1 Peter 1:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

NIV: Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

NASB: and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

CSB: Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,

NLT: You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

KJV: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

NKJV: whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Christianity—our faith in Christ, the Son of God—is not about a process or a system or a philosophy. It's not a way of looking at the world or improving ourselves as human beings. It's about a person. It's about trusting and loving a person.

Peter had seen Jesus, and had been personally trained by Him. Peter knew and loved Christ as a man, and as God, based on three years of personal, face-to-face experience. Peter saw Jesus alive after seeing Him dead. The vast majority of the believers reading Peter's words had never seen the Messiah with their own eyes. Peter seems to marvel at their believing and loving Christ without seeing Him. Maybe Peter was remembering what he heard Jesus say to Thomas, who believed in the resurrection only after personally seeing Jesus' wounds: "…Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).

As in verse 6, Peter assumes that faith and love this concrete, this real, results in real rejoicing. Saving faith in Christ brings with it a joy which can't be expressed. Words can't contain it. It's a joy full of glory, reflecting our future with Christ in the moment in front of us. Again we see that the choice to rejoice, even the middle of our trials, is an act of faith. It doesn't require soaring emotions, but it certainly can contribute to them. Joy flows from our growing confidence in the Christ we love.

1 Peter 1:3–12 is one of the most loved passages in all of Scripture. It begins as a blessing to God, but also describes how incredibly He has blessed us in Christ. Because Jesus has risen from the dead, our hope is not a wish—it is as alive as He is. Our inheritance as God’s children is eternal, full of glory, and secured forever. Even in our suffering, we have every reason to rejoice. The mystery of God’s plan has been revealed to us in Christ. We are being saved!

Peter, the apostle of Jesus, writes a letter to Christians facing persecution to comfort them with the truth of who they are in Christ—children of God with every reason to rejoice in their salvation and future glory in eternity. Next, he urges them to live like the holy ones of God they already are by obeying God now, loving each other earnestly, and placing all of their hope in the endless life to come.

This beautiful, profound, and challenging first chapter of 1 Peter lays the foundation for the rest of Peter’s letter. In spite of whatever suffering we may face, God Himself has already shown us great mercy in Christ by including us in His family! Jesus is our living hope. Our future is secure and endless and perfect. As the children of God we have every reason to rejoice, even in this present darkness. Peter then calls us to prepare ourselves to live as the holy people God has made us to be.

Some 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus, Christians are facing greater persecution for their faith. How should they respond? How should we respond to suffering today? The apostle Peter writes this letter both to comfort believers and to encourage them to stay strong. He urges them to put all their hope in their perfect future with Christ, and to obey and trust Him in the present, even in their suffering. Christ suffered greatly; now the Christ-followers have the opportunity to follow Him even in this, showing His grace and power in their hopefulness, obedience, and faith.