17 And if you give the name of Father to him who, judging every man by his acts, has no respect for a man's position, then go in fear while you are on this earth: 18 Being conscious that you have been made free from that foolish way of life which was your heritage from your fathers, not through a payment of things like silver or gold which come to destruction, 19 But through holy blood, like that of a clean and unmarked lamb, even the blood of Christ: 20 Who was marked out by God before the making of the world, but was caused to be seen in these last times for you, 21 Who through him have faith in God who took him up again from the dead into glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 And as you have made your souls clean, being ruled by what is true, and loving one another without deceit, see that your love is warm and from the heart: 23 Because you have had a new birth, not from the seed of man, but from eternal seed, through the word of a living and unchanging God.
24 For it is said, All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass becomes dry and the flower dead: 25 But the word of the Lord is eternal. And this is the word of the good news which was given to you.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Peter 1:17-25
Commentary on 1 Peter 1:17-25
(Read 1 Peter 1:17-25)
Holy confidence in God as a Father, and awful fear of him as a Judge, agree together; and to regard God always as a Judge, makes him dear to us as a Father. If believers do evil, God will visit them with corrections. Then, let Christians not doubt God's faithfulness to his promises, nor give way to enslaving dread of his wrath, but let them reverence his holiness. The fearless professor is defenceless, and Satan takes him captive at his will; the desponding professor has no heart to avail himself of his advantages, and is easily brought to surrender. The price paid for man's redemption was the precious blood of Christ. Not only openly wicked, but unprofitable conversation is highly dangerous, though it may plead custom. It is folly to resolve, I will live and die in such a way, because my forefathers did so. God had purposes of special favour toward his people, long before he made manifest such grace unto them. But the clearness of light, the supports of faith, the power of ordinances, are all much greater since Christ came upon earth, than they were before. The comfort is, that being by faith made one with Christ, his present glory is an assurance that where he is we shall be also, John 14:3. The soul must be purified, before it can give up its own desires and indulgences. And the word of God planted in the heart by the Holy Ghost, is a means of spiritual life, stirring up to our duty, working a total change in the dispositions and affections of the soul, till it brings to eternal life. In contrast with the excellence of the renewed spiritual man, as born again, observe the vanity of the natural man. In his life, and in his fall, he is like grass, the flower of grass, which soon withers and dies away. We should hear, and thus receive and love, the holy, living word, and rather hazard all than lose it; and we must banish all other things from the place due to it. We should lodge it in our hearts as our only treasures here, and the certain pledge of the treasure of glory laid up for believers in heaven.