1 Peter 1:4

to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

Commentary

Salvation is not the ultimate end goal of redemption. There are at least two aspects to salvation to be considered here one indirectly and one directly. First, salvation’s multiple facets cause one to look at the purposes for which God redeems the sinner. Substantially, the transformation of one’s life is spoken of by Paul and Peter alike. In just a couple verses from here in 1:15, Peter calls for the believer to recognize their master as holy and since he is holy his servants are to be holy as well. This standard of holiness is not something atainable by self will or working up to it, but is a process worked upon the believer.

It is at this point that it must be called out that a recprical danger is also present when we affirm that God changes the believer. Can one use the fact that God is the principal mover of making his children holy a excuse for someone who claims to be one of his children to delay, defer, ignore, or refuse to be changed by him? No! While the source and ability of living to God’s glory and transformed living is entirely attributable to God’s word, God also works though ordinary means of ones obedience both in the hearing of the Word and the doing of it.

While God redeems so he make a people for himself and transform them into his image, he also provides and inheritance to those who are his. An inheritance left behind by a person who dies is a great blessing to many. The inheritance can be material wealth, property, belongings, or mementos sometimes worth more than any cost. A physical inheritance, however, will decay. Inflation saps the strength of the money left behind; age and disrepair of houses and lands eventually lead to their ruin, belongings wear out and the mementos without value become trinkets of no value to the next generation. The purpose of Christ’s death and resurrection was to obtain an inheritance for the believer. Not only that, but the inheritance is described with four components.

First, this inheritance is imperishable meaning it will never decay or wear out. Clothing and Jewlery eventually crumble to dust and loose their shine, but the inheritance God provides will never do so. The primary aspect of eternal life is not life for a really long time. Rather, eternal life has as its objective a forever relationship with God and his son. For the believer, there will never be a separation from him who redeems.

Second, the inheritance is described as undefiled. Already mentioned above is verse 15 later in this chapter which asserts that God his holy meaning undefiled. Sin marrs the human conscience as well as their irreverably damages the relationship between men and God. There is no remedy that the sinner can offer up to God that would be fitting for God to accept for such a violation of his holy nature. There is, however, a way for God to make things right through the atoning sacrifice of his son upon the cross. Once life is ended for the believer, they will no longer have to deal with sin and its molestation upon the believer.

Third, this inheritance will not fade away. Eternity is a really long time from the perspective of human beings. But, thinking in terms of a really long time is not sufficent to comprehend the foreverness of Salvation. While illustrations abound about how long eternity will be about birds taking grains of sand to the moon, dropping it off and returning for more being the example of eternity, the reality is far more greater than the droll of repittion of doing the same thing for such a period of time.

Finally, this inheritance is reserved in heaven. It is not an afterthought for God to plan for this. The fact that eternity will be full of the fellowship with the creator, sustainer, and redeemer who lives in heaven will be the constant joy of the believer. To behold the face of Jesus the one who love us and gave himself for us and enjoy him forever will be the contain theme of the redeemed.

Conclusion

It is worth our hours and minutes to remember the great salvation God has rought in the beleiver’s life. It is not optional for the beleiver but one of the great joys and duties of those whom God has redeemed through his son to set their thoughs upon his work. The fact that the Trinity working in unity to play, work, and apply salvation to the repentant believer is a sweet source of meditation for those who do battle against sin both from within and without.