1 Peter 1:17-21 Revised Standard Version
17 And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. 21 Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

 5 – Fear vs. Hope. What is the difference to you?

 If not discussed here, I like for feared to be read as “revered” and see it as awe. Being overwhelmed by the goodness of God. Being afraid is not “very Christian” and forgets that God wins, and we are on His team/In His family. So our hope and our awe are both reactions to God and are two steps on the same path.

6 – Ransomed from the futile ways inherited. – What does that mean to you?

 Empty without Christ and the “old” law is how my group portrayed this. As seems to come to my mind often now, “God has no grandchildren.” It is up to each of us to join His family individually and as “we can do nothing without Christ,” the futile ways is anything that is in our lives because of our “history” as opposed to because of “God.” Anything. Other religions, growing up in a Christian home, or our celebrating the world God gave us.

7 – Precious blood of Christ. What does that mean to you?

 I liked this aspect of the verse. Christ is the most important component of the natural universe. There is nothing that compares to Him in any fashion. The infinite gap between Him and us on a worthiness scale is sometimes forgotten in our relationship to Him as a friend and priest. His blood was not only precious, but it is worthy enough to overcome all of the sin that will ever be. Talk about awe.

8 – Destined before. What impact do you want that to have on you?

 I asked this wrong in the group. The basic response was that we take comfort that God planned this all out, from the beginning, and He wins. As far as impact, I want this to mean that I can be bold, I can be outspoken, and I cannot be afraid.

9 – Manifest at the end of the times. What time is that?

Big debate on the difference of versions between reveal and manifest. To me reveal is to see what was really there all along and manifest is to become real there new and now and not before. I see Jesus act in my life and I know these things could only be manifest because of His actions. Others can have the same outwardly things happen in their lives and it not be an act of Jesus. Christ existed all along and there is more a feel of Him being revealed so that we can rely on Him during these times. But I think it is more that He was put in position to act in our lives being made manifest) now as opposed to before His life as a man when He was not living and working in peoples’ hearts.

10 – Confidence in God. How is this manifest in you?

 See above. (I dislike that phrase, but realized the question was redundant.)

11 – Faith and Hope in God. How do you use this?

My mind is a blank and the page of notes says “Focus – where is it?” I believe that we need to focus on the outcomes that God wants, all to believe, all to have joy, etc. We are to have faith in God, that He fulfills His promises, and know that if we follow, He will be glorified.