Category: 1 Peter

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1 Peter

Facing suffering as a church

1 Peter

Throughout this letter, Peter addresses Christians as they face persecution and suffering for the sake of Christ.

He addressed them first as a collective body of Christians throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. As the living stones who were all part of that one spiritual house that God was building.

Then he addressed individual Christians, the slaves, the wives, and the husbands.

Then he addressed them once again as that collective body of believers.

But now in this final chapter, I think he addresses them as individual churches. When the whole church is going through suffering, how should it respond?

It starts from the top and the example the leaders set. Peter tells them to be shepherds who really care for the flock, especially in this time of trial.

It’s easy in times of trial to look out for number one. But leaders especially are not to do that. Nor are they to lord it over their sheep. Rather, they are to put their sheep and their sheeps’ needs above their own.

I’m not sure, but I think perhaps Peter was recalling God’s condemnation of the bad shepherds of Israel in Ezekiel 34, the ones whom God had charged to lead his people, but who instead only lived for themselves.

And it’s possible Peter was saying, “Don’t be like those shepherds. Care for your flock. God will hold you accountable for what you do. But if you are faithful, then,”

When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:4)

Peter then addresses the young men, telling them to be submissive to those in leadership. (5)

It’s easy, especially for those who are younger, to think they know all the answers and to criticize those in leadership. But Peter says, “Submit. Your leaders may not always be right, but submit. Don’t divide the church through your pride.”

Then he said,

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. (5-6)

Like I have said before, in times of trial, it can be easy for people to turn against each other, particularly because of pride.

But Peter says, “Be humble in your dealings with each other. And more importantly be humble before God. And if you do so, he will lift you up out of those sufferings.”

Verse 6 is actually part of one longer idea found in verse 5. Humble yourself before God. Don’t think you can solve all your problems on your own. You can’t. Instead, cast your anxiety on him because he does care for you.

So many times, we can’t find peace in our lives because we fail to do just that. In our pride, we take all these burdens upon ourselves because we can “handle it.”

But God tells us, “Trust me. Humble yourself before me and lay these things in my hand. And I will handle it.”

Peter then tells the church to be on the alert. Satan would destroy them through these trials if he could. But Peter says, stand firm in faith. Remember you’re not alone in your sufferings. Other brothers and sisters are struggling too. So encourage one another.

He then concludes,

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (10-11)

And so we have come full circle. God has called you. He’s sanctifying you each day that you might become more like his Son. Part of that sanctifying process is the sufferings you endure. And God’s purpose in all things is that we might live for Jesus Christ.

But the thing to remember is we don’t have to do this in our own strength. Humble yourself before him. Trust him. And in the end you will come out strong, firm, and steadfast, to his glory.

Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (14)

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1 Peter

Living for the will of God (Part 3)

1 Peter

If there’s one thing that most people don’t think about when it comes to knowing the will of God in their lives, it’s that sometimes it’s God’s will that we go through suffering.

The more I read the New Testament, the more I feel that conclusion is unavoidable. But the other thing that I get is that through those sufferings, God is glorified and so are we.

And so Peter tells us,

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)

Translation: it’s something that is actually normal in the Christian life. It’s normal when people reject you for Christ’s sake.

Why?

Because Christ was rejected too.

Peter says,

But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (13)

In short, rejoice when you suffer unjustly, for Christ suffered unjustly too. But the day will come when he will return and his glory will be revealed. And on that day, all your struggles and suffering will be forgotten.

But even before then, Peter tells us,

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (14)

I can’t help but think of Stephen, facing his accusers just before he was stoned, his face glowing like an angel. (Acts 6:15).

Or of the apostles coming back from their beating at the hands of the Sanhedrin, praying, and then being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and with boldness. (Acts 4:31)

When we suffer for Christ’s sake, the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit rest upon us. And Peter says we are blessed because of it.

So Peter tells us,

If you suffer for as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (16)

He then says something a bit enigmatic.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God.

And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (17-18)

What does he mean by this? I think it means that as Christians, God puts all of us through times of testing. But as we’ve seen in James, this testing is not for the purpose of destroying us, but of refining us like gold, making us more like Christ.

Nevertheless, the process is not pleasant. In fact, it can be quite painful.

