1 Peter Study #2

“So Great a Salvation”

1 Peter 1:10-16

Study #2 in 1 Peter Series

INTRODUCTION:

God has a plan for the ages. The Bible reveals the grand scale of that plan. In Isaiah 46:9-10, God declares, “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” In eternity past, before the world was formed, God already knew all about the catastrophe that would occur in Eden and what He was going to do about it. It came as no surprise to Him. This all-wise, all-knowing, and all-powerful God had a comprehensive plan for the world that He created, and He had the ability to carry out those plans, allowing nothing to get in His way.

God’s created world included humans, created in the likeness and image of God Himself, people to whom God gave a freewill to choose to obey Him or to rebel. We all know what happened. Man sinned, and thus death passed upon all men. Since the Fall in the garden every son of Adam and every daughter of Eve has been conceived in sin and has chosen to sin against God. As a result, all have fallen short of the glory of God and are condemned by their nature and by their actions. This is the grim reality. All of us stand condemned before God.

TRANSITION:

However, this is not the end of the story, because even before the foundation of the world God in His great love and mercy devised a plan to redeem sinners. This plan of salvation is the greatest story ever told, and it is all true. It involves God’s promises, made to His people, through His prophets, over many centuries. It is explained piece by piece, bit by bit, through the pages of God’s written Word, the Holy Scriptures. In the fulness of time it all culminated in a great dénouement (resolution, grand finale) with the birth of God’s own Son, Jesus, who came from Heaven to earth to give His life as a ransom for sinners, so that “whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Those of us who have been saved marvel every day at the grace and mercy of God, that He should choose to save us. And we marvel too that so many people, even after hearing a clear presentation of the Gospel message, can turn and walk away, rejecting God’s gracious offer of salvation. In Hebrews 2:3 the writer poses a troubling question, “How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” Indeed. In our study of 1 Peter, we are being invited to contemplate God’s magnificent plan of salvation.    

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 10: As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,  

• “As to this salvation…” – From the outset of this letter Peter has been explaining the riches of our salvation in Christ. He laid it all out clearly and beautifully in verses 2-9, leaving us speechless to know how to express the joy we feel in being called “children of God” and knowing the glorious inheritance that awaits us.
• “…the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,” – Peter, like Paul and the other New Testament writers, wanted his readers to know that he was not just making this stuff up as he went along. He was not inventing new ideas and pulling things out of his head. God established His plans of how and when to redeem fallen sinners before the first sin was even committed. What Peter is teaching in this letter about the grace of God and about God’s marvelous plan of salvation is rooted and grounded in the writings and the preaching of the Old Testament prophets that God raised up centuries before.
• “…made careful searches and inquiries” – Of whom did the prophets inquire? The first inkling of God’s redemption plan is seen in Genesis 3:15 – “I will put enmity between you [i.e., the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” This is known as the “protoevangélium”—the first Gospel message. The verse introduces two elements previously unknown in the Garden of Eden, elements that are the basis of Christianity: (1) the curse on mankind because of Adam’s sin and (2) God’s provision for a Savior from sin who would take the curse upon Himself. Of course, some of the early prophets had little in the way of written Scriptures upon which to draw, so their inquiries were to the Lord Himself. The Holy Spirit was their Teacher and the Revealer of things to come.   

Verse 11: …seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

• “…seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating” – I believe Peter here is referring to people like Isaiah, who God used to reveal many things about the Messiah who would one day appear on the scene to be the Savior of His people. But did Isaiah really understand what he was writing? As he wrote chapter 53, did he know who the suffering Servant would be? No! Even though God used him to record the whole story of Jesus on the cross did Isaiah truly understand what the fulfillment of his words would look like? I don’t think so. By the way, Peter here refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Christ” because Christ sent Him.
• “…as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” – I am certain that the prophets longed to know this One that they wrote about. He was the promised Messiah of Israel, but they did not know the details of how the story would play out. They must have been curious.

