1 Peter 1:3-12
As we begin digging into Peter’s letter, we need to remind ourselves to whom Peter is speaking. The letter is written to people who have accepted Jesus Christ, they are the chosen or the elect, and because of that status, they are living as exiles in a world that is not their true home. What does it mean to be an exile?
An exile is someone who lives in a place they don’t naturally belong. They have left the place they naturally belong to for some reason. The reasons vary but they could be political, economic, or due to violence. The place they go to welcomes them but they never truly belong. The culture and language may differ, and they probably have no say in how the place is run. To be an exile is to accept that you are an outsider and you go about trying to make the best of the situation.
After introducing the letter, Peter begins by saying “Blessed”, or some translations say, “Praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peter has just reminded us that we are exiles and now he says Blessed by God. Life is hard and Peter says praise God.
How can you praise in a time like this? Why should you praise in a time like this? Peter gives us the answer. We praise God because of his great mercy he has given us something. What has God given to us?
We have a new birth. Go back to how we have this new birth. It is given to us by God’s mercy. There is no hint of earning it or buying it. This new birth is something that is given to us. This new birth then brings us two important things.
First, we are giving a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. A new birth represents a chance to start again. Just like an exile fleeing whatever is causing problems they go to a new land seeking a fresh start. There is hope that the future will be better than the past. But what do they base that hope upon? Usually, it is the expectation that the citizens of wherever they end up will be gracious and merciful to them and take care of them while they try to get themselves established. Nothing is guaranteed.
This new birth that the chosen have received, however, is based on a factual, historical event. This new birth and therefore the hope of a new start is based upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. As a result, this new birth is permanent. Unlike assistance from the land you move to that can change with each new leader, this new birth cannot be taken away. Which leads us to the second of the things we receive.
Second, we have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. This inheritance is not affected by inflation, taxation, deterioration, or anything else. It is a permanent inheritance because it is backed up by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As such, it is being kept for you in heaven.
Most translations don’t put a period after verse 4, but they see verse 5 continuing on from verse 4. This helps to see what is happening. This inheritance is being kept in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Peter echos Paul and every other NT author in confirming that salvation is not something that can be snatched away. We discussed this a few months ago in a sermon that nobody can take it away but the Bible does say it can be thrown away and rejected. Peter’s focus here is to remind the chosen who are exiled that the suffering they are experiencing is not going to take away their inheritance.
Before we more on, we need to address the fact that this salvation is spoken of in both present tense and future tense. Is Salvation something we experience in the here and now or is it reserved for a later time? Since the Bible speaks in both tenses is must be experienced in both.
This is a case of looking at it from a human perspective. There are benefits we experience now and some that will only happen in the future like we don’t live in heaven or on the new earth so those are certainly future-oriented but we do experience a new birth in the here and now. For God it is already a done deal. It has already happened as far as God is concerned. That is why it can be both now and later. This is seen in the next set of verses.
In verses 6-9, Peter discussed the necessity of trials even when they are distressing as a means to show proof of your faith. Most people would gladly pay any amount of money to not go through some difficulty but Peter points out that we don’t give up our faith to get out trials because faith is more precious than gold. Gold is destroyed in the fire but faith endures and even more than endures is refined.
Even though you may not see Jesus physically during these trials you know He is present with you. Therefore, believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
This is a great verse to point out when people try to teach that the goal of faith is material wealth or health or some other form of prosperity. The goal of faith is salvation of your soul.
Verse 9 is where the future and present aspects of salvation merge together. The future promise of salvation is a reality in the lives of the chosen through the suffering and trials in life. This is why trials are necessary. Faith, which leads to salvation, is refined by fires of trials.
The things Peter are saying are not new, as Peter points in verses 10-12. The prophets have prophesied about this for a long time. They prophesied about the grace that would come to you. They carefully inquired about these things and the times and circumstances of the Spirit of Christ.
The prophets did this for the future believers in Christ, not for themselves. Now, these things the prophets so carefully searched and reported are being shared by those who preach the Gospel via the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
The point Peter is making here is that the prophets of old did what they did not for their own glory but to the glory of God so that future people would know what God was doing. They were not concerned with how it benefited them but looked to the future.
Even the angels long to catch a glimpse of these things. God is doing such great things that all of creation is excited to see what He is going to do next. Salvation is not given to the angels, the book of Hebrews tells us that. But even though the angels are left out of God’s plan of salvation they still long to watch and see what God is doing.