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1 Peter Chapter One

 
Chapter One General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
 
1) To consider terms used by Peter to describe the people of God:
 "Pilgrims of the Dispersion", "elect", "obedient children"
 
2) To reflect upon the salvation, inheritance, and grace to come at the
 revelation of Jesus Christ
 
3) To note how we have been served by prophets, apostles, angels, the
 Holy Spirit, and Christ
 
4) To be reminded of the need to live holy lives, conducted with
 reverence toward God and with fervent and sincere love toward
 brethren
 
SUMMARY
 
Peter begins his first epistle to Christians in Asia Minor by
acknowledging their election according to God's foreknowledge, made
possible by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, and for obedience and
sprinkling by the blood of Jesus (1-2).
 
He then praises God for their living hope, incorruptible inheritance,
and glorious salvation to be revealed at the coming of Christ. Despite
grievous trials, the power of God and their genuine faith protects them
and gives them inexpressible joy. Their salvation to come was foretold
by the prophets, and preached in the gospel by those inspired by the
Holy Spirit (3-12).
 
In view of this salvation, Peter prescribes conduct becoming the people
of God. They are to focus their mind and hope on the grace that will
brought to them at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient
children, they should conduct themselves in holiness and fear, imitating
their holy Father who judges without partiality, ever mindful they have
been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ through whom their faith
and hope are in God. They are to love one another fervently with pure
hearts, since they have purified their souls for that very purpose
through their obedience to the truth, and have been born again by the
incorruptible Word of God which lives and abides forever (13-25).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. INTRODUCTION (1-2)
 
 A. THE AUTHOR (1a)
 1. Peter
 2. An apostle of Jesus Christ
 
 B. THE RECIPIENTS (1b-2b)
 1. Pilgrims of the Dispersion
 2. In Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia
 3. Elect (chosen)...
 a. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father
 b. In sanctification of the Spirit
 c. For obedience and sprinkling of blood of Jesus Christ
 
 C. GREETINGS (2c)
 1. Grace and peace
 2. Be multiplied
 
II. OUR SALVATION IN CHRIST (3-12)
 
 A. BORN AGAIN TO A LIVING HOPE (3-5)
 1. Because of God's abundant mercy
 2. Because Jesus has been raised from the dead
 3. Because of our wonderful inheritance
 a. Incorruptible, undefiled, and that does not fade away
 b. Reserved in heaven
 4. Because of being safely kept
 a. By the power of God through faith
 b. For salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
 
 B. PRODUCING JOY IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING (6-9)
 1. Great joy, though for a little while grieved by various trials
 2. The genuineness of faith tested by fire
 a. Proving more precious than gold that perishes
 b. May be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation
 of Jesus Christ
 3. Rejoicing with joy inexpressible and full of glory
 a. For loving Him whom you have not seen
 b. For believing Him whom you have not seen
 4. Receiving the end of such faith - the salvation of your souls
 
 C. SERVED BY PROPHETS AND APOSTLES (10-12)
 1. Regarding our salvation the prophets inquired and searched
 diligently
 a. Wondering what and when the Spirit of Christ in them was
 indicating
 b. When He testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and
  the glories to follow
 2. They were ministering such things not to themselves, but to us
 a. Things now reported by those who preached the gospel by the
 Holy Spirit
 b. Things which angels desire to look into
 
III. OUR DUTY IN CHRIST (13-25)
 
 A. HOLY CONDUCT (13-21)
 1. Gird up the loins of your mind
 a. Be sober
 b. Rest your hope fully upon the grace to be brought at the
 revelation of Jesus Christ
 2. Be holy in all your conduct
 a. As obedient children
 b. Not conforming to former lusts done in ignorance
 c. As He who called you is holy, just as it is written
 3. Conduct yourselves during your stay in fear
 a. Since you call on the Father who judges each one without
 partiality
 b. Knowing that you redeemed
 1) Not with corruptible things like silver and gold
 2) From your aimless conduct received by tradition from your
 fathers
  3) With the precious blood of Christ
 a) As of a lamb without blemish and without spot
 b) Foreordained before the foundation of the world
 c) Manifest in these last times for you
 d) Through whom you believe in God
 1] Who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory
 2] So that your faith and hope are in God
 
