Goal for tonight is to jump into the actual text of the book beyond the prologue, and realize who we are in Christ – those foreknown by the Father, sanctified by the Spirit, called to live in obedience to Jesus, and sprinkled – cleansed – by His very blood...

Let’s review our theme verse...I Peter 4.19...

Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Let’s review...we’ve learned that the author is Simon Peter, who is in Rome as he writes this letter to a church made up of both Jews and Gentiles, elect exiles, who are and will continue to experience suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ...he has encouraged them by reassuring them that the Lord knows them, that He is in the process of sanctifying them, and Peter challenges them to be obedient to Jesus in their new-found faith...in grace and peace

We’ll pick up the text tonight starting in verse 3 and going through verse 9...

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. /// 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. /// 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This first passage in the body of the letter breaks down into three parts...we’ll look at them in that order...

An Undefiled Inheritance                              

1.3-5

Peter begins with a call to praise...a written shout of praise to the Father...

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

“Blessed” renders the Gr ‘eulogetos’ – to speak a good word about, to speak well of...it’s where we get our word “eulogy”...Peter calls all believers everywhere to speak a good word about our God, to speak the truth about Who He is...we do that in music, in prayer, in teaching and preaching...anytime we share the gospel, the good news, we are “blessing” God our Father...the “sacrifice of praise” we touched on last week...

What has the Father done that we should praise Him?

He has dealt with us in mercy... According to his great mercy, 

What is the quality of mercy? OT: take pity on, show favor to, give compassion toward, love, consider with sympathy...NT: pity, have compassion on

Mercy is based on covenant relationship...in Christ, extended to the Gentiles who were not in covenant relationship but whom He has chosen to draw near...Hebrews 4.16: 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

But we can’t forget that mercy is a choice God makes...it sounds to our human ears a little harsh, but that’s the truth...you just have to read Romans 9.15-16... 

15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 

His mercy is the basis for our salvation...for it is according to His great mercy that we are “born again”... James 2.13b is true for the believer -- Mercy triumphs over judgment.

I Peter 1.3b: he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

The same words Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, Peter uses twice in this first chapter...”born again” – Gr anagennao, born again, renew, born from above...

Shocking when you consider the completeness of the transformation of salvation...you start over, except this time you’re alive, actually spiritually alive...with the God-driven ability to live for Christ instead of yourself, to live according to the spirit, not the flesh, to be holy as He is holy, to draw near and abide with Jesus always...you’re reborn, remade...

Christians are not “broken” today...on the contrary, we have finally been made whole...I was broken, but now I’m not...I’m hated by the world, I will face suffering as Jesus faced suffering, I will remain challenged to live for Jesus my entire life, but praise God, I’m no longer broken...how ironic, that when we actually were broken, we didn’t think we were, but not that we are made complete in Jesus, suddenly we start professing our “brokenness”

The truth is in Peter’s second letter...II Peter 1.3, 9...

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ... 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

We have been “born again!”

And our hope – our certainty of eternal life with Jesus – is just that, a hope that is centered on living, not dying...the future, not the present or the past...the hope of things to come...for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fact that He is no longer in the grave but instead at the right hand of the Almighty God in heaven, assures me that I will join Him there, that the blood He shed and the death He died were for my forgiveness...He paid the sin price for us, He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world...and the resurrection of God the Son is proof of God the Father’s acceptance of the sin payment...but that living hope is still a hope...it’s not yet...Romans 8.24-25 says this...

24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Our rebirth isn’t our work, it’s God’s work...and our destiny is His work as well...look at verses 4 and 5...

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

What is this inheritance? The word is used much more in the OT than the NT, and only three times in the gospels...it’s used frequently in the epistles of the NT to describe the outcome of our faith as believers...

The NT certainly speaks of rewards, for God doesn’t overlook any act of love and righteousness done in His Name...but that isn’t what Peter is talking about...an inheritance isn’t based on what the beneficiary does or doesn’t do, it’s only based on the relationship between the one granting the inheritance and the one receiving it...Romans 8.16-17 describes it perfectly...

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

What must I do to secure that inheritance? Is there anything I can do to lose it? 

No...God Himself has made it secure...listen to Ephesians 1.13-14...

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

So Christian, rest in that glorious future God has in store for you...for it is truly glorious...Peter describes it using three special words... imperishable, undefiled, and unfading...let’s look briefly at what those words mean...

I Peter 1.4-5

“Imperishable” (Gr aphthartos)...7 uses, 5 rendered “imperishable” and 2 rendered “immortal”...indestructible or incorruptible...used of our “imperishable wreath” in I Corinthians 9.25...something that cannot be destroyed...5 uses in I Cor 15, 3 in I Peter

“Undefiled” (Gr amiantos)...only 4 uses...used of Jesus as our High Priest in Hebrews, and “pure and undefiled religion” in James...means pure and unstained in God’s eyes...

