Born Again to a Living Hope and Inheritance

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

After his introductory statements in addressing the recipients of his letter, Peter begins the body of his epistle in a joyous worshipful attitude. Peter is excited about the doctrines he is about to instruct his people on and it overflows into the instruction. This should be where we begin for times of worship and teaching. We should be excited about the teaching we are about to receive, understanding that we worship through song and through the preaching of the Word. A church service is not half worship (music) and half preaching, but both an expression of worshipful music, and worshipful preaching. “Worship is when the mind apprehends great truth about God, and the heart kicks in with deep feelings of brokenness or wonder and gladness and admiration and gratitude, and the mouth says something like “Blessed be God! O blessed and praised and honored and glorified be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So the goal of our meeting here, and indeed of all our life, is to worship God. And we will see how Peter is moved to worship in several different ways.

“According to His GREAT mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

God is rich in mercy, and it is by His mercy that we are born again. God is the cause of our being born again, it is not by any work of our own, but purely God's work. In the Greek it is literally “He regenerated us…” or, He made us a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17: If anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” This means the work of salvation is fully God's work, so that no man can boast in his works, but only in the cross.

If you were to ask someone how they knew they were born from their mothers womb, what would be a likely answer? “I'm alive!” “I exist outside my mothers womb. I'm here.” And that would be a sufficient answer.

You would not say “I know I was born because I saw my birth certificate.” Or, “I know I was born because I did some research at a hospital and found a document with a little footprint on it that matches mine.” Or, “I collected signed affidavits of three or four witnesses that saw my mother pregnant and soon after saw me in her arms.”

This seems ridiculous because the simple answer is “I know I was born because I am alive.”

But what if we ask a churchgoer “how do you know you were born again?” How many would answer, “I know I was born again because I did what you must do to be born again: I asked Jesus into my heart; I prayed to receive Christ; I walked down and aisle and accepted Jesus; I have a card here in my wallet that I signed on the day I pledged that Jesus is my Lord.”

Or would the more appropriate answer be: “Because I am alive to God. I have a living hope. I have a living faith. I once had no spiritual life and now I am alive spiritually, with spiritual appetites and spiritual enjoyments. Once I was dead and now I am alive in God. I know Him, I love Him, I trust Him. I hope in Him. I follow Him. The proof that I was born again is my life today! I know I was born again because I am alive to God!”

The difference is that the first person sees being born again as a procedure they went through, and certain things they had to do to become born again, while the second person, humbly admits that it was by God's work in their life that they are born again, and the evidence is not in the works they did, but in the work of God, resulting in a “transforming and renewing of their mind” (Rom 12:2). Just like we had no part in our physical birth, so too we had no part in our spiritual rebirth. This, sadly, isn't how most Christians view their rebirth (as a work of God) and what results is a “self made Christian existence” which does not explode with praise over our new birth like Peter in saying “Blessed be God, O blessed and praised and thanked and loved be God, and God alone, who by HIS GREAT MERCY caused us to be born again.” We should be humbled, and moved to worship God for His mercy in choosing us to be reborn in Him, and made alive, to live forever, and to have hope in His Son Jesus Christ!

“To a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

The living hope that we have, which is through the resurrection of Christ, is the promise of our own resurrection in Him, in the end when we are glorified, and given new bodies, like His, to dwell with Him and worship Him for all eternity! The resurrection of Jesus is important to understand, as it is the completion of our salvation. On the cross, Jesus paid for our sins (atonement) and took upon Himself the wrath of God against our sin (propitiation) and purchased us back from the nature of sin (unrighteousness) that we once lived in (redemption), was buried, and resurrected by God the Father three days later, showing that sin is conquered, our faith is bought for us, so that God could regenerate our hearts (to be born again) and give us faith so that we could believe on Jesus Christ for our salvation. So by Christ's work on the cross, we are justified to God, or put in right standing with Him, by Christ taking on the punishment for our sin, and Christ's righteousness is imputed to us. So when God looks upon us, He does not see us, but He sees Christ's righteousness (He sees Christ and His perfect obedience). We are sanctified by the Spirit (as in verse 2), which is the process by which we are made holy (or more like Him). And eventually glorified (when we will be made holy and given new bodies [the finishing work of sanctification]).

