Recapping what we learned last time:

• Trials are temporary; our Christian hope is permanent.
• Faith is more valuable than gold – of greater value than anything in this world. Trials serve to strengthen that faith and in turn brings glory to God.
• We do not rejoice because of suffering, but IN SPITE of it.

I love the Phillips translation of this passage:

This means tremendous joy to you, I know, even though you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations. This is no accident—it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable than gold, and gold, as you know, even though it is ultimately perishable, must be purified by fire. This proving of your faith is planned to bring you praise and honour and glory in the day when Jesus Christ reveals himself. And though you have never seen him, yet I know that you love him. At present you trust him without being able to see him, and even now he brings you a joy that words cannot express and which has in it a hint of the glories of Heaven; and all the time you are receiving the result of your faith in him—the salvation of your own souls.

1 Peter 1:6-9 PHILLIPS

It really speaks to me when Peter said, “This proving of your faith is planned to bring you praise and honour and glory in the day when Jesus Christ reveals himself.”

Did you get that? It was all planned to bring YOU honor and glory! Wow!

Hope that is unsurpassed

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

1 Peter 1:10-12 NKJV

• Angels possess a deep interest in human salvation. This is seen in Luke 15:10, as they rejoice when a sinner is saved. Scripture also records that angels observed Jesus in His early life on earth 1 Timothy 3:16 and will rejoice in the completion of redemption Revelation 5:11-14.
• Salvation is such a gift that it even captures the attention of angels in heaven.
• There is no greater gift, nothing surpasses the gift of salvation. How thankful we should be if we are saved!

Transformed by hope

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:13-21 NKJV

• “Therefore” – Link to what has been previously said. We won’t respond correctly unless we have understood the foundation Peter has laid in vs. 1-12.
• We have been sovereignly called by God into a privileged position of being born into the family of God with guaranteed future of:

1) a living hope, associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ — Death is not our Destiny — we have been called to life
2) a protected eternal inheritance — better than any inheritance this world could ever offer
3) a complete salvation — not some partial deal where we still have the scars of sin

Question for you: What part does obedience play in the Christian life?

• Obedience to God is not the means by which we come into right relationship to Him; but obedience is an act of gratitude to the salvation God has granted to us. If we are truly saved, we’ll be truly obedient.
• If we want to live the way God wants us to, we must gird up the loins of our mind. Be ready to act. In other words, decide ahead of time what thoughts you will allow your mind to dwell upon.
• Peter says to live our lives in light of the return of Christ. We must fix our thoughts on our glorious future.
• In verses 15-16, We are commanded to live holy. God doesn’t intend His people to be caught up in this world’s system of values and beliefs. We are strangers and foreigners in this world. We should live as aliens!

For further study, I recommend reading 1 Peter 1 in the New Living Translation. It’s beautiful and concise!

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

PREVIOUS POST PIT STOP #19

Thanks for dropping by my place! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

I’m also excited to share that I’m part of an upcoming book collaboration about Advent. 

My contributon will be in the peace section of the book. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Here is the link to check it out and to order!  

I’m sharing this at Sweet Tea & Friends, Let’s Have Coffee