In one of the most encouraging passages in the scriptures, 1 Peter 1:3—7 provides hope for all believers in the face of trial and affliction. The text reads, “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, 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 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 your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
When heaven is our focus the temporary nature of life’s challenges becomes manageable. Paul states in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Peter reminds us that while we have an eternal inheritance to look forward to, our faith is tested during our earthly lives in order to be proven as genuine (1 Peter 1:7).
Faith that has never been tested is of little benefit when life’s necessities have always been abundant. One might believe they have done equally as well with or without faith when their needs have always been met through material means. Such faith does not glorify God, remains shallow rooted, and bears little to no fruit.
The apostle goes on to say, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy,’” (1 Peter 1:13—16).
REPENTANCE IS THE COMPLETE RECALIBRATION
Repentance is the complete recalibration of one’s mindset which leads to a change of heart and direction. Peter appeals to us to no longer conform to our former worldly ways and the lustful desires we could not resist when we lived in ignorance. Faith is not a one time event but rather, the continuous pursuit of God through repentance. The writer of Hebrews states, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful,” (Hebrews 10:23).
Paul provides similar insight in Ephesians 4:22—24. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
All sin is conceived in the mind when we are tempted and this is where the battle begins (James 1:14—15). Take control of undisciplined thoughts rather than allowing them to control you. In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul exhorts believers to subjugate their thoughts to Christ. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.”
By doing so, we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16—17), and our spirit begins to align with the Holy Spirit in us. This is the process of sanctification and it leads to holiness. We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8), however, we are saved with a purpose (Ephesians 2:10).
In 1 Peter 2:16 we are told, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” Grace is not a license to sin. We are called to live as servants of God, which means submitting to Him as our Master and dedicating ourselves to serving Him.
Everything we do can be done to glorify God and reflect His love in our lives. This includes rejecting behaviors that are disrespectful to God—that the Bible defines as sin. And when we are rejected by society because of our faith in Christ, we are called to endure suffering. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps,” (1 Peter 2:21).
Peter further exemplifies the significance of repentance by stating, “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives,” (1 Peter 3:1).
CONDUCT MATTERS
Conduct matters. James declared, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead,” (James 2:17). Christians are called to be ambassadors for Christ, which means we become examples of Christ by the way we live. Those who continue to willingly practice sin do not know Jesus personally. “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him,” (1 John 3:6).
We are to turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it, because God’s eyes are on the righteous (1 Peter 3:11—12). Not the imputed righteousness we receive through Christ but the righteousness we choose because of our faith. One is a latent form of righteousness that saves us, while the other is sensible and can be measured through our actions.
And just as James states, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do,” (James 2:18b). In 1 Peter 3:12 we read, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Peter declares that true believers in Christ are significantly different that non-believers who live, “in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry,” (1 Peter 4:3). They will be judged for these sins but believers are to live according to God in regard to the Spirit (1 Peter 4:6).
When believers suffer because of their faith, it is not because God has not looked favorably on them, but rather we are to consider it a blessing to suffer because of Christ. 1 Peter 4:16 states, “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” This calls for perseverance. In Matthew 10:22 Jesus declares, “All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Peter encourages us that glory is coming. He reassures us that believers who remain faithful through suffering “will share in the glory to be revealed,” (1 Peter 5:1). “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that will never fade away,” (1 Peter 5:4). And Jesus says in Revelation 2:10, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Until that time, we must be diligent to be about the King’s business and focused on Jesus. Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:8—11, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of sufferings.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
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