2. What You See Isn't What You Get

Previously, word processing programs didn’t automatically show you what it would actually look like on the page once printed. So Whizzy-Wig was a great improvement in helping people adopt and adapt to personal computers.

But in life, we need to understand that it isn’t always Whizzy-Wig. It is the case that what you see, what you perceive, isn’t always what you get!

Peter addresses a persecuted, marginalised, people. And that is how the world saw them, and perhaps it is how they may have seen themselves. But, Peter, we saw last week, addressed them as God’s special people, as elect exiles. Though they are despised wanderers in the world, they are chosen and embraced by God. His Holy Spirit makes them entirely acceptable so that they can loyally serve Jesus, the crucified King. Because of this they are favoured with an abundance of God’s peace.

In this first section of 1 Peter, the apostle presents the indicative, the Theological Basis (1:3–2:10), the “because of these things”. In the second part of the book we will see the imperative, the “then this is how we must live for God’s glory.”

What is that indicative, the theological basis, the “because of these things” sort of truths? It is this:

Through Christ we have been given a glorious salvation in the future which cannot be taken away from us.

Doxology, the way of life in praise of God, provides the context for the Christian’s new life in Christ because both our experience of suffering grief in trials and our present and ultimate salvation is the goal not only of our faith but also of the plan of God as revealed to the prophets.

We will break this into four parts:

A New Hope, A New Life, 3-5

Humiliation & Confirmation, 6-7

Though it Seems Far Away, Victory is Secure, 8-9

This Is All Part of God’s Plan, 10-12

1. A New Hope, A New Life, 3-5

In the context of the suffering which believers here in 1 Peter were facing, this focus on their future inheritance is especially important. When we as individuals or as a church suffer on account of our being elect exiles, to use the language in 1 Peter 1:1,2, it usually means that there is a loss, that something or someone is being removed from our lives, whether that be a church building, a pastor’s reputation, loss of friendships, economic loss, our religious liberties or even our lives. So in this context Peter, reminds them of the one thing which can never be taken from them: their future inheritance, this new, eternal life that they and we have in Jesus Christ .

i) How is New Life made available (1:3)?

The gift of this future inheritance is made available through God’s mercy and is therefore totally undeserved. The first step is that the Christian is born again or experiences a new birth (as in John 3:3). This opens up for us a new life and a new future which Peter calls a ‘living hope’. This is only made possible by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead: as Jesus is raised to new resurrection life with glory to come ( as we’re told in 1 Peter 1:21)

1 Peter 1:21 ESV

21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

so we in Christ are granted new life by being born again with this certainty of glory to come ( as we are told in 1 Peter 1:5, 7, 9, 13). Throughout the letter these parallels are important.

1 Peter 1:5 ESV

5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:7 ESV

7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:9 ESV

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:13 ESV

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

ii) What is this New Life (1:4, 5)

1 Peter 1:4-5

1 Peter 1:4–5 ESV

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Our inheritance is kept for us, 4

We are kept for our inheritance, 5

There would be little point in promising a glorious inheritance if there was only a slim chance of the believer arriving at his destination to receive it. We would absolutely no assurance! But that is definitely not the case with this inheritance.

Peter assures his readers, especially in the light of persecution and opposition, that God’s power will shield them all the way to ensure that they make it. It is guarded. Peter uses a military metaphor to underline the security we may enjoy en route to heaven, and again we pick up echoes of God leading His people through the wilderness (Exod. 23:20), protecting them along the way.

Exodus 23:20 ESV

20 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.

The future to which we as Christians can look forward with confidence is like the Israelites’ hope of the Promised Land. Peter will use the history of the Israelites and apply it to these mostly Gentile believers he is addressing. For us, this side of the Cross, this inheritance is secure , one which ‘can never perish, spoil or fade’ (1:4). We can hear echoes of Jesus’ words concerning treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19–21).

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Though other inheritances can be frittered away before they can be claimed, this one is absolutely secure and guaranteed.

iii) When is this New Life received (1:5)?

The inheritance is to be revealed ‘in the last time’ (1:5), which is linked to the day when Jesus Christ is revealed (1:7, 13). Peter views Jesus Christ as present but currently hidden (1:8), needing only to be revealed at the appropriate time. At that point, and not until that glorious day, Christians will have reached their goal and will receive the salvation of their souls (1:9).