But how much better is that than to stand in judgment before God when all your life you have rejected him?

And so though we may suffer for the will of God, know that it always is for our good. More than that, it will be to God’s glory, for when we come out of the fire, we will come forth as gold.

So Peter concludes,

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (19)

Are you going through a time of peace right now? Rejoice. Be thankful. But don’t be surprised if it doesn’t last, for we live in a broken world.

Are you going through suffering? Rejoice. Know that it is only temporary and it will not ultimately be for your destruction, but for your good.

But whatever the case may be, whether you are in times of peace or suffering, commit yourselves to your Creator, and continue to do good. And God will be glorified through you.

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1 Peter

Living for the will of God (Part 2)

1 Peter

A lot of people want to know what God’s will is for their lives. And they tend to think of it in terms of “What job should I have?” “What ministry should I join?” Or “Who should I marry?”

But when Peter talks about living for the will of God, he really doesn’t address these things. Rather, if there’s one thing that he says which describes living for the will of God, it’s this: it’s living for his glory.

A lot of people say they want to know God’s will, but in their everyday lives, they live for themselves and their own glory, not for God and his glory.

How do we live for God and his glory?

For one thing, love one another. It says in verse 8 to love one another earnestly. The word “earnestly” has the idea of being stretched to the limit, as a runner will stretch his muscles to the limit when he’s in a race. In short, live all out in your love for each other.

Peter says that as we do so, love covers a multitude of sins. In our relationships with those around us, especially with our brothers and sisters of Christ, love helps us overlook their faults and to forgive them when they sin against us.

But as we show Christ’s love for those who don’t know him, it also opens the door for Christ to work in their lives and to wash their sins in his blood as they turn to him. So in that sense too, love can cover a multitude of sins.

Either way, we bring God glory through the love that we show for others.

Peter also says to show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9)

When we are going through suffering ourselves, it’s hard to be generous and give of ourselves to others. But as we follow the example of Christ, giving of ourselves even as we suffer, we again bring glory to God.

Finally, Peter reminds us to be faithful with the gifts God has given us and to serve one another. (10)

And once again, this not to our glory but to God’s. Peter says,

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.

If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)

In other words, remember that all our gifts are from God. They will only be truly effective if they are empowered by him. And the end result should not be that people praise us, but him.

How about you? Do you desire to know God’s will in your life? God’s will doesn’t have so much to do with what your job is, what your marriage is, or the different minutia of your life. Rather it comes down to this:

Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31)

Who are you living for?

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1 Peter

Living for the will of God

Prayer

From the very beginning of the letter, Peter made something very clear that he gets back to here. In chapter 1, verse 2, he let us know that we were chosen by God for obedience to Jesus Christ.

And this is a theme that we see throughout this letter. We don’t belong to ourselves. We belong to God. We don’t live for ourselves. We live for God. At least we should be.

Now here in chapter 4, Peter reminds us yet again, we do not live for ourselves, but for the will of God. And it is for that reason reason that we endure suffering and put away sin in our lives. (1-3)

But living for the will of God is not merely avoiding sin and being willing to suffer for his sake. It’s living every moment of every day for him.

Peter says,

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. (1 Peter 4:7)

In short, remember that this life is temporal. Jesus is coming back. And so all that we do should be done with that in mind.

Don’t let the pleasures of this world, the worries of this world, or anything else cloud your mind. And don’t let sin reign in your lives either. All these things take our focus off of what’s truly important: God and his kingdom.

Each day, we should be drawing near to God and doing all we can to bring people into his kingdom. And that’s where most of our prayers should be directed.

But how often do our prayers remain purely self-focused? I’m not saying that we should never pray for ourselves. Jesus, in the model prayer he gave us, encouraged us to do so. (Matthew 6:11).

But remember again, we don’t live for ourselves. And so when we pray, it should start with, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

When we are too focused on ourselves, when our minds our clouded by the things of this world and the worries of this world, we lose sight of that. And when we fall into sin, letting ourselves become slaves to it once more, we definitely lose sight of God and his kingdom in our lives.

That is why Peter writes, “Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”

I don’t think Peter is saying, “so that you may have the ability to pray.” Rather, I think he’s saying, “so that you can pray effectively.”

