“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
(1 Peter 1:3)
A true child of God treasures the cross, for it is at the cross that the love of God poured forth in blood, redeeming us from sin and reconciling us to Himself. Yet if our gaze remains fixed only on the crucified Christ, we risk neglecting the full glory of our redemption. For the death of Christ is not the end of the gospel; it is inseparably joined to His resurrection. Indeed, without His death, there could be no resurrection. But without His resurrection, His death would be powerless. The two are inseparable pillars of our salvation.
Paul makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 15:17: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins,” for a dead Savior cannot save. Christ’s resurrection is the demonstration of His victory, the seal of His finished work, and the foundation of our hope.
This living hope, as Peter calls it, is therefore rooted in the actual resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the tomb. If He were not raised, we would still be under condemnation. But since He is raised, we are united to Him in life, so that through Him we inherit all the promises of life everlasting. The resurrection is our pledge. It is God’s declaration that Christ’s sacrifice was accepted and that His people shall not be left in the grave.
“God… raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Peter 1:21). The Father exalted the Son so that our confidence might rest in His triumphant life. There is no greater assurance than this: our Savior lives. And because He lives, we shall live also.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones captured this mystery well: “This is how a man gets the living hope. It comes because he is joined to Christ… When He died, we died. When He was buried… we were buried with Him. When He arose, we arose.” We are not spectators of His resurrection; we are participants in it. Christ and His people are one. “We are one flesh with him: There is a marriage between Christ and the Church, and this is the great meditation of the Song of Solomon.”[1]
The crucifixion shows us the justice of God satisfied; the resurrection demonstrates the power of God in raising Christ from the grave and declaring Him Lord of all. Let us then walk in the power of this “lively hope.” Let us set our affections on things above, where Christ is. Let us reckon ourselves alive unto God, as those raised with Him in glory.
Contemplations:
- Resurrected to newness of life. Paul exhorts me to walk in newness of life, for my old nature has been crucified and I’ve been made alive with Christ. Am I living as one truly raised? Do I seek the things above? Let me not return to dead works. Let my thoughts, affections, and desires rise with Christ to where He reigns.
- The power that raised Him sustains me. Christ’s resurrection assures me that the same power which conquered death is now at work in me. By His Spirit I am renewed daily to righteousness, knowing that the promises of God are sure because Christ lives to secure them.
- A hope that cannot die. This living hope presses me to look forward. The final resurrection is real for it is bound up in Christ’s own victory. As He lives, I shall live. My hope is lively and strong because He is alive.
- Christ’s union with me in death and life. When Christ died, I died. When He rose, I rose. That union is real. My life is hid with Christ in God. He is my head; I am His body. I am not my own. I belong to Him who conquered the grave. Let this truth fuel my worship and steady my soul in every trial.
Prayer (Thanksgiving):
O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, blessed be your name forever. You who are abundant in mercy and rich in grace have not left us in the darkness of death, but have begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
We thank you, Lord, that you did not leave your Holy One to see corruption, but raised Him with power and glory, giving Him a name above every name. We thank You that our Savior is not confined to the tomb, but reigns at Your right hand, living forever as our Intercessor, our King, our Risen Lord.
We thank You for the cross where justice was satisfied, but we thank You no less for the empty tomb where victory was declared. In the resurrection, You confirmed the fullness of our redemption, gave substance to our faith, and secured every promise of eternal life. We bless Your name, Lord, for the triumph of the grave, for the end of sin’s curse, and for the dawn of a new creation in Christ.
We give thanks that in Him we are raised to walk in newness of life, raised to hope, raised to joy unspeakable. We were once dead in trespasses and sins, but now we are alive unto God. You made us partakers in Christ’s victory, joined us to His risen body, and sealed us with the Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance.
O Lord, our hearts rejoice to know that our hope is not fragile. It lives because Christ lives. It is anchored in heaven, where our Savior sits, never to die again. We thank You for this living hope—a hope that endures through trial, shines in darkness, and looks beyond the grave.
Let thanksgiving rise from our hearts and from our lives. Let our every breath be an offering of praise. Let our obedience be shaped by this hope. Let our endurance be strengthened by this truth. Let our songs and our service reflect the confidence we have in our risen Redeemer.
Blessed be Your name, O Lord. You have made us new. You have lifted us from the pit. You have brought us into light and crowned us with life. We are not our own; we are Yours. And because Christ lives, we live also. Forever we will thank You.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further References for 1 Peter 1:3
2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; Titus 3:5; John 1:13; Hebrews 3:6; James 1:18.
[1] Hugh Binning, The Sinners Sanctuary, (Edinburgh: George Swinton and James Glen and are to be sold at their shops .., 1670), 12.