Verse 12: It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

·       “It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things…” – Peter says that the prophets had a sense from the Lord that the prophecies they were making were not for them and their time, but in most cases would not be fulfilled until a time still far off in the future. Daniel is a good example of this. Daniel did not understand most of the prophecies he was directed to observe and record, and God did not expect him to understand (cf. Daniel 12:8-9, and 8:27) because those events would not come to pass until a very distant future. In fact, many of Daniel’s prophecies are yet to be fulfilled.  

·       “…in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Gospel to you…” – After Pentecost the Christians scattered all over the inhabited world. They went out sharing the Gospel message, and leading others to faith in Jesus. Here Peter is reminding his readers that each of them heard the Gospel from someone. They believed it, and their lives were transformed. But it is important to remember that the Gospel is not just a New Testament message. The Good News of God’s love, and grace, and mercy runs like a scarlet thread throughout the whole Old Testament. God, by His Spirit, through the prophets and biblical writers, shared the Gospel in a hundred different ways over many years.

·       “…by the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven” – The Holy Spirit has always been active in the world, carrying out the plans and purposes of the Father. He has always been the agent of salvation. Even in the Old Testament the Spirit was compelling and convincing men to put their faith in Yahweh, the God of Israel. But after Jesus ascended the Holy Spirit began to operate differently in the world. Jesus explained all this in John 14-16:

§  John 14:16-17 – “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.”

§  John 14:26 – “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

§  John 15:26 – “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.”

§  John 16:7-8 – “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”

§  John 16:13-15 – “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore, I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.”

·       “…things into which angels long to look.” – What an intriguing statement! Angels in the Scriptures are several times referred to as “the sons of God” which tells me that God loves them and truly cares about them. They, like humans, are created beings that are beloved by God and were created to serve Him. However, Psalm 8 reveals that humans, not angels, are the crowning glory of God’s creation. Angels are stronger than humans. They are perhaps even smarter than humans. But Jesus did not leave Heaven and come to earth to die for angels. He came to give His life for us. We are the ones the Bible says were created in the image and likeness of God, not the angels. The writer of Hebrews in 1:14, speaking of the relationship between angels and humans says, “Are they [i.e., angels] not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” There is no indication in Scripture of any plan of redemption for fallen angels. According to Peter the angels of Heaven are fascinated that God would put so much effort into saving worthless sinners like us. This is further supported by Jesus’ words in Luke 15:7, 10 about how the angels in Heaven rejoice over every sinner that repents. They are evidently aware of what is going on down here.     

 

Verse 13: Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

·       “Therefore, prepare your minds for action” – KJV says, “Gird up the loins of your mind” which is a bit obscure to modern readers. Peter here is challenging his readers to think clearly about the world around them. The idea is to prepare for action, much like the phrase “rolling up your sleeves.” Christians need to be attentive to what is happening in the world. We should be wise and astute.

·       “…keep sober in spirit” – Believers need to be serious about serious things. We need to be mentally and spiritually self-disciplined, self-controlled.

·       “…fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” – Hope is not just a free-floating positive attitude about a rosy future. We are not called to be Pollyannas, just going around thinking happy thoughts. Any Christian who reads his Bible knows this story is not going to end well, at least not until Jesus comes back to bring about a major do-over. Our hope is in the Lord, the Creator of Heaven and earth, the One who is Faithful and True, who is strong to save and worthy of all our praise and trust. Our hope is to be laser-focused on Christ and the grace that will be revealed when He returns in power and glory.    

Verse 14: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 

• “As obedient children” – Children who love their parents want to please them. They want to make them happy and proud. This is only natural. They also want to obey them because this is a way to show love and honor. As children of God, we should walk in obedience to our loving Heavenly Father.
• “…do not be conformed” – This phrase reminds me of Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” J.B. Phillips in his New Testament paraphrase renders Romans 12:2 as, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within.” I like that. Similarly, Phillips translates 1 Peter 1:14 as, “Live as obedient children before God. Don’t let your character be molded by the desires of your ignorant days.”
• “…to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,” – Peter is reminding his readers that they all had a past, a former life in which they walked in spiritual darkness, in ignorance of the grace of God, dead in trespasses and sins. In those days their lives were ruled by their carnal, sinful, selfish desires. They all “walked” according to the course of this world, obeying the “god” of this world, consumed by its lusts. Peter is reminding the believers that they are not those people anymore, but they have been made new by the saving power of God. They are now new creatures in Christ and should walk accordingly. They cannot plead ignorance anymore because now they know the truth.    