“So that you can pray according to the will of God.”

“So that you can pray in such a way that God will honor your prayers.”

The NASB puts it, “be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”

In short, we cannot pray effectively according to the will of God if our hearts are not right.

How we pray shows where our priorities are. It also shows how much we are truly living for the will of God.

What do your prayers show about you? Do they show a person living according to the will of God?

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1 Peter

The hope that we have

Noah's ark

When people mock us for our faith, it can be disheartening. And when we are persecuted for our faith, it can be easy to ask why.

“Why does God allow this? Why does he let us suffer? And how long will we have to endure it?”

I think we can find at least some of the answers to that here as Peter compares our experience of suffering and persecution to that of Christ’s and Noah’s. He says,

For Christ died for sins once for all, the unrighteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

He was put to death in the body, but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

In it, only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also — not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.

It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand — with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Noah was undoubtedly mocked and possibly persecuted for warning the people about the coming judgment, and the salvation that God was providing through the ark. He suffered for many years like this before the flood came.

Why?

Because God was showing patience, giving people the chance to repent.

Ultimately, they did not and died in the waters of judgment.

In the same way, many Christians suffer for Jesus sake, and that suffering may seem long. But the reason for this is that God even now is waiting for people to repent.

But just as judgment eventually fell on the unbelievers in Noah’s day, it will fall once again when Jesus returns to judge all people. And their judgment is certain. That, I think, is the point of Peter talking about the “spirits in prison.”

It’s a little unclear who these “spirits in prison” were.

Some think they were demons who had had sexual relations with human women. Others think they were the humans living at the time of Noah who rejected God.

I tend to think it’s the latter, but whoever they were, they are now in some kind of prison, apart from God, and awaiting judgment.

Some people think that when Christ went to preach to them, he was preaching one last chance at salvation. But as I said yesterday, the scriptures are clear that there is no second chance after death.

The word “preach” can also be translated “proclaim.” (The new NIV translates it “made proclamation.”)

And I think what Christ did was proclaim his final victory to those who had rejected God in the past, and to let them know that their fate is now sealed.

But just as Noah was saved through the waters of judgment, so all who put their trust in Christ will be saved through judgment as well.

Peter points out that this is one of the things that water baptism symbolizes, our salvation through judgment.

And that’s the hope that we have. That ultimately justice will come to those who persecute us and don’t repent. But more importantly, mercy and grace will be shown to us and all those who have put their faith in Christ.

But until that time, God is patiently waiting in order that he might show the mercy and grace he gave to us to as many people as possible.

Our suffering is but for a little while. So let us not lose heart. When we suffer for the sake of the gospel and of Christ, it will not be in vain. For Jesus is the king, with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him.

We may not see that now. But we will some day.

So remember the words of the writer of Hebrews.

In just a little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. (Hebrews 10:37-39)

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1 Peter

Living for Christ that others may live

1 Peter

Throughout this letter, Peter has been encouraging his readers to follow the example of Christ in suffering. To not be afraid of people, but to instead set apart Christ as Lord in their lives.

One thing that struck me as I read this is that one of our goals in living for Christ, even to the point of suffering for him, is that others may live. That others may find the life we ourselves have found in Jesus.

That’s why Peter tells us to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have. Because when people see us being willing to even suffer for the sake of Christ, they will ask why, and that opens up a door for God to work in their lives. (1 Peter 3:15)

So Peter encourages us, “If it’s God’s will, then be willing to suffer for doing good, because by doing so, others may find their way into God’s kingdom too.”

He then shows how Jesus was the ultimate example of this in verse 18. He says,

For Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)

Peter’s saying here, “Don’t you see? It was through Christ’s suffering that the door was opened for you to come into God’s kingdom. So be willing to do the same for others.”

Then after reminding us of our ultimate victory through suffering (we’ll get into this tomorrow), he tells us,

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in the body is done with sin. (1 Peter 4:1)

In short, since Christ was willing to suffer in order that you may be saved, take on that same attitude.  Be done with sin in your lives. Stop living for yourselves and your own comfort and start living for God. (4:2)

Peter presses on, saying, “You’ve wasted enough of your life living for yourself, indulging in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and idolatry.