“Unfading” (Gr amarantos)...only use in Scripture...describes something that has the quality of never losing beauty or value...

Just think for a moment about how different that is from everything in human experience...apart from God, everything we know as human beings eventually breaks down, gets marred or scratched or dented, or fades over time, losing its beauty......whether it’s things, or places, or even our own bodies, everything eventually falls apart...Peter goes to great lengths to describe the nature of our inheritance as believers in Jesus Christ...in words that describe the exact opposite of all that we know...much of our life activity here is spent trying to keep things together and in good shape...but our inheritance in Christ won’t need maintenance...not our glorified bodies, not our surroundings or environment, not our relationship with our Lord...it will just as wonderful and beautiful and amazing throughout eternity as it is the first time we see it...not just the new heaven and the new earth, but all that we experience there...living forever as children of God will never grow old... 

This inheritance is being kept for you... kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Our inheritance is not here...that’s great news, for if it were, it wouldn’t be safe and secure, would it?

It’s “kept”...watched over, preserved, guarded...because it’s in heaven...there are four different contextual meanings for the word “heaven” in Scripture...this use of the word refers to where God is now, His abode and the abode of the holy angels...and where we will one day be, too...our inheritance is secure...in every sense, our inheritance is in Him...

And just as importantly, so are we...we are “guarded” (Gr phroureo) – preserved, kept watch over...but Peter doesn’t say we are guarded by angels but instead by God’s own power, His incomparable wisdom and strength will watch over you...it reminds us of the first verse of the benediction we often use here at VBVF at the end of our times of worship and study...Numbers 6.24...

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Almighty God will go before you and follow after you, He will be at your right hand and at your left hand...His goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life, until He brings you safely home to be with Him always...

How does He do that? Through the faith that He gives you to believe and accept Him, to follow and obey Him, to serve and honor Him...we understand that faith in God is not something we conjure up in our own heads, but instead is a gift from God...Ephesians 2.8

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 

As we walk through this life by faith, God keeps His promise to guard us...this is not a promise that nothing painful or frightening will ever happen to you, but it is another way to understand the promise in Hebrews 13.5...

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Trust in Him...be content with what He has given...for our portion is not to be found in the things of this world but in the Lord our God...He Himself will guard and guide and protect you...trust in Him, Christian, and do not let go...that deliverance, the end result of your salvation, will be revealed in His time...

A Tested Faith                              1.6-7

Now we move from an undefiled inheritance to a tested faith...verses six and seven...

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

These verses are really a study in contrasts...the words “in this” connect this to the previous thought, the description of our undefiled inheritance waiting for us in heaven...and that causes us to rejoice...this is a strong word...it means more than just to be happy, it means to exult, to experience overwhelming joy...it’s the same word Mary uses in Luke 1.47, in the Magnificat, “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” it’s a joy that is so great that it is expressed outwardly, you can’t hold it inside...

But now comes the contrast...Peter introduces the bitter truth of suffering as he says, “though now for a little while” we are grieved...Gr lypeo, to experience grief, sorrow, or pain...good description of suffering in its many forms...fairly common in the NT...John uses it to describe Peter’s response to Jesus asking him three times if he loved Him...and more importantly, it’s used in Ephesians 4.30...

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

As we are grieved by suffering, so the Holy Spirit is grieved by our disobedient and faithless lives, particularly as we relate to each other, as the context in Ephesians 4 indicates...

What experiences can cause us to grieve?

Various “trials” – “various” means a wide variety, great diversity; the Gr word for “trials”, ‘peirasmos,’ can mean temptation, test, or trial...using both words together leads me to believe that Peter isn’t trying to be specific as to the meaning here...a wide variety of testing experiences will come our way, and they may well cause us to grieve...in fact, the word translated here as “trials” is translated contextually in the NT...

It can mean “temptation”...in fact, 13 times out of 23 times, that’s how it is translated 

How are we to respond to testing by temptation?

Persistent temptation from our adversary and accuser, Satan, can be a lifelong challenge, and certainly a source of grief in the life of the Christian...Hebrews 12.1 describes this kind of “besetting sin” calling it the kind of sin that entangles us and sticks to us... 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

It is the same sense of the word in I Corinthians 10.13...

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

There’s always a way of escape, but the truth of it is that we don’t always take that way of escape...in fact, one of the easiest ways to defeat temptation is just to avoid being in a place or situation that you know will tempt you...if you are prone to alcohol misuse, I wouldn’t recommend witnessing in a bar...if you have a problem with misuse of the internet, don’t be alone with a computer or even your phone...instead, be like David with Potiphar’s wife...run away as fast as you can...

