1 Peter- A Letter of Hope
This week we begin a new study through the book of 1 Peter. The apostle Peter wrote this book to encourage the Christians of his day who were experiencing persecution because of their faith. Although we are not yet persecuted for your faith in our context, 1 Peter has words of encouragement for us in our time and our culture.
The epistle starts off by identifying Peter as the author and believers who find themselves as aliens in a world hostile to Christianity as the recipients. Throughout the book, Peter exhorts believers to remain faithful and trust God no matter their circumstances.
In 1 Peter 1: 3-9, Peter writes about the reasons we have to praise God:
1. We should praise Him because His mercy has provided a way of salvation and new birth by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
2. We should praise Him because of the promise of an eternal inheritance that is “imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading.” 1 Peter 1:4
3. We should praise Him because there is a place in Heaven for all who will believe. 1 Peter 1:4
4. We should praise Him because we can be eternally secure. 1 Peter 1:5
5. We should praise Him because He brings purpose to the trials that we face on this earth. We praise God by how we handle the hard times of our life. When trials come, they are opportunities for us to place our faith in God and glorify him in our time of need. 1 Peter 1:6-7
6. We should praise Him because following and loving Christ leads to joy that is unexplainable. 1 Peter 1:8
7. We should praise Him because the outcome of our faith will be the salvation of our souls. 1 Peter 1:9
He deserves our praise!