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1 Peter 4:1 – Suffering With Him

Posted on February 5, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 4:1

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

Truth to Learn

Suffering for righteousness produces a keen sense of Christ’s suffering and enables you to more fully live for Him.

Behind the Words

The word translated “suffered” is the from the Greek word pascho, which means to experience a sensation, usually painful (sometimes translated as “passion”). It is expressed in the Greek aorist tense, meaning that it was an action that took place at a point in time in the past, not continuous action in the past.

The word translated “ceased” is the Greek word pauō, which means “to stop, quit, or come to an end.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, implying a process that has come to completion in the past with a resulting state of being. The emphasis of this tense is on the resulting state.

Meaning Explained

According to Peter, he who has suffered in the flesh, “has ceased from sin.” Since Christ never did sin, this can‘t be referring to Christ. Some have argued that this implies that when we really and truly die to sin in our flesh we will have attained a state of holiness in which we sin no longer. I don’t believe that this is what Scripture teaches.

The Apostle Paul addresses this same issue in it the book of Romans:

For if we have been joined together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin. For he who died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:5-7)

In this passage it is pretty clear that Paul is talking about us putting our “old man,” a term which refers to our sin nature, to death, figuratively. He goes on to say:

knowing that when Christ was raised from the dead, He dies no more; death no longer has dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died to sin once; but in that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise count yourselves also to be truly dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:9-11)

It is clear that Paul is teaching that we haven’t really died, nor has our sin nature really died but that we should consider ourselves to be dead to sin and not let it control our lives.

Therefore, what Peter is telling us in today’s verse is that if we are suffering for righteousness, we can identify with the suffering that Christ went through. And, whereas His suffering culminated in his atoning death for us we can consider ourselves to have died with him (at least our sin nature) and we can live a fulfilled life, not controlled by our sin nature.

Application

If you are currently suffering and you have done nothing wrong, of if you are suffering because of your testimony for Christ, you can readily identify with His suffering which gave us everlasting life. As a result, you can now more readily live for Him instead of living to satisfy your own sin nature.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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1 Peter 3:22 – Our Exalted Example

Posted on February 4, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:22

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Truth to Learn

The result of Christ’s patient, faithful suffering is exaltation.

Behind the Words

The words “right hand” are translated from the Greek word dexios, meaning “the right hand” or “the right side.” The use of this expression is of extreme significance since a person of high rank who puts someone on his right hand gives him equal honor with himself and recognizes him as of equal dignity. Therefore, this word when used as it is here means that Jesus Christ has equal honor and authority with God the Father.

“Authorities” is translated from the Greek word exousia. This word is based on the word exesti, meaning “it is allowed” or “it is permissible.” Exousia, therefore, carries the meaning of “permission, authority, right, or power to do something.” Here it refers to those who have authority.

The word “powers” is from dunamis, from which we get our English word, dynamite. It refers to “power” or to those who have “power.” The expression “authorities and powers” refers to all, both earthly and heavenly, who have positions of power and authority.

The expression “having been made subject” is translated from the word hupotassō, which we have learned means “to place in an orderly manner under.” Hence, it refers to the submission of angels, authorities, and powers to the person of Jesus Christ.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we talked about baptism not being a means of, or requirement for, salvation, but rather an act of obedience demonstrating a faith that has already occurred. At the end of yesterday’s verse Peter stated very briefly what that saving faith is in,

the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Yes, our faith requires that we believe that Christ died for our sins, but the proof that He was sinless himself, the proof that He alone is God, is in His resurrection from the dead.

Peter now finishes that thought, declaring that Christ has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God (the position of preeminence and power) with all angels and authorities and powers having been made submissive to Him.

Remember what Peter has been telling us. He has been saying that we need to be patient under suffering especially if it is the result of us being obedient to God. Here, Christ is given as the supreme example. The result of His obedience was exultation to the highest position in all of creation. Those who have been His enemies will cringe when they see His exalted position. Those who have willingly submitted themselves to Him will glorify Him.

Application

Peter’s teaching here is, just as Christ was rewarded for His obedient suffering, so we shall be if we are faithful and patient during times of suffering. Are you suffering for Him today? Do it patiently and give God the praise.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 3:21 – Obedience From Faith

Posted on February 3, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:21

There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

Baptism does not save us. It is simply a picture of salvation.