Turn to Christ and abide in Him...knowing the ways of the enemy and countering His lies with the truth of God’s word is the antidote to the poison of temptation...if it can come upon Jesus, as it did from Satan in the wilderness, then we should never be surprised when we find ourselves under attack...

The other 10 times, the word carries the sense of “examination” – closer to what we think of with the words “testing” or “trial” ... 

Sometimes tests and trials come our way to examine us...as Peter says here, to test the genuineness of our faith...to see what happens when our faith is put to the test...God already knows the outcome...He’s not testing wondering what will happen...but He uses such trials to reveal to us that we cannot take our own faith for granted, that we can never be overconfident in our own selves...as Rich Mullins wrote, “we are not as strong as we think we are,” and wow, that’s true...the verse just before God’s offer of a way of escape tells us this...I Corinthians 10.12...

12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

How will your faith endure the fire of God’s testing?

There are two possible outcomes...

The first is this: there are those who said they were Christians, but didn’t have the roots of true faith...Luke 8.13...

13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

What keeps true faith from putting down deep roots and bearing fruit?

Terrifying words: “they believe for a while...” ...I’m not here to get you to doubt your salvation, but we should examine ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith, and that should include checking our roots...some questions we might ask:

What honestly makes me think I am a Christian?

Do I care about going to church? If so, why? If not, why not? 

Do I seek out Bible study and prayer, or is that not something I’m interested in?

How easily am I distracted from worship and study of God’s word?

If I have the opportunity to worship and study, and the opportunity to pursue some form of entertainment, which do I most often choose?

Do I spend more time on my phone or on social media than I do in God’s word or in prayer?

The second is this: there are those who count trials as joy, knowing the eventual outcome of the trial is worth it...James 1.2-3...

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

How can trials be a source of joy? 

When we know our Father, the Vinedresser, brings those experiences of testing and trial to us, or uses those experiences that are common to all people

When we know our Father will use those experiences for our growth and productivity...He is in charge of pruning the branches to make them more fruitful

When we know the blessings that will be ours as we experience the trial

When we find the sweet consolation of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the trial

When we realize that we learn more about God in and through suffering

When we realize that trials force our roots in Jesus to grow deeper

For as Peter says, a faith that passes the testing of God is worth far more than mere gold...and the credit belongs where it always does...with our God and Saviour...when Jesus Christ is revealed, and each person’s works are known, true faith will be cause for praise and glory and honor...for a living faith is the most precious gift He gives...

A Secured Salvation                              1.8-9

Now we turn to the last two verses in this passage, verses eight and nine...we’ve seen an undefiled inheritance, a tested faith, now Peter speaks of a secured salvation...

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Some will ask, “How can you love and worship a God you can’t see?” Peter might have heard those who mocked believers by denying the reality of a risen Jesus...it must have seemed like nonsense to faithless Gentiles who, if they ever considered religion at all, only knew of religion focused on idols, such as the statues in Athens that Paul encountered on a rocky hill near the Acropolis, called Areopagus, or in English, Mars Hill...

The truth is this: we see Jesus today with eyes of faith, not eyes of flesh...in faith we love Him, believe Him, rejoice in Him with great joy...and I’ve never felt as if He was any less real to me than if I had seen Him...I trust my eyes of faith more than I trust my eyes of flesh...

Thomas learned the lesson of demanding proof in John 20...he wasn’t present when Jesus appeared after His resurrection, and demanded to see the marks of the nails in His hands, and the mark of the spear in His side before he would believe...at that moment, Jesus showed up...John 20.28-29...

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

We can know Jesus without physically seeing Him, and we can live our lives in Christ without physically seeing Him...in the midst of a passage about our eventual heavenly dwelling, Paul adds this succinct statement...II Corinthians 5.7...

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

That’s the truth...the only way to follow a Good Shepherd we can’t see with our eyes of flesh is to see Him with our eyes of faith...walk in that way, and we’ll see Him perfectly...

In fact, trying to walk by sight is maybe the most common mistake Christians, especially new Christians, make...if we could walk by sight, we wouldn’t need faith, and God is relentless about insisting on faith...Hebrews 11.6 is clear...

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Our faith begins, in a sense, with seeing the unseen...

Peter concludes this passage with a statement that returns us full circle to where we started...

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Our secured salvation is the product of our tested faith in Jesus Christ...and will result in receiving our undefiled inheritance, which has been kept in heaven for us...though now for a time we are grieved as we endure sufferings, though guarded by faith...

May we learn to keep our eyes of faith on our glorious future while we walk in a troubled present...