Purified faith

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Title: 1 Peter 1:3-12 – Purified Faith

Introduction:  

Central Idea:  A believer’s faith produces joy no matter the circumstances they may face.

Main Transition:  As we dive into this book of 1 Peter we have already established who was responsible for our faith, but Peter is quickly going to deepen our understanding.  To do so he walks us through the completed work of Salvation.  Least you think that once you believe it’s over, Peter spells out that there is more to come that God has already established.  Then Peter shifts his argument off of God and onto the believer by entering the refiner’s fire, and then he returns to the past work of God through the foretold promise of Salvation. 

I.  The completed work of Salvation (3-5)

A.    A new birth (3)

1.      Last week we left off understanding the role of the Triunity of God in our own Salvation, each member playing a vital role in the initial act of Salvation as well as its continuing effects.  Peter continues to develop that wonderful truth

a.       God the Father responses to you and I sinners and His enemies with mercy, this is unmerited favor toward you and I in our hopeless condition

b.      In order that we would have a new life, we could be born again, we can do nothing to merit such a wonderful gift as this New Life

2.      We were given this new Life not to repeat what we where already doing, but rather we were given a new life to a living hope, this hope is never extinguished, but is eternal and it is secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

a.       Peter is calling us to realize that it is no matter that Satan is our adversary, you are sealed and guaranteed your inheritance because of the work of God the Father in showing you unmerited Favor when you were an enemy

b.      And because the New Life that was given to you produces a Living Hope that cannot be squashed, and is guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Application:  Satan has repeatedly attacked the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because he realizes that Christ’s victory over death is the corner stone of our salvation.  But, Peter was there, he knew where Christ was buried, he ran to the tomb with John and ran in to find there was no one there.  Peter saw the risen Christ, Peter was restored by the risen Christ.  He knew the vital importance of the resurrection, this is the confidence that he possesses to come before a scattered people and boldly proclaim victory!!

B.     A future inheritance (4)

1.  The new birth, and the living hope all because of the resurrection of Jesus was all accomplished in order that you and I who believe are granted an eternal inheritance

2.      This inheritance we will not possess until we do get to heaven.

3.  But notice its qualities, it is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away.  The three words each holding special significance about our future inheritance, Peter is saying that inheritance is untouched by death, unstained by evil, and unimpaired by time.  Or, in other words it is composed of immortality, purity, and beauty.

C.     Protected by the power of God (5)

1.      The word for protected is a military term that means to shield or protect against a hostile enemy.  Peter is saying that your faith and its results are protected and guarded by the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Supreme powerful God, no one can steal that away from the believer, nor can they disqualify a believer from receiving its rewards.

2.      Your Salvation is under attack all the time, sometimes even from within the body of Christ, and sometimes even from within your own life, Paul says in Romans 8 that there is nothing that can separate us from the Love of God.

3.      Peter is going a step farther by adding that it is God would guards your Salvation, which we will more fully understand when Christ returns.

Transition:  Over just 4 verses Peter has developed a reason for us to be confident of our secured position in Christ no matter what circumstance we are faced with.  This is why I can proclaim boldly that a believer’s faith can produce joy no matter what circumstances we encounter.  This is why Peter is now able to address those that face terrible persecution for their faith.

II.  The Refiner’s Fire (6-9)

            A.  Take joy in your faith (6)

1.  Peter leaves his argument for a moment and makes it personal.  It is not because we as Christians don’t feel pain, we do.  It is not because God gives us wealth, health, and power, He may not.  But we take joy because our residency is not here, our security is with God and is protected by God.

2.  In light of that be joyful, the kind of joy that can only come from the unchanging, eternal relationship with God, knowing that the trials you face, the heartache you bear, will be temporary and when it is finally over your eternal inheritance awaits!!

            B.  Various trials of persecution (7)

                        1.  Peter describes two results of the various trials of persecution

a.  Trials of persecution refine or purify one’s faith

Illustration:  Peter uses an illustration to help use understand the reason for trials.  In our age of technology you have probably watched on TV the process of refining metal especially gold.  First, they mine it, but they are not mining rings and necklaces, and bracelets, they are mining rocks filled with impurities.  They then melt the rock, it is heated and put under pressure until the pure gold separates from the slag or the impurities.  They then clean off the trash and are left with a valuable chunk of gold.

b.  Peter now says but your faith is much more precious than gold.  Even though gold is refined by fire it can still be destroyed. 

c.  Your faith, may be refined by fire, but unlike gold it cannot be destroyed, it is protected by the power of God.

2.  Trials of persecution prove the reality of one’s faith

a.  Once the gold has been purified it can know be molded and formed to create beautiful jewelry and artwork.

b.  When your faith is tested and you make it through the fire you can be assured that your faith is genuine

c.  This results in pure praise and worship, when you kneel before the throne of Christ. 

C.     Pure practical faith (8-9)

1.      Peter now reveals that you and I can have the same assurance and purity in our worship as those that have seen the risen Lord. 

2.      In one sense we can lay hold of the results of our faith, yet we still wait to receive the full salvation of eternal glory in heaven.

Illustration:  This morning hundreds of sermons leave pulpits all around this country that say that if you love the Lord He will proved health and wealth for you just because you follow Him.  This is not Peter’s message, Peter’s message is that you who are suffering praise God because of the assurance of your salvation, those who are not suffering, just wait you probably will suffer, but when you do take joy in knowing that your faith is protected by God.  The trials and persecutions of this life cannot in anyway harm your eternal inheritance. 

Transition:  We must understand that God is not concerned about full churches of half hearted followers waiting for a hand out.  God is concerned about the genuine article the pure worship of a follower who has been purified in the fire.  One who can be assured of their salvation because God Himself guarantees it from the moment a sinner heeds the prompting of the Spirit of God and trusts in Christ as Savior.

III.  The Foretold promise of Salvation (10-12)

            A.  Salvation foretold in the Word of God (10)

1.  Peter again redirects our attention back to the working of God throughout time.

2.  He takes us back to the Old Testament and to the Prophets who wrote down the message that the Holy Spirit moved them to write, this is why Peter says in 2 Peter 1:21, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

3.  these men did not know fully understand the grace that you are now able to possess. 

            B.  The prophets searched the inspired Word (11)

1.  It was not for lack of trying as the prophets searched their own writings to figure out when Christ would come and understand the sufferings that he would face that the Spirit authored through Isaiah chapter 53. 

2.  But they also searched for understanding concerning the glories that followed the sufferings, no doubt the recipients of this letter desired the glories after their sufferings were completed as well.

C.  The prophets and angels marveled at Salvation (12)

1.      The Holy spirit revealed to these men that the coming salvation was not for them, but that the road was being prepared by them as they wrote what they did not fully understand, so that you and I may know who Christ is and that He died for our sins and that He rose again enabling us to be partakers in the glories to come.

2.      What we can now possess and the redemption that we are given as a gift is not available to the angelic realm, they long to understand what we are given through Christ. 

Conclusion:  Today, we each face the burning question, are you willing to endure the refiner’s fire?  We struggle as a society with lukewarm faith.  Those that face the refiner’s fire are confident of the power of their faith even over death.  For those of us that are merely sitting by the campfire lets not complain and whine about our situation.  Let’s ensure that we have a genuine faith that will endure the refiner’s fire. 

Maybe you are here today and realize that your faith would not produce genuine faith when it was refined.  Don’t settle for fool’s gold, its worthless.  Realize that you are even now an enemy of the cross, and that by God’s mercy, which you have done nothing to receive, you can have an eternal inheritance if you will trust in Christ payment for sin in His death and His victory over the grave in His resurrection.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.