A "Living" hope (1 Peter 1:3-5)

"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"

A "Living" Hope (1 Peter 1:3-5)

In our study of Peter's epistle so far, we have noticed that as far as the world is concerned, Christians are but "pilgrims". But as far as God is concerned, we are His "elect". As the "elect" (chosen) of God, we are the recipients of many blessings that God offers to all who will obey and follow Christ. One of these blessings is described in 1 Pe 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Here we learn that God has caused us to be born again unto "a living hope". An understanding of this "living" hope can help Christians who are "pilgrims" be more joyful during their sojourn in this life. Therefore, in this lesson we shall examine what Peter says about the Christian hope that makes it a "living" hope.

Verse 3 begins with Peter praising God, and this leads us to the first reason our hope is a "living" hope, because God is merciful. The basis for our hope lies in the abundance of God's mercy; mercy bestowed while we were yet sinners - Ro 5:6 "For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly.", 8 "But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Mercy bestowed upon the conditions of faith, repentance, and baptism - Ac 2:36-38 "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Mercy bestowed continually upon Christians as they repent of and confess their sins - 1 Jn 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Because of God's "abundant mercy", then, we who are sinners can have a "living" hope!

But according to verse 3 there is another reason to have hope. Because Jesus is alive! The resurrection of Jesus is crucial to our hope. If Christ is not risen, then the apostles were liars, and our faith is vain! - 1 Co 15:14-15 "and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain. Yea, we are found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised." If Christ is not risen, we are still held guilty for our sins, no forgiveness has occurred! - 1 Co 15:17 "and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." If Christ is not risen, those who have died as Christians have perished, they are lost! - 1 Co 15:18 "Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished." If Christ has not risen, then we do not have a "living" hope, instead we are to be pitied by others! - 1 Co 15:19 "If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable."

But through Jesus' resurrection, we have been "born again" to a living hope! Peter may have reference not to the process of conversion (though he does in 1 Pe 1:23), but to the renewed hope produced by the resurrection of Jesus. For example, after Jesus' death and prior to His resurrection, the disciples were despondent. But after the resurrection of Jesus, His disciples were "born again" in regards to their hope. As Guy N. Woods says in his commentary: "The reference here is...to the re-establishment of the faith of the disciples by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead." Surely the fact that Jesus did rise gives us reason for a "living" hope. God would not raise a liar, so anything Jesus said about our hope is true - note, Jn 11:25 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live;". Since Jesus rose from the dead, we have a firm hope that we too will one day rise from the dead - 1 Co 15:20-23 "But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming." By the abundant mercy of God, and upon the basis of Jesus' own resurrection, then, we have been "born again" to a living hope!

But there are two more reasons discussed in verses 4-5 as to why our hope can be described as "living". One is because of the nature of our inheritance! The degree of hope we have is directly related to the inheritance we have. If our inheritance is a good one, our hope is strong, or "living". If our inheritance is a poor one, then our hope is weak, or "dead".


This is as Peter described in verses 4-5 "unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." It is "incorruptible. The Greek word is aphthartos {af'-thar-tos}, meaning "not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable". Unlike the present heavens and earth in which now live, and which will one day be destroyed - 2 Pe 3:10-13 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

Our inheritance is to be undefiled. The Greek word is amiantos {am-ee'-an-tos}, meaning "not defiled, unsoiled". It is unlike the earthly Canaan, which could be and was defiled by its inhabitants. Our hope pertains to that where the defiled are not allowed to enter - Re 21:27"and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Our inheritance does not fade away. The Greek word is amarantos {am-ar'-an-tos}, meaning "unfading, perennial". The word is a variation of "amaranth" which was the name of a mythical flower whose bloom was perpetual and whose loveliness never faded. Such is our heavenly reward: it will not rust, fade, or wither like so many things do here on earth.

Our inheritance is reserved in heaven. The word "reserved" comes from tereo {tay-reh'-o}, meaning "to watch, to observe, to guard, protect, to reserve, set aside". Therefore, our inheritance is safely guarded in heaven itself! No one, not even Satan himself, can steal it from you!

Since this is the nature of our "inheritance" upon which our hope rests, we can see why our hope is described as a "living" hope.There is one more reason to call our hope a "living" hope: not only is our inheritance safely guarded in heaven, but also because we are guarded. Christians are "kept" for the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. The word "kept" is from phroureo {froo-reh'-o}, and is a military term. It means "to guard, protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight". "While our inheritance is being kept guarded in heaven under the watchful eye of God, we are being garrisoned about by God's protecting care for it." (WUEST)

Note that being "kept" involves two things. First, The Power of God! We have the help of God Himself, who knows how to help those in temptation. He knows how to deliver them out of temptation - 2 Pe 2:9 "the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;" He knows how to enable them to bear with the temptation - 1 Co 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it." He supplies the armor necessary to withstand in the evil day - Ep 6:10-13 "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand."

Also, Our Faith! To be safely guarded by God's protective care requires faith on our part. The only way we can ever lose our inheritance reserved in heaven is to become unfaithful to the Lord! - Re 2:10 "Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." While the Bible teaches the security of the "believer" It also teaches that a "believer" can become an "unbeliever" - He 3:12-13 "Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:" And it teaches that "unbelievers" have no hope - He 3:14-4:3. As long as we remain "faithful", then, we have the assurance of God's protective care to guide us until we receive that inheritance reserved in heaven for us!

In this passage (1 Pe 1:3-5), there are four reasons why the hope of the Christian is called a "living" hope: because God is merciful! Because Jesus is alive! Because of the nature of our inheritance!Because we are safely guarded! A "living" hope can be a source of great joy in the lives of Christians; it certainly was to the original recipients of Peter's epistle:
"In this (the living hope that pertains to the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time) you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials." - 1 Pe 1:6

Do you have this "living" hope? You do if you have received God's mercy offered in Christ, and are remaining faithful to the Lord. If you have not received this mercy, or have neglected it through unfaithfulness, why not come to the Lord according to His conditions found in His Holy Word? - please read Ac 2:38; 1 Jn 1:9

This lesson has been composed in part from a lesson series on 1st Peter by Mark A. Copeland and used as permitted by him at The Executable Outlines Series website.
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2000