It is already that time again!  It is time to reflect on 1 Peter 1:6-12 from the sermon, Faith to Live Differently.  Can you remember the three insights that help to develop, strengthen, and support our faith in Jesus?  Check it now:

The proof of faith, V6-7

The essence of faith, V8-9

The foundation of faith, V10-12

That is amazing that you could remember so well!  Each insight helps us to understand important aspects of faith as related to our belief in God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Faith is critical to and in our relationship with God.  Faith is what we genuinely believe about God. 

The proving of our faith is an important work of God in the believer’s life.  The text spoke of proving the character of our faith which we defined as establishing the authenticity and genuineness of what you truly believe.  This proving is done through trials and suffering grief or as we said, the distresses these trials cause.  No one likes trials, but they have a purpose. James 1:2-3 encourages, “Consider it great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know the testing of your faith produces endurance.”  The idea is, if it is genuine, it has value and will last.  Thank God for the trials He allows and sends your way to prove your faith!

The essence of our faith is found in the simple truth, believing without seeing.  Peter spoke of the believers not seeing Jesus back when He walked the earth, nor in their present time, but two things were important, they loved Jesus and believed in Jesus.  Both are important to the believer’s relationship with God today, to love God because He demonstrated His love for us “in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8) and the power of Jesus statement in Matthew 20:29, “Jesus said, ‘Because you have seen Me you have believed.  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’” Faith is hope that is seen as already done, even though there is no tangible proof.

The foundation of our faith goes back to the OT prophets and their faith to faithfully proclaim and write God’s Word to the people, then and now.  Their prophecies told of the coming promised seed, the Messiah who would bring salvation to man.  It was a salvation they desired to have during their life spans, yet they were told by the Spirit that the fulfillment of their prophecies, including the suffering and glories of the Christ would not be for them but for believers in the time God set forth.  Which by the same Spirit are being proclaimed through the Gospel today.

These incredible insights should encourage us in our faith to accept trials that prove the character of our faith, as an important part of our growth as believers. We can hold on to our faith amid cynicism and unbelief because our faith is not built upon what is seen, but on what is unseen.  We can be strengthened by the fact that our faith is in God the Mighty Creator who in His infinite wisdom set forth the purposes and plans of redemption long ago and revealed His plans through the prophets. This under-girds our faith to live differently!