Verse 15: … but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;  

·       “…but like the Holy One who called you” – If you are a believer today, if you are a born-again Christ-follower it is because God has called you to Himself. He came after you. He pursued you until He caught you. You did not run after Him. He chased you down like the Hound of Heaven. His Holy Spirit worked on your heart and mind and placed people and circumstances in your path that eventually brought you to faith in Christ. He is the Holy One who called you.

·       “…be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” – As He is holy in His Person and in all His ways, He calls us to live holy lives as well, with attitude and behavior that reflects and honors Him. Of course, this is not a “bootstraps” kind of thing where I grit my teeth and try with all my might to be a good boy and stop sinning. No, this Holy One who called us also gives us the tools and the power to walk in newness of life. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Peter himself affirms this in 2 Peter 1:3, “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the full knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

Verse 16: …because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

·       God has always expected His children to walk in holiness as a testimony to the rest of the world. But what is “holiness”? What does it mean to be “holy”? The Old Testament word for “holy” is קָדוֹשׁ (kaw-dōshe). It means pure, clean, free from the defilement of crimes, idolatry, and other unclean and profane things. It means sacred and set apart for God’s use. The corresponding word in the New Testament is ἅγιος (hagios), which means the same thing. Whichever language you choose the truth is the same; namely that God wants us to live as set apart people, different from the rest of the world. Peter expresses this beautifully in the next chapter in 2:9, “But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” BOOM! There it is!

·       “…because it is written” – Which OT text is Peter quoting? There are several possibilities because this truth is repeated multiple times in Scripture.

§  Leviticus 11:44-45, “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. ⁴⁵ For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus, you shall be holy, for I am holy.”

§  Leviticus 19:1-2, “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ² ‘Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.’”

§  Leviticus 20:7, “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.”

CONCLUSION:

So, what then shall we do with these truths? How will we live in light of what we have learned? What will we do differently? What are some practical steps we can take to put these truths into practice in our daily Christian lives? Does this passage change how you see God or yourself?

1 Peter Study #1

“Glorious, Inexpressible Joy”

1 Peter 1:1-9

Study #1 in 1 Peter Series

INTRODUCTION:

Today we are setting out on a new Bible study series of the Petrine Epistles, that is, the two little N.T. letters written by the Apostle Peter. We do this in the hope of gaining an even deeper understanding of Christianity from the perspective of a man who was an eyewitness to nearly all the events in the Four Gospels and many of them in the Book of Acts.

Peter witnessed every miracle that Jesus performed. He heard nearly every word that Jesus uttered. He walked hundreds of miles with Jesus and the other disciples, traveling all over Israel wherever Jesus led them. He was one of the first among the Twelve to be called as an apostle, a fisher of men. He hosted Jesus in his home and fed Him at his table. He served as the elder brother and recognized leader of the 12 apostles. By the authority and power of Christ he performed many miracles throughout Israel. He preached to multitudes of people and urged them to repent of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. On the Day of Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection he preached to a huge crowd of Jews in Jerusalem and over 3,000 of them came to faith in Jesus as their promised Savior and Messiah and were baptized as a sign of their repentance and allegiance to Jesus, the Christ. A couple of days later he preached again and 2,000 more were converted and baptized. He lived out the rest of his life as a missionary and minister of the Gospel, focusing especially on leading fellow Jews to trust in Jesus as their Promised Messiah, their Yeshua Ha-Mashiach.     

