1 PETER 2

"Scripture quotes taken from the NKJV" unless otherwise indicated.

1 Peter 2:1 "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

1 Peter 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

1 Peter 2:3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

These opening verses are similar to the opening verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 3, in which Paul rejects the factionalism of some early Christians who saw themselves as followers of Paul or Apollos, or whoever had brought the gospel to them, instead of followers of Christ. Though Peter doesn't say anything here about Christians comparing one leader with another, he seems to be saying that as long as we continue to express malice, deceit, hypocrisy and envy, and as long as we continue to speak evil of others, we are behaving in the same way ordinary men in the world around us behave. The primary theme of this chapter is to conduct ourselves in such a way that we distinguish ourselves from the culture around us, that we are identifiable as Christians by our behavior.

Unlike Paul in 1 Corinthians, or the writer of Hebrews, Peter does not indicate any impatience with us for desiring milk instead of solid food, he merely says we should yearn for spiritual growth, because our initial encounter with God has taught us how good the Lord is.

1 Corinthians 3:1 "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

1 Corinthians 3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

1 Corinthians 3:4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?"

Hebrews 5:12 "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

The passage in 1 Corinthians is particularly interesting, because Paul rejects favoritism, even when he himself is the favorite. I don't want to stray far from the text here, but favoritism can be a very difficult issue. As the father of two sons, one of whom is relatively obedient and one of whom seems to be constantly in trouble, it is a challenge to convince the more troublesome child that he is equally loved, because he requires a lot more discipline. Ultimately, however, both of them were born into Adam's race, and they both need Christ as Savior and Lord.

1 Peter 2:4 "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

We have houses of worship, but verse 5 implies that God wants to dwell in Christians collectively, not just in the individual way we read about in other passages. Christ's church is not a building, but it is a spiritual community consisting of everyone to whom it has been revealed that Jesus is God's Son, the risen Lord.

In verse 5, Peter says God is building us into a holy priesthood, and we are to offer spiritual sacrifices which are pleasing to God. The concept of a holy priesthood is not an original New Testament concept. It actually goes back to the book of Exodus:

Exodus 19:1 "In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai.

Exodus 19:2 For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain.

Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:

Exodus 19:4 "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

Exodus 19:6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Israel was also supposed to be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. But only the tribe of Levi was specifically called to the priesthood, and the Israelis were obliged by the old covenant to offer many ceremonial sacrifices, in addition to the blood sacrifices which anticipated the coming of Christ, and his blood sacrifice for them.

Obviously, Christians are not split up into tribes, and we are all called to the priesthood. In fact, this is not exclusively a male priesthood, the passage doesn't say anything which excludes women. But the nature of this priesthood is different, because we are obliged to offer spiritual sacrifices, sacrifices of changed behavior which bear testimony about our faith in Christ. Most of the rest of this book will tell us what those sacrifices are, and how we should behave as Christians in order to bring honor to the name of Christ throughout the world.

1 Peter 2:6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“ Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16)

1 Peter 2:7 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,” (Psalm 118:22-23, quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42-44, Mark 12:10-11 and Luke 20:17-18, and quoted by Peter in Acts 4:9-12.

1 Peter 2:8 and

“ A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” (Isaiah 8:14)

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

1 Peter 2:9 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 2:10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

I don't know much about architecture, but a cornerstone, as I understand it, is a large stone which aligns everything else which is built, and this is the function Christ has with us. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:4 that the people of Israel drank from the spiritual Rock, which was Christ, and Psalms 18, 27, 28, 31, 42, 61, 62, 71, 78, 89, 92, 94, 95 and 144 speak of the Lord as the rock of our salvation.

Verse 8 says that some people are destined to see Christ as a rock of offense, a rock which they will stumble over, causing them to disobey the word. This raises the issues of predestination versus free will, partial versus complete atonement, and election. This is a complex issue, which theologians haven't reached a consensus about. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on these issues here. I don't really believe Jesus only came to die for the sins of some of mankind, as some say, yet the scriptures do seem to indicate that some people have been part of God's elect since before the foundation of the world, and others are destined to be children of wrath.

