Category: Daily Walk

Peter’s Direction for Living in Marriage

On By TimIn 1 Peter 03, Daily Walk, Marriage, TemperanceLeave a comment

Peter continues to encourage his readers to live righteously. Yes, that includes living in good moral character. There is an underlying theme in the reason why he says this. He hints at it in chapter 2, verse 9; and says it outright a bit later in verses 12 & 13. It’s for the glorification of God and to make Him known to others

We do it because there are so many who have come before us, laying the foundations for us to live that way. They served us.

The liberty of Christian living is not asserting our own needs but meekly seeking to fulfill the needs of others. Peter continues to develop this pattern of encouragement to those who are married.

Likewise you wives, be submissive to your own husbands, so that if any do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, as they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

1 Peter 3:1–2 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It is easy to see how most will use this to admonish the wife to be submissive to her own husband. It’s there and that is the proper order.

Shame on the man who is disobedient to the Word of God!

In such a marriage, a wife is called to serve him any way that his heart may be turned.

I am so thankful to God that I have a wife who did this very thing. When we married she wasn’t a believer, and I didn’t live out my faith. She did convert and became a believer. It was at that time that I watched her. Her own reverence for God was the encouragement for me, time and again, to return to God. (She still does that. I marvel at her gift for building relationships.)

Do not let your adorning be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine clothing.

1 Peter 3:3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Peter isn’t forbidding jewelry, a fine hair treatment, or fine clothing. He is attempting to show how not to use these as ways to win your man’s heart.

Again, Peter’s attention is toward the wives, this is also for us husbands. God is going to show you what is most important in the marriage relationship.

Nurture the Inner Beauty

But let it be the hidden nature of the heart, that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

1 Peter 3:4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The hidden incorruptible nature of the heart is where the Spirit is. These are the inner treasure from the Holy Spirit. From which flushes out with the fruit that Pail details.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control; against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22–23 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Peter’s underlying theme is this idea of self-control. That is, not asserting self and your needs, but seeking to honor and fulfill the needs of others even if yours aren’t met.

For in this manner, in the old times, the holy women, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are her children as long as you do right and are not afraid with any terror.

1 Peter 3:5–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Peter is pointing to the Sarah who put up with the folly of Abraham. She did as he asked, even if it were wrong. In so doing, she was freed from the accountability of the wrong-doing as Abraham has the responsibility. He is the “lord” of the house.

Not Afraid

A woman ought not to have to live with a man that she is afraid of. That isn’t submission, that’s terror. (If you are a woman and find yourself in such a situation, get out to safety, please!)

Sobering Words for Husbands

Likewise, you husbands, live considerately with your wives, giving honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they too are also heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

1 Peter 3:7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Personally, I see this entire portion of Peter’s epistle as more of instruction to husbands and prospective husbands. Peter says to live considerately with your wife. Knowing that she isn’t as strong as you. You don’t get to bully, control, and/or degrade her into submission like Artaxerxes did with his wife Vashti. Your wife is a child of the Most High if she is saved. Even if not, she is someone else’s daughter and an image-bearer if God. Treat her with that honor. There’s a reason why.

Your Prayers Won’t be Hindered!

Good night nurse Nickel!

If you’re a married man, here is the secret to maintaining an effectual prayer life. Honor your wife!

She isn’t your trophy. She isn’t your possession. She isn’t your servant to be commanded. She isn’t someone to bully. She isn’t someone to degrade in front of others.

She is graciously loaned to you by your Heavenly Father as a helper. Us husbands need help because more often than not, we’re really boys. Serve her! Bless her!

Jesus is our Example in Submitting to Suffering

On By TimIn 1 Peter 02, Daily Walk, Jesus, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God a person endures grief, suffering unjustly.

1 Peter 2:18–19 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It is an ugly and brutal world. Back in our previous excisions (verse 13,) Peter encouraged us to submit ourselves to every human authority for the Lord’s sake. It is a timely message for today and for me, personally.

There are some who may read this who resist going to church. There are many reasons. Most of them center around some sort of selfish statements that often begin with I. It’s understandable. I mean, if a local body has errant leadership, errant doctrine, weird fellowship, hypocrites or any combination of these and others, why bother?

Yet Peter told us to submit to every human institution. I think that would extend to even those that we may initially discern as wrong.

Fellowship with others is necessary.

