We are such sensory people. We want to validate everything by seeing, hearing, touching, or tasting. Yet God gave us the ability to have feelings about things and people where these senses have not been exercised. That is what Peter is talking about when he is talking to the Christians in the Roman provinces in I Peter 1:8. They have never seen Jesus as he did. He was able to walk and talk with Jesus during His earthly ministry. Peter was able to eat with Him, touch Him, listen, share, and engage in conversation. Peter even walked on water to go to Jesus.
I Peter 1:1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”
I Peter 1:8 “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:”
In the world we live in many use the phrase “seeing is believing.” They say that, yet they believe in things all the time that they cannot see. You can’t see the wind, but you know it’s there because you see the effects of it. I don’t understand or see electricity, but I believe it exists every time I flip the light switch. Is it possible to apply this to people? To love someone, you’ve never seen more than anyone else? I not only believe you can, I know from personal experience.
So, if it’s possible how do we come to that point? The first thing that needs to happen is that we need to know something about them. Those Peter was addressing had never seen Jesus as Peter had, however, they listened to the gospel. They came to believe because of the words of others and what they saw in others’ lives. We who are Christians are the greatest reason for people to believe, or we can be the greatest reason they don’t believe! When you totally sell out to putting Christ first it will be noticed. It will also be noticed when you compromise and make excuses for not putting Christ first. I have talked to many who are not saved because they see the hypocrisy in others lives. Are we perfect, no, and on this earth, we never will be? But, where we have a choice to stand and show that we love Christ more than anyone else, we must do it. We make our faith public not so much for our own sake, but for the sake of others. For instance, what do you do when other activities, family gatherings, or even work, conflict with your attending church? Do you justify missing? I understand emergencies take place and people get sick, those are not the incidences that give a bad testimony to your love for Jesus. I’m talking about situations where you have a choice. Choices where you allow the influence of others to cause you to make a choice that appears something else was more important than your service and worship to the Lord.
The Christians Peter was addressing loved this Savior they had not seen, so much that it overflowed in their lives. The joy was so full it could not be expressed with mere words. The idea here is that their joy was so exalted that it is above any natural explanation. There are so many Christians that I see from day to day that do not seem to be experiencing this rejoicing and unspeakable joy that Peter is talking about. Could it be they live allowing this world to rob them of the full experience of knowing Christ on a very deep personal level? Could it be their focus is more on their problems than it is on the one who can fix their problems?
Satan wants to rob us of this unspeakable joy to keep us from being a witness that is infectious. He does that by convincing us that missing church, skipping our prayer, and bible study, is no big deal. He robs us with entertainment that uses bad language, promotes ungodly lifestyles, and fills our minds with wrong thoughts. He convinces us that we can have the world and Jesus too. He convinces us that our heart is right and that is all that matters. May I remind you, what is truly in the heart can’t help but come out in our actions. Actions do speak louder than words!
If you want this unspeakable joy, a joy that bubbles over until all who know you see something different about you, you must seek this unseen Jesus in everything you do. Let your actions speak for you. When your church has its normal worship service, be there. When they are having special services change your schedule to accommodate it. Start planning in advance. When you are at home, have your private time with the Lord. Let your children know this is God and I time. Help them to understand by all you do that God is FIRST! Examine your life! Is this unseen Christ seen in you?
