1st Peter 1:1-12 • Born Again to a Living Hope
- Steve Schott
- Aug 12
- 6 min read
► Last time we looked at the life of Peter to see the Man, the Myth, and the Legend.
• As an introduction to our coverage of 1st and 2nd Peter, we looked at the life of Peter, as recorded in the Gospels and the book of Acts, and also from what we know of him from history.
► The Man
• Walking with Jesus
→ What was the character of Peter as a disciple?
→ In this section we discussed 3 episodes in Peter's life while living in the shadow of Jesus, as He traveled through Israel reaching out to the lost.
► The Myth
• Winning souls for Jesus
→ What was the character of Peter as a disciple maker?
→ Then we looked at the changes in Peter's life as He represented Jesus after He departed to return to the Father.
► The Legend
• Writing to encourage followers of Jesus
→ What are the concerns of Peter in regard to the followers of Jesus?
→ And now we will begin gaining an understanding of where Peter's heart is, some 30ish years later, as he writes to believers, near the end of his life.
A Living Hope, and a Sure Salvation
► 1st Peter 1:1-12 → 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
► The year is somewhere between 62-65AD, and Peter is writing to believers in the area of what is known as Asia Minor, which is the northern part of the modern country of Turkey.
• It's kind of amazing to me that this part of the world, that was so much a part of the ministry of Peter, Paul, and John, and the collective disciples of each of them, is now a predominately Muslim area.
• Peter talks about how they are "chosen", translated as "elect" in some translations, by the "foreknowledge of God". Some within Christendom believe this term to mean that God has only chosen those who will eventually believe and obey Him. I don't hold to that. I believe that He has chosen ALL humans, but that only some will respond to Him. Others will turn away, but it's their choice to do so.
• Our calling is to receive the salvation provided for us by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross.
• Which should lead us into a pattern of increasing obedience to Jesus, being led by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• Salvation is provided through a one-time act on the part of Jesus, to which each of us must respond in some fashion, but only need to respond one time.
• Sanctification, on the other hand, is a process, encouraged by the guiding of the Holy Spirit, to an ever-increasing pattern of submission to Jesus to follow Him.
► Peter uses the phrase "grace and peace", which was also common for the Apostle Paul in ALL of his writings.
• Keep in mind that you can't have peace, if you haven't received grace.
• You can't have one without the other.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
► So much theology in these verses...
• Peter had already mentioned "grace and peace" in verse 2, but now also mentions "mercy".
• Grace and mercy are like two sides of the same coin.
→ Grace is a free gift. It's something we receive that we don't deserve.
→ Mercy, on the other hand, is when we don't receive something that we do deserve.
→ We deserve punishment (eternal damnation) but we receive life (eternal glory).
→ It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which is the better deal.
• And all of this, rather than being of our own efforts, are totally because of Jesus, and what He did on the cross, and His resurrection.
→ We now (those of us who trust in Jesus) are saved for this life from any of the negative effect of our sinful life.
→ Yes, we'll still trip on our shoe laces while navigating our way, but what is coming is "imperishable and undefiled", "will not fade away", is "reserved in heaven for you (us)", and we are "protected by the power of God" that because of our faith we'll ultimately see the fullness of our salvation, which is "ready to be revealed in the last time."
• Only good stuff waiting for us at the end.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
► BUT... in this life we will be "distressed by various trials,...".
• And I think the context of this passage is more about EXTERNAL trials, rather than internal ones we've created for ourselves by some of the stupid choices we occasionally make.
• Peter talks about how our response, or the net result of these trials, will be a stronger, more perfected, more valuable, faith.
• A faith that is focused on the opinion of Jesus rather than that of the world, and that is based on a love for Him upon whom we "have not seen".
• Rather than despair being the result of our trials, we will have "joy inexpressible", as we look forward to that time when the salvation we now have positionally in Christ, will become a reality in the next life.
10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.
► The prophets of the Old Testament were all looking forward to the eventual eternal deliverance, but couldn't see it clearly, but knew it was coming, and knew that it would have to be acquired by faith.
• It would have been obvious to anyone watching what was happening in Israel at any time in it's history to know that anyone being good enough to be saved was an impossibility, and that it would only be by the grace of God that anyone would ever see heaven.
• They were all looking forward, probably not clearly understanding the difference between the suffering of the Messiah and the rule of the Messiah, but they all knew He was coming.
► And even the angels were not fully aware of how God was orchestrating the salvific events of the future.
► But Peter has explained to his audience, that this is the time, and they are the recipients of this grace of God through Jesus Christ.
So what?
1st • We need to develop the mindset of who we are.
→ We no longer belong to this world.
→ We belong to god, who chose us for his own possession.
→ We are exiles in this world; pilgrims headed for the celestial city.
2nd • We need to think about God's purpose in choosing us and sanctifying us by the Spirit:
→ for obedience to Christ, and sprinkling by His blood (subjects of the New Covenant, set apart as priests, and cleansed from sin).
3rd • We need an attitude of thankfulness for God's great mercy.
4th • We need an eternal perspective to get us through the trials of this life.
5th • As we think about other Christians who are experiencing trails - especially those being persecuted for their faith - it should move us to prayer.
Photo • 2026/08/03 - Hawk on a hay bale near Langley, OK
Thanks to David Sargent, one of the co-teachers in our Sunday School class, for providing some of the thoughts I've included in this post.
“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org”
All linked verses are from the YouVersion at www.Bible.com
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