I may not have heard every excuse, but have heard plenty. I’ve even offered a plethora of my own. And still do, at times.

Yet we are called to assemble. That is what a church is, literally… called out ones. (As an aside; I don’t think there is scriptural precedence for leaving a local church.)

Maybe there is a different way to think about gathering together.

Servants, not leaders.

Look at how Peter addresses those he is speaking to in the cited text above. It is as servants. That is a proper way to think of ourselves.

Looking to the previous thought and leaning back into that, we are to honor all people, love believers, revere God, and honor the king. As king in our case, it’s the president. For some reading, this may be easy. For others, it can be challenging. The rest of this is going to really challenge.

None of us can do the things Peter said unless we are servants. We cannot honor all people unless we serve them. Neither can we love our brothers and sisters in Jesus, unless we serve them. Revering God requires service.

It’s an inescapable conclusion.

Employees serve, leaders serve.

The contextual emphasis of this portion of Peter’s epistle is mainly for those who are employed by another. We are encouraged to submit, even to those who spitefully use us.

Those of us who are at the bottom of the traditional org chart know that the junks flows down to the lowest point. Though there are bosses, managers, and leaders that perch above the lowest tier, at some point these are servants, too. Some may be gentle taskmasters, others ruthless lords.

It’s easy to work for a gentle taskmaster. Submitting to an overbearing lord is extremely taxing. Peter tells us this kind of suffering is commendable. It is the place where we really want to be.

For what credit is it if when you are being beaten for your sins you patiently endure? But if when doing good and suffering for it, you patiently endure, this is favorable before God.

1 Peter 2:20 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

There are many who will laud their own endurance. Sometimes we might need to do that. Though mostly the endurance we laid is for the suffering we’ve brought in through our own proclivities. Think about a life-long smoker suffering through cancer or a like malady. What Peter is saying is plain.

It is Jesus Who has shown us our org charts are really upside-down. In this case, the junk… Our junk… Flowed onto Him.

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Jesus flipped that org chart Right-side down, taking all of our rebellion on Himself.

Suffer for doing good.

The favorable thing before God is to suffer for doing good. Jesus did for us.

For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.”

1 Peter 2:21–22 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

If we’re Christians… It’s really our calling.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man shall come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay every man according to his works. Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Matthew 16:24–28 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I love that. Remember, this was Jesus’ response to Peter after He rebuked him by saying, “Get behind Me, Satan!”

These words Peter knows intimately, having been one of our greatest examples of failing Jesus. He is all one of the best to give to us real hope. It is why he could die upside-down on a cross as a martyr.

We read of the martyrs of old. They lived this out. To follow Jesus requires sober thinking. It requires sacrifice. It isn’t for the faint-hearted. (I know. I was there at one time not too long ago, and still, succumb to that.)

We ought to do exactly the same knowing this is favorable to God.

A personal application.

As I wrote earlier of the local fellowship I attend, I would sometimes think to rather not.

Is everything perfect there?

No. (But just thinking it isn’t might mean I am measuring against my own relative notions.)

Would I change things?

You betcha! (That kind of thinking is also very self-centered. I told you this was going to get challenging.)

But the local fellowship I attend isn’t for me. It’s not mine, nor is it about me, my well-being, or even my comfort. It’s about attending to serve others. You know, honoring people, loving brothers, and fearing God. (That is our calling.)

I serve in a few official capacities. Some would call it being a leader. I don’t want to seem braggadocios. A leader is really a servant of other servants. This is the way God does it. First is last, last is first.

We should shoulder the burden with others, as more hands make the work light. That’s good and easy to do.

The hard thing?

There is a leadership covenant they would like all who serve to affirm and agree to. I have had some concerns with small but significant portions of it. (Mostly surrounding legalese, courts, and perceived personal rights of redress that are waived.)

I have spoken with good friends about my concerns. It is always God that answers… Though.

And I get it.

The previous blog post was telling us how to live as servants. That was to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul. There is a lifestyle covenant contained within it. That can help bind together brothers and sisters in love.

It also helps us to live honorably amongst outsiders. Especially given the culture’s mores, a small part of the stipulations concern gender and sexuality. Of course, these ideas will be demonized by the culture as evil. On that final day of judgment, those who do such things will give honor to God having to acknowledge the good in what we do.

The covenant knits us together as one. Us I. The sense of those who are parties to it.

