1 Peter 1 - Hope. Holiness. Harmony.
1 Peter 1 - Hope. Holiness. Harmony.
Yesterday I opened 1 Peter 1 and got stuck on the first two verses. God’s elect who were exiled. This reality that needed time to process. For quick context, you can read those thoughts here.
Today we dive fully into Peter’s words to these exiled Christians. These opening words in v3-5 set the tone quickly.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” - 1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV
Hope, holiness, and harmony. We open with the living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Christ followers, this is a critical reminder of the essentials and the mission-critical reality that is before us all. Jesus and Jesus alone is where our hope lies. This reality, for me, is a two-fold concept. As a Christ-follower, I have hope in Jesus and have an inheritance that is kept in heaven, and that inheritance is secure and permanent. That brings hope and gives me eternal hope.
On the other hand, the other side of that reality is as a Christ-follower I am reminded that others are choosing exile from this hope because they do not know Jesus, and are not following Jesus. We must, as believers, unite and bring this hope to those. Sharing the gospel and Jesus is the hope of the world, and that is the most essential and vital message of all.
Peter quickly wants to address the reality of the situation for the readers of this letter. It would not be right or fair to ignore the situation at hand or just breeze on past the hell they were living through. I think this is important for our current situation we live in, here in the United States, but honestly all across the world. Racism, human beings horrifically miss treated, injustice, and persecution is a global reality, and we have needed Jesus healing in this area literally since the fall of man. Peter addresses this, and we should take notice.
“In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” - 1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV
Again my sensitivity to this topic must be expressed. There is nothing that is happening in our land around racism that I condone or approve. However, as we read this text, I do think it is crucial to recognize amid the injustice and suffering we hold to these truths and realities. In the span of eternity, our time here on Earth is limited and finite. As Christians, we need to recognize this, and also leverage this a motivation to bring as many people to the feet of Jesus as possible. The greatest tragedy would be missing the heart behind the exiled people group, and that is those exiled from knowing Jesus. As I say this, I know I could stir up the pot, and come across the wrong way. But, I need you to understand these do not need to be mutually exclusive. A zero-sum game does not exist with love and Jesus. Both these can be full-on and get all of Christ, and his love does not need to split up. This was the life of Jesus, let us not forget that the Gospel included Jesus' life, and he was all about bringing love and compassion to the underserved and marginalized people. This love and compassion was a way he brought people to Himself. Reaching people for Jesus, leading people to know the heart of God, and giving their lives to follow Jesus can and should be with our actions of love, and bringing hope to the world.
This takes us to being holy. Being holy is not living in our thoughts, and just our thinking or writing. This is an action and full-on assault of the ignorance and sin of the world.
“So then, prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you. For when Jesus Christ is unveiled, a greater measure of grace will be released to you. As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better. Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you. For Scripture says: “You are to be holy, because I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:13-16 TPT
Read that again. And again, and one more time! Prepare your hearts and minds for action. Action! Take in God’s word; understand the life of Jesus the gospel and what it means. A mind of Christ, and that should look radically different than anything of this world. We, as Christ followers, should look at things of this world and be repulsed by them. Looking at our current situation in America and be moved to a place beyond emotion to the outrage of the systemic injustice for God’s people. We are to be holy because God is holy. We should be outraged, moved to deep action, and willing to riot and march for God. Whoa...those are powerful words, do make sure you read them right. Riot, march, protest with intensity and passion - FOR GOD!
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.” - 1 Peter 1:22 NIV
Living this out, and channeling our outrage must remain righteous. The great commandment points us to Love God and Love Others. Others is not limited; others is our neighbors; it’s everyone. Love is not destructive, and love builds up. Love cared deeply for those lost and far from Jesus and desires to share the love of God to see them have eternal life. Love looks at racism as a deep, horrific sin that hurts the heart of God and knows the only way to heal this and cure this evil is in Jesus. This is not passive; this is not silent; this is active and intense. Nothing looking at the life of Jesus shows me passivity and tolerance of injustice. Hope, holiness, and harmony must be in sync.
Peter closed this chapter with another critical reminder that threads through all his letter and brings it back to the gospel.
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.” - 1 Peter 1:23-25 NIV
As we look at the world, we must not just focus on things of this world, we must be connected to the eternal promise of God. Looking at our problems here on earth, and just looking for earthly solutions is a limited mindset. YES, we need to focus on fixing them, and not turn a blind eye. YES, we must be able to call evil out and call out ignorance and injustice. Let’s just remember that eternity is at play, and our time on this earth is limited. As Christ followers, let us understand that grass withers and flowers fall...but the word of the Lord endures forever. Eternity is at stake, we must not forget this, and know that there is only one real answer, and that is the name of Jesus!
Lord, may we take in your love today and have the mind of Christ at this moment. Father, help us see as you see and hear as you hear. Give us compassion for all those who are exiled, living as refugees in a land. God, I ask that you stir in our hearts, and break our hearts for what breaks yours, God move us to a place where we just can not stand to be silent or passive any longer. Lord push us over the edge to a place where nothing stands in our way to bring the only message that is fitting, and that is the message of Jesus Christ. Lord, may you be glorified and magnified in our world, and God may you break the chains of racism and slavery and all the injustice in this world. Amen.