For me at least, the central question is what is God's attitude toward those who will be separated from him throughout eternity. The last thing Jesus ever said to Judas was "Friend, why have you come?" (Matthew 26:50). By calling Judas friend, Jesus was not ignoring the fact that Judas was betraying him, nor was he begging Judas to change his mind, but he must have been expressing some sorrow about the destiny of Judas, and that should be enough for us.

Verse 10 reminds me of the book of Hosea, which explains that God has compassion for the people of Israel at certain times and brings them into judgment at other times. In fact, the same thing can probably be said to some extent about God's dealings with all nations. Paul goes into great detail about this in Romans chapters 9-11, indicating that Gentiles have been grafted into a cultivated olive tree, but Jews have been removed from it, yet God has power to graft them in again, and he continues to have a plan for the salvation of the Jews.

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

1 Peter 2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation."

Certainly, Peter is not advocating only superficial public holiness, but he is instructing us to behave in such a way that non-Christians will glorify God because of us. It usually takes a great deal of consistently good behavior to get self-centered sinners to notice and glorify God, but that's the plan for a priesthood of believers who offer spiritual sacrifices to God.

1 Peter 2:13 "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,

1 Peter 2:14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.

1 Peter 2:15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—

1 Peter 2:16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

1 Peter 2:17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king."

As I read the above verses, Aretha Franklin's "R E S P E C T" comes to mind, as well as the contrast between this attitude and the open fondness for lawlessness which permeates much of our society today. Many people seem to take deliberate delight in not fearing God, honoring people in positions of authority, not loving Christians and not even honoring the people around them. In a way, that's unfortunate. But it gives Christians an opportunity to be sanctified and to have an observable witness, which might have just caused us to blend into the culture in other generations.

1 Peter 2:18 "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

1 Peter 2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:"

Years ago, I read a book called "Calvary Road" by Roy Hessian. His basic point was that Christians often do not experience God's blessing or his presence in their lives, because they are not willing to suffer, refuse to forgive, demand their own rights, etc. It's not easy for any of us to be insulted without defending ourselves, or to be willing to be punished unjustly. Yet Christ was punished unjustly, and we must carry our cross, as he carried his, if we expect to grow into his likeness. When we feel separated from God, we need to be honest enough to ask him why.

The final verses of this chapter echo Isaiah 53, particularly verses 5-9:

Isaiah 53:5 "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

Isaiah 53:9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth."

1 Peter 2:22 “ Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

1 Peter 2:23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

When he was on earth, Jesus dealt with the things he suffered by trusting God as the righteous judge, always regarding his heavenly Father as faithful to him, even on the cross. We also have to trust God's judgment about our trials. Perhaps they are intended to build our character and produce in us a steadfast commitment to Christ. But even in the worst possible case, if we are called upon to give our lives for our faith, God will not lose track of us, he will raise us from the dead and give us the rewards of our labor for him. Obviously, I'm not acquainted with martyrdom, but we have to believe that whatever we are asked to do for Christ, our faithfulness will not be in vain.

Verse 24 is a summary of the new covenant itself. Jesus has paid for our sins, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. Many Christians may spiritualize the portion of the verse which speaks about healing. But because physical healing was so much a part of Christ's ministry on earth, it seems to me that this verse is an explicit declaration that physical healing is part of the new covenant in Christ's blood.

Verse 25 accurately describes the human condition. People are scattering like sheep in every direction, looking for happiness and fulfillment in a million places where it can't be found. Life can only have lasting purpose and value if we come to the great Shepherd, Jesus himself.

For additional study about Jesus in his role as shepherd, I recommend Matthew 18:10-14, Luke 15:4-7, and especially John 10:1-18.

1 PETER 1

"Scripture quotes taken from the NASB" unless otherwise indicated.

1 Peter 1:1 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen

1 Peter 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."

Before going very far into this chapter, it's worth noting the locations of the disciples Peter is writing to. From what I have read, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia are located clockwise in a circular route with Pontus being the northernmost point. Perhaps this letter was originally delivered by someone to those cities in that order.

