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3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. --- 1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT Do you need encouragement? Peter’s words offer joy and hope in times of trouble, and he bases his confidence on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. We live with the wonderful expectation of eternal life (1:3). Our hope is not only for the future; eternal life begins when we trust Christ and join God’s family. God will help us remain true to our faith through whatever difficult times we must face. The “last day” is the judgment day of Christ described in Romans 14:10 and Revelation 20:11-15. No matter what trials or persecution you may face, your soul cannot be harmed if you have accepted Christ’s gift of salvation. You will receive the promised rewards. The term “born again” refers to spiritual birth (regeneration)---Holy Spirit’s act of bringing believers into God’s family. Jesus used this concept of new birth when he explained salvation to Nicodemus (see John 3). This term is a wonderful metaphor of new life from God. You cannot be a Christian without a fresh beginning based on the salvation Christ brings. To be born again is a magnificent gift from God. --- Life Application Study Bible notes