3 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, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 KJV)
A Heavenly Inheritance
We now come to the main body of the epistle, which begins with a thanksgiving to God, congratulating these believers on the dignity and happiness of their spiritual condition. This is a common opening in other epistles as well (2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3).
The duty performed is blessing God—acknowledging His excellence and goodness. He is described as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a title rich with meaning. Christ is Lord, signifying sovereign authority; Jesus, identifying Him as Savior; and Christ, the anointed prophet filled with the Spirit and equipped for the salvation of His people. God is the God of Christ according to His human nature, and the Father of Christ according to His divine nature.
The reason we bless God is His abundant mercy, particularly seen in our regeneration. He has caused us to be born again, which is reason enough for thanksgiving, especially since this new birth produces in us the grace of hope—not a dead or fleeting hope like that of the world, but a living and enduring one, grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
A Christian, no matter how difficult his outward circumstances, always has reason to bless God. Just as a sinner should mourn even in prosperity, so the godly should rejoice in affliction.
In our prayers and praises, we must approach God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, since it is only through Christ that we and our services are accepted. The best blessings of even the holiest people are owed to God’s mercy. All the good in the world comes from His grace, and regeneration is especially credited to His mercy (John 3:3).
Regeneration gives rise to a living hope. Before conversion, people are without true hope; any confidence they express is empty presumption. The right kind of hope is spiritual, produced by the Spirit of God. Those born into a new spiritual life are also born into a new spiritual hope.
This Christian hope is living; it sustains and energizes the soul, motivating action, patience, strength, and perseverance. The false hopes of the ungodly are temporary and will perish with them (Job 27:8).
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the firm foundation of this hope. His resurrection was both the act of the Father, declaring the sufficiency of Christ’s death, and of the Son, demonstrating His victory over death and spiritual enemies. It assures our own resurrection, for we are united to Him not just by His power as Judge, but as our living Head (Colossians 3:1). From this union and His resurrection, Christians gain two strong foundations for their hope of eternal life.
Having spoken of their new birth and hope, the apostle then describes eternal life as an inheritance. This would have been deeply meaningful to believers who were poor and possibly displaced from their earthly inheritances. Many of them were Jews, and the loss of their land would have felt like a heavy blow, since Canaan was the inheritance given by God. To comfort them, Peter reminds them of a better inheritance, reserved in heaven, far surpassing anything on earth.
Heaven is the rightful inheritance of all God’s children. All who are born again are born into this inheritance, just as a child becomes heir to a father’s estate (Romans 8:17). God gives His general gifts to many, but this inheritance belongs only to His children, given not by merit but by grace, secured through adoption and the unchanging covenant of God (Hebrews 9:15).
This inheritance has four qualities. First, it is incorruptible, like God Himself (Romans 1:23). It never changes or decays but remains eternal. Second, it is undefiled, unlike the sinful and broken world we now live in. Sin and suffering are excluded from it (Hebrews 7:26). Third, it does not fade away. Its beauty and joy are never diminished, and it never grows wearisome. Finally, it is reserved in heaven for believers—secured and waiting for all who are born again to a living hope. It is glorious (Ephesians 1:18), certain, and preserved for those who belong to Christ.
Since this inheritance is future and distant, the apostle anticipates some lingering fear: can believers be sure they’ll make it there, especially while facing temptation, weakness, and hardship on earth? The answer is yes—they will be safely guarded and led to their promised inheritance. Unlike earthly heirs, who may die before receiving their estate, the heirs of heaven will certainly arrive. God promises preservation.
This preservation is the work of God, who uses our faith as a means to keep us. The end of this preservation is salvation, and the full experience of it will come at the last time.
God’s care is such that He not only gives grace but ensures the soul is kept for glory. Being kept implies both danger and deliverance; believers may be attacked but will not be overcome. This keeping is by God’s power, because the obstacles—the strength of our enemies and our own weaknesses—are too great for us alone. Scripture repeatedly teaches that salvation is the work of divine power (2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 14:4).
Still, God’s power does not cancel human responsibility. Our faith is required—it involves sincere desire for salvation, reliance on Christ, careful obedience, hatred of sin, hope for reward, and ongoing diligence in prayer. Through such faith, we are preserved by grace for salvation. Faith is a powerful safeguard that carries the soul from grace to glory.
This salvation is ready to be revealed at the last time. It is already prepared and waiting in heaven, but for now, it remains mostly hidden—not only from the blind world but even from believers themselves. As 1 John 3:2 says, “It does not yet appear what we shall be.” The full and final unveiling will come at the last day—when the soul enters Christ’s presence at death, and later, when the body is raised and joined again to the soul. At that time, judgment will be passed, and Christ will publicly honor His faithful people before all.