Mind-Bloggling!

According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the consecration of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace be multiplied (1 Peter 1:2).

The apostle included one more adjective in his description of his audience in verse 1 (some translations transfer it to verse 2) when he called them ‘elect’. To be elected is to be selected, or chosen, or specifically picked out of a group. So Peter is indicating that out of all the people living in Pontus, Galatia, etc., the believers were specifically selected.

But on what basis and by whom was this selection made? By the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the consecration of the Spirit. God was the selector; He made the choice about who would follow Christ and who wouldn't. And He did it in agreement with His divine foreknowledge.

Peter spoke of God's foreknowledge on another occasion, when he explained to the Jews how they had killed the Messiah (Acts 2:23). The death of Jesus, he said, was performed by the Romans at the request of the Jews, but even those causes were the out-workings of an ultimate, prior cause--God. God is ultimately responsible for putting His Son on the cross, and He did so according to His predetermined plan and His foreknowledge. In the same way, those who would receive the gospel have been pre-determined by God's plan and foreknowledge. He knows the elect in a way that He does not know the non-elect.

Although their external appearance may not cause them to stand out from any other humans in Asia Minor, to be sure the Christians were different. Their uniqueness came from the fact that the Spirit of God had set them apart from unbelievers (cp. 2 Thess. 2:13). They were special to God, sanctified unto Him for a specific purpose--obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Again, the apostle borrows Jewish imagery to convey truth. Sprinkling the blood of sacrificial animals was an expression of consecration under the Old Covenant. In fact, at the very establishment of the covenant, as Moses read its stipulations he took blood from the bulls and sprinkled it on the people of Israel (Exo. 24:7, 8). As a consequence, they had been set apart and made partakers of this special relationship to God. (See also the consecration of the Most Holy Place in Lev. 16; Heb. 9:18f.). Likewise, believers are made partakers of the New Covenant through the blood (Jesus') of that covenant, (Luke 22:20; Heb. 9:13f.) the everlasting covenant (Heb. 13:20).

The obedience spoken of here may be ongoing submission to Christ or initial submission to Christ at the time of repentance and conversion. Although I would not want to wrangle too much about this, I prefer the latter because of the tie with the blood consecration already spoken of. For a similar use of 'obedience' see Rom. 1:5 and 16:26.

Grace and peace to you is a standard greeting in the New Testament, but it must not be relegated to a place of mere formality. If there are two things all believers of all cities of all generations need, they are God's grace and peace. The words may be routine, but the sincerity of the request should not be questioned.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who birthed us anew, according to His great mercy, into an expectation that is alive by means of the resurrection of Jesus Christ out of the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

Three things are expressed of God in this verse. First, He is the God of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. It may seem strange to speak of God as Jesus' God because the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is God. So why would Peter describe God in this relation to Jesus? One answer is that the God of whom Peter speaks is the God of whom Jesus spoke. In other words, Jesus came to reveal the Father (Jn. 1:18), to make the Father known (Jn. 14:7f.). Therefore, Peter may be affirming that he is referring to the same God whom Jesus proclaimed: "Blessed be the God of whom Jesus taught."

Another answer is that Peter is focusing on the humanity of Christ. The God in heaven is the God whom the man--Jesus of Nazareth--served. From the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mt. 27:46), clearly speaking out of His human nature, rather than His divine nature. So, Peter may be describing God as the one whom Jesus-the-man obeyed (Jn. 4:34; Phil. 2:8).

God is also the Father of our Lord Jesus. Two things are significant about this phrase. One is that the relationship expressed between God and Jesus is described as Father/Son. When theologians speak of the first and second persons of the Trinity, we gain an abstract, yet accurate, description of the biblical data regarding God. But this doesn't communicate very much about them. However, regarding them as Father and Son (which is the way the Scripture describes them) provides a much richer portrait of the roles and relationship among the members of the Godhead. We cannot relate to two distinctions within the divine essence, but we can relate to a parent and child.

The other significant word is Lord. Throughout the Old Testament, 'Lord' was reserved for God. Here, someone other than God is called 'Lord' (that is, someone other than God the Father). Granted, Jesus is God, but in this verse Peter makes a distinction between the two. Again, I believe, referring to Jesus the human who has been given authority over heaven and earth by God (Mt. 28:18).

The second thing expressed of God is that He re-generates believers, that is, He takes us through a new birth. In the same way that our first birth was not a choice we made, but was dependent on our father's "action," so also our second birth is the result of our Father's action. The father/Father is the cause; physical birth/new birth is the effect.

Third, this new birth flows from the deep waters of God's mercy. He was not obligated or compelled to give us new life, rather, He freely choose to do so because He is a God of great grace and kindness.

Furthermore, the new life so kindly given to us by our heavenly Father is an expectation that is alive. It impacts our now and our later. It contains a promised hope for the future (which will be described in more detail in the next verse). The apostle wants us to understand that this living hope is gained through the means of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus was dead, but now lives, we who experience the regeneration of God will also live after death. As Peter's friend Paul put it, if our hope in Christ only has ramifications for our brief stay on earth, what a pity! (1 Cor. 15:19). But that is not the case. We hope for victory over death and eternal life with our Lord because He has already overcome the grave. His empty tomb secures our empty tombs.

What is the appropriate response to this gracious gift of living hope? Praise and adoration to the One who gave it. Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Category: First Peter

1 Peter 1:5  . . . who are guarded by the strength of God by means of faith, into a sure-to-come deliverance, to be disclosed in the last time.

The believer's endowment is secure, but what guarantee is there that a believer will persist in his belief? Again, our surety is the Lord. God protects our inheritance and He protects the faith required to attain to it. We are guarded by the strength of God so that our trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ will continue until we reach the intended goal--salvation. ("Salvation" means 'rescue' or 'deliverance'.)

Christians usually speak in terms of being "saved" in the past tense, as though it were already accomplished. We speak this way because the Bible speaks this way (ex. Eph. 2:8; Titus 3:5). More precisely, however, we understand that our salvation is a deliverance from the eternal condemnation that is properly awaiting all who have sinned against their Creator; and since this eternal retribution has not yet been executed, our rescue from it has not yet occurred. We can talk about our salvation in the past tense because its certainty is absolute; it is, as we say, "As good as done!" But the actual experience of salvation will not take place until the last time, the time of universal judgment (see Matt. 25:31f; Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10).

Category: First Peter

6 in which you rejoice exceedingly, if now for a little while it is necessary that you are those distressed in manifold trials

The prospect of an indestructible, eternal inheritance protected by nothing less than the power of the Almighty is something worth shouting about. And yet we must remember that it is a hope. We are not there, we're here; and while we are here, we should anticipate many griefs.

Peter calls these griefs trials (peirasmos). When a person is accused of a crime, he goes to trial so that his innocence or guilt can be determined by the evidence and the eye-witness testimonies. The apostle instructs us to view our struggles in a similar manner. When difficult circumstances come to us, our reactions to them prove, one way or the other, whether we have indeed experienced the new birth by God's Spirit or are simply pretending to be converted to Christ. To present the proverbial example, if a man walks up and puts a gun to your head and commands, "Renounce Christ or die!" you are not likely to stand firm if your Christianity has no more substance than the fish stuck on your bumper. The same test comes when following Christ causes you bodily pain or property damage or embarrassment, or costs you a promotion or a job or a spouse or money. The outcome of these hard experiences is proof of your sincerity. Or not. (Cf. Rom. 5:1-5).

These trials come in all shapes and sizes. Peter calls them "various" (poikilos), a word used of Joseph's famous polychromatic coat (Gen. 37:3), and of the assorted afflictions Jesus healed (Matt. 4:24), and of the multi-faceted lusts and desires that we had before our repentance (Titus 3:3), and of the differing miracles that God displayed to prove that Jesus was His Son (Heb. 2:4). Just as all of these things are quite diverse, so also we can expect the forms of our suffering to be varied. They will be different from time to time and from person to person.

Now, for a little while. Compared to the everlasting, unending, infinite amount of time we will spend in Paradise, the present suffering, no matter how severe, is brief. This is not to make light of any affliction, but simply to put it in perspective. Tomorrow will come, but it may not come tomorrow.

It is necessary. The test is not optional; we must take it. After being pummeled with stones to the point that his persecutors thought he was dead, Paul arose and began to teach the believers that, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). Christ's suffering was necessary (Acts 17:3) and so is ours. It has happened, is happening, and will happen to God's people. It is necessary because in God's benevolent wisdom, He will discipline and refine His people. Although it seems unlikely at the time, suffering is an act of God's grace. Therefore, we will rejoice because of our trials.

Category: First Peter

Whom you love not having seen, into whom you now trust not having seen, but you rejoice exceedingly with delight--unspeakable and that which has been glorified, you who gain the goal of faith--deliverance of souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).

We who live two millennia after Christ was elevated into the clouds, where He must remain hidden until the Father sends Him to earth again, can empathize with Peter's recipients. We haven't seen the Lord Jesus. Our faith is based upon the testimony of others who did witness His life, death, and resurrection. Nevertheless, because we are persuaded of His person and work, we love Him. And in this case, absence certainly makes our hearts grow fonder. We long to see Him and to be with Him. Like a woman who has been promised to the perfect husband, yet must endure a seemingly interminable delay for consummation, we yearn for our wedding day with Christ. We have been told of His character, His magnificence, power, compassion, and we have had our souls warmed by His Spirit, and we love Him. Our heart and mind see Him, and they adore Him. Someday, our eyes will be filled with His majestic presence, and all will be perfectly sublime. Someday.

