The"American
Wisdom Series"
presents
Pamphlet #5106 KC1Peter6
Whenever someone goes out of their
way to "declare" that they are a "good Christian brother",
the fear arises that someone is
about to be "screwed".
Peter, Simon Barjona!
What a great and knowledgeable teacher that big old lovable
fisherman was.
In our last study he told us all about how Jesus Christ
is the chief cornerstone of all the "living stones" that make up the temple
of God.
But he also told us that Christ can be, and even is, a
stumbling block and an offense to those who stumble at the Word of God.
But ye who are of that chosen generation, His royal priesthood,
should show forth praises, i.e. give thanks to Him Who has called you out
of darkness into His marvellous light!
What an honor and a privilege it is.
Peter now completes that thought in verse 10.
1 Peter
2:10
Which in time
past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained
mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Did you know that there were periods of time in history
when the House of Israel, God's chosen people, were not His people?
They are called the "lo-ammi" periods (see appendix 50
in the Companion Bible).
There were also times in many of our lives that the same
could be said of us.
But thank God for His mercy, made possible by the blood
sacrifice of His only begotten Son.
In verse 11 Peter begins a new subject and he will give
us some very simple, easy to understand (though not necessarily easy to
follow), "rock solid" instructions on how to conduct our lives.
[11]
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly
lusts, which war against the soul;
"Fleshly lusts war against the soul?"
So that's the problem!
It's a fight!
Mr. Flesh fights Mr. Soul in the battle for superiority.
And this "knock down" "drag out" match goes on round after
round after round.
Here's how it works:
(1) Get an urge!
(2) Ding!
(3) Hear the bell?
(4) Start punching!
And we can't get out of the boxing ring until we die or
Christ returns first.
So guess what?
We'd better learn how to fight and
deliver knock down punches to Mr. Flesh or he'll thump us time after time.
Here's a little secret: Exercise discipline and self control.
He won't necessarily like it but he has to listen to you
if you take charge.
Those are the rules.
And did you catch what Peter said about us being strangers
and pilgrims?
If you are one of God's elect, then
you have traveled here, now absent from home and His presence, because
you have a purpose and a destiny in fulfilling God's plan and helping to
bring your brothers and sisters back to Him!
So if you have eyes to see and ears
to hear and know the glory that awaits that Peter talked about in chapter
1, then just as Paul said in 2 Corinthians, you'd rather be back home with
Christ (where you don't have fight the flesh hulk).
2 Cor.
5:6
Therefore we
are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body,
we are absent from the Lord:
2 Cor. 5:8
We are confident,
I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present
with the Lord.
So as Peter says, we are strangers and pilgrims in
this world indeed, for Christ Himself also declares that He was not of
this world and neither are His disciples.
Are you one His disciples?
Here's Jesus' own words:
John
17:14-16
I have given
them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the
world, even as I am not of the world.
[15] I pray not
that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest
keep them from the evil.
[16] They are
not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
So Peter says stay out of trouble
and don't let the flesh have its own way.
Here's why:
1 Pet.
2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas
they speak against you as evildoers, they
may by your good works, which they shall behold,
glorify God in the day of visitation.
Actions speak louder than words.
If you claim to be a Christian then you'd better act [behave]
like one.
And even so, you can be sure they are going to talk about
you, you evil right winger!
But all the while they are "flapping their jaws" THEY
ARE NOTICING!
And your conduct can help bring
about the salvation of a soul.
It's that important.
And here's one that is getting tougher and tougher as
abusive government continues to strip away the rights and freedoms of its
citizens:
[13]
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether
it be to the king, as supreme;
Want to continue with the work of God and your purpose
for sojourning here?
Take heed and pay your taxes, "render unto Caesar",
because if you get your royal highness tossed in the slammer you won't
be free to do His will.
So be a good citizen for the Lord's sake.
[14]
Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment
of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Paul also said the same thing, i.e. obey civil law
and the authorities, and he added the little reminder that governments
and powers cannot exist except our Father allows them to.
He's is control.
Romans
13:1
Let every soul
be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the
powers that be are ordained of God.
The word "governor" was the title of Pilate, Felix
and Festus.
1 Pet.
2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence
the ignorance of foolish men:
That's right!
It is God's will that we be good
upstanding citizens.
There are really two points to be made by this verse.
(1) If you don't obey the authorities, like don't pay
your taxes and go to jail or just get your name printed in the paper,
then you lose credibility in discussing the Word of God, and you'll wear
the label of hypocrite, and
(2) When you have credibility and know the "sincere" Word
of God and are skilful in it, then you can silence
the ignorance of those who hold fast the traditions of men, for you are
free do to your job.
[16]
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as
the servants of God.
Two things also come to mind when reading this verse.
One is in noticing through personal
experience in "business situations" that whenever someone goes out of
their way to "declare" that they are a "good Christian brother", the fear
arises that someone is about to be "screwed".
We call it "hiding behind his religion".
Our works and reputations declare us, not our mouths.
And secondly, be gentle as the servants of God.
One should never use the knowledge of the truth which
has set us free to "slice" up, i.e. to belittle or make a fool of someone
who doesn't have eyes to see or ears to hear.
That's not God's way.
This is God's way:
[17]
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Be positive and uplifting and a light to the world.
"Let your light so shine before men", remember?
Here's the NIV translation:
1 Pet.
2:17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers,
fear God, honor the king. (NIV)
Ok, we'll be good citizens.
Now what about the workplace?
1 Pet.
2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the
good and gentle, but also to the froward.
Obey your employers with all due respect, not only
those who are deserving of it but to those who aren't.
[19]
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief,
suffering wrongfully.
What is the first thing Mr. Flesh does when he is
wrongly accused?
He jumps up and down and yells "I DIDN'T DO IT, YOU, YOU
*@#$^%R$!"
Knock him out before he does that!
Handle it God's way trusting that
there will be resolve and closure.
Paul did!
2 Tim.
3:11
Persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what
persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
One thing is as sure and death and taxes:
If you live a godly life you will be scoffed at and persecuted
(and things are going to get even hotter here shortly).
[12]
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
No big deal.
Expect persecution!
Today in much of society one is admired for his or her
courage to come out of some closet and admit to being a practicing pervert.
But woe unto those who claim to
be Christian.
No, I say woe unto those who
persecute God's own!
Remember the guards who tossed Shadrach,
Meshach and Abedneggo into the fiery furnace?
They were instantly barbequed, weren't
they?
The point is that if you are living
a Christian life and are wronged for it, God will take care of it, for
He takes care of His own
.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits;
to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, you accomplish both.
1 Corinthians
10:11 Now all these things happened unto them {the
ancient Israelites} for
ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the world are come.
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