My portion of text this morning was 1 Peter chapter 1, and it was as I read 1 Peter 1:3-9 especially that I found myself being drawn in to ponder more deeply on what I was reading. I was really struck by the fact of the precious and invaluable treasure given to us, by our great, gracious and merciful God and Father, in His Son, Yeshua the Messiah. The Father has given us so many ‘good and perfect gifts’ – above all these are His Son for sinners and faith in Him, through His grace. A great many of the gifts our Father has given, we could possibly live without, but without these two, there is no grace, no salvation from sin, no hope.
It’s the latter gift which I found my thoughts being particularly taken up with today, highlighted especially at 1 Peter 1:3-9 which says:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 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, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 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, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
It’s favourable comparison with gold struck me deeply. Thinking on this a little, I was struck with the thought that in being purified and brought forth as pure gold – highly prized and desired by many, gold does not endure forever. This is so despite its quality of endurance, as this passage shows pure gold will one day perish. The faith which comes from God – being exercised – will not. Though put through fiery testing – and note, fiery tests do not in themselves produce faith, it is a gift from God – the fire proves its existence. If its existence is real, it will endure until it is itself turned into sight at the revelation of Lord Yeshua. Praise the Lord!
This faith in Yeshua, gifted to us from God, in God gives us the victory over the world (1 John 5:4);
This faith in Yeshua is a great and protective shield from our enemy’s strong arrows (Ephesian 6:16);
Acted upon, this faith in Yeshua will enable us to be pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:6) and in Him enable us to do awesome things (Hebrews 11; James 3:2-26).
It will lead to the end for which it has been given – ‘the salvation of your souls’ (1 Peter 1:9).
And so much more in-between according to the Scriptures!
As I pondered more upon this gift and the grace of God in giving it to us in Messiah Yeshua, I became conscious of the words particularly at verses 35-36 in the passage below at Hebrews 10:35-39 which I ended up reading. It says:
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
It was as though the Lord was saying – don’t give up. God’s faith – being exercised – will last the course! It is faith in God Himself – in His nature, His character, His word through His Son Yeshua! Praise the Lord for His blessed encouragement in these dark and uncertain days!
God bless you.
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