1 Peter 1:5 "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
What does it mean to be "kept by the power" of God?
"We want a right hold from above. We want our souls riveted on the eternal rock, Christ Jesus." {Ms17-1894.4}
"What we want is a faith that works. It is a living, active principle and moves the whole system. How? Why, when the converting power of God takes hold of a man it brings every organ, every power, every ability into conformity with the will of God." {Ms17-1894.6}
"We want our eyes sanctified. We want to be just as it is described by the prophet. “Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger?” [Isa. 42:19] What kind of blindness is this? It is a blindness that will not allow our eyes to contemplate evil. It will not allow our eyes to rest upon iniquity. It will not grasp the things of sight and lose eternity out of its reckoning." {Ms17-1894.6}
Being "kept by the power of God" is based on a verse found in 1 Peter 1:5, a much loved passage of the New Testament. What does it mean to be "kept by the power of God?" Like many individuals reading this page, I read the words, rejoiced in the encouragement given, but had a limited understanding. Eventually I came upon an unpublished manuscript—the sermon linked below and the sermon which the quotations above are drawn—{MS17,1894}—of Ellen White that clarifies the meaning greatly, and brought wonder and longing to my heart to experience God's "keeping power."
So what is the "keeping power of God": The "keeping power of God" refers to God's ability to so come into our lives in such a way that all of our senses and organs are somehow under his control, such that we are blind to what He wants us to be blind to, and alive and conforming in all the other areas of our lives. This "keeping" idea is quite amazing and almost unbelievable! You will want to carefully read the quotations that follow. You MUST also read the linked sermon on the keeping power of God that is below.—Dan
1 Samuel 2:9 "He will keep the feet of his saints,
and the wicked shall be silent in darkness;
for by strength shall no man prevail."
Psalms 37:23-24 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:
and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:
for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand."
Psalms 125:1-2 "They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion,
which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem,
so the Lord is round about his people
from henceforth even for ever."
Proverbs 2:8 "He keepeth the paths of judgment,
and preserveth the way of his saints."
Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;
and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."
Jeremiah 32:40-41 "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul."
John 4:14 "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
John 10:28-29 "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
John 17:11-12 "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled."
John 17:15 "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil."
Romans 8:31-32 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
2 Thessalonians 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil."
Jude 1:24 "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,"
"We are not kept by our intelligence, by our words, or by our riches. In these we find no safety. We are kept only by the power of God through faith unto salvation. We are living in a period of time during which we must by faith be allied with an infinite God or else we cannot overcome the strong powers of darkness seeking to destroy us. The Holy Spirit is as a light shining on our pathway. Let us put our trust in Christ who is ever at our right hand to help us. Let us take courage, placing our confidence and our trust in Him. He has not left us destitute." { 2SAT 174.6 }
"We cannot keep ourselves, that God has angels. These angels from heaven communicate with the children of men, and not one of us, by anything we may do, can uphold or keep ourselves. We are where we are, kept every moment by the power of God. I have thought that we do not make the ministration of heavenly angels as important as we should. { 2SAT 57.2 } We do not take in this matter and present it in the church; we do not present it in our families; we do not talk it as we ought, and thus keep in remembrance that every soul with whom we are connected has the guardianship of heavenly angels, sent forth to minister unto those who shall be heirs of salvation." { 2SAT 57.3 } ... How precious is the thought that God is our refuge and that He will be our helper in all times and in all places, and that in every emergency we have God with us. He says that He will give His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways." { 2SAT 58.6 }
"We are not able to keep ourselves; we are kept by the power of God. Our Redeemer has all power in heaven and in earth, and if we do just as Jesus tells us to, we shall be kept safe in His love. In our own strength we are perfect weakness, but, when we put our whole trust in Jesus Christ, we are kept by His power, for He is fully able to keep every soul who puts his trust in Him. { 14MR 72.1 } … Believe in Jesus, trust in Jesus with living, constant faith, and rely without doubt upon Jesus to keep and save you. One mighty to save has hold upon you; and as long as you will submit to be led by Him, to learn of Him, to confide in Him, He will keep you from falling; and when God engages to keep you, He is a sure defense. He is a strong fortress, and as you confide in Him, you are perfectly secure. His word is pledged in your defense, if you will believe in Him. Simply trust in God, and obey His commandments, and you are saved by the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ." { 14MR 72.3 }
"What does God require? Perfection, nothing less than perfection. But if we would be perfect, we must put no confidence in self. Daily we must know and understand that self is not to be trusted. We need to grasp God’s promises with firm faith. We need to ask for the Holy Spirit with a full realization of our own helplessness. Then when the Holy Spirit works we shall not give self the glory. The Holy Spirit will graciously take the heart into His keeping, bringing to it all the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. We shall be kept by the power of God through faith." { 12MR 52.2 }
"My dear sister in Christ Jesus, you cannot keep yourself one moment. You are kept by the power of God through faith. Let your faith rest in His merits, rely upon His mercy, trust in the sufficiency of His grace to keep you every moment. Never allow the enemy to obtain an advantage over you because you do not think you are good enough to be called a child of God. By faith you are constantly to repose in the righteousness which God has provided you through His Substitute, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He forgiveth sins and pardoneth iniquities and transgressions. He takes away our sin, and in its place imputes His own righteousness. What a blessing this is for us! It is only as you take God at His word, and accept Jesus Christ as your Redeemer that you preserve the honor of God and show that you are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” ( 1 Peter 1:5)." { 12MR 36.2 }
"As God’s human agents we are to work with unremitting diligence, straining our spiritual sinews and muscles to lay hold of a power out of and above ourselves. Only thus can we accomplish our work. The Lord Jesus is beside us, ready to grasp the hand that is outstretched to Him who is Omnipotent. When our hopes are fulfilled, self is hid with Christ in God, and all glory is given to the Captain of our salvation, who has anointed us with the oil of gladness by His divine efficiency. Then we go forth, working like inspired laborers together with God." {Lt183-1899.23}
This sermon is wonderful and should be required reading for our members. You will be rejoicing as you understand the keeping power of God better.