More importantly, the mention of Galatia is significant, because we know that Paul had earlier presided over the Galatian church. Many commentators believe that both Paul and Peter were executed within a year, perhaps in 64 a.d. and 65 a.d., respectively. Peter probably wrote both of his letters to the Galatians shortly after Paul's death.

I'm not sure what is meant by listing Asia as one of the destinations of the letter. I'm not aware of any city called Asia, so perhaps it refers to the easternmost point where the letter was circulated.

Verse 1 says the letter's recipients have been scattered like aliens throughout these areas. Recall from Acts 8 that a great persecution arose against the church immediately after the death of Stephen, and many Christians left Jerusalem. Those who persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem, including Paul, prior to his conversion, probably assumed this dispersion would put an end to what they regarded as a heretical Jewish sect. But as Christians, we see the sovereign hand of God scattering Christians through the nations, so that the gospel might spread throughout all mankind.

Verse 2 menitons all three members of the trinity, indicating that Christians are chosen by the foreknowledge of God the Father, sprinkled by the blood of Jesus Christ and sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit, so we might obey Jesus Christ. We had no foreknowledge of God's plan, we could not redeem ourselves, we cannot sanctify ourselves or work for God's approval, so the grace and peace Peter wishes for these disciples, and by implication, for us, is entirely independent of our merit and our efforts. Though there are things we are asked to do after we know God, we do nothing to initiate the relationship, just as a radio receiver does nothing to initiate the transmission it receives.

1 Peter 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

1 Peter 1:5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

1 Peter 1:7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

1 Peter 1:9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Though Peter doesn't explicitly say this, the living hope he speaks of in verse 3 is that we will someday share in the resurrection of Jesus, becoming like him in a glorified body.

Romans 6:5 (NIV): "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,"

Unless we are born again and we share in Christ's resurrection, we have no hope beyond this life, brief, difficult and uncertain as it is. We haven't yet received the resurrection we hope for, but it is kept for us, as an inheritance in heaven. Our living hope is Jesus himself, and that we will be made like him, and in this hope, both verses 6 and 8 say we rejoice greatly.

We not only hope for what we haven't yet seen, we also love Jesus, whom we have not seen, because of his work of redemption on our behalf, which gives us access to God and to a living, imperishable and unfading hope, which will be physically manifested at the end of time.

Much of the Bible teaches us by contrasts, particularly the contrast between righteousness and sin. But in this letter, Peter speaks mostly about the contrast between the salvation we will receive when Christ is revealed to all mankind and the sufferings of the present age. Suffering was part of Christ's way of life on earth, not only on the cross, but when he fasted for forty days and was tempted, and when he patiently endured the insults and constant threats on his life throughout his ministry. If we had been there to observe it, we might well have concluded that his willingness to suffer is just as great a proof of his deity as the miracles he performed and the things he taught. When Paul sought to prove to the Corinthians that he was a true apostle, he wrote the following passage, pointing out the things he endured for Christ's sake:

2 Corinthians 11:23 "Are they servants of Christ?--I speak as if insane--I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.

2 Corinthians 11:24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.

2 Corinthians 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.

2 Corinthians 11:26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;

2 Corinthians 11:27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

Paul also speaks of himself in this way:

1 Corinthians 4:9 "For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

1 Corinthians 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.

1 Corinthians 4:11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;

1 Corinthians 4:12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

1 Corinthians 4:13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now."

So what do we as Christians prove by suffering for Christ? We show both to others and to ourselves our faith, our reliance on God, our patience with others, our willingness to give up the temporary pleasures of sin and that we are willing to forego the comforts of this life in favor of the blessings of eternal life. It is reasonable to assume that the greatness of Paul's suffering will be repaid by the greatness of his reward.

1 Peter 1:10 "As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,

1 Peter 1:11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

1 Peter 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look."

The main point here is that prophets and righteous men from previous generations have searched for an understanding of the plan of salvation which has now been revealed to Christians. But the precise meaning of the end of verse 12 is uncertain. It may be that all of God's angels had to choose at some point in time whether they would serve God and remain in his presence, or they would join Satan in his rebellion and be cast out of heaven. After that time, it appears that neither angels nor demons make individual moment by moment choices as we do. They only serve whom they have chosen to serve, and the angels who serve God apparently cannot respond to the gospel in the way we can, even though their obedience to God is perfect, complete and continuous. Nevertheless, it seems odd to me that angels who live in God's presence would long for the opportunity to open a Bible and be renewed by it, as we can be.

