◄ What Does 1 Peter 1:4 Mean? ►

We were born into this world in a fallen frame, the progeny of sinful man, and condemned by a holy God. But God loved mankind so much that He sent His only begotten Son into the world to save us, by becoming our sin-substitute and taking upon Himself the punishment that we justly deserve.

Christ died in our place so that by believing on Him we might be reborn into the glorious family of God. He identified with our sin and became sin for us so that we might be forgiven, redeemed, born again, and returned into fellowship with the Father.

Jesus shed His blood on the Cross for our transgressions and rose again the third day so that we might be born from above, born anew, born of the Spirit of God, positioned in Christ, clothed in His perfect righteousness, and accepted in the Beloved for His name's sake. He died so that we might be born into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, secure, and unfading - a birthright that is kept in heaven for all who have trusted in Christ.

The unsaved man is without God and without hope in the world, but in Christ we have a living hope because our Saviour has breathed His life into our bodies - our new life in Christ. Our new, born-again, eternal, glorious life is the very life of Christ Himself, and it is all by grace through faith in Him.

But the hope we have from the Lord is not only a living hope for today, but a lasting hope into the ages to come - an everlasting hope that can never fail for it is imperishable, undefiled, secure, enduring, unfading, and inextinguishable, and it is kept for us in heaven, by God's amazing grace.

This eternal security that we have in Christ is not founded on our own merit or good deeds, nor does it depend on our unfailing trust in Him. Our living hope for today and the lasting hope that is kept for us in heaven depends entirely upon the faithfulness of God Himself. Our hope is not based on anything we do but on the unfailing constancy and integrity of our unchanging Father in heaven.

The moment you trusted Christ as Saviour, you were born into a heavenly inheritance that can never fail and is being kept by the power of God in heaven for you. Let us seek to live godly in Christ Jesus. Let us live from the new, born-again life of Christ within, until we can say with Paul: "It is not I that live, but Christ that lives in me."

Heavenly Father, thank You that by Your grace through faith in Christ, I have become a partaker of His divine nature. Thank You that when I first believed, I was positioned in Christ in heavenly places, having escaped the corruption of the world and being covered with His righteousness. Thank You for the Word of truth and the many precious promises it contains for me and all believers. May Your will for my life may be carried out to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.