THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER
1 Peter
Student’s Study Guide
The First Epistle of Peter
Audience: The
churches of
Key
Word: Suffering
Key
verses: 1 Peter 4:12-13
“ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings;
that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding
joy.”
~*~
1 Peter, an apostle [lit. one sent] of Jesus Christ, to the strangers [pilgrims] scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
1:1 Peter. The author designates himself by the name that Jesus gave him (Matt. 4:18; John 1:42) for his steadfastness in the sphere of faith.
1:1 scattered throughout. Paul had evangelized many of these areas; other areas comprising modern Turkey had churches that were started by the Jews who were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and heard Peter's sermon (Acts 2:9-11).
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
1:2 elect. The doctrine of
election is designed to teach that salvation is not a random act of chance but
a divine undertaking of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The force of the word elect cannot and should not be minimized. From the sea of
fallen humanity God in His great mercy has chosen or elected some to salvation.
This choice or election was not and is not dependent upon human merit or
ability but upon free grace.
1:2 foreknowledge. God does
not look down the corridors of time to determine which way the volition of a
person will go when presented with the gospel and on the basis of that elect
the person to salvation. Such an understanding of foreknowledge makes God
irrelevant. God certainly foreknows all matters of men. However the word is
used here in another sense. Matthew Henry explains. “Foreknowledge sometimes
signifies counsel, appointment, and approbation [approval]. Acts 2:23, Him
being delivered by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God. The death of Christ was
not only foreseen, but fore-ordained, as v. 20. Take it thus here; so the sense
is, elect according to the counsel, ordination, and free grace of God.”
1:2 Father…Spirit…Jesus Christ.
·
Father Elects
·
Spirit Sanctifies
·
Son Secures
the
Salvation of the
elect
1:2 Through sanctification. A holy life is
well worth living for it is the will of God and beyond that a life once spent
is irrevocable. Adoniram Judson realized this truth and wrote the following.
“A life once spent is irrevocable. It will remain to be contemplated through
eternity.…The same may be said of each day. When it is once past, it is gone
forever. All the marks which we put upon it, it will exhibit forever.…Each day
will not only be a witness of our conduct, but will affect our everlasting
destiny.…How shall we then wish to see each day marked with usefulness…! It is
too late to mend the days that are past. The future is in our power. Let us,
then, each morning, resolve to send the day into eternity in such a garb as we
shall wish it to wear forever. And at night let us reflect that one more day is
irrevocably gone, indelibly marked” (E. Judson, The Life of Adoniram Judson,
Anson, Randolph & Company, 1883, pp. 13-15).
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1:3 begotten us. While the death of Christ was sufficient for all it is efficient for the elect. The abundant mercy that begets spiritual life in “us” is limited to the elect of God.
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1:4 inheritance. The concept of a Christian
inheritance has reference to the gifts of divine grace and mercy, which will be
given the believer because of the death of Christ. Specifically, the Christian
is to receive the following—and much more.
· Eternal life
John 3:16
· A dwelling place in heaven
John 14:1ff
· A body suited for the
eternal
1 Corinthians 15: 40
· A body suited for the
resurrection
1 Corinthians 15: 23
~*~
Four Characteristics of
the Christian’s Inheritance
·
It is incorruptible which means it cannot perish.
·
It is undefiled which means it can not be spoiled.
·
It will never fade away.
·
It is reserved in heaven.
5 Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1:5 kept by the power of God.
Biblical Reasons to Believe in the Eternal
Security of the Believer
·
The promise of God the Father. Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,
them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he
justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
·
The promise of God the Son. John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
·
The pledge of God the Holy Spirit.
Eph
1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with
that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until
the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for
a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations
[testings]:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1:7 trial of your faith. At the second advent of
Jesus, praise and honor and glory await those who suffer for the sake of
righteousness according to gospel terms. The praise will come as the Lord says,
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). Honor and
glory will come when the Lord continues to say, “I will make thee ruler over
many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matt. 25:21,23).
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom,
though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory:
1:8 ye love. It is possible to love Christ though
the believer has not yet seen Him in the flesh. Loving Christ is more than
loving an idea or a memory. It is loving a living person. To love the name of
Jesus is to love Him as the resurrected Savior.
“There is a Name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
It sounds like music in my ear,
The sweetest Name on earth.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
Because He first loved me!”
~*~
Frederick Whitfield