1 Peter 1:13 "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

1 Peter 1:15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

1 Peter 1:17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

1 Peter 1:18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,

1 Peter 1:19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

1 Peter 1:20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

1 Peter 1:21 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."

Actually, I like the NKJV translation of verse 13 better than the NASB version. It reads as follows:

1 Peter 1:13 "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"

The translators who worked on the NASB probably decided against this language, because the idea of girding up our minds sounds rather odd. As I understand it, the idea here is to be like the Jews who waited for the Passover in the land of Egypt. We know a time will come when Christ returns and changes our redemption from a well-grounded faith into a physical reality which will be clearly seen by all mankind. So verse 13 is asking us to be ready for our redemption at any time. This implies that there is much about our lives on earth which is analogous to the unjust experiences of the Hebrews in Egypt. Yet, rather than being discouraged by the difficulties, we ought to rejoice in the knowledge that Christ's return is certain and better things are waiting for us, provided we continue in the faith.

The appeal for holiness in verses 14-21 is based on three things. Verse 14 tells us we once lived in ignorance. If we continue as Christians to live the way we did prior to salvation, we will not have ignorance as an excuse, and we will be even more guilty than those who do not know God, and therefore, subject to greater wrath. Verse 17 actually tells us to conduct ourselves in fear during the time of our pilgrimage, both fear of the consequences of disobedience and God's power to punish us, but also out of reverence for God's nature, character and mercy, which will be given to us in abundance, provided we continue to obey him.

Verse 16 quotes Leviticus 11:44-45, which indicates that this is not a new commandment. It was a requirement the Jews were supposed to live by, and the Old Testament is filled with examples of the consequences of their failures, both as the nation of Israel, and the failures of the patriarchs of the faith. For example, David lost a child and briefly lost the kingdom because of disobedience, and disobedience would certainly have consequences for us too.

Verses 18 and 19 remind us that we have not been redeemed by silver and gold, but by the blood of Christ. Silver and gold are valuable to men, but blood has very little value, except within our own bodies and at blood banks. From God's perspective, though, the blood of Christ has great value. There is an old hymn which says, "There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb." Christ's blood enables God to forgive our sins, because it ratifies and establishes the new covenant, which is a legal agreement between God and man, which we should not dare to violate. Everything provided by God for us in the new covenant was purchased by Christ's blood.

Luke 22:19 "And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

Luke 22:20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood."

Silver and gold are lightly esteemed in heaven. But if we don't live holy lives as Christians, we are disregarding the cost of our redemption and bringing judgment on ourselves, as the passage in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 says.

I won't quote it here, but I suggest reading Isaiah 53 while studying this chapter, because it helps make the point that God values what the world casually rejects. The world is very focused on material wealth, but God has a much higher regard for spiritual and moral wealth. Consequently, though I don't want to get very far from the obvious message of this passage, we should heed the advice Jesus gave us in Matthew 6:19-21 to lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven, rather than treasure on earth, since we know which type of treasure God is most pleased with.

There is one other thing which we ought to consider about holiness. The third person of the trinity is explicitly called the Holy Spirit. God could have chosen to make him known to us as the Loving Spirit, the Joyful Spirit, the Peaceful Spirit, etc., and he is all of those things. But holiness is the only attribute of God which is mentioned every time we name the persons of the trinity. So if it's that much a part of God's character and we want to grow up in all ways into Christ and become like him, we must consider how scripture's appeal for personal holiness should affect our behavior.

1 Peter 1:22 "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

1 Peter 1:23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:24 For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

1 Peter 1:25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER."
And this is the word which was preached to you.

From the appeal for holiness, Peter goes on to appeal to the disciples to love their brethren fervently, a message which sounds very much like John's writing, based on what Jesus said during the last supper. The Old Testament quote in verses 24-25 is from Isaiah:

Isaiah 40:6 "A voice says, "Call out."
Then he answered, "What shall I call out?"
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

Isaiah 40:7 The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."

