Healing Rays of Righteousness

The apostle Peter begins his first letter to the suffering, scattered church of his day by addressing them with awesome descriptive words as being God’s elect, scattered exiles, chosen, and sanctified. He then blesses them with “Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”

Peter than launches into a hymn of thankful praise to God for the gifts of hope and inheritance given them through the resurrection of Jesus. “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 ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5). Thus, Peter reaffirms the basics of salvation for both them and us.

Peter’s statement “In his great mercy” is key to grasping the fullest meaning of our salvation. With these words, Peter reminds us that “new birth” comes to us not as a reward but as a gift, a gift we do not deserve. The writer of Lamentations earlier wrote, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  (Lam.3:22-23).

Peter experienced this truth in his own life and declared that “new birth” gifts us into a new relationship with the resurrected Jesus Christ. And the most obvious benefit of this new birth is the “living hope” of eternal life.

But Peter also teaches that God’s gift of “salvation” also invades our present everyday life with some very enjoyable benefits” such as:

               1. A living hope (v.3). In Jesus Christ, God has given us a “living hope” that is not dependent upon our environment or outward circumstances. The word “living” denotes that which is dynamic, vital, alive. In other words, this hope is like living waters flowing from a perennial spring which never runs dry. We need to remember that the word “hope” is a uniquely Christian word because it makes no sense without the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is more than wishful thinking and beyond “I think I can, I think I can.”

               2. A heavenly inheritance (v.4). This inheritance is indestructible, nonperishable, unpolluted, and shining. It is a guaranteed inheritance, kept and guarded in heaven for each of us who believe and received Christ’s resurrection gift of new birth.

               3. A powerful shield (v.5). Until the day we claim our heavenly inheritance, God has promised to provide us with living hope and shielded with His power. This powerful shield is ours if we live by faith in the living resurrected Christ. The apostle Paul instructs us to use this shield of faith to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16).

In verse 8, Peter portrays “salvation” as a life of experiencing “inexpressible and glorious joy” living in a relationship with Jesus of loving and believing in him.

Peter concludes his hymn of praise in verse twelve by saying that our salvation is such an amazing event that “Even angels long to look into these things.” The New Living Translation is even more descriptive. “It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.” 

Can you imagine that? The angels in heaven are in the very presence of God’s heavenly glory and majesty and yet they “long to look into these things” concerning our salvation. The Greek word for “look into” means to “stoop down to take a peek.”

Let your mind ponder the truth that God’s “salvation” gift to us is so great that it amazes the heavenly angels. With eager curiosity, longing, and desire, they continue peeking into this wonderful salvation which had been declared by the prophets, revealed by the Holy Spirit, and is now available for all who will believe by faith in the resurrected Jesus and receive his gift of a “new birth into a living hope.”

It is a certainty for Peter in believing that Jesus’ resurrection is crucial. Everything that he says in his letter regarding salvation hinges on God’s act of raising Jesus from the dead. And he urges us to believe with the same certainty and amazed wonder.

The writer of Hebrews summarizes the situation well, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For … how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? (Hebrews 2:1-3).

As I reflect on the salvation that is ours because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, my thoughts are expressed in a hymn that George Beverly Shea wrote and beautifully sung during my earlier years.

The Wonder of It All

(1) There’s the wonder of sunset at evening, The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul – Is the wonder that God loves me.

(Refrain)

O the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all – Just to think that God loves me!

O the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all – Just to think that God loves me!

(2)  There’s the wonder of spring-time and harvest, The sky, the stars, the sun;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul – Is a wonder that’s only begun.

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – May 3, 2023

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley