Posts with the category “first-peter”

In 1 Peter 3, we see God’s guidance for how this relationship works. Someone once described marriage as being like a dance. In a dance, there is a leader and a follower. The leader guides and sets the direction, and the follower complements that leadership, creating beauty and harmony in motion. There was a story about a championship dance team—a man and a woman—who were asked about their roles du...  Read More

Christians today are living in a culture that is moving in a completely different direction than the one God calls us to. The culture says to go one way, but we, as God’s people, live under the lordship of Jesus Christ, following the truths found in His Word. If Jesus Christ is truly Lord, that truth should be demonstrated in how we treat His Word and how we live our lives. As Christians, we are g...  Read More

1 Peter 2:21–25 (NKJV) 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own bo...  Read More

1 Peter 2:21-25 immediately follows what Peter has already been writing about. He’s discussing how to respond when facing a government opposed to Christian convictions, as long as it does not require disobedience to God. Peter says, “Respect them, obey them, and honor the king.” This was written when Nero, one of the most godless men in history, was Caesar, or king. Yet, Peter still says, “honor t...  Read More

For contextual background, read the previous blogpost: “Does the Bible Endorse Slavery?” 1 Peter 2:18–20 (NKJV) 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you...  Read More

1 Peter 2:18–20 (NKJV)18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is comme...  Read More

Just the word “submission” likely makes some of you reading this bristle. “I don’t want to hear about that,” may be a thought that is running through your mind. Don’t resist or reject what the Bible commands. 1 Peter 2:13 clearly commands “submit yourself to every ordinance of man, for the Lord’s sake.”The word "submission" simply means "being under," or being willing to cooperate with another. It...  Read More

God has established structures of authority in all areas of life. Government is one of His established structures.  1 Peter 2:13–14 says, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,  or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.” Peter wrote for Christians to ...  Read More

1 Peter 2:13a (NKJV) - Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…The middle letter of sin is “I”, and our own rebellion and stubbornness is the problem keeping us from biblical submission. Right after prophetically describing how Jesus would be punished for our sins (Isaiah 53:3-5), verse 6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own wa...  Read More

1 Peter 2:13a (NKJV) - Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…There was a Christian businessman in North Carolina who told me something I will never forget. He was in retirement at the time and had managed all kinds of people in his life. He had been a great church leader as well for decades. He said, "Followers are simply leaders who have chosen to let someone e...  Read More

1 Peter 2:11 continues with the command to “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.” The word “war”, in the Greek language, implies an ongoing engagement, not a single battle. The fleshly lusts will maintain an ongoing war inside of your mind, emotions and will that no one can see. It is invisible, but significant.We come to church and smile at one another. Someone asks, "How's it ...  Read More

1 Peter 2:11–12 (NKJV) 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. We will never do anything great for the Lord until we decide, once and for all, that ...  Read More

1 Peter 2:11 says, “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.” “Sojourners” and “pilgrims” enforces the idea that Christians are to be different from the people of this world. This world is not a Christian’s permanent home. It is temporary, and our true citizenship is in heaven. “Fleshly lusts” points to the fact that this world, empowere...  Read More

In God’s church, one’s ministry is discovered through one’s identity. 1 Peter 2:9 explains that identity in four ways: “a chosen generation,” “a royal priesthood,” “a holy nation,” and “His own special people.” This is how Jesus describes His followers.1 Peter 2:9 says, “you are a chosen generation.” The word “generation” literally means “the elect offspring.” It is describing when life begins cre...  Read More

Perhaps you do not feel as though you are significant. However, God has a special place for you in His church. Martin Luther once said, “God creates out of nothing. Therefore, until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him.“[1] Positively speaking, when I understand that I, too, am nothing, perhaps God can make something out of me. We need to realize that God wants to make something speci...  Read More

1 Peter 2:4–5 says, “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” In John 6:51, Jesus refers to Himself as the “living bread.” In John 4:13-14 and John 7:37-39, Jesus says He is the Source of “l...  Read More

Jesus, as this cornerstone, was rejected by men. After saying Jesus is a chief cornerstone, Peter says in 1 Peter 2:6-8, “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.’ They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appo...  Read More

In 1501, world-renowned artist Michelangelo was going back from Rome to his home of Florence for three different reasons. First, he was a little homesick. Second, his family needed him. In the third place, there was a giant slab of flawless, white Carrara marble which was more than 18-feet high that was being given to him. Agostino di Duccio in 1464 tried to work with it, but ultimately rejected i...  Read More

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV) - "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." In verse 3, Peter says, “if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” That word “if”, in the Greek, can be translated “since,” and that’s what is i...  Read More