 B. FERVENT AND PURE LOVE (22-25)
 1. Since you have purified your souls
 a. In obeying the truth through the Spirit
 b. In sincere love of the brethren
 2. Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but
 incorruptible
 a. Through the word of God which lives and abide forever
 1) All flesh is as grass, all the glory of man as the flower
 of the grass
 2) The grass withers, its flower falls away
 3) The word of the Lord endures forever
 b. The word which by the gospel was preached to you
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - Introduction (1-2)
 - Our salvation in Christ (3-12)
 - Our duty in Christ (13-25)
 
2) To whom does Peter address this epistle? Where were they located? (1)
 - To the pilgrims of the Dispersion; Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
 Asia, Bithynia
 
3) What three things are said concerning their election? (2)
 - According to the foreknowledge of God
 - In sanctification of the Spirit
 - For obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ
 
4) What has God done for us according to His abundant mercy? How was
 this done? (3)
 - Begotten us against to a living hope
 - Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
 
5) What kind of inheritance does the Christian have?  Where is it now?
 (4)
 - Incorruptible, undefiled, and that does not fade away; reserved in
 heaven
 
6) How are Christians kept (guarded) for their salvation? (5)
 - By the power of God
 - Through faith
 
7) In what do Christians greatly rejoice? (5-6)
 - Their salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
 
8) What benefits can come out of enduring grievous trials? (6-7)
 - The testing of genuine faith
 - Praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ
 
9) Though they had not seen Jesus, what is said about Peter's readers?
 (8)
 - They loved Jesus
 - They believed Jesus
 - They rejoiced with joy inexpressible and full of glory
 
10) What would they receive as the end of their faith? (9)
 - The salvation of their souls
 
11) What did the prophets of old testify about? (10-11)
 - Of the salvation and grace that would come
 - Of the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow
 
12) When these prophets wondered about they were prophesying, what were
 they told? (12)
 - They were not serving themselves, but us (Christians)
 - They were ministering things that have now been reported by those
 who preached the gospel
 
13) Upon what are Christians to rest their hope? (13)
 - The grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ
 
14) As obedient children, what three admonitions are given to
 Christians? ( 14-17)
 - Do not conform to the former lusts
 - Be holy in all your conduct
 - Conduct yourselves during your sojourn in fear
 
15) What three reasons are given to obey these admonitions (14-19)
 - God is holy
 - The Father judges each one's work without partiality
 - We were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ
 
16) What four things are said about Christ? (20-21)
 - He was foreordained before the foundation of the world
 - He was manifest in these last times for us
 - He was raised from the dead and given glory
 - Through Him we believe and have hope in God
 
17) What did God do to Jesus so that our faith and hope are in God? (21)
  - Raised Him from the dead (resurrection) and gave Him glory
 (ascension)
 
18) What two reasons are given for us to love one another fervently with
 a pure heart? (22-23)
 - We have purified our souls in obeying the truth
 - We have been born again of the Word of God
 
19) What is said of the Word of God? (23-25)
 - Incorruptible seed
 - Lives and abides forever
 - Endures forever
 - By the gospel was preached to them
 
20) What is said about flesh and the glory of man? (24)
 - Flesh is as grass which withers; the glory of man as the flower
 which falls away
 
Pilgrims Of The Dispersion (1:1)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Throughout the New Testament, various phrases are used to describe
 those people of God who make up the Lord's church
 a. Individually, they are referred to as disciples, saints,
 believers, priests, Christians, etc.
 b. Collectively, they are called the church, the church of God,
 churches of Christ, the body of Christ, the temple of God, the
 family of God, etc.
 -- Each of these terms describe various relationships maintained by
 those who are Christians
 
2. An interesting phrase not commonly used in reference to the people of
 God is found in 1 Pe 1:1, where Peter addresses "the pilgrims of
 the Dispersion"
 
3. A proper understanding of this phrase can be very beneficial, and 
 give us insight into:
 a. What the Christian life is
 b. An important responsibility expected of Christians
 c. Our true home, and goal in this life
 
[Let's start by...]
 
