Bless God – 1 Peter 1:3-5

The hymn “Praise Him! Praise Him!” was written by Fanny Crosby, the blind American songwriter who lived 1820-1915. Though she was blind, she wrote more than 8000 gospel hymn texts. She looked beyond her trial in life and praised God in her heart and song.

Because Peter’s readers were elect strangers scattered in the back woods because of persecution, Peter begins his letter challenging them to bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Father of Jesus in the Trinity not in genetics) for all He’s done for them.

Transition

If you are a true Christian, you too ought to bless God. In our text this morning, Peter highlights three reasons every Christian ought to bless God.

Every Christian ought to bless God because . . .

He Has Mercifully Given Us a New Birth (v.3)

“Begotten us again” means to give new birth.
1. This describes the spiritual new birth into God’s family that takes place when a person repents and trusts Christ to save them from hell. Jesus called it being born again.
  ☆ (John 3:3) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
2. Peter uses the same word in 1 Peter 1:23. Spiritual new birth is found in God’s Word. (Read)
3. This new birth is an act of God’s abundant mercy. Our sin deserves judgment, but instead God gives the believer cleansing and a new life. Praise God!
This new birth produces a living hope.
1. New life in Christ gives a lively (living) hope. The Bible word “hope” is a confident expectation. We have a confident assurance of eternal life.
2. This is not a dead hope based on the words of a dead prophet, but a living hope based on the words of Jesus who rose from the dead. Because He lives we will live.
  ☆ (1 Corinthians 15:20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
  ☆ (2 Corinthians 4:14) Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
  Every Christian ought to bless God because . . .

He Has Graciously Reserved Us an Inheritance (v.4)

Salvation secured our reservation in heaven
1. The word “reserved” means kept for us.
2. Your reservation began the moment you trusted Christ and continues into the future (Acts 26:18). God has a special inheritance reserved in heaven for every true believer. This is different from the rewards or crowns some will receive at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Our reserved inheritance is awesome.
1. Note that our inheritance is in heaven. Do not be deceived by the cults who twist the truth about heaven.
  ☆ (Matthew 6:20) “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”
  ☆ (Philippians 3:20) “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”
  ☆ (Colossians 1:5) “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”
  ☆ (Hebrews 10:34) “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.”
2. This inheritance is better than any earthly inheritance.
  1. It is incorruptible – impossible to decay or lose value, indestructible. It cannot be damaged in any way.
  2. It is undefiled – unsoiled, without defect or flaw, free from contamination, pure
  3. It is unfading – perennial, perpetual, its beauties will remain fresh through all eternity
    Every Christian ought to bless God because . . .

He is Powerfully Keeping Us Saved (v.5)

We are kept by the power of God.
1. “Kept” is a military term meaning “to protect by a military guard.” The grammar describes it as a continuous process.
2. Those who are truly saved become God’s children (Jn 1:12). He then keeps them in His Almighty powerful hands. They can never lose their salvation.
  ☆ “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)
3. True Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption when they go to heaven.
  ☆ (Ephesians 1:13) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
  ☆ (Philippians 1:6) “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
We are kept through faith.
1. Faith in Christ is the channel through which we are saved and made secure.
  ☆ “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)
2. Warn Wiersbe adds, “Our faith in Christ has so united us to Him that His power now guards us and guides us.”
We are kept unto salvation.
1. This is not speaking of salvation from hell, for that was settled when we first believed.
2. This salvation is the deliverance from this world and our sinful flesh. I still have an old nature, and so do you. I look forward to the day when I will get rid of that old nature.
  1. Paul called it the day of redemption as we just read in Ephesians 1:14.
  2. It is the day when Christians will receive immortal bodies.
    ☆ (1 Corinthians 15:53) “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
  3. It is the day we will see Christ.
    ☆ (1 John 3:2) “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
3. Yes, every true Christian will be kept secure by God until he enters heaven and his salvation is complete.
4. Our inheritance is ready to be revealed (uncovered) in the last (proper) time.

Conclusion

Though Peter’s readers were persecuted, scattered, strangers, this gave them many reasons to bless God. No matter how troublesome life may be, if we are truly saved, we have many reasons to bless God. 1) He has mercifully given us a new birth into His family. 2) He has graciously reserves us an inheritance in heaven. 3) He is powerfully keeping us saved until we reach heaven.

If you have not recently blessed God for these treasures, you need to take the time to do it right now. Let’s also ask God to help us to bless him regularly for these treasures.

If you have never been born again into God’s family, you have no forgiveness, no changed life, no inheritance in heaven, and God cannot keep you because you are not part of his family. The good news is that all of this can be yours if you will turn from your sin and ask Christ to make you his child and change your life. You can do this before you leave today.

Song: Praise Him! Praise Him! 442
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Bless God
26 April 2015 am – 1Peter 1:3-5 – 1Pe15 – Scott Childs