8 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. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:8-9 (NLT) 中文 

Unseen Savior

This was one of my favorite passages as a new believer. Why? All this salvation, Christianity, Jesus talk was new to me. I was accustomed to a concrete world where I believed in what I could experience with my senses. Now I was told to believe in a Savior I couldn’t see. I could only read about or hear about it from others. Yet at the same time I knew that I knew Him and dare I say, loved Him. He had changed me, transformed me, caused me to be born again. I was demonstrating faith in that which I couldn’t see (Hebrews 11:1).

Inexpressible joy

Anyone in their right mind would think such believing was crazy. But as I thought about this verse and even tried to memorize it, I was indeed filled with, “inexpressible and glorious joy” as the NIV puts v8. I could not explain it but I also could not deny it. When first reading the Bible as a new believer (after reading it daily quite religiously before), with the Spirit of God now in me, it was all new. It was speaking to me!

Salvation reward

And what does Peter tell us is the reward for this faith? The salvation of our souls. Our present bodies will pass away and return to dust, but our souls will continue for eternity. When Christ returns (1 Thess 4:16-17) we will be clothed with transformed bodies at the resurrection (1 Cor 15:51-53). These will be united with our souls…for eternity. For those who reject Christ’s salvation in this life, they, too, will be resurrected but their destiny will be eternal separation from the Father in the Lake of Fire.

RЯeflection

• Are you looking forward to that day of seeing Christ face to face? Can you imagine what it will be like? A new body, free of the encumbrances of sin, pure and holy to the Lord. Take time now to consider this.
• Maybe you are reading this and realizing that you do not have this promise, you have not put your faith in this unseen Savior. If you want to find out more,  click here.