1 Peter 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors
People seek silver and gold because they think these will give them security, which then provides happiness. We all want to be secure, safe, and happy. Wealth will provide some degree of these. But wealth can also be lost or stolen quickly. Things of this world will disappoint because they break or something better comes out. Our economy thrives on the idea that newer is better. This is the mindset that has engrained American culture and has infiltrated many other cultures of the world. Peter says that this type of life is empty. It is meaningless. If we think that this life is the only thing that matters, then we should eat, drink, and be merry (1 Corinthians 15:32). It is surprising that Peter even says that silver and gold will perish. These are precious metals, but they can tarnish over time. Even more so, what they can buy will perish. Anything of this world, including the most permanent looking metals and stones, can and will perish. They were formed through fire and can be destroyed through fire. If all of this earthly existence is temporary, fleeting, and meaningless (see Ecclesiastes), then why place value in these things? They cannot redeem us for eternity. The happiness and fulfillment they bring do not matter when we breathe our last breath. This verse both prepares us for the next verse and gives us pause to consider where we place our values.
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