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SB 242 1 Peter pp           6/15/06        1:05 PM         Page 1




      KNOWING GOD THROUGH
             1 PETER
    Is there anything in your life worth dying for? Almost
    2,000 years ago, a man named Peter wrote an open
    letter to a group of troubled people who needed an
    answer to this question. They were having second
    thoughts about paying the high price their faith was
    costing.
        In the following pages, Herb Vander Lugt, RBC se-
    nior research editor, helps us understand the letter
    God uses to encourage His children. Peter’s insights
    about knowing God are rich and deep. The troubles
    of this life truly look different when we know the God
    for whom we suffer.
                                        Martin R. De Haan II




    Defining Moments ...................................................2
    Thinking Right In Order To See Right ..................4
    Knowing God Through 1 Peter
      The Wealth God Has Given Us ............................5
      The Distinction God Wants For Us ....................21
    What Do You Consider Worth Dying For? ............32



    Managing Editor: Dean Ohlman         Cover Photo: Peter Cade/Tony Stone Worldwide
    Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, ©1973, 1978, 1984, by the
    International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers.
    Copyright © 2000 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan                Printed in USA

                       © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
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            DEFINING MOMENTS
    The date was AD 63 or early 64. A man in his late six-
    ties was talking slowly enough for his friend to write
    down his words. Together they were composing a let-
    ter to believers in Christ who had become targets of
    religious persecution. The man dictating the letter
    was Peter, the passionate, impulsive, unpredictable
    disciple of Christ described in the New Testament
    Gospels.
         Dark clouds of persecution had broken on believ-
    ers scattered throughout Asia Minor in the area north
    of the Taurus Mountains. Peter longed to encourage
    them and decided to do so by writing a letter that they
    could circulate among them. Silas, a dedicated, well-
    educated, and gifted man who had proven his trust-
    worthiness as Paul’s companion (Acts 15:22-32) and
    co-writer (1 Th. 1:1; 2 Th. 1:1), gave Peter secretari-
    al and editorial help (1 Pet. 5:12.)
         Peter had earned the right to encourage his readers.
    He knew what it was like to be overcome by fear and
    discouragement. Years earlier he had temporarily
    abandoned Christ when times got difficult. He too had
    been afraid. He too had been unprepared for the hos-
    tility he experienced as a follower of Christ. Along the
    way, however, he learned that God is never more real,
    or more reassuring, than in those moments when He
    is all we have. So, Peter dictated:
         To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered
         throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia,
         and Bithynia, who have been chosen according
         to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through
         the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to
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       Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace
       and peace be yours in abundance (1:1-2).
       Peter had a high view of these displaced refugees.
    Even though they were “strangers in the world,” they
    were known to God, and God had a plan for them.
    They were to show the world that real life does not
    consist in the abundance of material possessions. In
    fact, it doesn’t even begin until we possess something
    worth dying for.
       This truth echoed through the halls of history to
    rest in the soul of Jim Elliot, who in 1956 was speared
    to death by the South American Indian tribe he was
    trying to reach with the gospel. Not long before his
    death, Jim wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he
    cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

         “He is no fool who gives what he
           cannot keep to gain what he
             cannot lose.” —Jim Elliot
        Peter’s regard for these people came through in the
    first words of his letter (1:2). He longed for them to
    recognize, in the middle of their trouble, those defin-
    ing moments that would prove to them they were
    among the most privileged people in the world. He
    desired that they be so overwhelmed by the love of
    God they would consider it an honor to suffer for the
    One who had done so much for them.




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      THINKING RIGHT IN ORDER
            TO SEE RIGHT
    Even though we are persecuted, poor, and despised
    in the sight of others for following Christ, in reality we
    are rich because of what God has done for us in
    Christ. Peter started his letter by emphasizing the true
    wealth of all followers of Christ:

    THE WEALTH GOD HAS GIVEN US
    A Second Birth (1:3)
    An Undying Hope (1:4)
    A Guaranteed Inheritance (1:4-9)
    An Awesome Rescue (1:10-12,17-21)
    A High Honor (2:4-12)
    An Inspiring Teacher (2:21-23)
    A Life-Changing Lord (2:24-25)
    A Pre-Announced Victory (3:18-22)

    THE DISTINCTION GOD WANTS FOR US
    Then, in the light of all God has done for us, Peter
    urged his readers to distinguish themselves as God’s
    people. We are to be identified in the world by these
    distinctions:
    A Family Love (1:22–2:1; 3:8-12)
    A Spiritual Thirst (2:2-3)
    An Enlightened Submission (2:11-18)
    An Admirable Endurance (2:18-20; 3:13-17)
    A Healthy Home (3:1-7)
    An Eternal Perspective (4:1-19)
    A Unifying Relationship (5:1-11)
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      KNOWING GOD THROUGH
             1 PETER
    THE WEALTH GOD HAS GIVEN US
    As Peter began his letter, a spontaneous exclamation
    of praise flowed from his lips: “Praise be to the God
    and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” The anticipation
    of what he was about to say so overwhelmed Peter
    that just thinking about it caused him to worship.
       Let’s examine the reasons for Peter’s enthusiasm:
       A Second Birth (1:3). As a messenger of good
    news, Peter exclaimed about God, “In His great
    mercy He has given us new birth.” This was an im-
    portant place to start. The apostle wanted believers to
    realize that there is more to life than what is immedi-
    ately apparent—especially in their circumstances. In-
    stead of focusing on their troubles, Peter called
    attention to one of the most important truths Chris-
    tians need to keep in mind: Our spiritual heritage is of
    more worth than all the earthly wealth of the
    Kennedys or Bill Gates. Our true identity is far more
    impressive than if we had been born into the royal
    family of Great Britain. We have been born into the
    family of heaven: Our roots and inheritance are not
    limited to this world.
       As defined by Peter, this new birth occurs when-
    ever someone turns from self-sufficiency and trusts
    Christ (Acts 16:31; 17:30-31). Peter made this clear:
    “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying
    the truth so that you have sincere love for your broth-
    ers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you
    have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of
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    imperishable, through the living and enduring Word
    of God” (1:22-23).
       Peter emphasized this spiritual birth because
    many of his readers were considered to be expend-
    able by their own families for turning their backs on
    the religious faith of their fathers. They were often
    seen as spiritual turncoats. They were also consid-
    ered bad for the community because they would not
    worship the neighborhood gods. And because they
    would not worship the emperor, they were seen as
    unpatriotic. For these reasons and more, followers of
    Christ needed assurance that they had been perma-
    nently born into the family of heaven. Rejection by
    this world only heightens the importance of what
    God has done for us.

         People who live in the shadow of
           persecution and death need
             a hope worth dying for.

        An Undying Hope (1:4). People who live in the
    shadow of persecution and death need a hope worth
    dying for. So Peter reminded his readers that they had
    received “a living hope through the resurrection of
    Jesus Christ from the dead.” Because Jesus rose
    bodily from the grave, those who believed in Him can
    be confident that they share in His undying life.
        This confident anticipation of life beyond the grave
    is important for people living in any age. God has built
    into us a strong self-preservation instinct. He also has
    given us close family ties that we are reluctant to
    break. This makes us uneasy at the thought of dying—
    until God prepares us to be called home.
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       When my mother was told that she had only a few
    weeks to live, she became despondent. She wanted
    to spend more years with her family and friends. God
    graciously extended her life another 12 years, and her
    attitude about death changed. A few days before she
    was called home to be with the Lord, she told me she
    was content, ready to leave this world and join those
    who had gone before.
       In my 50 years of pastoring, I have worked with
    hundreds of dying and grieving people. Repeatedly I
    have seen the difference this living hope makes. Be-
    lieve me, our living hope changes everything when
    we encounter death, whether our own or that of peo-
    ple we love. This living hope is what Peter offered to
    believers confronted with their own mortality.
       A Guaranteed Inheritance (1:4-9). To people fac-
    ing the possibility of death, Peter did more than offer
    a living hope; he also described an inheritance guar-
    anteed by God:
       • This inheritance can never “perish” (be destroyed
          by outward forces), “spoil” (be destroyed by in-
          ternal decay), or “fade” (wear out).
       • It is “kept [reserved] in heaven for you, who
          through faith are shielded [protected from harm]
          by God’s power until the coming of the salvation
          that is ready to be revealed in the last time”
          (vv.4-5).
       • It will be ours to receive after “a little while” of
          spiritually profitable suffering (v.6).
       • It will, upon possession, bring us “praise, glory,
          and honor” (v.7).
       Peter went on to assure all who are “in Christ” that
    we can have certainty about this wonderful inheri-
    tance without actually seeing it. He wrote:
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       Though you have not seen Him, you love Him;
       and even though you do not see Him now, you
       believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible
       and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of
       your faith, the salvation of your souls (vv.8-9).
       The fact that these persecuted believers had not
    seen Jesus when He was on earth did not stop them
    from loving Him. Neither did they stop loving God be-
    cause He had not delivered them from their enemies.
    Without seeing God, they believed He loved them and
    were filled with “inexpressible and glorious joy.”

       What we can touch and see is easier
          to love than what is invisible.

