I Peter 2:13-25 - Respect and Service

Respect and Service

1 Peter 2:13-25

New Living Translation (NLT)

Respecting People in Authority

¹³ For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state, ¹⁴ or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.

¹⁵ It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. ¹⁶ For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. ¹⁷ Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.

I once had a Greek professor who was very tough. I was in a class of 24 students, of which a few were taking his class for the second or third time. You could not pass New Testament Greek if you did not study. It wasn’t a class you could fluff your way through. However, I never heard any of those repeating students complain about the professor. Instead, I saw tremendous respect for him. I think I discovered why. The professor gave respect to every student…he treated each one as a valued person, and never put anyone down for not having his homework done. In return, the students wanted to do their best for this professor, and he was held in very high esteem.

Respect. You cannot possess integrity without respect. You cannot show love without respect. How much you are respected is often reflected by how much you respect others. Peter addressed the issue in this portion of his first letter. He made it very clear that God instituted governmental authority, and it was man’s responsibility to respect that system by submitting to its laws. The only exception would be if the civil law violated a law of God.

Obedience to the civil law calls for respect for the authorities that govern that law. As Christians we are called to be good citizens as an example to others. The freedom we have as followers of Christ does not give us the right to live as we please and ignore authority. How we treat others speaks loudly about who we are. Because everyone is made in God’s likeness, and has the potential to become His follower, we are to show them our respect. By doing so, we honor our King. When we demonstrate the love of Christ to those who are not worthy of it, we show what true Christianity is all about. We serve Christ by serving those for whom He died.

Slaves

¹⁸ You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. ¹⁹ For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. ²⁰ Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.

In these verses Peter gives us some guidelines on how to handle being mistreated. It is only human to blame others, and want to get even. What starts with resentment for our “ill treatment” quickly turns into seeking to get revenge. Then bitterness settles in, turning our hearts into stone. We feel sorry for ourselves, but that only leads to depression. Sometimes we put our feelings on the back burner and allow them to simmer for a season, but that will never solve anything. Eventually the simmer will blow its top.

Peter gives us a better way to handle what seems to be unfair treatment. In the culture of his day, the Roman Empire, ruled by Nero, treated Christians very cruelly. Yet Peter told the Christians they were not to resist government leadership or try to overthrow the government. Instead they were to give to Caesar what was his, including respect and honor, because of his leadership role.

Also in that culture, slaves were expected to do all the work, while the Romans remained the masters. Slaves were not considered to be people, but things, and they had no rights. Even though there was a certain freedom in becoming a Christian, slaves were still to humble themselves, submitting to their masters. In that way, their attitudes were a testimony to the difference Christ made in their lives.

In today’s culture this passage might be more of a reference to the relationship between an employee and employer, or perhaps even relationships within church leadership. We are called to submit to those over us, and keep a right attitude. Such submission can only come about by first of all submitting to God, depending upon Him to give us patience and endurance in the face of adversity. He gave us an Example to follow.

Our Example

²¹ For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered^[c] for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

²² He never sinned,
nor ever deceived anyone.
²³ He did not retaliate when he was insulted,
nor threaten revenge when he suffered.
He left his case in the hands of God,
who always judges fairly.
²⁴ He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds
you are healed.

²⁵ Once you were like sheep
who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd,
the Guardian of your souls.

We are not called to do anything that Christ Himself has not done. He was rejected, betrayed, brutally beaten to the point of death’s door, and then hung on a cross in shame…yet He did not retaliate. Instead He willingly gave His life so that others could know there is a better way to live.

To be able to forgive is divine, and through Christ we have that power. Our focus is changed from being “self”-centered to being “others”-centered, so that Christ receives the glory and praise. In that, there is true freedom…freedom from self, freedom to serve. As we do, we keep our eyes on Jesus, our Supreme example who sacrificed Himself because of His love for us. It is our privilege to follow His example.

My life verse summarizes what Peter is saying to us in this passage:

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13, NLT)

The Distinctive Mark of Godly Fear - I Peter 1:17-21 - Part A

Peter reminds the believers that as Christians they are temporary sojourners on this earth and that they ought to live in awe of God.  After all, who are we that we should have an intimate family relationship with the Judge and King of all earth?