It may use legal language. And that’s okay. We are to submit to those human things for God’s sake.

Rest assured, my mind has changed considerably. Enough about me.

Time is short. Let us draw near to Jesus by drawing near to each other.

Let us firmly hold the profession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but let us exhort one another, especially as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:23–25 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

There’s no time for selfishness, really. How can any of us hope to spur one another to love and good works by being the lone maverick?

It doesn’t work that way. One cannot serve anyone by asserting personal rights and privileges.

Take up that cross.

Suffer for doing the right thing.

Especially as we see the day of God’s wrath quickly approaching.

Live as Servants of God

On By TimIn 1 Peter 02, Daily Walk, SanctificationLeave a comment

Dearly beloved, I implore you as aliens and refugees, abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

1 Peter 2:11 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Now comes the practical application again. This echoes Peter’s introduction to this epistle where he calls his audience pilgrims or refugees. We are taking temporary shelter in this world, its economies, and this fleshly body. Because we are made of the corrupt dust of this earth, and Adam ate of the fruit that corrupted our bodies, this body is only a temporary dwelling.

Therefore, in light of the sojourning, we ought to abstain from those things of the flesh. He outlined them at the beginning of this chapter; wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. These wage war against the soul, the immortal part of us. The fruit of such things leads to destruction and will not last.

If Peter is telling us to abstain from these, we are wholly capable. Though not in and of ourselves, but because of He Who lives in us. There are plenty of admonitions to put this stuff away from us. One of those is from Paul.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31–32 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

He gives us the opposite things to embrace and put on. Note how outwardly focused they are. These behaviors only exist when there is another person for whom we do them. Peter gives us an example, look at how Peter addresses those who He is speaking to as ‘dearly beloved.’

Live your lives honorably among the Gentiles, so that though they speak against you as evildoers, they shall see your good works and thereby glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

As royal priests, part of our service to God is praise. It is good to praise God. What better way is there to praise God by not doing the works of the flesh?

This is the idea Peter is addressing. The way we behave makes others take notice. The unbelievers are going to mock and scoff. That is for sure. But they will surely notice the way we comport ourselves.

There is a greater purpose in mind though, by acting rightly. It is to bring glory to God. It does it in real-time, yet there is a future time at the end of the age, where how you act will glorify God. It will be attested to by those who perish.

Response to Established Authority

Submit yourselves to every human authority for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or to governors, as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and to praise those who do right. For it is the will of God that by doing right you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

1 Peter 2:13–15 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Part of the abstention from the lusts of the flesh includes submission to every human authority. It’s not just some. We cannot pick and choose. I didn’t make that up, either.

Peter is going to give us many examples. Here, he begins with those who govern. We are to be law-abiding citizens. It’s not some legalistic idea, either. I think that thought enters the conversation as a coping mechanism. It is an escape from the cognitive dissonance that comes from the warring flesh with the soul. We need to be wary of using such things.

When we look for loopholes and escapes, it isn’t right. It is part of fleshly lusts. It certainly isn’t submission. And it doesn’t glorify God at all.

We do have freedom, but Peter is going to speak on that in a bit.

Peter is speaking of a particular authority here, government. He is saying that the governments are sent by God. That would include some we’d rather deny (for those of us in the US presidents Obama and Trump.) I know, it’s shocking. But we are told to submit to the authorities. It’s not just by Peter.

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey them, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, but gentle, showing all humility toward everyone.

Titus 3:1–2 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Submission to authority is part of being ready for every good work. If we cannot submit, we cannot do good things. It’s a simple enough concept.

Humility and submission work together. There isn’t one without the other. It can clearly be said to vaunt oneself is not to be in submission. Contention isn’t submission nor humility either. (The idea of contention is more to think in terms of being discourteous.)

The one that gets most of us, though is that speaking evil of no one. How tempting is it to talk unseemly about folks in secret?

Doing the Right Thing has Rewards

First, it can silence accusers.

Jesus did that for us when He chose to submit to God and go to the cross. That is most important. Peter tells us that doing right silences the ignorance of foolish people. When we do right, there are none who can bring a bad report—even one founded in ignorance.

