HOPE THAT LIVES 1 PETER 1:3, 4-5, 18-21, 6-9, 10-12, 13.
PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO 1 PETER 1.
We learned in last Sunday’s lesson that faith is a gift of God’s grace that enables us to believe, that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, and that faith pleases God and expresses itself in confident, enduring obedience.
The Biblical Truth of today’s lesson is that believers can live with hope because our salvation is guaranteed by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Today’s lesson it taken from Peter’s letter to Christians who were experiencing various forms of persecution, men and women whose stand for Jesus Christ made them aliens and strangers in the midst of a pagan society.
The warmth of expressions combined with his practical instructions make the Epistle a unique source of encouragement for all believers who live in conflict with their culture. This letter is certainly timely for our day.
Peter wrote this Epistle apparently just before or shortly after the beginning of Nero’s persecution of the church in A.D. 64. He addressed the letter to Christians scattered throughout five Roman provinces of the peninsula of Asia Minor. That area today is northern Turkey.
The Jews who lived outside of Jerusalem were referred to as living in the dispora. The dispora referred to Jews who were separated and scattered from their homeland.
First Peter was written to encourage Christians to face persecution so that the true grace of Jesus Christ would be experienced in them.
Peter concretely linked doctrine with practice. The new birth gave a living hope to those in the midst of persecution.
Those who read 1st Peter are encouraged to lift their eyes from present trials and problems and behold the vistas provided by an eternal perspective. For though believers may for a while suffer grief in the trials, they wait for an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
The letter of 1st Peter is sometimes referred to as “The Epistle of HOPE.”
In 1st Peter 1: 1-2 Peter immediately, using a careful choice of words, began to encourage his readers. Christians are God’s elect not by chance or human design but by God’s sovereign, unconditional choice. Once only the Nation Israel could claim this title
TEACHER PLEASE READ 1 PETER 1: 3.
Peter began the content of this letter with a doxology of praise to God for the living hope based on God’s mercy, the new birth, and the death and resurrection of Jesus.
He described the certainty of our inheritance. He assured his readers that although they were facing tough times, their hope would be made stronger by trials. He wrote of the prophets who foretold these things and the angels who wanted to look into them. He called on people of hope to live differently in this life as a result of their faith and hope.
Our word hope is an ordinary, everyday word. Its basic meaning is a desired expectation. To be human is to hope. Human hope is often little more than wishful thinking. Hopes are a part of life. Cicero said, “While there’s life, there’s hope.” Alexander Pope said, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.”
Some human hopes are selfish or evil. The owners of the slave girl in Philippi in Acts 16: 19 were angry when Paul cast out the evil spirit, because their “hope of profit” was lost.
Because human hopes are often only wishful thinking, hopes often go unfulfilled. This is reflected in negative appraisals of hope.
George Herbert said, “He that lives in hope dances without music.” H.L. Mencken in his usual cynical way said, “Hope is a pathological belief in the occurrence of the impossible.”
Christian hope is a confident desired expectation because it is based on God and what He has promised. The basis or foundation of Christian hope, according to Rom. 15: 13 is “the God of hope,” who has acted for our salvation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The goal of Christian hope is eternal fellowship with God and His people. Thus believers do not expect their human hopes to be guaranteed: but we are confident that God is at work to bring in His eternal kingdom, in which we share. Earthly disappointments and difficulties do not diminish such hope but make it stronger. The word hope and its concept runs throughout the chapter one.
1 Peter 1: 3 is the key verse in the lesson. Many of the great truths of the gospel are in vs. 3. For one thing, the verse begins with a doxology. New Testament writers often included words of praise to God. Some did this at the end of their books; others included it within the contents.
Peter began with the word blessed. The word is used in the N.T. only of God. Peter was not praising just any god, but the God and Father our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul began Ephesians (1:3) and 2 Cor. (1:3) with the same doxology. Peter and Paul believed that the one true God had revealed Himself and acted to redeem sinners through His Son Jesus.
Then the Apostle Peter focused on His abundant mercy as the reason for God to have done this.
In God’s great mercy He gave us living hope. The foundation for this hope is what He has done in history and in our lives. The historical act was the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Later in vs. 18-21 Peter mentioned that the other great action of God is the death of Jesus for our sins. The experience in our lives that undergirds living hope is the new birth. “He that hath begotten us again” can be translated “He has given us a new birth.”
