninahisi mielekeo mikubwa ya uovu ndani yangu." Hapa kuna ukweli unaojibu kukata tamaa huko. Bwana Yesu alikuja kuondoa dhambi kwa njia tatu: Alikuja kuondoa adhabu ya dhambi, nguvu ya dhambi, na, hatimaye, uwepo wa dhambi. Hizi tatu zinalingana kabisa na nyakati tatu za wokovu ambazo tumekwisha kuziona. Adhabu ya dhambi iliondolewa tulipoamini mara ya kwanza — huku ni kuhesabiwa haki, "nimeokolewa." Nguvu ya dhambi inavunjwa siku kwa siku tunapokua — huu ni utakaso, "ninaokolewa." Na uwepo wa dhambi utaondolewa kabisa Kristo atakapotokea — huku ni kutukuzwa, "nitaokolewa." Kwa hiyo mwamini anayeugua kwa sababu ya dhambi iliyo ndani yake hajaachwa: msamaha wa yaliyopita tayari ni wake, nguvu kwa ajili ya yajayo inatolewa sasa, na ukombozi kamili hakika unakuja. Kila mtoto wa Adamu anahitaji mambo mawili kwa dharura — msamaha wa yaliyopita na nguvu kwa ajili ya yajayo — na ndani ya Kristo yote mawili yanatolewa.But someone says honestly, "I believe Jesus forgives my sin; my trouble is that I sin again, and I feel such tendencies to evil within me." Here is a truth that answers that despair. The Lord Jesus came to take away sin in three ways: He came to remove the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and, at last, the presence of sin. These three line up exactly with the three tenses of salvation we have already seen. The penalty of sin was removed when we first believed — this is justification, "I have been saved." The power of sin is being broken day by day as we grow — this is sanctification, "I am being saved." And the presence of sin will be removed entirely when Christ appears — this is glorification, "I will be saved." So the believer who groans over indwelling sin has not been abandoned: forgiveness for the past is his already, power for the future is being supplied now, and full deliverance is certainly coming. Every child of Adam needs two things desperately — forgiveness for the past and power for the future — and in Christ both are given.

Utakatifu Unahitaji Asili MpyaHoliness Needs a New Nature

Basi utakatifu unakujaje? Kwanza, unahitaji asili mpya, kwa maana tatizo letu ni la ndani zaidi kuliko tabia.How then does holiness come? First, it requires a new nature, for our problem runs deeper than behavior.

Na maisha haya mapya yanafunuka kama tukio la ghafla na pia kama mchakato. Msafiri anapanda garimoshi mara moja — hilo ndilo tukio la ghafla, wakati wa uamuzi — kisha garimoshi linamchukua karibu zaidi na zaidi na mwisho wa safari yake — huo ndio mchakato. Vivyo hivyo utakatifu unaanza katika wakati wa kuzaliwa upya na unakua katika maisha yote ya kutembea na Mungu.And this new life unfolds as both a crisis and a process. A traveler steps onto a train all at once — that is the crisis, the decisive moment — and then the train carries him nearer and nearer his destination — that is the process. So holiness begins in a moment of new birth and grows over a lifetime of walking with God.

Utakatifu Unahitaji Shauku, Nguvu, na KusafishwaHoliness Needs Desire, Power, and Cleansing

Asili mpya lazima ikuzwe, na somo linasisitiza mahitaji mengine matatu. Kwanza, shauku. "Bali utafuteni kwanza ufalme wake, na haki yake" (Mathayo 6:33). Inachukua muda kuwa mtakatifu; hakuna anayekuwa mtakatifu kwa haraka, na sehemu kubwa ya muda huo lazima itumike katika sala ya sirini. Mtafutaji mmoja aliwahi kumwuliza mzee mwenye hekima jinsi ya kumpata Mungu; mzee huyo alimzamisha mtoni mpaka alipoibuka akitweta, akamwuliza, "Ulipokuwa chini ya maji, ulitaka nini kuliko yote?" "Hewa!" alilia. "Utakapomtaka Mungu kama ulivyotaka hewa," akasema mzee yule mwenye hekima, "utampata."The new nature must be cultivated, and the lesson presses three more needs. First, desire. "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). It takes time to be holy; no one becomes holy in a hurry, and much of that time must be spent in secret prayer. A seeker once asked an old sage how to find God; the old man held him under the river until he came up gasping, and asked, "While you were under, what did you want most?" "Air!" he cried. "When you want God as much as you wanted air," said the sage, "you will find Him."

Pili, nguvu. Kwa nini hatuwezi tu kupigana na Ibilisi kwa miezi michache na kumfukuza? Kwa sababu yeye ana nguvu kuliko sisi, naye atakuwa na nguvu vile vile mwishoni mwa mwaka. Kujitahidi zaidi hakutavunja kamwe mshiko wa dhambi, kwa maana adui yetu ana nguvu kuliko utashi wetu.Second, power. Why can we not simply fight the devil for a few months and drive him off? Because he is stronger than we are, and will be just as strong at year's end. Trying harder will never break the grip of sin, for our enemy is mightier than our willpower.

