by: Russell McLaughlin

God’s Nature in I Peter

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth,

Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:1-2

Peter’s first letter reveals much about the nature of God. You might ask, “What good is it to know God’s nature when facing persecution?” The answer is simple: our ability to endure trials depends on how well we know the God who made us. Understanding His character gives faith, hope, peace, and courage in uncertain times.

Peter presents God as a loving Father who cares deeply for His children. He reminds believers they are “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1:2). Then, in 1:3–5, he praises God’s mercy, declaring that through Christ’s resurrection, we are born again to a living hope and an inheritance that will never fade. Finally, in 1:17, Peter calls us to pray to “a Father who judges each one’s work impartially.” These three aspects of God’s “Fatherhood” – foreknowledge, mercy, and impartial judgment – help to comfort us and anchor our faith in an uncertain and unfriendly world.

Peter also declares, “The Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:3), echoing Psalm 34:8, where David praises God for deliverance from the hands of Abimelech. Like David on many occasions, believers have tasted and experienced God’s goodness firsthand.

The power of God is another central theme. This power raised Jesus from the dead (1:21), shields believers through faith (1:5), sustains them under trial (4:14), and lifts the humble in due time (5:6).

Let us join in gratitude and praise to our good and powerful Father. His strength enables us to “stand firm in the true grace of God” (5:12). To build rock-solid lives, we must know who God is—and strive to know Him more fully each day.