2. Who you are and what you have in Jesus Christ 1:3-2:10

2.1 Summary statement: a “new birth into a living hope” [1:3-5]

3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
   By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope
   through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

• surely it was Jesus’ death, not his resurrection that gave us a new birth ??

4. that is, into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
   reserved in heaven for you,

• what kind of an inheritance do you think you have ??
• Does everyone get the same, or is it performance related ??
• We will all be totally satisfied, but some will have a bigger capacity for God’s love than others.

5. who by God�s power are protected through faith
   for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

• How is Peter using the word “salvation”

2.2 A new joy [1:6-9]

6. This brings you great joy,
   although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials.

• What is it that brings them joy?
• What is the comparison between the joy and the trials?
• a “short time” compared with “imperishable and unfading”

7. In order that the genuineness of your faith

   (more precious than gold that perishes,

   even though it is tested by fire)

   may be found to result in praise and glory and honour

   when Jesus Christ is revealed.

• The idea here is an argument from the lesser to the greater
  • If gold (which is passing away) is valuable enough to be purified by fire
  • How much more important it is to perfect your faith!
• This kind of argument is used often in the Scriptures
  • can you think of any examples?
  • e.g. If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more...
• Can you think of an example of someone’s faith which was “tested by fire”
  • Abraham re Isaac
  • Daniel
• Do you want your faith purified?
• Is it really faith unless it has been tested?
  • no, not truly, since faith is not actually needed until the test

8. Though you have not seen him, you love him.
   Though you do not now see him, you believe in him,
   and rejoice with joy that is indescribable and full of glory,

• Peter, of course has seen Jesus, but those he is writing to have not
• Is there a problem loving someone you have not seen?
• what does the “and so” refer to on the last line?
• that they believe in him
• How can just a belief give us indescribable joy?
  • see Romans 5:5
  • Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

9. because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

• What does this “because” refer to?
• How can we be “attaining” our own salvation?
  • we should understand it as “we are getting closer to the goal, our completed salvation”
• Realized Eschatology

2.3 A new salvation [1:10-12]

10. Concerning this salvation,
    the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you
    searched and investigated carefully.

• What does this tell us about the way O.T. prophecy worked?

11. They probed into what person or time
    the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating
    when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ
    and his subsequent glory.

• Who is the “Spirit of Christ”?
  • Different to the Holy Spirit?
  • See next verse, also 4:14
    • Peter uses different names for the Holy Spirit, just as he uses a whole variety of names for Jesus.

12. They were shown that they were serving not themselves but you,
    in regard to the things now announced to you
    through those who proclaimed the gospel to you
    by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven
    —things angels long to catch a glimpse of.

2.4 A new hope and way of life [1:13-22]

13. Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober,
    and set your hope completely on the grace
    that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
     
14. Like obedient children,
    do not comply with the evil desires
    you used to follow in your ignorance,
     
15. but, like the Holy One who called you,
    become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,
     
16. for it is written,
    �You shall be holy, because I am holy.�
     
17. And if you address as Father
    the one who impartially judges according to each one�s work,
    live out the time of your temporary residence here in careful obedience.
     
18. You know that from your empty way of life
    inherited from your ancestors
    you were ransomed
    —not by perishable things like silver or gold,
19. but by precious blood
    like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ.
     
20. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world
    but was manifested in these last times for your sake.

• What does that mean?

21. Through him you now trust in God,
    who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,
    so that your faith and hope are in God.
     
22. You have purified your souls by obeying the truth
    in order to show sincere mutual love.
    So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.

• Is this legalistic self-works? Perfectionism?
  • There are stages in growth: “bad stuff out, good stuff in”. The obedience is not legalistic, but following Jesus. He said “He that hears my words and obeys them...” (Matt 6)

2.5 A new birth [1:23-2:3]

23. You have been born anew,
    not from perishable but from imperishable seed,
    through the living and enduring word of God.

• What is meant by the “word of God” ?
  • The message of the gospel. see v.25
  • logos and rhema

24. For

    �all flesh is like grass

    and all its glory like the flower of the grass;

    the grass withers and the flower falls off,

    (25) but the word of the Lord endures forever.�

    And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

• In what sense will this “word” last forever?
  • God’s promises to us in the Gospel will never fail through all eternity

Chapter 2

1. So get rid of all evil and all deceit
   and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
    
2. And yearn like newborn infants
   for pure, spiritual milk,
   so that by it you may grow up to salvation,

• “grow up to salvation” ??

3. if you have experienced the Lord�s kindness.

2.6 A new temple and a new people [2:4-10]

4. So as you come to him, a living stone
   rejected by men but chosen and priceless in God�s sight,
    
5. you yourselves, as living stones,
   are built up as a spiritual house
   to be a holy priesthood and
   to offer spiritual sacrifices
   that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
    
6. For it says in Scripture,
   �Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone,
   and whoever believes in him will never be put to shame.�
    
7. So you who believe see his value, but for those who do not believe,
   �the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,�
    
8. and �a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over.�
   They stumble because they disobey the word,
   as they were destined to do.

• What does this mean ??
  • It was not a surprise to God—his plan had not failed. It was all in his purposes, although we know he desires that none should perish.
     

9. But you are
   a chosen race,
   a royal priesthood,
   a holy nation,
   a people of his own,
   so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one
   who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
    
10. You once were not a people,
    but now you are God�s people.
    You were shown no mercy,
    but now you have received mercy.

• This is a quote from Hosea

Response time

• Pray that we will “Live in the Light of Heaven”
  • That even though we don’t see him, we will believe, and as the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts,
  • we will rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy
  • and this will transform every part of our lives as we live for him.

Back to main teaching page at loveintruth.com