The Scriptural writers strive in vain to describe the glory that awaits those who hold fast to the end. Some of the metaphors include streets paved with gold, walls sparkling with precious jewels, and crystal waters, but mostly we are told what heaven is not. It is not a place of tears, or mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. There is no light there because  the radiance of God's glory renders any other luminary unnecessary. And though we gain some visceral apprehension of heaven, it is really nothing more than a vague adumbration. What will it really be like? Words cannot describe it, they fail us in their inadequacy. The few people in history who have enjoyed a pre-death glimpse into its inner chambers have been left speechless (2 Cor. 12:3-7; Rev. 10:4; Dan 8:26; 12:4, 9). Still, because of what we do know we can and should exult in profound exhilaration at the thought and anticipation of it, even in the midst of fierce torments. They are temporary; our glorification is eternal.

The goal of your faith. Business gurus, marketing analysts, personal coaches, and the like, emphasize the need and importance of establishing clear, definable, and measurable goals if one is to achieve his or her ultimate purpose. If you don't know what you're aiming for, it doesn't really matter which direction you shoot. Goals help us to stay on course in our pursuits. They motivate us. "Keep your eye on the prize," as they say, in order to remain focused on the present objective and to remember that the result of all your strenuous exertion will be the reward that got you started in this endeavor in the first place. A running back who breaks free toward the end zone will usually be tackled if he pays attention to the opponents chasing after him, even if he is two seconds faster in any given speed test. However, if he locks in on the goal line, he will not easily be overtaken. By the way, there is a reason it is called the goal line; for the team possessing the ball, their goal is to carry it across that line.

Our faith has a goal--to save our souls. (NASB and ESV translate telos as 'outcome', but goal is better because it connotes purpose rather than merely the way things happen to turn out.) It will help us maintain a sturdy faith if we keep our sights set on the salvation which lies ahead of us. Someday, we who have believed the gospel will stand before our holy, omnipotent, and just Lord’s tribunal, and in spite of our sins will be pronounced "Righteous!" Our souls will be rescued from the terrifying wrath that awaits all who have failed to please and obey Him. That future rescue, Peter advises, is what we need to set as our objective, which in turn will strengthen our resolve in the face of grave oppression now.

Category: First Peter

Category: First Peter

14-16 As children of obedience who are not conformed to passions formerly in your ignorance, but rather according to the holy one who called you, become holy yourselves in every aspect of life, for the reason that it has been written, "You will be holy, because I Myself am holy."

We (believers) have experienced a new birth which was fathered by God Himself; therefore, the new family to which we belong is His family. Christians are God's kids. Since this is true, we ought to act like God's kids.

I remember some years ago, as I was well into adult manhood, I noticed myself standing a certain way and leaning a certain way against a door jam while talking with someone. My posture was strangely familiar. I am sure I had stood that way before, but the familiarity ran deeper than that. I wasn't simply observing a repeated pattern in my own life. No, the sense transcended my own behavior. Then it hit me. This is precisely the stance I had seen my father take countless times. He has a unique way of leaning against the door frame when holding a casual conversation with someone in a room. A few days later, my wife observed that I was holding my arm out in a somewhat awkward position and she asked me if that was comfortable. Until she mentioned it, I had no idea I was doing it. It felt fine to me, in fact, it felt extremely natural. In that moment I realized that in this way, too, I was mimicking my father. Over the next several weeks (and to some degree, even to this day), I began to notice my father manifesting himself in my speech patterns and expressions, and in my sense of humor, and in my attitudes, and in my tendencies. Even my nose is taking on the shape of my dad's nose. This started me thinking about the ways I want to be like him, and the ways I don't (the nose, for example). And it became more and more clear that I resemble my father to a significant degree. Without even trying!

The similarities between a father and son come naturally because of (presumably) genetic legacy, but even more so because of relational legacy. We are most influenced by those whom we spend the most time with. Husbands and wives become increasingly alike over the years (I'm told that they even start to look alike...please pray for my wife.) because they spend so much time together. For a son who has had a father in the home, he is going to absorb his dad into his own ways of thinking and behaving, simply because of their time spent together.

Peter instructs believers to act as children of obedience. If we are God's kids, we ought to behave like Him. The more time we spend with Him, and the more influence He has on us, will result in our looking more and more like Him. In contrast to the natural, inherited, mimicking that I described about me with my dad, we must exert tremendous effort to become like our heavenly Father. It will not come without trying, but only with intentional pursuit of His holy character.

This pursuit is not optional for God's children; it is required. We are commanded to be holy according to the holy one who called you. That's a tall order. Consider how God is holy. He is wholly holy. There is no darkness in Him whatsoever (1 John 1:5). God is different than all of His creation; nothing is like Him in all the earth. He is pure righteousness. He is pure perfection. He is flawless and without weakness. He loves with an impeccable love, and judges with absolute justice. He never has a bad day. That is the holiness we are expected to pursue, a holiness that resembles Him.

We do well to remember that He called us. He could have left us to our evil selves only to experience His holy wrath. But, He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9-10; Col. 1:13), He adopted us as His children (Rom. 8:14-17), and He judged His only begotten Son in order to give us eternal life with Him. Because of this comprehensive kindness He has shown to us, the only reasonable response is to offer our entire being to Him as a living, holy, sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2).

Every aspect of life. Not only is it required, it is also universal. We must not be content to have conquered one particular sin, or improved one area of our attitude, or increased our practice of one of the spiritual disciplines; we must press on still more seeking to be altogether like our holy Father in every way. This means that we must never become satisfied with our progress in being different from the world and being like God. I've heard wives who refuse to submit to their husbands say, "But the Lord knows what I've been through, and he understands why I won't submit. He's okay with me as I am," and husbands who acknowledge their lack of spiritual leadership in the home, but say (and have been saying for years), "Yeah, I probably should give more attention to that. But I'm not going to beat myself up over it. God knows my heart," or still others who admit their faults willingly, often in self-deprecating anecdotes, and seem to think that their acknowledgment of the sin makes it all okay. But all of these approaches to sin are unbecoming a child of God. Certainly, our pursuit of holiness must always flow out of the gospel. We strive for perfection, not to be accepted by God, but because we have already been accepted by Him in His beloved Son. Nevertheless, strive we must. We should still mourn our sinfulness and long for righteousness, because we want to be like our heavenly Father and bear His family name in a manner worthy of Him (Eph. 4:1f.). God desires this for His people, and He put it in writing, "You will be holy, because I Myself am holy" (Lev. 11:44f; 19:2; 20:7). Let us make it our ambition to do what our Father does, say what He says, love what he loves, and hate what He hates.

Our form ought to take the shape of God and not our former passions. Before we became God's children we were children of the devil (1 John 3:7-10). We looked and behaved like him. We pursued the cravings of our dirty, wicked heart. We had strong desires for our own gratification and pleasure without regard for pleasing God or being kind to others. If we consider some of the other descriptions of this former life in our former family, we are ashamed and repulsed. 

For example, Paul describes it like this:

This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. (Eph. 4:17-19)

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. (Rom. 1:22-32). 

Such were the passions of our heart before we came to know the Lord Jesus Christ.

In your ignorance. As Romans 1:32 makes clear, we were never ignorant of our sin. We liked it, yearned for it, and applauded others who joined in with us. Furthermore, we knew that we deserved the wrath of God because of it. We knew God as righteous judge, and we hated Him for it. But we did not know Him as gentle Father. We were ignorant of His grace. We lacked an experience in our soul of His forgiveness. We had no concept of a close, familial relationship with Him. We did not know Him intimately as a bride knows her husband. In that sense, we were ignorant of our sinfulness and God's righteousness. Now we know, and it changes everything.

Category: First Peter

Also, if you call upon Father, He who judges according to the work of every man without respect of persons, conduct yourself in fear in the time of your sojourning, you who know that you were ransomed out of the vanity of your forefathers' aspect of life not with perishable sliver or gold, but rather with the costly blood of Christ, as of a blameless and spotless lamb. (1 Peter 1:17-19)

Another reason why we ought to be concerned about offending God is that we are those who know that you were ransomed out of the vanity of your forefathers' aspect of life not with perishable sliver or gold, but rather with the costly blood of Christ, as of a blameless and spotless lamb. We know the cost of our forgiveness, we know the price paid in order to adopt us out of the vain, foolish wickedness of our former family. If we believe the true gospel, then we are aware that God did not purchase our redemption with money. He paid with the death of His own, flawless, holy, infinitely worthy Son. He put His Child in front of the firing squad so that we could avoid punishment for our sins. If we know that and say we believe it, and then live as though we are still children of the devil, God takes it personally. Consider what the author of Hebrews revealed about this:

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? (2:2-3)

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame. (6:4-6)

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (10:26-31)

God does not take it lightly when a person disregards and shows contempt for the great sacrifice He made in order to secure salvation for evil, nefarious, damnable people. Our consciousness of the prodigious price ought to motivate us to profound love for, and obedience to, Him.

Category: First Peter

Love one another eagerly, from the heart, you who have cleansed your souls by obedience of the truth into brotherly love without hypocrisy (1 Peter 1:22).

The thrust of this verse is the command to love one another. The obligation of the Christian can be reduced to one word, love. The first and greatest object of our love is God Himself. We should love Him with the entirety of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. However, a substantial part of loving God is loving people, especially His people. Christians are called to love all men, but especially those of the household of faith (Gal. 6:10). And it should be a passionate love, a fervent love, an intense love, a profound love from the depths of our soul, for He says to love them eagerly, from the heart. I observe a growing doctrine among Christian leaders and pastors that believers who cares more about their fellow believers than about unbelievers do not know the heart of God. That is rubbish. A quick glance of the "one another" imperatives of the New Testament ought to dispense with that line of thinking immediately. The Lord has not made it an either/or proposition. We should love all men, but most eagerly and ardently we should love the Bride of Christ.