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


It is an awesome privilege to call God, who is the Judge over all, our Father.  It means we cannot ignore God or treat Him casually, or live as spoiled children.  Rather, we are to be grateful and show respect to our heavenly Father.  God does not play favorites and therefore judges impartially according to each one's deeds.  However, His judgement is ultimate, and because of this there should be a holy reverence for God by living in obedience, and shunning evil.


Sojourners, or strangers in a foreign land, do not have the rights of citizenship, but are only temporary residents, such as Israel was in Egypt.  In that same manner, Christians are only temporary residents on this earth, and must live as though they do not belong here...nor do they plan to stay.


to be continued...

Even Angels Stand in Awe - I Peter 1:12

I Peter 1:12 – Even Angels Stand in Awe

They were told that these things would not happen during their lifetime, but many years later, during yours. And now this Good News has been announced by those who preached to you in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen . (NLT)

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (NIV)

The one thing the prophets did know is that it would not happen in their life time. They knew it was a future event. Peter says it was an event which happened during the life time of his readers (the Christian communities, mostly Gentiles living in Pontius, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia, and Bythinia.) The Good News/Gospel of Jesus Christ was announced and preached to these believers. The same Holy Spirit who inspired the prophets to foretell the events of Christ's life has now prompted Peter and Paul and many others to proclaim that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has made it possible for everyone alike (Jews and Gentiles) to have eternal life in heaven with Jesus. Even the angels stand amazed as they watch these events unfold. Like a heavenly choir watching the drama unfold, and then lifting their voices in praise and adoration to God. (CDC)

In this verse Peter continues to refer to the prophets. They knew that the coming of the Messiah would not happen in their life time, but they were faithful to speak forth the messages that were given to them by God's Holy Spirit. The messages they spoke never became outdated, like our news of today. They foretold of the good news that would make an eternal difference. It was a message for all generations...the salvation of God.

Peter reminds us in this verse that even the heavenly hosts...the angels themselves are not able to experience the results of the messages that the prophets spoke. The angels want to gain insight into salvation, for they stand in awe at the wonder of God's redemptive purpose.

I guess the best way to describe what this verse is saying to us is to listen to the words and music of the song, “A Song Holy Angels Cannot Sing.” I posted it on my blog before I actually began blogging about the individual verses. I was studying these first 12 verses of I Peter, and that song came to mind, but I couldn't recall the exact words, nor the title. Then somehow my husband was able to research it on the web and found it recorded by the North Valley Baptist Church (I don't know where the church is located). So with delight I again post the web site for you to listen to the song. I will write the words below so you can sing along:

“Angels never knew the joy that is mine,
For the blood has never washed their sins away;
Though they sing in heaven, there will come a time
When silently they'll listen to me sing "Amazing Grace".

Chorus:
It's a song holy angels cannot sing,
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!
It's a song holy angels cannot sing,
I once was lost, but now I'm found!

Holy is the LORD, the angels sing,
All around the throne of GOD continually;
For me to join their song will be a natural thing,
But they just won't know the words to "Love Lifted Me".

Chorus:
It's a song holy angels cannot sing,
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!
It's a song holy angels cannot sing,
I once was lost, but now I'm found!”


There's a button here to listen to it...http://north-valley-baptist-church-a-song-holy--mp3-download.kohit.net/_/417713/mp3player.php?single=1&tellafriend=http://North-Valley-Baptist-Church-A-Song-Holy--mp3-download.kohit.net/_/417713&id=417713.  

