How lovely God is Pt 6: A living hope that guards
1Peter 1:3-9 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Context
Except for believers living in Muslim dominated countries believers today have the ability to express their faith openly without oppression. In the early years of Christianity believers were experiencing hostility, marginalization, and even persecution under Roman rule. Many scholars suggest 1Peter may have been written during the reign of Nero (AD 54–68), when being publicly associated with Jesus could bring social rejection, loss of livelihood, or even death. In that situation, we would expect Peter to offer ways to overcome such trials and tribulations but he doesn’t do that. Instead he bursts forth in praise of the Living God, and it is striking that hope—not fear, not despair—is Peter’s starting point.
Before diving into this passage, we should talk a little bit about hope. Hope in English is different than hope as used in the 1st Century. When we use hope today, we are expressing uncertainty about something happening. Hope in Greek expresses certainty of outcome but uncertainty in the attaining of it. Hope in this passage is alive and certain because it is anchored in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It shapes how believers view their present trials, their future inheritance, and their confidence in God’s sustaining power.
New birth into living hope
Peter begins with the foundation of the Christian life: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”. This “new birth” is not self-generated. Peter is careful to root it in God’s mercy, not in human achievement. It’s not a self-help program, nor a 12-step release from addiction. Just as natural birth is something we receive, not something we accomplish, so spiritual rebirth is entirely the work of God. Paul echoes this in Ephesians 2:4–5:
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
But what does it mean that this new birth is “into a living hope”? The Greek adjective living conveys vitality, endurance, and active power. Christian hope is not a static wish but a dynamic confidence rooted in the resurrection of Christ. Because Jesus lives, hope is alive. Paul makes the same point in 1 Corinthians 15:19–20:
17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep [died] in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
This living hope is especially significant for suffering Christians. Earthly hopes—political stability, financial security, even personal health—can be stripped away in an instant. But the hope anchored in Christ’s resurrection cannot be taken. It grows stronger precisely in the face of hardship. Peter’s opening reminder would have been a balm for scattered believers facing ridicule or violence: No matter what they lose, they cannot lose the hope they have in Christ.
An imperishable inheritance
For Peter’s Jewish readers, the word “inheritance” would immediately recall the Old Testament promise of land given to Abraham’s descendants (Gen. 12:7; Josh. 1:6). Yet that inheritance, though real, was vulnerable: it could be invaded, corrupted, or lost due to Israel’s disobedience (consider the Babylonian exile). By contrast, the inheritance believers now have in Christ is described with three adjectives:
Imperishable: incapable of decay or destruction.
Undefiled: untouched by impurity or sin.
Unfading: not subject to withering, unlike flowers or grass (see Isa. 40:8).
This triple emphasis underscores permanence. Earthly treasures deteriorate—Jesus warned against storing treasures where moth and rust destroy (Matt. 6:19–20). But heavenly inheritance is indestructible.
What exactly is this inheritance? Paul calls believers “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). It includes eternal life, unbroken fellowship with God, resurrection bodies, and participation in the renewed creation (Rev. 21:1–4). Unlike human inheritances, which can be diminished or contested, this inheritance is kept in heaven—secured by God’s own power. For Christians enduring persecution, this promise reorients their perspective. Even if their earthly possessions are confiscated or their lives cut short, their true inheritance remains untouched. As the writer of Hebrews reminds believers, “You joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions” (Heb. 10:34).
This should challenge modern believers as well. We live in societies that prize accumulation—homes, retirement funds, reputations. But Peter reminds us that the real treasure lies beyond reach of decay. When we grasp this, we can live more freely, less tied to the anxieties of temporary wealth, and more generous in sharing with others. And as a reminder, let’s remember that we are approaching difficult times. Although true persecution is mostly not yet being felt, believers are already being ridiculed for holding to Godly precepts, criticized as judgmental for having moral values, and ostracized for holding to two-gender orientation.
Shielded by God’s power
Peter next assures his readers that they are “shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time”. The verb “shielded” is a military term meaning “to guard” or “to garrison.” It paints a vivid picture of God’s protective watch over His people. This doesn’t mean believers are shielded from suffering; according to tradition, Peter himself would later be martyred in Rome. Rather, it means that the ultimate salvation of believers is secure. God’s power ensures that nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8:38–39). Jesus promised in John 10:28–29 that no one can snatch His sheep out of His hand.
Importantly, Peter links this shielding with faith: “who through faith are shielded by God’s power.” Faith is the channel through which God’s protection operates. Faith doesn’t eliminate trials but trusts God in the midst of them. This is why Paul calls faith a shield in the armor of God, able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16).
Peter also situates this protection in the timeline of salvation history: it lasts “until the coming of the salvation…in the last time.” This reminds us that salvation has past, present, and future dimensions. We have been saved (justification), we are being saved (sanctification), and we will be saved (glorification). The fullness of salvation will be revealed at Christ’s return, when death is swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54).
For the early Christians, this assurance was crucial. They lived under constant threat, but Peter insists that their destiny was secure. For modern believers, the same assurance steadies us when we feel vulnerable—whether to cultural pressures, spiritual attacks, or personal fears. Our perseverance depends not on our grip on God but on His grip on us.
Faith proven genuine through trials
Finally, Peter addresses the present reality of suffering: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials”. Notice the tension: rejoicing and grief coexist. Christian joy does not deny pain but transcends it because of a deeper hope.
Peter explains the purpose: “These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed”. Trials test and refine faith just as fire purifies gold. Gold, though valuable, is temporary. Faith, by contrast, has eternal significance.
The word for “proven genuineness” refers to the tested character of something. Faith untested remains theoretical; tested faith becomes authentic. Like a ship tested by storms, faith shows its reality in adversity.
James makes the same point (James 1:2-4).
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Peter then highlights a remarkable reality: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy”. These believers, like us, had never physically seen Jesus, unlike Peter himself, yet their love and trust were real. Faith bridges the gap between absence and presence. Jesus had blessed such faith in John 20:29: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The result is joy “inexpressible”—beyond words—and “glorious”—filled with heavenly radiance. This joy does not come from circumstances but from the certainty of salvation: “for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls”. For suffering believers, this perspective transforms hardship. Trials, rather than undermining faith, actually validate it. They become the furnace in which living hope shines brightest. For modern Christians—whether enduring illness, relational struggles, or societal pressures—the same truth applies: trials may shake us, but they also reveal the depth of our trust in Christ.
What about me?
Believer, God’s Word is not just theological education, it is also down-to-earth comfort provided for God’s children who are suffering. In this case, this passage is pastoral encouragement to believers under fire. All of us have our ‘Goliaths’—those struggles which seem completely beyond our ability to endure—but seem to be a walk in the park to another believer. For the first-century believers scattered across Asia Minor, these truths were a lifeline. For us today, they remain a reminder that Christian hope is not wishful thinking but a living, breathing reality grounded in Christ’s victory over death. In a world where hopes so often disappoint, Peter points us to the one hope that will never perish, spoil, or fade.
If you are about to give up, if you feel completely alone, or if you think no one cares, think again. Know this: Jesus loves you more than you can possibly understand. After all, He willingly went to His death because He knew what lay on the other side—the full and complete entry of His brothers and sisters into eternity at His side.
…And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1b-3)