Daily Writing

Thursday, 24 October 2019

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 1 Peter 2:11

Peter now uses a word of close personal affection which is used by every author of an epistle – Paul (in all but three of his epistles), the author of Hebrews, James, Peter, John, and Jude. It is most commonly used by Paul, but Peter uses it eight times in his two small epistles. It is translated as “beloved.” In its highest sense, it signifies divinely-loved. In his second epistle, Peter will use the term of Paul.

Here, he uses it to begin an exhortation unto holy living, starting with, “I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims.” The word translated as sojourners signifies an alien. It is seen only four times in Acts, Ephesians, and now here for the last time. It signifies a temporary dweller, especially a foreigner.

The word translated as pilgrims is similar. It was used by Peter in his opening words, and now he uses it here as its last use in Scripture. It signifies someone who resides in a strange country. It is someone who is simply passing through.

As this is the state of believers, Peter notes that they should not get caught up in the ways of those who are a part of this system, and so he says for believers to “abstain from fleshly lusts.”

The idea is that a person who is a foreigner in a strange land will not take part in the customs of those around him because he has no affiliation with them. The true home of the believer is with Christ. We have been redeemed out of this world, and therefore our conduct here is to be reflective not of what we have been redeemed out of, but that of the place where we are redeemed to. The Lord is holy, and we are to be holy. To follow after the lusts of the flesh is to not pursue holiness.

Peter then finishes with, “which war against the soul.” Vincent’s Word Studies notes, “The compound pronoun denotes a class, of that kind which, classifying all fleshly desires in one category.” Peter’s words are all-inclusive. Anything which is fleshly and which wars against the soul of the believer is to be abstained from.

The idea of the “soul” of the believer is one that is renewed by the Spirit, and it is no longer to be aligned with the fallen things of the world. As we have been renewed by the Spirit, our lives should reflect that higher spiritual attitude. But Paul, writing about this, notes how hard that is. In Romans 7, he said –

“I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:21-25

After saying this, he closes out Romans 7:25 with –

“So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Through reliance on Christ, believers are delivered from the “body of death” which wars against us. Peter now admonishes believers to abstain from anything which would cause this war of the soul to rise up in us.

Life application: If both Peter and Paul acknowledged that these things exist around us, then it is obvious that they had the same war in their own souls. Such is true with all people. In other words, being an apostle, preacher, minister, or missionary does not make one immune. We all have a responsibility to not get entangled in these things, and it is something we all struggle with. When you slip and fail, confess and turn back. Jesus is merciful and forgiving.

Lord God, we must acknowledge that we have the very war in our own souls that the writers of the New Testament speak of. The world pulls one way, even as our hearts tell us to resist such things. Certainly, we fail You often, and we simply cannot walk this path alone. Instead, we need You with us each step of the way. Strengthen us, and give us the ability to win this war – to Your glory! Amen.

Wednesday, 23 October 2019

…who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:10

Peter, writing to his Jewish brothers, now uses words which Paul also used in Romans 9 to speak of the Gentiles –

“What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

²⁵ As He says also in Hosea:

“I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.’+
²⁶ ‘And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
“You are not My people,”
There they shall be called sons of the living God.’” Romans 9:22-26

Paul shows that the Gentiles, who were not God’s people, had become His people. Peter, one of the people of Israel and addressing Israelite believers, says of them now, “who once were not a people.” If Israel was the people of God, but Peter says to his audience that they were not a people, then it must be that he is speaking not of merely being of the stock of Israel – meaning their common Jewish heritage – but of being believers united in a new way, regardless of their heritage.

When they were not believers in Christ, they were not God’s people. Now that they are believers in Christ, they are God’s people. That is seen in his continued words, “but are now the people of God.” Christ is the dividing line for who is and who is not considered the people of God. These addressees, despite being of Israel, were not God’s people, but they became God’s people through faith.

As Paul says the same of the Gentiles in Romans 9, it means that all believers – Jew and Gentile – are the people of God by faith in Jesus. It is one gospel for Jew and for Gentile. The thing to be considered is that, at the time of Peter writing the epistle, the nation of Israel had not received Jesus. Only a portion of the people had. At the same time, the Gentile-led church was exploding in numbers, and would continue to grow and flourish for the next two thousand years.