Tatu, kusafishwa. Mhudumu mmoja aliyekuwa akizibwa jino alilalamika juu ya maumivu daktari wa meno alipokuwa akichimba uozo. "Nitaliziba," daktari wa meno alisema, "mara tu nikiondoa uchafu wote. Nikiacha hata kidogo, kiziba hakitashika, na amani yako punde itageuka kuwa maumivu. Ndiyo sababu Mungu anasisitiza kusafishwa kikamilifu — Yeye ni Mungu wa amani, na hawezi kukaa kikamilifu mahali ambapo kitu fulani kitazaa mafarakano." Na tabia mbaya hushughulikiwa vizuri zaidi mapema, kabla hazijapata nguvu; tunasema tuna tabia fulani, lakini ukweli ni kwamba tabia hizo ndizo zinazotumiliki.Third, cleansing. A minister having a tooth filled complained of the pain as the dentist dug out the decay. "I am going to fill it," the dentist said, "as soon as I get all the impurity out. If I leave any, the filling will not hold, and your peace will soon turn to pain. That is why God insists on a complete cleansing — He is the God of peace, and cannot fully dwell where something will breed discord." And bad habits are best dealt with early, before they grow strong; we say we have habits, but the truth is the habits have us.

Wageni Wanaoishi kwa Hofu ya UchajiSojourners in Reverent Fear

Petro anaongeza sababu nzito ya maisha haya matakatifu. "Na ikiwa mnamwita Baba, yeye ahukumuye bila upendeleo kwa kadiri ya kazi ya kila mtu, enendeni kwa hofu wakati wa kukaa kwenu hapa kama wageni" (1 Petro 1:17). Mungu tunayemwita Baba pia ndiye Hakimu asiye na upendeleo. Kwa hiyo mwamini, akikumbuka kwamba yeye ni mgeni tu — msafiri anayepita, kama tulivyoona katika Sehemu ya 1 — anaishi muda wake mfupi hapa kwa hofu ya uchaji, akimchukulia Mungu na utakatifu kwa uzito kwa sababu atatoa hesabu Kwake.Peter adds a sober motive for this holy life. "If you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter 1:17). The God we call Father is also the Judge who shows no favoritism. So the believer, remembering that he is only a sojourner — a stranger passing through, as we saw in Unit 1 — lives his short stay here in reverent fear, taking God and holiness seriously because he will answer to Him.

Mmekombolewa kwa Damu ya ThamaniRedeemed by the Precious Blood

Na hapa Petro anatoa sababu iliyo ya kina kuliko zote ya utakatifu: gharama ya uokoaji wetu. Hatukukombolewa kwa vitu viharibikavyo kama fedha au dhahabu, wala hatukuwekwa huru kutoka katika mwenendo wetu usiofaa kwa mapokeo yoyote tuliyoachiwa na baba zetu, bali "kwa damu ya thamani, kama ya mwana-kondoo asiye na ila, asiye na waa, yaani, ya Kristo." Fikiria gharama. Baba hakutununua tena kwa madini ya thamani kuu ya dunia, ambayo yenyewe yanapotea, bali kwa damu ya uhai ya Mwana Wake asiye na waa. Mwana-kondoo huyu "alijulikana tangu zamani, kabla ya kuwekwa misingi ya ulimwengu, akadhihirishwa mwisho wa zamani kwa ajili yenu" (1 Petro 1:20) — mpango wa ukombozi ni wa zamani kuliko uumbaji wenyewe. Na kwa Yeye "mmekuwa wenye kumwamini Mungu, aliyemfufua katika wafu akampa utukufu; hata imani yenu na tumaini lenu liwe kwa Mungu" (1 Petro 1:21). Watu walionunuliwa kwa gharama kama hiyo si mali yao wenyewe; kuishi kwa uzembe katika dhambi ni kuidharau damu iliyotununua.And here Peter gives the deepest motive of all for holiness: the price of our rescue. We were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold, nor freed from our empty way of life by any tradition handed down from our fathers, but "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Think of the cost. The Father did not buy us back with the most precious metals of earth, which themselves perish, but with the lifeblood of His spotless Son. This Lamb "was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" (1 Peter 1:20) — the plan of redemption is older than creation itself. And through Him we "believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God" (1 Peter 1:21). A people purchased at such a price are not their own; to live carelessly in sin is to despise the blood that bought us.

Upendo kutoka kwa Moyo Safi, Uliozaliwa kwa Neno Lenye UzimaLove from a Pure Heart, Born of the Living Word

Utakatifu kamwe si jambo la faragha tu; unachanua katika upendo. "Kwa kuwa mmejitakasa roho zenu kwa kuitii kweli hata mkawa na upendano wa ndugu usio na unafiki, basi jitahidini kupendana kwa moyo safi" (1 Petro 1:22). Utii ule ule unaoitakasa roho unawaunganisha waumini pamoja, na Petro anaamuru upendo ulio safi na wenye bidii. Kisha anawakumbusha mahali maisha yao mapya yalipotoka: wao "mmezaliwa mara ya pili; si kwa mbegu iharibikayo, bali kwa ile isiyoharibika; kwa neno la Mungu lenye uzima, lidumulo hata milele" (1 Petro 1:23). Mbegu iliyozaa kuzaliwa upya ilikuwa neno lenye uzima. Na neno hilo litadumu kuliko kila kitu: "Kila mwenye mwili ni kama majani, na fahari yake yote ni kama ua la majani. Majani hukauka, na ua lake huanguka; bali neno la BWANA hudumu hata milele" (1 Petro 1:24-25, akinukuu Isaya 40). Ulimwengu unaolitesa kanisa lililotawanyika wenyewe ni majani yanayonyauka; neno lililowaokoa, na Mungu aliyelinena, watasimama milele.Holiness is never merely private; it flowers in love. "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart" (1 Peter 1:22). The same obedience that cleanses the soul knits believers together, and Peter commands a love that is both pure and fervent. Then he reminds them where their new life came from: they have been "born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever" (1 Peter 1:23). The seed that produced the new birth was the living word. And that word will outlast everything: "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever" (1 Peter 1:24-25, quoting Isaiah 40). The world that persecutes the scattered church is itself fading grass; the word that saved them, and the God who spoke it, will stand forever.

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