A Living Hope

It was common in the first century of what the Jews expected of the Messiah.  They expected a Superman-like person who would come to free them from earthly bonds.  Peter confronted these misconceptions with people wherever he went.

When we look at the language that Peter uses at the beginning of this letter.  He refers to God as Father.  Only in the life of Jesus was this reference used.  Prior, God was this authoritative position.  This word in Arimaic is “Aba” Father, pointing to the intimate father-child relationship offered.  The “new birth” references to the “born again” in Jesus.  That we are new and not the in the same position we were in before.  And then the proclamation of a living hope, that Jesus is alive and we secure our eternal lives in him.

Biblical hope is a different than the way that we commonly use “hope” in our language.  It is common to use hope as a word meaning wishful thinking or outcomes.  That we are not certain, but want something to happen a certain way.  But Biblical hope is different.  Biblical hope is something that is secure and

Inheritance in the first century was thought of differently than we do.  Inheritance was a promise that does not parish, meaning it does not go away or disappear.  Inheritance does not spoil meaning that it will not lose value as time moves forward.  Inheritance does not fade meaning that either it becomes less important or something else becomes more important.

So when Peter says that the inheritance of God is kept in heaven for us, it means it is something so solid that we can absolutely trust it!

When God says who we are through Christ Jesus, we need to hold tight to that truth.  And then through that faith, we will be shielded by the pull of the wrong ideas, people, or situations around us that would love to take us away from God.

When you are going through tough times, you don’t gage your relationship with God by the situation, but by the strength of your genuineness of your faith.  It is then through tough situations that our faith is tested.  And then like gold, we will be refined by fire and come out glorifying Jesus. It has been said that a faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted.

My faith says that I can work in Him in my faith through all situations.

Will you believe everything that God say of you?  That through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection we are promised salvation, is true. That we love Jesus as our brother and savior and we are promised as a child of God a place in eternity in heaven, is true.  That through the tough times it will be our faith that will shield us and protect us, is true.

Will you let your faith shape your movement through situations?  Will you allow God’s truth to be a part of your life?  Will you place your hope in the truth of Jesus?