Ⅲ
The prophets in the Old Testament prophesied concerning the grace that was to come unto us—1 Pet. 1:10:
A
The Spirit of Christ in the Old Testament prophets made them clear concerning Christ coming as grace to us through His incarnation, His sufferings in His human living and crucifixion, and His glories in His resurrection, ascension, second coming, and reigning for the application of God's full salvation to us—vv. 5, 9-10; cf. Psa. 22; Isa. 53; Dan. 9:26.
B
Although the Spirit of Christ was constituted dispensationally through and with Christ's death and resurrection in the New Testament time (John 7:39; Rom. 8:9-11), the function of the Spirit is eternal, because He is the eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14).
C
The Spirit of Christ, in His eternal function, was in the Old Testament prophets, making them clear concerning Christ coming to the New Testament believers to be the all-sufficient and unlimited grace of God's full salvation to them for their entry into the joy of the Lord in the kingdom age, which is the salvation of their souls—John 1:17; Heb. 10:29b; 1 Pet. 1:9; Matt. 25:21, 23.
D
The Spirit of Christ applies God's full salvation as grace to us by two instrumentalities: the prophesying of the Old Testament prophets and the preaching of the New Testament apostles—1 Pet. 1:10-12; cf. Rev. 2:7a.
Morning Nourishment
1 Pet. 1:10-12 Concerning this salvation the prophets, who prophesied concerning the grace that was to come unto you, sought and searched diligently,… testifying beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glories after these…To you they ministered these things, which have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven…[In] 1 Peter 1:10… Peter uses the Old Testament prophets to confirm his teaching concerning the New Testament salvation. Peter points out that the prophets prophesied concerning “the grace…unto you.” In verse 10 grace is a synonym for salvation. In verse 13 grace also refers to God’s salvation. John 1:14 says that the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, full of grace. This grace is God in the Son as our enjoyment. In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace unto me did not turn out to be in vain, but… I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I but the grace of God…with me.” The grace to which Paul refers three times in this verse is the resurrected Christ becoming the life-giving Spirit to bring the processed God in resurrection into us to be our life and life supply that we may live in resurrection. Therefore, grace is the Triune God becoming life and everything to us. (Life-study of 1 Peter, p. 64)
Today’s Reading
First Peter 1:10 speaks of the grace that was to come unto the believers, which was prophesied by the prophets, who sought and searched diligently concerning the salvation of the believers’ souls. The grace mentioned by Peter here is different from the grace mentioned in John 1. John says that the Word became flesh, full of grace, and that grace came through Jesus Christ (vv. 14,17). Grace came through Jesus Christ, with Jesus. incarnation, but Peter says that there is a grace that is not yet but is to come. This grace was not mentioned in the Old Testament, but it was prophesied by the prophets, who sought and searched diligently concerning the salvation of the believers’ souls (1 Pet. 1:9)… Peter speaks of the grace that was for the salvation of the believers’ souls. What Peter teaches as grace is not the grace that saves our spirit or our body, but the grace that saves our soul. The Lord Jesus said, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul-life?” (Mark 8:36). A man can gain the whole world and lose his soul. This shows that the soul needs to be saved. If, for the sake of saving your soul, you sacrifice the whole world, that is worthwhile. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” pp. 457-458)In 1 Peter 1:12 …”these things” refer to the sufferings of Christ and His glories. The Old Testament prophets ministered the sufferings and glories of Christ to the New Testament believers. These things have been announced to us through those who preached the gospel …The prophets searched and prophesied; the apostles preached. The preaching of the apostles is the Spirit’s practical application of God’s salvation in the New Testament …The Spirit applies God’s full salvation by two instrumentalities, the prophesying of the prophets and the preaching of the apostles.
In my ministry… I believe that …the Spirit is applying God’s full salvation to you … I simply preach Christ, the death of Christ, and the different glories of Christ. Each preaching is an application of the Spirit… My greatest joy is to see the saints receive Christ through the application of the Spirit. I am especially happy to see the second generation growing up in the church life. My heart leaps when I see that they are receiving the application of God’s salvation through this ministry and by the Spirit.
The apostles are not the only ones who can preach. As long as you preach Christ, you are included among those who preach the gospel by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. (Life-study of 1 Peter, pp. 76-77)
Further Reading: Life-study of 1 Peter, msgs. 1-2, 7-9