“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy had begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

God is worthy of praise. The word “blessed” (eulogetos) is an adjective which means “blessed, praised” (Vine’s). It is applied only to God in the New Testament (ibid).

Why is God worthy of praise? (1) He has given us hope by raising Jesus from the dead (1 Peter 1:3, 13, 21; 3:15). The Christian lives in hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2). (2) He has given us an inheritance in heaven (1 Peter 1:4-5).

Let us notice how this inheritance is described. (1) It is incorruptible (aphtharton). (a) On earth athletes once competed in Greece for a perishable (phtharton) crown. Christians seek an imperishable (aphtharton) crown (1 Corinthians 9:25). (b) On earth, moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. This is not the situation in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). (c) On earth, our bodies are corruptible (phtharton). However, we are told of incorruption (aphtharsian) to come (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).

(2) It is undefiled (amianton). Nothing is going to soil, stain, defile, spoil or deform what awaits. “The earthly Canaan was not able to escape this defilement (Leviticus 18:27-28), but into the heavenly Canaan nothing shall ever enter to defile or make unclean (Revelation 21:27)” (Gospel Advocate Commentary Series, Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on Peter, p. 26).

(3) It does not fade away (amaranton). The image seems to be of a flower which perpetually blooms and never loses its beauty. “The amaranth was a fabled flower whose bloom was perpetual and whose loveliness never failed. The inheritance which awaits the children of God will not deteriorate, nor will passing ages render it less desirable or attractive” (Woods, p. 27). Earthly flowers are beautiful; but they fade. What awaits in heaven lasts and will not lose its beauty.