Connect 1 Peter 1:9 with Ephesians 2:8-9 on salvation by faith. Receiving the Goal of Faith 1 Peter 1:9 — “for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” • Peter writes to believers under pressure, reminding them that their present trials cannot cancel the sure outcome of faith: salvation. • “You are receiving” (present tense) highlights an already-begun, still-unfolding rescue that will be completed when Christ returns (v. 5). Grace and Faith, Side-by-Side Ephesians 2:8-9 — “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” • Grace = God’s unearned favor. • Faith = the hand that receives what grace freely offers. • Salvation = the result, entirely “not from yourselves.” How the Two Passages Interlock • 1 Peter 1:9 shows the RESULT (“salvation”). • Ephesians 2:8-9 explains the MEANS (“through faith”) and the SOURCE (“by grace”). • Put together: – Salvation is God’s gift (grace). – Faith is the channel, never the cause. – Works do not contribute; they only follow as evidence (Ephesians 2:10). Supporting Voices from the Rest of Scripture • John 3:16 — believing brings eternal life. • Romans 3:23-24 — sinners are “justified freely by His grace.” • Romans 5:1 — “justified through faith… peace with God.” • Titus 3:5 — “not by works of righteousness that we had done.” • Hebrews 12:2 — Jesus is “the author and perfecter of our faith,” securing start-to-finish salvation. Why Works Cannot Save • Works would give room to boast; grace removes all boasting (Ephesians 2:9). • Human righteousness is “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). • Even our best deeds fall short of God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:20). What Faith Does—and Does Not Do Does: • Trusts the finished work of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). • Rests in God’s promise, not personal performance. • Produces obedience and good works as fruit (James 2:17, Ephesians 2:10). Does Not: • Earn merit. • Add to Christ’s sacrifice. • Depend on feelings or fluctuating circumstances. Living in the Light of Secure Salvation • Confidence in trials—our inheritance is “imperishable” (1 Peter 1:4-5). • Humility—no room for pride when salvation is a gift. • Gratitude—daily worship fueled by undeserved grace. • Perseverance—faith looks ahead to the full unveiling of salvation “ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5). Takeaway Truths • Salvation is secured by God’s grace, received through simple, child-like faith. • The believer is already “receiving” that salvation, even as its final fullness awaits. • Because it rests on God’s unchanging gift, assurance is solid and boasting is silenced. |
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