I. DEFINING "PILGRIMS OF THE DISPERSION"
 
 A. THE WORD TRANSLATED "PILGRIM" IS INTERESTING...
 1. Transliterated from Grk., it is parepidemos {par-ep-id'-ay-mos}
 which is a combination of three words:
 a. para - "alongside of"
 b. epi - "upon"
 c. demos - "used in Biblical Greek of the people of a heathen
 city" (Wuest)
 2. Here, then, is how Thayer defines the word...
 a. "one who comes from a foreign country into a city or land to
  reside there by the side of the natives"
 b. "a stranger"
 c. "sojourning in a strange place, a foreigner"
 d. "in the NT metaph. in reference to heaven as the native 
 country, one who sojourns on earth: so of Christians (1 Pe
 1:1)...of the patriarchs (He 11:13)."
 3. Another definition: "One who stays in a place as a stranger or
 visitor; to describe Christians whose final citizenship is in
 heaven and who are regarded as temporary dwellers on earth."
 (Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia Of The Bible)
 
 B. THE MEANING OF THE WORD "DISPERSION"...
 1. The Greek word is diaspora {dee-as-por-ah'}
 a. It is noun form of the verb diaspeiro
 b. Which means "to sow, to scatter seed"
 2. The term is found in Jn 7:35, and there it refers to the Jews
 who were scattered among the Greeks
 a. As a result of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities
 b. This has caused some to conclude that Peter was writing to
 Jewish Christians
 c. Who were living in the regions of Asia Minor (modern day 
 Turkey) - cf. 1 Pe 1:1
 3. But there is good reason to believe that Peter was writing to 
 ALL the Christians, both Jewish and Gentile, who were scattered
 throughout Asia Minor
 a. Comments are made in this epistle that cannot be understood
 in reference to the original recipients being Jews - cf. 
 1 Pe 1:14,18,20-21
  b. More likely, Peter employs terms once limited to the Jews, 
 but now applicable to all who are in Christ
 1) For example, terms like "elect" (1:2), "holy nation"
 (2:9), "people of God" (2:10)
 2) Even as Paul did: "circumcision" (Ph 3:3), "Israel of 
 God" (Ga 6:16)
 4. If this be so, then Peter implies by using the term "pilgrims 
 of the dispersion" that all Christians are:
 a. Pilgrims living in a world not their own
 b. Like scattered seed, spread out among those in the world
 
[With this understanding of the phrase, "pilgrims of the dispersion," we
can now draw insights that are implied by it...]
 
II. INSIGHTS FROM BEING CALLED "PILGRIMS OF THE DISPERSION"
 
 A. THIS PHRASE REVEALS WHAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE REALLY IS...
 1. It is but a JOURNEY, begun when we first became Christians, 
 ending only when we reach our true destination
 a. This ought to affect our entire perspective on life
  1) It is not an end in itself
 2) Only a temporary trip toward our final destination
 3) Our homes, our jobs, take on a different meaning when 
 viewed in this light
 b. This ought to affect our perspective on death
 1) Not the end of life, but the end of our journey!
 2) Not the end of life, but the beginning of eternity in our
 true home!
 2. Embarked on this JOURNEY, we become like our spiritual father,
  Abraham
 a. Notice He 11:8-10, 13-16
 b. If this be our attitude towards this life...
 1) Then God is not ashamed to be called our God
 2) And we can honestly sing songs like "This World Is Not My
 Home"
 
 B. THIS PHRASE REMINDS US OF AN IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY...
 1. Our responsibility as "pilgrims" is to be SEPARATE - cf. 1 Pe
 2:11-12
 a. We may be "in the world," but we are not to be "of the 
 world" - Jn 17:15-16; 2 Co 6:14-7:1
 b. Remaining separate may cause some in the world to think we
 are strange - cf. 1 Pe 4:3-4
 c. But Jesus said this would happen, even as it did to Him - 
 Jn 15:18-19
 2. Figuratively speaking, we should be like those foreign refugees
 now in our country:
 a. Who resist giving up their heritage, their language
 b. Who resist attempts to "Americanize" them and destroy their
 cultural traditions
 3. Can it be said of us who are Christians, that we are keeping 
 ourselves SEPARATE from the world?
 a. Are we allowing the world to influence our...
 1) Speech?
 2) Dress?
 3) Conduct?
 b. If we so, then we are no longer "pilgrims," but "naturalized
 citizens" of this world!
 c. Remember John's warning in 1 Jn 2:15-17
 
 C. THIS PHRASE OUGHT TO REMIND US OF OUR TRUE HOME...
 1. Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly await our 
 Savior - Ph 3:20-21
 2. We are to be looking for "a new heavens and a new earth" - 
 2 Pe 3:13-14
 3. That is where we will find our true home, the CITY...
 a. "which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." 
  - He 11:10,16
 b. That is "the one to come" - He 13:14
 c. That "comes down out of heaven from God" - Re 21:1-22:5
 -- That is where we, who are now simply strangers and 
 foreigners scattered like seed in this world, will one day 
 be gathered together!
 4. Those who are truly "pilgrims" will think often of their true 
 home
 a. When my family lived in Taiwan, we thought often of our home
 in the states
 b. And so we will think often of our heavenly home, if we are
 truly "pilgrims of the Dispersion"!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Are we "pilgrims of the Dispersion"? We are, if as Christians we...
 a. View our life here on earth as a journey in a foreign land!
  b. Keep ourselves separate from things in the world that would lead
 us away from God!
 c. View as our true home, the heavenly city God has prepared from
 those who confess they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth!
 