Jesus’ teachings about the new birth were the basis for Peter’s mention of it. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 1: 3-8, that the only way to enter the kingdom of God is through a new birth by the Spirit.
The only people who know the living hope are those who have experienced the new birth. We have confident hope because we were born into the family of God.
The historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the objective foundation of hope of victory over death. This is not some-thing we celebrate only one day a year, on Easter. Each Lord’s Day reminds us of the living Lord.
People have always looked for hope of life after death. The O.T. sheds some light on this subject. Some believers were looking for a heavenly city, and some of them found hope, but it was a wishful hope compared to the N.T. hope based on the solid bedrock of our Lord’s victory over death.
Job asked in Job 14:14, “When a man dies, will he come back to life?” This wishful question represents the O.T. view. Jesus promise in John 14: 19 is the N. T. answer to Job’s question: “Because I live, ye shall live also.”
Paul wrote his own doxology of this confident hope based on the reality of Jesus resurrection in 1 Cor. 15: 55-57: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
PLEASE READ 1 PETER 1: 4-5.
These verses emphasize the content of and the confidence in the living hope. The content of the hope is described as an inheritance. Because we are children of God Rom. 8: 17 says “we are His heirs and joint heirs with Christ.” This refers to our inheritance.
Three words describe it. It is incorruptible or imperishable, because it conquers death and is part of our future life with the Lord. Our physical bodies will return to the dust, but our resurrection bodies will be like Jesus’ resurrection body, incorruptible. It is undefiled or uncorrupted. Heb. 7: 20 says, it is undefiled in the sense of being without sin, as was our great High Priest.
This inheritance fadeth not away as flowers fade away by withering. “It can never perish, spoil or fade.” This inheritance lasts.
The inheritance of the living hope is reserved or kept in heaven for each Christian. The word reserved can mean, “watch,” “guard,” or “protect.” If we use the idea of guarding, God is the watchful protector of our inheritance. Both ideas emphasize the certainty of our inheritance.
Paul wrote in Gal. 5: 5 “For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith.” Believers posse salvation now but we will sense its full significance at the return of Christ in the last time when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Vs. 5 reinforces the basis for our confidence in the fulfillment of the living hope. Believers are kept by the power of God. As Jesus said in John 10: 27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
The goal of this confident hope is described as salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The N.T. refers to salvation as past, present and future. Past salvation is like what Jesus said in Luke 19:9 when Zacchaeus was saved: “This day is salvation come to this house.” This was being saved from the penalty of sin.
Philippians 2:13 speaks of the present stage. This is being saved from the power of sin.
The future stage is in Romans 13: 11: “For now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.” This will be salvation from the presence of sin. Peter was writing about this final stage of salvation. Of course, only those who have experienced the past and present stages of salvation will share in the future stage. PLEASE MOVE DOWN TO VS. 18.
PLEASE READ 1 PETER 1: 18-21.
We will skip over vs. 7-13 for the moment and look at these verses 18-21 which like verses 3-5 refer to the foundation of our hope. The emphasis in vs. 3-5 was on the resurrection of Jesus: The emphasis in vs. 18-21 is on the cross (vs. 18-20) as the foundation with the resurrection (vs. 21). Redeemed is one of many ways to describe salvation.
The word comes from the slave marked. It refers to the price that is paid to liberate a slave. Peter focused on the cost of our redemption from the grip of sin and death.
Christians were liberated from their “empty way of life inherited from their fathers.” We were set free not with “perishable things, like silver or gold”, but with the precious blood of Christ. He was the sacrificial lamb without blemish and without spot. He was the perfect sacrifice who gave His sinless life in order to save sinners.
His sacrifice was not the result of human choice or an afterthought of God. It was foreordained before the foundation of the world. The plan began in the heart and mind of the eternal God, but was manifested in these last times for us. Notice that last times here refers to the time of Christ’s incarnate coming.
The last time in vs. 5 refers to the time of Jesus future coming. In one sense, we are in the final age of God’s plan. This began with the work of Christ: in another sense the last time refers to the end time of this age.