TRANSITION:

This letter has long been attributed to Peter as the author. There is plenty of internal and external evidence to corroborate this position. However, some have rightly pointed out that from a linguistic perspective it poses some questions that need to be addressed. Peter was a Galilean fisherman, a layman, not particularly well-trained in the Scriptures. When Jesus called him, Peter probably spoke Aramaic in his home, and Hebrew in the synagogue, and he would have known enough Latin to deal with the Roman soldiers and tax collectors. But Greek? Koiné Greek, being the common dialect, was used throughout the Empire and served as the lingua franca of that day. Peter would probably have had a working knowledge of the language but certainly would not have been fluent before he met Jesus. So, how do we explain this?

The Petrine Epistles are written in very good, very polished Greek. In them the author shows a rich vocabulary and an excellent understanding of Greek grammar and syntax. So, sceptics have asked, “Could Peter really have written these letters?” My answer is yes, given two factors: (1) This letter was written toward the end of Peter’s life and ministry, after he had been working in the language for many years, preaching, teaching, writing, and conversing with Greek-speaking people all over the Middle East. If I could become fluent in Brazilian Portuguese in two years, and I did, I am certain that Peter could have become fluent in Greek in the same amount of time. And (2) Peter gives us a hint that he might have had some help in polishing the grammar and vocabulary of this letter. In 5:12 he says, “Through Silvanus [aka Silas, a Hellenistic Jew and native Greek speaker], our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!” In the same way that Paul often used an amanuensis to aid him in his writing, it seems that Peter too might have had some assistance from his more experienced Greek-speaking friend, Silas.

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 1-2: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.  

• “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ” – Peter started out his life as Shimon bar Yonah (i.e., Simon, the son of Jonah or Jonas). His name, Peter (Petros in Greek, Cephas in Aramaic), was a nickname that Jesus gave to him. It meant pebble, or stone. He was a fisherman by training and by trade. He came from Bethsaida but later moved to Capernaum where he, along with his father, and brother, Andrew, had a fishing business. He was a Jew but was merely a layman. He was roughcut, outspoken, impetuous, and yet was a natural leader. His name appears in the Gospels more than anyone else except for Jesus. He was the disciple most often rebuked by Jesus, but he was also the disciple most praised by Jesus. He was proof positive of what God can do with an old earthen vessel when it is cleansed and filled with the love, and power, and glory of God (cf. 2 Cor. 4:7). We criticize him and sometimes make fun of him, but we also love and admire him because he so often reminds us of how weak we are too. He loved Jesus with all his being, and he died a martyr for the Gospel, faithful to the end.
• “…to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”

§  “…to those who reside as aliens” – Here Peter identifies the addressees of this letter. In Greek this phrase is just one word, παρεπίδημος (parepídēmos) and is related to the word meaning to be “a pilgrim, a sojourner, a foreign resident.” An alien lives in constant awareness of his true home and the fact that he is not where he belongs. The old Gospel song says it well: “This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”

§  “…scattered” – The word is diaspora (διασπορά). This word, Diaspora, took on a more formal meaning after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. when the Jews were chased out of Israel and scattered (dispersed) all over the Empire and beyond. But this letter was written before that event occurred. Here Peter is not referring exclusively to the Jews but rather to Christians in general, both Jew and Gentile believers. The persecution of Christians had already started and so the followers of Jesus were looking for any safe refuge.

§  “…throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” – These were all Roman provinces in what later became Turkey. They were also areas where Christianity had extended in the first several decades after the beginning of the church. Peter’s two letters, along with James, 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John, and Jude are what are known as the 7 General Epistles. They were not written to specific churches or to individuals but were intended for the whole church, for Christians everywhere. So, this letter was not written to any one congregation, but intentionally written to all Christians, Jewish believers who had come to faith in Christ out of Judaism, as well as Gentiles who had become Christian believers out of paganism. By this point in the story the Church was a mixed bag.

• “…who are chosen ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood”

§  “…chosen” – Some versions say “elect.” The point is none of us are volunteers. None of us came running to God under our own steam. If God had not chosen us unto salvation none of us would ever get saved because the Bible says that we were all angry, sinful rebels, running away from God as fast as our legs could carry us. Paul explains this in Romans 3:10-12 quoting several O.T. passages, “As it is written, ‘THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.’”

