Last week we looked at Peter's opening greeting here in verses 1 and 2, which functions as a really helpful introduction to the material of the letter.
! If you remember, he does something specific there that's helpful for us to remember as we work our way through the letter.
He characterizes these Christians as spiritual exiles.
Not meaning that they are being punished by God as exiles for something that they have done.
Not even necessarily meaning that they are physical exiles in the sense of being displaced from a particular community or a particular land.
They're spiritual exiles in the sense that they are strangers in this world.
That's who we are as believers.
We serve a different king.
We belong to a different kingdom.
A different country.
And our time here is purposeful.
It's intentional.
God's glory is to be displayed through us.
But this is never to feel like home.
We are exiles here.
Waiting for our king to return and to take us home.
And of course, such an existence is obviously full of hardships.
And Peter addresses many of those hardships throughout the letter.
But still, the purpose of his writing is not just to show these Christians that they can survive the exile.
It's more than that.
He's writing so that they might understand that they can actually thrive in it.
That you and I, as God's people, we don't have to struggle in the sense of just hoping to make it to the end.
Even though most days feel that way.
No, Peter writes to say, no, there's a way that despite the hardships and despite the temptations and despite the sufferings,
you can actually thrive in this time of exile, in this time as a stranger in the world.
And that's really the purpose of the letter.
By God's grace, that's what we will do.
We'll thrive.
Our text today in verse 3 begins the first major section of the letter which focuses on the call to salvation.
In order to thrive in exile, we must remember who we are in Christ and live our lives in light of that new identity.
And a focus on this gospel identity that's rooted in the person and the work of Jesus Christ will show itself supremely in sincere and joyful worship.
And that's precisely where Peter begins.
Look with me at verses 3 to 5.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
Kept in heaven for you who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Now I want you to notice that Peter's first order of business was not to confront those who were conforming to the world in which they lived.
It wasn't to instruct those on how to handle their persecutors on how to exist in that kind of environment.
That's not the first order of business here.
Instead, Peter's first objective is to call us to worship.
blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ he opens the primary content of the letter
as a matter of first importance peter is recalibrating our focus he's reorienting our
hearts to a sincere and joyful burst of praise to god if you're new to christianity you're just
trying to sort things out there's there's something that you need to notice here in this opening praise
blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ he says he doesn't call us to worship some
generic god in the great unknown this is this is not the god of islam
this is not the god of orthodox judaism this is not a god of any other religion
don't let anybody ever tell you that we're all basically serving the same god we're just all
doing it in a different kind of way that's not true there's a specific thing that peter says here in this
praise that makes it distinctly christian he says that we are to bless our god and father the god
and father of our lord jesus christ in other words the way that we relate to god is through our lord
jesus christ we know him not only in his creation but supremely because he has been revealed in the son
jesus christ it is jesus who reveals the father to us it is jesus who gets us to the father through his
atoning sacrifice christianity fundamentally is us coming to god through the work
of the son and that's who peter calls on us to worship here now why is it so important for peter to start
this way just consider the nature of the condition of these people to whom he was writing he's already
characterized them as exiles that that word is loaded with significance in this letter
as you read through the letter you find that some of them are really facing intense suffering
not just the suffering that all of us face in a fallen world but suffering as specifically because
they are followers of jesus christ that's their circumstances their condition
some of them are battling through temptation at this point because they're they're getting to a point
it's getting really hard to live distinctly in this world it's getting increasingly more difficult for
them to represent their king in this exile they're struggling with sin some of them are struggling with
doubts many of them are just struggling why is it important that peter starts this way for struggling
christians for strangers for strangers in this world worship can very quickly grow cold can't it
the various difficulties that we endure as believers in this life they can overwhelm our joy
they can distract us from the hope that god has given us in christ jesus
and yet peter reminds us right here from the very beginning we were created to worship
that's our purpose
through sin we fall short of that purpose and yet through christ that purpose has been redeemed