So the hope we have in the resurrection of Christ is the promise that we too will be rescued from this world of sin, and made holy as He is, and live for all eternity in heaven praising His holy name! WOW! It is no wonder Peter said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

“Kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

This inheritance kept in heaven for us, would have had particular meaning to the first century church, particularly to the “elect exiles in Northern Asia Minor” we talked about last time, the people to which Peter addresses his epistle. These Christians were exiled from Jerusalem, so they were former Jews. In Jewish customs, the inheritance was incredibly important. Land was one of the most important possessions in a family. An inheritance showed you belonged somewhere. An inheritance provided security. But persecution affected one's inheritance, as hostile neighbors might drive someone from their ancestral lands, or possessions might be destroyed, or the government might confiscate both goods and land.

The inheritance kept in heaven is particularly important to the church because:

1. They are exiles, driven away from their lands and possibly from their families.

2. Because they are coming under persecution and both their possessions and even their lives could be taken away.

Just as Peter's addressing them as the “elect exiles” showed that they (and we) are aliens living in a foreign land, because we are citizens of heaven, this inheritance also provides peace and comfort in the midst of persecution and suffering.

A powerful God keeps our inheritance in heaven, and man cannot touch it. No government can take it away, and nothing can destroy it. We are absolutely secure because our eternity is in heaven with Christ, and our ultimate salvation will be revealed in the last days, when we are delivered from the world, and glorified in Him!

As we look at the incredible truths contained in these passages, it is no wonder Peter started with “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” And that should be our response to seeing these doctrines; that we are moved to worship God for His GREAT mercy in providing us with rebirth and salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, unto an inheritance in heaven that is for all eternity! Let us say with Peter, “Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”


