Peter wrote his first epistle to Christians who were suffering for their faith. Such suffering is one of Satan’s efforts to get us to give up on the Lord, deny our faith, and lose our souls. The purpose of this epistle is to encourage faithfulness in the face of suffering.
The letter begins with a reminder of one of the greatest blessings found in Christ – we have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Pet. 1:3). This living hope is important to us. It is our anchor (Heb. 6:19). It has the power to sustain us in our sufferings.
Peter continues, “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (v. 4). The object of our living hope is the great inheritance that awaits us if we are faithful. Let’s consider the three descriptive phrases used by Peter.
1. Incorruptible. Translated from the Greek word aphthartos which means imperishable, not liable to corruption of decay. The treasures we can inherit and lay up for ourselves in this world are subject to decay and corruption – “where moth and rust destroy” (Matt. 6:19-20). Physical items I have inherited from my grandparents show the wear of age. The great monuments of the world, which were built to endure the ages, show the wear and tear of the passing of time.
Heaven is a spiritual existence. It does not consist of atoms that slow down and break down with the passing of time. It can’t wear out or be destroyed.
2. Undefiled. From the Greek word amiantos meaning unsoiled or free from contamination. It is taken from a word meaning to dye or stain with another color. We live in a world that places a premium on things that are free from contamination – preferring pure water, air, and food. Our heavenly inheritance contains no pollution or contamination. “It is free of all that would render it undesirable or soiled” (Hamilton 15).
John described the purity of the heavenly city with the following words. “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev. 21:27). Heaven doesn’t have a city dump. There isn’t anything there that needs to be taken out and burned or buried. It may be hard for us to imagine, but we can certainly see the appeal of an existence that is completely undefiled.
3. Does Not Fade Away. From the Greek word amarantos meaning unfading or perennial. Things of beauty can lose their attractiveness and appeal over time. A flower is beautiful when it first blooms, but the petals begin to wilt in a matter of days. The smooth skin of a newborn baby eventually becomes coarse and wrinkled with age. Colored photos lose their tint over time. The perfectly glossed finish of a new guitar will become nicked, worn, and dull with use. This is expected here on earth, but this will never happen to the things that make heaven beautiful.
It has been said that familiarity breeds contempt. I grew up in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. It is very beautiful there, but I never thought much of it when I was growing up because I saw it every day. I remember hearing visitors say things like, “You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.” Like a typical teenager, I would say to myself, “Whatever.” This will not happen with our heavenly inheritance. Not only is heaven eternal – it is also eternally new. Heaven will never lose its original beauty, brightness, or shine. The awe, wonder, and amazement that we experience when we first enter heaven will never go away! We will never get bored with heaven or take it for granted.
“Imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (ESV). This is what is being reserved for us. Don’t lose faith. Heaven really will be worth it all.