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Peter’s first letter encourages believers to live faithfully as God’s chosen people in a world where trials and suffering are certain. He begins by reminding us of the hope we have through the resurrection of Yeshua and the imperishable inheritance that awaits us. We are called to holiness in our daily lives, humility in our relationships, submission to authority, and persevering in suffering. Through it all, our focus is on Messiah, who suffered for us, secured our salvation, and left an example for us to follow.
We start with verse 8: You love him (Messiah Yeshua) even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
Faith Produces Love: You love him even though you have never seen him. Peter saw Yeshua, touched Yeshua, heard Yeshua, lived and travelled with Yeshua for several years. However, he tells us that after Messiah’s resurrection and ascension, love for Yeshua is not based on physical experience. It comes from faith. If we believe that Yeshua is the risen and ascended Messiah, if we believe that He is at the right hand of God the Father, ruling all things – full of love, grace and mercy, life and power – we will love Him. Faith enables our spiritual eyes to see and love Yeshua.
What does it mean to love Yeshua? It means wanting to be with Him, to be close to Him. That happens when we think about Him and talk to Him. And since love and obedience are connected, loving Yeshua also means obeying His teachings. Do you love Yeshua? If your love for Yeshua is not what it should be; if your love for Him has grown cold; if you’re not obedient to His teachings – pray that God renews your love for Him.
You love him even though you have never seen him. Think of soldiers who have been newly assigned to the command of a general with a great reputation. They haven’t seen him but they know his reputation – that he is wise and courageous. He cares for the men under his command and personally leads them into battle. These soldiers know and love the general even though they’ve never seen him. In a similar way, we love Yeshua, though we haven’t seen Him, because we know Him. We see Him because of our faith.
Faith Produces Joy: Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The Messianic Jews that Peter was writing to were suffering. He wants them to know that faith doesn’t remove trials – it transforms them. Joy does not depend on our circumstances. Joy comes from faith, from knowing that Yeshua is alive, is worthy of our trust, and will resurrect us and share a glorious inheritance with us.
Faith Results In Salvation: The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. Salvation is both present and future. When we first have faith, when we first believe that Yeshua is the risen Lord and Savior, we are saved. But the fullness of our salvation will be experienced in the future when we are resurrected and transformed into the glorious sons and daughters of God, and are in the welcoming presence of the High King of Heaven, and His Son, King Yeshua. We are saved in the past by faith; we are sustained in the present by faith; and we are saved in the future with the fullness of salvation.
Since faith produces love and joy and results in our future salvation, let’s cultivate and nurture and strengthen faith. Remembering the ways God has helped us and others strengthens faith. Reading the Word of God and talking to God throughout the day strengthens faith. Serving our brothers and sisters in Messiah’s Community strengthens faith. Sharing the message of salvation with others strengthens faith. Being filled with the Holy Spirit strengthens faith. Righteous, obedient, holy living strengthens faith.
More about the wonderful salvation that comes through Messiah: This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Messiah within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Messiah’s suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
God enabled the prophets to look ahead to Messiah’s salvation. God had saved Israel in many ways throughout our history – during the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, from Egyptian slavery, during the times of the judges and kings. He brought us back from exile in Babylon – but the prophets foresaw a greater salvation – not just from earthly enemies – but from sin and death – a salvation that involved Messiah’s suffering and His great glory afterward. Isaiah 53 describes the Messiah suffering, atoning for our sins, and then being exalted. Daniel 9 foretells the “Anointed One” being “cut off” before ultimate deliverance would come. Zechariah foresaw a pierced Savior who would save His people from certain annihilation.
How did the prophets know these things? The Spirit of Messiah was in them, revealing to them things about this future salvation. Peter is teaching us that the message about Yeshua wasn’t some story that was invented by people in the first century. It was God’s eternal plan that was communicated to the prophets by the Spirit of the Son of God and then unfolded centuries later.
The prophets longed to know more about this messianic salvation. When would this happen? How would it happen? What would the circumstances involve? God’s answer: It was not for them but for future generations. They were on a “need‑to‑know basis” and they didn’t need to know the details. The same is true of us. We too are on a need-to-know basis. Everything we need to know is in the Bible. Faith trusts that what God has revealed in His Word is sufficient. Faith is content with God’s timing.
And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. What the prophets saw dimly and from far away, the apostles, the Lord’s representatives, saw clearly and in the present. Messiah arrived, lived a perfect life, suffered, died, was resurrected, ascended, and was glorified. This is the Good News that when believed, saves us. And this Good News wasn’t announced with human eloquence or cleverness, but in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven.
There’s a huge difference between preaching in human power and in the Spirit’s power. Human power can inform minds, stir emotions or win arguments – but it can’t transform hearts. The power that comes from God’s Spirit is what convinces people of the truth, opens blind eyes, brings people to Messiah, and gives new life.
The difference between proclaiming the truth in human power and in the power of the Spirit is the difference between swimming behind a sailboat and pushing it to make it go – exhausting and ineffective – or being in the boat and raising the sail and letting the wind fill it. It’s the same boat and the same water – but a completely different power source which produces completely different results. We need to walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, be filled with the Spirit so our sharing of the Good News is empowered by the Holy Spirit.
This Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. The Lord’s representatives, like Peter, preached with the power of the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven. The fact that the apostles preached by the power of the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven validates their message. It wasn’t a made up story. It wasn’t mere human reflection on events. It was Spirit‑confirmed truth from Heaven. We are not to operate in human strength but in the same Spirit who has always inspired and guided and empowered God’s people. Knowing that the same Spirit who spoke to the prophets, empowered the apostles, and lives in us should give us confidence in the Word of God and boldness in proclaiming the Good News.
It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. The angels are amazed by everything involved with our salvation and are eagerly watching what’s happening. They see God’s glory in creation but in salvation they see more of His glory, and much more of His grace, mercy and love. The incarnation, and the life, death and resurrection of the Son of God, and the transformation of our nature by being born again, and the Spirit living in us and empowering us – reveal things that the angelic armies of Heaven didn’t fully understand until these things happened.
If the angels are eagerly watching these things that are connected to our salvation, shouldn’t we treasure our salvation? Not treat it casually? Thank God for our salvation, that we are saved, born again, have a new nature, and the Spirit is living in us? Thank God for a new, loving community of the chosen ones of the chosen people and the chosen ones of the other nations?
Now for some practical applications from the truths Peter has communicated so far. So prepare your minds for action and exercise self‑control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Messiah Yeshua is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
Prepare Your Minds For Action: To “prepare our minds” means to be spiritually alert, aware, ready, prepared for action. It’s the opposite of being on auto-pilot, coasting, drifting, going through life thoughtlessly. How do we prepare our minds? By reading the Word of God – best in the morning before we start the activities of the day; and by talking to God when we first wake up and talking to Him throughout the day. This prepares our minds.
Exercise Self‑Control: Self‑control is mastery over desires, impulses and emotions. The Spirit produces self‑control as one of His fruits. It’s very hard to exercise self-control and maintain self-control apart from Him. But when we are controlled by the Spirit, He gives us mastery over our desires, impulses, and emotions. So walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, be filled with the Spirit.
Put All Your Hope In The Coming Salvation: Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Messiah Yeshua is revealed to the world. Hope is faith that’s connected to the future. Our hope is not a comfortable life now but the coming salvation that will be revealed when Messiah returns. We put our hope in this future salvation by reminding ourselves of God’s promises about the future, which are sure, certain and true: resurrection, honor, reward, inheritance, eternal life in the New Jerusalem.
Live As God’s Obedient Children: As children of God, we are called to obey our Heavenly Father, not return to our old sinful desires. How do we do that? The Spirit empowers obedience. And when we disobey, the Spirit convicts us and helps us turn back to obedience. So walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, be filled with the Spirit.
We’re More Responsible To Obey Now: Don’t slip back into your old ways of living … You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do. Before we understood the Good News and came to faith, we lived in ignorance. We didn’t know God. We didn’t live according to His righteous standards. But now that we know the truth, more is expected of us. To whom much is given much is required and the penalty for disobedience is more severe. A child who spills a cup of milk out of ignorance is gently corrected. But if the child, after being taught not to spill his milk deliberately spills it again – the consequences are more serious. No cheap grace, no sloppy living for us. May the fear of God motivate us to not slip back into our old ways of living but live holy lives.
Be Holy In Everything You Do: You must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” God calls us to be holy because He is holy. Holiness means being set apart for God, set apart from sin, set apart from the world, set apart to live for God and accomplish His purposes for us. Holiness is not achieved by human effort but by the Holy Spirit living in us and empowering us and transforming us. So walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, be filled with the Spirit.
Peter’s words are clear: God is calling us to a new way of life: alert minds, self-controlled hearts, a focused hope, obedient living, and holy conduct. On our own, this is impossible. But with the Holy Spirit living in us and empowering us, it’s not only possible – it’s certain, it’s sure, it’s guaranteed.
Final verses for today: And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” People have favorites and treat people they favor better than the ones they don’t favor. However, God has no favorites. Our Heavenly Father is just and impartial. He doesn’t give special treatment because of status, wealth, ethnicity, family background or reputation. Everyone is equal before Him.
He will punish or reward us according to what we do. While salvation is by grace through faith, God still evaluates our works, the things we do, our deeds, our actions, the way we live, the choices we make, the priorities we have – to determine faithfulness, reward or loss. Therefore we are to live each day doing what God wants us to do, making choices that align with faith and with God’s Word.
Live In Reverent Fear Of God: “Fear” doesn’t mean terror but a deep respect and awe of God’s holiness, power, and authority. Living in the fear of God means living with the awareness that God sees everything and we will answer to Him for everything. Therefore we are to live righteous lives, holy lives, in the service to God – not casual, careless, sloppy, selfish or sinful lives.
Live As Temporary Residents: This world is not our home. We’re only passing though. We’re strangers in a strange land, exiles, pilgrims, sojourners, wanderers. Our permanent home is in Heaven. Therefore, our priorities and values must not be shaped by the temporary things of this impermanent world, but by the eternal realities of God’s world.
Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of faith that enables us to love Yeshua, even though we have not seen Him. Strengthen our faith so that our trials produce joy, and deepen our hope in the salvation yet to be revealed. Help us prepare our minds, exercise self‑control, live as obedient children, and walk in holiness, knowing we are temporary residents here. Fill us with Your Spirit so we may live faithfully, honor You in all we do, and rejoice in the glorious inheritance awaiting us because of Messiah Yeshua. Amen.