Peter’s epistle, coming after the Gentile-led church-age epistles, is a hint that the Jews would again, someday, gain ascendancy within the body of believers. The number of Jews who are coming to Christ is growing at an incredible rate since their reestablishment as a nation, and it will be at some point that the rapture will occur. At that time, the focus of God’s attention will be on Israel. So, Peter’s epistle prophetically looks forward to that point in time.

Understanding this, it becomes evident that this is so that someday it will be said of Israel that they are those “who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” Again, whether Jew or Gentile, the dividing line is Christ. Those Jews at Peter’s time became a part of the people of God, as did the Gentiles. However, as a nation, Israel failed to come into the New Covenant.

The issue of Israel as a nation is separate, but it is still relevant. For Israel, there is individual salvation, and there is collective (national) salvation. Each Jew who is to be saved must come to Christ individually. However, God made promises to Israel as a nation as well. For Israel as a nation to be saved, they must call out on Christ nationally. Jesus said this to them explicitly when He addressed Jerusalem, meaning the seat of power, in Matthew 23 –

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁸ See! Your house is left to you desolate; ³⁹ for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Matthew 23:37-39

Until Jerusalem, signifying Israel’s leadership, calls out to Christ as Lord, there will be no national salvation. But Christ says that it will happen, and He will return to rescue them. The glory of the millennium will be preceded by a time of terrible tribulation on earth, but Israel will survive through it, and they shall – collectively and nationally – again be called by God “My people.”

Life application: The Bible does not reveal an Old Testament God who is wrathful and stern, and a New Testament God who is gentle and loving. This is the concept that many have concerning its pages, but it is important to know that God is unchanging, and the same attributes expressed in the Old Testament are also expressed in the New. We read this proclamation in Exodus 34:6, 7 –

“The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷ keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

God proclaimed His glory to Moses as He passed by. When He did, the first attribute He mentioned is that He is merciful. This is particularly so to the people of God, but it also applies to all humanity. When Nineveh had grown to a certain state of moral corruption, instead of destroying them God sent Jonah to call them to repentance. When they did, He withheld their destruction.

Likewise, any person who shakes his hand and says, “I don’t believe in God” is worthy of destruction, but He relents and allows them to continue. Maybe such will repent and believe. How much more then is God willing to bestow mercy on us when we do become His children! As believers in Christ, we once had not obtained mercy, but now we have. If you have called on Jesus Christ, God has demonstrated infinite mercy upon you. Unlike the non-believer who will eventually die and be cast into hell, God has promised you eternal life. What an amazing God!

Yes, Lord! You are truly amazing! That You would show mercy on us, even upon such great sinners. With grateful hearts, we sing Your praise, and we will do our best to bring glory to You all of our days. What a great and awesome God You are! Thank You for Jesus and the mercy You have shown to us through His sacrifice. Thank You, O God, thank You! Amen.

Tuesday, 22 October 2019

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9

Peter now again speaks of the state of those who believe and what that means, as he has in the previous verses. He is contrasting the state of those who believe with those who do not believe. Those who do not are mentioned as “disobedient” in verse 2:7. For them, Christ is “a stone of stumbling” and “a rock of offense” as said in verse 2:8. Now comes the contrast with the words, “But you are a chosen generation.”

The word is genos, and it signifies offspring, family, race, nation, or kind. It is a general word which comes from another word signifying “to come to be.” In this case, believers in Christ have come to be a chosen kind. It is such a general word that Paul used it when speaking to the pagans at Athens in Acts 17:29 –

“Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.”

Peter says that believers are now a particular “kind” because of faith in Christ Jesus.

Next, the word “chosen” signifies “elect.” It is the same word Paul uses concerning believers in Colossians 3:12 (and elsewhere) –

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.”

Peter then calls those who believe “a royal priesthood.” The word translated as “royal” is found only here and in Luke 7:25, when speaking of palaces. However, it comes from the word signifying a king. That word is used by Paul to speak of Jesus as our true King in 1 Timothy 1:17 –

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

The word “priesthood” is only used by Peter, here and then again in verse 2:9. It signifies the act or office of priesthood. For this reason, those who choose to divide the gospel of Christ into two separate gospels – one for Jew and one for Gentile – state that this is only referring to Jews, and that Gentiles are not considered in any type of priestly office. That is incorrect. Paul speaks of the priestly duty of sharing the gospel in Romans 15:16, a word that finds its same source as that of the word Peter uses here. It is the priestly obligation and honor of believers to share the gospel.’

