It Won’t Be Long Now

Some words feel like they’re worlds apart: Darkness and light. Depth and height. Suffering and joy.

In our last lesson, we saw how Christians may experience joy, even when they’re suffering. That’s possible because of the work of the Trinity. God our Father, according to His mercy, has given us a new nature through His Spirit and a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And for the future, Jesus is keeping our marvelous inheritance safe for us in heaven.

God is preparing for us to receive this inheritance someday. Instead of trying to improve our old nature through the power of the flesh, look to God to grow us up. One way He does that is through trials. He puts us into the furnace not to destroy, hurt, or harm us but to bring out pure gold.

In the furnace of testing, the dross is drawn off, and precious gold appears. Seven times Peter uses a wonderful word to describe God’s method: Precious. Someday when we see Jesus Christ, we will thank God for our trials because we’ll see their value. Even Peter, writing this epistle, knew crucifixion was ahead for him. The trials will bring out the gold when we stand in the Lord’s presence.

Now the pastor, Peter, tells his new Jewish brothers and sisters that even though they’ve not seen the Lord, they love Him and believe in Him, bringing them inexpressible joy. This verse should mean a great deal to us, too. Peter had traveled with the Lord for three years. But for us, the Holy Spirit must make Him real. This is the secret of the Christian life. When we love Him, everything else falls into place. No course in the world can help you if you do not love Him.

In light of this, “gird up the loins of your mind … and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Essentially, “Get with it!” Adopt a serious approach to your study of God’s Word. Why should the child of God be willing to endure trials? Because we have a hope that rests on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Another incentive to endure trials well is the reality of the life evaluation we will go through before the Lord’s bema seat. This has nothing to do with your salvation but everything to do with your life after you are saved. The truth that God will evaluate our lives should make us sober-minded and give more attention to our present life.

While still on earth, our holiness can never be perfect like God's, but we can grow in spiritual maturity. What can produce this kind of growth? Obedience to the Word of God. Nothing is quite so meaningless as a life apart from Jesus. We have not been redeemed by corruptible things—not anything from this empty life could we offer God for our own redemption. What do we have that God needs?

Simply put, the Cross of Christ was not an ambulance sent to a wreck. Christ was the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world because God knew all the time you would need a Savior, and He loved you enough to offer His Son. Now your hope rests on Jesus’ resurrection, a living Savior who will be returning someday.

Next: What is it like to be called God’s “own special children”?