Behind the Words

The word “antitype” is translated from the Greek word antitupon, which is a compound word made up of anti, meaning “against, opposing, or resisting” and tupos, meaning “hard or solid.” This word originally meant, “resisting a blow or impression.” In the New Testament, however, it is used in a different sense. Here it means “a similar type” or “a model.”

The word translated “saves” is sōdzō, which, indeed, means “to save.” It is expressed here in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood, which indicates current continuous action. In other words, “it is now continually saving us.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is another very difficult one and one that has been misinterpreted by some who try to espouse the idea that one must be baptized to be saved. Similar to other supposed proof texts for false doctrines, this verse actually argues against baptism being a means of salvation.

Peter has just made a reference to the spirit of Christ who was proclaiming to the unbelievers during the time that Noah was building the ark. Today’s verse starts off with,

There is also an antitype which now saves us …

There is significant disagreement by scholars about whether the former “antitype” was the ark or the water. In either case it was simply a model of salvation to which baptism is compared. Noah did not receive spiritual salvation through the ark or the water, he received it the same way Abraham did and the same way we do today, through faith; he believed God. The building of the ark simply demonstrated his faith, just as baptism is our act of obedience after salvation that demonstrates our faith.

You see, Peter could not have been saying that we are saved by baptism. Otherwise, he would have been saying that our salvation is based on works, not faith, which is quite contrary to Peter’s and the other apostles’ teaching regarding salvation through faith alone.

Peter goes on to address just such a misunderstanding in the following phrase, as if he knew that what he was saying was likely to be misinterpreted. He says that baptism has nothing to do with the putting away of the filth of the flesh (it matters not whether you interpret this as physical dirt or the filth of sin on our souls), but that of a clean conscience toward God. And where does a clean conscience come from? It comes from obedience.

Peter is saying that baptism is like the building of the ark; it is an act of obedience that demonstrates something which already occurred (faith unto salvation). The act of obedience is not the saving thing itself, just the evidence.

Application

Perhaps you have been taught that you have to be baptized to be saved. That would be a situation where you have to obey to be saved. In reality, however, you have to be saved to obey.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 3:20 – The Message Proclaimed

Posted on February 2, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:20

who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

Truth to Learn

Salvation comes through believing the message we proclaim, that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins.

Behind the Words

The word translated “disobedient” is apeitheō, which is made up of a (called a privative), meaning “not” or “without” and a form of peithō, meaning “to persuade.” Hence, apeitheō means “not persuaded” or “not believing.” This word is expressed as an aorist participle, indicating continuous action occurring at a time before the main verb (“preached” in the previous verse). Hence, Peter is saying that these who were preached to had been previously disbelieving.

The word “ark” comes from the Greek word kibōtos, which means “a box” or “a wooden chest.”

The word translated “saved” near the end of this verse is the Greek word diasōdzō, which is a compound of dia, used here as an intensifier and sōdzō, which means “to save.” Hence, it means “to thoroughly save.”

Meaning Explained

Continuing on from the previous verse, you will recall that it said Christ preached to the spirits in prison. These spirits are identified in today’s verse. They are the people who were disbelieving in the days that Noah was building the ark.

There are those who contend that there was no word for boat at the time of Noah so “box” was a reasonable word to describe it. I find that argument lacking in that there were rivers before the flood and likely were boats of some kind. Also, since this book was written by Peter (a fisherman), if he had intended that the vessel was a boat, he would have used the word for boat. Instead, he used the word for a box. A further reason that I believe the ark was a box not a boat, is that marine architects have demonstrated that a boat with curved sides and hull as we see in depictions of Noah’s Ark would not have held together under the stress of the turbulent flood waters. They have also demonstrated that the most stable craft in a turbulent ocean is a box of the approximate proportions of Noah’s Ark.

Not only did Noah accomplish physical salvation for himself and his family by building the ark, but his faith (his belief that God really was going to bring a flood), which was demonstrated by his construction project, was a saving faith. And, it appears that all the time that he was building the ark, Noah was proclaiming that God was about to bring a flood, but no one believed.

Therefore, Peter is saying, the spirit of Christ in Noah was proclaiming a message to unbelieving people all the time he was building the ark to the saving of his soul and those of his family. The spirits who were preached to are now in the prison of Hades awaiting the Great White Throne Judgment of the unsaved, which we read about in Revelation 20:11-15.