       When one of my grandsons was 5 years old, he
    asked me, “Grandpa, how can I love God? I can love
    Mom and Dad and Grandma and you, but I can see
    you. How can I love God when I have never seen Him?”
       My grandson asked a profound question. How
    can we be sure enough about God to actually love
    Him? I wanted so much for that little 5-year-old to
    know what I knew. I wanted him to have the assur-
    ance that Peter wrote about. I wanted to tell him in a
    moment what God Himself must show each of us
    over time. I could tell him that we learn to love God
    as we learn to see how much He has first loved us
    (1 Jn. 4:19). I could tell him that loving God is a part
    of getting to know Him. I could tell him that God
    gives those who believe in His Son a heart to love
    Him. But what I couldn’t explain in that moment is
    that we must also learn to walk by faith rather than
    by sight.
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       What we can touch and see is easier to love than
    what is invisible. But the visible world becomes less
    important to us as we realize how temporary circum-
    stances are and how elusive relationships can be.
    That was a truth Peter’s persecuted readers had
    learned from God and for themselves.
       An Awesome Rescue (1:10-12,17-21). The kind
    of rescue God provided had been a mystery that Old
    Testament prophets and even angels had been unable
    to understand. Prophets like Isaiah and Daniel had a
    vague idea that God’s Messiah would not only rule the
    world, but would also suffer for the sins of His people.
    But no one could understand what it actually meant or
    how it would be possible until after it happened.
       The New Testament explains far more than the Old
    Testament prophets understood. Even so, we still
    have only a small understanding of the wonder of
    God’s love, the mystery of the God-man Jesus Christ,
    the depth of the agony He endured for our salvation,
    the enigma of grace, and the glory of heaven. We still
    have reason to tremble with fear and awe when we
    sense the immensity of the issues of life and death
    Peter wrote about.

     The visible world becomes less important
        to us as we realize how temporary
            circumstances are and how
            elusive relationships can be.
       After being away for 7 months to receive treatment
    for an aggressive and deadly cancer, Pastor James
    Van Tholen talked to his congregation about the won-
    der of this salvation. He knew that he had only
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    months to live and he admitted being afraid. He
    wrote, “How could this be so? How could I have be-
    lieved in the God of grace and dreaded to meet Him?
    Why did I stand in this pulpit and preach grace to you
    over and over, and then when I myself needed the
    grace so much, why did I discover fear where the
    grace should have been? I think I know the answer
    now. . . . The answer is that grace is a scandal. Grace
    is hard to believe. Grace goes against the grain. The
    gospel of grace says that there is nothing I can do to
    get right with God, but that God has made Himself
    right with me through Jesus’ bloody death. And that
    is a scandalous thing to believe” (Christianity Today,
    May 24, 1999, p.58).
       In the face of the unfathomable wonder of a salva-
    tion we do not deserve, this 33-year-old pastor ex-
    perienced a reverent fear and wonder of what God
    has done for us. This is the same awe and wonder
    the apostle Peter wrote about as he said to his trou-
    bled readers:
       You know that it was not with perishable things
       such as silver or gold that you were redeemed
       from the empty way of life handed down to you
       from your forefathers, but with the precious
       blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
       He was chosen before the creation of the world,
       but was revealed in these last times for your
       sake. Through Him you believe in God, who
       raised Him from the dead and glorified Him
       (vv.18-21).
       The simplicity of the gospel! The concept that we
    are delivered from the punishment we deserve be-
    cause Jesus died in our place is so simple that even
    children can place their trust in Him.
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      The profundity of the gospel! When we try to
    imagine God truly coming to earth in the person of
    Jesus Christ to be the sacrifice for our sins, we en-
    counter mind-stretching truths about our loving, tri-
    une, perfect, infinite, and eternal God.
      The disturbing gospel! It reminds us that we are so
    weak and depraved we can do absolutely nothing to
    save ourselves.
      The comfort of the gospel! It assures us that by His
    grace alone, God provided a complete salvation that
    we can receive by faith alone.

     Anyone who is in Christ can be despised
       on earth while being highly honored
                in heaven’s eyes.

        A High Honor (2:4-12). As Peter composed his let-
    ter to displaced, persecuted people, he spoke of the
    irony of the Christian’s circumstances. Earth despised
    the people whom heaven honored. Peter used terms
    like “living stones,” “a spiritual house,” “a holy priest-
    hood,” “a chosen people,” “a royal priesthood,” “a
    holy nation,” “a people belonging to God” to show the
    heavenly value of persecuted, rejected people.
    Whether or not we ever experience the trouble Peter’s
    first-century readers endured, it’s important that we
    try to understand the high honor that belongs to those
    of us who have entrusted ourselves to Christ:
        • We are “living stones . . . being built into a spir-
           itual house” because of the sacrifice of Jesus
           Christ, “the Living Stone—rejected by men but
           chosen by God” (2:4).
        • We are a “spiritual house” because our bodies
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          are temples in which God dwells just as truly as
          He did in Israel’s material temple (2:5).
       • We are “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sac-
          rifices acceptable to God” (2:5) because we can
          come directly to God with three sacrifices: (1)
          daily devotion of ourselves to Christ (Rom.
          12:1), (2) expressions of sincere praise and
          thanksgiving (Heb. 13:15), and (3) deeds of
          kindness and generosity (Heb. 13:16).
       • We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a
          holy nation, a people belonging to God” (2:9)
          because God has chosen to make us instru-
          ments designed to “declare the praises of Him
          who called [us] out of darkness into His wonder-
          ful light.”
       Think about it! God has given to us, for all time and
    eternity, roles not even the holy angels can fill. A re-
    markable honor for undeserving sinners!
       An Inspiring Teacher (2:21-23). When followers
    of Christ run into difficulty because of our faith, we
    need a mental picture of how to respond. Peter paint-
    ed this picture by showing how Christ Himself en-
    dured pain for us.
       • He suffered innocently, yet without resentment.
          “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found
          in His mouth” (v.22).
       • He suffered without retaliating. “When they
          hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate;
          when He suffered, He made no threats” (v.23;
          Mk. 15:16-20,29-32 tells the story).
       • He suffered trustingly. “Instead [of making
          threats], He entrusted Himself to Him who
          judges justly” (v.23). Interestingly, the word
          translated “entrusted” carries the thought “to
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          hand over.” Paul Rees comments, “Just as
          Judas in betrayal ‘delivered up’. . . his Lord to
          the soldiers, just as the Jews ‘delivered’ Him to
          Pilate, and just as Pilate ‘delivered’ Him to the
          soldiers, so He at the last ‘delivered’ Himself
          with unshattered confidence into the keeping
          of the Father who judges with perfect equity”
          (Triumphant In Trouble, Revell, 1962, p.63).
       Inspired by this example and through the enabling
    presence of the Holy Spirit, thousands of Christian
    martyrs have likewise suffered and died with great
    courage and grace. In the spirit of their wonderful
    teacher and Savior, they “entrusted” themselves (lit-
    erally handed themselves over) into the hands of the
    God they knew they could trust to keep His promise
    of ultimate salvation and life everlasting.

       When we turn to Christ we enter into
        a relationship with Him, and we
        become members of His family.

       The day came when Peter himself was killed be-
    cause his faith in Christ put him at odds with those
    who held the temporary reins of power. Although the
    exact time of his death is uncertain, early writers
    placed it during the time of persecution under the
    Roman emperor Nero. All writers agree that Peter
    died by crucifixion. Origen says that by his own re-
    quest Peter was crucified upside down because he
    didn’t consider himself worthy to die in the same
    manner as his Lord. All indications are that Peter
    was himself deeply impressed by the example of his
    own friend and teacher.
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       A Life-Changing Lord (2:24-25). In addition to de-
    scribing Jesus as our perfect sacrifice (1:18-20) and
    flawless example (2:21-23), Peter wanted his readers
    to know that God made Christ our life-changing Lord
    (2:24-25). So he dictated to Silas, “He Himself bore
    our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die
    to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds [lit-
    erally “welts”] you have been healed.”

     Not only is Jesus’ death the basis for our
       forgiveness, it’s also the foundation
              for our transformation.

       The purpose of Christ’s death is “that we might die
    to sins and live for righteousness”(2:24). Some see
    this statement as being in conflict with other Bible
    passages which declare that Christ died to pay the
    penalty for our sins. These people forget that the
    death of Christ had more than one result. Not only is
    His death the basis for our forgiveness, it’s also the
    foundation for our transformation.
       When we turn to Christ we enter into a relationship
    with Him. We become members of His family through
    the new birth of which Peter spoke earlier (1:23).
    Jesus is not ashamed to acknowledge us as His
    brothers and sisters (Heb. 2:11-14). As our brother
    and living Lord, He continues to care and intercede
    for us (Heb. 5:10), fulfilling His promise, “Surely I am
    with you always, to the very end of the age” (Mt.
    28:20). In addition to all this, from His place in heav-
    en after His ascension, He, together with the Father,
    “poured out” the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33) who now
    lives in every believer (1 Cor. 6:19). Through His
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    death for our sins, His resurrection, His outpouring of
    the Holy Spirit, and His continued presence as our
    brother and Lord, He equipped us for a higher qual-
    ity of life.
       Most of Peter’s readers knew the pain of a scourg-
    ing, and to that extent could identify with Christ’s
    physical suffering on their behalf. Borrowing from
    Isaiah 53:5, Peter assured them that by being
    wounded for them (2:24), Jesus provided spiritual
    healing for our sin-diseased souls. In this connection,
    many commentators have quoted third-century
    preacher Theodoret: “A new and strange method of
    healing: The doctor suffered the cost, and the sick
    received the healing!”
       By dying for us, Christ restored our relationship
    with God. So Peter wrote, “You were like sheep going
    astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd
    and Overseer of your souls” (2:25). In this he echoed
    Isaiah 53:6, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to his own way.”

