The Beautiful Hope of Eternity
What a truly beautiful way to begin a letter. Peter’s love for the Lord and the joy of his salvation flow through his words. Paul Heibert commented, “This beautiful passage is the outpouring of an adoring heart. Only one who has devoutly contemplated the greatness of our salvation could utter such a magnificent paean of praise, one that prepares and encourages the suffering soul to steadfastly continue the spiritual battle.”
I love that Peter begins by reminding us of the wonderful promise which is salvation. Verses 3-4 say, “By His great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Nothing can steal our inheritance. Nothing can erase our names from God’s book. It is because of His great compassion and pity that we have been called, saved, and sealed for an eternal reward we never could have earned.
Because we have this beyond belief hope in a future of extraordinary beauty and peace, we can suffer through this life a little while. None of us can honestly say that our lives have no struggles or worries. They surround each of us. The difference between the redeemed and those who have rejected the Lord is hope. For those who believe this world is all there is to life, disappointments can be devastating. Struggles seem pointless. It is no wonder that suicide rates have risen drastically as God has been removed from our societies. Without the structure of a life framed by eternity, we lose the point and the meaning of struggle. Peter reminds us that these trials and bumps in life’s road are only temporary. Even if they remain during our entire time on earth, compared with how long we will be present with the Lord in eternal joy, that time is relatively short. Peter understood trials. He understood living through difficult times. He understood being afraid for his life, and all the highs and lows in between. For this reason, we can rely on his advice, and he tells us to rejoice because all those difficulties refine our faith like gold passed through the fire.
We have a hope that is imperishable. We have a hope that can withstand every temptation and every trial because our hope does not rest in our abilities. Our faith is firmly tethered to God’s ability, and that makes all the difference. Since we have such a great hope; however, we do have a responsibility. This should not be confused with a way to earn or repay God in some way. We should want to hold fast to this responsibility because of our deep love and devotion for the one who paid everything to ransom our souls. Peter tells us we need to “not be conformed” to “the passions of your former ignorance.” In other words, once you have been washed clean, don’t rush back to the mud you were rescued from. Instead, “Be holy for I am holy.” (verse 16) Notice how verse 22 puts the power in our hands. It says, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart.” Jesus sanctified us. He facilitated our rebirth, our growth rests in our hands. We can choose to stay as we are. Our salvation will not be affected by our laziness; however, that is not what God asks of us. Peter tells us we purify our souls by obedience. That’s our choice, and it isn’t always an easy one. By first reminding us of the magnificent joys we have both received and stored up for us, Peter makes it clear that the sacrifice of working towards being holy and walking in obedience hardly compares with what we have received.
I want to leave you with Peter’s final words in Chapter 1 which he quotes from Isaiah 40:6-9:
“The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord abides forever.”
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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