1 Peter

Chap. 1-5

Some 30 years after the death of Jesus, we see Peter as the clear leader of Christ’s Apostles.  He writes to “the pilgrims” of the Dispersion.  Interestingly, he is writing not to the Jews of which “ the Dispersion” normally speaks, but in a broader sense, he is writing to all believers dispersed throughout the known world because of their faith in Christ.  He writes especially to the Gentile converts.  As with the other writers of the Epistles, he writes to spiritually strengthen those who are suffering.  He writes around A.D. 64-65, shortly before or after the Emperor Nero burned the city of Rome.  In his madness, he accused the Christians of starting the fires and widespread persecution began.

Since the Christians were suffering increasing persecution, the purpose of this letter is to teach them how to live victoriously in the midst of that hostility: 1) without losing hope; 2) without becoming bitter; 3) while trusting in the Lord; 4) while looking for His Second Coming.  Peter wanted to stress to his readers that by living an obedient, victorious life under the threat of death and persecution, a Christian can actually evangelize his hostile world.

Peter declares to them a long list of blessings given to Believers.  He speaks about the identity of Christians and what it means to know Christ.  He mentions a list of privileges and blessings: a catalog of suffering is threaded through the list – though the most privileged of people, they will be treated unjustly.  Their citizenship is in heaven and they are strangers in a dangerous, hostile world led by Satan and his cohorts.  He answers other practical questions about Christian living: Do Christians need a priesthood to intercede with God for them (2:5-9)?  What should be the Christian’s attitude to government and civil disobedience (2:13-17)?  What should a Christian employee’s attitude be toward a hostile employer (2:18)?  How should a Christian lady conduct herself (3:3,4)?  How does a believing wife win her unsaved husband (3:1,2)?

Chapter 1 – The Hope of Eternal Life

Who better to write a letter of encouragement than the great apostle Peter?  He didn’t always act great, but God loved him and clearly appointed him head of the twelve and a pillar of the new church.  Peter was privy to the most intimate teachings of Jesus, and as Acts unfolds, the Holy Spirit enters and empowers him to be the lead spokesman of the church.  Therefore, when he addresses some of the great doctrinal issues since debated over for centuries, it is through the power of the HS who guides and inspires him.  It behooves us to listen!

1.      V.1 –Who are God’s chosen people?”  Are they the Jews?  The Gentiles?  Why are they chosen and how?  (A) This is a great topic that Paul addresses so eloquently throughout his epistles.  As the benchmark for this issue of election, choosing, foreknowledge, and predestination, we should look to the Lord Jesus, the Creator Himself, who clearly defined these thoughts.  The Gospel of John wherein Jesus states that He is the Bread of Life in chapter 6:33-65.  The people mistakenly think He is talking about baked bread that would feed their hunger, while Jesus means that He is the spiritual bread by which they can have eternal life.  V.37 is critical in understanding “chosen” or election” –“All that the Father gives Me (the Father’s gift to Jesus, His Son) will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out (a promise of eternal assurance).”  V.37 emphasizes the sovereign will of God in the selection of those who come to come to Him for salvation.  The Father has predestined those who would be saved (Rom. 8:29,30; Eph. 1:3-6).  No one chosen will be lost!  V.39 –“This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that all He has given (past tense –meaning it has already been done from before the beginning of time) Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”  V.40 –“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes (our part, but not with just intellectual ascent) in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”  V.44 –“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him (this is the Father’s sovereign will, and His alone!); and I will raise him up at the last day.”  V.45 – It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God”  - It is because they have been “taught” and consequently “drawn” by God.  Those taught by God to grasp the truth are also drawn by God the Father to embrace the Son.  V. 65- And He said, “Therefore, I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted by My Father.”  John 15:16 – “You did not chose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go out and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give it to you.”

2.      The point is that no man can come to Christ by his own free will.  Each is dead in the trespasses of his sins and a dead man can do nothing for himself.  While Scripture says that “whoever will” may come to the Father, only those whom the Father gives the ability to will (through the Holy Spirit) toward Him will actually come to Him.  This drawing is selective and effacious (producing the desired effect) upon those whom God has sovereignly chosen for salvation.  Those whom God has sovereignly chosen will believe because God has sovereignly determined the result from eternity past (Eph. 1:9-11).  We heard Paul give the same teaching several times and now we hear Peter also reiterate these truths.  Still, some will choose to ignore the evidence and demand that it is they who choose God or not.

