Inexpressible and Glorious Joy
December 11, 2022
1 Peter 1:8-9 - Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
This first letter to that Peter was written was to a group of Christians that were scattered throughout the northern areas of Asia Minor, which is where he most likely preached the gospel. The group probably consisted of both Jews and Gentiles and they are being persecuted for their faith. He starts out basically telling them exactly what they have experienced… how they loved Christ, believed in Him and rejoiced in Him without ever actually seeing Him! He is actually describing what true Christianity is like. He wants them to remember that they will go through fiery trials, but if they do drift away, they can return back and receive that same joy again.
Peter know that Christians aren’t like everyone else. They aren’t like the people of the world. It’s like we are strangers whose real home is in Heaven. Not here on earth. So we don’t think like the people of the world, and we probably don’t talk like them or act like them. There’s just something a little different about us.
Have you ever felt like you are a square peg trying to fit in a round hole? We want to fit in that round hole, and we may even try. But it just won’t work. So why do we do what we do? The answer is actually pretty simple. We are what we are, and do what we do because of Jesus Christ. Christianity is Christ. But Christianity is not a religion. It’s a relationship with Jesus Christ. Too many people don’t understand this because they do not know Jesus.
You believe even though you have not seen Him and you are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy, and you are receiving the end result of your faith, which is the salvation of your soul. This is God’s promise to His faithful children.
We love Christ now, and we will see Him later. We trust Christ now and we will see Him face to face. We have joy now, and soon our joy will be made complete.