First Peter 1:8-12

1:6-7 told the believers that though now at times we suffer trials our faith in the promises of God and faith in the work that God has done in our lives will ultimately result in praise, glory and honor for us.

Trials are part of the process that God uses to test (dokimazw) us and improve us.

Daniel 12:10,

“Many will be purified (examined), made spotless (cleansed) and refined (fuse and cast), but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”

The process of testing faith with trials:

(1 Peter 1:6 “all kinds of trials”; James 1:2 “trials of many kinds”)

1. Examined faith with trial

2. Cleanse believer of wrong thinking, actions, and attitude

3. Cast them eternally into the image of Christ that was formed in life

1:8
Verse 1:6-7 dealt with faith.

Verse 1:8 addresses love and hope.

Together 1:6-8 cover the three greatest virtues: Faith, Hope and Love of 1 Corinthians 13.

• Faith is in the promises God.
• Love is for Jesus, the Son of God
• Hope is in the character of the Son of God

These three virtues combined together today in our lives give us a taste of the joy we will experience when this life is over and our salvation is complete.

Today this joy is inexpressible because we do not have the capacity to experience it or to understand it. But, we do have enough faith, hope and love to get us through the trials in this life as we are prepared for the full capacity of God.

The Power of the Word
Peter had seen Jesus, the living Word. Peter knew and loved Jesus.

These believers had not heard nor seen Jesus. Yet, they also knew and loved Jesus.

How? They had heard the living Word taught and met Jesus, who is the Word, through the truth they heard.

In the OT believers where to love God and have faith in God.
In the NT this love and faith is towards Jesus.

Another clear indication that Jesus is God.

Because of their faith believers can have joy in the midst of trials.

1:9
What is taking place right now in life is the completion of the salvation experience.

1. At the point of salvation our spirits are born again, given new life, brought into the kingdom of light, etc.

2. During life our minds, attitudes, will, intellect, emotions, etc. are developed and formed into the image of Christ.

3. At the resurrection our bodies will be resurrected from natural bodies that are corruptible and made from the dirt to incorruptible, glorious bodies (like Christ’s) that are spiritual. (1 Cor. 15:50-58)

Verse 1:9 tells us that we are receiving or are in the process of getting our goals:

The salvation of ourselves.

Salvation: The Glorification Process

Point in Time Salvation Occurs	Salvation Experienced
When you believe in the Son of God	Saving or New Birth of your Spirit
After being Born Again until Death	Saving or Renewing of your Mind
After Death but before Christ Returns	Saving or Resurrection of your Body
The Final Result In Eternity:	Complete Salvation of your Whole Self- Spirit, Soul and Body This is where complete sanctification takes place and we are glorified.

To say “I am saved” is referring to the first phase of salvation only.
Because, “I am being saved” is also true in regard to what is occurring in our lives right now both inwardly as our mind is renewed and outwardly as God delivers us through these trials.

But, also, “I will be saved” is true for we have not yet received our resurrected bodies nor have we been glorified.

“Receiving” is a verb used for obtaining a prize or reward (2 Cor. 5:10; Eph 6:8; Heb. 11:13)

“Soul” is “psyche” and is not used as Paul uses it to refer to the immaterial part of man but is used by Peter as reference to the whole person. This is the way Peter’s Bible, the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, used the word.

1:10

This salvation is more than a new Christian idea.
Peter says it was the focus of the entire OT.

The OT prophets spoke of this day of salvation.

1:11

The prophets lacked some information:

1) the time of this salvation (Greek says, “what time”)

2) the context of this salvation (Greek says, “what type of time”)

1:12

The prophets did know they spoke not to their generation but to a future people.

That people is us.