1 Peter (Written)

Sunday, 13 October 2019

But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:25

Peter finishes the quote from Isaiah 40 here. In the Hebrew of Isaiah, it says, “But the word of our God stands forever.” Here, Peter makes two changes in thought. The first is from what he said in verse 1:23. There, he used the Greek word logos when speaking of the “word” of God. Here, he uses the word rhema.

The word logos is a word that expresses a thought. When it is used of Christ Jesus, is speaking of Him expressing the thoughts of the Father. The word rhema speaks of a matter which is being conveyed, such as a saying, report, command, promise, and so on. It is often used to speak of the hearing of faith, meaning “the divine inbirthing of faith” (HELPS Word Studies). Paul speaks of faith coming through the word (rhema) of God in Romans 10:17, it is this word which speaks of the word (logos) of God, meaning Christ Jesus, the expression of God in Whom God reveals Himself.

The second change that Peter makes is from the words of Isaiah. There in Isaiah 40, it says “our God.” Here, Peter uses the term kurios, or “lord.” Peter is speaking of the word of the Lord, meaning Jesus. Therefore, he is clearly referring to Jesus as God. The reason for the change from logos in verse 23 to rhema here seems obvious. Just as he is showing that Jesus is God, he is also equating the word (logos) of God which is the expression of Himself to the saying (rhema) of the Lord. Though the two are not the same, both carry the same weight and authority, and both are “forever.”

Peter then takes that and more fully explains it by saying, “Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” Isaiah equated the state of man to the grass that withers. Both are temporary and corruptible. However, the word of the divine inbirthing of faith is incorruptible. He has quoted Isaiah’s words to support what he said in verse 1:23 –

“…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

Peter is proving the doctrine of eternal salvation. The seed in the believer, by which he is born again, is incorruptible. This is because it is the word of the Lord (which is the word of God), which brings about the inbirthing of faith. He is giving a theological calculation for us to consider: 1 +1 = 2. Peter, inspired by God, is showing that Jesus is God, that His word is the word of God, and that His word is one which converts the corruptible into the incorruptible.

Robert Young gives an exacting sense of the translation by saying, “and the saying of the Lord doth remain — to the age; and this is the saying that was proclaimed good news to you.”

The believer receives the incorruptible word, and because it is incorruptible, it is a word that will endure for eternity.

Life application: No sooner do we rise up than we age, die, and return to the earth. Despite all of our hopes in politicians, charismatic figures, large incomes, or worldly possessions, none of these things will last. The car we bought that we just “had to have” four years ago is already breaking down and falling to pieces. The politician we thought would correct our problems two years ago turned out to be just another person who licks his finger and holds it up to see which way the wind is blowing. The paychecks of the last year have all been spent and our bank account is empty.

But the word of the Lord endures forever. As the sands of time have speedily fled through the hourglass, and as man’s time on earth has passed from generation to generation, the word of God stands as a testament to what is and what isn’t proper. If we want to know how things will turn out, we don’t need a horoscope, an astrologist, or a mystical seer.

Instead, we merely need to look into the pages of the Bible, and we can see the end of man, the beginning of eternity, and the glory of God – all wrapped up in the Person of Jesus Christ. It is His gospel which alone reveals these things, and it is by faith in Him alone that we can participate in the good and eternal side of what the future holds. When we reject Him, we have only a hopeless anticipation of sadness, destruction, and exile. Let us make the right choices now, and let the Word of God abide soundly in our hearts and souls.

Lord God, today may many call on Jesus as Lord and Savior; today may we who have gone astray renew our hope in Jesus our Lord; and today may we look to the cross and leave the world in our wake. Blessed be the name of the Lord on whose gospel of peace we can rest our hope. Glory to the holy Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus. Amen.

Saturday, 12 October 2019

…because
“All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away… 1 Peter 1:24

Peter now begins a comparison between the “corruptible seed” and that which is “incorruptible” which he spoke of in the preceding verse. He will cite Scripture to make his point. His citation is then divided up into two verses. This first verse speaks of the temporary, corruptible state of the world, including that of fallen man.

His words are a citation from Isaiah 40:6-8. In his citation, it appears he was quoting from memory because it is a mixture of the Hebrew and the Greek of Isaiah’s words, showing that he had probably memorized both at some point. The NKJV translation, which is from the Hebrew, says –

“The voice said, ‘Cry out!’
And he said, ‘What shall I cry?’
‘All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.’”

The 40^th chapter of Isaiah corresponds to the 40^th book of the Bible, Matthew. It speaks of the coming Messiah as He would be revealed. In the quote, it speaks of “all flesh.” There is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Instead, the comparison of all to the grass is made. Peter retains this thought, even though he is addressing Jewish believers. He is speaking of the “corruptible seed” which is unregenerate man.

In this state, he says, “All flesh is as grass.” Anyone who pays attention to the world around him knows the extremely temporary nature of grass. It is eaten up by animals, it dries up and dies without rain, and it fades away with the coming of the blazing sun or the winter season. There is nothing permanent about it.

And so, it is with man. Scripture proclaims that he is just as temporary and fleeting with the words, “And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.” It is a one-to-one comparison – as is the grass, so is man. In this, “The grass withers.” The verb is aorist, and so it more appropriately reads, “The grass withered.” This is not a comparison about the value of man, but rather a comparison about the transitory state of man. The grass was healthy and vibrant, and then it was withered. The idea is that of an immediate passing from one state to the other. From there, Peter says, “And its flower falls away.”

The beauty of the grass with its resplendent flower simply falls off and returns to the earth once again. The idea is that man with his beautiful form at one point in life becomes withered and dried up in a moment. What is eighty years to a man who is looking back on his life? He was born, he was filled with youth and vigor, he matured into a man of wisdom and wealth; and then all of a sudden, he was wrinkled, weak, and incapable of caring for himself. And when the Lord determines, he closes his eyes for the last time and is soon interred again in the earth from which he sprang.

This is the hopeless, temporary, and vain existence which is the life of man, and which Peter first focuses on. In the next verse, he will show the contrast between this corruptible seed, and of that which is incorruptible.

Life application: It is true that this verse should have the next verse included with it in order to be fully understood, but one step at a time will give the mind time to ponder first the words of our corruptible state. Next, we will get to better news, so be patient!

Our years, though few, take their toll on us and bring about changes that are not only permanent, but are physically and mentally degrading. Like the grass, what was green and lush in the morning is dry and crinkly in the evening. Soon its flower falls away and then nothing is left but the slow process of returning to the soil from which it came. Taking heed to Solomon’s warning in Ecclesiastes 12, we should remember our Creator now, before these times of aging have ended us, and we go to our final resting spot. Remember Him now!

Glorious God, seventy years comes out to a bit more than twenty-five thousand days. Many of us have seen far too many of those go by already, and for many of us the majority of them have been unfaithfully negligent concerning our responsibilities to You. Forgive us of our past times of thoughtlessness, and help us to live our days rightly – praising You, speaking of You, and being filled with You! Amen.

Friday, 11 October 2019

…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 1 Peter 1:23

In the previous verse, Peter spoke of the state of the believer in Christ – he is purified in soul. He now describes how that came about by saying, “having been born again.” More correctly, it says, “having been begotten again.” It is the same word used in verse 1:3, and this is its second and final use in Scripture. It signifies being born from above. It is the regeneration of the believer which occurs based on faith in Christ.

Peter next describes what this state of being begotten from above means by saying, “not of corruptible seed but incorruptible.” The word “seed” here is unique in Scripture, spora. It is a noun that signifies “a sowing.” In other words, “not of a corruptible sowing.” Peter is speaking of the process of generation in humanity. Our “sowing” is corruptible, and that results in a corruptible human. However, the sowing which is from above is incorruptible.

What this means is that it is imperishable, immortal, without the possibility of degradation. It is another of the countless appeals to the doctrine of eternal salvation. How can it be that God regenerates the believer through an incorruptible sowing if the salvation is not eternal? The thoughts are contradictory, and the theology is confused.

