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Proverbs 4:10-19
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the
years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I
have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be
hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do
not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from
it and pass on.
16 For they do not sleep unless they have done
evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And
drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines
ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.
Father God, convict us of our sins so
that we may repent and walk in your righteousness. We thank you for that! In Jesus name we pray, Amen!
Book of I Peter 1:1-2
NKJV
The apostle Peter wrote
this letter to encourage believers who would face trials and persecution
because of their faith in Jesus Christ. During most of the first century,
Christians faced great persecution throughout the Roman Empire. The persecution
came from three main sources Jews, Roman government, and family members.
Christians would very likely be misunderstood, some would be harassed, and a
few would be tortured and even put to death. Two thousand years later this
still holds true today around the world. This letter of Peters has a theme of
Hope for those that are Christians to stand firm and focus on eternal rewards.
Introduction-Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible:
Returning
good for evil sounds noble, and Christians agree that it is the right thing to
do; however, in the midst of trials and persecutions, showing kindness to our
persecutors can be extremely difficult. The Christians of Asia Minor who
received this letter from Peter had discovered this. They had found that a life
lived for God is often a life of many difficulties. Some of their troubles came
from their neighbors, while some came from government authorities. Peter wrote
to these Christians to encourage them, to explain to them why suffering occurs,
and to remind them of their eternal reward at the end of this earthly life.
Early
church tradition affirms that the apostle Peter was the author of the letter
known as First Peter. Those in the modern era who challenge his authorship
argue that the vocabulary and literary style of the letter is more advanced
than the vocabulary of an “uneducated and untrained” fisherman (see Acts 4:13). Many of these critics
also assert that the theology of the letter is too much like Paul’s. It
reflects Paul’s thought rather than the experiences of the earthly life of
Jesus Christ, as one might expect from Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends.
Finally, these critics claim that the persecutions described in this letter
could not have taken place during Peter’s lifetime. But none of these arguments
is conclusive. Peter was from Galilee, a region that was bilingual. People who
grew up there had to know two languages, Greek and Aramaic. As a fisherman,
functioning in the business world of his day, Peter must have been reasonably
fluent in Greek. Moreover Peter, having “been with Jesus” (see Acts 4:13), must have learned how
to express himself from the Master Communicator Himself. As one of the first
teachers and preachers of the gospel, Peter would have been able to express
himself eloquently in Greek (see Acts 2). If his
own Greek style was not sufficiently polished, Peter could certainly have
dictated this letter, perhaps to Silvanus (see 5:12), who would have polished his
presentation (see also Acts
15:22–29).That Peter’s letter reflects ideas similar to those found in the
writings of the apostle Paul is understandable because the two men knew each
other (see Gal.
2:7–9). Peter had read Paul’s letters (see 2 Pet. 3:15, 16), and both men were under the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they wrote.
Thus, finding Pauline concepts in this letter is not a strong argument that
Peter cannot be the author.
The issue
about the author’s seeming unfamiliarity with the earthly life of Jesus is best
handled by looking at the letter itself, which reveals that the author is
thoroughly acquainted with Christ’s earthly sufferings and claims to be an
eyewitness to them (see 2:21–23; 3:18; 4:1; 5:1). Moreover, the purpose of the
letter was not to provide a record of the life of Christ. Instead, Peter was
encouraging Christians with the comforting spiritual realities behind the
persecution they faced.
Finally,
the sporadic and local persecution before Nero’s reign (before A.D. 68) is the
persecution that Peter is probably addressing in this letter. Although severe
official persecution did not begin until the reigns of Domitian (A.D. 95) or
Trajan (A.D. 112), early Christians experienced oppressive local persecution
from the beginning (see Acts
14:19). In conclusion, there is no substantial evidence that
contradicts the plain assertion of the letter that it is from the apostle
Peter.
Church
tradition tells us that Peter died in Rome during the anti-Christian
persecution that took place during the reign of Nero (A.D. 54–68), so A.D. 67
is probably the latest this letter could have been written.
