Are You Eagerly Waiting For the Hope of the Gospel?

Peter writes to the exiles of the Dispersion: “. . . chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:1-4.

God the Father chose us, according to His foreknowledge, and sanctified us by the Spirit for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. And we know that He knew what He was doing when He chose us. The goal He had in view in choosing us was indescribably glorious. This is a great comfort when it doesn’t seem to be going very well with us and we are tempted to think that it is impossible for God to do His work with us. John 15:16-17. In 1 Corinthians 1, we see just why God chose such “poor material.” It as in order that we should not claim any honor for what He does with us, but that we should give Him the glory just as Abraham and Sarah did.

We read in Romans 8:24-34 that in hope we are saved. We believe in Him who chose us, and we are born-again to this hope. What we hope for, we eagerly await. If we are not eagerly awaiting the fulfillment of this hope to which we were born-again, we have lost our faith. Abraham didn’t do this! The weaker he became, the stronger he grew in faith, because he gave God the glory. We must take Abraham as our example when the light shines in our lives. He who has called us is also mighty to perform it.

“We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.” Romans 8:26. But, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” Verse 28. In other words, our prayers are always answered. Here it is a matter of being conformed to the image of His son. We do not know everything it takes to conform us to that image: “for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,” that we might become His brothers. We read further that those whom He called He also justified; and those whom He justified He also glorified. “What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?” Nobody can hinder either God or us, provided we truly long for and eagerly await the fulfillment of our hope. He who gave His only Son for us all will also give us all things together with Him.

“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is god who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us?” Verses 33-34. Yes, it is dangerous indeed to accuse God’s elect. God has not yet accomplished everything. He has purposed to do with all this “poor building material” He has chosen. Nevertheless, He justifies the very ones you are perhaps accusing! Jesus died for them and rose again for their sakes; He is seated at the right hand of the Father and intercedes for them. Read Colossians 3:11-15. There are many who go around thinking they understand everything so well. They are busy criticizing and accusing others and thus run the risk of forfeiting their own calling. We were not called to be accusers, but to be God’s servants. Romans 6:22.

In 2 Peter 1, we read that through the knowledge of Him we have received the greatest and most precious promises, that through these we might become partakers of the divine nature. For this reason we ought to make every effort to show forth virtue in our faith. Then we will be neither unfruitful nor ineffective in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the apostle exhorts us to be the more zealous to confirm our calling and election, for in so doing, we will never tumble. If we think in terms of adding virtue to our faith, we will not stumble; on the contrary, we will make our calling and election sure and gain a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is why Peter, as long as he was alive, resolved always to remind them of these things, even though they knew them and were established in the truth.