2. But you are NOT a "pilgrim of the Dispersion" if...
 a. You have not yet begun your spiritual sojourn by obeying the 
 gospel of Christ!
 b. Having done so, you allow the attractions of the world to 
 discontinue your journey and "settle down" in things which would 
 separate you from God!
 
Are YOU a "pilgrim of the Dispersion"?

The "Elect" Of God (1:2)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In our previous study, we noticed that Peter referred to Christians 
 as "pilgrims of the Dispersion"
 a. This description implies that Christians are but strangers, 
 foreigners, sojourning in a land not their own, and scattered 
 about like seed
 b. With their citizenship in heaven, they may be "in" this world, but
 they are not to be "of" this world
 c. Therefore, one of their important duties is to be "separate" - cf.
 1 Pe 2:11
 
2. One might think that since Christians are "scattered strangers" in 
 this world, they are to be pitied
 
3. Not so, for though they are strangers in the world, they are the 
 "ELECT" of God - 1 Pe 1:2
 a. The word "elect" simply means "chosen" and is thus translated in 
 1 Pe 2:9-10
 b. There we learn that Christians are "a chosen generation"; i.e., 
 they are truly God's chosen people!
 
4. In this lesson, we shall consider what it means for Christians to be
 "The ELECT Of God"
 
[Using the comments of Peter in 1 Pe 1:2 as an outline for this study,
we see first that as the ELECT of God...]
 
I. WE ARE A PART OF GOD'S PREDETERMINED PLAN
 
 A. PETER SAYS "ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD"
 1. The word "foreknowledge" comes from "prognosis" {prog'-no-sis}
 2. It means "forethought, pre-arrangement"
 3. I.e., being the "elect" (chosen) of God is in keeping with 
 God's plan which He designed beforehand
 4. As B. W. Johnson says in his "People's New Testament" 
 commentary: "Their election and salvation was in accordance 
 with God's predetermined purpose to save men through the 
 gospel, and hence, according to foreknowledge."
 
 B. PAUL EXPOUNDS UPON THIS "PRE-ARRANGEMENT" IN EPHESIANS...
 1. God planned it before the world began - Ep 1:4
 2. It anticipated the "chosen" being holy and without blame - 
 Ep 1:4
 3. It looked forward to the "elect" being adopted as sons - Ep
 1:5
 4. This plan is according to God's good pleasure - Ep 1:5
 5. This plan has a goal that the "elect" walk in good works - Ep 
 2:10
 
 C. WAS THIS "ELECTION" INDIVIDUAL OR CORPORATE?
  1. I understand election by God to have been general, not 
 particular; corporate, not individual
 2. That it would be "the body of Christ, the church as a whole"...
 a. Which God chose to be the recipients of His divine and 
  gracious purposes
 b. And which He planned beforehand (foreknowledge) to carry out
 in Christ Jesus
 3. While in the "corporate" sense this choice is unconditional and
 final, as "individuals" we must be "diligent to make your 
 calling and election sure" - 2 Pe 1:10
 1) Just as Israel (as a nation) had been chosen by God to 
 receive His blessings during the Old Testament period
 2) But individually, the Israelites also had to make "their 
 calling and election sure"
 
[So by being in Christ, we are God's "elect", and involved in a plan 
which was in the mind of God before time began and which is still in the
process of being worked out! The implication of this is that those who
are God's "elect" are very special to God.
 
As we return to 1 Pe 1:2, we learn also that...]
 