“And all your non-Christian friends think you’re strange because your priorities have changed so much and you don’t want to join in with them any longer.” (1 Peter 4:3)

Not only that, but again, we may face mocking and persecution because we refuse to do so. But Peter reminds us,

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)

Judgment day is coming. People will be judged for rejecting Christ. And so Peter again reminds us of our mission while we are here.

For this reason, the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)

This is a little difficult to interpret, but I strongly doubt it’s saying that people get another chance after they die. Other scriptures argue against it (Hebrews 9:27, Luke 16:26).

What it seems to be saying is that there are people who now dead who had the gospel preached to them. And the reason the gospel was preached to them is that though they might die physically as all do because of Adam’s sin, nevertheless, they will find life with God forever.

And that’s what we need to keep in mind. A day of judgment is coming. We may be saved, but others aren’t.

What are we doing about them? Are we reaching out to them with the love of Christ? Can they even see a difference in us which makes them question why?

Or are we simply living for ourselves, not caring that many are going to hell each day.

God cared. He cared enough to send his Son for us.

The question is, do we?

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1 Peter

Living as servants of God (Part 4)

1 Peter

After addressing specific examples of how people should live as servants of God (slaves, wives, and husbands), Peter now addresses us all.

First he addresses how we are to relate to one another.

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)

I can’t help but think of Jesus’ words at this point when he told his disciples,

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-35)

In 1 Peter 3:8, I think Peter is merely expanding on the words of Jesus.

Again, the context of this comes in part from chapter 2 verse 12, that we live such lives among the pagans that they can see our good deeds and glorify God. But this is difficult to do when we can’t even get along with one another.

He then returns to the topic of how we, as Christ’s servants, are to deal with suffering and persecution. And we are not to respond as the world often does, with bitterness and retaliation. Rather, we are to respond with blessing. (9)

Again, this echoes the words of Christ who told us,

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:28)

And Peter says that if we bless others, we ourselves will receive blessing from God.

Peter also tells us that in the face of evil, we are not to respond with evil. (1 Peter 3:9)

Rather, he quotes Psalm 34 and admonishes us to watch our tongues, to turn from evil, and to seek peace and pursue it.  (10-12)

That’s hard to do. It certainly was in Peter’s time. Nero literally lit up Christians as torches at his garden parties. Peter himself was crucified under Nero’s order.

But Peter says,

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”  (14)

And then he comes to the key verse of this passage.

But in your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. (15)

Why should slaves put up with unjust treatment from their owners?

Why should wives submit to their husbands?

Why should husbands respect their wives?

Why should we love one another in the church?

Why should we turn from evil when persecuted and bless those who abuse us?

Because Jesus is Lord of our lives. At least, he should be.

And Peter charges us here to set him apart as Lord in our hearts. To remember that ultimately we are his servants. And that as his servants, we are to shine his light to the world.

But we can’t do that if we’re living for ourselves, putting our own personal desires and goals above his kingdom.

With that in mind, then, in the face of suffering and persecution, Peter tells us,

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (15b-16)

Eventually, if we keep living as Christ’s servants, people will start to wonder why, even our persecutors, and then they will ask.

And when they do, it opens up the opportunity for us to bring them into God’s kingdom too. But that will never happen if we are living for ourselves.

That’s why Peter concludes by saying,

It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (17)

Certainly none of us wants to suffer. But if we suffer not because we did evil, but because we have been living as servants of Christ, we will see God’s kingdom increase and God will reward us for it.

How about you? Who and what are you living for?

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1 Peter

Living as servants of God (Part 3)

Wedding rings

From the very beginning of this letter, we’ve seen that we were chosen by the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ.

In short, we were chosen not to live for ourselves, but for Jesus Christ.

And in this passage we see how this extends to the family and how we relate to each other in marriage.

Peter tells the wives,

In the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (1 Peter 3:1-2)

That’s not a popular message among many women today.

Some try to completely tie this message to the culture of the day and say its not relevant for marriages today. And certainly, husbands in Peter’s day had far more authority in the home than we see today.

But throughout Paul’s letters as well in Ephesians and Colossians, you see this same message given to wives. There’s no getting around it.

But the main question again is why? Why submit to your husband? Because you are first and foremost a servant of Christ. And he has told you to do so.

