#48a- Why We Live The Way We Live?
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(English Standard Version)
1Pet 1 - Greeting - Born Again to a Living Hope - Called to Be Holy
1Pet 2 - A Living Stone and a Holy People - Submission to Authority
1Pet 3 - Wives and Husbands - Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
1Pet 4 - Stewards of God’s Grace - Suffering as a Christian
1Pet 5 - Shepherd the Flock of God - Final Greetings
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read 1 Peter yourself then …
Watch the Bible Project video 1 Peter
It is common to be asked “what is your favorite Bible verse?” My usual response, after rethinking the question, is “the one I am currently reading”. But I find myself coming back over and over again to the first twelve verses of 1 Peter. My tendency, which I think is common to all human beings, is to think that God blesses and condemns me on the basis of how good or bad I am. I think most people see me as a fairly good person. But they only see the outside of me. ( And that is certainly a mixture of good and bad as well) If God really judged me on the purity of my true attitudes and behaviors, I would be in big trouble. Paul put it this way in Romans 7: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” And this from a man Christians consider one of the most Godly men who ever lived. Like everyone, I have my selfish desires, my judgmental attitudes, my pride, my idols, my sins of commission and omission. If, while man looks on the outward apperance, “God looks on the heart”, I am an unworthy mixture at best.
From verse 13 of chapter 1, 1Peter describes a letter full of Christian imperatives. He starts with: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,” (1:14-17) Then Peter proceeds to command:
(imperative verbs)
- “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1:22)
- “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” (2:1)
- “be subject to every human institution” (2:13)
- “honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the emperor” (2:17)
- “do not let your adorning be external … but hidden person of the heart” (3:3,4)
- “keep his tongue from evil … turn away from evil … seek peace” (3:10,11)
- “in your hearts regard the Lord as Holy” (3:15)
- “arm yourselves with the same way of thinking (as Jesus in His suffering)” (4:1)
- “ be self-controlled and sober-minded” (4:7)
- “rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings” (4:13)
- “let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” (4:15,16)
- “entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (4:19)
- “shepherd the flock of God” (5:2)
- “younger, be subject to the elders” (5:5)
- “clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another” (5:5)
- “Be humbled under the mighty hand of God” (5:6)
- “be sober-minded, be watchful” (of enemy the devil) (5:8)
- “resist him” (5:9)
This is a list of good works that we often assume should surely earn God’s blessing. But the fact is that all these commands come AFTER Peter describes what God has already done for us. Some people may appear to perfect a few of these things. But I know that my attempts are largely self-deceived and hypocritical at best. I can do the external things like go to church, do the ceremonies, sing the songs, but I could never muster up enough perfection of heart to earn God’s favor. But there is one thing that can start the process of building these Godly characters in me. And this is exactly what Peter described in the first twelve verses of his letter.
I paraphrase for emphasis:
1:1 “I am Peter, one of the twelve men Jesus Christ Himself chose to lead in spreading His Good News. I am writing to you, the ones God has chosen, while the world has made you aliens in numerous places. :2 But God the Father knows all about you and in fact planned for you to grow (be sanctified), by His Spirit, into all that He can make you be and do, as you are identified with the sacrifice of Jesus. And as you read my letter to you, may you know more and more of God’s Grace toward you and feel more of His peace in all your circumstances.”
To know that God has chosen me and by His Spirit used the Sacrifice of Jesus to grow and change me as I learn more and more of His Grace is sufficient to prompt me to want to be the kind of person he commands in the rest of the letter. But Peter adds a most amazing description of what God has done for His chosen ones.
Read it prayerfully and ponder every amazing word.
:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
:4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
:5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
:7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
:9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,
:11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
:12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
The Old Testament Prophets wrote about a promised Savior they never saw but longed for. They believed but did not understand the details they predicted. The angels have had a ring-side seat to all of His-story. Unlike humans, the angels serving God have never needed nor received God’s forgiveness and thus must learn of the fullness of God’s Grace by observing what God does with us. Angels are enthralled to watch how God loves, provides and cares for His people. Me on the other hand, too often take it all for granted and it’s no wonder I need reminding of how the recipients of God’s Grace should live. I think we flounder on the “way we live” because we don’t really believe or understand the “why we live”.
Peter is telling us.