The resurrection is mentioned in vs. 21. Our faith in the saving work of Christ on the cross is inseparable from our faith in His victory over death. Together these constitute the good news of salvation. Both provide the foundation of our living hope.
Paul described unsaved Gentiles in Eph. 2:12 as “having no hope, and without God in the world.” This does not mean that they had no hopes. They had all kinds of hopes, including some who hoped for life after death. But they had no foundation for their hopes. They were only dreams and wishful thinking. By contrast, Christians have confident hope because our hope is founded on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
PLEASE READ 1 PETER 1: 6-7.
In this passage Peter dealt with the reality of his readers’ suffering for their faith. The reason for their persecution is not given. However some of the believers’ trials may have resulted from their refusal to acknowledge the Roman emperor as “Lord or deity or their unwillingness to engage in rituals of pagan worship.
Since many Christians refused to conform to ungodly beliefs and lifestyles, they were treated with contempt---a hatred that sometimes turned to violence.
Jesus taught that His followers would be persecuted just as He was. Many of the books of the N.T. reflect this reality. First Peter has several references to such persecution.
Peter urged believers to be sure that none of them could be justly punished for evil-doing. He challenged them in 3:15 to “always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
But the most amazing thing he said in 4:13 was to rejoice when they suffered. This is the teaching in 1:6—they should greatly rejoice because they have assurance of this living hope. A living hope results in a present joy.
Peter may have recalled words he once heard Jesus say; In Matt. 5: 11-12 Jesus said “blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven.”
Jesus followers are not promised a trouble-free life. In fact, Jesus made clear that all who follow Him would face hostility and opposition from an unbelieving world. Christians today should not be surprised when we encounter rejection, mistreatment or worse for identifying with the One whom the world despised, rejected, and killed.
Christian hope, like peace, is not dependent on circumstances. Christians can rejoice in troubles of all kinds.
Peter gave several truths to encourage his readers. One of these truths is the brief duration of their condition. Compared to eternity with the Lord in the life to come, even a lifespan of 80-90 years is but a short time. As noted above, the promise of Jesus is that a great reward awaits faithful believers in heaven. 1 John 5:4 says, “This is the victory that has overcome the word, even our faith.”
Peter explained that the genuineness of …faith is proven through testing. He used the analogy from the field of metallurgy whereby gold is refined in fire. When gold ore is heated to its melting point, impurities can then be skimmed off by the refiner.
Likewise, when believers endure trials of faith, their lives are refined and made stronger as a result. Peter reminded his readers that even pure gold---as valuable as it is---ultimately perishes. But faith refined in the fires of tribulation is more valuable than gold.
Paul and James both pointed to this quality of trials when met with faith, hope, and love. These qualities are strengthened by suffering. “We also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character, according to Rom. 5:3-4, produces hope.”
The word genuineness was used to refer to coins that were not counterfeit. By enduring through trials, Peter’s readers could know their faithfulness would result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Peter called for them to look beyond present trials to the certain return of Jesus. At that time believers will understand the reason and value of all they have endured for Jesus sake.
PLEASE READ 1 PETER 1: 8-9
Vs. 8-9 present a helpful statement of the progress every believer can experience.
The first stage is love for Christ---You love Him. Here Peter used the word agape, meaning “godly, self-sacrificing love.”
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to love as God loves as a result of their new birth. (in our next lesson we’ll focus on God’s gift of love.)
Peter acknowledged that even though he had had the privilege of seeing Jesus in person, his readers had not seen Him, because they were not among the original disciples. Nevertheless, they loved Jesus because God had first loved them. (see 1 John 4: 10.)
They
believed what Peter told them about the life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus. They had the kind of faith defined
in Heb. 11: 1. “Now faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
No
one alive today has seen Jesus in the way the apostles did,
but we have their testimonies in the N.T.. Christians believe in an
unseen Savior, but we experience His saving grace and
the presence of His Spirit.
Such faith results in joy unspeakable and full of glory. We rejoice because we are receiving the goal of our faith, even the salvation of our souls. This probably refers to the ultimate goal of salvation at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
PLEASE READ 1 PETER 1: 10-12.
In vs. 10 Peter referred again to salvation. The message of salvation had come through the prophets in the past as well as through those who preached the gospel to you. Both past and current messengers were inspired by God’s Spirit. When the O.T. prophets wrote in anticipation of the grace of God, they wrote about more than they understood.