     “A new and strange method of healing:
       The doctor suffered the cost, and the
      sick received the healing!” —Theodoret

       Even though Peter’s first-century readers were
    scattered across the Middle East and Southern Eu-
    rope like lost sheep, he wanted them to know that
    they were not lost to God. On the contrary, they
    were being led and protected every step of the way.
    They were being shepherded by One who wanted to
    show the world that the quality of a person’s life is
    not determined by physical circumstances. The
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    very fact that these people were living in difficult
    material conditions gave them a chance to show
    that they had found wealth far more significant than
    anything the world had to offer. Their material
    poverty became a frame for the picture of Christ
    within.
       A Pre-Announced Victory (3:18-22). Much of
    what Peter wrote to troubled believers probably made
    sense to them in principle. But he also wrote some
    things that caused considerable confusion for his
    readers in the centuries that followed. For example:
       It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing
       good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins
       once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to
       bring you to God. He was put to death in the
       body but made alive by the Spirit, through
       whom also He went and preached to the spirits
       in prison who disobeyed long ago when God
       waited patiently in the days of Noah while the
       ark was being built (3:17-20).

     What Christ suffered for us is far greater
       than anything we suffer for Him.

       Peter’s point was clear when he said that it is bet-
    ter to suffer for following Christ than for committing
    crimes against society. He also made sense when he
    said that what Christ suffered for us is far greater
    than anything we suffer for Him. But what was
    Peter’s point when he talked about Jesus preaching
    “to the spirits in prison”? And why was it important
    enough to include in his letter to persecuted follow-
    ers of Christ?
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       Some early Church Fathers taught that Jesus went
    to hell during the time between His death and resur-
    rection to finish His task of paying the full price for our
    sins. The Apostles’ Creed, dating back to the third or
    fourth century, expresses this concept in the words,
    “He descended into hell.” The Reformers, however,
    did not agree with the idea that Jesus went to hell
    after His death. They pointed to Jesus’ sixth state-
    ment from the cross, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30), as
    evidence that when He died He emptied the cup of
    God’s wrath against sin. They interpreted the state-
    ment in the Apostles’ Creed to mean that in the des-

        The ark is an ancient symbol that
      pointed forward to our rescue in Christ.

    olation that caused Him to cry from the cross, “My
    God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt.
    27:46), Jesus “suffered the torments of hell.” Many
    Reformation theologians did not believe that Jesus
    ever visited hell or the underworld. They interpreted
    Peter as saying that Jesus was resurrected by the
    same Holy Spirit through whom He, as the eternal
    Word, had preached to Noah’s contemporaries while
    the ark was being built. The spirits of these people are
    now in prison in the underworld where they await res-
    urrection and final judgment.
       Some Bible scholars today see Peter’s statements
    in another way. They believe Peter was describing
    Jesus’ descent into Hades, the spirit realm of the
    dead. They say He went there not to pay for sin, but
    to announce that He had once and for all time de-
    feated sin and death. If this view is correct, our Lord’s
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    entrance into Hades was a part of His exaltation, not
    His suffering.
       I believe this explanation fits Peter’s purpose of en-
    couraging persecuted people. But then he made an-
    other statement that has been the source of much
    discussion through the years. Speaking of Jesus’ de-
    scent into Hades, Peter alluded to Noah’s ark and
    made a statement about baptism that is often misun-
    derstood. He said, “In it [the ark] only a few people,
    eight in all, were saved through water, and this water
    symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the
    removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a
    good conscience toward God. It saves you by the res-
    urrection of Jesus Christ” (3:21).

       On the cross, Jesus experienced the
       flood of God’s wrath against our sin.
            But He was not destroyed.

       To understand these words, visualize the swirling
    flood waters that came upon the world in the days of
    Noah. They were destructive to everything outside the
    huge boat Noah built. However, those same waters
    worked in favor of the ark. They gradually buoyed it
    up, lifting its occupants to safety.
       Now ask, “What saved Noah and his family, the
    water or the ark?” The answer is obvious. It was the
    ark. Had they been outside of it, they would have
    died. The raging water was by its nature destructive.
    The ark, however, withstood its wrath, and the water
    could do nothing except lift it up to safety.
       The ark is an ancient symbol that pointed forward
    to our rescue in Christ. On the cross, Jesus experi-
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    enced the flood of God’s wrath against our sin. But He
    was not destroyed. He endured until He could say, “It
    is finished” (Jn. 19:30). Then He let Himself die, only
    to rise from death on the third day, the victor over sin
    and death.
        When we believe and trust Jesus Christ, we are
    united with Him, and He becomes our ark of safety.
    That’s why believers are referred to as “in Christ” more
    than 60 times in the New Testament. In Romans 6:1-
    14, Paul declared that baptism depicts the nature of
    the oneness with Christ that occurs when we believe.
    The new believer—having heard the gospel, having
    been convicted of sin, and having received spiritual
    cleansing through faith in Jesus—enters the waters of
    baptism (which symbolizes God’s judgment against
    sin) to declare his or her death to the old life and res-
    urrection to a new life. As Jesus entered Hades to an-
    nounce victory over sin, so by a symbolic act of
    baptism we announce to the world that our victory
    over sin is assured even though there are still forces of
    evil at work.
        Peter knew that his troubled readers, more than
    anything else, needed to see who God is, what He had
    done for them, and how joyful they soon would be.
    What was true for first-century believers is just as true
    for us. Our lives find meaning and perspective only as
    we see God and ourselves in light of what He has done
    for us through Christ:
        Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm
        yourselves also with the same attitude, because
        He who has suffered in His body is done with sin.
        As a result, He does not live the rest of His earthly
        life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of
        God (1 Pet. 4:1-2).
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                         SEEING GOD
    • In Peter’s concern for his persecuted readers, we see
      God’s concern for them and for us.
    • In Peter’s words of encouragement, we see what
      God has done for us.
    • In God’s gift of the new birth, we see His willingness
      to bring those who believe in Christ into His own
      family.
    • In His guarantee of an eternal inheritance, we see
      how generous God has been to us.
    • In His fathomless rescue, we catch a glimpse of
      God’s immeasurable love and wisdom.
    • In the high honor God gives to us, we see the extent
      of God’s purposes for us.
    • In the example of Christ’s suffering, we see that pain
      suffered for God’s sake results in great gain.
                    SEEING OURSELVES
    • In Peter’s concern for his readers, we can see our
      own need for renewal and for the right perspective in
      times of trouble.
    • In Peter’s words of encouragement, we see what our
      focus should be.
    • In God’s gift of the new birth, we see our own fami-
      ly ties to God.
    • In God’s guarantee of an eternal inheritance, we see
      our own great blessing because of Christ.
    • In the high honor God has given us, we see that we
      have been called to live a life of distinguished ser-
      vice.
    • In the example of Christ’s suffering, we see that we
      too are called to suffer.



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    THE DISTINCTION GOD WANTS FOR US
    As Peter dictated his letter to encourage persecuted,
    displaced followers of Christ, he understood what they
    were enduring (1:6). Although the future for his read-
    ers was bright, the present was dark and difficult. He
    knew that their problems were causing them to be im-
    poverished and feel abandoned by God, even though
    God Himself was at work in all of these circumstances.
       But what was God doing? Why would He do so
    much for His people while at the same time allow so
    much distress and disappointment? Through the in-
    spiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter knew what his read-
    ers needed to hear. God wanted the best for those who
    were in Christ. He wanted His people to know Him, the
    eternal God. He wanted them to know the incompara-
    ble experience of embracing what is not temporary.
    God wanted His people to find comfort and peace and
    joy in knowing Him. He wanted His people to discov-
    er something far more valuable than “gold which per-
    ishes” (1:7).

          God wanted them to know the
           incomparable experience of
         embracing what is not temporary.

       The problems Peter’s readers had—the “various tri-
    als” which “for a little while” troubled them—were ac-
    tually a part of God’s solution. They were His way of
    leading them to a purified faith that is more valuable
    than gold (1:7).
       Peter wanted his readers to know God’s goodness,
    so he urged them to separate themselves from any-
    thing that would keep them from experiencing God’s
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    best. Without apology, Peter asked his readers to give
    themselves wholeheartedly to God Himself. This is
    what Peter meant when he asked Silas to write:
       Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled;
       set your hope fully on the grace to be given you
       when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient
       children, do not conform to the evil desires you
       had when you lived in ignorance. But just as
       He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you
       do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy”
       (1 Pet. 1:13-16).
       Today’s readers are apt to misunderstand what
    Peter meant by “holy living.” Some suppose that
    when Peter called repeatedly for “holiness” of life that
    he was expecting perfection. That’s not what Peter
    had in view. The Greek word translated “holy” in
    1 Peter 1:15-16 means “set apart” for a specific use
    and purpose.

       Great harm has been done to the
        concept of holiness by those who
     confuse it with self-righteous arrogance.

       Others think that to be “holy” means to be a
    religious fanatic set apart from the “unclean” mass-
    es. Great harm has been done to the concept of ho-
    liness by those who confuse it with self-righteous
    arrogance.
       Remember that Jesus, the most holy person of all,
    was called a “friend of sinners.” No one took more
    heat from arrogant religionists. No one was less pre-
    tentious. No one showed more love, more mercy,
    more compassion.
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       Peter repeatedly urged readers to embrace faith in
    a way that would distinguish them as the people of
    God, to show the world, even in the middle of all their
    troubles, that the new life they had found was far bet-
    ter than the life they had inherited from their fathers.
    Peter then listed several ways to do this. In the
    process, Peter also gave us timeless principles that
    can help us check up on our own faith and test our re-
    lationship to God. The kind of “holy distinction” God
    wants for us involves habits of the heart that make life
    worth living.