The Prophets Didn't Understand

I Peter 1: 10-11 – The Prophets Didn't Understand

This salvation was something the prophets wanted to know more about. They prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you, even though they had many questions as to what it all could mean. They wondered what the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and his great glory afterward. They wondered when and to whom all this would happen. (NLT)

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. (NIV)

Even the prophets who foretold of God's salvation didn't understand what it meant. They wanted to know more...they spoke as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, but they didn't have all the answers. They foretold of the great sorrow and suffering the Son of God would go through...and His victory over sin and death...but they didn't know when it would happen, how it would happen, and to whom it would happen. (CDC)

The prophets of the Old Testament were inspired by the same Spirit of Christ that Peter refers to in these verses. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead who was also present at creation. He prompted the prophets to write of the sufferings that Jesus would go through, and the ultimate glory that Christ would receive. They didn't understand all that they predicted, but they were faithful to deliver God's message. God spoke through His Spirit in their day, but it wasn't until the death of Jesus Christ that the Holy Spirit would actually dwell within man...the Gift that Jesus sent on the day of Pentecost...the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Although the prophets spoke about the salvation of Christ, it was not for them to witness the life and death of Jesus. This is sometimes too mysterious for us to understand, even though we live on this side of the cross, and the prophets lived before the cross. Isaiah wrote “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Isaiah 53:3-5 predicts the suffering of Jesus Christ:

He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. (NLT)

The prophets were very diligent in their search to understand the message of the grace of God. However, they lived in the day of predictions, not the day of fulfillment. The sufferings of Christ which Isaiah foretold climaxed at the cross, but His glories climaxed at His resurrection. What seems to be true is that neither Jesus, nor His followers, receive a crown of glory without first wearing the crown of thorns.

What the prophets foretold in the Old Testament became the message of the Gospels in the New Testament. The preachers of the New Testament had the power of the Holy Spirit within them...the same Spirit who inspired the prophets of the Old Testament. Therefore the preachers of the New Testament understood the Old Testament teachings of Jesus Christ, such as Isaiah 53, because of the witness of the same Spirit dwelling in them. No doubt the prophets would have aspired to be the apostles if they had understood everything clearly. How they would have loved to have walked with God's Son and seen the miracles that He performed. However, God had a time and a place and a purpose for the prophets; and He had a time and a place and a purpose for the apostles...the preachers of the New Testament.

God also has a reason for our existence and the times we are living in. We have been born for such a time as this. We must be like the prophets of old, having faith in God, even when we don't understand the outcome. All He asks is that we trust Him. I plan to do just that...how about you? There are a lot of things I don't understand...why evil seems to prevail, why the saints of God have to suffer, and innocent children are abused. We are living in vile times...but we are not out of God's control. He is sovereign, and one day He will reveal Himself to the whole world, and He will reign forever and ever. I plan to join Him...so I am content to allow Him to be in charge. I wait on Him, and trust Him all the while. Join me.

Our Final Salvation - Verse 9

I Peter 1:9 – Our Final Salvation

Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. (NLT)

...for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (NIV)

Our prize, our great reward, for trusting and believing in One we have not seen or touched is the final salvation of our souls...the final glorification into perfection...the end result of a perfect life that will last forever and will never face another trial, will never experience another rejection, will never feel another pain, will never shed another tear. (CDC)

“All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore, What a day, glorious day that will be.” (“What A Day That Will Be”)

We can rejoice because we know that one day we will be delivered from limitations of this life. We have a guaranteed deliverance which will result in the perfection and glorification of our bodies. Our salvation is a very present reality, but the fullness of that salvation...the goal of our faith...will occur when we are set free from this earth and these bodies.

Our trials here will all be ended as our souls are transported to the great reward ceremony in heaven. The Hebraic meaning of “souls” includes the whole person. We will join our loved ones at the greatest banquet of them all.

Paul was referring to the final salvation...the glorification of our souls when he reminded the Romans:

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. (Rom 5:3-4)

No matter what we are going through in this body, on this earth, if we will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and develop endurance and strength of character, we will build our confidence and our faith in knowing what is sure, what is to come...our final salvation, our glorification, our entrance into our heavenly home. And this is not the end, but only the beginning of a perfect life, an eternal life, a life without strife. We will see our Hope revealed.

“Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning!” (Bill Gaither)

Purified by Trials - I Peter 1:7

I Peter 1:7 – Purified by Trials

These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (NLT)

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (NIV)

In order for our faith to grow, we must face trials. Only as we trust God to see us through our tribulations is our faith made stronger. Through fiery trials we are purified, becoming more and more like the Son of God, Jesus Christ. (CDC)

There are three reasons we go through trials: 1) to keep us humble; 2) to help our faith grow; and 3) to teach us compassion. We are being refined as we go through the firey trials of life, for God is in the business of purifying us. The purpose of purification is so we begin to have a glowing likeness to Jesus Christ.