Peter then says that this comes about “through the word of God.” This is speaking not of Christ, the incarnate Word of God, but of the transmitted word of God. This will be seen in the next verse, but it is also referred to in verses 1:10-12. There Peter said, “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you.”

First, Peter equates the “salvation” noted there with “having been born again” here. Again, the two describe the same thing, and it cries out “eternal salvation.” Secondly, he speaks of their prophecies as “the word of God.” He then says that this word “lives and abides forever.”

Albert Barnes notes that the Greek provides an ambiguity which means that it could either be speaking of God who lives forever, or of the word which lives forever. The ambiguity may be purposeful. Peter may have wanted people to question his words and conclude that the word which issues forth from God is an expression of God. Thus, it is eternal, just as God is. Because it could have been expressed more clearly, this may be why he wrote it as he did.

Either way, Peter’s use of two different prepositions shows the source of the regeneration and the medium through which it is imparted. He says “of” seed and “through” the word. The seed is the source, the word is how that seed is transmitted. This is another biblical proof that the words of Scripture are necessary in order for conversion to take place. It speaks against visions and dreams as a means of conversion, despite the countless claims made throughout the ages that people have come to Jesus in such a manner.

Life application: In contrast to the traditions of men and false additions to true faith, we have the word of God – the Holy Scriptures which are given to us to guide our lives and give us a clear and pertinent understanding of the things of God. It is through this precious gift that we hear the message of faith which can save. Elsewhere, Paul states it like this –

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

The logical connection is made when we hear and receive the word properly relayed from the pages of the Bible. This is what stirs up our faith, and it is this faith which brings new life from above – that of being “born again.” Though a term only found here in 1 Peter, it is derived from the same root word that Jesus uses when speaking of being “born again” in John 3. Understanding this should make us realize the immense importance of reading and knowing the Bible.

If we are “born again…through the word of God,” and Jesus says you must be born again in order to see the Kingdom of God, then it follows that misunderstanding the Bible can lead you to a false Jesus and a false gospel. But, when we understand the simplicity of the gospel, and accept Jesus as the incarnate Subject of the gospel, then we are truly born again – “not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible.”

Our acceptance of the gospel is a seed which shall never die, but which will continue to thrive in us, even to eternal life.

Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and grant you eternal life? If not, call on Him today. He is the precious gift of God for the salvation of all people who trust in Him. Let us thank God for Jesus today!

Almighty and most-wise Creator, praises and honor belong to You alone. In Your infinite wisdom, You sent us Jesus to lead us back to You and to bestow upon us eternal life. Our songs of praise and thanks will never end as we hail You for all eternity – Worthy is our God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thursday, 10 October 2019

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 1 Peter 1:22

Peter now relays a word of exhortation concerning the treatment of the brethren because of the state in which the believer in Christ exists. He begins with, “Since you have purified your souls.”

Here is a word, translated as “purifying,” which speaks of purification from defilement. It can be either ceremonial or moral purification. In the Old Testament, it was the type of purification Nazirites would take upon themselves, setting themselves apart to God. It is used in John 11:55 when speaking of being purified for the Passover.

Peter says that believers have purified their “souls in obeying the truth.” In other words, by faith in Christ, a person is so purified. This is a marvelous parallel to the thought of what Paul said in the book of 1 Corinthians –

“For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. ⁸ Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:7, 8

Paul, writing to Gentiles, has said that Christ is “our Passover.” The purification spoken of by Peter, like that in John 11 (noted above), is accomplished in both Jew and Gentile in order that they may both be acceptable for the true Passover, and indeed for every spiritual application of which Christ has fulfilled through His work. This purification, Peter says, is “in obeying the truth through the Spirit.”

This follows logically with what Paul says in Ephesians 1. When a person believes, they are – at that time – sealed with the Spirit. The harmony between what Paul says and what Peter says is to be noted. They both speak concerning the same salvation and the same purification.