§  “…[chosen] according to the foreknowledge of God” – This phrase describes the nature of election. God’s choosing is an aspect of both His omniscience and His sovereignty. While this foreknowledge includes His prior knowledge of our response to the Gospel, it is not dependent on it. His choosing is not based on His knowledge of what we will one day choose to do. In other words, we choose Him because He has first chosen us, not the other way around. The word here translated as “foreknowledge” is the Greek word πρόγνωσις, (pro + gnosis) which gives us the English word, prognosis. The word gnosis is an intimate kind of knowledge. It is the word used to describe how a husband and wife “know” each other deeply, intimately, and sexually. It is a proactive kind of knowledge. We could accurately translate this Greek word as “foreloved,” meaning that those whom God foreloved He chose unto salvation. For many believers this doctrine seems unfair and runs counter to what they have been taught about man’s so-called “free will.” But before you run off in an angry huff accusing me of being a heretic, wait until we look at verse 5.

§  “…by the sanctifying work of the Spirit” – There is no salvation apart from the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who regenerates us, who lights the spark in us that allows us to respond to God. If not for His regenerating work, we would never be able to respond to God’s gracious offer of salvation but would remain dead in our trespasses and sins.

§  “…to obey Jesus Christ” – We are saved unto good works, not saved by them (cf. Eph. 2:8-10). Our salvation by the Spirit is what enables us to walk in obedience to Jesus Christ. Moreover, obedience to God is one of the clearest evidences of being truly saved.  

§  “…and to be sprinkled with His blood” – The blood of Jesus was shed for us on the cross of Calvary. It is applied to all the redeemed. His blood is the symbol of the New Covenant that God has made with us. It is the promise and the proof that we have truly been made to be the children of God. His blood cleanses from every sin and sets us apart for His service.

• “May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.” – Here we have from Peter a wish, a prayer, and a blessing.

 

Verses 3-5: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

• “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

§  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” – Peter begins by giving praise to the Father who is the Architect of the plan of salvation. He is the one who, in the fulness of time, sent His Son to be the Savior. It was His mercy that started that ball rolling.

§  “…who according to His great mercy” – All men stand condemned before God. If not for His mercy all men would be lost. There would be no hope for anyone.

§  “…has caused us to be born again” – This is the verse I spoke of a moment ago. It is one of the great arguments for Calvinism and is a thorn in the arguments of Arminianism. Peter says that God caused us to be born again. He did not just wait to see what we would choose to do. No, He sovereignly set in motion the factors that would ultimately bring us to Him.

§  “…[born again] to a living hope” – Praise God! We have a living hope because we have a Living Savior! We have a living faith because we know, love, and serve the Living God!

§  “…through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” – That’s it! The resurrection of Jesus is the proof that we too will one day be raised to eternal life. Paul explains this in great detail in 1 Cor. 15:12-23.

 

• “…to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,”

§  “…to obtain an inheritance” – An eternal home in Heaven with the Lord is part of our inheritance. As sons and daughters of the King we will inherit all the blessings that accompany our title and position, not because we deserve any of that but because the Father has chosen us for Himself. Certainly, this leaves no place for boasting on our part, because it is all of His grace and mercy.

§  “…which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” – Any inheritance we might receive in this life will eventually rot, or become filthy, or disappear. A stock market crash can wipe out all our money in one day. If we inherit a mansion, it will eventually need more repairs than it is worth and will be torn down to put up a new strip mall or parking lot. However, our heavenly inheritance is not subject to any of those kinds of things. The four words Peter uses say it all: “imperishable, undefiled, unfading and reserved.”

§  “…reserved in Heaven for you” – Our inheritance awaits us. It is reserved with our name on it. No one will steal it. No one can cheat us out of it. Jesus told us that He was going on ahead to prepare a place for us, and that some day He will return to escort us home.

