Sermon or Lesson:  1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV based)
[Lesson Questions included]

TITLE:  Regenerating Resurrection, Unfading Inheritance, Guaranteed Salvation

INTRODUCTION:  A carnal believer repeatedly grumbled and declared, "God never did anything for me".  But, observing the choices this believer was making in his life revealed that this believer was using his condemning declaration of God as a rationale for living a sinful and disobedient lifestyle.  From our study today, we are going to see that this condemning declaration of "God never did anything for me" is utterly and extensively false for true believers.
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READ:  1 Peter 1:3-5, with vv.1-2 for context

BACKGROUND:
- - Under direct authorization from Jesus Christ, Peter is writing this letter to convey instruction from God to true believers, who, in this case, were suffering persecution for their faith in Christ.  (v.1)
- - God selects specific persons to become true believers.  (v.1)
- - And God spiritually cleanses true believers and sanctifies or sets them apart for His holy purposes.  (v.2)
- - Through the establishing, assisting, and empowering from God, true believers are to live in righteousness in every area of their life, even when they are under persecution for the faith.  (v.2)
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v.3 - READ

[Lesson Question:  In each section for each verse of this lesson, what reasons are cited or implied as to why we should praise God?  Discuss, analyze, determine, and describe your answers.]

SECTION POINT:  Praise be to God that in His abundant mercy He gives believers spiritual and physical regenerating resurrection.

- - In previous verse 2, the highlight was on what God has done for His elect, choosing them, sanctifying or setting them apart, cleansing them, and preparing them for obedience to accomplish His holy purposes.
- - Here in verse 3, the highlight continues to be on what God has done for His elect, in that "he has given us new birth" or "regenerated" us true believers.  (Strong's #0313)
- - In our former state, we were "dead in [our] sins", rendering us "alienated from God", unacceptable to God, separated from having a relationship with God, and heading toward spending eternity being punished by God for our sins.  (Colossians 2:13, 1:21)
- - But now, God has chosen to extend abundant "mercy" on us, spiritually resurrecting or raising us believers to being regenerated or spiritually "alive with Christ" and by means of Christ.  (Colossians 2:12,13)
- - "According to" "his great mercy" and "compassion", God has provided a way for us humans to be remedied of our spiritual deadness in our sins.  (Strong's #2596, #1656)
- - Through spiritual regeneration, we believers are "given new birth into a living hope" - an "anticipation, expectation, confidence".  ("hope" - Strong's #1680)
- - This "new birth into a living hope" is a certainty, not only for immediate resurrection to new spiritual life in the present, but also that one day in the future our bodies will be physically resurrected from the dead just like "the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead".
- - Through Jesus Christ, we believers also have a "living hope" in the present in that we have been totally, comprehensively, and permanently reconciled to God.  (Colossians 1:22)
- - "Praise be to God" for His abundant mercy and generosity to give us reconciliation and resurrecting new birth - spiritual regenerating resurrection in the present, and physical regenerating resurrection in the future.
- - We who are recipients of this reconciled "new birth into a living hope" can "greatly rejoice" in what God has given us.  (1 Peter 1:6)
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v.4 - READ

SECTION POINT:  Praise be to God that in His abundant mercy He gives believers an unfading inheritance in heaven.

- - God "has given us new birth" also "into an inheritance", qualifying us and granting us to possess a share of the inheritance that He gives to those persons who officially become a member of His kingdom.  (Strong's #2817; cf. Colossians 1:12)
- - This inheritance "can never perish" - it is "incorruptible" and does not "decay".  (Strong's#0862)
- - This inheritance "can never... spoil" or be "defiled or soiled" - it is "pure".  (Strong's #0283)
- - This inheritance "can never... fade" - its quality is maintained "perpetually".  (Strong's #0263)
- - This inheritance is "kept", "guarded", and "reserved" in heaven for those "elect" persons who have been "chosen" by God to receive this inheritance.  (Strong's #5083; v.1 - NAS)

- - By implication here, each person who is designated to receive this inheritance must enter heaven in order to take hands-on possession of this inheritance.
- - And even though exactly what constitutes this inheritance is not disclosed in this verse, clearly this inheritance retains all of its value eternally.
- - Also, this inheritance comes with a security guarantee - God Himself guarantees that each inheritance will go to only and precisely the person who it is designated for.
- - But this inheritance cannot be hands-on taken possession of in advance, while living on this earth.
- - Nevertheless, those of us who have been officially qualified to receive this inheritance can "greatly rejoice" now, because we have this "living hope" and confidence now that we will indeed certainly take hands-on possession of this inheritance when we enter heaven one day in the future.  (vv.6,3)
- - "Praise be to God" for His abundant mercy and generosity to give us a guaranteed inheritance - in heaven - and that will never lose its value.  (v.3)
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v.5 - READ

SECTION POINT:  Praise be to God that in His abundant mercy and by His power, He gives believers a security guarantee on them taking hands-on possession of salvation in heaven.