More, by doing so, you become a light to your husband.

He sees not a woman that lives merely for herself, but one that lives for her Lord. One whose beauty is not simply in her jewelry, clothing, or hairstyle, but whose beauty is rooted in a transformed heart. A heart that reflects the Lord who saved her.

And when he sees that, not only will he become more attracted to you, he will often times become more attracted to your Lord as well. Isn’t that our job as servants and ambassadors of Christ?

Sometimes women fear they will be taken advantage of if they submit to their husbands. Unfortunately, some will be. But Peter encourages you to be like Sarah, and do what is right, submitting to your husband and not give way to fear. (6)

And God will honor you for that.

As I mentioned yesterday, this does not mean submitting to physical abuse. If that’s happening, get out of there. Protect yourself.

But through it all, maintain the attitude of Christ who, “when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (2:23)

Husbands, on the other hand, you too are servants of Christ. Your wife, however, is not your servant. She is Christ’s. And in Christ, she is a sister and fellow heir. So Peter says,

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (7)

Your wife may be physically weaker than you; she may, by your estimation, be more emotionally fragile.

But that does not give you any right to impose your will on her as a common bully would. You are to treat her with respect because Christ treats her with respect.

And as much as you have received the gracious gift of life, so has she. If you ever forget that, God will hold you accountable for it.

Peter says God will not even hear your prayers if you treat your wife wrongly.

In short, remember that in marriage, you and your spouse are both servants of Christ. And that should show in how you treat each other.

How do you treat your spouse?

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1 Peter

Living as servants of God (Part 2)

1 Peter

I suppose one of the groups of people that had the hardest time submitting to authority were the slaves in Peter’s time.

One of the things that had to attract them to the teaching of Christ was the idea that “there is neither…slave nor free…for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

And yet, they were still stuck in a situation where that didn’t seem true. They were slaves of another.

Some had masters that were good and kind. But others had masters that were far from either. And sometimes these slaves were beaten for no good reason.

It would be easy in that situation for the slaves to feel like running away or rebelling.

But Peter told them,

Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also those who are harsh.

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?

But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God. (1 Peter 2:18-20)

In short, continue to treat your masters with respect, even if you feel that they don’t deserve it. In doing this, you prove yourself to be a true servant of God and he will commend you for it.

None of us, I’m sure, have to endure this kind of thing. Even people who have “slave-drivers” for bosses have the option to leave. Slaves in Peter’s day didn’t.

But there are those of us who are ill-treated by others for no reason. Even worse, someone who has authority over you may be treating you this way, and it may not be easy for you to get out of the situation.

It may be a parent. It may be a teacher. Or it may indeed be a boss in a job that you absolutely have to have. But whatever the case, you’re feeling beat down and can see no way out.

And it would be easy in those situations to show disrespect back to those who disrespect you. To abuse those who abuse you.

But to be a servant of Christ means to follow his example in the face of suffering. Or as Peter puts it, to “follow in Christ’s steps.” (21)

Christ, of course, was spat upon, slandered, beaten, and ultimately crucified. But in the midst of it all,

He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.

Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. (22-23)

Why did he do all this? For us.

And he did this not so that we would continue to walking in sin, living for ourselves. But rather that we might, “die to sin and live for righteousness,” living as his servants and ambassadors. (24)

Once we had been going our own way, far from God, and making a wreck of our lives. But through Christ, he has healed our wounds, and we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. (24-25)

So let us not go back to our old ways, inflicting wounds on those around us, even when they seem intent on inflicting wounds upon us.

Rather let us live as God’s servants, following the example Christ gave us, and being his representatives of light, even to those who abuse us.

Am I saying then that if your health or life is in danger to stay in that situation? Not at all. Get out of there. Protect yourself.

But in all your dealings with those who abuse you, treat them as Christ treated those who abused him.

And God will ultimately reward and bless you for it.

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1 Peter

Living as servants of God

1 Peter

I mentioned in an earlier blog that sometimes Christians live as if God were an upgrade to their lives.

The result of this is that they pretty much continue to live as they did before but they add on a few things. They add on church. They add on Bible reading and prayer. And perhaps they get rid of a few “bad habits.”

But other than that, they live the rest of their lives pretty much as they want to live it.