Live Free

As free people, do not use your liberty as a covering for evil, but live as servants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

1 Peter 2:16–17 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We have awesome liberty in Jesus Christ. Paul said it this way.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things edify

1 Corinthians 10:23 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Sometimes in our freedom, we do choose to do something self-serving that is evil or causes evil. We might give an excuse, “God will forgive.” That is clearly wrong. Usually, evil comes as a result of serving self. Such things we do in our freedom cause irreparable harm to those around us. It ought not to be so.

Paul connects our liberty to circumspection. That is, we need to be concerned more so with those around us than our own selves. If we are serving others before ourselves, there is very little chance for those actions to be considered evil.

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

1 Corinthians 10:24 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

That is how we are to use our liberty, to serve others. By so doing we serve God. We honor all. We love our brothers and sisters. This brings honor to God and those who govern us.

We can seek our own desires, having that liberty. There is no honor in that. There is no reward. There is no glory to God.

Let us look first to fulfill the needs of those around us. That way, nothing bad can be said about us.

The Living Temple of God

On By TimIn 1 Peter 02, Church, Daily Walk, Jesus, Romans 12Leave a comment

you also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

From our previous excursion, we note some important things: What God is doing is new, and it is alive. It is not like the old covenant of bondage. Just as Jesus Christ is a living cornerstone, set firmly in place, we believers are also firmly set in place.

With Jesus as the foundation, God is building upon that idea a new temple. It isn’t like the tabernacle made of skins and cloth. It isn’t like Solomon’s temple arrayed in the finest and costliest of materials. Nor is it Herod’s temple that was never quite as splendid as Solomon’s. This new temple isn’t made with perishable things. It’s made of more precious living stones.

Why use stone as a metaphor?

At the time, building with stone made the most durable structures. The proof is the ruins we visit in modern-day. Stone, once set, is practically immovable. The metaphor may seem imperfect, but we know this world suffers corruption, and things can happen to remove set stones. The place where God works doesn’t have corruption, therefore the stones God builds with cannot be moved.

We are the living stones. We are set in place making a new spiritual house. Earlier, Peter tells his us that in this place we are strangers or pilgrims, our citizenship is elsewhere. In the previous post, this elsewhere is Zion, New Jerusalem, the City of God.

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the entire building, tightly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God through the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19–22 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Back to the present, God is in the middle of a building program. He is using living stones to make a living spiritual house. Any of us who fall on the Cornerstone for mercy are saved and become living stones that God builds with. He makes us part of the living temple He is building upon the foundation stone, Jesus Christ.

A Holy Priesthood

Though Peter’s audience is primarily the ten scattered ‘lost’ tribes of Israel, the message he writes can be useful for us. Not all of those lost tribes were believers. Peter is writing to the believers of those tribes. Though what Peter writes is Jewish in nature, it parallels what Paul writes. Believers are part of a royal priesthood.

Way back in 1 Peter 1:2, it is written about the sprinkling of blood. We know Moses sprinkled blood on the people to consecrate them to the old covenant (Exodus 24.) The sprinkling of that blood represented the sealing of the covenant. In Leviticus 8, Moses consecrated Aaron and his sons as priests. It was done with the sprinkling of blood.

The same is for you and I, if we believe and have been sprinkled with the blood of Christ. The significance is we’ve been consecrated (set aside, reserved) to a new covenant and a priesthood, as the types and shadows in the law teach us. When that old covenant was established with blood a new nation was born. Likewise, we are a new nation.

Think like Peter, with the sprinkling of the blood from Jesus. We are set aside for God as a nation under a covenant and set aside as priests. The job of the priest is to declare the goodness of God because we’ve been healed of our sin and rescued from darkness to light. This idea is also typified in the law, when a leper was to be cleansed from his corruption he was sprinkled with blood (Leviticus 14.)

That’s the goodness of God. We’ve been set aside, given a new promise, and cleansed. Teach the goodness of God to others.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may declare the goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Since we’ve been called from darkness to light, let’s live like it. We have already encountered this idea when Peter tells us to put off certain things. It is important to understand our identity in Jesus and to live it out. Peter gives us practical ways to do that.

Spiritual Sacrifices

As priests, we offer up spiritual sacrifices. The most important of these comes first:

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1–2 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Did you see how this connects?

The sacrifices we offer are acceptable to God.

In a similar fashion of casting ourselves on the living set cornerstone for mercy, we present our bodies a living sacrifice to Him. It’s a reasonable service of worship.