Peter further describes believers as those who have cleansed your souls by obedience of the truth. When we assented to the veracity of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the very center of our being was washed clean. This is what he said back in verse 2, when he taught that the Spirit set us apart to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood. Our fundamental obedience is belief in the person and work of Jesus, which results in our purification. We were refined at our conversion, and the dross of wickedness was purged from our souls. Sure, we still find various pieces of filth floating around on the edges of our being which, as the apostle has just been instructing, must be removed, but at our core we have been sanitized of sin. That's what the gospel does.

This decontamination frees us to pursue brotherly love without hypocrisy. Now that we have been emancipated from slavery to evil desires, we can demonstrate a devotion to other believers without putting on a show. There are those who show deference to Christians for the sake of appearances. However, the genuine Christian loves other Christians because he recognizes that we are in the same heavenly Family. We have the same Father. The bond of blood in the blood of Christ is stronger than any earthly familial closeness. We have a saying, "He loves him like his own brother," which expresses the assumed affection that exists between two siblings. However, the endearment of human brotherhood is not worthy to be compared to the love that two Christians ought to have for one another.

At this point, we must ask ourselves, What is my attitude toward my fellow believers? Do I love them with greater passion than I have for my biological family? If not, why not? Do I treat my brothers and sisters in Christ as children of God, or do I treat them with harshness, haughtiness, or neglect? In recent decades, the Lord has blessed His church with a renewed vision for the nuclear family and the roles and responsibilities of fathers and mothers. It was a much needed correction to the negligence of prior generations. However, it can be taken too far, to a point where the biological family becomes superior to the Spiritual family. This is equally as sinful as the former, maybe worse.

Category: First Peter

Therefore yearn after the spoken, guileless milk as babes just born--you who put away every wickedness and every guile and hypocrisy and jealousy and every slander--in order that by it you may grow up into deliverance (I Peter 2:1-2).

Peter describes his faithful readers as those who put away every wickedness and every guile and hypocrisy and jealousy and every slander. We long for pure milk because as Christians we now desire pure things. Which means that we cast off the impure things in our lives.

Put away is a favorite New Testament expression for ridding ourselves of sin. We are told to lay aside the deeds of darkness (Rom. 13:12), to lay aside the old self which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit (Eph. 4:22) and lay aside falsehood (4:25), to put aside anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech (Col. 3:8), to lay aside every weight and sin that easily entangles (Heb. 12:1), and to put aside all filthiness and the remains of wickedness (James 1:21). Like a dirty jacket that identifies us with a nefarious gang, we are to remove from our being the things that mark wicked unbelievers.

Malice is a general word for bad behavior. All of it should go. Guile is deceit and impurity. Since we crave and consume a sterling gospel, our lives ought not to include deviousness or duplicity. Hypocrisy is similar to guile in that it connotes a person who is putting on a religious show for everyone to applaud his performance. However, at the end of the day, he takes off his costume and reveals the real him who is very different from the man on stage. This should never be true of a Christian. Jealousy of others is also unbecoming a person who has been promised an eternal and undefiled inheritance with Christ. What is there to be jealous of when we have God Himself? Slander, too, must be eradicated in us who have been shown much grace and forgiveness and who enjoy reputations far better than we deserve. Let us not trample the names of others.

In order that by it you may grow up into deliverance. All things being equal, an infant who lives on a steady diet of good, nutritious, healthy milk will grow into a strong, healthy, vibrant toddler, and then, if his pursuit of good sustenance continues, a thriving adult. That is the purpose of our longing for the pure gospel--to reach maturity.

Our deliverance from the wrath of God as proclaimed in the gospel message is something that we grow into. Far more than a mere decision we make as a response to an impassioned appeal presented against the backdrop of an emotionally-inspiring musical performance, salvation comes at the end of a long, hard pilgrimage through the Land of Destruction, the allure of Vanity Fair, and the peril of the Cave of Despair. Our journey begins at our second birth which, like the first, yields a naive, helpless, fragile babe, but as we traverse its trail, we will don the gray hairs of sagacity. Hearing and learning the gospel will culminate in our attaining the "measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).

The application of this verse for preachers and for hearers ought to be obvious. If a pastor desires a good, vibrant flock, then he must feed it the pure gospel. It is remarkable that so many leaders today raise their "kids" on nothing but sugar and Mountain Dew and then cannot understand why they are fat, hyperactive, undisciplined, and so much like the other (unbelieving) kids who act that way. This isn't rocket science. What believers must have if they are to become mature disciples is the gospel. And not mixed with soda or fruit juice, they need it straight. Conversely, for congregants who truly desire to please God, there is one priority that must rank far above music styles, relationships, missions and evangelism efforts, and youth programs, in choosing a church--Is the pure gospel of Jesus Christ clearly and regularly preached? Is the gospel the center of everything the church does and is? If anything else occupies the primary purpose of a church, its adherents may grow into many things, but mature, godly disciples of Christ is not one of them. Regardless of size, finances, programs, or recognition, a local church body or denomination is only as mature as the purity of the gospel it consumes.

We recall that Peter began this sentence with a command to "yearn after the spoken, guileless milk as babes just born," which leads to some very practical questions that must be answered--Do you and I  have a profound craving for the pure, spoken gospel of Jesus Christ? Do we yearn for the preaching of the Word of Life, or do we just put up with it? Do we look at our watches wondering when the sermon is going to end so we can get to what we really yearn for--food and football, or a nap before the yard work? Do we hang upon the good news as if our love for Christ depended on it? Do we listen in order to grow more mature, or so that we can complain about the preacher or point out his mispronounced words or prove him wrong on something? How many things in our lives and thoughts are more important to us than hearing the pure gospel preached regularly? Do we really want the pure, biblical gospel, or do we really prefer something that is more "practical" and entertaining? (We would never admit to wanting to be entertained, of course, but deep down inside, what is our strongest desire when it comes to the spoken word of Christ?) If we do not yearn for this, does it bother us? What do we do about it? Brother or sister, I strongly encourage you to ask these questions of yourself and take an honest look into your desires. The pure, spoken gospel of Christ is essential to our spiritual vitality.

Category: First Peter

You--who are coming to Him a living stone, who on the one hand has been rejected by men, but on the other hand select, honored by God-- yourselves also as living stones are being built a Spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer Spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by means of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-5).

The grammatical structure of the opening verses of this chapter is cumbersome. The main verb of verses 4 and 5 is "are being built;" the subject is the plural "you." The words and phrases preceding and following the main verb describe Jesus and His church in very Jewish terminology. This inspired preacher is revealing the ultimate meaning and fulfillment of the children of Israel.

Central to Israel's relationship with God was the temple. There the priests offered the sacrifices of the people to God. There they prayed and worshipped. But above all, there was the manifest presence of God Himself. The glory of the Lord filled the temple; it was His house. When the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, the heart and soul of the Jewish nation was decimated with it. Without the temple, Jacob's offspring struggled to maintain their identity and hope.

Using the language of the temple, Peter applies the same significance to believers. He explains that we are being built into a Spiritual house, that is, a house in which God's Spirit dwells. Now, rather than a static building in Jerusalem, God's manifest presence resides in and among His people wherever they are. Furthermore, rather than an elite class of men who serve in His presence as priests, all of God's people are priests. We all enjoy the regular proximity of God's Spirit (which is another difference because the priests were limited to an annual invitation to the dwelling of God). As priests, we bring sacrifices by His Spirit, through His Son, into His courts, not of bulls and goats, but of praise, thanksgiving and adoration (Heb. 13:15). Indeed, our entire lives are presented to God as living sacrifices devoted to His glory and honor (Rom. 12:1). Continuing the metaphor, Christians are living stones in this new temple of God. Each of us comprises a part of the holy structure bearing the name and occupancy of the Spirit of God.

Category: First Peter

But you are a select offspring, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, that you all could report the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).

In stark contrast to the dissenting Jews who were appointed to receive God's judgment, believers are chosen by Him to receive blessing. We are in full bloom everything Israel was in seed form. Or to put it another way, Israel was the palace design complete with rich-colored, 3D charts and graphs; the Church is the actual Palace.

Peter employs four phrases, which were specifically used in the Old Testament to signify the privileges of Israel and her relationship to God, to describe the Church. Again, the New Covenant people of God are what the Old Covenant people of God pre-figured and foreshadowed. (The Church is not the replacement of Israel, but her fulfillment.) Nor is the Church a secondary or parenthetical focus of God until He decides to return to His originally scheduled program. Rather, the Church was the intended goal of all of God's previous dealings with Israel. Now, there are no longer two groups called Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews), but believers and unbelievers. All who believe the gospel are the Israel of God (cp. Gal. 6:16). The Church--not the Jews, nor any physical lineage--is the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, and the people for God's own possession.

Peter first calls the church the select offspring or "chosen race" (eklektos genos). These two words are used together in Isaiah 43:20 to conclude a lengthy discourse in which God expresses His fondness for Israel. God was Israel's creator, maker, redeemer, and the one who called her by name (v.1). He would not let her drown in the river's current or be burned in the fire (v.2). He was her savior and benevolent provider (v.3). Israel was precious and honored in God's sight. His love for her was great (v.4). Her offspring would be gathered from the four corners of the earth and be called by His name; they were created for His glory, and made specifically by Him (v.5-7). Their calling was to bear witness to all the great things God had done for them, to proclaim His marvelous grace and blessing, to express how He had redeemed her from slavery and domination (v.8-15). He cleared a road for them to walk through the sea and destroyed Israel's enemies in the rushing waters (16-17). The latter clearly forms an allusion to the unforgettable power displayed by God when He rescued the sons of Jacob from slavery to Egypt by bringing His people through the Red Sea and plunging Pharaoh and his horsemen beneath the crashing waves. This was intended to serve as an eternal reminder of God's potent right arm and His deep love for Israel. 