god is calling out his people why in order that they might bring him glory
and peter starts right here from the very beginning and he says look i know you're struggling
so why don't we just start with a worship service peter says blessed be the god and father of our lord
jesus christ you know many times what we really need most is not necessarily for our problems to be fixed
or for our circumstances to be changed what we need is for someone
to simply remind us of the glories of the gospel
and call us back to a sincere and joyful praise of god
and we're to be thankful for peter in this in this instance
because many of us are struggling
all of us for different reasons
maybe it's a season of life maybe it's a particular hardship
and yet all of us
who are in christ
can lift this same praise that peter
calls on us to lift
peter helps us here
he lifts our heads he lifts our
hearts to the magnitude
of god's great salvation
now this call to worship it's it's going to run all the way through from verse 3 to verse 12
and it's focused entirely on god's grace and salvation
we are to praise god in other words for the salvation that god has brought us
through jesus christ
there's various ways that we speak about this salvation and they're represented in these
few verses that peter gives us here
sometimes we speak of salvation in the past tense that we
were saved or we have been saved what we mean by that is there was a time in our lives where we were converted
to the gospel of jesus christ to faith in the lord jesus christ the spirit bringing us to life and we trusted in him we say say we're saved past tense
sometimes we speak of our salvation in the present tense don't we
we think of the fact that we are being saved that is by god's gracious work he is sanctifying his people he's purifying us he's making us holy in this life presently
still there's other times we speak of salvation in the future tense one day we will be saved
there is a future dynamic to our salvation an eschatological dimension to our future salvation and that's what
peter has in mind here in verses 3 to 5
this future
this future eschatological reality of salvation and he speaks of it in unique terms he speaks of it here as an inheritance
so believers are to praise god for their future
inheritance peter says an inheritance that does not come in its fullness now an inheritance that is promised to us
and is waiting for us beyond this time of exile
and by doing that by being cognizant of living in light of the gospel by praising god for this future
inheritance
we start this journey
of not surviving the exile
thriving
in the exile
there's three dynamics of this
eternal inheritance that i think
should motivate
our sincere and joyful worship
number one notice
we are to praise god
for the right
to this future inheritance
we're to praise god for the right
to this future
inheritance
look again at verse 3
blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ
according to his great mercy
he has caused us to be born again
to a living hope
through the resurrection of jesus christ
from the dead
and what is it that we have been born again to
he tells us in verse 4
to an
inheritance
now
the concept of inheritance
it isn't foreign to us at all
an inheritance simply is the passing of something from one
generation to
another
sometimes we we speak of an inheritance as inheriting certain
physical characteristics or
personality traits
from our parents right
look around the room at the kids who are here
there's really no question which kids belong to
amy blevins
which kids belong to
jenny allen
which kids belong to
julie blankenship
right there's certain things about them
they inherit
through their parents right
but most of the time when we think of an inheritance
we're not so much thinking of
inheriting certain traits
we're thinking of inheriting possessions or
wealth
and the thing about an inheritance
is that it's not something you can just simply claim for yourself
an inheritance is something that is
given to you
not based on something that you do
not based on
a means of earning
or even something that you deserve
it's based on the virtue of who you are
a birthright
it is given to
sons
and daughters
and this is how Peter speaks of our salvation
in verse
three
it is an inheritance
to be received in full
after
our exile
but what gives us the right
to this eternal inheritance
well he says
it is given to us by virtue
of our birth
not a physical birth
a spiritual
birth
notice what he says
according to his great mercy
God has
caused us
to be born
again
the new birth
the spiritual birth
to an inheritance
we receive
the internal
inheritance
of eternal salvation
by virtue of the new
birth
and that new birth
comes
from God
to receive this salvation
to receive
this inheritance
in other words
you must
be born
again
let's just look a little closer
at how
Peter describes this
first
he
tells us
that the new birth
is
undeserved
and it is undeserved
because it is
according
to God's
great
mercy
do you see that
he says
it is according
to his great
mercy
that he has
caused us
to be born
again
now there is
a lot
of words
Peter could have
used here
he could have
said
that this
was according
to God's
great
kindness
he has
caused us
to be born
again
he could have
said
this is
according
to God's
great
love
that he
has caused
us to be
born
again
both of those
things would be
absolutely
true
but that is
not what
Peter says
why does
he use
mercy
