Joy Inexpressible

     I commend the following article to you. It was written by Jeff Burnett, my very
dear friend and  beloved  brother  in  the  Lord  Jesus. Jeff  is  a very gifted young
man who preaches the word in the state of Louisiana. He is humble, yet bold, and
is a fine student of God's word! May Yahweh bless him with many useful years in
the service of the King of Eternity.
                                                                                                                   R. Daly    

 

 

Joy Inexpressible

1 Peter 1:1-9

     The  Holy  Spirit  through  the  apostle  Peter, in  his first letter, speaks of a

happiness  that  words  cannot  express. It  is  a  joy  so  beyond finite human

comprehension, that mere human words fail to communicate the emotions felt.

Peter is writing his first epistle to a group who find themselves in tough times.

The epistle was sent to individuals  he described as, “sojouners” ASV-1901,

“aliens” NASB-1977 and “strangers in the world” NIV-2011. The text says the

group described was “dispersed” or “scattered” throughout the region of Pontus,

Galatia, Cappodocia, Asia, and Bithynia vs.1. This region is known as Asia Minor,

which would be the country of Turkey today.

     Who exactly is Peter writing this letter to? In verse 1, Peter addresses them as

“elect”. The English word “elect”, comes from the Greek word eklektos, which

carries the meaning of “chosen” or “picked out”. Elect in this context refers to

Christians, who had their lives redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ (1:18-22). 

These followers of Christ lived among people, who did not share in the same

lifestyle, or a commonwealth in heaven. Again, they were “aliens and strangers”

in the world around them (1:1; 2:11). To Christians, this world in which we live

is not home. 1 Peter was written to Christians in a distant land, who were suffering.

Study the following passages of encouragement: to their faith (1:6-7); to their

conduct (2:12); suffering for wrongdoing (2:19-20); to follow the example left by

Jesus (2:21-24); to suffer for righteousness (3:16-18); to be Christ-like in the midst

of suffering (4:1); to remain in the “will of God” though judged by men (4:6);

rejoice to be able to share in the sufferings of Christ (4:12-16); to be glad that the

“God of all grace” will restore them and make them “perfect” (5:10). You have

noticed that all of  these  passages  show  with  certainty  the  suffering that was

experienced by these Christians.

     In the midst of this suffering, certain words are used to describe the outlook of

these Christians towards Christ: Belief, Love and Rejoice. In verse 8, we find the

in the original Greek, hon ouk idontes, which literally means, “had not so much as

a glimpse of” (Guy N. Woods, Commentary on 1 Peter, page 30).How could they,

never seeing the physical form and existence of Jesus, love Him? The word “love”

in our English Bibles is from the Greek word agapao. This is not referring to the

affection we share as humans, but rather in relation of mankind to God. The love

described is an active, functioning working emotion. “For God so loved the world

that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16). “Greater love has no one than this,

that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). “But God demonstrates His

own  love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners, Christ died for us”

(Romans 5:8). “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in

love,   just   as  Christ  also    loved  you  and  gave   Himself   up   for   us…”

(Ephesians 5:1-2).   “For   this   is   the   love   of  God,   that   we   keep   His

commandments…” (1 John 5:3). This short list of verses expresses the type of

love to which Peter is referring. Although the folks to whom Peter wrote had

never seen Jesus, they by faith were certain of His example, that was worthy of

following.  Never seeing Christ with their eyes, but loving Him through faith,

caused these brothers and sisters to “greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and

full of glory”. Agalliaois the Greek word from which we get our English word

rejoice. Thayer defines in the following way, “to exult exceedingly” (Thayer's

Greek Lexicon, page 3).  Knowing  what  Jesus  had   done for them, they were

constrained to follow Him. They had never seen Jesus, but their hearts were full

of deep emotion, gladness, joy and praise that words cannot describe. These

homeless ones of this earth, would suffer for a little   while, but  would  eventually  

receive  the  “salvation  of  their  souls”. A reservation at home in heaven was

awaiting them and that was the cause and reason for their inexpressible joy!

     Similarly, we as Christians are “aliens and strangers” on this place called

planet earth. We share a lot in common with the Christians to whom this epistle

was addressed. When we are being criticized, mistreated and suffer for the cause

of Christ, where do we turn to? Where is our hope and trust? Is it in the same God

and His Son in whom the Christians in 1^st Peter had their confidence? May we

always look to Christ and the example He left us to follow. When we contemplate

the suffering recorded for us in this letter, it should not be discouraging, but an

emotion of joy and gladness knowing that the one who suffers for Christ “will

obtain as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls”. In this we greatly

rejoice!

Jeffrey Burnett 4/13/2015