Application

Things are not much different today than they were in the days of Noah. Many in the world do not believe the message that we proclaim. But, like Noah, we must not give up proclaiming the truth, for Christ is coming back soon!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 3:19 – No Second Chance!

Posted on February 1, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:19

by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

Truth to Learn

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!

Behind the Words

The grammatical construction of the beginning of today’s verse can suggest either “in which” or “by which.” After having studied many interpretations of this passage, I am convinced that Peter’s intent is “by which,” meaning “by which spirit he went …” Whether this means the spirit of Christ or The Holy Spirit (which has been the subject of much arguing) I don’t know; I don’t think it really matters, for it is the Spirit of God in either case.

The word “preached” is translated from <!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:”Cambria Math”; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:””; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”,”serif”; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> kērussō, which means “to herald forth, to proclaim, or to announce publicly.”

The expression, “preached to the spirits in prison” can be translated as, “proclaimed to the spirits in the guarded place.” It is not likely that this was an evangelistic message else Peter would most likely have used the verb euangellō (good news declaring) rather than kērussō (proclaiming).

Meaning Explained

Though it is one of the shortest verses that we have looked at, this is a very difficult one to understand. It is the sole verse upon which the Roman Catholic Church bases its doctrine of purgatory. But before looking at this verse we must look at the end of the previous verse.

In the end of the previous verse Peter said that Christ was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit. Some believe that this is referring to Christ dying in the flesh but living in the spirit. In fact, the Greek grammatical construction of the end of the previous verse suggests that it was “by the Spirit” that Christ was made alive again (in the flesh). The word translated “made alive” in the previous verse is the Greek word dzōopoietheis, which means “to make alive.” It can mean either giving initial life or giving life again after it has been lost. But either way, it can’t refer to Christ’s spirit being made alive since His spirit is eternal.

Finally, to get the full meaning of the current verse we have to join it to the next verse. The construction of this verse and the one following implies that the proclaiming occurred at the time when God was waiting in the days of Noah, but that the imprisonment of the spirits was contemporaneous with Peter’s time. In other words, Peter was saying that Christ proclaimed to the spirits who are currently in prison but the proclaiming occurred in the time of Noah.

We will get into this a bit more when we look more closely at the next verse. What I want you to come away with today is that this verse is in no way saying that Christ preached to the unsaved in purgatory giving them a second chance to be saved. There is absolutely no basis for the notion of purgatory in today’s verse … or anywhere else in the entire Bible.

Application

If you believe that you have to earn the right to be in heaven with God, and you believe that in purgatory you will have a second chance, or that you can work your way out of purgatory, you are in for a rude shock. You cannot earn salvation. You can only receive it as a free gift when you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins. Once this life is over, your choice is made … for eternity!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 3:18 – Obedient Suffering

Posted on January 29, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ suffered! He suffered quietly, for your sake.

Behind the Words

The word translated “once” is hapax, meaning “one time.” This declares that Christ suffered only one time for all sins.

“Being put to death” is translated from thanatoō, which means “to kill.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense, implying past completed action with a continuous ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the ongoing effect (for you and me).

Meaning Explained

Peter has told us in a number of different ways that it’s a good thing for us to suffer unjustly. He has also said that not only is it pleasing to God but sometimes it is what God has determined. He now tells us that our Father, who has adopted us, is not asking us to do anything which his own Eternal Son has not already done. According to this verse, Christ suffered for sins. Did He commit any sins? No! So whose sins did He suffer for? Obviously, He suffered for yours and mine and for those of all mankind from the beginning of time until the great judgment day. Is that fair? No, but it is what God determined.

But why would God determine that to happen? Peter answers this in the following part of this verse, “that He might bring us to God …” God determined that this was the way that He could make himself approachable by sinful mankind. Christ Himself can now bring us to the Holy Father. In theological terms this is known as “substitutionary” death. That is, the one who did not deserve to die did so as a substitute for us. And, since He didn’t need the death applied to his account to pay for His sins (since He didn’t have any), his death was applied to our accounts as payment for our sins.

Now, for just a moment, let’s look at this from Christ’s perspective. He didn’t have to die. He didn’t have to go through the agony and suffering that He did, nor was He personally desirous of doing so. Here’s what He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane just before being taken by the crowd to be tried, tortured, and crucified (Matt 26:36-39),

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray there.”

And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Wait here and watch with Me.”