I think
what Peter's
doing is
reminding us
that God
doesn't actually
owe us
anything
by nature
we are not
his children
by nature
we're his
enemies
fallen
in rebellion
dead
in our
trespasses
and sins
he doesn't
owe us
anything
Peter says
you are
born again
today
if you're
a Christian
you're born
again
first
because of
God's
mercy
it's not
because you
deserve it
it's because
he is a
merciful
God
remember
the Bible
tells us
that
apart from
the Lord
Jesus Christ
there is
not a person
on this
planet
who is
truly
righteous
that apart
from God's
gracious
work in
our lives
no one
even
really
seeks
for God
we talk
about
seekers
sometimes
in
Christianity
right
those who
seem to
be seeking
for something
more
seeking
for God
seeking
for
truth
certainly
we want
to have
a category
for that
but
Romans 3
it tells
us
plainly
that no
one
in and
of
themselves
really
even
wants
God
we're
his
enemies
by
nature
what
does it
take
in order
for us
to become
his
children
mercy
that's
what Shane
read to us
just a
moment ago
in David's
prayer
from Psalm
51
David
says
have
mercy
on me
oh
God
if
you're
a
Christian
you're
right
to this
future
inheritance
you need
to remember
it's
totally
of God's
great
mercy
and you
know
what
that
should
do
for you
it
should
cause
you
to
join
Peter
in
saying
blessed
to be
the
God
and
Father
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
because
I
don't
deserve
anything
he's
given
me
but
he
is
a
merciful
God
second
Peter
tells
us
that
the
new
birth
is
unearned
it's
undeserved
because
it's
according
to
God's
great
mercy
it's
unearned
because
he
says
God
has
caused
us
to
be
born
again
of
course
we
understand
here
born
again
is
it's
not
a
spiritual
status
that
you
receive
after
completing
a
series
of
steps
along
a
religious
journey
it's
not
something
you
can
choose
it's
not
something
you
can
earn
in
any
sense
of
that
word
again
Ephesians
tells
us
we
are
dead
in
our
trespasses
and
sins
meaning
we
are
utterly
incapable
of
obtaining
spiritual
life
save
that
God
the
living
one
intervenes
and
invades
who
we
are
and
brings
us
to
life
again
this
new
birth
it
is
something
that
happens
to
you
by
God's
gracious
initiative
now
where
exactly
does
Peter
get
this
idea
is
he
just
making
this
up
is
this
just
something
that
he's
brought
to
mind
and
he
thinks
that
maybe
this
is
his
interpretation
on
things
related
to
the
gospel
and
the
way
that
God
works
so
he
decides
he's
going
to
throw
this
little
phrase
in
there
to
trip
us
up
no
you
know
he
gets
this
from
Jesus
doesn't
he
that
great
conversation
that we
read in
John chapter
three
of
Jesus
with
Nicodemus
Jesus
plainly
tells
Nicodemus
he says
unless
you're
born
again
you can't
see
the
kingdom
of
God
seeing
the
kingdom
of
God
in
Jesus
words
there
is
the
same
thing
that
Peter
is
saying
when
he
talks
about
an
eternal
inheritance
Jesus
speaking
of
the
kingdom
same
thing
he's
talking
about
salvation
he's
talking
about
eternal
life
and
Jesus
tells
Nicodemus
unless
you're
born
again
you
can't
have
salvation
and
do you
remember
what
Nicodemus
response
was
how
is
it
possible
do
I
have
to
go
back
into
my
mother's
womb
how
is
this
actually
possible
I
don't
think
Nicodemus
was
confused
about
what
Jesus
was
saying
he
was
a
rabbinical
teacher
I
think
this
probably
was
maybe
an
analogy
that
some
rabbis
would
have
used
for
different
spiritual
truths
I
don't
think
he's
that
disconnected
from
what
Jesus
is
saying
about
the
new
birth
I
think
his
question
is
actually
just
to
say
how
can
I
be
born
again
if
a
new
birth
is
what
I
need
to
see
the
kingdom
how
do
I
get
that
I
know
I
can't
go
Nicodemus
as
the
Lord
is
working
on
his
heart
as
the
spirit
is
working
on
his
heart
he
already
seems
to be
putting
some
of
the
pieces
together
I
can't
do
this
for
myself
and
you
remember
how
Jesus
responds
to
that
he
says
you
know
Nicodemus
that
which
is
born
of
flesh
is
flesh
and
that
which
is
born
that
way
doesn't
receive
the
kingdom
of
God
but
that
which
is
you
know
Nicodemus
the
spirit
is
like
the
wind
you
can't
control
him
and
you
can't
exactly
discern
everything
that
it's
doing
but
the
spirit
he
comes
in
and
he
blows
in
with
great
effect
and
what
is
that
effect
faith
in
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and
what
is
it
based
on
not
something
that
Nicodemus
could
do
not
something
that
Nicodemus
chose
but
on
the
saving
initiative
of
through
the
work
of
the
Holy
Spirit
this
new
birth
it's
undeserved
it's
according
to
God's
great
mercy
it's
unearned
because
it is
God
who
has
caused
us
to
be
born
again
and
third
we
find
here
that
the
new
birth
is
unmistakable
when
it
happens
it
can't
be
denied
why
because
it
results
in a
living
hope
through
the
resurrection
of
Jesus
Christ
from
the
dead
now
how
exactly
does
God
accomplish
this
work
of
the
new
birth
how
do
we
experience
it
what
is
its
effect
we
understand
theologically
there's
these
things
that are
happening
but
what
does it
actually
look
like
how
do
we
actually
come
to
be
born
again
now
Peter
helps
us
a
little
bit
later
in
the
chapter
just
set
your
eyes
on
verse
23
he
uses
this
terminology
again
Peter
says
since
you
have
been
born
again
not
of
perishable
seed
but
of
imperishable
that
is
the
spiritual
birth
not
a
physical
birth
through
the
living
and
abiding
word
of
God
now
look
at
verse
25
and
this
word
is
the
good
news
that
was
preached
to
you
so
what
is
Peter
saying
there
he's
helping
us
to
understand
how
this
actually
happens
how
does
God
bring
about
the
new
birth
that
is
undeserved
!