The first spiritual sacrifice is a living one, our own body. In so doing we give wholly of ourselves, not reserving anything selfishly. We don’t seek to take from God. Such a sacrifice requires us to not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. That connects back to what Peter said to desire the pure milk of the word.

Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that He bore. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Through Him, then, let us continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share. For with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Hebrews 13:13–16 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The writer of Hebrews in what leads up to this passage, speaks of Jesus who suffered on the outskirts in order to sanctify us. This leads to the next ideas of sacrifice.

The second sacrifice we offer is praise. It is easy to do that in church with brothers and sisters surrounding us. But we are called to live differently as pilgrims and foreigners. And that means we are going to suffer persecution. Even in the midst of severe persecution, we are to offer praise. In the direst of circumstances, the martyrs of old sang praises to Jesus.

It’s to go outside the camp. That is an allusion to help us remember to remove ourselves from our current circumstances. Sometimes we can do that physically by removing ourselves from challenges. Most times it is difficult to extract ourselves physically. We must remember to go outside the camp in our minds by setting them on heavenly things and not our current circumstances. And there, to continually praise God.

With such a sacrifice, God is well pleased. It is acceptable to God.

Take careful note of the admonition to do good and share. This is another spiritual sacrifice. It is one of helping others by sharing what we have.

Why do we do this?

In times past, you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:10 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We are set aside for a purpose. We are the chosen of God. Not for anything we did, but because of what Jesus did. He has set us aside by the sprinkling of His own blood because we’ve received mercy.

It is another poignant reminder of what was taught in the prophets who sought to look into these things, all the while knowing they were serving us believers.

Then the Lord said: “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people, and I am not your God.” Yet the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not My people,” there it will be said to them, “You are the children of the living God.”

Hosea 1:9–10 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We are the children of the living God. As we move on, Peter will continue to encourage us to live lives that are like it.

It’s Time to Take in Jesus and Put Away the Former Things

On By TimIn 1 Peter 02, Daily Walk, Eternal Security, Fruitfulness, Jesus, Love, Salvation, Sanctification, SinLeave a comment

Therefore put away all wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking.

1 Peter 2:1 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Because of all the things Peter addresses previously, we ought willfully live differently. That means putting away the former things we did by habit.

That different way of living would have us rid ourselves of wickedness in any form. We need to stop being deceptive in word and deed and live what we preach. It also means not measuring ourselves against any other coveting things we don’t have. One of the hardest to rid ourselves of is slander. We love to talk about others because we measure them against our own righteousness.

We need to live and act differently. Why?

for you have been born again, not from perishable seed, but imperishable, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

1 Peter 1:23 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

You’re a different person. Act like it!

As newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow, if it is true that you have experienced that the Lord is good.

1 Peter 2:2–3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Peter has introduced his epistle with the idea of a new birth given from imperishable seed, that is by the mercies of God. In like fashion, he uses the idea of how babies mature. Babies need nourishment to grow. A baby desires the satisfying nourishment from a mother’s milk, and because of our new birth, we ought to desire the same from the Word of God. In the same way that babies grow by the nutrients in the milk made purposefully just for them, so is the sure Word of God meant for our growth.

Jesus is that Word. And He is our example in all things. By taking that in, we learn to put away those former sins.

Yet this is not for all.

It is only for those who have experienced that the Lord is Good. And He is. He has given us a new birth by His blood.

That is my hope for you. It’s not good enough to just believe that Jesus is. That doesn’t save you. It is trusting in what He’s done. He took what is due to you for sin… All of it. He died your death and rose again conquering your death. Really!

It’s because He rose again that you, too, can be born again. Just by believing all of that is true, and the mercies He extends to you are yours.

Right now, wherever you are… You can say a few words to Him. Tell Him that you believe what He’s done and that He is indeed the Ransom for you. The only One Who can conquer death is God. Know that He is God. Ask Him to save you. And then confess your sins.

It’s ABC simple. Acknowledge, Believe, Confess.

Purified by Obedience

On By TimIn 1 Peter 01, Daily Walk, SinLeave a comment

Since your souls have been purified by obedience to the truth through the Spirit unto a genuine brotherly love, love one another deeply with a pure heart, for you have been born again, not from perishable seed, but imperishable, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

1 Peter 1:22–23 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Since your souls have been purified… You’ve already believed and it is accounted to you for righteousness. This is the message of faith that was demonstrated for us by the patriarchs. They are the ones who fell far short of the mark but believed God and He made up the difference.