Sometimes in our times of troubles we feel like we are being pulled downstream by a rapid current. However, God knows exactly where we are. When He delivers us out of the raging waters, in His timing, we are turned back around to face the river. As we see others going through their distresses and disappointments, God gives us compassion to reach out to them. When we do, we bring glory and honor to Him.  Somehow He uses these experiences to make us stronger...to make us more in the image of His Son.

Other New Testament authors have written letters that reinforce what Peter has written:

• Paul writes in Romans 5:3: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. (NIV)

• James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (NLT)

Our faith is much more precious to God than gold. Gold is purified by fire, but our faith is refined and made pure by going through fiery trials and tests. When we come through those times in our our lives, we are made stronger in our faith, and our character is shaped more into the character of Christ. God loves us so much He wants to make us in the image of His Son...He wants to perfect us.

I don't know about you, but I am one who needs perfecting. God is the only One I can trust with that process. I don't need to fear, because He is going through this process of life with me. Meanwhile, He is preparing a place for me in heaven where there will be no more testing, no more trials, no tears, no heartaches, no sorrow. All will be peace forever more! (John 14:1-3).

Where Our Joy Comes From - I Peter 1:6

I Peter 1:6 – Where Our Joy Comes From

So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. (NLT)

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

This life will have many obstacles to overcome, but because God has promised to be with us, we can look beyond our current circumstance and keep our focus on the prize before us...the Hope of Heaven. That hope is where our joy comes from. (CDC)

I am sure that believers in Christ realize what a privilege we have, knowing that God is watching over us. Also, we truly believe that we have an eternal home in heaven someday. We experience hope in God's provisions and protection here and now, plus we have the assurance that our future is going to be a blessed event, beyond our comprehension. Still, because we are human, there are times that we get discouraged and feel the burden of our pain and sorrow in the trials we go through. God created our emotions...He totally understands our grief. That's why He wants us to read His word, His love letter to us, on a regular basis. His Holy Spirit inspired the authors of each of the 66 books of the Bible to write so that we might gain insight and encouragement from the Word of God.

Peter is specifically writing to encourage believers. He is telling us to remember our trials are only for a season. Comedian Mark Lowry's favorite verse is “And it came to pass.” No matter what we are going through, it will pass. Life has a rhythm to it, just like a heartbeat. There are ups and downs in the pattern. We are sometimes on mountain tops and sometimes in the valley. That's the way God designed the mountains...to have valleys in between. If life was the same every day, we would become bored and discontent. If we read a book where there is no mystery, no dilemma to catch our attention, would we keep reading? No...we want to see how the problems are resolved and how the story turns out. That's the way life is. Only...if we keep the faith...we already know the ending is nothing but good...full of unbelievable blessings and rewards. Our trials are the means by which our faith is strengthened, and they cause us to look forward to Christ's return and our eternal hope...a time when there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more grief.

Even when we are going through the valleys, the storms of life, we know deep down inside that as a child of God, He is with us. If we are in a right relationship with Him, we have an inner sense of peace and well-being. There is no reason to stay up at night worrying. God wants us to go to sleep and leave the problem with Him. Our joy is not dependent up on our current circumstances, for we know that God will work all things out in His time. When we compare our current circumstances to our new birth, our living hope, and our inheritance in heaven, we find reason to keep our head up, our eyes focused on Jesus, and moving forward, even if only one baby step at a time.

The pain of failure is one reason we grieve. Peter very well remembers the time when he failed Jesus, and the pain it caused him. On the night Jesus was betrayed in the garden by the kiss of Judas, Peter denied even knowing Him three times. Then the rooster crowed and his eyes met the eyes of Jesus. He knew he had utterly failed his Best Friend. How could he have done such a thing? How could Jesus ever forgive him? He had behaved just as Jesus had said he would, and now here he was...at the bottom. But Peter accepted Christ's forgiveness, and refocused, making his life count for God's Kingdom. We, too, have to let go of the pain of our past, and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).

