The Book of 1st Peter
The Book of First Peter was written by the Apostle Peter as it is affirmed and noted in the text found in the first verse of the first chapter. In regards to this letter's authenticity, as is recorded per church history, there was no dispute of the authorship of this letter nor of its authenticity.
Though there is no issue or concern of authorship per say, there is a point of contention that is directly connected to the date of which it was written. In the ESV study bible, it records the following, "The date of 1 Peter is linked with the issue that causes some scholars to dispute authorship. Those who reject Peter as the author typically date the letter in the reign of Domitian (A.D. 81-96) or Trajan (A.D. 98-117). Since there are good grounds for holding the Petrine authorship, the letter should be dated during the reign of Nero (A.D. 54-68). The reference to Babylon in 5:13 is almost certainly a reference to Rome, leading one to conclude that Peter wrote the letter from Rome. He probably wrote before the Neronian persecution in Rome, and thus the date of composition is likely A.D. 62-63."
The theme or emphasis of this letter is to encourage the Church to be willing to persevere in the faith through suffering and persecution because salvation was forthcoming as well as the promise of God's presence being with them both now and in eternity through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord!
The Timeline of Peter's Involvement in the Scriptures:
· Peter becomes a Disciple of Jesus - AD 28-30
· Peter denies the Lord - AD 30-33
· Death burial and Resurrection of Christ - AD 30-33
· Peter witness resurrection / Preaches Pentecost - AD 30-33
· Peter becomes a Key Church Leader and Apostle - AD 30-33
· Peter witnesses to Cornelius - AD 38
· Peter is imprisoned by Agrippa and rescued - AD 41-44
· Peter leaves Jerusalem - AD 44
· Peter goes to Rome - AD 50-54
· Nero's Reign - AD 54-68
· Peter's First Letter written from Rome - AD 62-63
· Fire in Rome which Nero blames on Christians - AD 64 (July)
· Peter, after writing second letter, is martyred in Rome - AD 64-67
Outline:
1) Opening (1:1-2)
2) Called to Salvation as Exiles (1:3-2:10)
a) Praise for salvation (1:3-12)
b) The future inheritance as an incentive to holiness (1:13-21)
c) Living as new people of God (1:22-2:10)
3) Living as aliens to bring Glory to God in a hostile world (2:11-4:11)
a) The Christian life as a battle and a witness (2:11-12)
b) Testifying of the gospel in the Social Order (2:13-3:12)
c) Responding to suffering in a Godly way (3:13-4:11)
4) Persevering in suffering (4:12-5:11)
5) Concluding Words (5:12-14)
1st Peter Chapter 1
1. Greeting
a. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
i. The opening of this first chapter is noting Peter as the author and he is clear of whom he is writing to which are those who are a part of the churches found in areas of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and in Bithynia.
ii. He proceeds to then speak to the Father's Divine Plan as to their salvation, sanctification or being set apart by the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives, to their obedience to Christ as to speak to their discipleship and their salvation through the Blood of Jesus alone.
iii. He then prays over them that the Grace and Peace of Christ be multiplied in their lives.
2. Born Again to a Living Hope
a. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
i. In the second half of verse 3, the text makes it clear that it is He, and not our selves or our own decisions, that has caused us to be born again to a living hope through Christ.
ii. Peter then notates hat our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading; Jesus has prepared it and is keeping it in heaven for us and is being guarded over by God Himself.
iii. Friends, we have a blessed hope and a blessed promise; both of which He, Christ, will manifest Himself.
b. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
i. And it is in this blessed hope and this blessed promise that we can rejoice because there is an inheritance that awaits us. Furthermore, it is this forthcoming inheritance that encourages us to endure trials and difficulties because it not only proves the genuineness of our faith but it also serves as an encouragement that one day all of this will pass away.
ii. And on that day, all the praise, glory and honor will belong to Jesus Christ because we will be able to see that not only was Christ with us every step of the way but we will be able to see our savior, face to face.
