1 Peter 1:21
who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Truth to Learn
It is through Christ that we believe unto salvation, and our hope for eternity rests with God and God alone.
Behind the Words
The Greek word translated “through” is dia which can refer to motion “through” something or it can refer to instrumentality. In this case it is the latter.
The word “believe” is from the Greek pisteuō, which means “to have faith in” or “to believe in.”
“Raised” is translated from egeirō, which means “to rouse from sleep.” It also implies the idea of rising up from the posture of sleep. Hence, it is also used of raising someone from death.
The word translated “glory” is doxa. The root of this word is the word dokeō, which means “to think or suppose.” Hence, the word doxa principally refers to thought or opinion, especially favorable opinion. By extension it also means praise, honor, or splendor.
Meaning Explained
This verse must be connected with the previous verse to make complete sense. Together these two verses read:
20He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Now we can clearly see that the “who” that begins the current verse refers to “you” which ended the last verse. In other words, those of us to whom Christ was manifest (made known) in these last days are saved through believing in Him. Throughout time, faith has been the key to being declared righteous by God. In Noah’s case it was belief that God was going to bring a flood. In Abraham’s case it was believing God’s promise that his descendents would be as innumerable as the stars in the sky. In the case of the Old Testament Jews, it was the belief that the Messiah was coming. In our case it is the belief that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that his sacrificial death on the cross paid the ransom for our sins.
It is through Christ that we believe in God because Jesus Christ in his incarnation showed God the Father to us. And, it is God the father who raised Christ from the dead to prove Christ’s deity. Also, it is God the Father who placed Christ at his own right hand and returned to Him the glory He had in eternity past. Therefore, it is through Christ, and in God the Father, that our saving faith and hope for eternity rests.
Peter makes it very clear in this verse that our hope for eternity is in God. This is clearly contrary to the belief of some that our hope for eternity is in the good works that we perform while we are here in this life.
Application
If you believe that it is your actions or good deeds that ensure your place in heaven, then Peter says you are wrong. He declares to us here that our faith is in Him (through Christ) and that our hope is in Him as well. Our hope is in God the Father, not in our own deeds. Think about that!
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2008 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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