         “By this all men will know that you
            are My disciples, if you love
                one another.” —Jesus

       A Family Love (1:22–2:1; 3:8-12). One distin-
    guishing mark of those God has “set apart” for Him-
    self is authentic love for one another. “Now that you
    have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that
    you have sincere love for your brothers, love one an-
    other deeply, from the heart” (1:22).
       Peter learned this kind of family love from Jesus
    Himself. At the Last Supper, just after Jesus had
    washed His disciples’ feet and just before He per-
    formed the greatest act of love ever known, He said
    this to His disciples: “By this all men will know that
    you are My disciples, if you have love for one anoth-
    er” (Jn. 13:35). Peter hadn’t forgotten those words. He
    probably replayed that moment a thousand times in
    his mind. Jesus had urged His disciples to show their
    relationship to Him by loving one another. That same
    night the disciples had been arguing about which of
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    them was the greatest. A few hours later, Judas be-
    trayed Jesus, the disciples scattered to protect them-
    selves, and Peter repeatedly denied that he was one of
    Jesus’ followers.
        Loving fellow believers is so important that Peter
    mentioned it again: “Finally, all of you, live in harmo-
    ny with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers,
    be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with
    evil, or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to
    this you were called so that you may inherit a bless-
    ing” (3:8-9).
        Peter’s instruction to love brothers and sisters who
    hurt us is important. His reminder to not repay evil
    with evil or insult with insult can help us avoid unreal-
    istic expectations. We expect hostility from enemies,
    but not from fellow believers! Yet, once again, Peter
    understood human weakness. Over time, brothers and
    sisters will disrespect and insult one another. So God
    does not ask us to love only those who are always
    considerate, but to love one another as He loved us—
    in all of our own failure and foolishness. We are to
    show the watching world that we are a family shaped
    not by our own self-centered “love,” but by the true
    love we have learned from our Father in heaven.
        A Spiritual Thirst (2:2-3). To know God, we need
    to communicate with Him in prayer and to listen
    carefully and thoughtfully to what He has said. To
    hear God, we need attitudes that won’t block out
    what He is saying. So Peter wrote that we should lay
    aside “all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and
    slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave
    pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in
    your salvation, now that you have tasted that the
    Lord is good” (2:1-3).
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       The answer to the fears of those being persecuted
    would not be found in natural human instincts for self-
    protection. The solution to their problems was not to
    hate their persecutors, to envy those in better cir-
    cumstances, or to lie in order to survive (as Peter had
    done when he denied the Lord). The answer to their
    dilemma was to crave to hear God speak through His
    Word, the way babies crave their mother’s milk.
       The word picture of babies crying for nourishment
    tells us a lot about what God wants for us. Nursing in-
    fants are not satisfied very long with one feeding. As
    regular as a clock, they cry again and again to be
    fed. Hunger is not a pleasant experience, but it is
    good because it drives a baby to cry for its mother.

     Believers need God’s Word as much and
      as often as a baby needs its mother’s
         milk, for it is the source of all that
           is infinite, eternal, and good.
       Believers need God’s Word as much and as often
    as a baby needs its mother’s milk, for it is the source
    of all that is infinite, eternal, and good. The Word of
    God reminds us that God is with us in all circum-
    stances: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be
    afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your
    God goes with you; He will never leave you nor for-
    sake you” (Dt. 31:6).
       Peter pointed his readers back to the Word of God
    because of its permanence: “All men are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the
    grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the
    Lord stands for ever” (1 Pet. 1:24-25).
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       An Enlightened Submission (2:11-18). Even in
    the unfair circumstances of the first century, Peter en-
    couraged believers to submit “for the Lord’s sake”
    (v.13) and “as servants of God” (v.16). In a day when
    the Roman Caesar was worshiped as a god, and when
    economic slavery was a way of life for many followers
    of Christ, Peter called for submission to authorities in
    government (vv.13-14) and in the workplace as well
    (v.18). He reasoned that submission is proper even
    when the authorities are harsh and unkind (vv.18-20).
       From other parts of the New Testament, we learn
    that our submission is not to be passive or mindless.
    The early apostles showed that there is a time to “obey
    God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) and it is when au-
    thorities tell us to disobey God, or when we do not
    have an opportunity to legitimately improve our cir-
    cumstances (1 Cor. 7:21). Peter reminded his readers
    to make certain that any punishment they received
    was for doing good not evil. He didn’t want them caus-
    ing trouble by failing to respect or love someone. He
    wanted them to do everything possible to put the
    gospel of Christ in a good light (2:11-12,15).
       An Admirable Endurance (2:18-20; 3:13-17). The
    natural response to unfair treatment is resentment and
    retaliation, but Peter wrote that the follower of Christ
    “bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because
    he is conscious of God” (v.19). To endure “deserved”
    punishment merits no praise: “If you suffer for doing
    good and you endure it, this is commendable before
    God” (v.20). By doing this we follow the example set
    by Jesus (vv.21-23).
       To a persecuted people strengthened by God, Peter
    said, “Do not fear what they fear [the things they are
    threatening to do to you]; do not be frightened.” In-
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    stead, “Always be prepared to give an answer to
    everyone who asks you to give the reason for the
    hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and
    respect” (3:14-15).
       The implication of Peter’s loving counsel is that if
    we are distinguishing ourselves as the Lord’s people,
    we will be asked about our faith. We need to be ready
    to speak, but without forcing ourselves on listeners
    who would rather not hear. If we speak belligerently
    or hatefully when we are mistreated, we do more
    harm than good.
       A Healthy Home (3:1-7). The distinction of a “set
    apart” people needs to be evident at home. If we fail
    to be Christlike within our own families, we will lose
    other opportunities for good and for God outside of
    our families as well.

          If we fail to be Christlike within
        our own families, we will lose other
        opportunities for good and for God.

       With a concern not only for families but also for
    the reputation of Christ, Peter first addressed wives,
    telling them to be submissive to their husbands, en-
    couraging them to give more attention to their atti-
    tudes than to their attire, and giving the biblical
    example of Sarah’s relationship with Abraham as a
    model (3:1-6) (who, interestingly, was not always
    submissive).
       Why did Peter lay this burden on women? Weren’t
    wives going through enough trouble outside of the
    home without being subjected to unreasonable pres-
    sure from their husbands? Couldn’t he have ap-
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    pealed to the principles of Christ to lift the burden of
    these wives?
       Let’s take a closer look: (1) Peter was addressing
    women in a society that did not give women equal
    status with men. (2) He had a special concern for
    Christian women whose husbands did not yet believe.
    (3) He was not being critical of external appearance,
    but was encouraging followers of Christ to give more
    attention to their hearts than to their attire. (4) The re-
    lationship of Abraham and Sarah was as complex as
    any marriage. On one occasion Abraham actually
    followed Sarah’s lead. (5) The fear to which the wife
    was not to succumb—“do not give way to fear”—was
    probably the fear instilled by the pagan husband who
    pressures her to revert to paganism and emperor
    worship.

         Submission is a loving, purposeful,
         enlightened submission. It is not a
         blind, passive attitude that cowers
            without character or reason.
       We can be sure that the “submission” Peter asked
    for is a loving, purposeful, enlightened submission. It
    is not a blind, passive attitude that cowers without
    character or reason.
       Peter’s words to husbands, though more brief,
    were just as comprehensive and challenging (3:7):
    (1) The husband, aware of the emotional and phys-
    ical differences between men and women, is to be
    “considerate,” going the extra mile to make his
    wife’s life as pleasant as possible. (2) He is to treat
    his wife with “respect,” viewing her as an equal heir
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    of a relationship with God. (3) The husband, ac-
    cording to Peter, also needs to realize that his rela-
    tionship with God depends on how he treats his wife
    (3:7). If he is inconsiderate and disrespectful, the
    wrongs he inflicts on his wife will come between his
    prayers and God.
       An Eternal Perspective (4:1-19). God also wants
    His people to distinguish themselves with an eternal
    perspective. So Peter wrote, “Those who suffer ac-
    cording to God’s will should commit themselves to
    their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (4:19).
       Believers, therefore, are people who see their pres-
    ent troubles against the backdrop of the future.
       • They see themselves as objects of grace and
          destined for glory. They realize that the unbeliev-
          ers who are angry with them will one day be
          judged for their sins. Then the tables will be
          turned (vv.5-6).
       • They see the approaching “end of all things” and
          live with it in mind. Therefore, they are “clear
          minded,” making wise decisions that will prepare
          them for their meeting with Christ (v.7).
       • They see that suffering with Christ now will en-
          hance their joy when they share His glory (v.13).
       • They see that suffering innocently for Christ’s
          sake will bring on them “the Spirit of glory and of
          God,” a foretaste of what awaits them (vv.14-
          16).
       • They know that suffering now is a means by
          which God gives His people a chance to distin-
          guish themselves as the people of Christ.
       A Unifying Relationship (5:1-11). People “set
    apart” for God have a sense of oneness with all who
    share a relationship with God through Christ.
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       Peter placed upon spiritual leaders a great deal of
    responsibility to promote this sense of oneness (vv.1-
    4). He addressed the church leaders and told them
    how they were to fulfill their role as “shepherds” and
    “overseers”: (1) “not because you must, but because
    you are willing”; (2) “not greedy for money, but eager
    to serve”; (3) “not lording it over those entrusted to
    you, but being examples to the flock.” The meaning
    of each charge is so clear that no explanation is need-
    ed. By referring to himself as a “fellow elder” instead
    of reminding them of his apostolic authority, Peter
    practiced the “oneness” he preached.