But, alas, they often forgot. So, God's instruction takes a new turn and He instructs the people to leave the past behind and consider a new thing He is going to do. He will cut a path in the desert and make a river flow there, and the wild animals of that territory will praise Him (v.18-20). Those wild beasts will be a new people whom God has fashioned for Himself, a new "chosen race" (v.20-21).

God goes on in the subsequent verses to chastise Israel for failing to call upon Him or honor Him. The result of their negligence would be their demise (v.27-28). Peter, however, wants us to observe that the Church is the fulfillment of v. 20-21. We are the new people whom God has made; we are the new chosen race; we are the jackals and ostriches who will glorify God, who drink from the new river flowing through the midst of the (formerly) barren wilderness. He is now our savior, our redeemer, our lover called by His name. Now, His protective providence is directed to the Church, and her offspring will be gathered from the four corners of the earth (cp. Matt. 24:31). All of our enemies will be buried in the rushing torrent as we walk safely through, on dry ground, to the promised Land. Believers are God's chosen race.

The remaining three of the descriptors are taken from Exodus 19 when God entered into His covenant with the people of Israel at Sinai. First, A kingly priesthood (basileios hierateuma, the Hebrew in Exo. 19:6 reads, "kingdom of priests"). The idea of priesthood harkens us back to the temple imagery already employed by the apostle. We are God's house; and we are priests, each one of us, offering up Spiritual sacrifices of praise, honor, and obedience. We dwell in the presence of God continually and boldly (Heb. 4:14-16), burning our incense (prayers) and walking by His glorious light. And like the priests of the Old Covenant, we teach the commands of our King to one another (cp. Lev. 10:8-11; Col. 3:16; Rom. 15:14). The New Covenant priesthood is not an exclusive office restricted only to a few, rather every believer is a priest in the new order of things.

Our priesthood is kingly or royal in that we serve the King of kings (cp. Rev. 1:5-6). Our kingdom is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and we minister to and for Him. As the prophet Zechariah recorded, one day the offices of king and priest would come together in one man (6:12-13). This prophetic fusion has been realized in Jesus of Nazareth. He is the King of the Universe and the High Priest of heaven (Heb. 4:14), and we are the secondary priests under His divine sovereign reign.

We are also a a holy nation (hagios ethnos). Again borrowing language from Exodus 19, Peter ascribes the privilege formerly bestowed on Israel to the entire Church. God's people are no longer to be identified with a particular political or civil segment of the world; national borders and governmental jurisdiction do not define the nation of God. Rather than Israel or America or Japan constituting the kingdom of God, its people are found in every land, speaking every language, and descending from every race (Rev. 5:9). It is not the inhabitants of the earthly Jerusalem who are now set apart to God, but those of the heavenly Jerusalem (Gal. 4:21f; Heb. 12:18-29). Every genuine Christian is a citizen of God's holy nation.

A people for possession. God promised the Jews that if they would obey His commandments and faithfully keep His covenant, then out of all the ethnic groups of the world He would regard them as His special treasure. That little word if turns out to be very big. They did not keep His commandments, and so God took the kingdom away from them and gave it to another nation (Matt. 21:43). That other nation turns out to be the Church. We are God's prized property and there is no if. He loves us eternally because of His Son, and we will remain forever the object of His magnanimous affection.

What expectation is placed upon those of us who have received such wonderful kindness from the hand of God? Only to report the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Israel was commissioned to extol God's goodness, and they failed. We must not fail. We must make it our ambition to declare to every creature that God has redeemed us from slavery to sin, from the blinding power of the devil, and from the certain anticipation of hell, and has promised us an eternal inheritance that cannot and will not fade, spoil, or be destroyed. That is our calling as subjects of this heavenly kingdom.

Category: First Peter

. . . formerly who were not a people, but now the people of God; who had not been shown mercy, but now are shown mercy. Beloved, I call you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from the fleshly yearnings which wage war against the soul, you who have your way of life noble among the nations, in order that in that which they blab about you as mischievous they could glorify God in the day of inspection from the good deeds (1 Peter 2:10-12).

Through the prophet Hosea, in a graphic living illustration, God revealed that the ethnic nation of Israel would one day be Lo-ruhamah, "no compassion" and Lo-ammi, "not My people." His love for her would one day come to an end, and His willingness to forgive her incessant adultery would cease. She would no longer be His people (Hos. 1:6-9). However, their rejection would open the door for others to be the objects of God's affection. The Gentiles, who had no concern for God and who were not special to Him, would be called, "the sons of the living God" (Hos. 1:10). The peoples who had not previously experienced the merciful blessing of God because He had reserved it for the Jews would now stand beneath the lavish fountain of God's generosity and grace (Hos. 2:23; cp. Rom. 11). Again, the Gentiles are called beasts of the field and birds of the air and creeping things on the ground because of their inferiority to the Jews (Hos. 2:18). However, they would be beasts no longer. No, indeed! Now they would be God's wife and lover (Hos. 2:19). Such is the special relationship the Church now enjoys with her Lord and Husband.

Believers are betrothed to a holy God, citizens of a holy nation, priests in a holy temple, and holy pilgrims in a very unholy land; we must take care lest the profane things of the world diminish our holiness. We are in a constant battle with the unholy desires that remain in our being, and they do not intend to go down without a vigorous fight.

For Peter to use such intense military language as "war against our soul" to describe our internal enemies, we would be fools to think that a daily 10-minute browsing of an encouraging devotional book and a quick recitation of the Lord's Prayer will find us to be victorious over them. We must struggle all day, every day, with all of the weapons our Lord has graciously provided to us, and we must plead for His Spirit to grant us the power to conquer our foes which, just like His mercy, are new every morning.

Another reason Peter gives for subjects of the King to act nobly is so that the accusations of the ignoble will prove spurious on Judgment Day. The world hates us and will hurl false accusations against us every chance they get. We need to make sure the false accusations stay false. We must deny them any opportunity to bring a real charge of immoral conduct against us so that they will be shown to be the fake impostors they are when the books are opened.  

The Apostle indicates that, ironically, they will actually praise God on that Day for the good works they saw (even if they lied about it previously). Peter learned this from our Lord Himself (Matt. 5:16). This does not mean that they will repent now, but it does mean that we, and our King, will be vindicated and they will no longer be allowed to deceive themselves into thinking we are the bad people.

Category: First Peter

Because in this manner the will of God is that you who do good muzzle the ignorance of foolish men as free, but also not as those who have freedom as a cover up of wickedness, but rather as subjects of God (1 Peter 2:15-16).

Throughout the history of the Church, we have had to answer charges of civil disobedience and suspect behavior. In its nascent stage, believers were accused of cannibalism when the word got out that they were eating flesh and drinking blood. And, of course, their refusal to burn incense to Caesar, or attribute to him the divine title, provoked their arrest and, in some cases, death. The former attack was the result of profound ignorance as to what the Lord's Supper really was, and the latter was a necessary refusal to engage in idolatry. However, to the degree that believers were able to submit in good conscience to the Roman Empire, they did. And likewise, we should submit to the American Empire (or to whatever authorities you happen to belong). Peter exhorts the people of God to obey God's will by obeying those in authority, so that the fools who accuse Christians of wrongdoing will find themselves devoid of any evidence to present as proof of their claims.

Jesus came to set men free (see John 8:36; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 6:7, 14; Gal. 4:26; 5:1-13), and yet we must not assume that our emancipation was for the purpose of getting to do whatever we want. Rather, the confession which frees us is that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9-10). One of the great paradoxes of the world is that Christians are set free so that they can become slaves of God, and as such, we must no longer serve our sinful desires. Free, yes, but we have been bought with a price and enslaved to another (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Therefore to argue in this manner--"Christ died for me; I am forgiven and free. So, I don't have to obey the speed limit or pay taxes."--is to greatly misrepresent the gospel and gives unbelievers cause to blaspheme God (cp. Rom. 2:23-24).

Category: First Peter

For this is grace: if because of conscience of God anyone bears the distresses of those who suffer unjustly. For what kind of report is it if you who sin and are buffeted endure? Rather, if you who do good, and suffer, endure, this is grace before God (1 Peter 2:19-20).

The first phrase of v.19 reads, "For this is charis;" and the last phrase of v. 20 says, "This is charis before God." Whatever is included between these two phrases, Peter wants us to know that it is charis.

The Greek word charis is a fluid term that can take on a number of distinct flavors when combined with this word or that. It's like vanilla ice cream. It has a certain taste when by itself, but add a little chocolate syrup or strawberries or peanut butter and it adapts. In certain contexts, it can be used to express gratitude, in others it can convey kindness, but in its most basic form it means 'grace'. When the New Testament speaks of God's grace it usually employs the word charis.

What does grace look like? Being treated harshly and unfairly and enduring it for God's sake. That, says the apostle twice, is grace as God defines it.

Enduring deserved punishment is not grace, it is justice. Nor is it an admirable reputation for a believer that he remained steadfast through a merited jail sentence. We don't get any points for committing a crime and then taking our punishment "like a man." A Christian shouldn't have put himself in that situation in the first place. Getting what you deserve and tolerating what you get does is not worthy of praise.

However, to suffer consequences when one is innocent is another matter. This does please the Lord, especially when it is tolerated for the express purpose of pleasing Him. In His sight, this kind of selfless behavior is the apex and epitome of grace. It is the perfect description of the behavior of His Son.

Category: First Peter

Who did not miss the mark, nor was guile found in His mouth, who being abused did not abuse in turn, who suffering was not making threats, and was giving into Him who judged justly, Who Himself carried up our missing of the mark in His body, upon the wood, in order that we, those who died to missing the mark, could live to righteousness. You were healed by His welts. For you were as sheep who are wandering, but rather now you turned around to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1 Peter 2:22-25).