3.      These first few verses are rich in doctrine and should be studied with great care.  These are the roots of our faith and cannot be glossed over.  V. 2 in the NKJV says, “The elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”  We could spend the entire lesson on this verse alone, it is that important.  It defines who you are in God’s eyes, how and when He set you apart and through whom, why believers are set apart, and the Messiah’s role in it.  We have already discussed the fact that we are chosen, the elect or “called out ones,” those chosen by God for salvation, according to the foreknowledge of God, foreknowledge meaning that “God planned before”, not that He knew before.  It means that God pre-thought and pre-determined or predestines each Christian’s salvation (Rom. 8:29; Eph. 1:4).  We are foreknown for salvation in the same way that Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world to be a sacrifice for sins (Acts 2:23).  “…In the sanctification of the Spirit.”  To sanctify means to “to consecrate” or “to set apart.”  Why?  The objective of election is salvation, which comes to the elect through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.  The HS makes God’s chosen people holy, by setting them apart from sin and unbelief for faith and righteousness (1 Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13).  Sanctification begins with justification (declaring the sinner right before God by transferring (imputing) Christ’s righteousness to him (Phil. 3:9), and continues to go on until glorification, when Christians see Jesus face to face.  For what reason are we set apart?  “For obedience” –we are set apart from sin to God in order that we might obey Jesus Christ.  True salvation produces obedience to Christ (Eph. 2:10).  Faith in “The sprinkling of the blood of Christ” in the New Covenant, not only activates God’s promise to give believers perfect atonement for sin, but also brings the believer into the covenant by one’s promise of obedience to the Lord and His Word.  This is what the Christian experience begins with and consists of.

4.      Hope I didn’t lose anybody there.  It is a lot to take in, but in this crazy, chaotic world that throws so much garbage at us, we must know our faith and be able to defend it.

5.      V.3 – “All honor to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  The Jews knew Him as Creator and Redeemer, but not as Father.  We have that privilege of an intimate relationship with Father God through Jesus, not through anything we’ve done.  “…  For it is by His boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again.”  God gave the new birth as part of His salvation plan.  When a sinner comes to Christ and puts his faith in Him, he is born anew into God’s family and receives a new nature (John 1:13; 3:1-21).

6.      V.3b –what is “the wonderful expectation?  (A) It is our eternal life, secured by the Resurrection of Jesus.

7.      Remember that Peter is writing to severely persecuted Gentiles.  What does the “priceless inheritance consist of (v.4)?”  This eternal inheritance consists of: life, righteousness, joy, peace, perfection, God’s presence, Christ’s glorious friendship, rewards, and all else God has planned as our heavenly inheritance.  Ultimately, the inheritance we receive is God Himself!  To bring peace to their minds, Peter assures them that their inheritance is reserved forever for them in heaven – nothing can take it away.  God, in His sovereign, omniscient, and omnipotent power, not only keeps the inheritance secure, but also keeps the believer secure.  No one can steal our inheritance and no one can disqualify us from receiving it.  Why?  Because we have faith in Christ and His Word, a faith that comes not from us, but was empowered (v.5) by God (Eph. 2:8,9).  So rejoice!

8.      Peter gets to the heart of the matter –their persecution.  He suggests three reasons why they can stand anything that comes: 1) Because of what they are able to look forward to; 2) if they remember every trial is, in fact, a test (v.7); 3) because, at the end of it, when Jesus appears, they will receive from Him praise, honor and glory.

9.      V.9 –Aren’t we already saved?  (A) We already live with the result of our faith, a constant deliverance from sin.  In a broader sense, we are waiting to receive the full salvation of eternal glory in the redemption of our bodies.

10.  Vv. 10-12 tell about the prophets prediction of Christ’s coming.  If the HS came unto believers at Pentecost, how was He within them during OT times?  (A) The HS did not permanently inhabit saints during the OT period.  He came for a time and empowered them for a special, God-given purpose.