        Believers are people who see their
            present troubles against the
              backdrop of the future.

       Then before taking the pen from Silas (5:12) to
    sign the letter and write closing words of affection,
    Peter made one last effort to encourage the kind of
    unity that would enable his readers to grow in their
    knowledge of God. As one who had learned so much
    the hard way, Peter assured his troubled readers that
    by caring for one another they could entrust them-
    selves and their final well-being to the Eternal One,
    who had in so many ways proven His love for them.
       Young men, in the same way be submissive to
       those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves
       with humility toward one another, because,
       “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
       humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under
       God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in
       due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because
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       He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert.
       Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
       roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
       Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because
       you know that your brothers throughout
       the world are undergoing the same kind of
       sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called
       you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have
       suffered a little while, will Himself restore you
       and make you strong, firm, and steadfast
       (1 Pet. 5:5-10).

                        SEEING GOD
    • In God’s call for a life of distinction, we see that He
      wants us to follow His example in Christ.
    • In God’s requirement of a self-sacrificing love, we
      see a reflection of His own loving character.
    • In God’s encouragement to hunger for His Word,
      we see the importance He puts on truth, which has
      its source in Him.
    • In God’s principle of submission, we see His will-
      ingness to assure the ultimate well-being of those
      who entrust themselves to Him.

                    SEEING OURSELVES
    • In God’s call to distinction, we see our own incli-
      nation to follow the crowd.
    • In God’s appeal for love, we see our own tenden-
      cy to care only for ourselves.
    • In God’s encouragement to have an eternal per-
      spective, we see our inclination to be blinded by
      the fog of present circumstances.
    • In God’s call to humility, we see our own tendency
      to proudly rely on ourselves rather than on Him.
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       WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER
         WORTH DYING FOR?
    Two thousand years and the experience of millions
    have confirmed the wisdom of Peter’s first-century
    letter. The persecutions that came into the lives of his
    readers with such blinding and deafening impact
    have long since been replaced by the goodness of an
    eternal God. The eyes of those who first read and cir-
    culated this letter now see what we are still learning.
       Although Peter was a member of Jesus’ inner cir-
    cle, the lessons he learned did not come easy. He
    knew the feelings of fear. He is the one who repeat-
    edly denied his friend and teacher after Jesus was be-
    trayed in the Garden of Gethsemane by Judas. But
    Peter came to the place where he could say:
       Praise be to the God and Father of our
       Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He
       has given us new birth into a living hope
       through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
       the dead, and into an inheritance that can never
       perish, spoil, or fade—kept in heaven for you,
       who through faith are shielded by God’s power
       until the coming of the salvation that is ready
       to be revealed in the last time (1:3-5).
       This is the life worth dying for. Nothing is more
    important than to know God through a personal
    faith in Jesus Christ (see Jn. 3:16; Rom. 3:23; 4:5;
    Eph. 2:8-9). Nothing is more important than to be
    able to cast all your cares on Him, “because He
    cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