and
unearned
well
he
does
it
through
the
preaching
of
the
gospel
that
as
the
gospel
is
proclaimed
the
spirit
of
God
the
wind
blows
God's
spirit
comes
in
and
brings
us
to
life
and
that
results
in
faith
in
the
gospel
message
the
gospel
is
preached
the
spirit
regenerates
and brings
to
life
there's
new
birth
and
that
is
affecting
a
living
hope
a
saving
faith
rooted
in the
resurrection
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
from
the
dead
now
the
theological
progression
here
is
important
it
shouldn't
be
overlooked
it's
the
very
thing
that's
actually
driving
Peter's
call
to
worship
God's
mercy
comes
to
us
through
the
preaching
of
the
gospel
he
causes
us
to
be
born
again
by
the
spirit
and
the
result
of
that
new
birth
is
a
living
hope
and
faith
in
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
so
what's
Peter's
main
point
then
his
point
is
that
Christians
are
to
praise
God
because
his
great
mercy
he's
caused
us
to
be
born
again
to
a
living
hope
so
that
we
might
have
the
right
to
this
future
inheritance
not
on the
basis
of
something
we've
done
but
on
the
basis
of
who
we
are
in
Christ
we
are
his
therefore
we
are
to
praise
God
even
in
the
hardest
parts
of
our
exile
number
two
we're
to
praise
God
for
the
right
to
the
future
inheritance
secondly
we're
to
praise
God
for
the
quality
of
the
future
inheritance
look at
verse
four
he has
caused
us to
be born
again
to
an
inheritance
and then
he describes
the
inheritance
that is
imperishable
undefiled
and
unfading
kept
in
heaven
for
you
now what
exactly is
this
inheritance
that's being
kept
for
us
that's
eternal
life
salvation
what was
it that
Jesus
said
he said
I have
come
that they
may
have
life
and
that
they
may
have
life
abundant
John
in
John
chapter
three
writes
whoever
believes
in him
shall
not
perish
but
have
everlasting
life
what is
this
future
inheritance
It is
an
eternal
life
that
is
the
living
hope
that
is
found
in
the
resurrection
of
Jesus
Christ
it's
not
just
that
this
is
a
spiritual
life
it's
even
a
physical
life
because
he
rose
from
the
dead
so
will
all
who
are
in
him
by
faith
because
his
resurrection
was a
bodily
resurrection
so
will
our
resurrection
be
a
bodily
resurrection
that's
the
nature
of
this
life
but
what's
the
quality
of
it
it's
unlike
anything
that we
have
or ever
will
experience
here
in
this
life
I
think
it's
beyond
what we
can
really
comprehend
end
which
I
think
is
why
David
Helms
said
Peter
finds
it
difficult
to
find
words
to
do
justice
in
capturing
the
greatness
of
this
future
inheritance
!