The pain of loss is another reason we grieve. Jesus himself also experienced deep sorrow. At the tomb of His close friend Lazarus, He wept. Tears, which God collects in bottles, is His way of bringing inner healing. Because Jesus felt the same emotions we feel, He promised to be with us to guide us through the maze of sorrow and grief. Peter tells us later on in this letter to “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7) And the Psalmist reminds us that: "Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy." (Psalms 126:5) May it be an encouragement to us that God is indeed watching over us! He knows exactly what we are going through, and what our future holds. He wants us to trust Him.  


"God of the Mountain" by Lynda Randal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V65EPF2S-s0

Salvation: Past, Present, Future - I Peter 1:5

I Peter 1:5

And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. (NLT)

...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. (NIV)

Meanwhile, as we await our eternal destination, our Heavenly Father, who is all powerful, will watch over us and protect us. As we trust Him, He will see us through the storms of life. There is coming a day when the storms will cease and all will be peace forevermore. (CDC)

Is salvation a done deal, or is it something we strive toward throughout our whole life? Well, I suppose the answers for that question is why we have so many denominations and creeds of belief. I don't think God meant for it to be so difficult to understand.

The Beacon Bible Expositions points out three salvations:

1. We are saved when we receive Jesus into our hearts. This is an accomplished fact. Ephesians 2:8 says: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
2. However, salvation is an on-going process. You don't stop growing spiritually once you surrender your life to Jesus. You've really just begun to truly live a life of Godly purpose. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (I Cor 1:18)
3. Salvation is also yet to come into it's grand finale when we are glorified.(Rom 13:11) This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

Another way of stating these three salvations is to say that salvation is:

• past – when a person first believes
• present – through the on-going process of sanctification
• future – when our sanctification is completed through glorification...at the time of the return of Christ.

While we await our glorification, God is protecting us. He has a shield around us...the shield of faith. The power of God is able to keep us until the end if we keep our faith placed in Him. God already knows when His appointed time will be...when all earthly things will end, and His kingdom will reign forever and ever. We do not know, but with our choice to trust Him, not going by feelings, but by faith, we can rest assured there is coming a day when our pain and sorrow will be over. God will wipe away all of our tears, and we will be safe forevermore. Jim Hill penned the such an appropriate song for this passage: “What A Day That Will Be”:

“There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come

No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye.

All is peace forevermore on that happy, golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,

No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;

And forever I will be with the One who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus:

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be!

A Heavenly Inheritance - I Peter 1:4

I Peter 1:4

For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. (NLT)

...and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, (NIV)

The children of God have the guarantee of eternal life in heaven. Though we die, yet we will live. Our earthly bodies will decay, return to dust, but our souls, our heavenly bodies, will be raised in purity and perfection...never to change or decay. What a priceless treasure God has reserved for us. (my personal translation [CDC version] of verse 4)

As believers we have an inheritance that is waiting for us in heaven, a place where it remains forever under God's care. It will never diminish in its luster, never spoil, never be stolen by thieves. God gave the people of the Old Testament land as an inheritance, but our inheritance is a spiritual reality that far exceeds earthly land.

Once you become a believer in Christ, you have made your reservation in heaven. The Beacon Bible Commentary describes it this way: “Two men were traveling to a convention. They arrived late. One was told with regret that there were no rooms available. The other was handed a key. When the first man asked “How come you get a room and I don't?” the other replied, “I phoned ahead and made a reservation.” Have you made your reservation?

A Living Hope - I Peter 1:3

I Peter 1:3

3 All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. (NLT)

3 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, (NIV)

Our hope is in Jesus Christ. Because He rose from the dead, we who place our faith in Him live with the privilege of being born anew. This privilege stems from the mercy of God, who deserves all of our honor and praise. (my personal translation [CDC version] of verse 3)

Apostle Peter penned his first letter to Christians who were undergoing persecution. In the midst of their suffering, he wanted to encourage them by sending them words of HOPE. Hope, to him, was a firm conviction of something that is true, not just wishful thinking.

