Hope In Exile | A Faith For Ages – 1 Peter 1:10-12
As members of the body of Christ, we are not alone in our faith and join the saints throughout all time to dwell in the goodness and glory of God through all time.
The church stood in exile, having been displaced from their home for whatever reason. Now, they found themselves in a foreign land and in a foreign culture. Most likely, they experienced a type of loneliness and drift that had occurred from being plucked from their home and sent to a foreign land. Yet, while they had been moved out from their homes and ostracized by their surrounding culture, the people of God were far from on their own. Peter strove to ensure that the church, although in exile, knew that their connect to the church and the body Christ remained intact, not just in the localized geographical sense, but across the span of time as well.
The people of God stood united with one another across the ages and wrapped together by the works of Christ on the cross. While the world would seek to divide people, plucking them from their homes, uprooting them from where they belong, and ostracizing them the most basic of cultural participation, the church of God could stand united in Jesus Christ. Our Savior took the sufferings we deserved and brought us to His level to share in His glories. He went from condescension to glorification and draws us to Himself. As members of the body of Christ, we are not alone in our faith and join the saints throughout all time to dwell in the goodness and glory of God through all time.
The Sufferings and Glories of Christ Through Time
Everything, though, had been going according to the plan of God in the world. Peter does not attempt to paint over or lessen the sufferings of Christ. Jesus brutally endured the punishment of the cross and the weight of the sin laid upon Him. Painfully, Christ willfully endured the sufferings spiritually, physically, and emotionally for His glory and for the sake of those He called to Himself. This sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross had been a grace given to the people of God in the divine rescue mission. This would be for all who found themselves in Him. The cost of sin is that blood must be spilt. Jesus, paid that cost on our behalf, suffering where we deserved to. Those who abide in Christ can rest assured knowing that Christ has paid our debt on our behalf. We do not need to pay the cost of our sin but can stand on the firm foundation that Christ died in our place.
Not just the sufferings of Christ, though, but also the future and secured glories. We know that Jesus died for our sins in our place and now advocates for us to the Father so that we might be with Him forever. When we die the death with Jesus Christ, we similarly, join Him in His resurrection and His glories as standing before the Father and ruling and reigning over all creation as long as we abide in Christ. The sufferings and the glories of Jesus Christ had been given to the people who declare that Jesus Christ is Lord over all the universe. He is our Lord and Savior and we follow Him wherever He may lead us.
Before the believers identify themselves as those in exile, they first identify themselves as those chosen by God. We, along with our fellow believers, claim the sufferings and the glories that stem from Jesus Christ. Like the people in the churches in exile, the foundation of our faith stems from the work of Jesus Christ on the cross to save us for our sins. The foundation of the prophets’ message had been Jesus. The crux of human history comes to a beautiful crescendo as Jesus Christ died on the cross for the redemption of mankind. Everyone and everything finds their being and fulfillment in the work of Jesus Christ who brings people from life to death.
- Describe how Peter details the works of Christ in this passage and their impact on the believer.
A Continued and Ongoing Family
Peter makes an intentional effort to tie the prophesies of the Old Covenant to Jesus Christ and ties the relationship of Jesus Christ to not just the Jewish people but now also to the gentiles. Likely, Peter had been speaking to a predominantly Gentile or mixed audience. Many view the prophets of the Old Covenant as speaking only to the Israelites of the day as they looked forward to the promise of a coming Savior. Yet, Peter makes it clear that the prophets spoke not just towards the coming of the promise of Jesus Christ but the coming of the eschaton in which all those who abide in Christ will receive the blessing of the inheritance.
As the prophets spoke, they spoke of the blessing of a coming Savior and the blessing of a coming eschaton in which all people will be returned to Jesus Christ. In the eyes of Christ, there are those who are in Him and those who are not in Him. For a time, the followers of Jesus Christ continued to meet in the synagogues, though they would soon ostracize themselves from the larger body. By the time that Peter writes, there had been those from Jewish background and Gentile background attempt to meld together in one church. No cultural moment could tie them together. Yet, the words of the prophets spoke for the benefit of those who would come to Jesus Christ from any age, era, or background.
Furthermore, as readers, we can glean the importance of the unity of the family of God, especially during times of exile. The people had been removed from their home and moved to a foreign land where they had been treated as outsiders. During this time, the family would need one another. A fractured church would be unable to survive the oncoming onslaught of persecution. Jew and Gentile now find themselves separated from the larger body and need one another. As for us in our modern day, we may have thousands of persistent denominations and local bodies and congregations in the church, but we are one united body of Christ. As the culture grows more hostile to Christian beliefs and Christians in turn, we will need to stand with one another as recipients of the inheritance that comes from Jesus Christ. In the final days, as we receive the inheritance, we will all stand with each other as one body, not according to our denominational standards or beliefs. We support one another. We love one another. We stand with one another in the unity and love of Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ needs one another to stand with each other for His glory and for our benefit.
- What is the relationship of the prophets of the Old Testament and the believers of the modern church?
Discussion Questions
- Describe the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Describe the glories of Jesus Christ. How does the Christian share in the sufferings and glories of Jesus Christ?
- How does Christ work on the cross unite the people of God together?
- What does it mean that we are one church? Why do we tend to drift to separation and why is this dangerous for the church in culture?
- What is the relationship the modern day Christian has to the Christians of history? How does this promote the unity of the church?
- Where do you see areas in the church that we need to stand united as one church?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
