Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
As Peter opens his First Epistle he speaks of the strangers scattered throughout certain countries, then he goes on to tell us some things about these strangers, who, and what they are. By way of introduction to the study of this Epistle, let us consider these strangers scattered abroad.
1. The fact that they are strangers. Believers are not strangers to God, neither should they be strangers one to another. However, they are strangers to the world and to sin. We read how the old-time seers, Abraham in particular, journeyed in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. These three, Abraham, his son, and his grandson, as well as Abraham's wife, Sarah, all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They all confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, journeying toward a country and a city afar off.
2. The fact is, they were strangers scattered through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. The very mention of these names carries our mind back to Pentecost where we read that there were present people from every nation under Heaven, and then these countries which Peter specified are found in the named groups (Acts 2:8-11). This verse in Peter's Epistle shows us, therefore, that the power of Pentecost was still living. The people from Jerusalem had gone back to their own countries carrying with them the message of life, light and love in Jesus Christ. The result was that in the countries represented at Pentecost there were saved believers who counted themselves but strangers on earth, and citizens of Heaven.
3. The fact that they are elect. How striking is this statement that these strangers scattered throughout these various countries were "elect according to the foreknowledge of God." However, not only were they elect, but all the saved are elect. Before ever God created the Heavens and the earth, the saved were elected; before ever Adam was come upon the scene God had already given Christ to die and, according to His foreknowledge, He had given unto Christ all who would ever be saved.
Two other statements are given: they were elect through sanctification of the Spirit, and they were elect unto obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Christ. As we look, therefore, into the strangers to whom Peter addressed his Epistle, we find that they are believers washed in the Blood of the Lamb.
I. A SUNBURST OF PRAISE (1 Peter 1:3)
Here is a verse that scintillates with glory. It carries with it the effect of a sunburst through a dark and fore-boding cloud. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
1. The dark skies. The suggestion of the clouds that hung over Peter, is seen in his statement: "Begotten us again unto a lively hope." We know when Peter's hope was veiled. It was when Christ hung on the Cross. There also stand before us, in darksome hues, the two disciples who went to Emmaus. They demonstrated their gloom not only by their tears, but by their words when they said, "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel."
When Christ hung on the Cross the sky, to the eleven, was dark; their hearts were heavy; their hope was gone. The truth is that if Christ had not been raised from the dead, they, and we would have been of all men most miserable.
2. The sunburst. Suddenly the announcement came to Peter that Christ was raised from the dead. His overwhelming joy lived through the years, and when he wrote this Epistle he voiced his joy with the words, "Blessed be the God." He added to the vision of his joy, when he said that he had been begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the supreme note of joy to the believer. When Jesus Christ met the women near the empty tomb He said to them, "All hail!" that is, "All joy!" And it is "all joy" to His saints to this very hour.
II. A FOURFOLD INHERITANCE (1 Peter 1:4)
Peter saw in the resurrection of Christ more than the vindication of Christ's Deity, more than the resurrection of his Lord. He was begotten unto a lively hope because Jesus Christ had proved Himself to be all that He had ever claimed to be. Beyond that, he was begotten unto the lively hope of an inheritance which was kept in Heaven for him. He saw in Christ's resurrection his own resurrection, and the resurrection of all saints. He saw not only their resurrection, but also the inheritance it brought. Let us look at this fourfold statement concerning the inheritance.
1. It is incorruptible. The body which we have is a corruptible body. Everything around us is corruptible, that is, it is dying; it carries the marks of decay and of dissolution upon it. The inheritance, however, which the resurrection of Christ assures us is an inheritance which is incorruptible. The new body will never decay; will never die, neither will the treasures of Heaven die or decay.
2. It is undefiled. Our inheritance is not soiled, nor dirty, neither can it know anything of stain. It stands forth forever in the beauty of holiness, pure and clean.
3. It fadeth not away. There is no moth, no rust that can touch it on the one hand; no thieves that can break through and steal it, on the other hand. The things of God in Heaven are things which never die, never fade. The things of earth we have today, but tomorrow they are gone. Our Heavenly inheritance abides for aye.
4. It is reserved in Heaven. Thank God that it is kept. It is secure. It cannot be lost.
III. A TWOFOLD SECURITY (1 Peter 1:5)
1. An inheritance kept for us. We wish to emphasize the last statement of 1 Peter 1:4 which is that our inheritance is "reserved in Heaven." I am sure that you will all agree when I say that no devastating fires, no destructive storms, hurricanes, cyclones will ever destroy the mansions, the inheritances which God has reserved in Heaven for us. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "I go and prepare a place for you." He also said, "In My Father's House are many mansions." These mansions are all that Peter, in 1 Peter 1:4, says they are, and, above all, they are reserved, that is, kept for the saints.
2. We are kept for the inheritance. After having told us of the inheritance reserved, or kept, Peter in the Spirit says that we are kept "by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." To us the words are exceedingly beautiful: "reserved in Heaven for you," who are "reserved" for it. If you prefer, you may read it, "kept in Heaven for you who are kept for it." God's keeping power must of necessity be at both ends. If He keeps the inheritance for us, He must keep us for the inheritance. Suppose the inheritance is kept, and we not kept, then over the unoccupied mansions of the once saved but lost, there would have to be written such signs as "For Sale," "For Rent," "To Let," or, something similar.
The security of the saints has a twofold keeping assurance:
(1) Saints are kept by the power of God, and no devil or demon can break God's power.
(2) They are kept through faith, and that faith is secure in Christ.
Saved, sealed, kept,
Secure in Him I stand;
I have a full salvation,
I'm kept in each temptation,
Led on through tribulation,
Safe in His mighty hand.
Saved, sealed, kept,
I cannot ever fall;
His Blood is all my story,
His grace is all my glory,
And so, through ages hoary
He is my all-in-all.