II. WE BECOME GOD'S "ELECT" THROUGH THE SANCTIFYING WORK OF THE SPIRIT
 
 A. SANCTIFICATION AND THE HOLY SPIRIT...
 1. Sanctification, the process by which we are "set apart" for 
 God's purpose, is accomplished by the Holy Spirit
 2. There are several passages that describe the connection between
 the Holy Spirit and our sanctification - Ro 15:16; 1 Co 6:11;
 2 Th 2:13
 
 B. HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT ACCOMPLISHES THIS "SANCTIFICATION"...
 1. It is through the Word of God
 a. It was God's will that the Holy Spirit would reveal the Word
 to the apostles - cf. Jn 16:12-13
 b. Through this revealed Word, we are "sanctified" (set apart) 
 - cf. Jn 17:17
 2. Therefore, when people obey the Word of God which has been 
 revealed by the Holy Spirit, they become "chosen...to 
 salvation" through:
 a. "sanctification of the Spirit" (the Divine side of 
 conversion, as the Spirit has revealed the Word and convicts
 men of sin through it)
 b. "and belief of the truth" (the human side of conversion, as
 they believe it) - cf. 2 Th 2:13-14
 
[Having been "sanctified" (set apart) by belief in the truth, and as 
God's "elect" now a part of His eternal plan, you might expect such 
privileges would call for certain responsibilities.
 
Indeed it does, for as God's "elect"...]
 
III. WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OBEDIENCE!
 
 A. GOD'S CHOSEN ARE EXPECTED TO BE OBEDIENT...
 1. We saw earlier in Ep 2:10 that it was part of God's plan
 before time began that the people of God would "walk in good
 works"
 2. This is all part of God's wonderful grace as defined by Paul in
 Ti 2:11-14
 3. We do not earn salvation by such good works (cf. Ti 3:5), but
 nonetheless we are to be diligent in doing them - Ti 3:1,8,14
 
 B. PETER WILL LATER EXPOUND UPON THE NEED FOR OBEDIENCE...
 1. As obedient children of God, we are to be holy - 1 Pe 1:14-16
 2. We are even to submit to civil authorities, that we might 
 silence the ignorance of foolish men - 1 Pe 2:13-16
 3. Peter implies grave consequences to those "who obey not the 
 gospel of God" - 1 Pe 4:17
 
[Peter also tells servants and wives to be obedient, but this should 
suffice to impress upon us that the privilege of being God's "elect" 
involves the responsibility of being obedient to the will of the Lord.
 
Finally, being the "elect" of God also means...]
 
IV. WE HAVE THE BLESSING OF FORGIVENESS!
 
 A. WE ENJOY THE "SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST"
 1. A clear reference to the blessing of forgiveness of sins made 
  possible by the death of Christ
 2. The blessing of forgiveness is one enjoyed...
 a. When we first become Christians upon our baptism into Christ
 - Ac 2:38; 22:16
 b. As we confess sins throughout our daily walk with God -
 1 Jn 1:7-9
 
 B. THIS BLESSING IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL MENTIONED IN PETER'S EPISTLE
 1. He later speaks of "an inheritance" - 1 Pe 1:4
 2. And the "salvation of souls" - 1 Pe 1:9
 3. He describes Jesus as the "Shepherd and Overseer of your souls"
 - 1 Pe 2:25
 4. He also refers to the care of God - 1 Pe 5:7
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. We hope to examine some of these blessings for God's "elect" in
 greater detail in future lessons
 
2. But what we have seen from 1 Pe 1:2 is that while Christians may 
 indeed be "pilgrims", strangers living in a world not their own, they
 are not to be pitied!
 
3. For by the grace of God and their obedience to the gospel of Jesus 
 Christ, they are God's "elect", His "chosen ones", and as such they 
 are:
 a. Part of God's predetermined plan
 b. Chosen through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit
 c. Given responsibilities in keeping with the fact they are the 
 children of God
 d. Recipients of the richest blessings God has to offer (such as 
 forgiveness of sins)
 
4. It is surprising, then, that Peter would address such people with:
 
 "Grace to you and peace be multiplied"?
 
5. Certainly those who are God's "elect" receive in multiple measure the
  saving grace of God and the peace which accompanies such unmerited
 favor!
 
How about you? Are you one of the "elect" of God? You are if you have
answered the call of the gospel through the obedience of faith (cf. Mk 
16:15-16; Ac 2:38-41)!
 