                                 32
                © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
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  • 1. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 1 KNOWING GOD THROUGH 1 PETER Is there anything in your life worth dying for? Almost 2,000 years ago, a man named Peter wrote an open letter to a group of troubled people who needed an answer to this question. They were having second thoughts about paying the high price their faith was costing. In the following pages, Herb Vander Lugt, RBC se- nior research editor, helps us understand the letter God uses to encourage His children. Peter’s insights about knowing God are rich and deep. The troubles of this life truly look different when we know the God for whom we suffer. Martin R. De Haan II Defining Moments ...................................................2 Thinking Right In Order To See Right ..................4 Knowing God Through 1 Peter The Wealth God Has Given Us ............................5 The Distinction God Wants For Us ....................21 What Do You Consider Worth Dying For? ............32 Managing Editor: Dean Ohlman Cover Photo: Peter Cade/Tony Stone Worldwide Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, ©1973, 1978, 1984, by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers. Copyright © 2000 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 2. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 2 DEFINING MOMENTS The date was AD 63 or early 64. A man in his late six- ties was talking slowly enough for his friend to write down his words. Together they were composing a let- ter to believers in Christ who had become targets of religious persecution. The man dictating the letter was Peter, the passionate, impulsive, unpredictable disciple of Christ described in the New Testament Gospels. Dark clouds of persecution had broken on believ- ers scattered throughout Asia Minor in the area north of the Taurus Mountains. Peter longed to encourage them and decided to do so by writing a letter that they could circulate among them. Silas, a dedicated, well- educated, and gifted man who had proven his trust- worthiness as Paul’s companion (Acts 15:22-32) and co-writer (1 Th. 1:1; 2 Th. 1:1), gave Peter secretari- al and editorial help (1 Pet. 5:12.) Peter had earned the right to encourage his readers. He knew what it was like to be overcome by fear and discouragement. Years earlier he had temporarily abandoned Christ when times got difficult. He too had been afraid. He too had been unprepared for the hos- tility he experienced as a follower of Christ. Along the way, however, he learned that God is never more real, or more reassuring, than in those moments when He is all we have. So, Peter dictated: To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to 2 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 3. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 3 Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1:1-2). Peter had a high view of these displaced refugees. Even though they were “strangers in the world,” they were known to God, and God had a plan for them. They were to show the world that real life does not consist in the abundance of material possessions. In fact, it doesn’t even begin until we possess something worth dying for. This truth echoed through the halls of history to rest in the soul of Jim Elliot, who in 1956 was speared to death by the South American Indian tribe he was trying to reach with the gospel. Not long before his death, Jim wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” —Jim Elliot Peter’s regard for these people came through in the first words of his letter (1:2). He longed for them to recognize, in the middle of their trouble, those defin- ing moments that would prove to them they were among the most privileged people in the world. He desired that they be so overwhelmed by the love of God they would consider it an honor to suffer for the One who had done so much for them. 3 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 4. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 4 THINKING RIGHT IN ORDER TO SEE RIGHT Even though we are persecuted, poor, and despised in the sight of others for following Christ, in reality we are rich because of what God has done for us in Christ. Peter started his letter by emphasizing the true wealth of all followers of Christ: THE WEALTH GOD HAS GIVEN US A Second Birth (1:3) An Undying Hope (1:4) A Guaranteed Inheritance (1:4-9) An Awesome Rescue (1:10-12,17-21) A High Honor (2:4-12) An Inspiring Teacher (2:21-23) A Life-Changing Lord (2:24-25) A Pre-Announced Victory (3:18-22) THE DISTINCTION GOD WANTS FOR US Then, in the light of all God has done for us, Peter urged his readers to distinguish themselves as God’s people. We are to be identified in the world by these distinctions: A Family Love (1:22–2:1; 3:8-12) A Spiritual Thirst (2:2-3) An Enlightened Submission (2:11-18) An Admirable Endurance (2:18-20; 3:13-17) A Healthy Home (3:1-7) An Eternal Perspective (4:1-19) A Unifying Relationship (5:1-11) 4 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 5. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 5 KNOWING GOD THROUGH 1 PETER THE WEALTH GOD HAS GIVEN US As Peter began his letter, a spontaneous exclamation of praise flowed from his lips: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” The anticipation of what he was about to say so overwhelmed Peter that just thinking about it caused him to worship. Let’s examine the reasons for Peter’s enthusiasm: A Second Birth (1:3). As a messenger of good news, Peter exclaimed about God, “In His great mercy He has given us new birth.” This was an im- portant place to start. The apostle wanted believers to realize that there is more to life than what is immedi- ately apparent—especially in their circumstances. In- stead of focusing on their troubles, Peter called attention to one of the most important truths Chris- tians need to keep in mind: Our spiritual heritage is of more worth than all the earthly wealth of the Kennedys or Bill Gates. Our true identity is far more impressive than if we had been born into the royal family of Great Britain. We have been born into the family of heaven: Our roots and inheritance are not limited to this world. As defined by Peter, this new birth occurs when- ever someone turns from self-sufficiency and trusts Christ (Acts 16:31; 17:30-31). Peter made this clear: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your broth- ers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of 5 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 6. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 6 imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God” (1:22-23). Peter emphasized this spiritual birth because many of his readers were considered to be expend- able by their own families for turning their backs on the religious faith of their fathers. They were often seen as spiritual turncoats. They were also consid- ered bad for the community because they would not worship the neighborhood gods. And because they would not worship the emperor, they were seen as unpatriotic. For these reasons and more, followers of Christ needed assurance that they had been perma- nently born into the family of heaven. Rejection by this world only heightens the importance of what God has done for us. People who live in the shadow of persecution and death need a hope worth dying for. An Undying Hope (1:4). People who live in the shadow of persecution and death need a hope worth dying for. So Peter reminded his readers that they had received “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Because Jesus rose bodily from the grave, those who believed in Him can be confident that they share in His undying life. This confident anticipation of life beyond the grave is important for people living in any age. God has built into us a strong self-preservation instinct. He also has given us close family ties that we are reluctant to break. This makes us uneasy at the thought of dying— until God prepares us to be called home. 6 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 7. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 7 When my mother was told that she had only a few weeks to live, she became despondent. She wanted to spend more years with her family and friends. God graciously extended her life another 12 years, and her attitude about death changed. A few days before she was called home to be with the Lord, she told me she was content, ready to leave this world and join those who had gone before. In my 50 years of pastoring, I have worked with hundreds of dying and grieving people. Repeatedly I have seen the difference this living hope makes. Be- lieve me, our living hope changes everything when we encounter death, whether our own or that of peo- ple we love. This living hope is what Peter offered to believers confronted with their own mortality. A Guaranteed Inheritance (1:4-9). To people fac- ing the possibility of death, Peter did more than offer a living hope; he also described an inheritance guar- anteed by God: • This inheritance can never “perish” (be destroyed by outward forces), “spoil” (be destroyed by in- ternal decay), or “fade” (wear out). • It is “kept [reserved] in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded [protected from harm] by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (vv.4-5). • It will be ours to receive after “a little while” of spiritually profitable suffering (v.6). • It will, upon possession, bring us “praise, glory, and honor” (v.7). Peter went on to assure all who are “in Christ” that we can have certainty about this wonderful inheri- tance without actually seeing it. He wrote: 7 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 8. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls (vv.8-9). The fact that these persecuted believers had not seen Jesus when He was on earth did not stop them from loving Him. Neither did they stop loving God be- cause He had not delivered them from their enemies. Without seeing God, they believed He loved them and were filled with “inexpressible and glorious joy.” What we can touch and see is easier to love than what is invisible. When one of my grandsons was 5 years old, he asked me, “Grandpa, how can I love God? I can love Mom and Dad and Grandma and you, but I can see you. How can I love God when I have never seen Him?” My grandson asked a profound question. How can we be sure enough about God to actually love Him? I wanted so much for that little 5-year-old to know what I knew. I wanted him to have the assur- ance that Peter wrote about. I wanted to tell him in a moment what God Himself must show each of us over time. I could tell him that we learn to love God as we learn to see how much He has first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19). I could tell him that loving God is a part of getting to know Him. I could tell him that God gives those who believe in His Son a heart to love Him. But what I couldn’t explain in that moment is that we must also learn to walk by faith rather than by sight. 8 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 9. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 9 What we can touch and see is easier to love than what is invisible. But the visible world becomes less important to us as we realize how temporary circum- stances are and how elusive relationships can be. That was a truth Peter’s persecuted readers had learned from God and for themselves. An Awesome Rescue (1:10-12,17-21). The kind of rescue God provided had been a mystery that Old Testament prophets and even angels had been unable to understand. Prophets like Isaiah and Daniel had a vague idea that God’s Messiah would not only rule the world, but would also suffer for the sins of His people. But no one could understand what it actually meant or how it would be possible until after it happened. The New Testament explains far more than the Old Testament prophets understood. Even so, we still have only a small understanding of the wonder of God’s love, the mystery of the God-man Jesus Christ, the depth of the agony He endured for our salvation, the enigma of grace, and the glory of heaven. We still have reason to tremble with fear and awe when we sense the immensity of the issues of life and death Peter wrote about. The visible world becomes less important to us as we realize how temporary circumstances are and how elusive relationships can be. After being away for 7 months to receive treatment for an aggressive and deadly cancer, Pastor James Van Tholen talked to his congregation about the won- der of this salvation. He knew that he had only 9 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 10. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 10 months to live and he admitted being afraid. He wrote, “How could this be so? How could I have be- lieved in the God of grace and dreaded to meet Him? Why did I stand in this pulpit and preach grace to you over and over, and then when I myself needed the grace so much, why did I discover fear where the grace should have been? I think I know the answer now. . . . The answer is that grace is a scandal. Grace is hard to believe. Grace goes against the grain. The gospel of grace says that there is nothing I can do to get right with God, but that God has made Himself right with me through Jesus’ bloody death. And that is a scandalous thing to believe” (Christianity Today, May 24, 1999, p.58). In the face of the unfathomable wonder of a salva- tion we do not deserve, this 33-year-old pastor ex- perienced a reverent fear and wonder of what God has done for us. This is the same awe and wonder the apostle Peter wrote about as he said to his trou- bled readers: You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him (vv.18-21). The simplicity of the gospel! The concept that we are delivered from the punishment we deserve be- cause Jesus died in our place is so simple that even children can place their trust in Him. 10 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 11. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 11 The profundity of the gospel! When we try to imagine God truly coming to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to be the sacrifice for our sins, we en- counter mind-stretching truths about our loving, tri- une, perfect, infinite, and eternal God. The disturbing gospel! It reminds us that we are so weak and depraved we can do absolutely nothing to save ourselves. The comfort of the gospel! It assures us that by His grace alone, God provided a complete salvation that we can receive by faith alone. Anyone who is in Christ can be despised on earth while being highly honored in heaven’s eyes. A High Honor (2:4-12). As Peter composed his let- ter to displaced, persecuted people, he spoke of the irony of the Christian’s circumstances. Earth despised the people whom heaven honored. Peter used terms like “living stones,” “a spiritual house,” “a holy priest- hood,” “a chosen people,” “a royal priesthood,” “a holy nation,” “a people belonging to God” to show the heavenly value of persecuted, rejected people. Whether or not we ever experience the trouble Peter’s first-century readers endured, it’s important that we try to understand the high honor that belongs to those of us who have entrusted ourselves to Christ: • We are “living stones . . . being built into a spir- itual house” because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, “the Living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God” (2:4). • We are a “spiritual house” because our bodies 11 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 12. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 12 are temples in which God dwells just as truly as He did in Israel’s material temple (2:5). • We are “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sac- rifices acceptable to God” (2:5) because we can come directly to God with three sacrifices: (1) daily devotion of ourselves to Christ (Rom. 12:1), (2) expressions of sincere praise and thanksgiving (Heb. 13:15), and (3) deeds of kindness and generosity (Heb. 13:16). • We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” (2:9) because God has chosen to make us instru- ments designed to “declare the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His wonder- ful light.” Think about it! God has given to us, for all time and eternity, roles not even the holy angels can fill. A re- markable honor for undeserving sinners! An Inspiring Teacher (2:21-23). When followers of Christ run into difficulty because of our faith, we need a mental picture of how to respond. Peter paint- ed this picture by showing how Christ Himself en- dured pain for us. • He suffered innocently, yet without resentment. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth” (v.22). • He suffered without retaliating. “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats” (v.23; Mk. 15:16-20,29-32 tells the story). • He suffered trustingly. “Instead [of making threats], He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (v.23). Interestingly, the word translated “entrusted” carries the thought “to 12 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 13. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 13 hand over.” Paul Rees comments, “Just as Judas in betrayal ‘delivered up’. . . his Lord to the soldiers, just as the Jews ‘delivered’ Him to Pilate, and just as Pilate ‘delivered’ Him to the soldiers, so He at the last ‘delivered’ Himself with unshattered confidence into the keeping of the Father who judges with perfect equity” (Triumphant In Trouble, Revell, 1962, p.63). Inspired by this example and through the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit, thousands of Christian martyrs have likewise suffered and died with great courage and grace. In the spirit of their wonderful teacher and Savior, they “entrusted” themselves (lit- erally handed themselves over) into the hands of the God they knew they could trust to keep His promise of ultimate salvation and life everlasting. When we turn to Christ we enter into a relationship with Him, and we become members of His family. The day came when Peter himself was killed be- cause his faith in Christ put him at odds with those who held the temporary reins of power. Although the exact time of his death is uncertain, early writers placed it during the time of persecution under the Roman emperor Nero. All writers agree that Peter died by crucifixion. Origen says that by his own re- quest Peter was crucified upside down because he didn’t consider himself worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. All indications are that Peter was himself deeply impressed by the example of his own friend and teacher. 13 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 14. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 14 A Life-Changing Lord (2:24-25). In addition to de- scribing Jesus as our perfect sacrifice (1:18-20) and flawless example (2:21-23), Peter wanted his readers to know that God made Christ our life-changing Lord (2:24-25). So he dictated to Silas, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds [lit- erally “welts”] you have been healed.” Not only is Jesus’ death the basis for our forgiveness, it’s also the foundation for our transformation. The purpose of Christ’s death is “that we might die to sins and live for righteousness”(2:24). Some see this statement as being in conflict with other Bible passages which declare that Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins. These people forget that the death of Christ had more than one result. Not only is His death the basis for our forgiveness, it’s also the foundation for our transformation. When we turn to Christ we enter into a relationship with Him. We become members of His family through the new birth of which Peter spoke earlier (1:23). Jesus is not ashamed to acknowledge us as His brothers and sisters (Heb. 2:11-14). As our brother and living Lord, He continues to care and intercede for us (Heb. 5:10), fulfilling His promise, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Mt. 28:20). In addition to all this, from His place in heav- en after His ascension, He, together with the Father, “poured out” the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33) who now lives in every believer (1 Cor. 6:19). Through His 14 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 15. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 15 death for our sins, His resurrection, His outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and His continued presence as our brother and Lord, He equipped us for a higher qual- ity of life. Most of Peter’s readers knew the pain of a scourg- ing, and to that extent could identify with Christ’s physical suffering on their behalf. Borrowing from Isaiah 53:5, Peter assured them that by being wounded for them (2:24), Jesus provided spiritual healing for our sin-diseased souls. In this connection, many commentators have quoted third-century preacher Theodoret: “A new and strange method of healing: The doctor suffered the cost, and the sick received the healing!” By dying for us, Christ restored our relationship with God. So Peter wrote, “You were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (2:25). In this he echoed Isaiah 53:6, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.” “A new and strange method of healing: The doctor suffered the cost, and the sick received the healing!” —Theodoret Even though Peter’s first-century readers were scattered across the Middle East and Southern Eu- rope like lost sheep, he wanted them to know that they were not lost to God. On the contrary, they were being led and protected every step of the way. They were being shepherded by One who wanted to show the world that the quality of a person’s life is not determined by physical circumstances. The 15 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 16. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 16 very fact that these people were living in difficult material conditions gave them a chance to show that they had found wealth far more significant than anything the world had to offer. Their material poverty became a frame for the picture of Christ within. A Pre-Announced Victory (3:18-22). Much of what Peter wrote to troubled believers probably made sense to them in principle. But he also wrote some things that caused considerable confusion for his readers in the centuries that followed. For example: It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built (3:17-20). What Christ suffered for us is far greater than anything we suffer for Him. Peter’s point was clear when he said that it is bet- ter to suffer for following Christ than for committing crimes against society. He also made sense when he said that what Christ suffered for us is far greater than anything we suffer for Him. But what was Peter’s point when he talked about Jesus preaching “to the spirits in prison”? And why was it important enough to include in his letter to persecuted follow- ers of Christ? 16 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 17. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 17 Some early Church Fathers taught that Jesus went to hell during the time between His death and resur- rection to finish His task of paying the full price for our sins. The Apostles’ Creed, dating back to the third or fourth century, expresses this concept in the words, “He descended into hell.” The Reformers, however, did not agree with the idea that Jesus went to hell after His death. They pointed to Jesus’ sixth state- ment from the cross, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30), as evidence that when He died He emptied the cup of God’s wrath against sin. They interpreted the state- ment in the Apostles’ Creed to mean that in the des- The ark is an ancient symbol that pointed forward to our rescue in Christ. olation that caused Him to cry from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt. 27:46), Jesus “suffered the torments of hell.” Many Reformation theologians did not believe that Jesus ever visited hell or the underworld. They interpreted Peter as saying that Jesus was resurrected by the same Holy Spirit through whom He, as the eternal Word, had preached to Noah’s contemporaries while the ark was being built. The spirits of these people are now in prison in the underworld where they await res- urrection and final judgment. Some Bible scholars today see Peter’s statements in another way. They believe Peter was describing Jesus’ descent into Hades, the spirit realm of the dead. They say He went there not to pay for sin, but to announce that He had once and for all time de- feated sin and death. If this view is correct, our Lord’s 17 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 18. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 18 entrance into Hades was a part of His exaltation, not His suffering. I believe this explanation fits Peter’s purpose of en- couraging persecuted people. But then he made an- other statement that has been the source of much discussion through the years. Speaking of Jesus’ de- scent into Hades, Peter alluded to Noah’s ark and made a statement about baptism that is often misun- derstood. He said, “In it [the ark] only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the res- urrection of Jesus Christ” (3:21). On the cross, Jesus experienced the flood of God’s wrath against our sin. But He was not destroyed. To understand these words, visualize the swirling flood waters that came upon the world in the days of Noah. They were destructive to everything outside the huge boat Noah built. However, those same waters worked in favor of the ark. They gradually buoyed it up, lifting its occupants to safety. Now ask, “What saved Noah and his family, the water or the ark?” The answer is obvious. It was the ark. Had they been outside of it, they would have died. The raging water was by its nature destructive. The ark, however, withstood its wrath, and the water could do nothing except lift it up to safety. The ark is an ancient symbol that pointed forward to our rescue in Christ. On the cross, Jesus experi- 18 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 19. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 19 enced the flood of God’s wrath against our sin. But He was not destroyed. He endured until He could say, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30). Then He let Himself die, only to rise from death on the third day, the victor over sin and death. When we believe and trust Jesus Christ, we are united with Him, and He becomes our ark of safety. That’s why believers are referred to as “in Christ” more than 60 times in the New Testament. In Romans 6:1- 14, Paul declared that baptism depicts the nature of the oneness with Christ that occurs when we believe. The new believer—having heard the gospel, having been convicted of sin, and having received spiritual cleansing through faith in Jesus—enters the waters of baptism (which symbolizes God’s judgment against sin) to declare his or her death to the old life and res- urrection to a new life. As Jesus entered Hades to an- nounce victory over sin, so by a symbolic act of baptism we announce to the world that our victory over sin is assured even though there are still forces of evil at work. Peter knew that his troubled readers, more than anything else, needed to see who God is, what He had done for them, and how joyful they soon would be. What was true for first-century believers is just as true for us. Our lives find meaning and perspective only as we see God and ourselves in light of what He has done for us through Christ: Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because He who has suffered in His body is done with sin. As a result, He does not live the rest of His earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God (1 Pet. 4:1-2). 19 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 20. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 20 SEEING GOD • In Peter’s concern for his persecuted readers, we see God’s concern for them and for us. • In Peter’s words of encouragement, we see what God has done for us. • In God’s gift of the new birth, we see His willingness to bring those who believe in Christ into His own family. • In His guarantee of an eternal inheritance, we see how generous God has been to us. • In His fathomless rescue, we catch a glimpse of God’s immeasurable love and wisdom. • In the high honor God gives to us, we see the extent of God’s purposes for us. • In the example of Christ’s suffering, we see that pain suffered for God’s sake results in great gain. SEEING OURSELVES • In Peter’s concern for his readers, we can see our own need for renewal and for the right perspective in times of trouble. • In Peter’s words of encouragement, we see what our focus should be. • In God’s gift of the new birth, we see our own fami- ly ties to God. • In God’s guarantee of an eternal inheritance, we see our own great blessing because of Christ. • In the high honor God has given us, we see that we have been called to live a life of distinguished ser- vice. • In the example of Christ’s suffering, we see that we too are called to suffer. 20 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 21. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 21 THE DISTINCTION GOD WANTS FOR US As Peter dictated his letter to encourage persecuted, displaced followers of Christ, he understood what they were enduring (1:6). Although the future for his read- ers was bright, the present was dark and difficult. He knew that their problems were causing them to be im- poverished and feel abandoned by God, even though God Himself was at work in all of these circumstances. But what was God doing? Why would He do so much for His people while at the same time allow so much distress and disappointment? Through the in- spiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter knew what his read- ers needed to hear. God wanted the best for those who were in Christ. He wanted His people to know Him, the eternal God. He wanted them to know the incompara- ble experience of embracing what is not temporary. God wanted His people to find comfort and peace and joy in knowing Him. He wanted His people to discov- er something far more valuable than “gold which per- ishes” (1:7). God wanted them to know the incomparable experience of embracing what is not temporary. The problems Peter’s readers had—the “various tri- als” which “for a little while” troubled them—were ac- tually a part of God’s solution. They were His way of leading them to a purified faith that is more valuable than gold (1:7). Peter wanted his readers to know God’s goodness, so he urged them to separate themselves from any- thing that would keep them from experiencing God’s 21 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 22. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 22 best. Without apology, Peter asked his readers to give themselves wholeheartedly to God Himself. This is what Peter meant when he asked Silas to write: Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:13-16). Today’s readers are apt to misunderstand what Peter meant by “holy living.” Some suppose that when Peter called repeatedly for “holiness” of life that he was expecting perfection. That’s not what Peter had in view. The Greek word translated “holy” in 1 Peter 1:15-16 means “set apart” for a specific use and purpose. Great harm has been done to the concept of holiness by those who confuse it with self-righteous arrogance. Others think that to be “holy” means to be a religious fanatic set apart from the “unclean” mass- es. Great harm has been done to the concept of ho- liness by those who confuse it with self-righteous arrogance. Remember that Jesus, the most holy person of all, was called a “friend of sinners.” No one took more heat from arrogant religionists. No one was less pre- tentious. No one showed more love, more mercy, more compassion. 