First Peter: God’s Plan for our Salvation
The Bible is filled with the stories of colorful people who changed their world by connecting with God.
But, the Bible isn’t really so much about people as it is about God and His redemptive plan. The Apostle Peter, one of Jesus’ most trusted followers certainly
had a colorful story, but when he wrote to the church, he focused entirely on God and His plan for our salvation.
In this series, we will take a look at God’s redemption and how it guarantees our success as believers.
This doesn’t mean that God will bless every plan we concoct, but that He will bless us as we embrace His redemptive plan.
After greeting his readers in I Peter 1:1-2, Peter makes an astounding pronouncement. He declares that God now sees us as one people, one nation, belonging to God.
Imagine that for a moment.
Peter says that despite the fact that we come from different cultures and backgrounds, we are now identified as a people belonging to God! That’s powerful.
How did this happen? Through the salvation we found in Jesus Christ. In Chapter one, verses 3-12, Peter tells us three things we need to know about salvation.
- It is our hope.
- It is our joy.
- It is our privilege.
In fact, it is such a privilege that Peter declares that our salvation is noted in heaven and witnessed by both the prophets and the angels.
That’s powerful and it leads to real change. What kind of change does God intend that our salvation produce? It will be a whole new approach to living!
Here are three things that Peter says will mark the saved lifestyle:
- A Life of Holiness (1:13-16)
- A Life of Reverence (1:17-21)
- A Life of Love (1:22-25)
Next time, we will talk about Peter’s desire for us to take responsibility.
I want to encourage you to think about your identity in Christ.
- Through salvation, you are now the people of God. How has salvation become your joy, hope and privilege?
- How has your salvation changed your approach to life?
- Finally, how has your life change led to holiness, reverence and love?
Take a few minutes together and talk about it.