Peter then says that believers are “a holy nation.” The word translated as “nation,” is ethnos. One can see the basis for the common word “ethnic” in it. It signifies a people who are joined together by practicing similar customs or a common culture. Peter here speaks of the ethnos of believers who are united because they are “holy.”

That word signifies “sacred” as in being morally blameless, consecrated, etc. It is commonly used by Paul to signify the saints, meaning believers in Christ. This is the idea that Peter gives here. He is addressing the saints who are a special nation, called out by one uniting characteristic which is faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ – from both Jew and Gentile.

Peter then says believers are “His own special people.” The term used here literally means, “the people for acquisition.” It signifies people who have become God’s possession. The word translated as people is laos, and it signifies “a people, characteristically of God’s chosen people, first the Jews, then the Christians” (HELPS Word Studies). It is a general term which Paul uses to identify even Gentile believers in Christ such as in 2 Corinthians 6:16 and Titus 2:14 –

“And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

‘I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.’” 2 Corinthians 6:16

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:13, 14

The word translated as “special” is one that speaks of acquisition or possession. Paul uses it when speaking of the Gentiles who have been acquired by God through the gospel in Ephesians 1:14. He uses it as an assurance of salvation for Gentiles in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 and 2 Thessalonians 2:14.

As can be seen, the words of Peter here, “His own special people,” correspond directly to Paul’s words, “His own special people,” in Titus 2:14. It, thus, demonstrates that there is one people comprised of believing Jews and Gentiles.

Peter next describes what these honorable designations mean for the believer. It is so “that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Though Peter is addressing Jews, it is a universal statement that signifies any who have been brought out of the spiritual darkness of this world.

The word translated as, “that you may proclaim,” is found only here and in Mark 16:20. It signifies to publicly announce in a full manner. Believers are to fully and publicly profess what has occurred in their lives, proclaiming “the praises of Him.” The word translated as “praises” signifies “excellencies.” It speaks of moral excellence and virtue. This is what we are to proclaim of God because of His work, in and through Christ, to redeem man.

And that act of redemption was for the purpose of bringing believers “out of darkness into His marvelous light.” This thought comes from the words of Isaiah 42. There, in Isaiah 42:1 and again in Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah specifically says that this calling is not only for the nation of Israel, but for the Gentiles as well. Reading Isaiah 42:1-9 will open up the meaning of Peter in a full manner. Isaiah speaks of Christ as being a light to the Gentiles and the one who brings the prisoners out of darkness. It is a single, unified, gospel that is proclaimed not only to Israel, but to the Gentiles as well.

The words used here by Peter are elsewhere used by Paul to signify one body of believers which is comprised of both Jew and Gentile. For those who proclaim two separate gospels, they are proclaiming a false gospel, which is anathema. Stay away from such heretical teachings, and hold fast to the truth that the church is one unified body of believers based on one gospel message.

Life application: Peter uses terms once applied to Israel to convey the role that the church now holds –

Chosen people – Deuteronomy 7:6
Kingdom of Priests – Exodus 19:6
Holy nation – Exodus 19:6
Special people – Deuteronomy 26:18

Along with these titles, Peter goes to Isaiah 60:6 and applies it to the church as well, when it says that the gentile nations will come and “proclaim the praises of the Lord.” All of these are being applied to the church, indicating their fulfillment in the people that follow Jesus – both from Jew and from Gentile. This doesn’t mean, however, that Israel, as the Jewish nation, is through.

Daniel 9:24-27 allots 490 years to them to complete certain things. Thus far 483 of those years have been completed and 7 more are yet future. These seven years will occur when the church is taken out at the rapture. Then, once more, Israel will be the focus of God’s attention on earth.

In the meantime, all peoples – Jew and Gentile alike – who have called on Jesus are a part of the church, the Body of Christ. We have been called from darkness into His marvelous light. As it says in Isaiah 60:2, 3 –

“But the LORD will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.

³The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Indeed, the glory of the LORD has arisen over us in the Person of Jesus Christ!

Thank you, O most glorious Heavenly Father for allowing us the privilege of being servants of the King, our Lord Jesus. May we faithfully proclaim His praises all of our days and may we serve as faithful witnesses of His glory. This we request that You may be exalted! Amen.