iii. Note the power of faith, "8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
c. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
i. Peter shifts gears a bit in this portion of verses and references that not only the Father divinely working His plan but He actually revealed His plan long ago through the prophets.
ii. The prophets were not serving themselves but rather the future generations that would hear the Gospel preached and be a part of the redemptive work of Messiah.
iii. Note verse the first portion of verse 12, "12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you". I make note of this because this verse gives us a unique view of the view of the prophetic gift by an Apostle. The gift was given to serve others and not one's own agenda or brand or movement. Matters are revealed to prophets for the sake of serving the church and not themselves.
iv. Friends, what we are now living was a prophetic declaration of old that heralds back to the fall of man in genesis and now we are living in the prophetic manifestation of a prophetic decree…
3. Called to Be Holy
a. 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
i. The verse notation found in ESV study bible records the following about verses 13-21, "The inheritance promised to followers of Christ should motivate them to set their hope entirely on their future reward (verses 13-16) and to live in fear of the God who redeemed them at the cost of his own son (verses 17-21)"
ii. I believe that when we come to terms of just how bad our sin is and just how Holy that He is, it will challenge us to consider our conduct as followers of Jesus and strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to live a life that strives to be above reproach.
iii. As it notes in verse 14, as obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance; as it were, now that you know better, it's time to do better. As followers of Jesus and as His Disciples, our conduct must be different than those who do not know Christ. Why? Because we must live in a posture of submission to and with fear/honor of God Himself.
b. 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
i. The beauty and revelation of this passage ties directly into chapter 1 of John's Gospel. John notates that in the beginning was the Word and in 1 Peter, he records, "20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you"
ii. This is such an important revelation and truth in regards to Christ's deity, authority as God in the flesh, the fact that He not become God or become anything else but rather that He has always been even before the beginning of all existence.
iii. Jesus was not an idea to fix a problem but always existed even before the foundations of the world and was always the answer. He has always existed and is now glorified!
c. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you."
i. I find it profoundly interesting how the Apostle Peter ends this portion of chapter 1 with outlining the expectations of the Church due to the impact of Christ upon their hearts. Note how the purification of our souls by our obedience to the Gospel will impact our relationship transformation with others especially those of the faith.
ii. "Love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again".
iii. It would seem to easily ascertain that we are empowered to love one another with a pure heart as a secondary consequence to our born again experience. Read again how the sentence structure is established… "love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again"
iv. In closing of this stanza of text, it is powerful how this old apostle ties it all together…
v. "23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you."
vi. The seed is the Word and the Word is a seed; and when this seed is sown into our lives by faith, it springs up fruit of everlasting life! Amen!
1st Peter Chapter 2
1. A Living Stone and a Holy People
a. "So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation- 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
i. In this passage of text, it is unique how Peter correlates us to two specific things: a living stone and a holy priesthood.
ii. The living stones being used of the Lord are being set in place to build up as a spiritual house; a house is a dwelling place and its unique that the Lord is using us to build a house for His Glory. But He doesn't stop there.
iii. Peter then refers to us as a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (Teach on Baptism)
b. "7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
i. The stone of Christ to us is a refuge but to those who are not in the faith will find Him to be a rock of stumbling and a rock of offense. Friends, the Gospel is offensive to those who are perishing and is rubbish to those who have buried their lives in sin and debauchery.
ii. And in verse 9, Peter revisits this point of us all being a part of a royal priesthood and a holy nation, a people for his own possession in so that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light.
iii. Church, the work of grace unto salvation did not stop at the promise of redemption but rather continued on with our responsibility to Christ live as a royal priesthood and holy lives. Why? Because, He makes us different.
c. "10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."
i. Verse 10 makes it clear that we are now God's people because once we had not received mercy but now we receive it. And it is because to whom we belong and the blessed gift of mercy that should urge us live in such a way that we abstain from destructive behavior.
ii. Peter goes on to instruct us to keep our life and conduct amongst the gentiles as honorable to protect themselves against false accusations and thus protecting their lives.
iii. Friends, when we choose to strive to live a life that is above reproach, it is hard for accusations to stick.