	1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” After his introductory statements in addressing the recipients of his letter, Peter begins the body of his epistle in a joyous worshipful attitude. Peter is excited about the doctrines he is about to instruct his people on and it overflows into the instruction. This should be where we begin for times of worship and teaching. We should be excited about the teaching we are about to receive, understanding that we worship through song and through the preaching of the Word. A church service is not half worship (music) and half preaching, but both an expression of worshipful music, and worshipful preaching. “Worship is when the mind apprehends great truth about God, and the heart kicks in with deep feelings of brokenness or wonder and gladness and admiration and gratitude, and the mouth says something like “Blessed be God! O blessed and praised and honored and glorified be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So the goal of our meeting here, and indeed of all our life, is to worship God. And we will see how Peter is moved to worship in several different ways. “According to His GREAT mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” God is rich in mercy, and it is by His mercy that we are born again. God is the cause of our being born again, it is not by any work of our own, but purely God's work. In the Greek it is literally “He regenerated us…” or, He made us a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17: If anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” This means the work of salvation is fully God's work, so that no man can boast in his works, but only in the cross. If you were to ask someone how they knew they were born from their mothers womb, what would be a likely answer? “I'm alive!” “I exist outside my mothers womb. I'm here.” And that would be a sufficient answer. You would not say “I know I was born because I saw my birth certificate.” Or, “I know I was born because I did some research at a hospital and found a document with a little footprint on it that matches mine.” Or, “I collected signed affidavits of three or four witnesses that saw my mother pregnant and soon after saw me in her arms.” This seems ridiculous because the simple answer is “I know I was born because I am alive.” But what if we ask a churchgoer “how do you know you were born again?” How many would answer, “I know I was born again because I did what you must do to be born again: I asked Jesus into my heart; I prayed to receive Christ; I walked down and aisle and accepted Jesus; I have a card here in my wallet that I signed on the day I pledged that Jesus is my Lord.” Or would the more appropriate answer be: “Because I am alive to God. I have a living hope. I have a living faith. I once had no spiritual life and now I am alive spiritually, with spiritual appetites and spiritual enjoyments. Once I was dead and now I am alive in God. I know Him, I love Him, I trust Him. I hope in Him. I follow Him. The proof that I was born again is my life today! I know I was born again because I am alive to God!” The difference is that the first person sees being born again as a procedure they went through, and certain things they had to do to become born again, while the second person, humbly admits that it was by God's work in their life that they are born again, and the evidence is not in the works they did, but in the work of God, resulting in a “transforming and renewing of their mind” (Rom 12:2). Just like we had no part in our physical birth, so too we had no part in our spiritual rebirth. This, sadly, isn't how most Christians view their rebirth (as a work of God) and what results is a “self made Christian existence” which does not explode with praise over our new birth like Peter in saying “Blessed be God, O blessed and praised and thanked and loved be God, and God alone, who by HIS GREAT MERCY caused us to be born again.” We should be humbled, and moved to worship God for His mercy in choosing us to be reborn in Him, and made alive, to live forever, and to have hope in His Son Jesus Christ! “To a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” The living hope that we have, which is through the resurrection of Christ, is the promise of our own resurrection in Him, in the end when we are glorified, and given new bodies, like His, to dwell with Him and worship Him for all eternity! The resurrection of Jesus is important to understand, as it is the completion of our salvation. On the cross, Jesus paid for our sins (atonement) and took upon Himself the wrath of God against our sin (propitiation) and purchased us back from the nature of sin (unrighteousness) that we once lived in (redemption), was buried, and resurrected by God the Father three days later, showing that sin is conquered, our faith is bought for us, so that God could regenerate our hearts (to be born again) and give us faith so that we could believe on Jesus Christ for our salvation. So by Christ's work on the cross, we are justified to God, or put in right standing with Him, by Christ taking on the punishment for our sin, and Christ's righteousness is imputed to us. So when God looks upon us, He does not see us, but He sees Christ's righteousness (He sees Christ and His perfect obedience). We are sanctified by the Spirit (as in verse 2), which is the process by which we are made holy (or more like Him). And eventually glorified (when we will be made holy and given new bodies [the finishing work of sanctification]). So the hope we have in the resurrection of Christ is the promise that we too will be rescued from this world of sin, and made holy as He is, and live for all eternity in heaven praising His holy name! WOW! It is no wonder Peter said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” “Kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” This inheritance kept in heaven for us, would have had particular meaning to the first century church, particularly to the “elect exiles in Northern Asia Minor” we talked about last time, the people to which Peter addresses his epistle. These Christians were exiled from Jerusalem, so they were former Jews. In Jewish customs, the inheritance was incredibly important. Land was one of the most important possessions in a family. An inheritance showed you belonged somewhere. An inheritance provided security. But persecution affected one's inheritance, as hostile neighbors might drive someone from their ancestral lands, or possessions might be destroyed, or the government might confiscate both goods and land. The inheritance kept in heaven is particularly important to the church because: 1. They are exiles, driven away from their lands and possibly from their families. 2. Because they are coming under persecution and both their possessions and even their lives could be taken away. Just as Peter's addressing them as the “elect exiles” showed that they (and we) are aliens living in a foreign land, because we are citizens of heaven, this inheritance also provides peace and comfort in the midst of persecution and suffering. A powerful God keeps our inheritance in heaven, and man cannot touch it. No government can take it away, and nothing can destroy it. We are absolutely secure because our eternity is in heaven with Christ, and our ultimate salvation will be revealed in the last days, when we are delivered from the world, and glorified in Him! As we look at the incredible truths contained in these passages, it is no wonder Peter started with “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” And that should be our response to seeing these doctrines; that we are moved to worship God for His GREAT mercy in providing us with rebirth and salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, unto an inheritance in heaven that is for all eternity! Let us say with Peter, “Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”