1 Peter 1:1 says, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,  First, Peter identifies himself as an apostle of Christ, then he identifies those he is writing to.  We should always identify ourselves as Christians, or followers of Christ.  We should also know who we are talking to, whether they are fellow believers or not.  We do not have to share the gospel with someone who already accepts it,but we can still share the results of living by faith.  Of course, we need to share the gospel with the lost.  Verse two states, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.  This pretty much lays out the gospel.  God knew before creation that there would need to be a way to salvation, and He sanctifies it through the work of the Holy Spirit once we accept the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Verse three proclaims, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  We, like Peter, should praise God for His abundant mercy for allowing us to be born again through our faith in Christ.  We should have a lively hope.  We do not have to question our everlasting relationship with God once we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  Verse four adds,  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,  The promise of our everlasting relationship with God cannot be stated more clearly.  It is incorruptible, undefiled, and will never fade away.  Salvation is ours forever, and we will fully enjoy it in heaven.  Verse five concludes, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  The reason we can be certain of our everlasting salvation is because once we accept Christ as our Savior, then God Himself keeps us as His by His power.  We never can earn or keep salvation by our own power, but it is a free gift of God, secured by our faith in Him.  Verse six declares, Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  We are called on to rejoice in our salvation, even if we are suffering in this world.  Though we may have manifold temptations, we are to remain strong and rejoice in our faith.  Verse seven adds, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  Though our faith may be tried by fire, if we remain true to God it will only be purified.  We are to remain true to our faith in Christ until we die or He returns.  Verse eight continues, 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:  Though we, like those Peter was writing to, have not physically seen Jesus, we believe in Him as our Savior and Lord, if we have accepted Him by faith. Because of this, we should be filled with unspeakable joy.  Verse nine concludes, Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  The end of faith in Christ will always be the salvation of our souls.  Anything beyond that is simply a bonus.  Verse ten says, Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  Salvation through Christ was not some new or secondary plan, but was in place from the time of creation.  The Old Testament prophets looked ahead to the coming of Christ.  They prophesied of the grace of God to come.  Verse eleven adds, Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.  These prophets testified even before His coming about the suffering that Christ would endure.  Then verse twelve concludes, Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.  The Old Testament prophets never saw the fulfillment of their prophecies, but all those who have come after Christ have.  The Old Testament pointed to the coming of Christ, and the New Testament points to His accomplishing salvation for all who accept Him and to His return.  We, as followers of Christ, are to hold firm to our faith and rejoice in our salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit.