EXEGESIS OF 1 PETER 1:17-25 IN RELATION TO CHIBOK CHRISTIANS' THANKSGIVING FOR THE LIVING HOPE PRODUCING JOY AMID PERSECUTIONS AND SUFFERINGS

This exegesis examines 1 Peter 1:17-25, focusing on the call to holy living and the anchoring of Christian hope in the redemption secured by Christ’s blood, specifically in the context of believers facing severe trials. Through a detailed analysis of the text, this study argues that the “living hope” promised through Christ’s resurrection (v. 3) provides a transformative foundation for thanksgiving and joy, even in the midst of extreme persecution and suffering. Relating these themes to the experiences of Chibok Christians, who have faced abduction, trauma, and displacement by Boko Haram, this study highlights how the passage mandates believers to maintain a “living hope” (v. 3) and an “undefiled inheritance” (v. 4) that persists despite life’s “fiery trials.” Thus, by examining the call to “conduct yourselves with fear” (v. 17) and the command to “love one another earnestly” (v. 22), this study demonstrates that the Nigerian church’s thanksgiving in times of persecution and suffering acts as a radical transformative act of worship. The study concludes that the “living hope” offers enduring joy by shifting the focus from temporal losses to eternal security, empowering Chibok Christians to persevere, witness to the gospel, and experience profound joy despite on-going pain. The exegesis emphasizes that Peter’s joy is not merely emotional but a deep-seated spiritual reality produced by the certainty of salvation and the imperishable nature of the Word of God (v. 23).This hope is centered on the victory of Jesus Christ (1:3, 13, 21; 3:5, 15). According to Peter, God has a purpose by allowing persecution and suffering to abound. For Peter, believers’ hope is the motivating factor to endure persecution and suffering because hope is an expectation of something that God has promised. This research explores a central question posed to the audience of 1 Peter: Why should Christians, despite their hardships, prioritize reverence for God above all? In this light, this research adopts largely contextual and hermeneutical approaches to evaluate the way Chibok Christians today deal with persecution and suffering.