The Preciousness Of Faith
THE PRECIOUSNESS OF FAITH
1 PETER 1:1-9
Our Christian hope isn’t a vague wish that may be disappointed; it’s an absolute certainty that cannot possibly fail.
With the doubtful exception of Galatians 6:16, the name Israel is not applied to the church in the New Testament, but its various descriptions are. Peter uses here and in 2:11 three such terms. “Dispersion” (1:1) was the regular term for the Jews living outside Palestine; the Christian’s homeland is heaven. “Exiles” (also in 2:11, see also 1:17), better, sojourners, is well rendered “who lodge for a while” by the NEB. The stress is on the short while we are here. Then there is “foreigners” in 2:11. The stress is that Christians, not being citizens of this world (see also Philippians 3:20) have no rights here. They are Christians by a threefold act of the Trinity (though the word is not used): chosen by the Father, made holy by the Spirit, consecrated by the blood of the Son.
“Grace and peace” (1:2): the former includes the experience of God’s covenant love, the latter the opening of God’s treasure chamber. This fact leads to a blessing. “Blessed” (1:3) virtually means that we accept this in gratitude on bended knees. Central is Jesus’ resurrection. His new life has started a new life in us which expects to reach him in heaven. He is our inheritance which we shall obtain at his coming. Because it is a person, not a thing, it is “imperishable” (1:4), etc. While it is secure for us in heaven, we are kept for him down here, his power corresponds to the faith within us.
We can never be sure of anything until it has been tested—“temptations” (1:6) had this meaning earlier—and so we must pass through testings or “trials” (1:6), which can be very painful. Paul assures us we shall never be overtested (1 Corinthians 10:13), and the outcome is that we know our faith is not merely something we have produced, but it has been given us by God. Victory in trial shows that the faith came from God, so it is “precious” (1:7), and can be the cause of praise and glory. Peter was no doubt thinking of Christ’s words to Thomas (John 20:29), when he wrote “without having seen him” (1:8). The rendering of “the salvation of your souls” (1:9) can be misleading: in the Bible, the soul is the whole of a person including their body.
Thought Salvation is complete!