22 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 23. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 23 Peter repeatedly urged readers to embrace faith in a way that would distinguish them as the people of God, to show the world, even in the middle of all their troubles, that the new life they had found was far bet- ter than the life they had inherited from their fathers. Peter then listed several ways to do this. In the process, Peter also gave us timeless principles that can help us check up on our own faith and test our re- lationship to God. The kind of “holy distinction” God wants for us involves habits of the heart that make life worth living. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” —Jesus A Family Love (1:22–2:1; 3:8-12). One distin- guishing mark of those God has “set apart” for Him- self is authentic love for one another. “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one an- other deeply, from the heart” (1:22). Peter learned this kind of family love from Jesus Himself. At the Last Supper, just after Jesus had washed His disciples’ feet and just before He per- formed the greatest act of love ever known, He said this to His disciples: “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one anoth- er” (Jn. 13:35). Peter hadn’t forgotten those words. He probably replayed that moment a thousand times in his mind. Jesus had urged His disciples to show their relationship to Him by loving one another. That same night the disciples had been arguing about which of 23 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 24. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 24 them was the greatest. A few hours later, Judas be- trayed Jesus, the disciples scattered to protect them- selves, and Peter repeatedly denied that he was one of Jesus’ followers. Loving fellow believers is so important that Peter mentioned it again: “Finally, all of you, live in harmo- ny with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil, or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a bless- ing” (3:8-9). Peter’s instruction to love brothers and sisters who hurt us is important. His reminder to not repay evil with evil or insult with insult can help us avoid unreal- istic expectations. We expect hostility from enemies, but not from fellow believers! Yet, once again, Peter understood human weakness. Over time, brothers and sisters will disrespect and insult one another. So God does not ask us to love only those who are always considerate, but to love one another as He loved us— in all of our own failure and foolishness. We are to show the watching world that we are a family shaped not by our own self-centered “love,” but by the true love we have learned from our Father in heaven. A Spiritual Thirst (2:2-3). To know God, we need to communicate with Him in prayer and to listen carefully and thoughtfully to what He has said. To hear God, we need attitudes that won’t block out what He is saying. So Peter wrote that we should lay aside “all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (2:1-3). 24 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 25. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 25 The answer to the fears of those being persecuted would not be found in natural human instincts for self- protection. The solution to their problems was not to hate their persecutors, to envy those in better cir- cumstances, or to lie in order to survive (as Peter had done when he denied the Lord). The answer to their dilemma was to crave to hear God speak through His Word, the way babies crave their mother’s milk. The word picture of babies crying for nourishment tells us a lot about what God wants for us. Nursing in- fants are not satisfied very long with one feeding. As regular as a clock, they cry again and again to be fed. Hunger is not a pleasant experience, but it is good because it drives a baby to cry for its mother. Believers need God’s Word as much and as often as a baby needs its mother’s milk, for it is the source of all that is infinite, eternal, and good. Believers need God’s Word as much and as often as a baby needs its mother’s milk, for it is the source of all that is infinite, eternal, and good. The Word of God reminds us that God is with us in all circum- stances: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor for- sake you” (Dt. 31:6). Peter pointed his readers back to the Word of God because of its permanence: “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord stands for ever” (1 Pet. 1:24-25). 25 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 26. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 26 An Enlightened Submission (2:11-18). Even in the unfair circumstances of the first century, Peter en- couraged believers to submit “for the Lord’s sake” (v.13) and “as servants of God” (v.16). In a day when the Roman Caesar was worshiped as a god, and when economic slavery was a way of life for many followers of Christ, Peter called for submission to authorities in government (vv.13-14) and in the workplace as well (v.18). He reasoned that submission is proper even when the authorities are harsh and unkind (vv.18-20). From other parts of the New Testament, we learn that our submission is not to be passive or mindless. The early apostles showed that there is a time to “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29) and it is when au- thorities tell us to disobey God, or when we do not have an opportunity to legitimately improve our cir- cumstances (1 Cor. 7:21). Peter reminded his readers to make certain that any punishment they received was for doing good not evil. He didn’t want them caus- ing trouble by failing to respect or love someone. He wanted them to do everything possible to put the gospel of Christ in a good light (2:11-12,15). An Admirable Endurance (2:18-20; 3:13-17). The natural response to unfair treatment is resentment and retaliation, but Peter wrote that the follower of Christ “bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God” (v.19). To endure “deserved” punishment merits no praise: “If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (v.20). By doing this we follow the example set by Jesus (vv.21-23). To a persecuted people strengthened by God, Peter said, “Do not fear what they fear [the things they are threatening to do to you]; do not be frightened.” In- 26 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 27. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 27 stead, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (3:14-15). The implication of Peter’s loving counsel is that if we are distinguishing ourselves as the Lord’s people, we will be asked about our faith. We need to be ready to speak, but without forcing ourselves on listeners who would rather not hear. If we speak belligerently or hatefully when we are mistreated, we do more harm than good. A Healthy Home (3:1-7). The distinction of a “set apart” people needs to be evident at home. If we fail to be Christlike within our own families, we will lose other opportunities for good and for God outside of our families as well. If we fail to be Christlike within our own families, we will lose other opportunities for good and for God. With a concern not only for families but also for the reputation of Christ, Peter first addressed wives, telling them to be submissive to their husbands, en- couraging them to give more attention to their atti- tudes than to their attire, and giving the biblical example of Sarah’s relationship with Abraham as a model (3:1-6) (who, interestingly, was not always submissive). Why did Peter lay this burden on women? Weren’t wives going through enough trouble outside of the home without being subjected to unreasonable pres- sure from their husbands? Couldn’t he have ap- 27 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 28. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 28 pealed to the principles of Christ to lift the burden of these wives? Let’s take a closer look: (1) Peter was addressing women in a society that did not give women equal status with men. (2) He had a special concern for Christian women whose husbands did not yet believe. (3) He was not being critical of external appearance, but was encouraging followers of Christ to give more attention to their hearts than to their attire. (4) The re- lationship of Abraham and Sarah was as complex as any marriage. On one occasion Abraham actually followed Sarah’s lead. (5) The fear to which the wife was not to succumb—“do not give way to fear”—was probably the fear instilled by the pagan husband who pressures her to revert to paganism and emperor worship. Submission is a loving, purposeful, enlightened submission. It is not a blind, passive attitude that cowers without character or reason. We can be sure that the “submission” Peter asked for is a loving, purposeful, enlightened submission. It is not a blind, passive attitude that cowers without character or reason. Peter’s words to husbands, though more brief, were just as comprehensive and challenging (3:7): (1) The husband, aware of the emotional and phys- ical differences between men and women, is to be “considerate,” going the extra mile to make his wife’s life as pleasant as possible. (2) He is to treat his wife with “respect,” viewing her as an equal heir 28 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 29. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 29 of a relationship with God. (3) The husband, ac- cording to Peter, also needs to realize that his rela- tionship with God depends on how he treats his wife (3:7). If he is inconsiderate and disrespectful, the wrongs he inflicts on his wife will come between his prayers and God. An Eternal Perspective (4:1-19). God also wants His people to distinguish themselves with an eternal perspective. So Peter wrote, “Those who suffer ac- cording to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (4:19). Believers, therefore, are people who see their pres- ent troubles against the backdrop of the future. • They see themselves as objects of grace and destined for glory. They realize that the unbeliev- ers who are angry with them will one day be judged for their sins. Then the tables will be turned (vv.5-6). • They see the approaching “end of all things” and live with it in mind. Therefore, they are “clear minded,” making wise decisions that will prepare them for their meeting with Christ (v.7). • They see that suffering with Christ now will en- hance their joy when they share His glory (v.13). • They see that suffering innocently for Christ’s sake will bring on them “the Spirit of glory and of God,” a foretaste of what awaits them (vv.14- 16). • They know that suffering now is a means by which God gives His people a chance to distin- guish themselves as the people of Christ. A Unifying Relationship (5:1-11). People “set apart” for God have a sense of oneness with all who share a relationship with God through Christ. 29 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 30. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 30 Peter placed upon spiritual leaders a great deal of responsibility to promote this sense of oneness (vv.1- 4). He addressed the church leaders and told them how they were to fulfill their role as “shepherds” and “overseers”: (1) “not because you must, but because you are willing”; (2) “not greedy for money, but eager to serve”; (3) “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” The meaning of each charge is so clear that no explanation is need- ed. By referring to himself as a “fellow elder” instead of reminding them of his apostolic authority, Peter practiced the “oneness” he preached. Believers are people who see their present troubles against the backdrop of the future. Then before taking the pen from Silas (5:12) to sign the letter and write closing words of affection, Peter made one last effort to encourage the kind of unity that would enable his readers to grow in their knowledge of God. As one who had learned so much the hard way, Peter assured his troubled readers that by caring for one another they could entrust them- selves and their final well-being to the Eternal One, who had in so many ways proven His love for them. Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because 30 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 31. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 31 He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast (1 Pet. 5:5-10). SEEING GOD • In God’s call for a life of distinction, we see that He wants us to follow His example in Christ. • In God’s requirement of a self-sacrificing love, we see a reflection of His own loving character. • In God’s encouragement to hunger for His Word, we see the importance He puts on truth, which has its source in Him. • In God’s principle of submission, we see His will- ingness to assure the ultimate well-being of those who entrust themselves to Him. SEEING OURSELVES • In God’s call to distinction, we see our own incli- nation to follow the crowd. • In God’s appeal for love, we see our own tenden- cy to care only for ourselves. • In God’s encouragement to have an eternal per- spective, we see our inclination to be blinded by the fog of present circumstances. • In God’s call to humility, we see our own tendency to proudly rely on ourselves rather than on Him. 31 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 32. SB 242 1 Peter pp 6/15/06 1:05 PM Page 32 WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER WORTH DYING FOR? Two thousand years and the experience of millions have confirmed the wisdom of Peter’s first-century letter. The persecutions that came into the lives of his readers with such blinding and deafening impact have long since been replaced by the goodness of an eternal God. The eyes of those who first read and cir- culated this letter now see what we are still learning. Although Peter was a member of Jesus’ inner cir- cle, the lessons he learned did not come easy. He knew the feelings of fear. He is the one who repeat- edly denied his friend and teacher after Jesus was be- trayed in the Garden of Gethsemane by Judas. But Peter came to the place where he could say: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1:3-5). This is the life worth dying for. Nothing is more important than to know God through a personal faith in Jesus Christ (see Jn. 3:16; Rom. 3:23; 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9). Nothing is more important than to be able to cast all your cares on Him, “because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). 32 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 33. Get your free Bible Resources catalog! Discovery Series booklets can be valuable guides to help you learn what the Bible says about a broad range of topics. Each 32-page booklet can be used in your personal Bible study or in a small-group setting. Your free Bible Resources catalog includes a brief description of each Discovery Series booklet. To get your copy, write to us at the address below and ask for a catalog. Or follow the link below to request your copy today. www.discoveryseries.org/catalog USA: PO Box 2222, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2222 Canada: Box 1622, Windsor, ON N9A 6Z7