Several affirmations are made about Christ in verses 22 and 23 which are to be emulated by His followers:

Did not miss the mark. Jesus committed no sin. None. Not even a peccadillo. Even though such moral perfection may be out of reach, it ought to be our goal. Nor was guile found in His mouth. Jesus did not turn and sin against His oppressors even though they were unjust in their accusations. He did not say things that were misleading in order to avoid their wrath. Being abused did not abuse in turn. He did not turn and attack His attacker, even though He, of all people, surely could have made a quick end of them. Suffering was not making threats. Nor did He respond with promises to destroy them for their wickedness. In fact, while hanging on the cross, He did the unimaginable, He asked the Father to forgive them.

How was Christ able to endure such evil against Him? Because He trusted in the Most Supreme Court. Jesus knew that His heavenly Father was in control of His suffering. He also knew that it was serving a divine purpose. And He knew when it fit the Father’s timing, He would be vindicated.

Persecution has a way of validating or exposing a person's faith; Christ had no doubts about the sovereignty and trustworthiness of God. We would do well to walk the way He walked.

We can entrust ourselves to the Highest Judge also because our sins have been taken away. Jesus took our sins upon Himself and bore our punishment so that now we have no reason to fear the tribunal of God. And when He died on the cross, we died to liability for our sins and may now live for the purpose of serving God faithfully.

Jesus paid our debts, served our time, took our beating as He was suspended by nails hammered through His hands and feet onto a beam of wood. The pain inflicted on Jesus by God is what relieved us of our pain. This kind of substitution has no parallel in our experience. If my son gets a debilitating disease, no matter how sincerely I may wish to take it from him and endure the pain myself, I cannot; nor would a man coming forward at a criminal's sentencing who desired to go to jail in the place of the convict be allowed to do so. But, Jesus of Nazareth, a man who never committed even a single sin, was punished for the sins of those who believe in Him in an amazing expression of God's grace.

This entire paragraph is a draw from Isaiah 53 where Christ is portrayed as the suffering Servant bearing the iniquity of His people. That section concludes with this wonderful statement,

As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors (Isa. 53:11-12).

Prior to being called to Christ we were roaming around mindlessly, aimlessly, and headed for certain destruction. Now, we have changed our course and we follow the One who leads us in love, who feeds, protects, nourishes us, and watches out for our souls.

Remembering that the Son of God is our Shepherd brings great comfort when we are oppressed unjustly and treated with contempt. We can trust that He will not leave us to be eaten by wolves, nor is He unaware of our suffering. It is accomplishing His purposes for us, ultimately working for our good (Rom. 8:28).

Category: First Peter

Of whom the decoration should not be that which is from without, of braiding of the hair and putting on gold or of putting on clothes, but rather the secret man of the heart in the incorruptible of the gentle and still spirit, which is very expensive in the sight of God.(1 Peter 3:3-4).

The godly wife who respects her husband, and who will convict him of his sins, is not the one who dresses fancy and gets herself all done up all the time, while being smarmy or nit-picky, always carping out his shortcomings and failures. What will impress him and lead to his repentance is a woman who acts with grace even when wronged. Peter is not giving her license to let her appearance go the way of an old, vacant barnyard, but her most appealing qualities will be her character, not her curves, for the simple fact that external beauty is not what distinguishes Christian wives from unbelieving wives. There are gorgeous women in both camps, and there are plain women in both camps. Evangelism deals with matters of the heart and for that she will need to dress up on the inside.

One qualification is in order, namely, that a quiet and gentle spirit is not identical to a quiet and gentle mouth. I have known (and you have too, no doubt) women who were reticent and soft-spoken outside the home, but inside the home was another story. And if you asked their husbands if these quiet wives were gentle and respectful to them, the honest answer would be a resounding no! Conversely, there are women who speak in anything but whispered tones, and yet their delightful service to their husbands is obvious to all, especially to their men.

The Bible does not casually speak of something being precious or valuable to God, so when a thing is specifically pointed out as such, we ought to sit up and take notice. The gentle, quiet spirit of a wife holds a place of great worth in the divine heart. That sparkles more dazzlingly on a woman than the most expensive jewels in God's sight.

Category: First Peter

Likewise, husbands who cohabit according to knowledge as with a weaker vessel, you who assign honor to the feminine as even a joint-heir of the grace of life for not to hinder your prayers (1 Peter 3:7).

The controlling principle is still "Keep your behavior excellent behavior among the Gentiles" (2:12). Like citizens, slaves, and wives, husbands are given specific instruction on how to be well-behaved in a culture of unbelief.

How should a Christian husband treat his wife? Is he the boss and she his servant? Should he require her to walk two steps behind, speak only when spoken to, and make sure that she doesn't burn the toast? Sadly, there have Christian leaders, whole generations even, who have understood headship and submission in that way. However, a close examination of 1 Peter 3:7 ought to eliminate that cruel misinterpretation forever.

Husbands are described here as men who "live with" or "co-habit" (Gr. sun-oikeo) a home with their wives. In the Old Testament, the most salient feature of this cohabitation was the sexual relationship. And although living together in marriage includes much more, we should consider Peter's admonition with a view to physical intimacy as well as other aspects of wedlock.

Husbands are told to live with their wives (literally) "according to knowledge." A man needs to know his wife. He needs to be steadily increasing his understanding of what makes her tick. Incidentally, knowledge is also an Old Testament term used for sexual intimacy, such as in Gen. 4:1 where the Scripture says, "Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived...." The man had relations is literally, "the man knew his wife." And any wife will tell you that there is a direct link between a husband's seeking to know her relationally/emotionally and her desire to know him physically.

Knowing implies studying. If I want to know how to do a particular skill I must spend time learning about it, examining it, watching others do it, and actually trying it until I achieve the desired knowledge. Mere desire is not enough. Many people would like to know how to play the guitar, but for the ones who never touch a guitar, they might as well say they would like to become a comet. Their chances of doing either is about the same.

Like with all relationships, the only way for a man to get to know his wife is by studying her, and this requires him to spend time with her. And they must talk. You don't get to know someone unless you engage in conversation together. People can come to church and sit right next to each other week after week, year after year, singing praise and hearing the teaching of God's word and never come to know one another. This is because their worship is side-by-side and forward-facing. But in order to create and maintain a growing knowledge of someone we must spend time face-to-face in discussion. We must ask questions (and listen for the answer). We must exchange ideas. We must come to understand what the other person thinks and feels. A husband should make it a regular goal (regular as in weekly, not yearly) to set aside time that is exclusively used to learn more about his wife.

Category: First Peter

Now the goal: all are same-minded, sympathetic, brother-loving, good-hearted, humble-minded (1 Peter 3:8).

The desired end for Christians living in a pagan culture is that we all manifest the character qualities listed in verse 8 and following. All of the traits in v8 are adjectives and the following verses continue the adjectival tone, giving descriptions of the intended disposition of believers. We would do well to pause and consider each term.

Same-minded. This does not mean that we all have to understand every thing in exactly the same way. But if our goal is unity of mind, then we will be patient when we differ. We will disagree without being disagreeable. The NASB translates this word as 'harmonious'. That captures the intent quite well. When three or four singers sing in unison, they are all sounding the same part. But the sound becomes much fuller (and usually more interesting) when the vocalists sing differing parts. Now if they sing differing parts, but also in different keys, then the fuller sound is displeasing to the ears (maybe like a couple of sick cats). But if they are singing in harmony with one another, the sound is beautiful. Similarly, when Christians who have differing passions and perspectives create harsh dissonance with other believers, the sound is cacophony; but when they are on the same sheet of music, as they say, then the music of the church is sweet.

Sympathetic. This word means to share pathos (emotion and experience) together with another person. This requires time because in order to share the experience or feeling, we must first understand what is being experienced or felt. We must learn and come to know our friend's situation. Then we must seek to join them in their emotion. The purpose is not merely mutual feelings, but help, support, co-bearing of burdens, etc. If we would stop and listen-in-order-to-understand before jumping to conclusions about other people (or hurrying off to do something else), we would find a lot more harmony in the church. This, of course, requires that we do not remain so busy that we cannot take the time to truly pursue a sympathetic relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Brother-loving (Gk. philadelphos). Brothers do not always love each other as they ought. Too often, Christians treat one another in a way that somewhat resembles Cain treated Abel. However, we know intuitively the kind of love that a brother ought to have toward his sibling, and we understand the ideal bond that can exist between brothers. That is what Peter is seeking for us. A commitment and devotion like David and Jonathan, like Ruth and Naomi, like Jesus and His people should be our goal in how we get along with others. As our Lord taught, they will know who His disciples are by their love for one another. What do your relationships tell the world about you?

Good-hearted. Literally, this word speaks of the inner organs of the body, the entrails, guts, etc. Metaphorically, we might say that it means to be good from our innermost being toward one another. This would eliminate hypocritical kindness or actions for the sake of show. True benevolence, from a heart of nobility, is the goal.

Humble-minded. This word is found in Philippians 2:3 where it is in contrast to selfishness and personal glory. Here, Peter is telling the Christian to stay off the pedestal, out of the spotlight, away from the awards ceremonies, behind the scenes, unaware of the applause, on the periphery of attention, and outside the rooms where praise and prizes are given. Christians should be reluctant celebrities, hesitant guests of honor, and non-eager recipients of accolades. Rather than begrudge when others do not appreciate us, we should think of ourselves as low and unworthy of glory. Christ was humble, and should His followers be.

Category: First Peter

For "the one who desires to love life and to see good days must stop the tongue from evil and the lips of it are not to speak guile, but he must turn from evil and must do good; he must seek for peace and he must pursue it. Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just and His ears into their entreaties, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil" (1 Peter 3:10-12).