But God is not interested in being an upgrade in our lives. He’s interested in being our Lord. And he’s not interested in making us “better.” He’s interested in making us new creations, people who are the very likeness of his Son, and who represent him to the world.

And so Peter says,

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:12)

Those words are very reminiscent of Jesus’ own words when he said,

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

As Christ’s servants, we are his representatives to the world around us. We don’t merely represent ourselves anymore. We represent him. As a result, God cares very much about how we act, because what we do reflects on him.

One of the chief ways we represent him is how we relate to authority in our lives. Do we have proper respect for the authorities that God has put in place, particularly government officials? According to Peter, we must (2:13-14). Why?

For it is God’s will that by doing good that you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. (15)

When we disrespect our government, thus showing a lack of respect for authority, it reflects poorly on us and the God we say we represent. Even worse, we do so in a very public manner.

Paul was mindful of this even when he was on trial and unlawfully struck at the order of the high priest. (Acts 23:2-5)

But Peter’s key point is found in verse 16.

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (16)

In short, yes, you have been set free from the rules and regulations of religion. But your freedom should never be an excuse for sin and for living however you want to. Why not?

Because we are not our own. We were bought with a price. (I Corinthians 6:19-20). And now we are servants of God himself. So let us live that way.

How does that look? Peter tells us.

Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. (17)

How about you? What kind of representative of God are you? When others see you, do they see him? Or do they see only you?

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1 Peter

Because we don’t belong here

Traveler

Having lived in Japan for 20 years, I sometimes feel like a man without a country. Of course I am American, but having been out of country so long, I am totally out of touch with the culture there and how things have changed over the years.

On the other hand, even having been in Japan so long, I am in many ways still an outsider. Or as we say in Japanese, a “gaijin.”

But maybe that’s not such a bad thing, because I don’t belong to this world. Not really. And neither do you if you’re a Christian. Christ has purchased us at a great price, not with silver or gold, but with his own blood. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

And he bought us to be his own people.

Like I said before, one of the key words in I Peter is “exiles” or “strangers.” We don’t belong here. And Peter goes into great detail as to the implications of this.

He says,

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

In short, because we are exiles and strangers, prepare yourself for the things that are to come.

There will be hardships and even persecution for following Christ. But don’t falter because of that. Don’t look back longingly on your old life. Rather, set your hope on the grace you will receive when Christ comes back.

What grace? The grace of eternal life. Of things that will never perish, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for you. (1:4)

And because of that hope we have, don’t conform yourself to the evil desires that would destroy you; conform yourself to God. Make it your goal to become more like him. To be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.

Our lives are so often broken because of sin. And by clinging to sin, our lives become even more broken. But when we let go of our sin and of doing things our way, and when we turn to God, doing things his way, our lives are made whole and complete.

And on the day of judgment, we will be rewarded.

So as Peter writes,

Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:17)

What does that mean to live as strangers here?

It means to live each day in faith, hope, and love. Faith and hope that God will do all that he has promised (1:21). And loving each other as he commanded us. (1:22)

It means to remember that the life that we have is something eternal. Life here on earth is short, but it is only preparation for what is to come after death. (1:23-25)

It means to get rid of the poisons that we drink in each day, poisons that the people of this world drink in daily, the poisons of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. (2:1)

These poisons and other sinful desires wage war against our souls and will destroy us if we continue to drink them in. (2:11)

Instead, we are to drink in the milk of God’s Word so that we can grow as his children. (2:2)

Most of all, it means to come to the One that this world has rejected.

To come to Jesus as people who belong to his house.

To be a part of that spiritual house he is building.

To be his priests, offering spiritual sacrifices to God in our speech, in our actions, in our lives. (2:4-8)

And as we do, we will shine his light to a world trapped in darkness. (2:9, 12)

So remember who you are.

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

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1 Peter

The reason for our hope

1 Peter

Peter was writing to a people that were suffering persecution, most likely under Nero.

We don’t know the exact circumstances under which Peter wrote this letter, but it was probably either just before Nero started his full bore persecution of the church or just after.

Either way, it would have been easy for the Christians to get discouraged. And so Peter reminds them the reason for their hope.

