"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"
A "Living" Hope (1:3-5)
INTRODUCTION
- In our study of Peter's epistle so far, we have noticed...
- That as far as the world is concerned, Christians are but
"pilgrims"
- But as far as God is concerned, we are His "elect"
- As the "elect" (chosen) of God, we are the recipients of many
blessings that God offers to all who will obey and follow Christ
- One of these blessings is described in 1Pe 1:3-5
- There we learn that God has caused us to be born again unto "a
living hope"
- An understanding of this "living" hope can help Christians who are
"pilgrims" be more joyful during their sojourn in this life
- Therefore, in this lesson we shall examine what Peter says about the
Christian hope that makes it a "living" hope
[Verse 3 begins with Peter praising God, and this leads us to the
first reason our hope is a "living" hope...]
- BECAUSE GOD IS MERCIFUL!
- THE BASIS FOR OUR HOPE LIES NOT IN OUR OWN PERFECTION OR
RIGHTEOUSNESS...
- It is a good thing that it does not, for all are sinners in
God's sight - cf. Ro 3:23
- Even as Christians we find ourselves guilty before God - cf.
1Jn 1:8,10
- THE BASIS FOR OUR HOPE LIES IN THE ABUNDANCE OF GOD'S MERCY...
- Mercy bestowed while we were yet sinners - cf. Ro 5:6,8
- Mercy bestowed upon the conditions of faith, repentance, and
baptism - cf. Ac 2:36-38
- Mercy bestowed continually upon Christians as they repent of
and confess their sins - cf. 1Jn 1:9
[Because of God's "abundant mercy", then, we who are sinners can have a
"living" hope!
But according to verse 3 there is another reason to have hope...]
- BECAUSE JESUS IS ALIVE!
- THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS CRUCIAL TO OUR HOPE...
- If Christ is not risen, then the apostles were liars, and our
faith is vain! - 1Co 15:14-15
- If Christ is not risen, we are still held guilty for our sins,
no forgiveness has occurred! - 1Co 15:17
- If Christ is not risen, those who have died as Christians have
perished, they are lost! - 1Co 15:18
- If Christ has not risen, then we do not have a "living" hope,
instead we are to be pitied by others! - 1Co 15:19
- BUT THROUGH JESUS' RESURRECTION, WE HAVE BEEN "BORN AGAIN" TO A
LIVING HOPE!
- Peter may have reference not to the process of conversion
(though he does in 1Pe 1:23), but to the renewed hope
produced by the resurrection of Jesus
- E.g., after Jesus' death and prior to His resurrection, the
disciples were despondent
- But after the resurrection of Jesus, His disciples were
"born again" in regards to their hope
- As Guy N. Woods says in his commentary: "The reference here
is...to the re-establishment of the faith of the disciples
by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead."
- Surely the fact that Jesus did rise gives us reason for a
"living" hope
- God would not raise a liar, so anything Jesus said about our
hope is true - e.g., Jn 11:25
- Since Jesus rose from the dead, we have a firm hope that we
too will one day rise from the dead - cf. 1Co 15:20-23
[By the abundant mercy of God, and upon the basis of Jesus' own
resurrection, then, we have been "born again" to a living hope!
But there are two more reasons discussed in verses 4-5 as to why our
hope can be described as "living". One is...]
- BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF OUR INHERITANCE!
- THE DEGREE OF HOPE WE HAVE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE INHERITANCE
WE HAVE...
- If our inheritance is a good one, our hope is strong, or
"living"
- If our inheritance is a poor one, then our hope is weak, or
"dead"
- AS DESCRIBED BY PETER, OUR INHERITANCE...
- IS INCORRUPTIBLE
- The Greek word is aphthartos {af'-thar-tos}, meaning "not
liable to corruption or decay, imperishable"
- Unlike this present heavens and earth in which now live, and
which will one day be destroyed - 2Pe 3:10-13
- IS UNDEFILED
- The Greek word is amiantos {am-ee'-an-tos}, meaning "not
defiled, unsoiled"
- It is unlike the earthly Canaan, which could be and was
defiled by its inhabitants
- Our hope pertains to that where the defiled are not allowed
to enter - cf. Re 21:27
- DOES NOT FADE AWAY
- The Greek word is amarantos {am-ar'-an-tos}, meaning
"unfading, perennial"
- The word is a variation of "amaranth" which was the name of
a mythical flower whose bloom was perpetual and whose
loveliness never faded
- Such is our heavenly reward: it will not rust, fade, or
wither like so many things do here on earth
- IT IS RESERVED IN HEAVEN
- The word "reserved" comes from tereo {tay-reh'-o}, meaning
"to watch, to observe, to guard, protect, to reserve, set
aside"
- Therefore, our inheritance is safely guarded in heaven
itself!
- No one, not even Satan himself, can steal it from you!
[Since this is the nature of our "inheritance" upon which our hope
rests, we can see why our hope is described as a "living" hope.
There is one more reason to call our hope a "living" hope: not only is
our inheritance safely guarded in heaven, but also...]
- BECAUSE WE ARE SAFELY GUARDED!
- CHRISTIANS ARE "KEPT" FOR THE SALVATION READY TO BE REVEALED IN
THE LAST TIME
- The word "kept" is from phroureo {froo-reh'-o}, and is a
military term
- It means "to guard, protect by a military guard, either to
prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a
besieged city from flight"
- "While our inheritance is being kept guarded in heaven under
the watchful eye of God, we are being garrisoned about by God's
protecting care for it." (WUEST)
- NOTE THAT BEING "KEPT" INVOLVES TWO THINGS...
- First, THE POWER OF GOD!
- We have the help of God Himself, who knows how to help those
in temptation
- He knows how to deliver them out of temptation - cf. 2 Pe
2:9
- He knows how to enable them to bear with the temptation -
cf. 1Co 10:13
- He supplies the armor necessary to withstand in the evil day
- cf. Ep 6:10-13
- Also, OUR FAITH!
- To be safely guarded by God's protective care requires faith
on our part
- The only way we can ever lose our inheritance reserved in
heaven is to become unfaithful to the Lord! - cf. Re 2:10
- While the Bible teaches the security of the "believer"...
- It also teaches that a "believer" can become an
"unbeliever" - cf. He 3:12-13
- And it teaches that "unbelievers" have no hope - cf. He
3:14-4:3
- As long as we remain "faithful", then, we have the assurance
of God's protective care to guide us until we receive that
inheritance reserved in heaven for us!
CONCLUSION
- In this passage (1Pe 1:3-5), then, are four reasons why the hope
of the Christian is called a "living" hope:
- Because God is merciful!
- Because Jesus is alive!
- Because of the nature of our inheritance!
- Because we are safely guarded!
- A "living" hope can be a source of great joy in the lives of
Christians; it certainly was to the original recipients of Peter's
epistle:
"In this (the living hope that pertains to the salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time) you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while, if need be, you have been
grieved by various trials." - 1Pe 1:6
- Do you have this "living" hope?
- You do if you have received God's mercy offered in Christ, and are
remaining faithful to the Lord
- If you have not received this mercy, or have neglected it through
unfaithfulness, why not come to the Lord according to His
conditions found in His Holy Word? - cf. Ac 2:38; 1Jn 1:9