Priceless Inheritance

So what do we have to look forward to if we make the choice to obey Christ and follow after Him through obedience to His teachings and the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Well we can look at the book of Revelation and get an idea of what heaven will be like. However, Peter tells us the most important part of what we need to know about our lives as believers in Jesus Christ and any possible rewards that may be waiting on those who served God through service to His son Jesus. .

“4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 1 Peter 1:4 (NLT)”

I love the idea that there is an inheritance waiting on me when I get to heaven that is pure and undefiled. Do we understand what that means? When we think about an inheritance in our world today we often associate it with what has been left by a family member upon their death to another family member. This could include money homes land or other forms of property. However, those things will all fade away in one sense or another but not what has been promised to you after accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. What awaits you and me as believers in Christ can never fade or lose its value.  It is a permanent treasure that was earned for us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection from the dead.

Paul in his letter to the Colossians discusses this same point in Colossians 1:5;

“5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News” Colossians 1:5 (NLT)

God has reserved something better than anything we can imagine for those who will believe in Jesus Christ. Today you r inheritance has been set aside never to be reduced or defiled. This promise is eternal and one we can rejoice in even as the world around us works to drag us down and make us forget the power and might of the one who made us.

Whatever trial you find yourself in today take a few minutes to examine what God has already done for you remembering were he brought you out of and knowing that he has promised never to leave you. Everything that you face today does not surprise God. So today focus on the promise of a priceless inheritance in a time yet to come and know that if you walk in the light of God’s Word one day you will receive what God has promised you. Be blessed as you walk in the light of God’s Word.

Mercy and Hope

Peter begins to share with the audience of this Epistle his focus in this first section verses 3-12 deals with the theme of hope for eternal life. However, the first thing we see is not a quick explanation of this process but Peter begins by glorifying the Creator who through His mercy has made a way of redemption for us. Depending on the translation of scripture you are using this may read a little differently.

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

 

For me there are two key words in this verse that I want to focus on they are Mercy and Hope. You see in our world today these are often in short supply. However, Peter in this passage tells us that God has given them both to us in a great measure through the resurrection of His son Jesus. I often feel as though we miss this part of the salvation story mainly because we do not understand the concept of mercy well.

Mercy is a main theme throughout the scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments. However, it has some different meanings in both and carries a different message to the reader, Mercy is most often defined in the Old Testament as the expression of God’s loyalty and devotion to the covenant agreement He had with Israeli. It was centered on their ability and willingness to maintain the covenant. While in this New Testament passage we understand that the use of the word Mercy represents compassion, kindness or even pity for someone. Showing mercy is a critical part of the Christian life and often is one of the reasons we fail to live out our witness in front of the world. It comes from the fact that we fail to recognize the mercy we have received and pass it on to others. I am guilty of this myself so don’t take it to hard we all do it. It does however not make it right or acceptable to God.

The other point that Peter emphasize is that through this compassionate mercy we are given a Hope that is greater than all the trails we will face. No matter your lot in life or what problems may come your way. Because God was merciful and had compassion on his creation he has made a way of salvation for those who will believe upon His Son Jesus. If we will accept Him as our Lord and savior we will one day experience our own resurrection from the dead.

To be honest I there I believe that this is a two part promise when we talk about the resurrection we often think about when Jesus will return and all the dead will rise as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:52:

“52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52 (ESV)

 

However, the day that you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior you have moved from death into life. That is a form of resurrection. Before you accepted Christ you were dead and of no use to the kingdom of God but now you are made a new creation and have a purpose in the world. One of the definitions of resurrection, “is a rising again, as from decay and disuse” are you prepared to be used by God today if so than you have experienced a form of resurrection. After all you were created with a purpose but to fully be used in that purpose you must have a life changing soul saving relationship with Jesus Christ. If you have that then you can have hope in every situation you face. God’ great Mercy has supplied every believer with an unending supply of hope for today and for the future. Be blessed today as you walk in the light of God’s Word.

The Greeting

One thing that most of the letters we find written to in the New Testament have in common is that they all contain some form of greeting; each with its own style. This comes from the authors and scholars often use it to help determine the true authorship of the Epistle. We could discuss that however, since I am holding that the author is who he claims to be there is something more valuable in it for us today. You see one of the most debated topics of the church is mentioned in verse 2:

2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace. 1 Peter 1:2 (NLT)

The point of argument is election of the saints. This is a Calvinistic view that many Christians hold today and I neither full agree with it nor dismiss it entirely. To better help you understand this let me give a simple explanation; there are two current competing views of how salvation works. One is election the other is free will; with election the belief is simple before you were born God knew who you were and had already established a plan your life that involves your acceptance of Him. In this view sooner or later you will be saved. Now this goes off the premises that if some are born to be saved then others are born to die in their sin. The free will view of scripture is that God knew you before you were born and has a plan for your life but has allowed us free will that will let us make a choice to follow him or not. This leaves the decision for salvation in the hands of each individual. My point is if you look in scripture you can find arguments that support both views. Throughout scripture God has chosen certain people at certain times in to proclaim His will to the world. Yet you never see Jesus make anyone follow after Him. I defer to Paul as to which concept is right as he wrote to the Corinthians in 1Corinthians 13:12:

12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians13:12 (ESV)

Someday we will know the truth and be able to see all that God had established from the beginning. In the meantime we live through faith that what He has promised in His word and through the Holy Spirit He will bring to fruition.

Now let me look at the other point Peter makes in this passage. While he states that these individuals were chosen by God it was not through their power that they were made Holy. It required the coming of the Holy Spirit to help them obey the teachings of Christ. You see we often assume that because we call ourselves Christian we are one. However, to truly be a Christian requires we be obedient to the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It also requires the application of the Blood of Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross.

Thomas Paine once said, “What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” Whether you believe in election or free will there was a sacrifice made for you how you view that sacrifice determines what value you place on your salvation. I pray today that you value you it so that in the end you will enjoy God’s grace and have greater and greater peace as Peter described at the end of the verse. Be blessed today as you walk in the light of God’s Word.