Searched and carefully investigated describes how intensely these men of God sought to know about the prophesies God had inspired them to declare
They did not see clearly and fully the way their prophecies would be fulfilled. In a sense they saw through a glass darkly. Heb. 1: 1-2 puts this in focus. “God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoke to us by His Son.” Their messages were not false, only partial; but what they wrote accurately foretold the full and final revelation of God’s Son.
The prophets desired to know what time or what circumstances belonged to their prophecies. They wanted to know when their prophecies would be fulfilled and under what circumstances. Moreover, they desired to have a clear understanding of how the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow fit into God’s plan.
God did not reveal all the information the prophets wanted, nevertheless, they faithfully declared God’s revelation even though they couldn’t understand fully how the Messiah’s suffering and glory fit together.
The truth points to the divine inspiration of scripture. Those persons who were chosen by God to compose His Word had the Spirit of Christ within them, inspiring them to declare His truth. Yet they did not comprehend the full implications of God’s message.
Vs. 12 states that God revealed to the prophets that some of what they were proclaiming was intended not just for them but for future generations. Notice the word you occurs three times in vs. 12, emphasizing the advantage of living after the earthly death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. The same Holy Spirit who inspired the O.T. prophets also sent those who preached the gospel to evangelize us.
Finally, Peter stated that angels desire to look into these things. The word translated look carries the idea of stooping over to see. Angels are messengers of God, but they are not divine. Thus they do not have full insight into the mind of God. Another interpretation of this brief mention of angels in 1 Peter 1: 12 is that angels look with wonder on the redemption of sinful human beings. Jesus said in Luke 15: 10, “There is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
The angels of heaven do not have experiential knowledge of salvation. Yet, they are intensely interested in the salvation God has given to believers. Peter’s emphasis in these verses was that Christians are blessed beyond measure. We have experienced something the prophets desired to understand but didn’t. We have experiential knowledge of God’s grace and salvation: angels do not.
TEACHER PLEASE READ 1 PETER 1: 13.
Some skeptics claim that hope offers “pie in the sky by and by.” They say that hope is based on nothing and that it leads to nothing, even contributing to complacency about the world’s real problems. Actually, the N.T. bases Christian hope on realities that provide a solid foundation.
The Word of God also teaches that genuine hope transforms lives.
First John 3: 2-3 describes the goal of Christian hope and its effect on how believers live now: “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has his hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.”
First Peter 1: 14-17 makes an explicit call for holy living. Vs. 13 mentions responses that believers should make to the bright future God has promised. People of Peter’s day, especially the Jews, wore long robes. When they needed to run they tied up the long robes so they would not trip and fall. Thus “gird up you loins” was comparable to saying, Roll up your sleeves.” The mention of the mind showed that Peter was calling for mental alertness. “Get your minds ready for action.”
The point Peter was making is that Christians must discipline themselves to think clearly—no mental laziness is permitted. Living by faith demands diligent examination, interpretation, and an application of biblical truth. Satan often attacks our thought processes because he knows our minds steer our behavior.
What kind of action did Peter mean? Right belief produces right behavior. Thinking and doing belong together in Christian living. James says in James 1: 22 that we are to be “doers of the word and not hearers only.”
One’s whole way of life is included in the second command to be sober or self-disciplined. We generally use the word sober to describe one who is not drunk, and it surely includes that kind of sobriety, but in the N.T. writers used the term to refer to self-control in all areas of life.
Peter told his readers to have a balanced approach to life that matches doctrine with duty.
Next, Peter sounded a command concerning the future. “Set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
His command refers to the visible appearing of Jesus when He returns as the King of kings and Lord of lords. At that time He will demonstrate grace in that He will receive all believers to Himself and will deliver us to our final dwelling place with Him.
Peter encouraged suffering saints to depend on the certainty of Jesus’ return. Such hope provides a strong incentive for holy living and motivates believers to endure whatever suffering they might experience. Believers are to rid themselves of anything that hinders holy living.
NEXT SUNDAY’S LESSON ANSWERS THE LIFE QUESTION, WHAT IS LOVE?
WE WILL STUDY 1 CORINTHIANS 13: 1-13. A.V. DAUGHERTY (altav@swbell.net)