Peter is quoting Psalm 34:12-16. (Cp. 1 Peter 3:1 with Psalm 34:8f.) The Lord will watch out for those who do what is right, but He opposes evil-doers. Therefore, believers should trust Him to avenge them against their enemies. He will not allow the wicked to get away with it forever (cp. Romans 12:14-21). In the meantime, we should be good and kind to our nemeses, avoiding verbal recriminations and instigating fights; and trust that the Lord is pleased with us and will bless us for our patience.

We should also notice that God hears the prayers of the just. This was likely in the back (or front) of Peter's mind in verse 7. Our attitudes and actions toward others are related to God's attention to our requests. Again, this should be strong motivation for loving our wives and others.

And who is the one who will mistreat you if you are zealots of good? (1 Peter 3:13)

Furthermore, it is often the case that even pagans will be kind when treated with kindness. There are exceptions, of course, but when we seek to bless others, especially if they have wronged us, frequently they will not return our kindness with malevolence.

But rather, if also you suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed (1 Peter 3:14a).

Like I said, there are exceptions to the "kindness begets kindness" principle. And when we suffer for doing what the Lord desires--in this case, doing good to our enemies--He will bless us for it. Peter is simply quoting Jesus' own words from the Sermon on the Mount. Our Lord taught:

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:9-12).

Christians should not agonize over the suffering that unbelievers may bring upon them, rather we should resolve to regard the Lord Jesus as holy and uniquely worthy of our devotion. He is, after all, the Messiah, promised from days of old, and manifested in the time of Caesar Augustus for the salvation of His people (Matthew 1:21). He has rescued us from the wrath of God and secured our eternal life in the new heavens and new earth. If that is true, then we have little to worry about when it comes to the temporary, passing pain of which evil men are capable.

In fact, when we are oppressed, beaten, and maligned, our steadfast assurance in the Lord Jesus ought to astound our persecutors to the point that they are impelled to ask why we can so courageously withstand their attacks. We must not be shy or inadequately prepared to explain ourselves, but should be quick to express the hope of salvation and glory that awaits all who believe the gospel of Christ. We must say to them, as the annals of church history record the great Polycarp as replying to his executioners: "[W]hen the magistrate pressed him hard and said, 'Swear the oath, and I will release thee; revile the Christ,' Polycarp said, 'Eight-six years have I been His servant, and He hath done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?'"

In the face of persecution, as we are explaining that our hope and security lie in the gospel of Christ, we should maintain a kind and gentle spirit. Again Christ is our example. Even while hanging on the cross, He was not fierce or vindictive. We should always treat human beings with respect, even those who deserve to be treated as beasts. This will keep our consciences clear and our accusers with closed mouths. Our enemies will want to charge us with being rude, hateful, harsh, mean-spirited. We must not give them any reason to judge us as such. They may do so anyway, but we can sleep peacefully knowing that their indictments are baseless.

After leaving a verbal sparring match, we often mourn to ourselves, "If only I had said this," or "I wish I had told him that; that would have been the winning blow." We seem to always think of the best responses after the heat of the moment has long become the cool of the day. However, those regrets are never as miserable as the things we did think to say and now wish we had not. By speaking with gentleness and respect toward our enemies, our consciences never have to rebuke us for repaying evil to those who do evil to us. And as Peter keeps reminding, when we serve God faithfully and are abused for it, God is pleased and will reward us (and repay them); but when we are abused for our own evil action, we give our opponents justification for their maltreatment and scorn of God's people.

Put to death by flesh/made alive by Spirit. This phrase introduces a series of Herculean challenges for the interpreter. Some might argue that this passage is the Mt. Everest of biblical climbs. Virtually every commentator admits up front that there are several possible translations and interpretations of these verses, and that one should proceed with caution and grace. Firm dogmatism would certainly seem to border on arrogance (if not completely cross the line). Having prefaced my remarks with that caveat, I will proceed with the view that seems to me to be the best explanation.

The first difficulty comes with deciding which preposition to place before the words flesh and spirit. The Greek does not contain a preposition (both words are dative), but an English translation requires one. All of the major English translations use in with 'flesh', but they divide on the 'spirit' side, with some (NASB, ESV) staying with in and others (KJV, NKJV, NIV) using by. Because the Greek cases are identical and parallel, the default course would normally be to use the same preposition for both. (So that if one said, "in the flesh," he would also say, "in the spirit;" or if "by the spirit,"  then "by the flesh.") However, there is another problem in this sentence that adds to the fun, and therefore, leads to a non-parallel approach to translation, and that is the Greek word pneuma (spirit). Was Peter speaking of the human spirit or the divine Spirit? Should it be capitalized or not? That decision actually drives the choice of preposition. The NASB and ESV have determined that Jesus died in the realm of His body and was made alive in the realm of His (human) spirit. The KJV, NKJV, and NIV have decided that His death was in His body, but His resurrection was by the Holy Spirit. In other words, they all agree that Peter's point about Jesus' death is that He died in His physical body, however they are divided over whether Peter's point about the resurrection of Jesus is He came to life in the spiritual part of His being or that the Holy Spirit made His body alive again.

Category: First Peter

In which (Spirit) also He--the one who went-- proclaimed to those spirits in prison who disobeyed formerly when the forbearance of God was eagerly awaiting in the days of Noah, of an ark which was being built, into which a few, that is eight souls, were preserved safely by means of water, (1 Peter 3:19-20).

The conclusion one comes to regarding pneuma in verse 18 determines whether Jesus preached in 'spirit' or 'Spirit'. Since I have chosen the Holy Spirit as Peter's meaning there, I must also choose it here. It is worth noting that the actual Greek word en (in) does appear in this verse.

So--Who were those spirits? What prison were they in? When did Jesus preach to them? What did He preach? We will consider these four questions in sequence.

What spirits? One possibility is that Peter is speaking of human spirits, i.e. the departed spirits of human beings. There is one place in Scripture where the plural form of pneuma (spirits) refers to humans (Heb. 12:22), but the overwhelming majority of occurrences are of evil or demonic spirits. (In the verse from Hebrews, spirits is qualified by the phrase "of righteous men.") This paragraph is heading toward a climax in which the resurrected Christ is described as having lordship over all spiritual, angelic creatures (v.22). Therefore, I take the position that the spirits spoken of here are also angelic creatures, although evil in their intentions (hence their imprisonment). Jesus preached to imprisoned demons.

Furthermore, they are spirits who were disobedient to God in the days of Noah. We are not told explicitly when the disobedience occurred, nor what form it took, however, a likely possibility is found in Genesis 6:1f:

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. And the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Gen. 6:1-8).

"Sons of God" is a term used in other OT places for angelic beings (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; also see Luke 20:36). I had previously been persuaded that the use of the term in Genesis 6 was reference to the godly line of Seth. However, studying this passage has caused me to rethink that position. It fits Peter's affirmation well to understand that the disobedient angels were the 'sons of God' mentioned there, and that somehow, in a way left without description or explanation, these spiritual creatures were able to procreate with human women (Gen. 6:2), thus provoking the anger of God at such perversion (6:3).

In verse 3, God says that man is "also flesh," which begs the question, Also in addition to what? Could it be some sort of an angelic/human amalgamation? And could it also be that part of the reason God determined to destroy every living creature apart from Noah and his family was to eradicate this "mixed race"?

Clearly many questions remain and it strains our 21st Century secularist imaginations to apprehend some of these things. But, I am inclined toward this interpretation.

Which (water) the anti-type, baptism, now saves you also, not the getting rid of dirt of flesh, but rather, a request of a good conscience to God, by means of the resurrection of Jesus Messiah (1 Peter 3:21). 

Some argue that Peter is not speaking of water baptism, but of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God immerses a person with His regenerating power and grants him the gift of faith which does indeed procure salvation. I question that interpretation for three reasons:

First, in the original language, verse 21 begins with pronoun 'which', referring back to the flood waters in verse 20, and standing in apposition to the word 'baptism'. I believe water is the unifying theme between them. Second, the default understanding of 'baptism' ought to be water baptism unless the context clearly requires an improper or metaphorical use. Since the meaning of the word has to do with dipping or submerging in a liquid, this ought to become our initial instinct in interpreting it. I do not see anything in this verse that calls for a non-literal use. Third, what does "the removal of the dirt from the flesh" have to do with Spiritual baptism? If one says that the removal of dirt is the setting aside of the sinful nature, then it fails because regeneration is that (at least in part). And what in the baptism of the Spirit constitutes an appeal to God for a good conscience? It is the individual who is appealing to God for a good conscience, not the Spirit.

Category: First Peter

Therefore, you also equip yourselves with the same intent of Messiah who suffered by flesh (because He who suffered by flesh has ceased from sin) for this: to live the remaining time in flesh no longer to the yearning of men, but rather to the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-2).

These two verses also present their translation and interpretive challenges, but the salient point is clear: Followers of Christ should strive to follow Him in righteous behavior, rather than in the behavior of sinful men. Whether we die as martyrs at the hands of corrupt unbelievers or live well beyond the alloted three score and ten, we should make it our ambition to run from the lusts of humanity and toward the life God desires for us.

Our pioneer and example is Christ who served God even to the point of allowing wicked men to execute Him. His entire life on earth, Jesus dwelled among evil people, a rose in a forest of poison ivy. Sin and sinners were all around Him until finally the heinousness of mankind moved them to crucify the Lord of glory.

But of course, Jesus experienced the effects of sin in a more profound way. He took upon Himself the sins of His people while hanging on the cross. He provided the atonement for our transgressions by receiving the penalty that we deserve. He bore our sins in His body on the cross.