The NKJV then cites Peter as saying, “in sincere love of the brethren.” By using the word “in,” this can be misinterpreted as signifying that the action is tied to the sincere love of the brethren. This is not the intent. Rather, it should read “to,” or “into,” “for,” or so on. The NIV, which is somewhat of a paraphrase, reveals the intent –

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other…”

The sincere love is a result of the purification, not a part of it coming about. Because this occurs, Peter then says that believers are to “love one another fervently with a pure heart.” As we have been so purified, we are to then express that purification appropriately in our actions. What we do is to correspond to the state to which we have been brought.

The word translated as “fervently” is one found only here and in Acts 12:5. It literally means, “fully stretched.” It is as if a rope is pulled so that it is fully taut and there is no slack at all in it. The slackness would be equated to a less-than-expected treatment of others. Therefore, our love of the brothers is to be fully stretched out, without such slack. It is also to be “with a pure heart.”

The heart in the Bible speaks of the seat of reasoning. Thus, our minds are to be in a state which conveys only pure and fully expressed love for the brethren. There should be nothing that causes a deviation from a positive mental attitude which is fully expressed in sincere love.

Life application: Again, as for the umpteen millionth time in the epistles, we have a verse that proclaims eternal salvation. If our souls are purified, then we are cleansed and now acceptable to God who loved us enough to send Jesus. Peter’s words show that the purification is done, and then he expresses our need to work it out in a certain way. In other words, the purification is complete, even if our performance in that state is not.

Why is this so important to understand? It is because failing to comprehend this leads people into bondage, and they become easily directed by the whims of their spiritual leaders. It also leads to the financial gain of those leaders because their followers are bound into works-based religion. But, if our souls are purified through faith in Jesus Christ, then we are at liberty in and through Christ.

Ephesians says that when we believe we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. This is a deposit or guarantee which will never be revoked. Once sealed, we can repeatedly pray for and receive His filling which allows us to obey the truth. This leads us, as Peter says, into sincere love of the brethren – a love which is fervent and with a pure heart.

Yes, we will have conflicts with fellow believers. Yes, they will often irk us with their peculiarities just as we will irk them (make sure you look in the mirror and evaluate the irk-factor in yourself instead of always pointing it out in others). But an irksome person can still be loved.

This is the bond we need to work on. Liking or not-liking to be with someone is much different than loving them unconditionally. If you are having trouble loving someone in your congregation because he is so annoying, irritating, weird, or whatever, then pray that the Spirit will give you the grace to bear with him, despite his peculiarities.

True change comes from the heart in each of us, not in merely changing the world and its people who are around us.

Heavenly Father, grant us the ability to love those that we find so vastly different than us. Help us to remember that they are who they are because of their own makeup and life experiences. As these have shaped them and define them, may we learn to accept them as long as they are otherwise living in accord with what You expect of Your people. To Your glory, O God. Amen.

Wednesday, 9 October 2019

…who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:21

Here, we have words which carry a theme similar to that of Paul in Romans –

“but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” Romans 4:24

Both Peter who is writing to his Jewish brethren, and Paul who is writing to the Gentiles, carry a uniform message concerning salvation and what it means. They both speak forth the same gospel message. Understanding this – that there is only one gospel for Jew and for Gentile – Peter begins with, “who through Him believe in God.”

The word “Him” refers to Christ Jesus, who was referred to in the previous verses. It is through faith in Christ that we “believe in God.” There is a truth that almost every person in human history believes in “God.” There are supposed exceptions, such as those referred to in Psalm 14 –

“The fool has said in his heart,
‘There is no God.’” Psalm 14:1

But these people, today called “atheists,” are deniers of God, not because they actually don’t believe in Him, but because they actively refuse to acknowledge Him. A simple proof of this proceeds from their lips the moment true calamity strikes – “O God!” In the end, there is no way to get around the truth that there is a God.

And so, really, everyone believes in “God.” The marked difference between true Christians and all others is that Christians believe in God in a relationship through Jesus Christ. In other words, they hold to the universally accepted premise that there is a God, but they also accept that Jesus Christ is God, revealing Himself to the world through His incarnation. Thus, the God of Christianity cannot be equated to any other “god” that man believes in.