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV) - "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." The desire of an ever-growing Christian is like that of newborn babes. We should have a childlike, even infant-like, attitude. What is this desire? It begin...  Read More

You are what you eat. I was reading this comic book, and it had a little squirrel lying on a psychiatrist's couch and he was just trying to talk to the psychiatrist, and he said, "When I realized that 'you are what you eat,' that's when I knew I was nuts." Well, our spiritual nutrition is so important. It helps set the stage for being a healthy Christian.We live in a world obsessed with diets, fad...  Read More

We sing about the blood of Jesus because that is how we are made acceptable to a holy God. We who place our trust in what Jesus did on the cross are not punished for our sin. God no longer sees our sin. He sees the innocent blood of our mighty Savior. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.Oh, precious is the flow that...  Read More

1 Peter 1:17 says, “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.”  This third antidote to foolish living is to have a healthy fear of the Lord. We should conduct our lives with a sense of fear. This word “fear” should not be taken to mean “fright” or “terror.” Certainly those are ideas t...  Read More

1 Peter 1:17 reads, “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work…” Peter tells his readers that God is not only their heavenly Father. He is also an impartial Judge. God sees everything that you do. People often don't mind saying, "God is my Father," and don't mind saying, "Jesus is my savior," but they don't want to think about the idea that God is a ...  Read More

Did you ever waste time or money when you were younger? I can remember wasting so much time, especially when school was out for the summer. I can remember asking my dad or mom for money to spend on something they thought was frivolous. I can remember asking, “Dad, can I have this?” His response was usually the same each time, which was, "Money doesn't grow on trees." My job was to ask for somethin...  Read More

1 Peter 1:14–16 – “14as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” I remember taking my boys to a restaurant, and as I was up walking around getting some food, somebody called me over by name. They said, "Josh," and I looked and ...  Read More

1 Peter 1:13–16 (NKJV) – “13Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy....  Read More

Edelweiss – Faithful to My Homeland "The Sound of Music" is a classic movie, set in Austria, based on a true story about a family of singers, the Von Trapps, and their escape from Nazi occupation during World War II. I grew up watching that movie as a child. In the movie, Rogers and Hammerstein wrote a short lullaby song entitled “Edelweiss,” which is a song about a flower. The word “edelweiss” me...  Read More

1 Peter 1:9-12 reads, “10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they we...  Read More

I appreciate restaurants that give you the option of making reservations. It keeps you from waiting for a long time to be seated. I've been to a couple of concerts and a couple of ball games where I had to have a ticket to get a seat. That ticket was a reservation for me. It didn't matter how packed everything was. It didn't matter how many people were thronging into the building. I had a ticket. ...  Read More

Pulitzer Prize winner, Joseph Hallinan, wrote an article on hope, in which he shared research done in the 1950s by Kurt Richter, professor at Johns Hopkins University. He wrote:In the 1950s, he conducted a gruesome experiment with domesticated and wild rats. He first took a dozen domesticated rats, put them into jars half-filled with water, and watched them drown. The idea was to measure the amoun...  Read More

Jay Wallace Hamilton once said, “When there’s no hope for the future, there’s no power in the present.” When we don't have something that we're longing for, or looking forward to, or seeing something that will change for the better, we don't have the power to make it today. The great need for today is hope. Robert Morgan once wrote,In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl tells of his ...  Read More

I remember when Lydia and I were planning on getting married, and friends and family members were going to throw a bridal shower for Lydia. I had not gone to any bridal showers that I was aware of, and I was kind of indignant that I was being left out. I said, "Hey, why am I not invited? I'm getting married too. This shouldn't be a bridal shower. This should be a wedding shower, and it should be b...  Read More

I like what Charles Spurgeon once said, "When we get to heaven, over the gates it will say ‘whosoever will may come,' and upon entering, we will see inscribed on the backside, 'elect before the foundation of the world'." There is a mystery to our salvation - we have been chosen by God, and then we have said "yes" to Him, but our salvation was initiated by Jesus Christ and God the Father pursuing us into a relationship with Himself. This should bring comfort. You belong in His family. Your salvation is not based on you, it is based on God.  Read More

Some believers in our world certainly still face grave consequences for being Christians in a hostile country, but America continues to have religious liberty. However, persecution still exists. A believer may not get that promotion because of their faith. They may be looked over for a scholarship. They may face ostracism at work because of their faith. Family members may shun them. Ridicule and slander are aspects of persecution. Fines and prison are threats which can even be pursued by godless forces bent on transforming America in a totally pagan nation. So, Americans should still listen to Peter about how to live in a hostile country.  Read More