However, when Jesus died, all of His dealings with sin died with Him. No longer would He have to endure the insolent hubris of rebellious men while restraining His holy retribution (cp. Luke 12:49f.) Never again would He stand silent before His accusers and their slander. And never again would He be punished for sins He did not commit. The only relationship He will ever again have with sin is that of judge.

This, I believe, is what Peter meant by, "He who suffered by flesh has ceased from sin." Christ was persecuted and died, thus ending any and all experience of the Son of God with the sins of men.

Category: First Peter

They will give an account to Him who has a readiness to judge those who live and the dead (1 Peter 4:5).

Sinners who oppress Christ's disciples will one day stand at His tribunal and explain their actions. After offering their paltry defense, they will receive the just verdict of the One who knows everything from their overt participation in orgiastic parties to the secret thoughts of wickedness buried in the deep recesses of their hearts. They will be judged and condemned.

This, too, brings encouragement to the soul of the Christian. We can endure persecution more easily if we know that one day our persecutors will be brought to justice for their actions against us. They will not get away with it. And when the Lord Jesus brings judgement, it will be in keeping with His infinite holiness and righteous indignation.

Because for this purpose to the dead also the gospel was preached, in order that, on the one hand they could be condemned according to men by flesh, but on the other hand they could live according to God by Spirit (1 Peter 4:6).

Though tempting to tie this back to 3:18-22, it is a temptation that should be avoided. The "dead" preached to here are fallen Christians, believers who were martyred by evil men. These honorable men and women believed the gospel and held fast their commitment to Christ even to the point of giving their lives. They died, judged unworthy to continue living by humanity. But God regarded them as worthy of eternal life, and He will one day send His Spirit to bring about their resurrection in the same way that Christ arose from the grave.

Again, we see Peter striving to motivate believers who dwell in evil, discriminating cultures to maintain their loyalty to Christ without wavering. In so many words, the text is teaching that the worst the world of men can do to us is kill us. But even that is not our final experience, for we will join our risen Lord in glory throughout ages to come. This being true, we can endure whatever our enemies bring upon us.

Now the goal of all things has drawn near. Therefore, be sound of mind and be sober for prayers (1 Peter 4:7).

The apostle says of the telos ("end") of all things that it “has drawn near.” This is the same expression used by John the Baptist and Jesus, repeatedly, when they spoke of the kingdom of God being “at hand.” The verb is in the perfect tense thus indicating an action which took place in the past with effects continuing to the present. In English, the present tense is usually conveyed by using “have” or “has” with the verbal aspect following. If I say that Charlie Brown has moved into the house next door, I am revealing that he became my neighbor sometime in the past and continues to live near me to this day. Likewise, when Peter says that the goal of all things has drawn near, he is affirming that the nearness took place in the past and it continues to be so to this day.

The basic message is that the fulfillment or consummation of God's purpose for the world began when Jesus of Nazareth walked the streets of Jerusalem. His coming marked the beginning of the end. When will the ending of the end occur? Just like we don't know whether a woman’s labor will last twenty minutes or four days, we do not know exactly when the revelation of Jesus Christ will happen. But we would be wise to act as though He’ll be here in about five minutes.

In 4:5, Peter explained that the Lord is ready to judge. That news coupled with the fact that His return in glory could occur at any moment should  impact how we behave in a wicked culture that is hostile to Christ and His people. Specifically, we are instructed to be sound of mind. 

Clear-headed, careful in thinking, meditative, intellectually motivated are not characteristics held in high esteem in our day. We are a people of fun and happiness, and thinking too much gets in the way of our amusement. But Christians are called to be different from the culture, and one area where we can easily stand out like a banana in a field of grape jello is by being good thinkers.

This word is used in Mark 5 in contrast to a man who was demon-possessed and flailing around, howling at the moon and throwing himself into fires at night. In Romans, it describes a person who has the proper view of his own humble status before God and men. In Titus 2, it is included in a list of godly character traits for men and women appropriate to their respective roles.

Being of sound mind means that one is not led around by his emotions or prejudices. It’s realizing that that kid can’t carry a tune in a bucket and admitting it even if he is my son. It’s recognizing that the guy on TV or the radio should not be trusted simply because he says that he loves Jesus. It’s refusing to believe our own lying selves when they say, “We’re not doing anything wrong here, it’s just a drink with friends” or “It’s not my fault. If he had not....” A man of sound judgment understands that although a lot of people disagree about a doctrinal issue, there is a correct answer and he can find it; and he does not use the diversity of opinion as a justification for his own laziness in studying. A good thinker knows the difference between the voice of God and the hiss of the snake, and he immerses himself in the Scriptures so that the distinction becomes more and more obvious. A good thinker actually spends time thinking.

Above all things having intense love for one another because love conceals a throng of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

When we consider the vast number of commandments and instructions given in the Bible, we can be easily overwhelmed with the thought of trying to faithfully execute all of them. Where do we begin? A good place to start would be when the Scripture tells us to do something, “Above all.” Here Peter is helping us form our priority list, and at the top, he says, is that we love each other.

The kind of love we are to have for others is an intense, fervent love. Christians are not allowed to be apathetic toward other believers. For a person to simply duck in and duck out of Sunday morning services, neglecting to engage in a passionate relationship with other believers, is sin. It is not enough to simply be nice to fellow Christians, we are commanded to maintain a heartfelt, energetic, eager devotion to the body of Christ. Like anything else that we deeply adore, it takes time, effort, sacrifice, patience and a host of other things to keep the flames of love burning, and that should be our goal with other believers. It is a grossly abhorrent sight to see Christians who have fervent love and enthusiasm for other people and things (such as work or hobbies), but are indifferent toward the church. This should not be.

The reason Peter gives for the need for such intense love of one another is because love covers a multitude of sins. The greater the love we have for someone, the more gracious we become toward them, and the more willing we are to forgive them when they offend us.

Having children drives this point home. I have three children, ages seven, five and three. They have offended me more in that period of time than people I have known for thirty years. And yet, I find it much easier to forgive and forget their sins as compared to others who sin against me. Why? Because my love for my children is immense. I love them to such a degree that I quickly get past their vexations. I see the same thing with my wife. Over the years, I have said and done things to her that I am deeply ashamed of; I have hurt her and disappointed her. Yet, in spite of my offenses against her and hers against me, we are more passionate and more devoted to pleasing each other than ever before. How can that be? Every month that goes by finds an increase in the sins column of our marriage, but a greater increase in the joy and happiness column. How is that possible? It is because of our increasing love for each other. As our commitment and affection and devotion to each other grows, so does our ability and desire to move quickly past irritations and resentment. We are eager to get over it when displeasure rears its ugly head. We hate any intrusion of distrust or impatience or bad feelings into our relationship. Though the sins increase, our quickness to reconcile increases more rapidly. Greater still is the fact that we both find ourselves completely dismissing things that could easily get us riled. We still sin against each other, but often those sins pass without incident. Things that used to bug me for days now bug me for minutes. Things that may have caused serious strife between us in years gone by, now barely make a ripple in the calm sea of our marriage. Why? Because our love for each other grows more intense every day. Our endearment toward one another moves us to turn a deaf ear to the unpleasant things that sometimes fall out of the other’s mouth. Every day we are becoming more and more blinded by love.

Many marriage problems are nothing more than the failure of one or (usually) both spouses to graciously overlook the sins of the other. And, sadly this failure is also the cause of most strife among fellow believers. It doesn’t have to be that way in either case.

Hospitable to one another without murmuring (1 Peter 4:9).

The word hospitable means literally, “loving strangers.” In Peter’s day, traveling Christians would not find a cluster of hotels located at every third exit along the highway, instead they would be at the mercy of families along the way to open their homes and provide food and lodging. You never knew when a roaming friend or stranger might be knocking on your door in need of welcome. However, since the requirement is to be hospitable to one another, I suspect that the phrase is being used in a metaphorical way.

Basically, it should not be a burden on a Christian to help other believers with temporal needs. There should be very little that we regard as inconvenient or imposing. I see this struggle most when one person seeks help from another and the helper is frustrated because it has altered his plan for the day. He has a structure, a routine, and this is messing it all up. He may not help at all, but if he does it will come with some amount of muttering (even if under his breath). But selfless, Christ-like love does not whine about helping others, rather, it counts it a joy and privilege to be used by God as a blessing to others. Christians are to be recognizable by their other-centeredness (cp. John 13:35). Too often we are indistinguishable from the world because of our fussing about how untimely and bothersome it is to serve others. Now, just suppose that Christ took that attitude with you and me.

If anyone speaks, as oracles of God; if anyone serves, as from the strength which God supplies. In order that in everything God might be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is glory and victory into the ages of the ages. Amen! (1 Peter 4:11).

The apostle divides Spiritual gifts under two headings—Gifts of Speech and Gifts of Service. For both groups it is crucial to remember the source of our contributions to the body of Christ. God is our supply.

Gifts of Speech. Some of the gifts granted by the Spirit of God to His people are specifically manifested through talking. Preaching, teaching, exhortation, encouraging, unlearned languages, words of knowledge, words of wisdom and others are all gifts where the benefit comes through speaking (see 1 Cor. 12:8f.). In any situation where a person is speaking for the good of another, the content behind the edifying words must be God’s words. Human wisdom and knowledge are not the tools which the Spirit of God will use to help the church.

It follows, then, that anyone who is “vocally gifted” must become saturated with the Scriptures. If we are going to speak God’s words, then we must have a deep and increasing understanding of His word. And when the time comes to utter them, we must not be timid or shy as though we were speaking the words of mere humans. When we speak, we are to speak as though we are declaring the very oracles of God Himself. To the extent that we are presenting Him correctly, we carry the veracity and authority of the Almighty in our pronouncements. It is degrading to the Lord to present His truth as if it were uncertain or restrained or hesitant or irrelevant. If anyone speaks, speak God’s word and speak as though you really believe them to be the utterances of the omnipotent, omniscient, holy, eternal, sovereign King of the universe.

