The Hope of Eternal Life

Meditations in the Season of Lent 

March 27, 2023

The Hope of Eternal Life

The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:9 

Read: 1 Peter 1:1-9

The epistle First Peter was written by the Apostle Peter from Rome in 67 AD, to the churches scattered throughout Asia. Peter encouraged the people of God to stand firm in the faith, not because they will be punished if they don’t, but because of all that God has done for them, and will do for them when Christ returns. Our churches still need this encouragement today.

There are two characteristics to this letter that give insight to the work of the first church. First, there was a consistent theme and form to the preaching in the early church. Peter’s words here are very similar to the record we have of his preaching in the Book of Acts. This message was so consistent in the early church it was given the name Kerygma, a Greek word meaning “proclamation.” Essentially this form of preaching contained six points:

1-    1- The era of the New Covenant, foretold by the prophets, has dawned.

2-  2-  This has taken place through the birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

3-  3-  By virtue of his resurrection and ascension, Jesus has been exalted at the right hand of God as head of the church.

4-    4- The Holy Spirit is the sign of Christ's presence, and his power and glory, in the church.

5-    5- The era of the New Covenant will reach its fulfilment in the return of Christ in final victory.

6-   6- An appeal is made for repentance with the offer of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and salvation.

In addition to consistency of preaching, there was also consistency of teaching in the first church. As an example, in our reading today, there are striking similarities to the teaching of Paul in the book of Ephesians.

1 Peter 1:3 “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,”

 

Ephesians 1:3 “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”

Peter is also consistent with James in noting how the trials and sufferings of life are used by God to refine and purify our faith. Paul also joined the chorus: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

My Takeaway: This consistency would become known as the first Apostolic Succession, as the early church sought to continue the work of the first apostles. (This succession refers to the message of the first apostles.) To facilitate this Apostolic Succession, scripture was canonized, and creeds developed in the second and third centuries of the church. During Lent, I am affirming that my faith and practice is consistent with the teachings of the Apostles.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.