Post by foxjj on Jul 11, 2019 16:48:16 GMT
Our Living Hope
Peter addresses his first letter to believers living in provinces from which Jewish worshipers had been in Jerusalem on that historic day when he had stood up and addressed the people attending the feast of Passover. The Holy Spirit moved upon many bringing conviction and belief in Jesus as their Messiah. These new believers returned to their respective homes with the Good News of salvation through Jesus of Nazareth.
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 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. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.“ (1 Peter 1:1-9 (NIV)
As a blessing, Peter wishes grace and peace in abundance to all who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. What greater blessing can one wish for another person’s life than the grace that comes from God, and through that grace, peace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God and brings true peace into a believer’s life. It is through grace that we understand, by faith that we have been forgiven of our sins through the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of God - Jesus our Saviour and Lord. Our heavenly Father has ordained this as the only way of salvation for sinful humanity. This is true grace, the unmerited favor of God.
In this life, there will always be various trials. We can allow God to use our trials to strengthen our faith because it is at such times we learn to trust in our Savior who will bring into our life grace and peace, yes, even in abundance. Peter states that trials will prove the genuineness of our faith, which is of greater worth that gold, which will eventually perish. Unlike Peter, who saw Jesus in person, we love our Lord and Savior without having seen Him in the flesh. This is the evidence of our faith. This faith fills us with an inexpressible and glorious joy which becomes our living hope.
Today, let us praise The Lord for the gift of our living hope.
John Joseph Fox.
Peter addresses his first letter to believers living in provinces from which Jewish worshipers had been in Jerusalem on that historic day when he had stood up and addressed the people attending the feast of Passover. The Holy Spirit moved upon many bringing conviction and belief in Jesus as their Messiah. These new believers returned to their respective homes with the Good News of salvation through Jesus of Nazareth.
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 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. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.“ (1 Peter 1:1-9 (NIV)
As a blessing, Peter wishes grace and peace in abundance to all who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. What greater blessing can one wish for another person’s life than the grace that comes from God, and through that grace, peace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God and brings true peace into a believer’s life. It is through grace that we understand, by faith that we have been forgiven of our sins through the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of God - Jesus our Saviour and Lord. Our heavenly Father has ordained this as the only way of salvation for sinful humanity. This is true grace, the unmerited favor of God.
In this life, there will always be various trials. We can allow God to use our trials to strengthen our faith because it is at such times we learn to trust in our Savior who will bring into our life grace and peace, yes, even in abundance. Peter states that trials will prove the genuineness of our faith, which is of greater worth that gold, which will eventually perish. Unlike Peter, who saw Jesus in person, we love our Lord and Savior without having seen Him in the flesh. This is the evidence of our faith. This faith fills us with an inexpressible and glorious joy which becomes our living hope.
Today, let us praise The Lord for the gift of our living hope.
John Joseph Fox.