11.  While Peter encourages them to look forward with anticipation to their future reward, he reminds them of the need to be sober in their present battle.  Vv.13-16 –think clearly and exercise self-control; obey God; don’t slip back into your old ways of doing evil; be holy in everything you do.  Why?  Jesus said “You must be holy because I am holy.”  Can you be holy all on your own?  Never – it is only thru the work of the Holy Spirit that we are holy.

12.  Describe “the ransom God paid to save you from the empty life inherited from your ancestors.”  (A) The word for paying the ransom is “redemption” –originally used of money paid to buy back a prisoner of war.  Here it is used of the price paid to buy the freedom of one in the bondage of sin and under the curse of the law.  The price paid to a holy God was the shed blood of His own Son.

13.  V.20 perfectly explains what it means to be foreordained – In eternity past, before Adam and Eve sinned, God planned the redemption of sinners through Jesus Christ.  We don’t pretend to understand this sovereign plan of God; we simply accept it by faith.

14.  Once again, we see the doctrine of eternal assurance spelled out perfectly.  V. 23 –“For you are born again.  Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death.  But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living Word of God.”  It is the Word of the Gospel that saves and it lasts forever.

Chapter 2 – “Therefore”

“So get rid of…” – because of all Peter has encouraged them with, he is now saying that the Christian’s new life can’t grow unless sins are abandoned, literally “stripped off” like tearing off a dirty, filthy piece of clothing.  Have you known professing Christians who show no desire to learn and consume God’s Word, who say they are believers but show no evidence of it?  V. 2 says that, “You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation.”  We must “crave” God’s Word as a baby craves for milk, otherwise we will never grow in our faith.  Peter has been talking about the Word of God that lives in us forever.

1.      God’s Word never fails; it is as viable today as the day it was written.  V.5 –“And God is building you, as living stones, into His spiritual temple.”  What does this say to you?  (A) The individual Christian only finds his true identity when he is “built into the church.”  What does that mean?  Take a brick or a stone – as long as it lies by itself, it is useless.  It only becomes of use when it is built into a building.  That is the reason God created it and is the reason for its existence.  The same is true for every Christian.  In order for you or I to realize our full potential, we must be woven into the fabric of the church.  There is no such thing as a “lone ranger” Christian.  Jesus is the cornerstone upon which we add our individual stones until the “spiritual building” is complete.  That happens at the end time when all are gathered together, all who would come.  It is like a puzzle – it is not complete until the last piece is added to it.  So is the church, the body of Christ.

2.      V.5 says that,  “you are God’s holy priests, who offer up the spiritual sacrifices that please Him.”  How so?  (A) We share a number of characteristics with the OT priests: priests are cleansed from sin; are clothed for service; are anointed for service; are committed to obedience; are to honor the word of God; are to walk with God; are to have an impact on sinners; are messengers of God; but the main privilege is that priests have direct access to God.  What are the “spiritual sacrifices” we offer up?  These are the God-honoring works done because of Christ in us through the presence of the HS and the guidance of the Word.

3.      Vv. 8-10 – Peter contrasts those who do not believe with the chosen of God.  V. 8 says, “they stumble because they do not listen to God’s Word or obey it, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them?”  Does this mean that God plans the doom of certain people?  (A) Unbelief is the sin of those who disobey God, since the call of the Gospel is to repent and believe is a command from God.  Those who do not believe were not appointed by God to disobedience and unbelief.  Rather, these were appointed to doom because of their disobedience and unbelief.  Judgment is as sure for unbelief as salvation is by faith.

4.      Vv. 2:11 – 4:6 deal with the believers relationships:

q       As a pilgrim in relation to the world, we are citizens of heaven, not of earth.  As such we are to keep away from the lusts of this world.  Others watch you and your good witness may cause them to believe God and honor Him.

q       As a citizen in relation to the government, the key word is submit.  In fact, the next three areas of relationships all deal with submitting.  Christ is our example.  Believers are to submit to every human institution for the Lord’s sake.  Human governments are instituted by God (Rom. 13:1) and rulers are God’s servants (Rom. 13:4).  We are called to submit even to dictators and tyrants because they are officially God’s men.  The exception is when they order a believer to act contrary to the revealed will of God.  V.17 tells us to honor all people; to love your Christian brothers; to fear God; honor the king.

