Bible Study - Resilient Faith (1) - Focused Faith - 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13 - July 13, 2014

Bible Study – Resilient Faith (1) – Focused Faith – July 13, 2014

This is lesson one (1) in our series “Resilient Faith: Standing Strong in the Midst of Suffering.”

Our focus scripture is 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13.

As Christians our faith is focused on sure hope which is confirmed by GOD and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Peter was likely in Rome about 62-64 AD when he wrote to Jewish Christians driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor and to Christians everywhere. Christians were being persecuted, tortured and killed for their faith in CHRIST which began under the Emperor Nero. During this persecution period, the Apostle Peter was executed.

Let’s read 1 Peter 1:1-2: The Apostle Peter’s introduction:

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, • Asia , and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The Apostle Peter began with hope as we read “to the temporary residents.” Their relocation was temporary. Dispersion is one way GOD uses Christians to scatter the Gospel of CHRIST to all parts of earth. Having to leave your homeland is never pleasant but Peter gave them hope for a positive outcome because GOD is in control. Their hope was to return to their homeland someday but just as GOD led the Israelites to the Promised Land, Heaven or the eternal Promised Land is every Christian’s final destination.

The foreknowledge of GOD and the power of GOD keep those who are to receive salvation until their moment of salvation. Once the person receives CHRIST as his or her Savior, then GOD calls him or her to minister according to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Christian’s hope is in CHRIST.

Humans hope for all sorts of things. We hope our favorite ball team wins. We hope that we will get a certain job, a promotion or higher salary. We hope that we will find the perfect mate for life. We hope to purchase a certain material thing for ourselves and our hopes go on. These hopes are dependent upon many factors, some we can control but many we cannot control.

There is one sure factor each person can control and that is choosing CHRIST as his or her Savior. When we choose CHRIST as our Savior, we receive the free gift of eternal life, born-again in our spirit to become a Son or Daughter of GOD through the miracle of rebirth. GOD gives to every Christian the indwelling Holy Spirit Who assures, confirms and guarantees our complete redemption and full salvation the instant we exit our human bodies in physical death.

The resurrection of JESUS is proof of the resurrection of every Christian. JESUS Himself verbalized this while HE was upon earth in John 11:22: (JESUS was speaking to Martha regarding the death of Lazarus.)

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Each person must answer the question, “Do you believe this?” Do you?

Placing your faith in CHRIST because HE is the “resurrection and life” and HE paid in full the judicial penalty for sin that GOD required makes a person a Christian. The shed blood of CHRIST sustains every Christian throughout their lives because of GOD’S gift of grace. Christians are to confess their sins to maintain their fellowship and intimate relationship with GOD.

The hope of Christians is confirmed and guaranteed by GOD.

Let’s read 1 Peter 1:3-4:

A Living Hope

3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

GOD’S gift of redemption and eternal life is something mankind cannot achieve. The single source for redemption from sin is CHRIST, GOD’S only Son. GOD did this because of HIS great mercy and HIS great love for mankind. CHRIST gave HIS life to fulfill the redemptive plan of GOD, HIS Father because of HIS love for GOD and mankind. The resurrection of CHRIST by GOD gives Christians “living hope” through the miracle of rebirth. A Christian does not have to die physically to receive the gift of rebirth, thus rebirth is a “living hope” confirmed by CHRIST. A person’s faith in CHRIST results in an inheritance that is:

-         Imperishable – not subject to deterioration or decay.

-         Uncorrupted – not blemished by moral or spiritual filth, unpolluted.

-         Unfading – not prone to wither, always vivid and vital.

-         Kept in Heaven for each person who places his or her faith in CHRIST.

-         A Christian’s inheritance will never grow old, never wear out or diminish in value. 

The Apostle Peter confirms the eternal nature of a person placing his or her faith in CHRIST. But it is more than words, it is guaranteed, confirmed and assured by the resurrection of CHRIST, GOD and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The word “kept” is a military term which carries the idea of being secure and protected. The Christian’s inheritance is in GOD’S treasury and protected by GOD.

Let’s read 1 Peter 1:5-7:

5 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Christians and their inheritance are protected by GOD’S power. Salvation is ground zero upon which Christians build their relationship with GOD through their relationship with CHRIST. GOD’S plan is for Christians to grow and mature Spiritually as they obediently serve HIM. As Christians grow and mature Spiritually, they are in the process of being saved through the process of sanctification. Christians are fully redeemed and saved from eternal death when they exit their earthly body in physical death and behold CHRIST in Heaven. I believe this transition is seamless.

Christians are redeemed and bound for Heaven the instant they receive CHRIST as their Savior. Once a person receives CHRIST as his or her Savior the sanctification process begins, which is the renewing of the mind, comprehension and understanding of the will of GOD, building trust in GOD, understanding GOD and obediently serving GOD through an intimate relationship. It is often a battle between the flesh and the Spirit but in the process, Christians get to know GOD and not just know about GOD. GOD becomes a reality.  

As Christians live upon earth, they encounter trials. Trials perfect their faith by revealing flaws. When Christians confess their flaws, false notions and seek GOD’S help in dealing with them, it produces a firm faith and trust in CHRIST and GOD. Trials build Spiritual muscles of confidence and trust in GOD and create a firm foundation built upon the solid rock of CHRIST. Storms and heavy rains are sure to come in life and those who have built a solid Spiritual foundation will survive. This, in turn, produces Christians who are more likely to take steps of faith, as HE directs, which results in eternal rewards more precious than pure gold.

