Again, Peter tells us two things about those
who have this hope. First, they are born again. An inheritance only belongs to true sons of the Father. In three passages
God has made it clear that those who are outside of Christ have no inheritance (Eph. 5:5; 1 Cor.
6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21). This is the way
it must be. Sin separates us from God
and thus prevents us from living in His presence. Jesus, God’s Son, has provided forgiveness
through His death so that those who are born again can live through His
resurrection. This is our hope. If you will not receive Christ by faith you
have no authority to be God’s child and thus have no right to the inheritance
(John 1:11-13).
Second, Peter says the heirs are those who are
kept by the power of God through faith
for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. On the one hand God reserves (watches over, is attentive to) the inheritance. On the other hand, He keeps (a military term, as being guarded by a garrison) the
heir. The heirs are believers (it is through
faith) who are awaiting future salvation.
The picture in Scripture is that salvation
is past in the sense of justification
(we have been saved, declared righteous before God, Rom. 5:1), present in the sense of sanctification
(we are being saved from sin’s power, growing in righteousness, Phil. 2:12-13),
and future in the sense of
glorification (we will be saved from sin’s presence, the salvation revealed in
the last time).
The meaning is, that they were weak in
themselves, and were surrounded by temptations; and that the only reason why
they were preserved was, that God exerted His power to keep them. The only reason which any Christians have to
suppose they will ever reach heaven, is the fact that God keeps them by His own
power. (Albert
Barnes)
This is why Paul can speak with confidence
that He who has begun a good work in you
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). Of himself Paul says, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that
He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day (2 Tim.
1:12). At the end of his life Paul’s
hope gave him confidence in the face of death: And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for
His heavenly kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18).
We conclude our study of Peter’s words of hope with a plea that we make this
personal. The offer of a relationship
with God through Christ, one that makes us heirs
of God, joint-heirs with Christ, is still valid today. This relationship is established, not by your
works of righteousness (law-keeping), but through the righteousness of faith (Rom. 4:13-14). Through faith in Christ you are no longer a
slave but a son (Gal. 4:7). And to those
who are believers in Christ, do not
become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises (Heb. 6:12).
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