071 1 Peter 1:3-9 - a podcast by Dr David Petts - Pentecostal preacher, former AoG Bible College Principal

In our last talk we looked at the first two verses in chapter 1 which we saw are more than a formal greeting but are actually of a special significance to the suffering Christians to whom Peter was writing at the time.

 

They were exiles, rejected by men, but chosen by God. The verses we are looking at today spell out some of the great privileges of being a Christian. To be chosen by God is something very special. As Peter says in verses 6-7, at present we may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials but this will result in praise, honour, and glory when Jesus Christ is revealed.

 

As I said last time, the theme of the letter is:

suffering now, maybe -  future glory, certain.

 

Today we’ll be looking at vv3-9 and considering this theme in more detail.

 

1 Peter 1:3-9 ESV

 

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.

 

Three main headings:

 

Present suffering.     

Present blessings.      

Future blessings.

 

 

Present suffering.

 

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.

 

Present blessings.

 

We have received God’s mercy

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy...

 

We have been born again

3 ...he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

 

We are being guarded by God’s power

5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

We are able to rejoice

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

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,

 

Future blessings.

 

Resurrection

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,

 

An inheritance

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you

 

 

 

It can never perish – rust on car

Matthew 6:19-20 – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy…

Colossians 3:2 – Set your minds on things above

 

it can never spoil – 2 suits

 

it can never fade away – Auntie Min

 

it’s reserved in heaven for you – luggage label

 

 

Praise, glory and honour when Jesus returns

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.

 

The salvation of your souls

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

 

For more on our inheritance as Christians, please see below.

 

The Christian’s Inheritance

The reading of a will

You have been asked to attend the reading of a will

What questions would be going through your mind?

• Am I a beneficiary?
• What could I inherit?
• What’s my inheritance like?
• Why have I been included?
• When will I get it?

Many of us may never inherit something of great value here on earth, but the Bible tells us that God has a wonderful inheritance for us

 

Am I a beneficiary?

Do you belong to Christ? Galatians 3:29

If you belong to Christ, then you are … heirs according to the promise

 

Do you believe in him and love him? James 2:5

Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him?

 

Are you right with God? Titus 3:7

Having been justified by his grace we ... become heirs having the hope of eternal life    

 

Are you one of God’s children? Romans 8:17

Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ

 

What could I inherit?

Hebrews 1:14

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Hebrews 11:7

By his faith he (Noah) …became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 6:12

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

1 Peter 3:9

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing

Matthew 19:29

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life

Matthew 25:34

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’

Revelation 21:3,4,7

Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

7 He who overcomes will inherit all this…

Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

 

So to summarise:

• Salvation - Hebrews 1:14
• Righteousness - Hebrews 11:7
• Promises - Hebrews 6:12, 17
• Reward - Colossians 3:24
• Blessing - 1 Peter 3:9
• Everlasting Life - Matthew 19:29
• The Kingdom of God - Matthew 25:34
• Heaven - Revelation 21:7 (‘all this’)
• Earth - Matthew 5:5

 

What is my inheritance like?

Hebrews 9:15

Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance

1. money inherited from Eileen’s Dad

1 Peter 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you

 

It can never perish – rust on car

Matthew 6:19-20 – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy…

Colossians 3:2 – Set your minds on things above

it can never spoil – 2 suits

it can never fade away – Auntie Min

it’s reserved in heaven for you – luggage label

 

Why have I been included?

But why should we receive such a wonderful inheritance?

Because we are co-heirs with Christ

Romans 8:17

Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ

We are identified with Christ.  

Everything we have springs from this.

Crucified – dead – buried – made alive – raised – seated – suffer – reign – work – inherit

The NT reveals there are three ways of being a co-heir (Greek sun-kleronomos):

by sonship - Hebrews 11:9

Isaac and Jacob…were heirs with him (Abraham) of the same promise

by marriage - 1 Peter 3:7

Husbands …be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them … as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life

by grace - Ephesians 3:2, 6.

Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you…

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

We are joint-heirs with Christ!

We inherit what he inherits! All things (Heb. 1:2)!

1 John 3:2-3 – not what I will GET but what I will BE!

 

When will I get it?

1 Peter 1:4 reserved in heaven for you

But there is a foretaste!

Ephesians 1:13-14

The Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession (arrabon – engagement ring – French ‘alliance’)

Hebrews 6:4

…those who have … tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit … have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age

 

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