 

• “…[for you]…who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

§  “…for you who are protected by the power of God” – I am so glad that my salvation does not depend on me to keep it safe. If it depended on my strength and ability to keep clutching His hand, I would be in big trouble. No, He holds onto me. My salvation is secure because He is strong and will never lose His grip on me. Praise God! One of my favorite quotes from Jesus is in John 10:28-29. Here He is speaking about all who come to trust in Him as Lord and Savior, “And I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

§  “…through faith” – The Bible makes it clear that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

§  “…for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” – I was saved (past) when by faith I placed my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father declared that I was justified and free from all the guilt of my sin. I am being saved day by day (present) through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit who is conforming me to the image of Christ. And I will one day be saved (future) from the presence of sin and will have this sinful nature taken from me so that I will no longer be plagued by my carnal flesh but will be free to worship and serve God unfettered. On that day my salvation will be complete. I do not know exactly when it will happen but by faith, we keep our eyes on the Eastern sky for our redemption will be coming soon.  

 

Verses 6-7: In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ⁷ so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

·       “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,”

§  “In [all] this you greatly rejoice” – I believe that Peter here is not referring to only one thing, but to the many things he has listed in verses 3-5. I count at least seven (7) great motives for rejoicing. Namely, we rejoice:

1.    In God’s great mercy

2.    In our new birth

3.    In our living hope

4.    In Jesus’ resurrection

5.    In our promised inheritance and guaranteed home in Heaven

6.    For God’s power that protects us

7.    For our eternal salvation soon to be revealed

 

§  “…even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,” – One of the themes of this letter is how believers should react when facing trials. Peter touches on this subject several times, undoubtedly because the Christians in the provinces listed in verse 1 were experiencing persecution to some degree and were distressed about it. Notice “now for a little while.” Paul speaks of this in Romans 8:18 where he says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Our trials and tribulations will soon be over. That should be the Christian’s perspective, rather than focusing on the here and now.

 

·       “…so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

§  “…so that the proof of your faith…” – Faith unproved and untested is only potential faith, and it is of little value. But Peter says that when faith has truly been tested in the crucible of real-life trials and tribulations, when it has been put through the fire, it becomes more precious than 24k gold. Gold will one day pass away. It will become worthless. In Heaven, they will use it as road tar to pave the streets! But faith, hope, and love will last forever. They will never shrink. They will never tarnish. They will always shine brightly. They will never lose their value.

§  “…may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” – There is a day coming when the children of God will be rewarded for their faithful service to Him. Not even one good deed will be forgotten. The Lord will say, “Well done, good and faithful servants; enter into the joy of your Master.’

 

Verses 8-9: and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

·       “…and though you have not seen Him, you love Him” – Most of the believers to whom Peter was writing had never seen Jesus with their own eyes, but still they loved Him. That’s just like us. We have not seen Him either, but we love and serve Him because we believe the witness of the Word and the witness of the biblical writers, and the testimony of millions of people whose lives have been transformed since they put their faith and trust in Christ alone.

·       “…and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him,” – Jesus walked this earth for 33+ years. Then He ascended back to the right hand of the Father, so He is not here on earth with us anymore. I never personally laid eyes on Him in the past and I cannot see Him now, and yet I believe in Him, because eyes of faith can see with 20/20 vision.  

·       “…you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,” – I love this phrase. Our joy comes from knowing Christ, knowing that He died for us, knowing that He loves us, and knowing that He is preparing a place for us and will come back soon to take us to be with him forever. What we feel is not merely happiness. Happiness depends on pleasant circumstances. However, joy is not connected to our circumstances, whether good or bad. We can have joy even amid life’s most awful trials. Joy is that settled certainty that everything will turn out well in the end because God is in control and He loves us deeply and only wants the best for us because we are His beloved children. Sometimes our joy runs so deep that we cannot even find words to explain it or express it. But every genuine Christian knows what I’m talking about.  

·       “…obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” – The outcome of our faith is eternal salvation. Paul told the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Paul told the Ephesians in Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

CONCLUSION:

This passage is precious to every true believer. It reminds us that no matter what we might be going through at this moment our future is secure in Christ. Our salvation depends not upon our ability to hold onto God but upon His faithful promises and His power to bring us through to the end and finally usher home to Heaven where He has been preparing a place for us to be with Him forever. Praise God! Words fail us to adequately express our love for Him and our joy in knowing that He loves us.