Obedience to the truth.

There are times that we want to conflate this idea of obedience with law-keeping and morality. That is not what Peter is speaking of, clearly. He uses the phrase and places the objective of obedience to truth. He spoke of that immediately preceding this: “Through Him you believe in God who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1 Peter 1:21)

Obedience to the truth is believing in God.

It comes through the witness of the Holy Spirit. Seriously, without His working even before we believed, there is no real hope for us. It is the Holy Spirit Who has orchestrated the events in our lives to reveal Jesus to each of us in a real way. And can I say… In these last times?

It’s like how Peter expressed it at the beginning of the epistle. Even though his intended audience is Jewish people who are scattered throughout the world at that time, there are important things we can glean. Especially in the very season we find ourselves.

It is this work of the Holy Spirit that reveals Jesus to us and continues to lead us toward sanctification. He leads us to Jesus and once we believe, He patiently works to sanctify us.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To the refugees scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter 1:1–2 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

There is a purpose for sanctification. It is purposed for you. That is why the word elect (or chosen) is used. It is purpose.

The objective is obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus. These two ideas go together. Just as I offered before, this obedience isn’t to the law or even good morals. But it is to the truth. By being obedient to that truth, your sins are covered by the sprinkling of Jesus’ blood.

Because of these truths, it leads us to holy living. That we may be used to be a witness for others.

Brotherly love.

This will be expanded upon a bit later in the epistle. For now, understand that our salvation has brought us adaption into the family of God. You and I have a brother, Jesus. He is the perfect example of brotherly love.

He asks us to love others with a pure heart. Remember, if you’re saved your souls are already purified. And because you know brotherly love from Jesus, it isn’t difficult to extend that love to other brothers and sisters in the faith.

Listen, our hearts separate from God seek to alleviate our own discomfort and seek our own comfort. With a pure heart, we esteem others before ourselves putting their needs before our own. Just as Jesus did for us.

You have been born again.

There is a reason certain analogies are used. This idea of being born again may seem old-fashioned. I certainly hope it isn’t. It’s a very clear way to teach the truth.

Peter is saying we’ve been born again with imperishable seed. He contrasts that idea with our natural birth into the human being we are. He notes that birth comes from perishable seed. That means it is will not last. We know that, as we are born dying.

But unlike our natural birth, our new birth is from imperishable seed. That means there is no corruption. There is no death in that birth. Praise Jesus!

There is another truth that undergirds all of this. A person, once born can never become unborn. One born from perishable seed can never have that birth undone. Such may perish, but that doesn’t undo the birth. The same is true for our new birth. It cannot be undone. Because that birth comes from imperishable seed, there is no corruption or death.

If you think I am saying you cannot lose your salvation. I am not. Peter is, in holy writ revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

The Word of God lives and abides forever.

Does it live in you?

If it does… It lives forever! It abides forever!

For
“All flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
This is the word that was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:24–25 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The temptation is to think of the flesh as Gnostics do… But this is vitally different. It’s not that the flesh is made bad. It has been made corrupt, having inherited that from the disobedience of Adam. Death is passed on.

Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, so death has spread to all men, because all have sinned.

Romans 5:12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

This flesh will pass away. Everything that we do here and in that capacity is going to pass away. It’s the word of the Lord that abides forever.

That is precisely why Peter is calling us to holy living. We know that our Father will judge impartially. We are just passing through this world. It has many snares for us, all of which are vain and lead to perishable rewards.

It’s this higher calling that has everlasting benefit. Holy living doesn’t earn you much in itself, but it points others to Jesus. In that is much benefit.

A Living Hope

On By TimIn 1 Peter 01, Daily Walk, Encouragement, Last Days, Resurrection, Salvation, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away, kept in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now, if for a little while, you have had to suffer various trials, in order that the genuineness of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tried by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, you love; and in whom, though you do not see Him now, you believe and you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving as the result of your faith the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:3–9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It’s the resurrection, really. This is our one hope. But it isn’t a dead hope, it lives. That’s because Jesus Christ lives! If you are truly born again, you are born into a living hope.

This world isn’t our home.

With much of what has happened of late, it makes many hearts heavy, even mine. It seems as if every man is pitted against another, and it even tends to be true for Christians. How sad that.

