This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:19
19 Wherefore [hoste] [kai] let [paratithemi] them that suffer [pascho] according to [kata] the will [thelema] of God [theos] commit the keeping [paratithemi] of their [heautou] souls [psuche] to him in [en] well doing [agathopoiia], as [hos] unto a faithful [pistos] Creator [ktistes]. KJV-Interlinear
19 Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. NASB
And finally in this chapter, after being hit with the repetition of reminders of what leaning on God verses leaning on the world, will do for your life, you are asked to decide.
2 Tim. 1:12
12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. NASB
Is your life better off when you keep on pursuing your own beliefs, though they differ with the principles being taught, or is your life going to be better off by actually committing yourself to Gods instructions?
Believe it or not, most believers believe in God, in Christ, and in a spiritual life of some sort.
We can say nearly the same thing about Satan. He believes in God and Christ, and even the Holy Spirit. He has interacted with them for far longer than the human race has existed. But Satan does not accept their authority or anything else about them.
Likewise, most believers though they believe in a deity that they have never seen, do not subscribe to the mandates that the Bible gives to us. In most cases, most folks allow the confusion of ambiguous arguments to enter into their minds and that allows them to be creative with the things they believe or choose not to agree with.
So, here Peter gives you the rule, if you are going to live through this life, and if you desire a successful outcome for your life, then why not commit your entire life to Gods instructions and expectations, so you can actually receive the maximums in blessing for both this life and the next?
Why compromise even a little bit, while trying to cling to whatever it is that you cling to in this world, and lose far greater reward?
The biggest barrier in spiritual growth is the arrogance of disagreement. ‘I don’t agree with this or that. I think that this or that should be allowed. I don’t think that, that is what the Bible means.’
And these ideas come almost exclusively from those who do not pursue a daily study.
Certainly all of us will have difficulty in accepting a principle from time to time, but we keep on studying and we keep on having an open mind and sooner or later, the pieces of the puzzle come together so that we can finally see a principle and finally realize its truth.
Likewise, when we hear principles that are wrong, our continued studies will verify their error, sooner or later.
Advancing believers do not bury themselves in an immovable position, but keep an open mind.
Believers who are not advancing (because they do not pursue a daily study) are usually the most vocal, the most critical, and the most rigid in their beliefs. And for all of their indifferent or belligerent attitude, they will lose the most. But, you’ll never convince them otherwise.
The spiritual life is not a competition between people, but between you and yourself. You are your greatest asset or your own worst enemy. The world, other people, other philosophies are really irrelevant when it comes to your success or failure in life, because it is your own decision that determine your future. For God, means success, anything else, means loss.
At some point in your spiritual life, you will have to trust in God, and in the whole concept that God controls your life, controls history, and pretty much everything else. You can begin that trust on your own the easy way, or you can remain distant from Gods mandates and discover that trust in a more difficult fashion, or not at all.
In every case, the choice is yours and yours alone to make. So the next time you look in the mirror, ask yourself whether or not you are wise or just stupid.
Showing posts with label 1 Peter 4. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Peter 4. Show all posts
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
1 Peter 4:18
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:18
18 And [kai] if [ei] the righteous [dikaios] scarcely [molis] be saved [sozo], where [pou] shall [phaino] the ungodly [asebes] and [kai] the sinner [hamartolos] appear [phaino]? KJV-Interlinear
18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? NASB
Peter is quoting from Proverbs 11.
Prov. 11:31
31 If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner! NASB
The reward from this earth (sin), is punishment.
It is not without tremendous difficulty that God is able to bring a person from spiritual death to spiritual completeness.
In every step of the way, a person has to want what God has to offer. From the initial desire to even know about God, to the actual listening of the gospel, to the belief in Christ, to the perseverance of a daily study, to learning, to application of doctrine to ones life, to adopting Gods mandates, to avoiding indifference or compromise, to overcoming prior beliefs and habits, to actually advancing all of the way to maturity, to avoiding not falling off the spiritual path because of life's pressures, and all this has to be continued after salvation for the entirety of ones life.
When a person falls, he is disciplined. He has to get up. He has to keep from becoming discouraged. He has to keep from becoming afraid. He has to keep from being overcome by anxiety. He has to have faith, which is the toughest component of ones life. How do you separate faith out from the day to day common sense actions you should take?
And the answer to that one is really simple. Bible study gives you faith, and faith gives you common sense to do the things you need to do in your daily situations. You do what you need to do in life and trust that God is a few steps ahead of you, leading the way.
But remember that your hoped for outcome may not occur, but later on, in hindsight, you will be able to see and understand how God has positioned things for you, in order to get you into a better situation, even though you did not get what you thought you wanted.