2. Submission to Authority
a. 13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
i. This one passage of text has been so severely abused by government leaders and church people who do not know history. History should be our teacher. Not politicians and not the news media; those who fail to know their history are doomed to repeat it.
ii. We are expected to submit to government so long as said government doesn't demand that we violate our Biblical and Scriptural values.
iii. Consider the following for example of men who embraced evil and rose to power: Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Pol-Pot, Heinrich Himmler, Saddam Hussein, and Mao Zedong.
iv. Each of these men committed crimes against humanity and it took righteous men and women who were armed and willing to wage war to stand against them to stop their reigns of terror.
v. As Christians, do we support their actions or submit to them because they are leaders in government? No.
vi. One dynamic of doctrinal determination of balance of scripture with the inclusion of common sense.
b. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
i. This stanza of text is definitely tethered to the prior verse we just discussed in regards to honoring the emperor.
ii. It even speaks to those who are enslaved in the Roman Empire to demonstrate Christlike characteristics and to serve their masters with all respect to the ones who are gentle and good and to those who are harsh.
iii. Ultimately, in the end, Christ has given us the example of being willing to endure difficulty to honor God and to be honoring to the Lord no matter our circumstance.
c. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
i. Peter ends this portion of text with an emphasis on the Character of Christ noting that he did not committed any sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. His words and his life matched up but no matter his character he was reviled but did not act in kind nor did he threaten but endured his posture in this life to be submitted to the final judge.
ii. Verse 24 notes the following, "24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."
iii. Where did the fall of man take place? In a garden. Where did Jesus go to pray before his arrest and passion? In a garden. Where did Adam and Eve partake fruit from in the garden? A tree.
iv. What was Jesus nailed to? A tree. What bore the fruit of man's demise? A tree. What bore the fruit of man's redemption? A tree. The First Adam doomed mankind with a tree; the Second Adam redeemed mankind with a tree.
1st Peter Chapter 3
1. Wives and Husbands
a. "Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external-the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear- 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."
i. I want you to pay close attention to the power of influence referenced here in verses 1-2. Friends, our conduct is directly connected to people's responses to us, our leadership, and partnership with the principles of Scripture. People can be won without a word but rather by observation of our conduct when they see our lives to respectful and pure.
ii. This is not only true in marriage when a spouse comes to the faith and the other has not but also on a broader scale when it comes to people that we interact with. Our Message and our lives must be in tandem or they will be on two different paths.
iii. But back to the context of the text, the husband can be won to Christ when the conduct of the wife is above reproach and pure. No one has ever come to Christ by being hounded but by being honored and loved.
iv. In verse 3 Peter cautions the women to be not place their focus on outward adorning but to see that true value in found in them and not by the adornment that they place upon themselves.
v. Church, there is not issue with having things of value but our stuff must never outweigh the value of what is in us.
b. "5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening."
i. It's interesting use of the word "adorn" as it is noted in verse 5; simply that the holy women who hoped in God put greater emphasis on their internal adornment and conduct and love or their husband and home than on outward adornment. They put their focus on that which had greater value and eternal implications.
ii. Now there will be those that seek to use this verse to an extreme but the principle of Sarah calling Abraham Lord was an honoring of his headship of the home and providing support to his role. Feminism is Rebellion against God's Divine Order.
c. "7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered."
i. When the text uses the word "Likewise", it is implying that the same principles applied to one is applied in the same manner to the other.
ii. There's an expectation of Scripture for both the man and the wife to conduct themselves worthy of their respective roles.
iii. For example, this passage of text is addressing the husbands; the prior texts were addressing the wives. In these verses, the Husband is instructed to live understandably and show honor or the prayers of the husband will be hindered.
iv. The Greek word used for "hindered" in verse 7 is the word, "enkoptesthai" which "to interrupt or to hinder".
v. Thus, if our prayers can be interrupted by our conduct towards our wives then we need to guard our relationship with our wives in holiness or our prayers to the Father will be interrupted or hindered.
2. Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
a. "8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing."
i. Verse 8 transitions us from focusing on the wife or the husband and brings it all full circle with a focus on the collective whole. Peter begins to speak to the church body as a whole by directing us all to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, tender hearts, and humble minds.
ii. Friends, all of these notations speak to the culture of the church and thus making it healthy. A church can't be healthy if we operate by a spirit that is opposite to these matters noted. For example, to the opposite, a church will be toxic if has division within itself, hard hearted, hatred for one another, and prideful high-mindedness.
iii. This is opposite to the character of Christ and it should not ever be who we are. A healthy church is a heavenly one; a toxic church is a devilish one.
b. "10 For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
i. "let him keep his tongue" I have always found it interesting that our tongues can be so destructive by the words that it wields and yet the Holy Spirit makes this His first priority at the point of being filled with the Holy Spirit!
ii. Our mouths will get us into more trouble than any other act that we can commit because once the words have come out of our mouths, we can't reach out and grab them and put them back.
iii. Verse 12 makes it clear that the Lord listens to the prayers of the righteous but is against those who do evil. Therefore, it would seem to reason that the Father will only hear our prayers of those who keep his tongue, guard his lips from deceit, turn from evil, do good, and seek peace and pursue it. If we are doing the opposite, the Lord will be against us.
c. "13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?"14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."
i. All throughout chapter 3, Peter keeps placing an emphasis on our conduct, our good behavior, our spirit and attitude, our gentleness and respect.
ii. This is of great importance because we are all walking billboards of the faith we claim to have but sadly some billboards are false advertising.
iii. Peter champions us to be zealous of doing good, be willing to suffer for righteousness sake, to live above fear and the impact of trouble.
iv. We should choose to honor Jesus in all that we do. Why? Because if there is an accusation made against us, it will not hold weight and those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
d. "17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water." 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him."
i. After Christ's death on the Cross, His spirit descended into the lower part of the earth as noted in Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians 4:8-10, "8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." 9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?[b] 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
ii. The ancient Greeks designated the world of departed spirits as "Hades". This place was located deep under the earth and held two compartments.
iii. One compartment was called Tartarus which was reserved for evil angels and for the most wicked of people.
iv. The other, and upper region, identified by Christ as "Abraham's bosom", was designed for those spirits who were righteous as noted in the Gospel of Saint Luke chapter 16.
v. Tartarus is the Greek word for Hell mentioned in second Peter chapter 2:4, when referring to the fallen angels who sinned with women and produced the race of Giants prior to the flood noted in Genesis chapter 6 of the Nephilim.
vi. Some erroneously suggest that Christ preached to these wicked angels in Tartarus. However, the spirits of righteous souls were in the upper chamber, Abraham's bosom, and they would be the spirits in this underground prison to which Peter is making reference to.
vii. These were brought out at Christ's resurrection and are now in the heavenly paradise in the third heaven as noted in second Corinthians chapter 12, and verse two.
viii. Just as Noah's obedience, saved him from the flood, believers today or baptized as a seal of their obedience and covenant with God.
ix. So let's talk about the Descent of Christ into the lower parts of the earth… The verses found in Ephesians 4 reveal a powerful event that occurred after Christ's death and resurrection. When Christ died on the cross, he "gave up the ghost" according to the Gospel of Saint Mark 15:37; meaning that His spirit departed from His physical body.
x. Christ predicted that He would spend three days and three nights "in the heart of the earth" according to the Gospel of Saint Matthew 12:40 (3-24 hour periods) "not Friday noon to Sunday morning"
xi. This is in reference to Christ's spirit descending into the chambers of Sheol under the earth, where the souls and spirits of departed unbelievers and believers once dwelled according to the Gospel of Saint Luke 16:19-31.
