Are You Eagerly Waiting for the Hope of the Gospel?

In 1 Peter, chapter 1, Peter writes to those who were dispersed about: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

God has elected us “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,” in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. We realize that He knew what He was doing when He elected us. He elected us for an extremely glorious goal. This, of course, is a great comfort when we think that it is going badly with us and we feel that God can’t possibly do this work with us. When we read in 1 Corinthians, we can see why He elected such bad material—that we might not take any credit for what He does with us, but give all the glory to Him. It was the same with Abraham and Sarah.

In Romans 8:24-34 we read that we are saved in hope. We believe in Him who has elected us, and we are born again to this hope. We eagerly wait for what we hope for. We have lost faith if we do not eagerly wait for the hope to which we have been born again. Abraham did not do this. The weaker he became the stronger he grew in faith, because he gave God the glory. We must follow this example when the light shines into our life. He who has called us, He will also perform it.

“For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Nevertheless, “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” In other words, our prayers are always answered. Here it is a question of being conformed to the image of the Son. We do not know what it takes to be conformed to Him. For all those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus that they might be His brethren. We read further that the ones He called, He also justified, and these He also glorified. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” No one can hinder either God or us if we long for it and eagerly wait for it. We read further that He who gave His only Son, He will also give us all things with Him.

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Vs. 33-34. Here we can see that it is dangerous to bring a charge against God’s elect. God has still not finished the work He has decided to do with all the bad pieces of material He has chosen; but He justifies the very ones against whom you are perhaps bringing a charge. Jesus died for them and arose for them, sitting at the Father’s right hand, making intercession for them. Read Colossians 3:11-15. There are many people who think they know best. They criticize and accuse others, but they run the risk of missing out on their own calling. We are not called to accuse one another, but to be God’s servants. Rom. 6:22.

In 2 Peter chapter 1, we read that through knowing Him we have received exceedingly great and precious promises that we through them might become partakers of the divine nature. Therefore we need to be diligent to add virtue to our faith. Then we will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter exhorts us further to be even more diligent to make our calling and election sure. Then we will not stumble. If our mind is occupied with adding virtue to our faith, we will most certainly not stumble but rather confirm our calling and receive an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore Peter did not want to be negligent in reminding them always of these things for as long as he lived, even though they knew them and were established in the truth.