Brothers and sisters, we have hope in Jesus! We know this world isn’t our home. That’s not an escape fantasy, just the plain truth. Sometimes we pay more attention to what’s plastered in front of us by various media. That tends to make our focus drift to temporary problems. We lose our true objective.

The entire world is careening toward chaos. That isn’t unexpected. All things have been defiled with corruption. Yet what we have reserved for us is pure and undefiled. Why occupy our minds with that?

Some may criticize, saying we Christians are too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good. Yet that isn’t true. What hope can we accomplish with perishing things?

More laws are not the answer. The number of statutes that govern any one of us is mind-boggling now. Adding to them will accomplish little. It certainly cannot change the hearts of men.

Think of it this way. There will be some who might not ever see the hope we have by the way we live. I don’t mean to say we don’t care about things here and now, but let them not occupy our thoughts and weigh us down. Let us point our thoughts to the hope we have. It’s the only hope for a dying world. We witness that daily.

Rejoice in what God has done.

Because you are saved, you are protected by God Himself through believing what He says is true. Though Peter hints our salvation is yet to be revealed, in a future sense, is it ours now?

When the trials come, it is a test of our faith. It is to reveal authenticity. It might be that what each of us suffers demonstrates to those looking at us in the trial, the really real reality of what we believe. It could very well be the impetus that inclines their own heart toward God. More than that, I think the trials are to demonstrate to our own selves our own real genuine faith. They are there to reveal our salvation in the present moments.

We haven’t seen Jesus. But we believe and love Him. We rejoice in Him. To do those things brings joy is unspeakable.

I know as I set out to write this, my heart was heavy with the cares of this world. But this text, and thinking through it right my reality. It brings joy! I have a real Hope!

It’s real joy!

I remember my salvation is real. I have an incorruptible inheritance with Jesus Christ.

Just as Peter said, our salvation will be revealed in latter times. We are continuously receiving it in the present. We are obtaining our salvation as a result of our faith.

Jesus finished the work.

We believe it.

We get the benefit, now.

For Such a Time as This

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Esther 41 Comment

For if you remain silent at this time, protection and deliverance for the Jews will be ordained from some other place, but you and your father’s house shall be destroyed. And who knows if you may have attained royal position for such a time as this?

Esther 4:14 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

If there is anyone who can understand what it is to be awkward in every facet of life, it’s me. I don’t know if I really fit in anywhere. Perhaps it’s part of my experiences that have made me who I am.

One thing I know, is there are those things that I don’t quite get. I am laying in bed, it’s late, in fact early into the next day. The cares of the day weigh heavily. What would it be like to not care?

I don’t know. I don’t know if I will ever really know.

But here is Esther. She was a misfit in the King’s court, in that she was Jewish. Granted, what I think I am pondering is nothing as monumental as what she was thinking. But it does bear some similarities, on a vastly smaller scale. Nevertheless, they are everything for the other souls involved.

Like Esther, the easy choice is self-preservation; to stay with what I know is safe. Yet, it is selfish.

In that time before Esther entered the king’s presence, she would ponder many things. When she purposed to pursue what was right, she set about to do it. In that moment she is a perfect representation of Jesus Christ. She had set aside self-preservation to look beyond the what-ifs and lay down her own life for the lives of her people. She found favor from her king.

It’s not unlike another person.

Consider the apostle Paul. He was on his way to Damascus to persecute saints when he was stopped by his Lord. Paul knew Who it was Who stopped him on that road. Asking Jesus, “What will you have me do?” (Acts 9:1–6)

Think about it. It’s rather unsettling to be struck blind by a bright light and brought to your knees. Jesus told Paul to go into Damascus and await instructions. Ananias was then called by Jesus to visit Paul. Even amidst the disorientation, Paul chose to do the right thing.

Ananias had his Esther moment, too. He set aside his own concerns to do what appeared as an awkward encounter. Setting aside concerns for his own safety he went to Paul with the instructions Jesus gave him.

Paul assents to the instructions of his Lord and was waiting in Damascus. Ananias came, we know what happened. Paul was shown he was called to serve the Lord by ministering to the Gentiles. By taking up the call, he was also shown what he must suffer for Jesus’ name.

For such a time as this Paul had obtained much favor from God. It is only in one of his first epistles did he give a hint of his mindset at his appointment with Jesus and the days that followed.

