Rejoicing Greatly | The Institute for Creation Research

Rejoicing Greatly



“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.” (1 Peter 1:6)

Our lives today are continually badgered by various trials, or “manifold temptations.” The trials are to bring about a pure and effective faith, pleasing to God. But the apostle Peter is not referring to trials or their results when he declares, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice.” On the contrary, he’s summing up a list of blessings given in the preceding three verses. As we delineate them, let us rejoice as well.

“His abundant mercy” (v. 3). Mercy implies a compassionate act on one who is in desperate need. In context, God’s mercy was granted to us in salvation when there was nothing we could do to save ourselves.

“Begotten us again” (v. 3). We have been born again! We are now His children, born into His family. We now have spiritual life—eternal life.

“A lively hope” (v. 3)—not just a living hope—it is much more than that. We have a hope that is actively, vibrantly alive. This “lively” state was accomplished in and through the bodily “resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Our eventual, eternal resurrection is thus assured.

“An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (v. 4). This inheritance could not be more secure or more glorious.

“Kept by the power of God” (v. 5). The protection of God extends far beyond the inheritance; it encompasses the individual heir also—the one who has tasted of His mercy “through faith unto salvation.”

“To be revealed in the last time” (v. 5). Though the saved are now freed from the penalty and power of sin, there will be a final deliverance from the presence of sin.

Indeed, there is much about which to “greatly rejoice.” JDM

Days of Praise Podcast Days of Praise Podcast is a podcast based on the Institute for Creation Research quarterly print devotional, Days of Praise. Start your day with devotional readings written by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and others to strengthen and encourage you in your Christian faith.
 
         

 

The Latest
DAYS OF PRAISE DEVOTIONALS
Spring 2025
...

NEWS
Rocky Exoplanets Are Literally Being Vaporized
Astronomers have discovered a disintegrating rocky planet in another solar system.1,2 This extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, has been given...

CREATION PODCAST
Hot Springs & Badlands – Folded Rock, Fossil Graveyard, and...
America is home to stunning forests, mountains, monuments, and other wondrous features. The unique beauty of many of these locations has prompted...

NEWS
Mammals ''Shrank'' After Post-Flood Ice Age
By examining fossils from 19 archaeological sites in Jordan’s Azraq Basin, researchers have concluded that gazelles, hares, and foxes shrank in...

NEWS
Breaking News: Ancient Mollusks Were Complex
Mollusks consist of a wide range of invertebrates that include the intelligent octopus, pulmonated snails (gastropods), and bivalves (clams). They appear...

NEWS
Dino Trackway Leads Straight to a Young Earth
Uncovering animal tracks and trackways in sedimentary rocks is a testament to the Genesis Flood.1–4 Fascinating discoveries continue...

NEWS
February 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 NKJV) ICR's...

CREATION.LIVE PODCAST
Fascinating Dino Fossil Finds! | Creation.Live Podcast: Episode...
Dinosaurs are fascinating creatures and the fossils they've left behind inspire awe and wonder. Many scientists claim that the existence of...

NEWS
New Antarctic Ice Core: Good News for Creationists
Scientists have successfully drilled a fourth long ice core in East Antarctica.1 This new core, which reached to bedrock, has bottom ice...

CREATION PODCAST
Towers, Buttes, and Gardens of Stone - Exploring America's National...
America is home to stunning forests, mountains, monuments, and other wondrous features. The unique beauty of many of these locations has prompted...