Once the greeting is complete, Peter jumps right into the most exciting and incredible news his readers could ever experience: the hope we have in the risen Christ!

Take a look at this amazing passage in 1 Peter 1:3-4.

The way Peter begins his letter is probably the most exciting of all the letters in the New Testament. The hope that we have in Christ is definitely exciting, but Peter’s enthusiasm here is contagious. And he wants his readers to understand just how amazing it really is.

First of all, we need to remember Peter’s past. This is the man who affirmed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, and then turned around and denied him three times. If anyone should be aware of the hope that Christ offers, Peter should. Because after Christ reaffirmed Peter’s role as a leader in the church, this man, this Rock, was never the same.

And that is very clear in this passage. Peter’s first statement is one of praise and worship of the Father and his Son. This is a common method of praise found in the Old Testament, and it shows Peter’s grasp of the Scriptures, but he pairs it here with the phrase “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” a title never revealed in the Old Testament.

Because of this relationship between the Father and the Son, we are the recipients of God’s great mercy. Peter compares this to a birth. Our first birth was to human parents; our second is into a living hope.

This hope is alive and active! It is not a dead, lifeless hope. It is living, just as the Son is living, having been resurrected from the dead! Christ’s resurrection ensures the victory, and the eventual elimination of death completely. We will live with him for eternity!

In verse 4, Peter adds another descriptive term, that of an inheritance. Again, this is rooted in the Old Testament. The Israelites, when they reached the Promised Land, were given it as an inheritance. There were laws that prevented one’s inheritance from passing permanently out of his hands.

The idea of inheritance is a key concept in understanding ancient Jewish mentality. After centuries of slavery, and years of wandering, having this inheritance was a critical part of Israel’s national identity.

Here, Peter says that there is something even better: an inheritance that cannot perish or spoil or fade. An inheritance in heaven, kept especially with us in mind. Each of these three terms conveys something important about this inheritance.

• Never perish – Our inheritance is incorruptible. It will not decay or deteriorate.
• Never spoil – This inheritance is pure, unstained by anything, especially sin. It is unsullied.
• Never fade – Such an inheritance is eternal and everlasting, and it will never lose its lustre.

And what is more, God is holding this inheritance for us himself, keeping it safe in heaven, where we will one day receive it.

That is incredible news!

Question: Have you ever received an inheritance? What made that a significant event for you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.