September 21 | 1 Peter 1:3-5
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
A Living Hope
By Dave Mann
Peter begins his letter with powerful words of hope and confidence for us. Let’s look at this passage, phrase by phrase.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth.
God’s gift for us is a new birth. In John 3, Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being born again (or born from above). Through faith, we receive this great gift of new life in Christ.
into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Why do we have confidence? Is it because of good works and good character? No. If our hope were grounded on that, we would always wonder if they were enough. We have confidence of eternal life because of the resurrection of Jesus. Our inheritance (eternal life with Jesus) is given based on the work Jesus did on the cross, and especially by the power of his resurrection.
In our graveside funeral service, we say these words, “In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to almighty God our brother/sister to the ground…” Our assurance that the deceased is with the Lord is based on Jesus’ work.
4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,
Unlike other inheritances that we might receive (money, real estate, furniture, etc.), this gift will never perish, spoil, or fade. It will never lose its value. It is kept safe and secure for us in heaven. An earthly inheritance may be kept in a safe, in a safety deposit box, in a bank account, etc. But such possessions can always be diminished in value or lost totally. Our heavenly inheritance can never be lost.
5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power
Not only is our inheritance kept safe in heaven, but we ourselves are guarded and shielded by God’s power as well. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead also works to guarantee our own resurrection.
1 Corinthians 6:14 -- By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
When will we see this gift? Peter writes “to be revealed in the last time” – in other words on the last day of this creation. This is when Jesus returns in great power and glory, as Jesus himself said “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26).
Praise be to God!
PRAYER
Thank you, heavenly Father, for the inheritance you have given us. I am grateful for the guarantee you have provided through the power of the resurrection of Jesus. I am in awe that you are using the same resurrection power to secure my own salvation, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DAVE MANN
I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of seven. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.
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