Peter continues to describe the true God, and His relationship to Christ, by saying, “who raised Him from the dead.” This is referring to the human aspect of Christ who lived out the law, fulfilled all of its precepts, and then gave His life in the final fulfilling act of the Old Covenant. In doing this, He brought it to its completion and initiated a New Covenant in His blood.

In this satisfaction of the law, a portion of which was a substitutionary atonement for the sins of those who believe, God was satisfied. He accepted the payment for those who believe, and He also raised Christ Jesus from the dead. This is because “the wages of sin is death.” As Christ died not for His own sins, but for the sins of others, God found no fault in Him, meaning nothing worthy of the death He died. His death was solely on behalf of others. In this, Peter cried out in Acts 2 –

“…whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Acts 2:24

Christ could not stay dead. As there was nothing in Him deserving of death, God raised Him up. Further, He not only raised Him, but He also “gave Him glory.” The glory spoken of here is that of power, authority, majesty, and splendor. For example, Jesus says in Matthew 28, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” And again, Paul speaks of the glory of the risen Christ numerous times, such as –

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

The glory given to Christ is that of the glory of God Himself. He is the incarnate word of God, forever glorified. Peter then says to his audience that this is “so that your faith and hope are in God.” It is a note of exclusivity. Peter is not speaking of “hope in God” in the general sense. As noted, people of every religion, and even those who espouse no religion, possess a hope in God. Peter’s words are speaking of a hope in the true God who has revealed Himself through Christ Jesus. He is the expression of God that the true God accepts for righteousness when faith is placed in Him.

Logically, it cannot be that Jesus is anything other than God based upon Peter’s words. The reason for this is that Jesus’ human nature is derived from His human genealogy. He was born in the womb of a woman who had descended from a line of humans, and who were originally created by God. As humanity is a part of creation, and as man can see the evidence of creation in all its marvel – from the intricacy of the smallest subatomic particles to the farthest recesses of the galactic expanse – Peter cannot be speaking of anything which is created. As Jesus’ physical nature was a part of this creation, it is obvious that Peter is speaking of the divine aspect of Christ which is proven through His outworkings in His humanity.

It is in the incarnation itself, the uniting of God with man, that we find that properly directed “faith and hope are in God.” No other faith in God is acceptable for reconciliation and a right relationship with our Creator.

Life application: It is the power of God (repeated elsewhere in the New Testament) that raised Jesus from the dead. A common misunderstanding of cults is this –

The Father is God.
Jesus is not the Father.
Therefore, Jesus is not God.

This is a mistake in reasoning known as the Fallacy of Illicit Major. “Major” refers to the major (or first) premise, not a person in the military. The major premise may be true, but it is not all-inclusive. Just because the Father is God, it doesn’t in any way negate the Son or the Holy Spirit from being God.

The second premise is true and is all-inclusive – the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father. Based on the incorrect thought of the first premise though, the conclusion is false, and the argument is invalid. Take time to read up on fallacies because it will help you think more clearly and defend your position, which should be completely defensible.

This, however, doesn’t mean it will be accepted, so don’t get too frustrated. No matter what others believe, it is God who raised Jesus from the dead “and gave Him glory.” Again, this doesn’t mean Jesus lacked glory or isn’t part of the Godhead. Jesus, in His High Priestly prayer, speaks of the glory He shared with the Father before creation (see John 17:5). Jesus Christ is not a vain hope, nor is He a created being. He is the incarnate Word of God; the eternal Son of the Father. As it says, “your faith and your hope are in God.” When your faith is in Jesus Christ, your faith is in God. If your faith is not in Jesus Christ, you fail to honor the Father – “If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor (John 12:26).”

Heavenly Father, from You comes logic, order, reason, and wisdom. Give us the strong desire to look into these aspects of understanding that we may be able to defend our positions when faced with difficult challenges. By doing this, may You be glorified and may the lost be directed to You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.