There are
several indications that Peter wrote the letter around A.D. 62–64. First Paul
makes no reference to Peter being in Rome when Paul was writing his letters
from there (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon), sometime between
A.D. 60–62. Moreover in his letter, Peter makes no reference to Paul as being
in Rome, identifying only Silvanus and Mark as his companions (5:12, 13). These facts suggest that Peter
was writing after A.D. 62. But the fact that Peter admonishes his readers to
submit to governmental authorities in 2:13–15 may
indicate a date before the more severe persecution which occurred after the
burning of Rome in A.D. 64.
Of
course, this dating assumes that Peter wrote this letter from Rome and not from
some other location. Peter concludes the letter by sending greetings from “she
who is in Babylon” (5:13). Three
locations are generally suggested for this reference: Babylon on the Euphrates
River in Mesopotamia, a lesser-known city in the ancient world also called
Babylon, and Rome.
The
argument in favor of the Mesopotamian Babylon is its identity in the Old
Testament as a city of great power, a city feared and hated by the Israelites
(see 2 Kin.
24; 25; Isa. 39; Jer. 25). Yet by
the first century A.D., Babylon
was an insignificant town with no real power. More importantly, there is no
record of Peter ever having been there. Other cities named Babylon (such as the
Roman military outpost located in Egypt near where Cairo stands today) are
excluded as well, because none of these towns played a significant role in
early Christian history.
However,
Rome was a widely-recognized center of opposition to Christianity and also the
seat of power in the Roman Empire. In the New Testament, Babylon is used as a
veiled reference to the city of Rome, the center of the kingdom of darkness
(see Rev. 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21). Moreover many of Peter’s
readers would understand Babylon as a place of exile, something with which they
themselves could identify, since Peter addresses them as pilgrims scattered
throughout Asia Minor. In this way Peter was concluding his letter where it
began, with a sense that he and his fellow Christians had not yet arrived
“home.” Peter was using Babylon as a code word readily understood by early
Christians as mean Rome, yet at the same time symbolizing more than just that
earthly city.
Setting
To reach
the centers of the provinces of ancient Asia Minor (present-day Turkey) to
which Peter was writing, his letter had to travel many hundreds of miles over
rugged terrain and treacherous seas. The bearer of the letter would have
encountered Jews and Gentiles, Christians and pagans, free citizens and slaves.
Some of the places in which the letter was read were cosmopolitan trade centers
that were links between the Middle East and Europe. Other places were isolated
villages. Yet throughout Asia Minor, small groups of Christians of a wide
variety of social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds would gather to hear God’s
word, to praise God, and to encourage one another in the faith.
Although
cultural progress may not have touched many of the cities in which Christians
lived, hostility to the gospel and to Christians themselves was there.
Christians were targets of attack because they no longer participated in pagan
religious practices. Since they were the ones who abandoned the so-called gods
of the people, Christians were blamed for everything from natural disasters to
economic downturns. They were even more vulnerable because they were often
strangers in a city, having been driven out of other cities by persecution or
having come from a Jewish background. These early Christians often had little
security, low social status (many were slaves), and little recourse to
government protection. Peter wrote to encourage them. They were pilgrims in
this world heading to their glorious home in heaven.
Peter
blended five different themes in this letter. (1) He emphasized that Christians
can expect suffering as a natural part of a life dedicated to Christ. Suffering
was God’s tool to shape godly character within them (1:6, 7; 3:14; 4:12–14). (2) He
went on to exhort Christians to live righteous and holy lives in the face of the
evils they were experiencing (1:13–16, 22; 2:1–5, 11, 12; 3:15; 4:1, 2, 7–11; 5:8–10). No
matter how tempting it was, Christians were not to return evil for evil. That
is a worldly and not a Christian response to persecution. (3) No matter how
much suffering they experienced, Peter assured the Christians in Asia Minor
they did not deserve it. Their suffering was a part of their service to God and
His kingdom (2:20; 3:16, 17; 4:15–19).