q       As a servant in relation to his master – this applies not only to slaves, but also to employees of any kind.  The call is to submit to the master with all respect, the believers testimony depends on it.  V. 21 says that this suffering of unjust treatment at the masters hand is part of what God called us to do.  Christ is our example of submission.  He never retaliated, never spoke back, never deceived anyone, never threatened to get even and always left His case in the hands of God.  We are to do the same to honor God with our testimony.

q       As a wife in relation to her husband, whether he is a Christian or not.  God has given the man the place of headship, and that is His will that the woman should acknowledge the authority of the man.  This relationship between husband and wife is a picture of that between Christ and the church.  Even when a woman’s husband is not a believer, she should still respect him as her head.  This will be a testimony to him of her faith in Christ.  Her conduct as an obedient, loving, devoted wife may be used to win him to the Savior.  Again, the exception is when a man requires the woman to disobey a plain command of Scripture, the she may disobey him and be true to Christ.  The rest of this section deals with the woman’s outward appearance although it is not her outward appearance that will influence a man as much as her inner life of holiness and submission.

q       As a husband in relation to his wife.  He is to live in consideration of her, showing love, courtesy, and understanding.  He is to treat her as an equal partner in God’s gift of new life.

q       As a brother in relation to the fellowship, believers are to be of one mind, in fundamentals, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in everything, love.  .

q       As a sufferer in relation to Persecutors (3:9-4:6) We are not to repay evil with evil; not to retaliate when people say unkind things; we are to pay them back with a blessing because that is what God wants us to do.  Even when we suffer for doing what is right, God will reward us for it.  V. 15 –“Instead, you must worship Christ as the Lord of your life.”  All we say and do should be in His will, for His pleasure, for His glory.  The Lordship of Christ should dominate every area of our lives – our possessions, our occupation, our liberty, our marriage, our spare time, our entertainment –nothing can be excluded.  We must always be ready to give a clear explanation of what it means to be a Christian and do so in a gentle, respectful way.

5.      V.v. 18-22 - The rest of the chapter presents Christ as the classic example of One who suffered for righteousness sake, and reminds us that for Him, suffering was the way to glory.  V. 19 can be confusing and is often misinterpreted.  Some believe that it means that Christ went to Hades after His death and preached to the prisoners there, waiting for judgment.  By looking closely at the context of the verse we can see that Peter is describing what happened in the days of Noah.  It was the Spirit of Christ who preached through Noah to the unbelieving generation before the flood.  Their spirits still occupied human bodies.  These rejected the warnings of Noah and were destroyed by the flood, so now they are spirits in the prison of Hades waiting for the final judgment.

6.      V. 21 “And this is a picture of baptism, which now saves you by the power of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.”  Over and over again, in fact 150 times in the NT, it is made clear that salvation is by faith alone.  So what is Peter saying?  How does baptism save?  (A) We need to look back to v.20 where eight people were saved through water (NKJV).  They were not saved by water but through it.  The ark is a picture of the Lord Jesus.  The flood of water depicts the judgment of God.  The ark was the only way of salvation.  When the flood came, only those on the inside were saved; those on the outside died.  So Christ is the only way of salvation; those who are in Christ are as saved as God Himself can make them.  The water was not the means of salvation, for all who were in the water drowned.  The ark was the place of refuge.  The ark went through the water of judgment; it took the full brunt of the storm.  So too, Christ bore the fury of God’s judgment against our sins.  Water was all around the ark, but the ark carried its believers through the water.

q       There is a baptism which saves – not our baptism in water, but a baptism which took place at Calvary 2000 years ago.  Christ’s death was a baptism.  He was baptized in the waters of judgment.  In Luke 12:50 Jesus said, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished.”  In His death, Christ was baptized in God’s wrath against sin, and it is this baptism that is the basis for our salvation.  Just as Noah and his family made a decision to believe God’s Word, we must commit ourselves to Jesus as our only Savior.  When we do this, we become identified with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection.  Gal. 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ.  It in no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  We see all of this in the believer’s baptism.  The ceremony is an outward sign of what takes place spiritually; we have been baptized into Christ’s death.  As we go under the water, we acknowledge that we have been buried with Him.  As we come up out of the water, we show that we have risen with Him and want to walk in newness of life.