The point here would be to remind us of our mortality. All of our earthly pursuits will come to an end, and the only things which will matter throughout eternity are those things we have done in response to the word of God, including his commandments to be holy and to love our fellow Christians.

2 PETER 3

"Scripture quotes taken from the NASB".

2 Peter 3:1 "This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,

3:2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

3:3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,

3:4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."

3:5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,

3:6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.

3:7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."

It is my task to communicate to the reader what a great chapter this is. Those of us who have been Christians for a while have probably heard speculation about precisely how soon Christ is likely to return to the earth. I spoke to someone in 1970 who told me he believed Jesus would probably return within the next ten years, but 1980 came and went without the return of Christ. Some of us may also remember the so-called "88 reasons Jesus will return in 1988" or speculation about the new millennium around the year 2000, yet Christ did not return. Though the Bible explicitly tells us in various places, such as Matthew 24-36 and Acts 1:7, that no one on earth knows the precise date and time of Christ's return, some Christians simply can't resist the urge to guess. They nearly always acknowledge, as my friend in 1970 did, that they're just guessing, but guessing for some seems irrisistible. But guessers are not prophets, and all of the prophetic passages of the New Testament which speak about this tell us we don't know the day and time of Christ's return, but we can be quite certain about its eventuality.

That eventuality is the underlying message of this chapter, perhaps even the underlying message of this epistle. What's interesting about verse 3 above is that it says the scoffers in the last days do not doubt Christ's return because of generation after generation of hope and disappointment. Instead, this verse tells us that those who do not believe in the return of Christ are not motivated by his delay, but rather by their desire that he not return, since his return would put an end to their lust, greed and selfish pursuits. Conversely, those who eagerly await the return of Christ do so because we are willing to have him be the Lord of our lives until he returns, and we look forward to eternal fellowship with him. We can either live in such a way that we echo the sentiment at the end of Revelation, "Come Lord Jesus", or we can place our hope in other things which will be destroyed when he returns. But in either case, our problem is not God's slowness, and eternity is a very, very long period of time., and the consequences of our choices are eternal.

Peter asserts that the scoffers of our age cannot rely upon a continuation of the years of God's delay in judgment. Noah's generation was warned about the flood, but they perished because they did not heed the warning. Peter is probably well aware that those who deny the possibility of Christ's return also deny the flood of Noah's day. So the example here is really for believers who acknowledge both.

2 Peter 3:8 "But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

3:11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells."

Verse 8 is very well-known among Christians, but it is probably not well-known that this idea is borrowed from Psalm 90:

Psalm 90:4 "For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night.

90:5 You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew.

90:6 In the morning it flourishes and sprouts anew; Toward evening it fades and withers away."

In other words, God does not have the same perception of time we do., and our perception is limited by the brevity of our days on earth. So the apparent delay in the return of Christ is only from our limited perspective, not from God's.

More importantly, verse 9 explains that God's motivation for the delay is kindness and patience, because he wishes for all men to have an ample opportunity to come to repentance. This is an important concept, not just because it indicates why Christ has not returned as quickly as many Christians may have expected, but because it answers the question which is often phrased as, "Why does God allow suffering?" or "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

There are essentially two things wrong on earth. One is our own sin, wickedness, rebellion and misbehavior, and the other is that ever since sin entered into the world, the creation itself no longer serves us well, since we are subject to accidents, natural disasters, wild beasts, famine, etc. Of course, we can and should pray about our circumstances, but God cannot rightly reorder everything in the the universe without dealing with our sin. Judging mankind and putting an end to sin would essentially bring an end to the gospel age, since God's call for repentance and faith would seem relatively meaningless to men who are prevented from sin, and who have also not suffered due to the sins of others against them.

So, from a Christian perspective, every day that evil continues to flourish on earth is a day when Christians are asked to fulfill the great commission of making disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe Christ's commands and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20).