One of Scripture’s themes regarding the Christian life is that our life is dependent on the pattern of Jesus Christ’s life. We see this often in the NT letters where we see phrases such as “in Christ” and “with Christ.” What happens to Jesus Christ happens to us.

This is true of Jesus’ sufferings ( as we will see later on in chapter 2:21–23; 4:1), but for the moment we can see that if it is Jesus’ resurrection which will grant us new life, then it is the appearing of Jesus Christ in glory which grants us glory (1 Peter 1:7). The Christian life is one of continually following the Lord Jesus Christ. He has pioneered the trail to our inheritance and we follow Him to meet Him there.

1 Peter 1:7 ESV

No wonder the natural response for us believers should be that of praise (1:3) and joy (1:6a). In fact, it is a joy that is ‘inexpressible’ (1 Peter 1:8b). What a glorious future awaits every believer! Though currently in exile, homeless and perhaps suffering in a hostile environment, these believers Peter is addressing have the prospect of a home in glory and of seeing the Lord Jesus Christ face-to-face. And if you are in Christ this morning, so do you!

1 Peter 1:8b ESV

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

2. Humiliation & Confirmation, 6-7

An active faith, an active trusting in God and His promises for us as Christians is vitally important as we head towards our inheritance. Though now it appears as an unseen goal, it is not surprising that God may have to strengthen our faith during our journey to that Promised Land (see 1:6). That is the theme which Peter now introduces in 1 Peter 1:6–9.

1 Peter 1:6–9 ESV

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The period of our pilgrimage between the present and the goal is characterised as ‘a little while’ (1:6; 5:10). In this period there may be brief bumps and even very protracted, grievous tragedies along the way because of various trials (cf. 4:12). Yet Peter wants them and us to see that there is a very clear purpose behind these trials. They are designed to refine and strengthen faith (1:6) so that it will be seen to be the genuine article (1:7), and result in praise, glory and honour being bestowed on us who believe and follow Jesus when He is finally revealed.

Peter speaks of our being refined by the trials that the Lord brings into our lives. It will help us to understand this illustration by taking a few moments to look at the refining process:

Stage I: The Breaking —The refiner breaks up the natural ore.

In biblical times, a refiner began by breaking up rough ore—hardened rock encased with common minerals such as tin, copper, and zinc. But that rock also had the promise of valuable, rare metals hidden within—the precious metals of gold and silver. The breaking of the rock is necessary to begin the refining process to expose precious metal ores to heat.

Stage II: The Crucible —The refiner places unrefined metal ore into a crucible.

The refiner puts broken, crushed ore into a “crucible”—a fireproof melting pot able to withstand extreme heat. Then the refiner places the crucible into the furnace at the precise temperature necessary for removing other metals that would mar the quality of the gold or silver. Just as the furnace is used to purify gold or silver in the crucible, our Refiner uses heat to purify our hearts and cleanse our character.

Stage III: The Dross —The refiner places the crucible in the heated furnace to remove dross.

As the ore melts in the crucible under the watchful eye of the refiner, a layer of impurities called “dross” eventually forms on the surface. For us individually, dross represents any wrong motive, wrong attitude, wrong action—anything that keeps us from being all that God wants us to be.

Stage IV: The Heat —The refiner raises the temperature to higher degrees.

After the refiner painstakingly skims off these impurities, he then turns up the heat and places the crucible back into the blistering furnace. Again and again (up to seven times, we are told in historical literature) impurities rise to the surface. He knows that only certain impurities are released at certain temperatures.

Stage V: The Purification —The refiner continues to remove the impurities.

Each time, with utmost skill and patience, the refiner removes the dross, leaving behind gleaming gold and shimmering silver . . . more pure and precious than before. To gauge his progress, the refiner looks for his own reflection on the surface of the molten metal in the crucible. The more dross removed, the less distorted his reflection.

Stage VI: The Reflection —The refiner sees a clear image of himself.

Only when the refiner looks into the crucible and sees a clear reflection of himself is the process complete. Finally, the metal attains its highest degree of purity.

