True Love Series

1 Peter 1:10-12 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (ESV)

According to one report Valentine’s Day takes it name from a young Christian who once lived in ancient Rome. Like so many of the early Christians, Valentine had been imprisoned because of his faith and eventually martyred on the Flaminian Way under the Emp. Claudius (c. 269 AD) (Cross, F. L., & Livingstone, E. A. (Eds.). (2005). In The Oxford dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed. rev., p. 1687). Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.) Often and longingly he thought of his loved ones and wanted to assure them of his well-being and his love. Beyond his cell window and beyond reach, grew a cluster of violets. He picked some heart-shaped leaves and pierced them to spell the words, “Remember your Valentine,” then set them off by a friendly dove. On the next day and the next, he sent more messages that simply said, “I love you.” In this way the valentine had its beginning. On Valentine’s Day, people of all ages remember those they love by sending valentine cards. (Zuck, R. B. (1997). The speaker’s quote book: over 4,500 illustrations and quotations for all occasions (p. 404). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.)

The Apostle Peter wrote the epistle of 1 Peter from Rome in 64 AD to the church dispossessed from their homeland by persecution. As we saw last time (1 Pt. 1:1b) the letter was addressed to Churches in provinces located in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, which were part of the Roman Empire.

Peter’s theme in the first chapter of this letter is the blessedness or greatness of salvation. Here in verses 10-12 he examines it from the viewpoint of four divine agents who were involved with the message of salvation: Those who ministered to us to bring us the ultimate message of love and hope: 1) The Foretelling of Heavenly Love (1 Peter 1:10-11a), 2) The Founding of Heavenly Love (1 Peter 1:11b-12a) 3) The Forthtelling of Heavenly Love (1 Peter 12b), and 4) The Fathoming of Heavenly Love (1 Peter 12c).

Believers experience True heavenly love through:

1) The Foretelling of Heavenly Love (1 Peter 1:10-11a)

1 Peter 1:10-11a 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time (the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories). (ESV)

The apostle first draws attention to the salvation referred to in verse 9 from the viewpoint of the prophets. They were God’s Old Testament spokesmen “who prophesied about the grace that was to be”. This “grace” is not just a New Testament Concept In the Garden of Eden after humanity fell into sin and death, God promised salvation in Genesis 3:15 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (ESV). Then in verse 22: 22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken (ESV)

• This was an act of Grace by God, so man and woman would not remain in a state of rebellion, God prevented from eating from the tree of live which would permanently separate them from God in their disobedience. Through Grace, he promised in Gen. 3:15 that a redeemer would one day come to pay for the penalty of this and all other transgression of those who would repent of their sins and trust in Him.

The statement in our text of 1 Peter 1:10 that the Old Testament prophets prophesied about the grace that was to be does not indicate that the prophets looked forward to a saving grace that did not exist at all in Old Testament times. By nature, God has always been an unchangeably gracious God (Ex. 34:6, Pss. 102:26–27, 116:5, James 1:17). The prophets foretold of the Cross that was to come. Yet they were often perplexed concerning things prophesied (Dan. 7:28, 8:26-27). Salvation has always been available to sinners (Deut. 32:15, Pss. 3:8, 27:1, Isa. 55:1–2, 6–7, Jonah 2:9) and always and only by grace. This letter is written to testify to the true grace of God (5:12), in which believers are enjoined to stand fast, even though, as the letter makes clear, they face suffering and abuse. According to the NT understanding, our salvation comes as a gift by grace through faith. So also, our life of faithful forgiving and nonretaliating discipleship is empowered by grace. (Waltner, E., & Charles, J. D. (1999). 1-2 Peter, Jude (p. 44). Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.)