Christians ought to be preparing themselves during this age to collectively become the bride of Christ, and it is reasonable to suppose that God has not yet ended this age because some of those he loves and plans to spend eternity with have not yet come to the knowledge of Christ. While we await the return of Christ, God is waiting for us to finish the work of witness, proclamation and evangelism which he has given us.

None of the above changes the fact that the horrors sin has brought into the world are a very heavy burden for us. Men normally respond to suffering by claiming either that God does not exist or that he is unconcerned about our pain and sorrow. But the Bible teaches that God cares a great deal about us, enough to send his Son into the world to die for our sins, enough to make us joint heirs with Christ, provided we are willing to acknowledge him and make him Lord of our lives.

1 John 1:5 "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all."

In spite of whatever physical or emotional pain we may feel, the Bible always challenges our assumption that God does not care about us. In fact, when Jesus teaches in Matthew 10:30 and Luke 12:7 that the hairs of our heads are all numbered, what he is really saying is that he knows our human condition better than we do and he cares about it even more than we do. At the proper time, God will bring both 2 Peter 3:10 and 2 Peter 3:13 to pass.

Jesus himself is impatient, if God can be called impatient, for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Consider the following passage:

Luke 12:49 "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!

12:50 "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!"

Jesus clearly indicates here that he is not unconcerned about what is wrong on earth, and he is more than eager to intervene in human affairs. In fact, the question this chapter raises is whether we are eager to have him involved.

Christianity would seem almost useless to us at the present time if we had to wait to make our petitions to God at the close of the age.

Luke 18:1 "Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,

18:2 saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.

18:3 "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'

18:4 "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,

18:5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'"

18:6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said;

18:7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?

18:8 "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?""

In the above passage, Jesus expects us to understand that he is not like the unrighteous judge, who did not want to hear from the widow and did not want to act. God wants to hear and wants to act on our behalf, but he will not create a new heaven and a new earth until the appropriate time.

By the way, prophecy about a new heaven and a new earth is not unique to the New Testament. It is actually an echo of Old Testament passages, such as:

Isaiah 65:17 "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind."

In the passage below, Peter tells us how the certainty of Christ's return and the temporal nature of everything which surrounds us should affect our motives and our choices.

2 Peter 3:14 "Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,

3:15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,

3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,

3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Because my parents divorced when I was nine and my mother had to work to support us, without any help from my father, my brothers, my sister and I were often left at home alone after school in the afternoon until my mother returned home from work. We had never heard the term latchkey children, but that's what we were. Of course, we had a pretty good idea when my mother would get home, but the main task of latchkey children is to stay close to home, not to fight and not to make a mess which mom will be displeased with when she arrives. We didn't always do a very good job. In fact, my recollection is that we called her at work almost every afternoon to ask her to resolve some fight among ourselves. But my point is that we are in a sense God's latchkey children, and our job is to conduct ourselves in such a way that Christ will be pleased with us when he arrives.

In this passage, Peter endorses the writings of Paul, though it isn't clear how many of Paul's letters he was familiar with. By implication, he also endorses Paul's ministry, which was primarily a ministry to the Gentiles. Peter probably would have had a difficult time doing so, if it were not for the vision he saw, which Luke wrote about in Acts10:9-16 and Acts 11:5-18. I won't quote those passages here, but the point is that Peter affirmed Paul's apostleship and he agreed with Paul that the gospel is meant both for Jews and for all mankind. The same God who revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ later revealed to him that Christ came to redeem men from all social classes and all ethnic backgrounds.

2 PETER 2

(Unless otherwise indicated, the scriptures quoted here are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

This chapter of Second Peter seems quite similar to the letter of Jude in its intent, though there are many differences in the details mentioned by the two authors. In 2 Peter 1, Peter says that no prophecy has ever been originated by man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. In this chapter, Peter contrasts this with false prophets and false teachers who speak falsehoods from their own hearts, claiming their words are from God. Jude never mentions false teachers, but only says some men have crept into the church stealthily, but they continue to live immoral lives, turning God's grace into a license for sin.

