Born Again to a Living Hope

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Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV)

3Blessed 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 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

Devotion:

          This devotion will be dedicated, as these verses are, to the praise and glory of God. Peter begins by using an exclamation of pure praise to the “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The form of this exclamation might be familiar to us as it is used (without reference to Christ) frequently in the Old Testament, and occasionally is Paul’s letters. (see 2 Corinthians 1:3, and Ephesians 1:3)

          Peter then quickly turns to the reason for his exclamation of praise. Giving thanks and praise for God’s mercy by which we are saved by being born again by God’s provision for us through faith. Peter’s language here is overflowing with praise toward God. So, we too should praise God for his provision of eternal life. As Peter says, “we are born again to a living hope”. One which is ours for eternity. A hope that is that will never fade or spoil.

          Then Peter moves on in verse 5 to have us worship God because of his power by which our faith is guarded for all eternity for our salvation.  “The readers have been born anew, not to obtain a family inheritance in the earthly land of Canaan, but to obtain an inheritance in the eternal city of God (away from which they now live as sojourners, v. 1). The ‘inheritance’ is thus their portion in the new creation and all its blessings.”[1]

Prayer:

          Heavenly Father thank you for giving us your Son to provide for us a way to salvation. We praise your name because you are the Holy One of heaven. You are the one and only true God. Help us to put all our little ‘gods’ away and be true to you. Let us seek to live lives so that they bring glory to your name. Amen.


[1] Wayne A. Grudem, 1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 17, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 61.

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