When Peter writes “our” Lord Jesus Christ, he reminds them and us that they/we have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus because of God's mercy. God granted that relationship through the cross. Even though the cross meant the sacrificial death of God's Son, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the reality of Jesus triumphing over death, is our guarantee that we have a living hope.

This hope is alive and dynamic, and it does not depend on our circumstances. Everyone experiences the pain of suffering, for it is a universal language. Peter, however, gives us a prescription to relieve that pain. He reminds us that just as God brought Jesus through the horrible death by crucifixion, He will see us through, no matter what we are currently experiencing. We can be assured that there is not an earthly problem too big for God to fix. We experience His deliverance from sin and death as we are born anew by placing our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and allowing His Spirit to live in us. This, however, is not the end of the Christian experience, it is only the beginning. God's grace and peace are available to us as we journey through this life, even when things are not pleasant or going the way we wish they would.

If you want to feel the presence of God in your life, you begin the same way Peter began this letter...by giving God all the praise and honor and respect that is due Him. We have been chosen by God, and we are being made more and more in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Jesus was raised from the dead, and as we place our faith in Him, we can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we will one day overcome the disappointments of this world. 

Our living hope gives us a reason to smile at whatever storm we are facing now, because there is coming a day when we will be moving to our eternal home in heaven, to reign with Jesus! There will be no more sorrow or pain, only everlasting JOY! On that day our LIVING HOPE will be fully realized and the trials of this life will seem so insignificant compared to the Glory that awaits us!

"It's a Song Holy Angels Cannot Sing"

http://north-valley-baptist-church-a-song-holy--mp3-download.kohit.net/_/417713

Click on the above button and listen to this song. In my study of I Peter 1:12, this is the song that came to my mind, and hubby was kind enough to find it for me on the web. It is a nice wrap up to the section of I Peter I am currently studying. I have spent several days working on I Peter 1:3-12. My research is complete, now I just need to make it flow, both for a Bible study, and for a blog. Check back later, but meanwhile enjoy the song above.

New Personal Study of First Peter

The signs of spring...flowers pushing up from the earth, showing their endurance through the barrenness and cold of the winter season. I love spring...it is my favorite season. This is the 60th spring I have witnessed. In celebration, I have decided to embark on a new Bible study. It seems that I have heard God whispering "First Peter" in my heart for the last decade. Perhaps if I start now, I'll be able to complete it before another ten years slips through my life.

It seems like it was just a few years ago that I turned 38 and started back to college to earn my degree in psychology. At age 41 I became a seminary student with a focus in Greek Biblical studies. Now here I am at a "young" 60 years of age with no spectacular achievements to show for my life. At times that bothers me...like the day I turned 60. Then there are other times when age doesn't mean anything, and just knowing that I have walked faithfully with my Lord across the years is the only accomplishment that really matters.

But I haven't been able to turn off that tune in my head that sings "Study First Peter....see what I have to say to you in this epistle." So here I am ready to crack the bottle against the ship and set sail on a new personal study with my Bible, three commentaries (see side bar), and my interpreter and prompter...the Holy Spirit.

I am in no hurry, but I do feel that there is a reason why I will be studying this book at this time in my life. I always thought the theme of I Peter was holiness. However, as I have read the introductions to the letter authored by the Apostle Peter, it appears that the purpose of the writing is to encourage those Christians of the first century during times of persecution and suffering. That's a little scary for me. Am I going to be walking into another dark tunnel in my life? If so, I know the Lord Jesus Christ will hold my hand and guide me through, as He did for me as I walked through clinical depression at age 37-38.

So, here I go. I will blog as I study, hopefully focusing on the highlights of what the scripture is saying to me and how it applies in my life. Perhaps others will drop in now and then and find tidbits that they can use as they go around the bends of life. I was recently in Gatlinburg at the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort Waterpark, and enjoyed floating in the lazy river. That is how I want to take this trip through First Peter...slowly, relaxed, getting ready for the next bend in the river...not knowing how it will turn, what will be there, or who will be there. But, hey, with Jesus in my float, what have I got to worry about?