2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6 both indicate God has punished angels who sinned, and Peter mentions Noah and Lot, as men God rescued from their immoral generations. Jude does not mention either Noah or Lot. Jude tells about the archangel Michael disputing with Satan over the body of Moses and Enoch prophesying about the ungodly, stories which may have appeared in Jewish apocryphal writings, but are not found in the Old Testament, both stories which Peter omits.

Although Peter makes many of the same points in this chapter which Jude makes in his letter, Peter's letter has a somewhat broader purpose, in that he is not just reminding us of God's judgment of the unrighteous, he is contrasting this with Christians who patiently cultivate virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection and love, and he will go on to teach about the certainty of the return of Christ, though it seems to have been delayed from a human perspective.

Nevertheless, this chapter and the letter of Jude are probably the most similar chapters in the entire Bible, with the exception of Psalms 14 and 53, which are virtually identical. Recall from Genesis that Joseph told Pharaoh that the doubling of his dreams meant God would surely bring them to pass, so the doubling of the warnings in these chapters ought to get our attention. We cannot afford to ignore, nor should we fail to teach others, about God's repeated warnings about the eventual consequences of sin.

There is a lot of controversy among Bible commentators about whether Peter borrowed much of this material from Jude or Jude borrowed most of his letter from Peter. Because Peter speaks in the passage below in future tense that there will be false teachers and Jude speaks about people who have crept into Christian assemblies, it is possible that Jude borrowed this message from Peter at a later date. However, that would mean that the book of Jude was almost completely adapted from this chapter, and the reliance on some apocryphal texts by Jude may indicate that Jude was written first. In either case, it's more important that we are given these warnings twice by the Holy Spirit than which human author originated them.

2 Peter 2:1 "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

2:2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

2:3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."

These opening verses deserve some comment, because we live in an era in which apostate churches are arising, disregarding the clear teachings of scripture in favor of personal opinions and preferences. I believe the leaders of these congregations and their followers have three primary motivations:

1. A desire to please men rather than God. They want to be popular with other men, they want to control others for their own personal advantage, and they do not want the burden of Christian suffering, persecution and carrying their own cross.

2. Like the Pharisees, they are lovers of money. For them, full churches and full collection baskets are better than empty ones. Therefore, they tell people what they want to hear.

3. They have rejected scripture's call for purity and personal holiness, preferring instead to indulge in sexual sins and animosity.

Whenever a church teaches and permits something which is contrary to the written word of God, one or more of these things is almost always the reason.

So what should we do as Christians if we know in our hearts that we ourselves are tempted to take a broad and easy path which leads to destruction instead of walking the straight and narrow path which leads to salvation? One obvious answer is to stay in the word, which constantly reminds us of both God's promises to those who do what pleases him, and his judgment of those who don't. Secondly, we have to be honest with God about the temptations we struggle with in our own prayer time, confess them and ask God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness by the blood of Christ. Finally, if we know someone we can trust, we should confess our faults to them and ask them to pray for us.

2 Peter 2:4 "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

2:5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

2:6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

2:7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked

2:8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);

2:9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,

2:10A and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority."

There are three interesting points in this section. Both Noah and Lot were surrounded by immorality, but they did not indulge in it themselves. The "everybody's doing it" excuse can never justify sin. God expects more from us than an immitation of the behavior around us.

Secondly, God separated Noah and Lot from the evil men of their generations at a time of his own choosing, and if we will separate ourselves in an appropriate way from the world around us, we can expect him to rescue us at the right time.

Finally, the punishment of the unrighteous has already begun, even prior to their final judgment. Note the emphasis on punishing those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. We often think of lust concerning sex, but think for a moment about the explosion of drug abuse in our society during the last 40 or 50 years. Also, note how often we hear from those who despise not only God, but all human authority, elected officials, the police, their supervisors at work and even their own parents. Of course, all humans in positions of authority are imperfect, but Paul wrote Romans 13, telling us to be subject to government and human authority, during the height of the Roman empire, when Rome was ruled by some of the most ruthless and evil men on earth.

2 PETER 2:10B "Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

2:11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord."