(English Standard Version)
1Pet 1 - Greeting - Born Again to a Living Hope - Called to Be Holy
1Pet 2 - A Living Stone and a Holy People - Submission to Authority
1Pet 3 - Wives and Husbands - Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
1Pet 4 - Stewards of God’s Grace - Suffering as a Christian
1Pet 5 - Shepherd the Flock of God - Final Greetings
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read 1 Peter yourself then …
Watch the Bible Project video 1 Peter
It is common to be asked “what is your favorite Bible verse?” My usual response, after rethinking the question, is “the one I am currently reading”. But I find myself coming back over and over again to the first twelve verses of 1 Peter. My tendency, which I think is common to all human beings, is to think that God blesses and condemns me on the basis of how good or bad I am. I think most people see me as a fairly good person. But they only see the outside of me. ( And that is certainly a mixture of good and bad as well) If God really judged me on the purity of my true attitudes and behaviors, I would be in big trouble. Paul put it this way in Romans 7: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” And this from a man Christians consider one of the most Godly men who ever lived. Like everyone, I have my selfish desires, my judgmental attitudes, my pride, my idols, my sins of commission and omission. If, while man looks on the outward apperance, “God looks on the heart”, I am an unworthy mixture at best.
From verse 13 of chapter 1, 1Peter describes a letter full of Christian imperatives. He starts with: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,” (1:14-17) Then Peter proceeds to command:
(imperative verbs)
- “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1:22)
- “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” (2:1)
- “be subject to every human institution” (2:13)
- “honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the emperor” (2:17)
- “do not let your adorning be external … but hidden person of the heart” (3:3,4)
- “keep his tongue from evil … turn away from evil … seek peace” (3:10,11)
- “in your hearts regard the Lord as Holy” (3:15)
- “arm yourselves with the same way of thinking (as Jesus in His suffering)” (4:1)
- “ be self-controlled and sober-minded” (4:7)
- “rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings” (4:13)
- “let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” (4:15,16)
- “entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (4:19)
- “shepherd the flock of God” (5:2)
- “younger, be subject to the elders” (5:5)
- “clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another” (5:5)
- “Be humbled under the mighty hand of God” (5:6)
- “be sober-minded, be watchful” (of enemy the devil) (5:8)
- “resist him” (5:9)
This is a list of good works that we often assume should surely earn God’s blessing. But the fact is that all these commands come AFTER Peter describes what God has already done for us. Some people may appear to perfect a few of these things. But I know that my attempts are largely self-deceived and hypocritical at best. I can do the external things like go to church, do the ceremonies, sing the songs, but I could never muster up enough perfection of heart to earn God’s favor. But there is one thing that can start the process of building these Godly characters in me. And this is exactly what Peter described in the first twelve verses of his letter.
I paraphrase for emphasis:
1:1 “I am Peter, one of the twelve men Jesus Christ Himself chose to lead in spreading His Good News. I am writing to you, the ones God has chosen, while the world has made you aliens in numerous places. :2 But God the Father knows all about you and in fact planned for you to grow (be sanctified), by His Spirit, into all that He can make you be and do, as you are identified with the sacrifice of Jesus. And as you read my letter to you, may you know more and more of God’s Grace toward you and feel more of His peace in all your circumstances.”
To know that God has chosen me and by His Spirit used the Sacrifice of Jesus to grow and change me as I learn more and more of His Grace is sufficient to prompt me to want to be the kind of person he commands in the rest of the letter. But Peter adds a most amazing description of what God has done for His chosen ones.
Read it prayerfully and ponder every amazing word.
:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
:4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
:5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
:7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
:9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,
:11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
:12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
The Old Testament Prophets wrote about a promised Savior they never saw but longed for. They believed but did not understand the details they predicted. The angels have had a ring-side seat to all of His-story. Unlike humans, the angels serving God have never needed nor received God’s forgiveness and thus must learn of the fullness of God’s Grace by observing what God does with us. Angels are enthralled to watch how God loves, provides and cares for His people. Me on the other hand, too often take it all for granted and it’s no wonder I need reminding of how the recipients of God’s Grace should live. I think we flounder on the “way we live” because we don’t really believe or understand the “why we live”.
Peter is telling us.
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project summary of 1Peter
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"