And it goes back to the first two verses of this chapter. That God in in his foreknowledge chose them and purified them by the blood of Jesus, and sanctified them by the Spirit for obedience to Christ.

Now Peter goes into much further detail.

He says,

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Here we see the exact basis of our hope: the resurrection of Christ.

By Christ’s resurrection, God confirmed that Jesus’ payment for our sin on the cross was enough. And through that same resurrection, we now have hope beyond the grave. As Jesus told his disciples,

Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19)

Now through his mercy, he has given us new life, our salvation is secure.

Though Satan seeks to destroy us, God’s power shields us as we stand in faith, and his power will continue to shield us until the day Jesus returns. And on that day, we will receive an inheritance that can never “perish, spoil, or fade.”

Because of this, Peter can say,

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (6-7)

Why can we we rejoice in the midst of trial? Because these trials are just for “a little while.”

And God doesn’t allow us to go through these trials in order to destroy us, but to purify us and make us more like his Son. Jesus himself suffered greatly, and as we share in his sufferings, we become more like him.

How do our sufferings make us more like Christ? They cause us to remember that we are mere strangers in this world.

As we saw yesterday, we don’t truly belong to this world. And as we see that, we start to focus not on the temporal, but the eternal.

We lay aside the sins which promise temporary joy, for things that bring eternal joy.  And as we do that, all the junk that clings to us slides off and we become as pure as gold.

As Job said,

[God] knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

And Peter says that all this is to God’s praise, glory, and honor first and foremost, for he is the one who chose us. But I also have to believe that we also will receive praise, glory and honor from God as well.

So with all this in mind, Peter concludes,

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your soul. (8-9)

Does that describe you, even as you go through trials? If not, then it’s time to get back to basics.

Remember that God loves you and has chosen you as his own.

Remember the cross by which Christ purchased you.

Remember Christ’s resurrection by which we have hope of our own resurrection.

Remember the inheritance that we have in heaven.

And if you do, you will come forth as gold.

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1 Peter

Who we are. Who we are called to be.

Path through the wilderness

I don’t always take so much time looking at the greeting section of these letters in the New Testament. But as much as any letter in the New Testament, and perhaps more, this greeting connects to everything else that is written in this letter.

Peter starts by identifying himself and who he is writing to, saying

Peter, and apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. (1 Peter 1:1)

Here we see two things about who we are and who we are called to be in this one verse.

Peter calls us, “God’s elect.” Not that we are somehow in ourselves more “elect” or special than others. But that God in his grace chose to save us and make us his own. Not because of who we are, but because of who he is.

He also calls us “strangers in the world.” That can also be translated, “exiles of the Dispersion.”

The “Dispersion” usually referred to the Jews who were scattered throughout the world, far away from their homeland.

But here Peter uses the word figuratively of all Christians. We are all citizens of a heavenly country, and yet we are scattered all over this world, like strangers in a foreign land. And this is a theme that comes up more than once in this letter.

Peter then says of us that we have been

…chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood. (2)

Here again, we see how God in love chose us and through Christ’s blood purified us from all sin. But not only has he chosen us and purified us, he is constantly working in us. Day by day he is sanctifying us, and making us more like his Son.

And we were chosen not to live for ourselves, but for obedience to Jesus Christ. He is to be the Lord and King of our hearts, and we his servants.

That’s who we are and who we are called to be. And if you want to understand the rest of this letter, you need to understand these things.

But so often we don’t. Even many Christians fail to grasp this. They think of their Christianity as an upgrade to their lives in this world.

What they don’t understand is that God is not interested in upgrading our lives. He is interested in making us entirely new people. People who reflect his Son. People who no longer live as if this world is their home, but who remember that their true citizenship is in heaven.

And for this  purpose, he sent his Son into the world to suffer and die to take the punishment for our sins. And for this purpose, Jesus sent his Spirit into the hearts of all who believe in him to transform us into his likeness.

How about you? Do you understand who you are and who you are called to be?

Or do you still live as a citizen of this world, acting as if you truly belong here?

If you’re a Christian, you don’t belong to this world.

You were created by God and for him. You were chosen by him and sanctified by the Holy Spirit for obedience to Christ. And until you understand that and live that way, you will never truly understand who you are and who you are called to be.

Do you understand this?