1 Peter 1:8-9 "Although you have not seen him, you love him..."

"Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9).

Question:

 I will probably be submitting at least one daily for a while if that is ok?

Comment:

It's fine to submit a question a day, as long as you realize that I may not be able to respond quite that quickly.   It is recognized today that this letter was not written by the apostle Peter—the Greek is too fluid, the style too educated, and it contains references to events that transpired after Peter's death. The letter was most likely written in the last decade of the first Christian century by a follower of Peter—an elder of the church in Rome. It is addressed to newly converted Christians who find that their new faith makes them unwelcome in their own families and among old friends. This is certainly an issue many can relate to today—a sense of enforced loneliness inherent in rising upward in spiritual awareness.

As was customary, the author begins his letter with a salutation and appreciation of those to whom he is writing. Their faith is clearly strong because it is not based on an experience of the human ministry of Jesus Christ, but on his ongoing Presence in their lives—a Presence that cannot be defined by the input of the senses. They cannot see the Christ in full expression—which Jesus Christ was—nor have they witnessed the demonstrations of Christ Power that he shared during his life. And yet they believe, and they experience the Christ on a deeper level, in a spiritual awareness that needs no demonstration, no tangible physical proof. As a result, they are "receiving the outcome" of that faith in their conscious awareness of the Christ Presence at work in their lives.   It's important for us, too, to realize how strong our faith truly is, even though we may feel ourselves wrapped in shadows of doubt. We live in a world in which lack, limitation and judgment express every day. We are not immune from their distracting energy; but we believe in something more. We may not be perfectly expressing that belief. But we belief; and that is a great accomplishment. If we remember to be grateful for our own faith—for the fact that we are aware of a spiritual dimension to life, and the innate Power of the Christ within us, no matter how imperfectly we express it—we will be strengthening that faith and increasing its expression in our lives.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed