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God's People: Suffering and Glory (1 Peter 4.12-14)

"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." (1 Peter 4.12-14).

As has been noted before in…  ( Click for more )

God's People: How We ought to Speak (1 Peter 4.11)

The statement is extremely simple but its implications are extraordinarily complex. Here is the statement: "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God." (1Peter 4.11a). This sentence begins with the conditional statement, "If anyone speaks…" In this case, it does not affirm that everyone, or for that matter, anyone has to speak. However, it anticipates the nature of man as a social being with the inherent need to communicate to others as well as to receive communication from others. …  ( Click for more )

God's People: The need for Love (1 Peter 4.7-10)

"But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.' Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4.7-10). The phrase of emphasis here is: "And above all things have fervent love for one another."

Peter states unequivocally why love is so important…  ( Click for more )

God's People: The Future Judgment (1 Peter 4.4-6)

"In regard to these, they [the Gentiles] think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." (1 Peter 4.4-6).

There are some things that are strange and there are some things that only seem strange. Peter wrote…  ( Click for more )

[Happy Thanksgiving!!! Next Devotional Message will be posted on Monday, November 29th!]

God's People: The Example of Christ (1 Peter 4.1-3)

"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, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries,…  ( Click for more )

God's People: The Vindication of Messiah (1 Peter 3.18-22 ; 3 of 3)

"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, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him." (1 Peter 3.21-22). These two verses convey critical information to anyone seeking to be pleasing to God.

First, notice that these verses clearly teach that…  ( Click for more )

God's People: The Vindication of Messiah (1 Peter 3.18-22 ; 2 of 3)

Someone recently grabbed my attention when they affirmed that Jesus went to hell. As I continued to read, I noted that the writer cited the following verses: "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, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being…  ( Click for more )

God's People: The Vindication of Messiah (1 Peter 3.18-22 ; 1 of 3) "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…" (1 Peter 3.18).

Involved in this passage is the concept of the "vicarious suffering of Christ." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines vicarious as: "performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another." It is in this sense that the vicarious suffering of Christ is certainly…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Suffering for Doing Good (1 Peter 3.13-17 ; 2 of 2)

"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; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." (1 Peter 3.15-16). Peter talked to women (1 Peter 3.1-6), and then he talked to men (1 Peter 3.7), and finally he talked to all Christians (1 Peter 3.8-17). In the context of…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Suffering for Doing Good (1 Peter 3.13-17 ; 1 of 2) "And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. 'And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.' 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; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Constantly Exemplify Love & Compassion (1 Peter 3.8-12)

There are roles and responsibilities that God places upon women (1 Peter 3.1-6) and there are roles and responsibilities that God places upon men (1 Peter 3.7). Having written about these gender-specific items, Peter now aims inspiration's pen at admonitions that are equally binding upon men and upon women. In these matters he says, "Be of one mind, having compassion for one another." (1 Peter 3.8a) Stated another way, "There should be no difference when it comes to certain roles and…  ( Click for more )

God's People: The Believing Husband (1 Peter 3.7)

"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." (1 Peter 3.7)

Christian husbands have an awesome, even fearsome, responsibility before God. At the time Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, it is clear that God had placed that responsibility squarely upon the shoulders of the male of the species. Perhaps it was because the male shirked…  ( Click for more )

God's People: The Way to an Unbelieving Spouse (1 Peter 3.1-6; 2 of 2)

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward — arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel — rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good…  ( Click for more )

God's People: The Way to an Unbelieving Spouse (1 Peter 3.1-6; 1 of 2)

"Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear." (1 Peter 3.1-2)

This text sets forth a part of God's scheme of things within the home. Within every organization (home, business, school, church, club, etc.) there is some order that is either stated or simply understood by the parties involved. In this passage God makes…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Christ Bore Our Sins (1 Peter 2.24)

"…[W]ho Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness." (1 Peter 2.24).

Christ had the authority to command any one of His creatures to do whatever was in the Divine will. He could have sentenced 10,000 men to the cross with a single spoken edict. However, Peter wrote that He bore our sins "Himself… in His own body." He did not order someone else to suffer but willingly accepted the sin-penalty that belonged upon the head of every…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Demeanor as Servants (1 Peter 2.18-20)

"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 one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God." (1 Peter 2.18-20).

The servants in this text are not slaves, but are domestics, living in the same house as…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Their Worldview (1 Peter 2.17)

"Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." (1 Peter 2.17). This summary statement speaks multitudes about the character of true Christians. It addresses their relationships with humanity in general, with fellow Christians, with their Creator, and with civil rulers. We will explore some implications of this broad-scoped statement.

First, believers are to honor all people. To honor is to assign a proper value and to treat another in accordance with that valuation. Contrary to…  ( Click for more )

God's People – The Right use of Liberty (1 Peter 2.15-16)

"For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men — as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.." (1 Peter 2.15-16). This expression "cloak for vice [evil]" occurs but once in the New Testament. The term is used here in a prohibitive way, i.e. believers are told something that they ought not to do. A close examination of this text will reveal some interesting and helpful results.

A "cloak…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Their Respect for Authoritites (1 Peter 2.13-14)

[Note: This article was written a short time prior to the Presidential elections being held in the United States of America on November 2nd, 2004. Further, it was set for distribution on the very evening in which the vote tallies from the various states were being accumulated. The author of this devotional piece had no knowledge of who the winners of the election would be. With that background, the reader is challenged to read these thoughts and make application as appropriate.]

"Therefore…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Their Mission in the World (1 Peter 2.11-12)

"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2.11-12).

There are desires and there are desires! Paul, having been separated from the brethren at Thessalonica against his will, told them that he "… endeavored more eagerly to see your face…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Their Identity (1 Peter 2.9-10)

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2.9-10).

They once were not a people; they once were in darkness; they once had not obtained mercy! These past-tense phrases refer to the recipients of the book of 1Peter. What a dismal…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Not Disobedient (1 Peter 2.6-8)

"Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, 'Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.' Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,' and 'A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.' They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed." (1 Peter 2.6-8).

Peter quotes three Old…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Special in His Son (1 Peter 2.4-5)

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2.4-5). There are two prominent sets of contraries in this text. We will examine these contraries and make a few observations about them.

The first set of opposing terms in this text is "living stone." Anyone who knows anything knows that stones…  ( Click for more )

God's People – Crave Special Food (1 Peter 2.1-3)

"Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (1 Peter 1.22-25). The first admonition of this passage is to lay some things aside. Literally the expression laying aside means to remove or put off something in the same way that an unwanted article of clothing is removed (note how those who stoned Stephen laid their garments…  ( Click for more )