You’ll have to look in the mirror to figure out your own personal life, and what it has all meant.
So salvation, spiritual growth, the spiritual life, all for this comes to you not without great difficulty.
How so for the spiritually negative believer or the unbeliever? They neither seek nor desire to advance in a relationship with God. Less so the unbeliever. All the negative person wants is to have their pleasures fulfilled.
God goes to a tremendous amount of effort to get the positive believer launched into his spiritual life, and with that success, comes great reward.
The negative believer, the unbeliever, who do not pursue their spiritual lives, can expect what kind of reward? Zip!
God goes to a great deal of punishment in order to keep the positive believer on track. How much more punishment will the negative or unbeliever receive? Much more.
God does not hold back discipline from those who are positive toward Him. How much more so will he not withhold punishment from those who are negative?
And the answer to all of these questions is simply that the negative believer, the unbeliever, will all receive phenomenal disciplines and judgments in due course. No one escapes.
Looking at the wicked of the world as they prosper, and finding envy within yourself, means that you need to look past their prosperity and look to their ultimate end. What they have is zero, even if they are filthy rich, because their life will end up in total misery, loss, failure and worse.
Sure you want life to be easier now, but this is the devils world. Why would you expect him to give you anything?
God is your ultimate provider, not the world, and God knows your life, God knows your plan (His plan for you), and God knows every little detail of your life along with everyone else's. Satan and the world, do not.
Keep your eyes on doctrine, not on the world, not on circumstances. Keep thinking and considering your options, and follow your heart. God will be there ahead of you, even if you screw up.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:18
18 And [kai] if [ei] the righteous [dikaios] scarcely [molis] be saved [sozo], where [pou] shall [phaino] the ungodly [asebes] and [kai] the sinner [hamartolos] appear [phaino]? KJV-Interlinear
18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? NASB
Peter is quoting from Proverbs 11.
Prov. 11:31
31 If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner! NASB
The reward from this earth (sin), is punishment.
It is not without tremendous difficulty that God is able to bring a person from spiritual death to spiritual completeness.
In every step of the way, a person has to want what God has to offer. From the initial desire to even know about God, to the actual listening of the gospel, to the belief in Christ, to the perseverance of a daily study, to learning, to application of doctrine to ones life, to adopting Gods mandates, to avoiding indifference or compromise, to overcoming prior beliefs and habits, to actually advancing all of the way to maturity, to avoiding not falling off the spiritual path because of life's pressures, and all this has to be continued after salvation for the entirety of ones life.
When a person falls, he is disciplined. He has to get up. He has to keep from becoming discouraged. He has to keep from becoming afraid. He has to keep from being overcome by anxiety. He has to have faith, which is the toughest component of ones life. How do you separate faith out from the day to day common sense actions you should take?
And the answer to that one is really simple. Bible study gives you faith, and faith gives you common sense to do the things you need to do in your daily situations. You do what you need to do in life and trust that God is a few steps ahead of you, leading the way.
But remember that your hoped for outcome may not occur, but later on, in hindsight, you will be able to see and understand how God has positioned things for you, in order to get you into a better situation, even though you did not get what you thought you wanted.
You’ll have to look in the mirror to figure out your own personal life, and what it has all meant.
So salvation, spiritual growth, the spiritual life, all for this comes to you not without great difficulty.
How so for the spiritually negative believer or the unbeliever? They neither seek nor desire to advance in a relationship with God. Less so the unbeliever. All the negative person wants is to have their pleasures fulfilled.
God goes to a tremendous amount of effort to get the positive believer launched into his spiritual life, and with that success, comes great reward.
The negative believer, the unbeliever, who do not pursue their spiritual lives, can expect what kind of reward? Zip!
God goes to a great deal of punishment in order to keep the positive believer on track. How much more punishment will the negative or unbeliever receive? Much more.
God does not hold back discipline from those who are positive toward Him. How much more so will he not withhold punishment from those who are negative?
And the answer to all of these questions is simply that the negative believer, the unbeliever, will all receive phenomenal disciplines and judgments in due course. No one escapes.
Looking at the wicked of the world as they prosper, and finding envy within yourself, means that you need to look past their prosperity and look to their ultimate end. What they have is zero, even if they are filthy rich, because their life will end up in total misery, loss, failure and worse.
Sure you want life to be easier now, but this is the devils world. Why would you expect him to give you anything?
God is your ultimate provider, not the world, and God knows your life, God knows your plan (His plan for you), and God knows every little detail of your life along with everyone else's. Satan and the world, do not.
Keep your eyes on doctrine, not on the world, not on circumstances. Keep thinking and considering your options, and follow your heart. God will be there ahead of you, even if you screw up.
