ByIn the previous study (1 Peter 1:3-5,) I wrote about how God has begotten us again unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And if you’ve not yet read it, you can check it out since today’s article is a build-up of what I published a week ago. Today, I would like to continue to teach about the genuineness of a believer’s faith in Christ as a continuation of the Study Scripture articles in the first book of Peter. Let’s dive in.
Verse 6
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,”
1 Peter 1:6 (NKJV)
The word “this” in the scripture above stands for the revelation of you being kept by the power of God (see 1 Peter 1:5) to see and enjoy the incorruptible and undefiled inheritance God has reserved in heaven for you. Isn’t that great news? Yes, it is. Right?
However, when Apostle Peter was writing this epistle, he addressed Christians in several places that were going through terrible trials for the cause of their faith. So this verse was an encouragement to them. And we, the children of God today, are not exempted from this joy.
You may have become grieved by many trials of life as God’s child. It could be how people reject the gospel in your vicinity, workplace or country. Be encouraged by affirming the truth that you’re kept by the power of God. And because of that, rejoice because your inheritance for upholding the Word of truth and preaching it is kept safe for your benefit in heaven. Don’t lose hope; keep moving forward in Christ.
Verse 7
“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”
1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV)
Now, after being encouraged in verse 6, Peter continues to speak about how trials test the genuineness of a believer’s faith in verse 7, which is the main verse for today’s article.
Reading 1 Peter 1:7 again, trials that come against Christians have a purpose. That is, to test the genuineness of their faith in the Lord. So, for example, God’s Word says in 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV (boldface mine) that,
“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”
Now, if you believe that by Jesus’ stripes, you have healing. Then, the devil shows up to counter malaria in your body. It’s not just sickness but a test to check whether you’ll believe in God to walk in health or compromise your faith to self-medicate without asking God. Medicine isn’t bad, but when it becomes the first thought in your mind, it means God isn’t your first resort to issues, and that’s wrong.
Your faith can’t perish
Beloved, your faith can’t perish. If you don’t waver in your mind but hold on firmly to hearing God’s Word, through which faith comes (see Romans 10:17), in every situation, you’ll see that your faith is genuine and more precious than gold.
Gold is perishable, although it gets refined. If not, then the amount of gold in the soil from the 20th Century to today would have still been around. But it’s not so. The faith of Christ in you isn’t subject to corruption or expiry because the author and finisher of it, Jesus Himself, lives forever (see Hebrews 12:2). He’s the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8).
God first loved us and gave us His Son to die for us. But we have received the divine enablement to love Him back by serving Him through His supplication of grace.
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If there’s any issue before you men think it’s impossible, then because of your faith in Christ, don’t give up. God will show up for you. And in the end, that faith in you will be found to praise, glory and honour at the revelation of Christ in his second coming ( 1 Thessalonians 2:19).
Verse 8
“whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”
1 Peter 1:8 (NKJV)
Nobody had seen Jesus before except those who were living when He came to the earth. For those to whom Apostle Peter was addressing this letter, they didn’t see Jesus physically. But they loved Him because they were being persecuted for the cause of the gospel. Oh, glory be to God. Doesn’t this apply to us?
God first loved us and gave us His Son to die for us (see John 3:16, 1 John 4:19). But we have received the divine enablement to love Him back by serving Him through His supplication of grace. That is why it’s written in Philippians 2:13 (NKJV) that,
“for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
It’s God who continually empowered the early church believers to keep preaching the gospel in the face of severe persecution. And it’s the same God who inspires you to do His work today. You love Him because He supplies what it takes to love Him back. He’s not a God plagued by a need for love. No! He’s love (1 John 4:8). Believe and rejoice with inexpressible glory in Him. He’s for you (see Romans 8:31).
Verse 9
“receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:9 (NKJV)
So what’s next after glorifying the Lord for doing His will because of your love for Him? There’s a result for doing that. That is, you’ll keep receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls.
The word “end,” according to the Strong’s Concordance, means termination – the limit at which a thing ceases to be (always of the end of some act or state, but not of the end of a period of time). So it doesn’t mean your faith in Christ has an expiry date. Instead, the Word is saying; after passing through trials and still standing strong, your soul will be saved from worldly corruption. Why? Because you’ll value the presence of God through that situation more than the opinions of people and atrocities of life. Let God’s grace work for you.