Although Christians would suffer injustice on this earth, there would come a
time when God would right every wrong and reward those who have endured
persecution for His name. (4) In light of this, Peter encouraged Christians to
submit themselves to others for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of
harmonious interpersonal relationships (2:13–19; 3:1–9; 5:1–7). Christ
would eventually judge their actions, and the difficulties they were
experiencing would not be an excuse for rebellion and dissension. (5) Finally
Peter used this letter as an opportunity to drive home the central truth of the
gospel, that Jesus endured the agony of the Cross to save us from our bondage
to sin (1:2–5, 7–11, 17–21; 2:21–24; 3:18–22).
Christ’s example—his sinless life, his quiet endurance of suffering, and his
commitment to the truth—should be our model in all the difficulties of this
life.
1 Peter, an
apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
Peter,
an apostle of Jesus Christ; We
all know that Peter was given this name by Jesus meaning rock. John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus
looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of
Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).
Jesus knew that Peter
would become a great apostle and stand out among the other Apostles; therefore
Jesus gave him this name. Peter was just an ordinary human being that had to be
scolded by Jesus and out of fear for his life, denied knowing Jesus, but when
the Holy Spirit got a hold of Peter things all changed and he became the rock
to the other Apostles. Mark 8:33; Matthew 26:75
To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia; Peter describes the Christian Jews
scattered throughout the Roman Empire as pilgrims. The definition of a pilgrim
is one that journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons. When America was
discovered the main people that traveled to America were considered pilgrims
because they were looking for a safe haven to practice their religion freely
without persecution. Our fore fathers that wrote the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution of the United States were pilgrims, and
therefore what was penned in ink was based on the Bible, God’s Word. It is
because of this that our Constitution has withstood the test of time. We all
need to pray and stand up for our Constitution because the present White House
Administration is trying to destroy our freedom by wanting to rewrite the
Constitution to satisfy their wants and desires. We are living in perilous
times!
Why were these Christians
scattered throughout the Roman Empire? Good question, glad you asked that. It
was because of the persecution that was going on in the Jerusalem area and the
Book of Acts verifies this fact that they were scattered. Acts 8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that
time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and
they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the
apostles.
Although
this letter wasn’t just for the Jewish Christians it benefitted many Gentiles
as this letter was taken from place to place and read. It is also for us today
to benefit from Peters Epistle, because what was happening 2,000 years ago is
happening today.
2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Elect; People who respond to the calling of
God through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and repent of their lifestyle
and ask Jesus to come into their heart, are called the elect. These people deny
themselves and any form of religion by placing their faith in the Cross, Jesus
death and resurrection.
According to the foreknowledge of God
the Father; Our all
knowing God the Father knows all things; past, present, and future. He knows
who will repent and place their faith in Jesus his Son and who won’t. Many
people proclaim their faith in Jesus but when it comes right down to it, what
is in their heart is faith in themselves or a religious denomination for
eternal life. You can’t fool God!
In sanctification of the Spirit, for
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; When a person repents (has the desire
to turn from their sinful lifestyle), asks Jesus to forgive them of their sins,
and accepts Jesus to rule their life from that day on, the Holy Spirit takes up
residence within the heart and aids the individual by means of obedience to
God’s Word because they are covered with the shed blood of Jesus. They are
under an umbrella of Jesus blood and are Born Again. John
3:3 It is the Holy
Spirit that guides a believer through the sanctification process till the day
they physically die.
Grace to you and peace be multiplied; Grace and peace both come from being
Born Again and will increase as long as the Cross (Jesus death and
resurrection) remains the object of faith for salvation.
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created
that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him
and for Him.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The Lighthouse Full Gospel Church
Sinners
Prayer; Pray this, and if you believe it with your heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord Jesus I know I am a
sinner. I confess my sins to you; I am
sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a sinful lifestyle.)
of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness. I believe that only you can forgive sin. I commit my life to you and ask you to come
into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my Savior.” I believe this and have faith you will make a
new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my heart and lead
me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.”
(John 3:16,17; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1
John 5:11-14; 1:6-10) (Sin: Rom.
1:22-32; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7)
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