Based on the LGG Study, Enduring Hope, w3d2
Today’s Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 / SOAP: 1 Peter 1:8-9
You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9
LIVING HOPE
Peter’s letter is meant to be a praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, it also serves to encourage the Christians who had been scattered because of persecution. What a cheerleader Peter was for these believers. He urges them to not give up even though they may be suffering, the suffering will enhance their faith and reveal its proven character – which Peter says is much more valuable than gold. He cheers them on with the reminder that they have, by faith, been reborn into a living hope, that they can trust in this hope because Jesus is ALIVE! I can just hear Peter cheering – ‘Alive! Alive! / A-L-I-V-E / Jesus is ALIVE! – This is the foundation of our salvation and it is indeed our living hope! It is, as Peter described, our imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance kept in heaven for us until that day!
What exactly does Peter mean when he speaks of “a living hope”?
Peter states that it is the “new birth” that provides our living hope, affirming that salvation is a gift from God. Just as an infant does nothing to be born, we experience rebirth not because of who we are or anything we have done. We are born of God (John 1:13) through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Salvation changes who we are (2 Corinthians 5:17), making us dead to sin and alive to righteousness in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:5). This new birth serves as our reason for hope—the assurance of salvation. – Jesus Christ is our Savior, our salvation, our Living Hope.
Gotquestions.org /on what is Living Hope
BLIND LOVE
Like those Peter wrote to in his day – we have not yet seen Jesus, but we love Him and we believe in Him, and indeed, we rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy! Why? Because we are achieving, or realizing, the goal of our faith – which is – the salvation of our souls! Can’t you just hear the crowd responding to Peter’s cheer with a thunderous shout of “Hallelujah! / HALLELUJAH! / HAL-LE-LU-JAH!?”
Response To The Word
Father, Hallelujah! You have given us a spectacular and living hope through a faith that is attaining for us the salvation of our souls. You have given us Jesus, and even though we haven’t yet seen Him we have believed in Him and we have loved Him. This belief and love are ongoing and bring with them an indescribable and glorious joy – to which we say glory hallelujah and amen!
Go Deeper
What is the living hope in 1 Peter 1:3?
Visit today’s LGG Blog for more thoughts on today’s passage
Biblereference.com / commentary on 1 Peter 1:8
The Salvation of our Souls / commentary on 1 Peter 1:9
Me From the Inside Out 