Question

How do we hang on to hope in the midst of our trials, especially when the heat is turned up beyond what we think we can bear? We persevere by drawing nearer to the One who brings the trial . . . trusting in His perfect plan and His character . . . and surrendering our will to His will.

Remember, the pain God brings in your life is purposeful. The heat is never intended to destroy you, only to conform you into the character of Christ. His gaze is continually affixed to your crucible. As the heat of painful circumstances intensifies in your life, know that the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you.

So the end goal of all this, is that on the Last Day, that glorious day when Jesus returns, it will reveal that your faith in Jesus Christ was not misplaced and will make sense of the whole journey with all its trials and difficulties.

3. Though It Seems Far Away, Victory Is Secure, 8-9

However great our future salvation, and wonderful though the revelation of Jesus Christ will be, currently in the here and now we do not see Jesus (1:8). Since Jesus Christ and our future glory are out of sight, it means that progress can only be made by faith, trusting in God and what He has in store for us.

At present, we love and trust Jesus Christ, though we do not see Him (1:8). One day, though, we will see Him in all His glory. On that day we will obtain the goal of our faith, which is the salvation of our souls. The trials we face now and until He comes again have the function of strengthening our faith. To that extent, these trials and troubles assist us and spur us on towards the goal of our journey.

Whatever suffering they and we experience for the name of Christ, and not to discount any of it, but in the eternal, really big picture of things, it is all subordinate to the great joy that results from being spiritually reborn into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as a mother’s birth pains recede and are replaced by her joy at the birth of her precious baby, in the same way all that we experience now will be replace with joy inexpressible.

Suffering for the name of Christ is evidence of a genuine faith that will lead to salvation. So, in this suffering, it is apparent that these Christians are in fact receiving the goal of that faith, the salvation of their souls.

Application

Is your life one of joy?

Research shows that most people complain once a minute during a typical conversation. Complaining is tempting because it feels good, but like many other things that are enjoyable -- such as for some folks smoking or eating a half a kilo of bacon at one sitting, or scarfing down a whole box of chocolates for breakfast -- complaining isn’t good for you.

Your brain loves efficiency and doesn’t like to work any harder than it has to. When you repeat a behavior, such as complaining, your neurons branch out to each other to ease the flow of information. This makes it much easier to repeat that behavior in the future -- so easy, in fact, that you might not even realize you’re doing it.

You can’t blame your brain. Who’d want to build a temporary bridge every time you need to cross a river? It makes a lot more sense to construct a permanent bridge. So, your neurons grow closer together, and the connections between them become more permanent. Scientists like to describe this process as, “Neurons that fire together, wire together.”

Repeated complaining rewires your brain to make future complaining more likely. Over time, you find it’s easier to focus on the negative than to be positive, regardless of what’s happening around you. Complaining becomes your default behavior, perceiving the world around you negatively becomes standard operating procedure.

And here’s the kicker: complaining damages other areas of your brain as well. Research from Stanford University has shown that complaining shrinks the hippocampus -- an area of the brain that’s critical to problem solving and intelligent thought. Damage to the hippocampus is scary, especially when you consider that it’s one of the primary brain areas destroyed by Alzheimer’s.

While it’s not an exaggeration to say that complaining leads to brain damage, it doesn’t stop there. When you complain, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol shifts you into fight-or-flight mode, directing oxygen, blood and energy away from everything but the systems that are essential to immediate survival. One effect of cortisol, for example, is to raise your blood pressure and blood sugar so that you’ll be prepared to either escape or defend yourself.

All the extra cortisol released by frequent complaining impairs your immune system and makes you more susceptible to high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. It even makes the brain more vulnerable to strokes.

But for the believer, one of the gracious changes that God brings in our salvation is the fruit of the Spirit, Joy. Our joy is one that is future-focused, and helps us work through the stuff we deal with now.

