HEY, LET'S GET TO the point. Christianity is not about doing certain things and not doing other things, even though to give up certain things to achieve other things is part of life and is also part of Christianity.

Christianity is about receiving an eternal inheritance. Let's look at what 1 Peter 1:3-9 tells us about this inheritance:

1:3  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"

This inheritance is received by being born again into God's family. This is what "begotten" refers to. You receive this born again experrience when you allow God's Holy Spirit to live within you.

Once you are born again, the Holy Spirit gives to you "a lively hope" because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. "Lively" means that the reality of the hope God gives to us is now made real to us.

1:4 "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,"

What a contrast to our present world. The inheritance God has "reserved" for those who are His is incorruptible, pure, and does not fade. This includes the world we will be living in and our own bodies. We will have eternal life with no pains, sufferings, sin, misundestandings, and  such like. That is something definitely to look forward to.

1:5  "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

There is a condition to receiving God's eternal inheritance. You must be "kept by the power of God." The power of God is the Holy Spirit in you. It is your choice to either let the Holy Spirit keep you or you let your human nature get in the way. For more information about this, read Galatians 5.

You are "kept by the Holy Spirit" through faith. This means that even though God's inheritance to you is only a promise to be fulfilled at some point in the future, you continue to allow God's Holy Spirit with God's character to keep your human nature from controlling you.

Through our perseverance in being "kept by the power of God," when Jesus returns we will receive our inheritance which includes full salvation without the possibility of ever giving in to the human nature again.

1:6-7 "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: ⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"

Because of now knowing the reality of the inheritance and complete salvation from the influences of sin, brings great joy.

But you must be aware that there will be many types of temptations. These come to test your faith. Temtations are not sin. Even Jesus was tempted. Temptation becomes sin when we think about the temptation and then eventually do the temptation. James 1:13-15 explains this process. When temptations come to you, no matter how strong, overcome the temptation with God's word. Change your way of thinking about the temptation. See the temptation as a great enemy seeking to destroy you.

1:8-9  "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: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."

You may have to go through many temptations before Jesus returns. Right now you live in the enemies territory, you are only a stranger passing through. When Jesus returns your perseverance will be greatly rewarded with eternal life.

Even though you do not see Jesus now, the Holy Spirit makes his reality real. Now believing in Jesus you can "rejoice with joy unspeakable" when he returns as he is the end of your faith and the giver of full salvation without the possibility of ever sinning again,

What a wonderful plan God has for our lives. Whatever you may have to go through in this life, hold on a little while longer. It'll be worth it all when we see Jesus.