Read 1 Peter 1:3-5
Peter’s main purpose in writing this letter is to remind Christians living in a hostile world that they have an enduring hope that is rooted in the promises made to them by God and fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
The beginning of the body of the letter starts off with a strong description of the source and substance of this hope: it is a living hope because Jesus is alive. This grounds our hope on a living person, and therefore Peter calls it a living hope.
Jesus can be said to be our living hope because he is the firstborn from the dead. This alludes to the certain reality of the future of all believers, that they too will be resurrected to eternal life. Jesus goes before us to the exact same destination and destiny as all of those who “have been caused to be born again”.
This brings us hope in the midst of a life that is plagued by false promises, disappointments, discouragement, and curse. It is so easy for us to dwell on the things of this life, but Peter implores us to remember this living hope and that it gives us hope right now in the midst of our everyday lives. To do this, he describes what we are “born again” to: an inheritance that is 1) imperishable, 2) undefiled, and 3) unfading. Our inheritance is eternal, it will not run out or spoil. It is pure, in that there is nothing that is not perfect and good and beautiful contained within it. And it is unfading in that we will never grow tired or bored of our inheritance. All of this in contrast to the promises of this world and this life.
Finally, Peter shows us the certainty of our inheritance. It is God who is guarding it, and God is guarding it through faith. God uses our faith to guard our inheritance and give us assurance of it. This final salvation is still future in that we have not experienced the full expression of it. However, it is not future in a way that has no impact on our present lives. Instead, it is a future reality that transforms everything about our present reality.
Questions
Discuss how and why Jesus is the living hope that Christians have.
How should these three verses shape how we live our lives?
Do you experience a disconnect between the beauty of these verses and how it plays out in your life? Discuss.
What can you do to make the reality of the hope you have in Jesus more real to you?