q       The verse cannot mean that we are saved by ritual baptism in water;  1) It would make water the Savior, not the Lord.  He said, “I am the way” (John 14:6).  2) It would imply that Christ died in vain.  If people can be saved by water, why did the Lord Jesus have to die?  3) It simply doesn’t work.  Many that have been baptized have proven that by their following lives they were never truly born again.

q       It can’t mean that we are saved by faith plus baptism.  1) It would mean that the Savior’s death on the cross was insufficient.  When He cried out on the cross, “It is finished” it wasn’t really so, because baptism must be added to that work for salvation.  2) If baptism was necessary for salvation, it is strange that the Lord Himself never baptized anyone.  3) The apostle Paul said that he was glad that he baptized very few of the Corinthians.  4) The thief on the cross was not baptized, yet he was assured of being in Paradise with Christ.  5) The Gentiles who were saved in Cesarea received the HS when they believed (Acts 10:44), showing they then belonged to Christ.  After receiving the HS, that is, after being saved, they were baptized (Acts 10:47,48).  6) In the NT, baptism is always connected with death and not with spiritual birth.

Chapter 4 – Living For God

“Therefore” – since Christ was the example of One who suffered unjustly for the sake of righteousness, believers must do the same and be ready to suffer too.

1.      How can suffering change a person’s life for the better?  Have you seen this to be true in your own life?

2.      Why would the radical change (at least we hope there is one) in lifestyle of Christians be so upsetting to their unbelieving friends and family (v.4)?  When, if ever, has someone said evil things about you when you refused to join them in their lifestyle?

3.      How does your lifestyle differ from that of your non-Christian friends?  How difficult do you find it to live a godly life in all things?

4.      From v.v 7-10, what are some priorities that a Christian should have in their life?  List them here:

q       Be…

q       Continue to…

q       Cheerfully share…

q       Manage your …

5.      In v.11, what standard does Peter set for us regarding what we say and do?

6.      What false assumption does Peter set straight in v.12?  Are you surprised that there are so many trials in a believers life?

7.      How is rejoicing in suffering different from just enduring suffering (v.13)?  What is the reward when you do suffer?

8.      The early Christians rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ (v.14). What does Peter say is the result?  (A) “For then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you?”  Wait a minute.  Don’t we teach that a believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at his conversion (see Rom. 8:9-11; Eph. 5:18; 1 John 2:20,27)?  In the OT, the glory of God was represented by the Shekinah light, that luminous glow which signified the presence of God.  when a believer suffers, God’s presence specially rest and lifts him to strength and endurance beyond the physical dimension (Acts 6:8-7:60; 2 Cor. 12:7-10) (MacArthur).

9.      V.17 seems to teach that Christians will undergo God’s judgment.  In what sense is he referring to judgment?  (A)  “The time has come…” referred to is this time (this dispensation) of the church age, which began at Pentecost and will continue to the Rapture.  “God’s own children” refers to the church made up of all believers during the church age.  During this age, the church is undergoing judgment by the unbelieving world.  Believers are experiencing their suffering now, just as Jesus did when He was on this earth.  The chapter concludes with Peter’s words of encouragement that, “If you are suffering according to God’s will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for He will never fail you!”

Chapter 5 – Advise For Elders and Young Men

Peter addresses the elders of the church, admonishing them to “Care for the flock of God entrusted to you.”  Isn’t it interesting to hear the humility in Peter’s introduction of himself to the elders of the church.  He simply calls himself an elder and a witness to the suffering of Christ.  He doesn’t claim to be the “supreme pontiff” of the church; no, he was a shepherd of the sheep left in his care.

1.      Who is someone who has taken you under their wing and helped you along the way?

2.      What is Peter warning the church leaders about (vv.2-3)

3.      What practical guidelines does Peter give to those in church leadership(vv.2-3)?

4.      How are Christians to deal with stress, tension, and hassles (vv.6-7)?

5.      In what way does the promise in v.10 give you encouragement?