If you have not yet rendered obedience to the gospel, then please do so
today, especially in view of the following statements by Peter and Paul:
 
"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if
it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey
the gospel of God?" - 1 Pe 4:17
 
"and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is 
revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking
vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey 
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with 
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory
of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints
and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony 
among you was believed." - 2 Th 1:7-10

A "Living" Hope (1:3-5)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In our study of Peter's epistle so far, we have noticed...
 a. That as far as the world is concerned, Christians are but
 "pilgrims"
 b. But as far as God is concerned, we are His "elect"
 
2. As the "elect" (chosen) of God, we are the recipients of many
 blessings that God offers to all who will obey and follow Christ
 a. One of these blessings is described in 1 Pe 1:3-5
 b. There we learn that God has caused us to be born again unto "a
 living hope"
 
3. An understanding of this "living" hope can help Christians who are
 "pilgrims" be more joyful during their sojourn in this life
 
4. Therefore, in this lesson we shall examine what Peter says about the
 Christian hope that makes it a "living" hope
 
[Verse 3 begins with Peter praising God, and this leads us to the 
first reason our hope is a "living" hope...]
 
I. BECAUSE GOD IS MERCIFUL!
 
 A. THE BASIS FOR OUR HOPE LIES NOT IN OUR OWN PERFECTION OR 
 RIGHTEOUSNESS...
 1. It is a good thing that it does not, for all are sinners in 
 God's sight - cf. Ro 3:23
 2. Even as Christians we find ourselves guilty before God - cf. 
 1 Jn 1:8,10
 
  B. THE BASIS FOR OUR HOPE LIES IN THE ABUNDANCE OF GOD'S MERCY...
 1. Mercy bestowed while we were yet sinners - cf. Ro 5:6,8
 2. Mercy bestowed upon the conditions of faith, repentance, and 
 baptism - cf. Ac 2:36-38
 3. Mercy bestowed continually upon Christians as they repent of 
 and confess their sins - cf. 1 Jn 1:9
 
[Because of God's "abundant mercy", then, we who are sinners can have a
"living" hope!
 
But according to verse 3 there is another reason to have hope...]
 
II. BECAUSE JESUS IS ALIVE!
 
 A. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS CRUCIAL TO OUR HOPE...
 1. If Christ is not risen, then the apostles were liars, and our 
 faith is vain! - 1 Co 15:14-15
 2. If Christ is not risen, we are still held guilty for our sins,
 no forgiveness has occurred! - 1 Co 15:17
 3. If Christ is not risen, those who have died as Christians have
 perished, they are lost! - 1 Co 15:18
 4. If Christ has not risen, then we do not have a "living" hope,
 instead we are to be pitied by others! - 1 Co 15:19
 
 B. BUT THROUGH JESUS' RESURRECTION, WE HAVE BEEN "BORN AGAIN" TO A
 LIVING HOPE!
 1. Peter may have reference not to the process of conversion 
 (though he does in 1 Pe 1:23), but to the renewed hope 
 produced by the resurrection of Jesus
 a. E.g., after Jesus' death and prior to His resurrection, the
 disciples were despondent
 b. But after the resurrection of Jesus, His disciples were 
  "born again" in regards to their hope
 c. As Guy N. Woods says in his commentary: "The reference here
 is...to the re-establishment of the faith of the disciples 
 by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead."
 2. Surely the fact that Jesus did rise gives us reason for a 
 "living" hope
 a. God would not raise a liar, so anything Jesus said about our
 hope is true - e.g., Jn 11:25
 b. Since Jesus rose from the dead, we have a firm hope that we
 too will one day rise from the dead - cf. 1 Co 15:20-23
 
[By the abundant mercy of God, and upon the basis of Jesus' own 
resurrection, then, we have "born again" to a living hope!
 
But there are two more reasons discussed in verses 4-5 as to why our 
hope can be described as "living". One is...]
 
III. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF OUR INHERITANCE!
 
 A. THE DEGREE OF HOPE WE HAVE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE INHERITANCE
 WE HAVE...
 1. If our inheritance is a good one, our hope is strong, or 
 "living"
 2. If our inheritance is a poor one, then our hope is weak, or 
 "dead"
 
 B. AS DESCRIBED BY PETER, OUR INHERITANCE...
 1. IS INCORRUPTIBLE
 a. The Greek word is aphthartos {af'-thar-tos}, meaning "not 
 liable to corruption or decay, imperishable"
 b. Unlike this present heavens and earth in which now live, and
 which will one day be destroyed - 2 Pe 3:10-13
 2. IS UNDEFILED
 a. The Greek word is amiantos {am-ee'-an-tos}, meaning "not 
 defiled, unsoiled"
 b. It is unlike the earthly Canaan, which could be and was 
 defiled by its inhabitants
 c. Our hope pertains to that where the defiled are not allowed
  to enter - cf. Re 21:27
 3. DOES NOT FADE AWAY
 a. The Greek word is amarantos {am-ar'-an-tos}, meaning