The Apostle Peter wrote this letter to Christians who had been suffering in Rome during a time when Romans were persecuting Christians for their faith. He starts off this letter by specifying who he is talking to: “God’s elect.” He then further explains that “God’s elect,” also referred to as his people, had been chosen by God before the creation of the world. The lives of believers have been predestined by the work of the Holy Spirit to live a life obedient to Christ. God chose His children and covered them with His blood so that their sins could be washed away permanently.
Peter then continues by praising God for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of God’s mercy, his children can be born again into the Lord’s perfect family. This inheritance specifically refers to our spiritual home that will be in Heaven where we will spend eternity with God. Because God has chosen us, and we have faith in him, we receive the promise of salvation.
Peter then explains that God’s people had to suffer and go through trials during their time on earth. These hardships are used to strengthen our faith in the Lord. Peter makes the analogy of God being refined by fire. We are the gold, and the trials we face are like fire that fine-tunes our character so that we become more reliant on Christ. Peter changes the perspective we have on hardships. He explains that we should praise God for these struggles because they help us become more spiritually mature.
Peter then explains the love that these Christians have for God even though they can’t see Him. While He may not be physically there, God’s people believe in Him and reap joy because of their strong faith. Peter makes it clear that our faith isn’t just helpful for bringing us happiness on earth. Faith leads to receiving salvation: being delivered from the consequences of our sin.
In the next part of his letter, Peter emphasizes the power of the Holy Spirit. Many prophets were trying to figure out where and when Jesus would suffer and what glories would come from it. Peter mentions that it was the Holy Spirit that was giving these prophets knowledge about God’s glory. The prophecies about the Lord did not come from the wisdom of the human flesh but instead came from God himself.
Towards the end of this first chapter in his letter, Peter gives God’s people instruction for how to live. He tells us to be alert, prepared, and hopeful for God’s second coming. We must be obedient and not let the evil desires of the world distract us from God’s will. We must be Holy because our Almighty Father is holy.
Now that we know about the inheritance we obtained from God, Peter reminds us to respect God since He is judge overall. Even though we have God’s grace, we still must live obediently. There was nothing we did to receive God’s salvation, so we must be grateful that God had this predetermined plan to give up His son as the perfect sacrifice for His people. The resurrection of Jesus Christ helps us remain faithful to God knowing that He has the power to do all things.
Just like God showed His love for us by sacrificing His only son, Peter instructs us to love one another. God has allowed us to be born again and permanently wiped clean from our transgressions. While everything in life is temporary, Peter comforts us by stressing that God’s promise and truth remains constant.