A Christian’s earth time is short compared to eternity. Most parents desire for their child or children to reach the full potential they know they are capable of achieving. GOD’S desire is for HIS children to reach their full Spiritual potential that HE knows they are capable of achieving. HE made us and HE knows what we are capable of, if we will only trust HIM and HIS leadership. But Christians must trust HIM and relinquish their will to HIM: Easy to say but difficult to do because we want to be in control.

The perfecting of a Christian’s faith has an important purpose as the Apostle Peter stated in verse 7 – “so that the genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Most humans value gold and feel secure when they have pure gold that belongs to them. To improve the value of gold it must be refined. The impurities must be rendered from the gold under intense heat. These impurities or dross must be removed as they reach the surface. When the heat is as intense as it can get and no impurities float to the top of the melting pot, the gold in pure.

One thing that is certain, once we exit earth in physical death, we leave all of our earthly possessions behind. At physical death, what is more important, the physical gold we leave behind or our treasure of pure faith which is kept in heaven for us? Faith in GOD through CHRIST is the key and sustains all Christians into eternity.

Peter had walked with CHRIST and he knew the value of having a genuine, solid faith built on nothing less than JESUS CHRIST and HIS righteousness. When Christians get to the end of their lives what is important? James, the brother of CHRIST, stated in James 1:12:

12 A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

We also read in Job 23:10:

10 Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.

Genuine faith is more valuable than pure gold because it confirms the reality of GOD in our lives “in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” There will be a day when, as written in Philippians 2:8-11:

8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Let’s read 1Peter 1:8-9, 13:

8 You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The Christians to whom the Apostle Peter was writing had to trust the eyewitness accounts and testimony of the Apostles and Disciples confirmed by the scriptures that JESUS was and is who HE claimed to be. Christians, since the ascension of JESUS into Heaven with the exception of the Apostle Paul, have had to trust in the witness of Christians, GOD’S Word, the Bible, and the indwelling Holy Spirit to the authenticity of CHRIST and HIS resurrection.

I know, I tried to figure Christianity out intellectually but there was no way. When I finally took a step of faith, it was CHRIST in me and HIS power that sustained me. I received a power and knowing that I had never experienced before. It was the beginning of an awesome journey of getting to know CHRIST and GOD through my relationship with CHRIST. It has been a journey of false notions and ideology perking up and having to face them and deal with them with the help of the Holy Spirit. Building trust is never easy but it is comforting and rewarding as we grow Spiritually in our relationship with CHRIST. It is all about being completely honest with CHRIST and GOD about our inner questions and trust regarding HIM. Seek and you will find.

Verse 8, states three ways a true Christian responds to CHRIST:

-         You love HIM.

-         You believe in HIM.

-         You rejoice in HIM with inexpressible and glorious joy. Those who have experienced salvation cannot put into words the magnificent overwhelming change when salvation is experienced. One caution, not everyone has this experience. For some salvation is like the dawning of a new day. The sun rises but when can the person say that the day has dawned? Salvation can be the same way. Those who know that they have asked CHRIST to forgive them for their sins and for HIM to come into their lives, CHRIST entered into their lives. It is CHRIST in you that makes you a Christian.

-         Why do you rejoice in HIM with inexpressible and glorious joy? - Because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Salvation. What is the goal of your faith? Faith in CHRIST is the goal of GOD for every person who has or will ever live. When a person receives CHRIST as his/her Savior that goal is achieved but only fully realized at his or her physical death. At the instant of salvation each Christian receives eternal life through his/her faith in CHRIST and the miracle of rebirth into GOD’S family. But GOD allows them to remain upon earth to grow and mature Spiritually and to carry out HIS plan and purpose which HE has called them to, provided they are willing.

Let’s read 1 Peter 1:10-12:

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when He testified in advance to the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you (Christians). These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels desire to look into these things.

The prophets who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to record prophesies regarding the coming and mission of the Messiah, longed to witness what they were led to write about. But such a fulfillment of prophesies revealed to them were not for that moment in time but for the time that Christians were to experience during and after the coming of the promised Messiah.

Matthew 13:16-17: (JESUS was speaking to HIS disciples.)

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The angels long to experience what Christian’s experience. Have you experienced the joy of salvation? If not, now is that moment for you to ask CHRIST to forgive you for your sins and believing that HE died for your sins, ask HIM to come into your life. If you did, then thank HIM for coming into your life and ask HIM to help you to become all that only HE knows what you are capable of becoming as a born-again Christian.

Let’s read 1 Peter 1:13-16: A Call to Holy Living

13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.

“Therefore” because you, as a born-again Christian, have the assurance of the “living hope”, Peter admonished his readers to:

-         Ready your minds ready for action, - When Christians have the desire to obediently serve GOD, get prepared because GOD will provide the opportunity. Internalize your relationship with GOD through your relationship with CHRIST. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

-         be serious – Christians will need to be mentally prepared refusing to follow false notions or to be caught up in their own self-esteem.

-         and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Stay focused on the hope you have in CHRIST and on the grace GOD gives you as you obediently serve HIM. Why? Because when you decide to obediently serve GOD, Satan will do all he can to trip you up. CHRIST began HIS earthly ministry by being tempted by Satan and so will we.

The Apostle Peter calls Christians to be Holy because GOD is Holy. The only book others may read is the Gospel according to you. That is tough and only the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit can help Christians to achieve Holy living. We must let CHRIST live through us. We all miss the mark and that is why all Christians need GOD’S grace. Blessings!!!