Don't Give Up, Don't Give In

(1 Pet 1:3 NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

(1 Pet 1:4 NKJV) to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

(1 Pet 1:5 NKJV) who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

(1 Pet 1:6 NKJV) In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

(1 Pet 1:7 NKJV) that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

(1 Pet 1:8 NKJV) whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

(1 Pet 1:9 NKJV) receiving the end of your faith; the salvation of your souls.

Purpose of the letter:

Peter's warm pastoral exhortations are addressed to Jewish Christians who were scattered over a wide area.

(1 Pet 1:1 NIV) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

Strangers - English - Anyone with whom we are not acquainted; Greek - parepidemois - para (along side of) epi (upon) demos (people of a heathen city). Christians who have settled down alongside of the unsaved (2:11)

Scattered - diaspora, dee-as-por-ah'; dispersion, i.e. Israel. resident in Gentile countries:--(which are) scattered (abroad). Jewish Christians living outside of Palestine. Christians are to be like scattered seeds - winning the lost to Christ, producing fruit. Not like a Jim Jones or a David Kadesh, huddled up in a compound.

Elect - Chosen out from mankind people for Himself (Eph 1:4 - chosen before the foundations...).

This is an encouraging word, elect. The scriptures teach that God has hand-picked those who would be his and He didn't do it as a result of any thing good that He found in us. Like Israel, we had nothing that was worth saving…

(Deu 7:6 NKJV) "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.

(Deu 7:7 NKJV) "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;

(Deu 7:8 NKJV) "but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God chose to set His love upon us. The amazing thing is that we were not worth loving (and still are not). If God has claimed us as His own with no coercion on our part, doesn't it make sense that God would keep that which belongs to him? Doesn't it make sense that God would provide for that which He has chosen? Don't you know that God is going to protect and keep those who He has delivered?

Jesus asks His disciples in Luke 18:7, "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

Paul asks his reader in Romans 8:33, "Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies."

Jesus gives us the answer to these questions in John 10:

(John 10:27 NKJV) "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

(John 10:28 NKJV) "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

(John 10:29 NKJV) "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

God takes care of His own. God provides for His own. God protects His own. We should all be able to say with David when he wrote the words:

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

'When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears. "Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry."