12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Here Peter goes beyond his appeal to keep the thought life pure; he encourages them to have an excellent behavior while around Gentiles (unbelievers). The Greek word here for excellent behavior has the meaning of being virtuous, good, and honest.
During that time, under Nero, Christians were falsely accused of many evils. Peter wants them, in their good behavior, to remove any of those notions. Instead, they are to be known for good deeds, which will help to bring the unbeliever to believing faith, and therefore bring glory to God.
10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Speaking to both believing Jews and Gentiles, Peter reminds them that they were “called out of darkness.” And in that state they were not the people of God but were of the devil and of darkness. In fact, Peter writes that they were “not a people.” I suppose he meant that being always guided by their fleshly desires, they were more like animals than people. Hence, they also did not receive God’s mercy. But when they came to the light and believed they were privileged as Children of God to receive His mercy.
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone,
AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
We as believers are living stones. He is the cornerstone (the foundation stone) and we are all the other building stones, which are being built up as a spiritual house (metaphorically). We are built up for a holy priesthood (v. 9)—each of us being priests of God, working in the service of God and having access to God. As priest we offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice for all the work He would have us do for Him (Rom. 12:1).
Verse 6 is a quote from Isaiah 28:16. It is a prophecy of the Messiah to come, and all who believe in Him will not be disappointed; that is, He will be all that He has been prophesied to be and all that we need Him to be.
21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
It is through Christ and His sacrifice for us that we are believers in God—who raised Christ from the dead and gave Him glory when He brought Him back to heaven. Hence our faith and hope are to be in God.
15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”
As God’s children we are to be holy as He is holy. Here Peter quotes from Leviticus 11:44; but I think we should also consider God’s original plan for man. In His creation He created man and woman in His own image (Gen. 1:27). Hence, we were created with the desire and capacity to be holy, because that is one of the characteristics of God.
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Not only is our inheritance protected and preserved eternally; we are protected by the power of God until we are glorified and arrive in heaven. We may die before our glorification (a temporary setback), but when He comes we will be resurrected and glorified (1Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:15-17).
Yes, and we will be living in His house with Christ and the saints forever.
In Revelation 21:2-3, John wrote,
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
This, I think, is the greatest difference on the positive side. Yes, we will have no more evil and sin and pain to deal with, but we will have a marvelous and beautiful home, and wonderful fellowship eternally with the Father and the Son and all the saints.
This future heavenly blessing of dwelling with God is a fulfilment of a promise made to Israel based upon their obedience. In Leviticus 26:11-12 God said to them,
‘Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. 12 ‘I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.
Though this promise was originally made exclusively for the Jews, now all non-Jews can reap their spiritual blessings through faith in Jesus Christ, who is of the seed of Abraham and of David.Yes, all who have received entrance into heaven by faith in Jesus Christ will have the pleasure of God’s constant presence. In fact, we will be living in God’s house—His tabernacle. I can think of two passages that refer to this. In John 14:1-2 it says,
Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
Then also in 1Thessalonians 4:17, speaking of the rapture of the church, Paul writes,
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (bold for emphasis).
It seems that the older I get the more my mind is on heaven. This is true especially if we have been diligent to walk in holiness. Then whenever you feel the pains of your old life you may be reminded that the new life is ahead.
But our assurance of heaven should not only be based on how we feel or on how we regard our holiness. We should base our assurance mainly on the promises of God. In 1 Peter 1:3-5 Peter speaks of our heavenly inheritance as a living hope.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
If you have been born again into a new life, your inheritance is heaven. It is God’s promise to you.
In order to live with a heavenly perspective, in holiness, it is important to keep our focus on God and heaven. I have five suggested ideas to do that. Here is the first idea.
Cultivate A Love For God And His Heaven
I think of cultivation as a farm word. It involves working the soil to promote the growth of whatever you are trying to grow. Love for God and His heaven grows best by working the ground of love—or by preparing the heart for love.
First of all, to do this the heart needs to be free of the weeds of the lust of the flesh and of the cares of this world (1Jn. 2:16). Then replace those thoughts with the thought that God has made us citizens of heaven and that He has paid for our citizenship with His own blood (Eph. 2:19).
Next, it would be good to do whatever you can to invest your time and money in heaven. That is, in bringing as many people into the kingdom of God as is possible; and then you will see your love for God and heaven grow. Then also, give your heart to worship and singing about heaven and your hope of heaven, and you will experience a great joy in the Lord.
God has given us a down-payment on heaven. He has transferred our citizenship there. We ‘are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God’ (Eph. 2:19).3
In Philippians 3:20-21 Paul writes,
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory…
Again, in Ephesians 2:19-21 Paul writes,
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord.
It feels good to be a citizen of heaven. Here are seven blessings, and also responsibilities, that come from our heavenly citizenship.
As heavenly citizens we are welcome to sample all of the delights of heaven.
As citizens we are part of the family of God (Jn. 1:12; Eph. 2:19).
As citizens we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
As citizens we have new heavenly affections (Col. 3:1).
As citizens we are to be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. 1:4).
As citizens He has begun a good work in us (Phil. 1:6; Eph. 2:10).
As citizens He is conforming us to the image of His Son and making us fit for heaven (Rom. 8:30).
On a personal note, I like the idea of being a citizen of heaven because I feel that I am locked in—in a good way. I mean, nobody can take heaven away from me. I am a member. I am a legal citizen with full rights.
3 John MacArthur, The Glory of Heaven (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1996), p. 64.
Stephen Nielsen 