Gifts of Service. Does God ever grow weary of blessing His people? Does He ever become exhausted to the point that He just cannot go on anymore? Of course not. And the good news is that that inexhaustible supply of energy and power is the fountainhead for our service to others. There may be times when a brief period of restoration and refreshing are good and proper, but generally speaking we ought never to become too tired to serve. This is true especially of those who have Spiritual gifts of service. God will invigorate you, He will renew your strength. You can do all things through Him who gives you strength. We must never grow weary in doing good because our stamina comes from no less than God Himself.

And our goal is that in everything God might be glorified through Jesus Christ. Here is the ultimate attitude check. Are you tired of serving? Do you strive for the approval of men? Does caring for the needs of others cause you to grumble? Do you hold grudges against others who have offended you? Are you bitter? Do you make haphazard, impetuous, foolish decisions? Are your prayers infrequent and stale? Are your feelings a greater determiner of your decisions than your mind? Is the temptation to deny the faith, or to lash out against your attackers, in the face of persecution, almost too strong to bear? If any of these are true of you, maybe you need to evaluate your motives. All of these things either disappear or lessen their grip as we genuinely strive to glorify God with every aspect of our life, whether drinking a cup of cold water or offering our body to be burned. Is it your goal, in all things, to bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ? Of course, every Christian knows the correct answer. However, knowing and doing are sometimes separated by an entire galaxy of space.

I think the phrase, “through Jesus Christ,” is of paramount importance. John Piper has made the central message of his ministry that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. I think Dr. Piper has significantly contributed to the Church’s sense of what it means to love God. His point is well-taken. But from a different perspective, I would argue that God is most glorified in us when we magnify His Son. This is the repeated refrain of the New Testament. As we learned in verse 7, Jesus and His kingdom are the goal or objective of all things. The driving passion of our lives must become the desire to make much of Jesus Christ, to exalt Him, to praise Him, to serve Him, to love Him, to worship Him. Everything was created for the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1f.; Col. 1:15f.). This is God’s goal for all things--that in everything He Himself would be glorified through His Son Jesus. We contribute to that goal when we strive to glorify Christ in everything we do.

To whom is glory and victory into the ages of the ages. Amen! Jesus Christ will be glorified into, and throughout, the eternal future. He deserves all glory, and He will receive it.

Christ also possesses Lordship over all things forever. He has been given dominion over the universe. He has conquered the grave. As we have seen, all demonic and angelic spirits have been placed under His rule. Forever and ever, Amen! Christ is Lord of all.

In addition to the impulsive response of doxology that may erupt in any of us when we contemplate the glory of Christ, Peter mentions Christ’s victory for a purpose. When suffering persecution and oppression, there is nothing more encouraging and motivating than to check our motives to make sure that we have God’s glory as our concern rather than our own comfort, and to remember that Jesus reigns over all things. Even should our opponents defeat us and kill us, their victory will be short-lived and temporary. Our Leader was also put to death, only to rise again and be crowned King of heaven and earth. We, too, will rise again and join Him in triumph. To Him belongs eternal dominion, and all who are citizens of His kingdom will participate in it. We have no reason to fear any threat, for Christ is the risen King.

Category: First Peter

Because [it is] the proper time to begin judgment from the house of God. And if it is first from us, what is the end of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? And if the righteous one is saved with toil and pain, how will the ungodly and sinful appear? As also those who suffer according to the will of God, commit their spirits to a faithful founder in well doing (1 Peter 4:17-19).

Earlier, the apostle declared, “The goal of all things is at hand.” The destination toward which everything has been heading is in sight. When it arrives, universal judgment will arrive with it. Every human being will stand and give an account of himself or herself to the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 14:11-12; 2 Cor. 5:10). Jesus described it as a scene in which all nations would stand before Him and be divided into two groups: those who served Him and those who did not serve Him (Matt. 25:31-46). And just as the consummation of all things has appeared with the coming of Christ the first time, so also the judgment process has begun. Christ is dividing the sheep from the goats even now by bringing those who claim to love Him into a trial by fire. His people will be confirmed and refined by means of pain, suffering, the loss of reputation or property, mockery, even the loss of life. If this is true of Christ’s friends, what will become of His enemies?

Christians experience a “fiery ordeal” in order to separate out the hypocrites and pretenders, but our fire is temporary and benevolent. Unbelievers, however, will experience the unending, ferocious fire of God’s eternal judgment. It will not be for refinement, but for retribution; not for purification, but for punishment; not a trial, but a torment. The lake of fire will not bring rejoicing, it will bring weeping and gnashing of teeth. You do not want to end up there. No matter how intense the suffering of this life becomes, it will not compare to the immensity of misery awaiting those who remain hostile to Christ, or who profess faith at one point only to deny Him later when the temperature rises.

When the trial comes, we must remember that it is all part of God’s gracious plan for us. It is not outside of His will, but an important and effective part of it. When we suffer, it is God’s will. Therefore, we should trust Him and remain steadfast in our diligence to please Him. He killed His Son on the cross for us; how can we not trust Him?

Category: First Peter

Likewise, you younger men be obedient to the elders; and all gird yourselves with humility to one another because God meets the haughty ones in battle, but He gives favor to the humble ones. Therefore, be humble under the strong hand of God, in order that He might raise you in the proper time (1 Peter 5:5-6).

Just as citizens are expected to submit to their government (2:13), and slaves to their masters (2:18), and wives to their husbands (3:1-6), so also are Christian men to submit to the elders. The “younger men” in this verse would include all who are not part of the elder category, thus it is not primarily concerned with age, but with the authority. In 5:1-4, the elders (lit. olders) are commanded not to use the clubs given to them by the Lord for threatening or beating the sheep. In this first phrase of verse 5, the men who are not placed into the position of authority are to submit to those who are. (It is worth noting here that because the authority of the church is placed into the hands of “rulers,” not “a ruler,” each individual elder is required to submit to the collective eldership. Consequently, every Christian--including every elder--is under the authority of the elders of the church.)

Submission is hard. Even when the Creator had provided for them the most heavenly place on earth, our first parents were unwilling to submit to Him. And all of their children have grown up to be just like mom and dad--rebelling against authority and striving to be their own boss and wanting to make their own rules. Just consider your own relationship to the posted speed limits for the roads and highways. Do you willingly comply with them? Every day? Even when you are on a trip across Iowa with nobody watching but the cows in the corn? Do you set the cruise to four miles over the limit thinking that if you pass a cop, he won't pull you over for less than five? Do you think about it? (And if we are unfaithful in the little things, why would anyone expect us to be faithful with the big things?)

And I have not mentioned the struggle of employees to submit to their supervisors, or wives to their husbands. Indeed, a woman who genuinely delights to obey her husband, for the Lord's sake, is a rare jewel. Most women are jewels of the more common type, that is, they know they should submit, they want to submit, they think they submit...but they rarely submit. Of course, I am speaking about Christian women; for non-Christian women, submission is as blasphemous and repulsive as American slavery or Nazism.

Why is it so hard to obey someone else? Though we like to couch it in more positive terms such as, “We think we know better,” or "We have seen authority being abused and we want to protect ourselves," the actual root of our resistance to authority is much simpler and viler. We are, at our core, rebellious and prideful. We don't submit because we don't want to submit. Period. The whole idea of submission rails against our fundamental zeal for autonomy. Citizens disregard the laws of the land because they will not be ruled over by another. Wives despise the concept of submitting to their husband, not because they have a bad husband, but because they have a bad heart. The problem is not the man she married, it's the whole notion of someone else being in charge. And when the elders require things of us that we do not like, or when they fail to meet our expectations, we confidently remind ourselves that, “They're just men. They sin, too. We don't follow men, we follow God.” And in this, too, we show our insubordinate spirit because God is the very one who established the authority of elders (and kings and husbands and masters and...). We are not following God when we refuse to submit, we are following a higher authority--ourselves. 

But the person who truly follows Christ will wrap humility around his body like a full-length coat. He will fight against his own prideful desires and regard himself not as the ruler of others, but as their servant. Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (Matt. 20:28). Even Christ did not rebel against the decisions of the Pharisees or Pilate. He submitted. He drank the cup the Father gave Him. He didn't complain, He didn't resist, He didn't sulk. He obeyed. He did what neither Adam, nor any other man or woman had ever done before--He willingly and completely bowed to the will of God. If we sincerely want to be like Him, then we will labor to be like Him in submission, whether to the king or the boss or the husband or the elders. Like the Lord Jesus, our goal should be to serve others and deny what we perceive to be our own rights and entitlements (cp. Philippians 2:3-11).

This kind of self-denying, others-serving humility actually gains the greatest possible personal benefit--the grace and exaltation of God Himself. If we exalt ourselves and ambitiously work to be the general of our own army, we will find God to be our greatest adversary. He will not give His glory to another, and He will not tolerate idolatry or polytheism. He is God, He is on the throne, and He is sovereign. When we make a move toward the throne in order to occupy it, we provoke Him to rise to meet us in battle. However, when we recognize that our proper place is out in the pigsty, God's amazing grace reaches out to lift us up from the sludge. He delights to give the caterpillar wings. Or to make a diminutive shepherd-boy king of a nation. Or to grant a simple, unknown maiden the privilege of bearing the Messiah. And the examples could be multiplied forever. God looks for humble men and women (Isa. 66:2) in whom He can display His glory and power by raising them to unbelievable heights. In God's economy, the way up is down. Let that motivate us to serve and submit to others.