IV. A TWOFOLD CONDITION (1 Peter 1:6)
There are two things spoken of in this verse. Read it for yourself and see if you can find them. "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." Here is the twofold statement:
1. The present heaviness. "Ye are [now, if need be,] in heaviness through manifold temptations." These testings and trials may come to us all. The next verse calls them "the trial of your faith." Where is the believer who does not have his sorrows, in this life? There is much to annoy and to disturb. The Apostle Paul gave a graphic picture of his own testings. If the Christian's joy or peace depended on his earthly environment or condition, there are many times that he would weep and wail.
2. The present joy. Even in the midst of our many temptations we greatly rejoice, even though for a season, if need be, we are in heaviness. We rejoice in the hope that is set before us, the hope which is made real to us through the resurrection of Christ, but which will not be revealed until the last time. The Christian's vision is not circumscribed to the four walls of his present circumstances, but it looks afar off. It pierces into Heaven itself.
Christ lives, all dread is past,
Death's sway is doomed at last,
Its thralldom falls aghast,
I too shall live:
Christ lives, my heart is blest,
Naught can my soul molest,
In Him I am at rest,
Peace He doth give.
Christ lives, whate'er betide
I'll anchor by His side,
Forever to abide
On Heaven's shore.
Christ lives, I can't despair,
For I His joy shall share.
And His great love declare
Forevermore.
V. A THREEFOLD JOY AT CHRIST'S RETURN (1 Peter 1:7)
Let us read 1 Peter 1:7. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the Appearing of Jesus Christ."
The next time we have a trial of faith, let us remember God's words which say that the trial of faith is much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire. We need to learn how to turn our clouds about, seeking to wear them inside out, to show their silver lining. If we could keep our eyes fixed on the finished product of our dark experiences, we could sing even in a Philippian jail. There are three things which the trial of our faith accomplishes for us:
1. It will be found unto praise. In other words, the things over which we sigh now, will make us to sing by and by. We remember how Jacob said, "All these things are against me." He was speaking of the reported death of Joseph. His heart was broken. He thought he was forsaken. God, however, was working out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, and Jacob should have been full of joy instead of grief. When our disappointments are His appointments we will find them unto praise at His Appearing.
2. It will be found unto honor. Oftentimes our gloom seems to be humiliating. It seems to rob us of everything that looks like honor, but God, in His might, will turn the chains of iron which goad us, into chains of gold at His Appearing.
3. It will be found unto glory. It is what Peter calls later on the glory, "after that ye have suffered a while." All these things: praise, honor, and glory, will be ours at the Appearing, that is, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
At that time we will recall our present trials and suffering as nothing, compared to the glory then to be revealed.
VI. A THREEFOLD ATTITUDE (1 Peter 1:8)
It is remarkable to us how the Holy Spirit piles things up in Peter's Epistle. We are now studying one of the longest sentences in the Bible. Peter found no place to stop to take his breath. He was carried along under the sweep of the Holy Ghost, and his words flowed like a torrent from his lips. We are still in the sentence which we began in 1 Peter 1:3. Having mentioned Jesus Christ and His Appearing, the last words of 1 Peter 1:7, Peter swings on into a wonderful threefold statement concerning his Lord:
1. "Whom having not seen, ye love." And we do love Him! How can we help but love Him? We have not seen Him, but we have felt His power. We have not seen Him, but we have known His grace, and we love Him.
2. "Though now ye see Him not, yet believing" in Him. We believe in Him as strongly as though He were standing in our midst. We believe in Him as though we were able to place our finger into the prints of His nail-scarred hands and feet, We do not see Him, but we believe Him, believe every word He has said, believe everything He ever preached.
3. "Though now ye see Him not * * ye rejoice" in Him. We love Him, we believe Him; we rejoice in Him. Our joy is a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. We cannot explain it. We find words are inadequate to acclaim our joy. We are too full for utterance.
VII. A THREEFOLD VIEW OF THE SALVATION TO COME (1 Peter 1:9-11)
1. The salvation of our lives. 1 Peter 1:9 reads, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." This salvation is the salvation spoken of in 1 Peter 1:5, unto which we are kept by the power of God, "unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
There is a salvation past. This was our salvation from sin and from the power of darkness; from hell, and from the penalty of sin. There is a salvation present. We are saved daily from the power and dominion of sin. There is, however, a salvation future: a salvation which will be brought to us at the Second Coming of Christ. This is the salvation of our lives. It includes our new bodies. It looks forward to the rewards which we shall" then receive.
In Hebrews 9:1-28 we read "Unto them that look for Him, shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
2. A salvation ready to be revealed. God is keeping this all for us. He is ready to give it to us when the clock strikes the hour. It will be a happy hour for us. It will be a glad day when we shall enter into the fullness of our redemption.
3. A salvation whose marvels cause the prophets to search. 1 Peter 1:10 tells us that the Prophets of old prophesied that grace which should come upon us. Thus it was that as they prophesied of this coming grace, they also inquired and searched diligently, as they studied their own Scriptures. They were searching concerning this marvelous salvation which is to be brought unto us by and by. The verse reads: "Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow."
AN ILLUSTRATION
"Kept by the power of God unto." The need to look past the present sorrows and trials to Home, Sweet Home.
HOMEWARD BOUND
"A poor beast that is going homeward goeth cheerfully." See how the horse pricks up his ears and quickens his pace when you turn his head to his stable. The proverb saith that even the dull ass doth the same. Much more then should intelligent Christian men feel the attractions of their Heavenly Home. Courage, brothers and sisters; we, too, are homeward bound. Every hour brings us nearer to the many mansions. We are not going from home, or we might hang our heads: our way is towards the Father's House on high, therefore let us rejoice at every step we take.