Thessalonian Faith

Our Experience of Salvation (1 Peter 1:3-12)

(60-02a)

(Growing in our knowledge of Jesus)
(Hope from Our Salvation by Christ)

What does this Bible passage say?

Any time you read the Bible, pay attention to how you feel about what you are reading. This is called a Visceral Observation.  Four particular reactions to watch for are:

  • WOW! (Impression) What caught my attention, surprised or impressed me, or looked important or significant?
  • WOE! (Conviction) What do I need to start doing, stop doing or change in light of God’s Word?
  • HUH? (Question) What do I not understand, have a question about or need to study further?
  • HOW? (Participation) How can/should/will I respond to, obey or participate with God and His Word?

I recommend you have a notebook to write down things you observe, think of and have questions about while you study.  Bring your notebook to our gathering each week so you can also record what you learn during our discussion. These notes will be a blessing to you as you study the Bible in the future.

The theme of this week’s study passage is Our Experience of Salvation (1 Peter 1:3-12).  Its three paragraphs describe this experience with three topics:

  • Possession of Salvation (1 Peter 1:3-5)
  • Proof of Salvation (1 Peter 1:6-9)
  • Prophecy of Salvation (1 Peter 1:10-12)

► Read each paragraph from your Bible, one paragraph at a time.

  • Contemplate how your life relates to the topic of each paragraph and write down your findings in your notebook. 

You may also find reading from other translations helpful, such as these available on the Blue Letter Bible website:

► Also read the study passage from the translation on this web page.  It is formatted in a “phrasing” or “outline” format which can help you see details that you might otherwise miss in translations formatted by paragraphs or by verses.

Bible Study Passage

3 

Possession of Salvation (1:3-5)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In accordance with His abundant mercy,

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

He has caused us to be born again into a living hope, 

4 which is the priceless inheritance that is

imperishable,

undefiled,

unfading,

kept in heaven for you 5 who are being protected

by the power of God,

through faith,

for a salvation ready to be revealed at the end of time. 

6

Proof of Salvation (1:6-9)

 In all of that you greatly rejoice,

even though for a little while now, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials  7 so that the genuineness of your faith,

which is much more precious than gold,

that does not last forever,

though it is tested with fire,

may be found to result in praise, and honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

8 You love Him,

even though you have never seen Him.

You don’t see Him now,

but you trust Him

and rejoice with indescribable joy

and have been filled with glory, 

9 receiving the outcome of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 

10

Prophecy of Salvation (1:10-12)

 Concerning this salvation,

the prophets who prophesied about this grace toward you, carefully searched and investigated, 

11 trying to find out what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating,

testifying in advance about the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

12 It was revealed to them

that they were not ministering to themselves, but to you,

things which have now been told to you

through those who proclaimed the good news to you,

by Holy Spirit, who was sent from Heaven.

Even angels long to look into these things.

Read the Study Text and complete the Study Guide above
before reading the following

What did this Bible passage mean
to the people of its day?

What is the message
of this Bible passage
for people today?

(Learn about them, then)

  1. Do you see anything in the three paragraphs of this passage that tells you something about the people Peter wrote to – their circumstances, beliefs, needs, etc.?
  2. What three things regarding their salvation experience did Peter tell them about?
  3. What did Peter tell them that might encourage them?
  4. What did Peter tell them that would instruct them?

(Learn for us, now)

(Gives us hope – Ephesians 2:12–13)

What do see that believers in Jesus today have in common with the believers in Jesus this letter was originally written to?

  1. What do you have in common with those believers?
  2. What did Peter write in this letter that:
    • encourages you?
    • convicts you?
    • instructs you?