Monday, 21 October 2019

… and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 1 Peter 2:8

Peter continues with quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures in order to explain the contrast between those who would believe in Christ and those who would not. Here in verse 2:8, he cites Isaiah 8 –

“The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread.
¹⁴ He will be as a sanctuary,
But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
To both the houses of Israel,
As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
¹⁵ And many among them shall stumble;
They shall fall and be broken,
Be snared and taken.” Isaiah 8:13-15

In the previous verse, he noted that even though Christ was rejected by “the builders,” He still became the chief cornerstone. His rejection by Israel had no bearing on God’s acceptance of Him and His fully completed work. Because He is the chief cornerstone. Those who believe “on Him will by no means be put to shame” (2:6). However, this same stone of trust and surety for the believer has become a “stone of stumbling” to those who rejected Him.

The idea here was first spoken by Jesus, during His earthly ministry –

“And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Matthew 21:44

The idea is that if one will not look to Christ as the foundation of his faith, Christ will become the means of their failing. It should be noted that one does not stumble over what he sees. We stumble because we fail to see, and we are thus tripped up. In other words, those who fail to believe in Christ are those who fail to see the significance of what Christ has done. The dividing line is what Christ’s ministry signifies.

As Christ came to fulfill the law, it is the law which is that dividing line. One can put his trust in Moses, meaning the law, and continue to be displeasing to God, or he can come to Christ – who is the fulfillment of the Law of Moses – and be pleasing to God. Only in the grace of Christ is reconciliation with God possible. But to those who stubbornly cling to Moses for their justification, Christ has also become “a rock of offense.”

The word used here, though different than that used in the previous clause, still signifies a stumbling block. This one is specifically the trigger of a trap which causes it to close down on an unsuspecting victim. Christ is that trigger. When what He accomplished is rejected, the individual steps right into the trap. In other words, a rejection of Christ – the fulfillment and embodiment of the law – is what triggers the trap. The law itself is what causes this. The law spoke of Christ, it was fulfilled by Christ, and it condemns those who do not come to Christ. To reject Christ is to have the trap close upon the victim.

This is seen in Peter’s next words. “They stumble, being disobedient to the word.” Jesus said as much in John 5:38-40 –

“But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. ³⁹ You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

The word which the leaders of Israel clung to, meaning the Law of Moses, spoke of Christ. The word shouts out, “Come to the Messiah and be freed from this body of death.” But they, and all who reject Jesus, are disobedient to that same word. It isn’t the New Covenant which condemns; it is the Old. To be obedient to the word, meaning the Old Testament Scriptures which speak of Jesus, means to come to Jesus and receive His gospel. Those who fail to do so stumble as Peter then says, “to which they also were appointed.”

The word Peter uses signifies to put, lay, place, set, fix, and so on. The verb form in which Peter uses is aorist passive. The event occurred, and it occurred based on their rejection of Christ. They actively reject, and the appointment is received passively. When one is cleansed through ritual purification by another, for example, he must stand and allow the other to purify him with the sprinkling. The sprinkling is passively received. This is what occurs here. The person is actively disobedient, and he passively receives his appointment of stumbling.

It should be noted that Paul cites the same verse from Isaiah 8 in Romans 9:33. The message of both of these apostles is a single, united message. It is the one gospel of salvation for Jew and Gentile. To say otherwise is to proclaim a false gospel. Of this, Paul calls such a false teaching anathema, and he who teaches it is accursed (see Galatians 1:6-9). All come to Christ in the same way, and all are saved or condemned based on the same gospel.

Life application: Not only did Christ become the Cornerstone of the Church, but He is also the Capstone. He began it and He will finish it. He is preeminent in all ways to those who are a part of His living temple. But to those who have rejected God’s gracious offer through Him, He has become a “stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”

Notice that those verses from Isaiah, which were quoted above, are speaking of the Lord (Jehovah), and Peter clearly identifies them with Jesus. The people of Israel, attempting to please God through works, stumbled over the stumbling stone – they missed God’s grace in a futile attempt to obtain it by their own goodness. Rather than being their Rock of refuge, He was to them a rock of offense. He fulfilled the law which they could never do and thus set it aside.

Traditions are hard to break, and pride is a cruel master. They rejected His work in an attempt to establish their own righteousness. Likewise, we love tradition and we love to add our own demands onto ourselves and others, things which are not a part of God’s word. In this, we establish our own standards of righteousness.

Take time today to evaluate your own heart in relation to what the Bible lays out for our walk before the Lord. Are you adding in pet peeves, self-goodness, or unbiblical determinations of others to your life? It is a slippery slope, so be careful to move away from these things. Christ determines doctrine for our walk before Him. Let us stand on His word alone for our life and conduct.