- - God not only provides a security guarantee on this inheritance, but He furthermore uses His "power" to "shield", "guard", and "protect" those recipient persons, keeping them secure in the "faith" through the remainder of their life until they take hands-on possession of salvation in heaven.  (Strong's #5432)
- - So God extends a security guarantee on their "inheritance", and God extends a security guarantee on their "salvation".  (vv.4,5)
- - Again, God accomplishes these guarantees according to His abundant "mercy", and in correlation to the "new birth" that He gives those "chosen" persons who have the required "faith" in Jesus Christ for "salvation".  (vv.3,2,5)
- - Taking hands-on possession of salvation in heaven "is ready" and awaiting each of those chosen believers.
- - And taking hands-on possession of salvation will certainly occur or "be revealed" to each chosen believer "in the last time", which is at the "set or proper time or occasion" - the 'appointed' time immediately after they die on the "last" day of their life on this earth.  (Strong's #2540)
- - By implication, extending each believer a security guarantee on their salvation requires power that exceeds all human power and abilities, in other words, it requires divine power.
- - And in verse 2 is a clue to a main aspect of the approach that God uses through which He applies this divine power - "through the sanctifying work of the [Holy] Spirit", exerting power internally within the spiritual heart of each true believer.  (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
- - "Praise be to God" for His abundant mercy and generosity to give us believers a guaranteed hands-on possession of salvation in heaven, with the assistance of power from His Spirit to keep us secure in the faith.  (v.3)
- - We who are recipients of this guaranteed salvation can "greatly rejoice" in what awaits us from God, including being with God in His presence in heaven.  (v.6)
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BIG IDEA:  God deserves praise for giving believers spiritual and physical regenerating resurrection, an unfading inheritance in heaven, and a security guarantee on their salvation in heaven.

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IMPLICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS:

- - For those of you who are the "elect", those persons whom God has "chosen" to be believers in Jesus Christ, do you fully fathom and right now have "great rejoicing" about these things that God has given you?

-- Will you right now give praise to God in your heart for giving you each of these (?):  (PAUSE after each phrase to give them time to recite and understand what they are herein praying to God.)
- - - - the "new birth into a living hope" (v.3),  (PAUSE)
- - - - the new birth into an unfading guaranteed inheritance in heaven (v.4),  (PAUSE)
- - - - a guaranteed salvation awaiting you (v.5).  (PAUSE)

- - Also, do you comprehend and appreciate that all these things that God has done for you personally, He has not done for most of the people around you in the world?

- - For those of you who are not a true believer, notice the reality here is that unbelievers have not been given any of these things from God - you unbelievers have not been given "a new birth into a living hope"; you unbelievers have not been given new birth into an unfading guaranteed inheritance in heaven; you unbelievers have not been given a guaranteed salvation awaiting you.
- - The horrifying reality is that eternal punishment awaits each one of you who are not a true believer - eternal permanent alienation from God, eternal permanent rejection from God, eternal permanent separation from God and from heaven, and eternal permanent condemnation in a place of punishment for your sins - forever.
- - God loves you and He desires for you to respond in faith to His Son, Jesus Christ, so that you too can become a recipient of a new birth and all of the additional blessings that accompany salvation and regeneration.  (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:4)
- - Perhaps now would be a really good time for you to place your faith in Jesus Christ?
- - Do you sincerely believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son, perfectly without sin, and sent by God the Father into this world to provide the only way in which to get your sins forgiven?  (PAUSE - give them a few moments to process this inquiry.)
- - Do you sincerely believe that through Jesus Christ, you can have all of your sins washed away or forgiven by the spiritually-applied 'sprinkling of the blood of Jesus' that was shed when He was sacrificed on the cross to suffer and pay the penalty for your sins?  (v.2); (PAUSE)
- - Do you sincerely believe that Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead on the third day after He was crucified on the cross?  (PAUSE)
- - In Acts 16:31, the Word of God declares "... "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..."".
- - Are you ready to place your faith in Jesus Christ, so that you too can "inherit" (v.4) "salvation" (v.5) - eternal life "in heaven" (v.4)?  (PAUSE)
- - If you are ready, you can express your faith to God right now by sincerely praying this suggested prayer:  (PAUSE after each phrase (or comma) to give them time to recite and understand what they are herein praying to God.)
     Dear "God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ",
     I acknowledge and agree that my sins render me spiritually dead, and that my sins are preventing me from receiving salvation in heaven.
     But, right now I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
     I believe that Jesus was perfectly without sin, that He died on the cross to suffer and pay the penalty for my sins, and that He raised from the dead on the third day.
     I ask that You spiritually sprinkle the blood of Jesus upon me, in forgiveness of my sins, to wash my sins away.
     In Your great mercy and love, please give me this new birth and inheritance in Your kingdom, so that I will go to heaven one day.
     Thank you.  Amen.

- - If you have genuinely placed your faith in Jesus Christ, then according to Word of God in Acts 16:31, you have salvation - you have eternal life in heaven.
- - Because God has extended mercy to you and given you salvation with this "new birth into a living hope", He wants you to henceforth live according to this faith until the day you enter heaven.  (1 Peter 1:3,5)
- - So, continue to come to these meetings in which you can learn and apply how God wants you to live, that you become fully "sanctified" or set apart and "obedient to Jesus Christ".  (v.2)
- - Also, before you leave, tell me or one of the leaders that you placed your faith in Jesus Christ today, so that we can "praise God" and help you in your "new [regenerated] birth" to be successful in living "sanctified" and "obedient to Jesus Christ".  (vv.3,2)
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Works Cited:
Bible. The Comparative Study Bible: A Parallel Bible Presenting New International Version, New American Standard Bible,
     Amplified Bible, King James Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.

Bible. “The Holy Bible: New International Version.” The Bible Library CD-ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.

“Strong's Greek Dictionary.” The Bible Library CD-ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
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