So
in
describing
it
he
can
do
no
better
than
use
three
words
that
tell
us
what
it's
not
it's
not
that
he
has
all
of
this
language
to
tell
us
what
it
will
be
like
!
it's
but
he
can
certainly
point
to
a few
things
to
say
this
is
what
it
won't
be
like
he
gives
us
three
first
he
says
it's
imperishable
that
is
it's
not
able
to
be
destroyed
Christ
having
died
for
sin
will
never
die
again
and
if
our
life
is
hidden
in
Christ
Jesus
then
that
means
that
in
the
new
life
we
will
never
die
again
it
can't
be
destroyed
it's
it
means
it's
not
corrupted
it's
not
polluted
we're
thinking
about
our
sin
nature
at
this
point
and
original
sin
and
how
even
in
exile
as
believers
with
a new
identity
in
Christ
we
still
wrestle
with
our
flesh
and
temptation
and
Peter
says
this
new
life
I
don't
know
exactly
all
that
it's
going
to
be
but
I
can
tell
you
it
will
be
undefiled
it
will
not
be
corrupted
by
sin
it
will
not
be
polluted
by
a
sinful
nature
and
then
third
he
says
it's
unfading
meaning
it's
not
subject
to
decay
it
won't
fade
away
this
may
just
sound
like
three
basic
synonyms
but I
think
Peter
is
doing
something
particular
here
by way
of
contrast
he's
helping
us
to
grasp
the
beauty
and
the
quality
of
the
life
that
is
being
kept
for
us
heaven
here
in
exile
our
lives
can
be
destroyed
through
great
suffering
and
persecution
but in
heaven
we will
inherit
a life
that cannot
be
destroyed
that's
our
inheritance
here
in
exile
our
lives
are
corrupted
by
sin
as we
battle
against
the
flesh
but in
heaven
we will
not only
be free
from the
power
of sin
we will
be free
from the
presence
of sin
no longer
corrupted
by the
nature
we inherited
from
Adam
that's
our
inheritance
here
in
exile
our
bodies
are
subject
to
decay
fading
on and
on
as the
years
go
by
you
know
what
this
is
like
we
can
look
around
we're
praying
for
Bob
we're
praying
for
Marty
they
know
they
know
immediately
exactly
what
the
hope
is
that
Peter
is
giving
to
Christians
when
he
says
this
new
life
will
be
unfading
it
won't
decay
we'll
be in
a place
and we'll
experience
a life
an eternal
body
that will
never
again
endure
sickness
and cancer
and pain
or decay
of any
kind
that's
our
inheritance
Peter
says
it's
imperishable
it's
undefiled
it's
unfading
and God
is keeping
it
just as
it is
for you
what an
incredible
encouragement
this must
have been
to these
Christians
in
Asia
what a
joy
it must
have brought
to their
hearts
to think
about
what was
waiting
for them
beyond
their
exile
what a
joy
for us
Andrew
Wilson
published
an article
with the
gospel
coalition
this week
it was
so good
it was
basically
a book
review
of two
secular
books
that were
recently
written
that were
really
looking
back
on
sociologically
on the
nature
of what
we have
experienced
over
maybe the
last
15 to
20 years
one of
them
focuses
especially
on the
summer
of 2020
which is
a summer
that probably
all of us
would love
to forget
about
and he's
bringing
various events
to the
surface
right
global
pandemic
contentious
political
election
the death
of George
Floyd
so on
and so
forth
things just
are exacerbated
from there
it gets worse
and worse
and there's
all of this
carry over
from that
sociologically
in the
life that
we're living
today
the other
book is
it's called
We Were
Never Woke
and basically
it's not a
Christian book
it's not even
really a
conservative book
but it's
looking back
really going
all the way
back to
2008
and it's
examining
what has
led us
to this
moment
and it
talks about
social
capital
that really
the wokeness
that is being
portrayed
if that's the
word you
want to
use
it's not
legitimate
that if we
just look at
the data
what's behind
this is not
legitimate
and Andrew
Wilson he
writes and
he says
both of
these books
are worth
reading
and he
says the
glaring
weakness
in both
books
though
is that
for all
of the
devastation
that they
present
for all
of the
triggers
that they
present
probably
for some
of us
mentally
and emotionally
they don't
offer a
single
piece
of hope
no hope
for the
future
no hope
that things
will get
better
and everybody's
looking for
hope
and we'll
try to find
it anywhere
we can
we'll look
for it in
politics
we'll look
for it in
education
we'll look
for it in
wealth
or in our
careers
we'll look
for it in
friendships
and relationships
we'll look
for it in
family
we'll look
for it in
all these
places
and all of
those things
are empty
hopes
they're not
living
hopes
and then
Peter comes
alongside
those of
us who
have experienced
this in the
last few
years of our
life
all of us
together
just by
virtue of
existing
in the
United States
the last
five years
and we say
you know what
I don't have
a hope
here
but I do
have a
certain hope
ahead
and it
fills me