Friday, December 5, 2008
1 Peter 4:17
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:17
17 For [hoti] the time [kairos] is come that judgment [krima] must begin [archomai] at [apo] the house [oikos] of God [theos]: and [de] if [ei] it first [proton] begin at [apo] us [hemon], what [tis] shall the end [telos] be of them that obey not [apeitheo] the gospel [euaggelion] of God [theos]? KJV-Interlinear
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? NASB
You have heard the saying, ‘Today, is the first day of the rest of your life.’ And so it is with your spiritual life. Everyday is the beginning and call for your evaluation. Every living moment of your life is subject to Gods evaluation. And God evaluates everyone all of the time.
Jer. 25:29
29 ‘For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,’ declares the Lord of hosts.' NASB
Ezek. 9:6
6 ‘Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.’ So they started with the elders who were before the temple. NASB
All of Gods evaluations begins with His perfect character. All evaluation is based on truth. Therefore, all evaluation begins with those who comply with His will, and then proceeds to others with lesser compliance, from there, until God reaches unbelievers, who have no compliance.
The last potion of this verse, states in contrast to the beginning of this verse, ‘what will be the outcome or those who do not obey?’
The passages in Jeremiah and Ezekiel make it quite clear, that there will be no mercy for those who do not comply. Beginning at the sanctuary of God (believers), and proceediong to those who live further and further away from His sanctuary (spiritual life), then in fact the outcome, of those who drift further and further away from God, will take on greater and greater severity, to such a point that it cannot be described by mere words. That judgment will be too awful for any description, written or verbal.
Peter is writing to people who are living under conditions of suffering. Peter tells them all, that their suffering from this world, is nothing when compared to the suffering that is awaiting people who ignore Gods mandates.
People who ignore God include believers as well as unbelievers.
However, believers who pursue their spiritual life, though they will suffer in this world, because it is the devils world, still have God as their friend and ally, and simply by sticking it out in life, by persevering in their daily studies, they will be blessed immensely and beyond measure, for the inconveniences that are brought on by the world.
Those who ignore God, give up on God, become defiant, indifferent, and so forth against God, will gain nothing for their efforts of disgust. Don’t be numbered with that crowd of losers. You have far more to gain, otherwise.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:17
17 For [hoti] the time [kairos] is come that judgment [krima] must begin [archomai] at [apo] the house [oikos] of God [theos]: and [de] if [ei] it first [proton] begin at [apo] us [hemon], what [tis] shall the end [telos] be of them that obey not [apeitheo] the gospel [euaggelion] of God [theos]? KJV-Interlinear
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? NASB
You have heard the saying, ‘Today, is the first day of the rest of your life.’ And so it is with your spiritual life. Everyday is the beginning and call for your evaluation. Every living moment of your life is subject to Gods evaluation. And God evaluates everyone all of the time.
Jer. 25:29
29 ‘For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,’ declares the Lord of hosts.' NASB
Ezek. 9:6
6 ‘Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.’ So they started with the elders who were before the temple. NASB
All of Gods evaluations begins with His perfect character. All evaluation is based on truth. Therefore, all evaluation begins with those who comply with His will, and then proceeds to others with lesser compliance, from there, until God reaches unbelievers, who have no compliance.
The last potion of this verse, states in contrast to the beginning of this verse, ‘what will be the outcome or those who do not obey?’
The passages in Jeremiah and Ezekiel make it quite clear, that there will be no mercy for those who do not comply. Beginning at the sanctuary of God (believers), and proceediong to those who live further and further away from His sanctuary (spiritual life), then in fact the outcome, of those who drift further and further away from God, will take on greater and greater severity, to such a point that it cannot be described by mere words. That judgment will be too awful for any description, written or verbal.
Peter is writing to people who are living under conditions of suffering. Peter tells them all, that their suffering from this world, is nothing when compared to the suffering that is awaiting people who ignore Gods mandates.
People who ignore God include believers as well as unbelievers.
However, believers who pursue their spiritual life, though they will suffer in this world, because it is the devils world, still have God as their friend and ally, and simply by sticking it out in life, by persevering in their daily studies, they will be blessed immensely and beyond measure, for the inconveniences that are brought on by the world.
Those who ignore God, give up on God, become defiant, indifferent, and so forth against God, will gain nothing for their efforts of disgust. Don’t be numbered with that crowd of losers. You have far more to gain, otherwise.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
1 Peter 4:14-16
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:14-16
14 If [ei] ye be reproached [oneidizo] for [en] the name [onoma] of Christ [Christos], happy [makarios] are ye; for [hoti] the spirit [pneuma] of glory [doxa] and [kai] of God [theos] resteth [anapauo] upon [epi] you [humas]: on [kata] [men] their part [autos] he is evil spoken of [blasphemeo], but [de] on [kata] your part [humas] he is glorified [doxazo].
