1 Peter 1: Part 3 - The Greatness of our Salvation
1 Peter 1: Part 3 - The Greatness of our Salvation
1 Peter 1:10-12; Isaiah 14:12-17. Embrace the true grace of God’s plan for salvation and repent!
“As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.”
1 Peter 1:10-12 NASB1995
In verse 8 of the last passage (1 Peter 1:6-9), Peter talks about the “joy inexpressible” in our salvation. Let’s look at those words before moving into today’s passage. Joy is, of course, from the Greek word chara. Joy is usually defined as a state that is beyond happiness (happiness is usually temporary based on circumstances). The word inexpressable comes from the Greek adjective word aneklaletos, which means that the subject of this adjective (in this case, “joy”) cannot be adequately described with words. This is the only occurrence of this Greek word in the New Testament. This “joy inexpressible” is what can help us endure trials.
So it can be said that “joy inexpressible” is also an elusive characteristic. What makes you joyful in this life? Many people (including many Christian believers) would answer this question and talk about family or a relationship with a spouse or a great job or a hobby or anticipated leisure activities. Some may answer saying that they have little or no joy in their lives. In preparing for this devotional, I read another great sermon by Steven Cole (linked from Precept Austin) on 1 Peter 1:10-12 that states that if your joy is from anything other than your relationship with Jesus Christ and your trust in your salvation through Him, then you are seeking the wrong things. Nothing in this life will give true joy (that joy that can’t be expressed in words) other than through the grace of God that was prophesied by the prophets. Knowing the importance of your salvation should be the hub through which all other things are done in this life.
Let’s talk about God’s grace. If you don’t think much of your salvation, then you do not understand grace. Grace, from the Greek word charis, has several definitions, but the one most relevant to God’s grace or undeserved mercy is:
good will, loving-kindness, favour
of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.
Many believers today hang their hats on cheap grace, relying on the merciful kindness of God but believing themselves to be “good people” because they once said they believed in Jesus but never fully repented or are still happily sinning themselves or cheerfully condoning sin in others. This cheap grace has infiltrated many mainstream churches like the one we left in 2019; these churches are spending the month of June opening their doors and welcoming those in the LGBTQ+ community or even installing pastors who are transgender or are in a same-sex relationships. They call this “reconciling works”; the God of the Bible still calls it sin.
It is certainly a good thing to welcome all to your church. However, that cheap grace ignores the work of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of Christian faith and foundation of Christian virtues, while consigning those who do not repent of their sins to the outer darkness for eternity by being “nice” and not mentioning sins. Cheap grace does not do anyone any favors. Every person who has given their life to Christ, in the full understanding of salvation, should be on their knees daily repenting of sins large and small. We are, sadly, living in a culture that fully embraces all of the things that Paul calls out as sin in Romans 1 (a laundry list of sins that is much longer than just sexual immorality).
Peter emphasizes that the prophecies of old had incomplete knowledge that was fulfilled in Jesus and the things that angels long to look into are there for YOU, as a believer, as you embrace His grace and salvation and grow in the Holy Spirit. He uses the word “you” four times in this passage. David Guzik, in his Enduring Word commentary, has this to say about the angels and their longing and desire (the links go to the Blue Letter Bible):
Things which angels desire to look into: The unfolding of God’s eternal plan is something that angels desire to look into. Angels observe our conduct (1 Corinthians 4:9), making it necessary that Christians conduct themselves properly (1 Corinthians 11:10).
Part of God’s eternal purpose is to show His wisdom to the angelic beings through His work with the church (Ephesians 3:10-11). God wants the angels to look in on what He does in the church, and the idea is that the angels are bending over with intense interest and desire to learn.
Therefore, they desire to see and learn. This word “Denotes a strong interest or craving. The present tense portrays a present, continued inner yearning to comprehend. The term does not imply that the desire cannot or should not be fulfilled, but it does mark an enduring angelic effort to comprehend more of the mystery of human salvation.” (D. Edmond Hiebert)
“The longing must therefore include a holy curiosity to watch and delight in the glories of Christ’s kingdom as they find ever fuller realization in their lives of individual Christians throughout the history of the church.” (Wayne Grudem)
“First Corinthians 4:9, Ephesians 3:10, and 1 Timothy 3:16 likewise picture the supernatural world eagerly observing God’s program of human redemption. The concept seems grounded in Jesus’ words in Luke 15:7, 10 where angels are said to rejoice over one repentant sinner.” (Hiebert)
God’s angels are enthralled by our salvation and rejoice over repentance, as Jesus said. They watch our conduct; we cannot hide anything from them or God. Of course, one of God’s greatest angels resented God’s special creation and relationship with humans and set himself higher than God through pride, as noted in Isaiah:
“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, They will ponder over you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms, Who made the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?’”
Isaiah 14:12-17 NASB1995
Some scholars believe this passage in Isaiah is describing both the King of Babylon and the fallen angel Lucifer. Revelation 12 also describes the war in Heaven and the fall of the devil and his minions. Cheap grace and “reconciliation” with sin comes from the whispers of this enemy, to keep us from truly repenting and embracing our salvation. Yes, we will sin again because we are human, but that is not the excuse and we should repent immediately as we pray to the Lord.
My next devotional examines 1 Peter 1:13-16 - The conduct of those who are saved.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Thank you for your unending grace that results in inexpressible joy. Please help me to repent of my sins at all times and to never neglect the ultimate importance that my salvation has in this life and the next. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.