Since we don't use the word blasphemy often in daily conversation, the definition from the American Heritage Dictionary below may be helpful:

1. 
A. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity.
B. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2. An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.

When I was a senior in high school, I had a Greek history teacher, and there were also two girls from Greece who were foreign exchange students in the class. The teacher had been in the United States most of his life, but the foreign students had only bee in the U.S. during that school year. Near the end of the year, our Greek teacher asked these Greek students what they were the most surprised by about the United States. They both gave the same answer. "Everyone in the United States says exactly what they think to everyone, regardless of the position of the person they're speaking to." Certainly, there are some positive aspects about the American notion that all men are created equal. I'm glad we don't have a royal family. As a taxpayer, I don't want to pay for one. However, what these Greek girls were saying is that we Americans generally lack the natural respect which is due to people in positions of authority.

When we're stopped by the police, too many of us have an attitude such as, "You're not so hot. I could have made it through the police academy." Too many of us go to work and think, "I could be the boss here. I should be the boss. He just got here first." One of the reasons we have a high divorce rate is probably because we eventually look at our spouses and say, "You're not so hot."

Simple disrespect is probably at the root of many divorces, and disrespect, rooted in pride, is the underlying reason why many of us do not regard anyone as better than ourselves, why our culture is so irreverent and why we fail to acknowledge anything as holy.

Though he was a prophet, note how Isaiah's attitude was straightened out in Isaiah 6:1-5:

Isaiah 6:1 "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

6:2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

6:3 And one called to another and said:

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"

6:4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

6:5 And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

When confronted with both God's power and his holiness, Isaiah came face to face with the sins in his own life and the sins of the culture around him, and he was never the same afterwords. Whether we see visions or not, we should all have some Isaiah moments from time to time, so we can humbly respect both God and the men he has placed in positions of authority.

Unfortunately, some people would not even be affected by a vision like Isaiah's. During his ministry, as he was performing miracles and speaking the word of God, Christ's opponents asked him this:

John 8:48: "The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

8:49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me."

Note that Christ's answer is actually much more gentle than their accusation. They clearly had no regard for who they were speaking to. From the perspective of my Greek classmates, their attitude was very American.

2:12 "But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction,

2:13suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.

2:14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!

2:15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

2:16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness."

The above verses continue to speak about those who reject authority and are motivated by lust and greed. , things we as Christians should ask the Lord to cleanse from our lives.

2 Peter 2:17 "These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.

2:18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

2:19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

2:21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

2:22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire."

I have lived much of my life in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona. Storms which bring a lot of wind and very little rain are quite common in the desert, and the storms which do bring rain typically don't last long. Though the desert has its own natural beauty, it can't produce the quantity and variety of crops and vegetation which are common elsewhere. Hoping for a good soaking rain in the desert is often as disappointing as the parable of the barren fig tree:

Luke 13:6 "And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.

13:7 And he said to the vinedresser, "Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?"

13:8 And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.

13:9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

In other words, Jesus does not want us to be like waterless springs or desert storms. Instead, we should supplement our faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection and love, as Peter exhorts us to do in the previous chapter. This is not a difficult request, particularly if the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Being mindful of God's will is the first step toward doing it.

Many leaders of liberal churches today are urging their congregations to cast off the moral restraints of scripture. The world defines freedom as freedom to sin, but Christ defines freedom as freedom from sin. I would hate to be a landlord these days, because I would not want to rent property to homosexuals or unmarried heterosexual couples, and I would probably be sued into poverty. But I would rather be sued into poverty than to pretend that righteousness doesn't matter.

Much of this chapter sounds as if it were written exclusively about non-Christians, and in a way, it is. But the last three verses make it clear that some will depart from the faith. Though they have an accurate knowledge of Christian doctrine, they reject it in favor of personal immorality, the desire to control and use others, and the desire for money, possessions and physical pleasure. But God's purpose here cannot be to cause us to doubt our own salvation, but rather to cause us to be more determined than ever to abide in Christ and to do what we know is right. This chapter is a warning about the fate of some, but it is better to be warned about the consequences of sin than to have to live eternally with the consequences.