And He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Christ knew what was coming and He didn’t want to go through with it, but He willingly did so because He knew that God the Father wanted Him to do it. He was obedient, even unto death.

Application

Now compare the suffering that you may currently be going through, or that you may go through in the future, with His suffering. He was willing to do so for the Father … and for you. Are you willing to do so for Him? Even though it isn’t fair?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 3:17 – Good Suffering

Posted on January 28, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:17

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Truth to Learn

Sometimes God chooses to have us suffer even when we are doing what we know is right.

Behind the Words

“Better” is translated from the Greek word kreitton, which is the comparative form of kratus, meaning “strong.” So, kreitton literally means “stronger.” However, used figuratively as it is here, it refers to something that is “better.”

The word translated “will” in today’s verse is thelēma, a form of thelō, which refers to what God has determined. There are two words that are commonly translated as “will” in the Bible. They are boulomai (desirous will) and thelō (determined will). It’s like a child going into a store to buy candy with a limited amount of money. There is his desirous will (to have all the candy) and his determined will (the specific candy purchased with his limited funds).

If we look carefully we see that Scripture refers to God’s will in both ways. An example of God’s desirous will can be found in 2 Peter 3:9, where it says:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

This is a use of boulomai in reference to God’s will. Hence, God does not desire that any should perish.

Meaning Explained

Peter has not been talking about our suffering as being discipline, though it sometimes feels that way. Let us not miss the truth that he is teaching us. When we suffer for doing good, we have a tendency to turn to God and say, “Hey, wait a minute, God! I did the right thing! Why am I suffering for it?”

In today’s verse, the use of thelema indicates that God has determined that in some cases we will suffer for doing what is right and good. Peter is telling us that even if that is the situation for you or me, it is better than suffering for doing evil. When we suffer for doing good we can, with a good conscience, turn our hearts toward God and give Him the glory for our suffering, knowing that it is part of His plan. When we suffer for doing evil, we can only hang our heads in shame and wish we hadn’t done something so stupid.

In the next chapter of this letter, Peter will say a similar thing about suffering:

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. … Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. (1Peter 4:16, 19)

Incidentally, the word translated “will” in 1 Peter 4:19 is also thelēma; that which God has determined.

Application

Are you suffering right now because you have done what is right and you can’t understand why? If so, get on your knees and thank God for finding you worthy to suffer for Him. Then, be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have in Him!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 3:16 – A Good Conscience

Posted on January 27, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:16

having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

Truth to Learn

Having a good conscience allows us to be a powerful witness.

Behind the Words

The word translated “conscience” is suneidēsis, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and a form of eidēnai, which means “to know.” The fundamental idea of this word is “knowing together with oneself.” Hence it denotes the conscience, that part of our being that knows what is morally right or wrong for us to do.

Meaning Explained

Peter has been talking about our attitude while we are suffering for doing what is right and has just said that we should “be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;” The reason we should be ready to give this answer is because we are, in this case, suffering wrongfully; therefore, we have a good conscience. He goes on to say that even though we are suffering for having done good and there are those who will speak against us as evildoers and who will falsely accuse us for our good behavior in Christ as though it were evil, they will someday be ashamed of it.

The point is that we should always be ready to give the reason for the hope in us because our witness in times of persecution and of suffering and our patient suffering without retribution is the type of behavior that the world doesn’t understand. It appears supernatural to those who don’t have it and, in some cases, may be used by God to open the eyes of others in order to bring them to saving faith in Christ. It was Christ’s patient suffering that paid for all our sins, and it is our patient suffering that shows our own conformity to Him.

The Apostle Paul had this to say about suffering for Christ:

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, … that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death (Philippians 3:8, 10)

Do you want to know Christ as completely as Paul did? If so, you should be ready to suffer for it, and in the midst of that suffering be ready to testify regarding the hope that you have.

But whether suffering or not we should all be living a life that is a testimony to the One for whom we are ambassadors. Our manner of life should be such that others will see Christ in us, and when they ask us about it we should always be ready to give them a reason. The reason is Christ and what He did for us. The reason is a God who loves us so much and wants to have such fellowship with us that He provided a way for that to occur, if we will but humble ourselves and believe.

