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NOVEMBER 25
you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet
believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible
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and full of glory, receiving the end of your
1:4 inheritance. Peter showed those persecut- faith—the salvation of your souls.
ed Christians how to look past their troubles to 10 Of this salvation the prophets have
their eternal inheritance. Life, righteousness, inquired and searched carefully, who proph-
joy, peace, perfection, God’s presence, Christ’s esied of the grace that would come to you,
glorious companionship, rewards, and all else 11 searching what, or what manner of time,
God has planned is the Christian’s heavenly the Spirit of Christ who was in them was
inheritance (v. 5; Matt. 25:34; Acts 26:18; Eph. indicating when He testified beforehand the
1:11; Col. 1:12; Heb. 9:15; also Pss. 16:5; 23; 26; sufferings of Christ and the glories that
72; Lam. 3:24). According to Ephesians 1:14, would follow. To them it was revealed that,
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the indwelling Holy Spirit is the resident guar- not to themselves, but to us they were min-
antee of that inheritance. incorruptible. The istering the things which now have been
inheritance is not subject to passing away nor
liable to decay. The word was used in secular reported to you through those who have
Greek of something that was unravaged by an preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit
invading army (Matt.6:19–21).undefiled. This sent from heaven—things which angels
word means unpolluted, unstained with evil. desire to look into.
The undefiled inheritance of the Christian is in 13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind,
marked contrast to an earthly inheritance, all be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the
of which is corrupted and defiled. does not grace that is to be brought to you at the reve-
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fade away.“Fading”was often used of flowers lation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children,
that wither and decay. Though earthly inheri- not conforming yourselves to the former
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tances eventually fade away,the eternal inheri- lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who
tance of a Christian has no decaying elements. called you is holy, you also be holy in all your
conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I
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am holy.”
Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant 17 And if you call on the Father, who without
mercy has begotten us again to a living hope partiality judges according to each one’s
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from work, conduct yourselves throughout the time
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the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and of your stay here in fear; knowing that you
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undefiled and that does not fade away, re- were not redeemed with corruptible things,
served in heaven for you, who are kept by the like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct
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power of God through faith for salvation ready received by tradition from your fathers, but
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to be revealed in the last time. with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
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In this you greatly rejoice, though now for without blemish and without spot. He indeed
a little while, if need be, you have been grieved was foreordained before the foundation of the
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by various trials, that the genuineness of your world, but was manifest in these last times for
faith, being much more precious than gold that you who through Him believe in God, who
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perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory,
found to praise, honor, and glory at the reve- so that your faith and hope are in God.
lation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen 22 Since you have purified your souls in obey-
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ing the truth through the Spirit in sincere love
of the brethren, love one another fervently
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with a pure heart, having been born again,
not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,
1:7 genuineness of your faith. God’s purpose
in allowing trouble is to test the reality of one’s through the word of God which lives and
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faith. But the benefit of such a testing, or “fire,” abides forever, because
is immediately for the Christian,not God.When “All flesh is as grass,
a believer comes through a trial still trusting And all the glory of man as the flower
the Lord, he is assured that his faith is genuine of the grass.
(Gen. 22:1–12; Job 1:20–22). revelation of The grass withers,
Jesus Christ. The revelation or unveiling of And its flower falls away,
Christ refers to His Second Coming, particular- 25 But the word of the LORD endures
ly focusing on the time when He comes to call
and reward His redeemed people (v. 13; 4:13; forever.”
1Cor.1:7), i.e., the Rapture (1 Thess.4:13–18). Now this is the word which by the gospel was
preached to you.
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