After giving a list of those who were eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus… He spoke of his own testimony.

Last of all, He was seen by me also, as by one born at the wrong time.

1 Corinthians 15:8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It was an awkward way to become an apostle, and an eyewitness to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Yet like one born at the wrong time.

I can imagine the self-doubt coupled with the instinctual self-preservation, and maybe the idea that someone else will do it instead.

Yet there are those people, real heroes like Esther, Ananias, and Paul, who considered their own personal well-being to be of inconsequential value compared to the panorama of others whose lives would be impacted for the good.

I don’t care who you are or where you are in life. If you’re placed in an awkward position as a misfit, that’s perfect! When faced with some really gut-wrenching decision, choose rightly. I know it may be potentially detrimental to you personally, forego that. Look beyond your own self and into the people that will be impacted for the good by your selflessness.

And who knows if you may have attained your awkward position for such a time as this?

Is This not the Carpenter?

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Jesus, Mark 06, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

He went away from there and came into His own country. And His disciples followed Him. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get this? What is this wisdom that is given Him, that even miracles are done by His hands? Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.

Mark 6:1–3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

When Jesus returned to the place of His rearing and taught in the synagogue, people were astonished. These knew Him better than the other places He visited. They knew His upbringing. He was the carpenter.

Because these had a more intimate knowledge of Jesus growing up and working… What they thought He is became a stumbling block. How could a carpenter have so much wisdom teaching in the synagogue and even do miracles?

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

Mark 6:4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Speaking truth is just that. For anyone who does it to strangers, they may be more apt to listen. They may have no preconceptions. But when it is done with those who you grew up with, objections start to rise. Not because the truth is spoken. These know you or think they do be preconceptions.

For those who have preconceptions, what you say is going to be measured by who they think you are. A stranger speaking the truth is going to appear to have great wisdom. If that stranger is labeled conservative, what truth offered is going to be measured through what the label means to the person hearing.

What you say is going to be measured by who or what your audience thinks you are. The words themselves will be filtered through that myopia. The more specific the preconception applied to you, the more easily it will provoke some offense.

People will judge what you say by preconceived ideas.

In the instance above, to those who knew Him, it was a carpenter speaking with great wisdom and doing miracles. To the stranger, the inherent baggage of a carpenter didn’t exist. Jesus’ humble upbringing was more of a stumbling block to those who were around Him growing up.

Today, those who have a preconceived notion of what a Christian is will filter the truth spoken by that Christian through that idea. In fact, most likely the Christian will seem hypocritical, even among other Christians.

It’s not that the hometown folks didn’t honor Jesus. It was their preconceived idea of Who they thought He is… That became the offense. In other words, He didn’t fit in their box.

Don’t let the box another person wants to put you in to be the prison for you. It is actually a prison for them.

He could not do any miracles there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He was amazed because of their unbelief.

Mark 6:5–6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Because they had imprisoned themselves, it became difficult for Jesus to do anything really good in their lives.

There is a deeper theological issue here, too. It has to do with synergy. There will be lots of folks who balk at that term. What is clearly being taught is that the people themselves weren’t receptive to Jesus. It became an impediment to them. He couldn’t help them.

If He could have changed their hearts by His own will and turned a faith-switch on, don’t you think He would have done that to have compassion on them?

Yet He didn’t. Perhaps it is because we have to come to Jesus in child-like faith, setting aside our own preconceptions of what we think is really real, believing what He says. Only then can He do miracles.

Let’s go Now

On By TimIn Angels, Daily Walk, Jesus, Luke 02Leave a comment

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they came hurrying and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. When they had seen Him, they made widely known the word which was told them concerning this Child.

Luke 2:15–17 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

After the heavenly choir sang to these shepherds, they immediately left their flocks and went into Bethlehem to see with their own eyes what had happened. After all, God chose to make the birth announcement to them.

They hurried and found the announced babe just as they had been told.

Those shepherds went and spread the word. Despite the fact that a shepherd’s testimony had no value in that society. They spoke plainly of what had happened to them.

Do you think we sometimes consider ourselves in the position of a shepherd?

I mean… People won’t believe our testimony of what God has done in our lives. We don’t share it because of the rejection and disbelief we presume we will get. We might think, why bother?

If we don’t talk about Jesus… Who will?

We must be like the shepherds and speak regardless if those we speak to believe what we say.