In our passage for today, the apostle Peter writes about the hope that the Christian has to hold on to when facing the trials of life. Trials and troubles are inevitable in this world. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble," (John 16:33).
A gardener took great pride in caring for his lawn. But one year it was full of dandelions. He tried every method and product to get rid of them, but nothing worked. Exasperated, he wrote the Department of Agriculture explaining all he had done. "What shall I try next?" he wrote. "Try getting used to them," came the reply.
Yes, trials are a part of life and war is among the trials we will inevitably encounter. Again, Jesus told us that until He returns, there will be "wars and rumors of war," and that "nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom," (Matthew 24:6-7). So here we go again! We find that our nation is once again involved in war. Peter’s words can be particularly meaningful to us today, as we give thought to the hope we, as Christians, have to hold on to. Because of our hope in Christ, we can present a positive witness in this time of war as we remind ourselves that:
1. Our God has a personal interest in each of us - vs. 1-2
The people whom Peter addressed in this letter were strangers in a strange land, scattered throughout the Roman world. These believers were living in provinces spread across Asia Minor, in what in now northern Turkey. The main reason for these Jewish believers leaving Palestine was persecution (see Acts 8:1-4).
But not only were they strangers because they were living in a foreign country; they were also strangers in the world (as are we). The Christian’s true citizenship is in heaven. "For our citizenship is in heaven ..." (Philippians 3:20). These scattered Christians of Peter’s day were subject to the misunderstandings, threats, insults, persecution, and other abuses that a pagan culture often inflicts on followers of Christ.
But Peter gives words of encouragement to these believers who were finding themselves increasingly alone. He reminded them of God’s personal interest in each of us. This is something we need to be reminded of, too. God’s personal interest in each of us is revealed through:
A. The selection of the Father - v. 2 a
In verse 1, Peter refers to these believers as "God’s elect." This word means "chosen."
The doctrine of election is something we cannot fully understand. While it is true that God foreknew who would be saved before the world began, this does not mean that God favors some over others or that He makes it impossible for some to be saved. John 3:16 says, " . . whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Are you wondering how you can know if you are elect or not? Here’s the test. Everyone falls into one of two categories: the "whosoever wills" and the "whosoever wonts." We don’t need to worry about God’s part in salvation. All we need to be concerned with is whether or not we have trusted Christ. God gives the invitation for everyone to come to Him. Despite us not being able to comprehend this wonderful truth of God’s election, it is clear that God has an interest in each and every Christian. We were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God.
B. The sacrifice of the Son - v. 2c
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8).
Peter was writing primarily to Jews who had been brought up in Judaism. They knew the Old Testament, and they understood that the high priest on the Day of Atonement took blood with him when he went into the Holy of Holies, and that he sprinkled the blood seven times on the mercy seat.
Peter refers to the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, reminding these believers that our great high priest has presented a perfect sacrifice to the Father, whereby we might know forgiveness and be accepted in His sight! His sacrifice is a demonstration of His personal interest in each of us.
C. The sanctification of the Spirit - v. 2b
The word, "sanctify" literally means "to set apart" or "to make holy." God is not through with us once we are saved. The Holy Spirit performs the ministry of sanctification with the goal that every Christian will become mature. As Peter goes on to reveal, it is often through trials that God’s Spirit works to mature us and set us apart more and more to the Lord.
Vance Havner said, "God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to produce rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume... it is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever."
Certainly, Peter knew from experience about the work of the Spirit in one’s life to set them apart more fully to God and His service.
Ironically, it is often through the trials of life that we can discover the depth of God’s personal interest in each of us. For He uses those very trials to enable the Spirit to make us more like the Son so that we might live to please the Father.
God loves us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way.
It is often through the use of trial in our lives that He brings about the changes that are needed in our lives. We know God has a personal interest in each of us because His Spirit is at work in our lives, even in difficult times, to bring about His best for us. Because this is so, we can present a positive testimony in this time of war.
2. Our God has a tremendous gift for each of us - vs. 3-5
That gift is the new birth. Verse 3 begins by stating, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," We often hear of fathers praising their children, but here the children are told to praise their Father.
Peter reminds us that in difficult days, we can still praise our heavenly Father because through the new birth, we have received a salvation that no thing and no one in this world can take away. Such confident assurance is cause for rejoicing, and such rejoicing can make it possible for us to present a positive testimony regardless of the circumstances.
Notice what Peter tells us about the gift of the new birth. The new birth:
A. Is possible by virtue of God’s initiative - v. 3
It is by God’s mercy as demonstrated by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ that we can be born again.
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins," (1 John 4:10).
Certainly, this truth can enable us to rejoice, regardless of the circumstance!
B. Entitles me to a glorious inheritance - v. 4
An inheritance is something that we haven’t earned, which we receive through the death of a loved one or friend. Receiving the inheritance means someone has to die. You’ve seen the bumper sticker on the back of a motor home that says "We ’re spending our children’s inheritance."
Well here’s an inheritance that can’t be spent. It’s guaranteed. This inheritance is ...
1) Indestructible - "perish"- It will never disappear!
2) Incorruptible - "spoil" - It will never deteriorate!
3) Invaluable - "fade" - It will never devalue!
C. Is guaranteed by means of heavenly insurance - v. 5
In verse 4, Peter tells us that we have an inheritance being kept for us; in verse 5, he tells us that we are being kept for our inheritance!
Many of us are familiar with the Allstate Insurance slogan, "You’re in good hands with Allstate." Well, the Bible would have us understand that when we place our life and our eternity in the hands of God, that we are in good hands. Jesus said, "/ give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one," (John 10:28-30).
The confidence that the new birth gives me is the confidence that comes from an assurance of a love relationship with God that is eternally secure, regardless of what might befall me in this world. It is the same kind of confidence that Paul expressed in Romans 8:31-39: "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Indeed, as we are reminded of the new birth, we can be enabled to present a positive testimony in a time of war.
3. Our God has a wonderful plan for each of us - vs. 6-9
Peter comes around again to the assurance that God is at work through the circumstances of life to make us into the likeness of His dear Son.
Paul said, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son..." (Romans 8:28-29).
Peter tells us that because of this confident assurance, this living hope, we can be enabled to look past the difficulties we encounter in the present and focus on the destiny that awaits us in eternity; all the while expressing with confidence that God is using the present trials we face to carry our His eternal purpose in us. Even as Joseph was able to say to those who had sold him into slavery and countless trials, "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good," (Genesis 50:20).
Andrew Murray expressed the kind of confidence the Christian can have in the midst of difficult times, when he said that in facing difficult days, the Christian should declare that: "First, (I know) He brought me here, it is by His will I am in this place: in that fact I will rest Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child. Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last, In His good time He can bring me out again—how and when He knows. Let me say I am here, (1) By God’s appointment, (2) In His keeping, (3) Under His training, (4) For His time."
Conclusion:
In verse 10, Peter mentions an apparent contradiction - rejoicing in the midst of grief and trial. How can this be? It is possible when the Christian reminds himself of 1) the personal interest God has in him; 2) the tremendous gift God has given him; and 3) the wonderful plan that God has for him. Through maintaining such an attitude of faith, we can present a positive witness in any time of trial, including this present time of war.
