CCF: God’s Great Salvation

1 Peter 1: 10-12

By Brother Kidit Afable

“¹⁰ As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, ¹¹seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” -- 1 Peter 1:10-11

God’s great salvation is the deliverance and rescue of the human race from the eternal punishment for sin (death and separation from God). God’s salvation is so great because we are saved by grace through a Savior. It is a living hope through Jesus. Granted God’s mercy, caused to be born again to a living hope, given an eternal inheritance, protected by God’s power (1 Peter 1:3-5). It spurs us to joy amidst trials and sufferings (1 Peter 1:6-9). We have a great salvation from God that meets our greatest need.

We need compassion. We need a hero. We need saving. We need something to hold on to.

It was so great the prophets carefully studied it with intense longing for future grace.

It was so great the apostles gave testimony with intense passion for the Gospel.

It was so great the Holy Spirit divinely inspired with intense power from God Himself.

It was so great the angels long to look at it with intense appreciation of glory.

We are privileged. The Bible is a treasure. The Bible is God’s very Word. Read it and live it. The prophets carefully studied it. God’s chosen messengers in the Old Testament were intensely passionate about salvation. They placed faith in God, longing for the day the Messiah would come and complete salvation. They had intense longing for future grace.

God’s grace is unmerited and underserved favor. It is one of the overarching themes of the Bible, God’s love story with us (the human race). God’s grace is glorious enough to favor us and call us beloved (Ephesians 1:6). God’s grace is rich enough to forgive us our sins (Ephesians 1:7). God’s grace is abundant enough to sustain us through suffering and amplify our testimonies (Acts 4:33). God’s grace is multifaceted enough to spur us in serving one another and being good stewards (1 Peter 4:10). God’s grace is sufficient enough to overcome our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Salvation is by God’s grace. God’s grace is personified through Jesus.

We need compassion - Salvation is by grace.

There are more than 300 predictions about the coming of Christ in the Old Testament. Jesus fulfilled all of them: the cradle – birth of Christ (Micah 5:2), the cross – sufferings of Christ (Isaiah 53, Zechariah 11:12, Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22:16, Isaiah 53:12) and the empty tomb - glories of Christ (Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 9:6-7).

Salvation is through Jesus Christ. Momentary suffering lead to eternal glory.

We need a hero – Salvation is through Christ.

Salvation is for us. We are privileged. We can endure current sufferings and trials because of the great salvation given to us. Christ died for us. Christ triumphed for us. It is the ultimate expression of God’s love.

We need saving – Salvation is for us.

The angels are witnesses to the greatest love story in history. Salvation is most precious even to the angels who long to look with an intense appreciation of glory.

We need something to hold on to – Salvation is most precious.

Finally, the apostles preached the Gospel, they endured momentary suffering in light of the eternal glory. They had the very heart of Jesus and God – to seek and save the lost. They had intense passion for the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

That same mission exists today. Preach the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit that empowers us (1 Thes 1:5, 1 Cor 2:4-5). Share the privilege of salvation. Pass it forward!

Image courtesy of worldrevivals.org

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