O God, give us wisdom when dealing in matters related to the churches we attend. Help us to stay away from legalism – both in ourselves and toward others. Instead, grant us the ability to discern what is right and appropriate from Your word, and then apply it to our lives. We love You Lord and we want to be pleasing to You in all ways. To Your glory we pray, Amen.

Sunday, 20 October 2019

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,” 1 Peter 2:7

Peter now expands on what he just said. He cited Isaiah with the words, “And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” The result of that is that, “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious.” The NKJV translation is not reflective of the Greek. The word to describe Him is a noun, and it is preceded by an article, and the verb is present and active. It more correctly reads, “For to you that are believing is the preciousness.”

The word “preciousness,” signifies honor, and it contrasts the “shame” just referred to. Instead of being put to shame, there is honor for those who believe. Faith in Christ bears its own preciousness before God. However, Peter then speaks of “those who are disobedient.” Again, the verb is present and active. It reads, “those who are disbelieving.” The word signifies a refusal to be persuaded, and it is exactly what the leaders of Israel did. They hardened their hearts to the truth of God in Christ. Peter is showing a contrast between the two in order to show the results of their ongoing disbelief.

In that state, they are included among those of whom the psalmist spoke, and also of whom Christ referred to during His earthly ministry. He cited the words of Psalm 118:22 as is recorded in all three synoptic gospels. In Acts 4, Peter also cited them, and here again he cites them. It is obviously a very important concept for the Jews to understand then.

Jesus spoke to them under the law, Peter spoke to them in the Sanhedrin attempting to show them the contrast between the law and the grace which came through Christ’s work, and now he continues to show the importance of what Christ did. And so, once again, he cites the psalm, beginning with, “The stone which the builders rejected.”

It is referring to Christ Jesus being the one rejected by the leaders of Israel. The idea of the leaders being the builders is that they were responsible for the spiritual lives of the people. The law was given to provide life to the man who did the things of the law (Leviticus 18:5). In Christ, who was born without sin, and who lived without sin, He accomplished those things. He became the necessary stone to begin the foundation of a true temple which would be based on eternal life, but they rejected Him.

However, God did not. Instead, He was chosen of God and “Has become the chief cornerstone.” The Greek reads, “the head of the corner.” It signifies the place where the very corner, meaning the cornerstone, sits. Everything in the foundation is dependent upon that point. Thus, everything in the building itself is dependent upon it. The true temple, where eternal life is found, is dependent upon the Stone who is Jesus.

There was no need for Paul to cite this set of words, because Paul’s ministry is to the Gentiles. However, the same gospel is found for both. The difference is that there is individual salvation for Jews, and there is collective salvation for Israel. Until the leadership of Israel acknowledges Christ as this true Stone and call out for Him, Israel as a collective whole will continue to be kept from the promises to them which have been anticipated since their inception as the people of God.

Life application: Psalm 118 is known as a messianic psalm because of its predictions of the coming Messiah. Each time it is cited in the New Testament, it is specifically applied to Jesus, His work, and His rejection by the nation of Israel. Despite His rejection and their attempts to nullify His work, He prevailed and has become the chief cornerstone. It is on Him that the church is established, and from Him all else proceeds, properly aligned and both level and plumb. Any congregation or body of believers which is properly grounded in Him will be successful – not particularly in numbers or wealth, but in right doctrine and sound faith.

Peter says, “…to you who believe, He is precious.” How do you care for your home? Do you treat it as a comfortable place to live, keep clean, properly maintain, and enjoy? Is your home dirty and not well maintained? We have an eternal home that is built on the precious Person of Jesus, and we are all being built into a living temple where God will reside, illuminated by His splendor through Jesus.

If you know that this is true, and that our position in this home is given to us because of what Jesus did, shouldn’t we be pursuing Him, His word, and His glory? Let us endeavor to keep our spiritual house clean and free from fault, and let us further ensure that we are being built properly by reading and applying the Bible to our lives. Rather than being careless about our eternal dwelling, let us give it the attention is rightly deserves. And let us do it in a way that others will see our works and give God the glory He is due.

Yes, O God! Jesus is the precious cornerstone of our eternal dwelling. Because You have given such attention to us in the giving of Your Son, please remind us of our responsibility to you – working to become an acceptable living stone in Your glorious temple. Give us the strong urge and desire to pursue You and Your word, so that we will be properly trained in righteousness. Amen.