xii. At Christ's resurrection, He brought the righteous spirits from the underworld, and some were seen walking the streets; "and the grades were open, and many bodies of the Saints, which slept a rose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, appeared unto many", The Gospel of Saint Matthew 27:52-53.
xiii. Leading "captivity captive" according to Ephesians 4:8, the Scripture records that it has been understood to mean that the enemies of Christ's kingdom - namely sin, death, death, and Satan, were vanished or led to their own defeat through Christ's death and resurrection according to Colossians chapter 2:15 and 2nd Corinthians 2:14.
xiv. At death, the souls and spirits of the righteous no longer descend under the earth, but ascend upward and rest in paradise, in the third heaven, until the resurrection of the dead, according to 2nd Corinthians chapter 12:1-2.
xv. Christ now sits in "heavenly places" according to Ephesians chapter 1:20, far above all the powers of Satan to rule forever and ever.
1st Peter Chapter 4
1. Stewards of God's Grace
a. "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does."
i. Church family, we were called to be different. Different in our lives, our homes, our speech, our conduct, our money management.
ii. We are called unto Righteousness and not unrighteousness! And if we are persecuted for not participating with works of darkness then so be it!
iii. When we commit to serve Christ, it requires that separate ourselves from the things of this world and live unto Christ! Friends, the Grace of God is not an excuse to live in Sin but rather an Empowerment to stand against it!
iv. When we understand the sacrifice of Jesus, I believe we will be far more aware of our lives in light of the sin that His death paid for. We are being called to live this life, so long as we dwell in the flesh, unto the will of God and not after debauchery.
b. "7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling."
i. The end of all things is at hand… The message of the Imminent Return of Christ is not a new message but rather an old one. The early church leadership strove to encourage the church body to live in such a way that Christ could return at any time.
ii. Peter goes on to encourage the church to live self-controlled and sober-minded lives for the sake of their prayer lives to be effective and powerful. Friends, how you live will affect the impact of your prayer life according to Scripture.
iii. He then encourages the church to love one another, model a lifestyle of forgiveness and humility, and show hospitality to one another.
c. "10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies-in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
i. To we of the Spirit-Filled persuasion, we must never forget that the gifts of God dispensed to each of us are to serve one another as good stewards of said gifts and not abusers of the gifts of God given unto us. This was what lead to the fall of Satan himself; he abused the gifts of God bestowed and he deified himself.
ii. In verse 11, Peter references to those who speak, those who serve; friends, may it be said of us that, in all that we say and do, that it is done to serve one another and honor God and not to serve ourselves.
2. Suffering as a Christian
a. "12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."
i. As followers of Jesus, if we are going to live as Christ did then we must embrace difficulty as Christ did as well. Peter cautions the church to not be caught off guard when fiery trials arise but rejoice that you were found worthy to suffer as Christ did and thus His glory be revealed in us!
ii. When we navigate persecution, we are blessed because apparently there is something in us worth persecuting!
iii. Is your life worthy of persecution? Is there evidence of the accusation of serving Jesus?
b. "15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"
i. Verse 15 seems odd at face value but allow me to dive a little deeper in this verse; the point is that if you are going to suffer then let it be as a Christian rather than suffer for sinful deeds. And if we are persecuted then let it be for righteousness sake and not for the sake of sin!
ii. Verse 17 tell us that judgment should begin in God's house to ensure that we are in order because judgment is not just for those who are evil but also for those who are redeemed. One day, we will all have to give an account for ourselves!
c. "18 And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."
i. Chapter 4 ends with a strong truth found in verse 18. The Greek word for "judgment" found in verse 17, is the word "krima" seems to refer to fiery trials that in the end would determine the character of the one being tested.
ii. If the righteous fail when tested, then sinners have little or no chance of being save, as they have no divine ability to resist temptation. If God allows a test for a believer, He can also preserve that person's soul until the end.
iii. Friends, we may fall but we fall in His Hands!
1st Peter Chapter 5