1 Peter 1-2
Merited
Grace
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TMS Mark 10:45 Dare to Be Great
Observations
See comments on the two-stage miracle in Mark 8-10 for the context.
Application
If we want to be great in God's kingdom, we need to serve the real needs of others like Jesus did. This might involve extreme suffering, but it will be totally worth it. As the Battle Hymn of the Republic exhorts: “As He died to make men holy, let us live to make them free.”
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thanks for Your model, and service on my behalf; please guide me in using the life You've given to me, for the purposes that would most please You. Amen.
1 Peter 1-2 Merited Grace
Peter writes to the Jews who probably believed in Christ at Pentecost, and were being persecuted and scattered as a result. He reminds them of the hope that awaits those who are born-again by faith in Christ, so they will obey God and reap their reward or inheritance when the Messiah returns and is revealed. The first chapter is an excellent demonstration that the Christian life (salvation) doesn't end with being born again (justification) but continues through becoming purified and holy as God is holy (sanctification), and culminates in being given glory when God judges and rewards them (glorification). Please put the effort into understanding it; doing so will result in both you and God gaining glory. The second chapter exhorts us to abstain from temporal desires so we can do God's desires and merit grace (check it out). Christ died for us so we can die to sin, and live for God.
1 Peter 1 Go for the Glory
A Greeting from Peter
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
A Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.A Call to Holiness
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.The Enduring Word
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Application
Have you purified your life by Holy Spirit empowered obedience so you desire to sacrifice your life for the benefit of others and the gaining of your eternal reward? If so, go for it. If not, fear.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thanks for the plans You have to bless me; may I be worthy of reward in Your kingdom, by doing what You desire here on earth. Amen.
1 Peter 2 Suffering For Glory
The Living Stone and Chosen People
1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Submission to Authorities
13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.Christ’s Example of Suffering
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.Application
Believers must abstain from their temporal desires, and live for doing what is right in God's sight, trusting that He will recompense any injustice we suffer in order to obey Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thanks for sending the Lord Jesus to die for my sin, so I could die to them and live for Your blessing and glory. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God will judge all people, rewarding faithful believers with grace and glory.
Build-a-Jesus: Jesus died for our sins so we could have the Holy Spirit and the power to die to our sins and live for the pleasure of God.
Us in a nutshell: We are born-again, which starts the spiritual life, that must be nourished by the word, and progress through abstaining from temporal desires, and doing the good works for which God saved us, so we can get the glory for which He created us.
Where to go for more
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