The dominant note in here in 1 Peter 1:3–9 is the joy which flows from our living hope and secure inheritance. ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!’ He wants us to see what is in store for every believer, for you in Christ — a glorious salvation when one day we shall indeed receive our inheritance and see our Lord Jesus Christ. How did your mind and your heart react when verses 3-5 were read, our natural response should be to rejoice and to be filled with? Was your reaction with inexpressible joy (see verses 6, 8) as we consider this glorious salvation which is awaiting us? If not, spend some time today and each day this week re-reading these verses and reflecting on them. This will help re-wire our thinking and our hearts into an attitude of gratitude. Let your heart and mind be re-worked to this coming reality we have in Christ!

4. This Is All Part Of God’s Plan, 10-12

Though trials are designed to strengthen our faith on the journey to glory, nevertheless suffering could also provoke a sense of dissatisfaction and a complaining attitude. So at this point Peter brings his argument to its conclusion and climax by highlighting the enormously privileged position of these suffering exiles.

i) The Old Testament prophets didn’t understand … (1:10, 11)

Peter points out that the Old Testament prophets didn’t understand their own message fully at the time, neither recognising the complete identity of the Christ nor discerning when He would appear (1 Peter 1:10-11) (e.g. see Dan. 12:8).

1 Peter 1:10 ESV

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,

1 Peter 1:11 ESV

11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

Daniel 12:8 ESV

8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?”

1 Peter 1:11 ESV

11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

The prophets of ancient Israel eagerly desired to know about this salvation as they inquired into the circumstances that would lead to the sufferings and glories of the Messiah, which had been revealed to them through the Spirit of Christ. This fore-witness of Israel’s prophets stood as a confirmation for those who would later be called Christians that the executed Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah.

ii) … but you do understand (1:12)

Imagine you are driving past a construction site and the building is wrapped top to bottom in that building wrap they sometimes use. You can’t tell exactly what it will look like. Something is being built, but it is still a bit mysterious.

That is what it was like for OT believers and among them, the OT prophets. They knew something was coming, but didn’t exactly know the shape and contours of that which was to come.

Through the work of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, we Christians can understand what the Old Testament prophets were speaking about but didn’t know in full. They are now in heaven and are able to appreciate the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ and how His sufferings and subsequent glories together provide them with a glorious salvation.

Peter makes clear that these people to whom he is writing are themselves caught up in what the Old Testament prophets foresaw, and underlines this by repeating the word ‘you’ in this section.

Old Testament prophets were preaching specifically to them (1:10–12a). These persecuted believers had been addressed by the Holy Spirit through the Word preached and by those who actually told them the good news of Jesus Christ (1:12). They are so privileged that even angels long to be in their sandals (1:12c)!

So then, putting it all together, Peter is able to show that their sufferings, like Jesus’ sufferings, will be followed by subsequent glories. This pattern of the Christian experiencing suffering now to be followed by glory at the end will assume even greater significance for Peter in his final section of this letter in (1 Peter 4:12–5:11).

Application

Getting a fix on our trials and where this puts us.

This passage provides some much-needed explanation for our current trials. Peter’s teaching shows us that if faith in an unseen Christ and an unseen future is of the essence in the Christian life, then it should not be surprising that God will exercise and strengthen that faith, a building up of our faith muscle, as it were, in order that we keep on moving towards our goal. As we keep looking to God in faith in Him and in His promises, He will strengthen us. And in strengthening us, we will look to him. It is cyclical!

If we look at it this way, our suffering, then, is not an obstacle or a roadblock to our journey but a means of helping us proceed and to be propelled forward with greater purpose and intent. There is indeed purpose in our sufferings and why God should permit us to go through all kinds of trials.

James tells us in his letter in chapter 1 to

English Standard Version Chapter 1

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Right now, a number of churches and their members in China, in Pakistan, in Nigeria, and in quite a number of other places, are undergoing persecution from their governments, from their neighbours, from family. And we hear reports that detail some pretty tough situations for our brothers and sisters. But with those reports, we also get praises from their lips for God’s so growing them and propelling them towards their full inheritance to come. They are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and full of glory.

It is easy for us to become discouraged, especially in times of suffering, and so it is natural to wish that we were in a different situation. Yet Peter teaches us that in fact that we as Christians are in such an amazingly privileged situation that the angels long to be in our situation. Whatever our situation, whether discouraged or feeling insignificant and marginalised, we are at the very centre of God’s eternal purposes and that we can look forward to sharing Christ’s glories.

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