with joy
which should
lead us to
burst with
praise
why
because the
inheritance
that we
have
is of
a quality
that we
could never
even imagine
it's imperishable
it's undefiled
it's unfading
and God is
keeping it for
you
and it will
be yours
third
we're to
praise God
for the
certainty
of the
future
inheritance
so we're
praising God
for the
right to
it
he has
caused
us to
be born
again
we're
praising
God
for the
quality
of it
all of
the things
that Peter
just mentioned
in verse
four
and then we
get to the
end and we
say okay
we're to
praise God
for the
certainty
of it
the
difficulties
that we
experience
when thinking
about this
inheritance
as exiles
here
is coming
to terms
with the
fact that
it is
actually
indeed
future
it's
kept in
heaven
Peter
says in
verse
four
it's
a salvation
ready to
be revealed
not today
maybe not
tomorrow
but in the
last time
the return
of the
Lord Jesus
Christ
and that's
hard isn't
it
because life
hits pretty
hard now
this time
of exile
can be
seriously
difficult
and we
may begin
to wonder
about the
certainty
of what
God has
promised
we may
be plagued
with doubts
about whether
or not we
can even
make it
to the
end
still
believing
and it
is the
certainty
of those
that those
who are born
again will
receive this
eternal salvation
that Peter
takes up in
this final
statement
and once
again
he rested
all
ultimately
on the
power of
God
at work
in us
look again
at verse
five
it is
kept in
heaven
for you
who by
God's
power
are being
guarded
through
faith
for a
salvation
ready to
be revealed
in the
last time
how can
we be
sure
that this
inheritance
is ours
how can
we be
certain
that we
will truly
inherit this
kind of life
in eternity
well the
necessity
of faith
cannot be
overlooked
in this
verse
Peter makes
it clear
that we
are being
guarded
through
faith
here is a
continuing
trust
in the
Lord Jesus
Jesus
Tom
Schreiner
said
Peter does
not conceive
of a
faith
of faith
as a
single
isolated
act
genuine
faith
persists
he says
until the
day of
redemption
there is
no salvation
apart from
continuing
faith
and thus
faith is a
condition
for obtaining
the eschatological
inheritance
but look back
at the verse
and Schreiner
is exactly
right
but look
back at
the verse
notice
who is
guarding
this faith
that you
are being
guarded by
God's
power
through
faith
which leads
Schreiner
to then say
1 Peter 1
5 contains
a remarkable
promise
God's
power
protects
us
because
his
power
is the
means
by which
our
faith
is
sustained
our
assurance
then
and our
certainty
then
it rest
ultimately
not on
who we
are
what we're
doing
it rest
ultimately
on the
power
of God
to guard
us
to the
very
end
we've
sung
about it
over
and over
this
morning
in the
various
songs
that
this
salvation
comes
from
God
it is
given
to us
by God
and we
are
kept
by God
for it
so what's
the point
here
what is
Peter
saying
well you
can take
courage
in the
certainty
that you
will receive
this
inheritance
because the
same God
who is
keeping it
in heaven
is keeping
you
until the
time
that he
sees fit
to reveal
it
salvation
is being
kept
for us
and we
are being
kept
for it
therefore
bless
be the
God
and father
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
because he
has caused
us to be
born again
to an
inheritance
that's
imperishable
and it's
kept in
heaven for
us
who by
his power
are being
guarded
through
faith
so that
we will
actually
receive
the
inheritance
that he
has
promised
lost
we sing
it from
time to
time
he'll not
let my
soul be
lost
his promises
shall last
bought by
him at
such a
cost
he
will hold
me
fast
I know
sometimes you
may feel as a
Christian
that all you
can do
is cling
barely
but you
know where
your assurance
really lies
it's not in
your ability
to hold on
to him
it's on his
power
to hold on
to you
therefore
praise God
in your
exile
for he is
keeping you
well thriving
in exile
it doesn't
begin with
fixing our
problems
it begins
with worshiping
the God of
our great
salvation
he's provided
an eternal
inheritance
the quality
of which
is unlike
anything we've
ever known
through his
mercy
he's given
us the right
to this
inheritance
through the
new birth
so that
all our
hope and
faith rest
in the
resurrection
of the
Lord Jesus
from the
dead
and while
he keeps
our
inheritance
secure
in heaven
he is
guarding
us by
his
power
so that
our faith
in Christ
is
sustained
until the
very end
why
because our
faith follows
the new
birth
and if it's
his power
that brings
about the
new birth
it's his
power
that will
keep us
to the
end
so for all
of this
and more
we can
join with
Peter
and exclaim
blessed be
the God
and Father
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ
let's pray
together
let'sย