The Cure For the Sour Economy

I Peter 1:3-9; 13; 2:11: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 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, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls . . . . Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed . . . . Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul."


In recent days, we have seen incredible volatility in our economic markets, and many in our nation are fearful for their financial future. People are asking questions like, "Will we have enough money to retire?"; "Will we lose equity in our homes?"; "Will we have jobs to provide income for our families?"; et al. Whereas these are important questions to ask during these turbulent times, Scripture provides the true follower of Jesus Christ with the antidote to the fear that comes during such economic chaos.


Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Peter tells true followers of Jesus Christ that we are "strangers" in a foreign land and therefore we should be fixing our minds upon the blessedness of our true home: heaven. Peter begins with a word of praise to our loving Lord, because God has provided to us His great mercy . . . which has given to us the hope of our resurrection into an inheritance "that can never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for (us)" (1:3-4). Notice that we have an eternal inheritance that is being kept in heaven for us by our Loving Father. This gift is not subject to the turbulence of the current stock markets; rather, it is guaranteed by God to those who surrender themselves to Him as their Lord. And of course, the blessing of this inheritance is so much beyond the paltry wealth that this earth provides us; so we should not fall prey to the misconception that earthly treasures are of comparable value to the blessedness that awaits us in heaven. The luster and permanence of these treasures should encourage us to keep our minds fixed on eternity.


Therefore, we are called to live lives of joy here on earth, trusting that God will protect us by His mighty power until the day of our union with Him in glory. This does not mean that we will not suffer through this life, but it does mean that God will provide us the strength to endure whatever trials may come our way. Joy is a disposition that is not responsive to our circumstances; rather, it is a peace and contentment in God, irrespective of our circumstances.

Scripture tells us that tribulations come our way to test our faith so that we will respond to the difficulties of life in the assurance that God is in control and will deliver us in the end. This type of faith brings praise, glory, and honor to our Lord, and He is well pleased when we trust Him in the midst of our difficulties (see Hebrews 11:6). Scripture also tells us that our faith is of greater worth than gold, because it will usher us into the presence of our Almighty King and His eternal blessedness. No amount of earthly treasure can even come close to such privilege.


We therefore are called to "prepare our minds for action; be self-controlled, and set our hope fully on the grace to be given when Jesus Christ is revealed." This means that we need to fix our hearts continuously on the coming of our Lord and Savior who will redeem us from the misery and uncertainty of this world. When we orient our minds and hearts toward Jesus Christ, we are able to weather the turbulent storms of this life, no matter what form that they may take. We need to have a regular attitude of thanksgiving to the Lord for His redeeming us from the "empty (vain) way of life handed down to us by our forefathers" (1:18), and this redemption is not with "perishable things like gold and silver . . . but by the precious blood of Christ (1:18-19). What privilege! What joy!


Since we have been given this great eternal gift from the King of kings, we need to not fall prey to the entrapment of this world, namely that earthly treasures are the standard for measuring our personal fulfillment. Peter tells us to "abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul" (2:11). We can only break free from the enticements of the world by renewing our minds on Christ and His glorious place He has prepared for us. Let's not permit the global economic gloom to bring fear and dread to our souls; rather, let us by faith in the glorious hope of our redemption through Christ's death and resurrection celebrate our future, no matter what earthly situation may befall us.