Application

Most Christians in the western world today have not had to suffer false accusations and defamation just because they are believers in Christ, but there are many in the world who are undergoing such persecution. Let’s take a moment to pray for them right now that they might be good witnesses for Christ.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 3:15 – Godly Fear

Posted on January 26, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:15

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Truth to Learn

Standing firm in your faith is more important than giving in to the fear of what might be done to you by someone else.

Behind the Words

The word translated “sanctify” is the Greek word hagiadzō which means “to make holy or pure” or “to set apart.” But, the root of the word is hagos, which means “an awful thing” or “a fearful thing.”

“God” is translated from the Greek word theos, although the best texts use the word christos rather than theos. Christos means “the anointed one,” which we transliterate to the word Christ. It is equivalent to the Hebrew word mashiach, which we transliterate to Messiah.

The word “defense” is translated from apologia, from which our English word “apology” was originally derived. However, it doesn’t mean to ask forgiveness for a wrong done, rather it means “to give an answer or speech in defense of oneself.” In this verse it means to give an explanation for the hope that we have because of our faith in Jesus Christ.

Meaning Explained

Peter has just told us that we are blessed if we suffer for doing good and that we should not be afraid of their terror (those who would threaten us because of our faith). In today’s verse, Peter is making a play on words with regard to the notion of fear. He says, “don’t fear or be troubled by them [those who would threaten you], but put the fear of Christ the Lord in your hearts.” Part of the reason I think this is Peter’s meaning is because the opening phrase of this verse is a quote from Isaiah.

Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. (Isaiah 8:13)

The remainder of today’s verse tells us that we need to always be ready to give a reason for our hope to anyone who asks us, and to do so with meekness and fear. We know that our God is both holy and just. That means that He is pure and fearsome Himself and that He will judge evil. We also know that we have been saved and set-apart from that judgment through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and, as a result, we have a hope that others in this world don’t have. That hope, and the fear of God which goes along with it, should be so evident in our lives, especially when we are suffering for doing what is right, that others will want to know how we can keep such an attitude in the midst of our suffering.

Peter may have even been thinking of a specific martyr of the early church like Polycarp, one of the early church fathers and a disciple of the Apostle John. As he was about to be killed for his refusal to deny Christ and offer obeisance to the Roman emperor he said:

“Fourscore and six years have I served Him [Christ], and he has done me no harm. How then can I curse my King that saved me? Bring forth what you will.”

Application

If you were being threatened with death for refusing to deny Christ as your Savior, would you be able to stand forth confidently and make a profession like Polycarp?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1 Peter 1:14 – Unlikely Suffering

Posted on January 25, 2009 by admin

1 Peter 3:14

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”

Truth to Learn

We probably won’t suffer for behaving the way God expects us to. But if we do, we are fortunate, and we should not be afraid.

Behind the Words

There are 4 types of conditional sentences in the Greek grammar of the New Testament. This sentence is closest in form to the least common of those, the 4^th class conditional sentence. The 4^th class condition indicates “less probable future condition.” In other words, “while it is possible, it is not likely that this will happen.”

There are two Greek words that are commonly translated “bless, blessed, or blessing.” They are eulogeo (“good words” or “well spoken of”) and markarion which means “supremely fortunate” or “supremely well-off.” The word in today’s verse is the latter.

Meaning Explained

In the previous 2 verses Peter told us that God is looking over us and is attentive to our prayers. This promise is not to all mankind. Peter is writing this letter to “the elect,” those who have been chosen by God.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father … (1Peter 1:1, 2a)

If you are a born again Christian then this promise is for you. As we said in the previous verse, however, this does not mean that nothing bad will ever happen to you.

If we behave as God has commanded us, keeping our tongues from speaking badly, turning away from evil, and pursuing peace, then we know that God is watching over us and listening to our prayers and nothing bad is likely to happen to us, but even if we should suffer because of righteousness, we are blessed.

Even if we should suffer for doing what is right, though it is very unlikely, then we are still extremely fortunate. We have been adopted by the great Lord of all creation, and we are to be the bride of His Son, and He loves us with a perfect love!

Because of that, Peter says in the last half of this verse, “then don’t fear their threats nor be troubled.” Even if you should suffer, don’t let it make you fearful. Here’s what our Lord said:

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:28-31)

Application

In John 16:33 Christ told His disciples that in this world we will suffer tribulation. If we behave like our Heavenly Father wants us to and if we are a constant witness for Him, the world will hate us. And if we should suffer for it, we are to count it a joyous thing, and we are not to fear because God is for us!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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