15 But [gar] let [pascho] none [me] [tis] of you [humon] suffer [pascho] as [hos] a murderer [phoneus], or [e] as a thief [kleptes], or [e] as an evildoer [kakopoios], or [e] as [hos] a busybody in other men's matters [allotriepiskopos].
16 Yet [de] if [ei] any man suffer as [hos] a Christian [Christianos], let him [aischuno] not [me] be ashamed [aischuno]; but [de] let him glorify [doxazo] God [theos] on [en] this [touto] behalf [meros]. KJV-Interlinear
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. NASB
Everyone who has ever lived in this world, or will ever live in this world, will be the object of hate, derision, prejudice, rejection, scorn, disdain, loathed, detested, and so forth. We are but pawns in this devils world, and innocent victims caught up in a war between Satan and God.
That is the policy of Satan, and therefore of the world. Arrogance is His foundation and hate is his motivation. In order to defeat God Satan has to destroy everyone.
So, evil is never going to be your friend.
Satan has many devices and methods to destroy you. In some cases he will use prosperity, talent, elitism and such. In most cases, he will use poverty, or enticements, or frustration.
The best and most effective tool that Satan has against truth, is the lie. And, Satan has saturated this world with religions, and even non-religions, in order to dilute, blur, and render ambiguous, the truths of God.
Regardless of your position in life, regarding truth, philosophy, religion, or whatever, you will be a victim of the world, sooner or later. And there, is the reason for these verses.
You are going to be slandered, ridiculed, harassed, and not in person, but in principle. That is to say, the policies of the world, as sponsored by Satan, and more obviously by people who pursue the policies of lies. The philosophies of government and society in general create policies and views that will have an impact on public policy, and that will sooner or later, affect you and your life.
Whether the price of bread or fuel, or the interest rates, the availability of an education, the opportunity to even pursue your dreams, or even have friends and a social life, all of these things affect your life, and are affected by the views of society.
You are a victim, whether you recognize it or not. Whether you are a billionaire, or just like everyone else, makes no difference.
The big difference between you and everyone else is your spiritual life, and their lack of one.
God blesses the believers of the world. God issues exceptional blessings to advancing believers, and especially mature believers.
Since everyone in the world is a victim, and since only believers will receive blessings because of this victim status, then it is by far better to be a believer, than not.
Unbelievers may live in the world and they will certainly be the target of trouble, if not during their life, certainly at the end of their life, but they will never be the recipient of blessing.
Their life is all for nothing.
You, as a believer, will be the target of trouble. You will not be able to escape it. So it is far better to understand this principle, stick with your spiritual life, and receive blessings from God, in the many different forms that they will come in, rather than living in this world just as unbelievers do (out of fellowship), get hammered from time to time, and get nothing out of it.
You do not have to be the recipient of direct hatred. No one has to come up to you and slap you in the face. Most of your suffering will be of the indirect kind, where you will be caught up in the worlds troubles, like in a bad economy.
Nothing is aimed at you personally, but the world will treat you as just another steer in a long line heading toward the slaughterhouse.
So, don’t get caught up in sin, don’t be a liar, a gossip, a criminal, and so forth. Don’t become part of the problem. And certainly do not get upset at life, when life goes wrong.
Remember, this is the devils world, and yet God is able to deliver you through all sorts of difficulties, regardless of what the world throws at you. Your greatest weapon for life, is Bible doctrine in your soul. All you have to do is get it into yourself, by staying the course, and letting God do the rest.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:14-16
14 If [ei] ye be reproached [oneidizo] for [en] the name [onoma] of Christ [Christos], happy [makarios] are ye; for [hoti] the spirit [pneuma] of glory [doxa] and [kai] of God [theos] resteth [anapauo] upon [epi] you [humas]: on [kata] [men] their part [autos] he is evil spoken of [blasphemeo], but [de] on [kata] your part [humas] he is glorified [doxazo].
15 But [gar] let [pascho] none [me] [tis] of you [humon] suffer [pascho] as [hos] a murderer [phoneus], or [e] as a thief [kleptes], or [e] as an evildoer [kakopoios], or [e] as [hos] a busybody in other men's matters [allotriepiskopos].
16 Yet [de] if [ei] any man suffer as [hos] a Christian [Christianos], let him [aischuno] not [me] be ashamed [aischuno]; but [de] let him glorify [doxazo] God [theos] on [en] this [touto] behalf [meros]. KJV-Interlinear
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. NASB
Everyone who has ever lived in this world, or will ever live in this world, will be the object of hate, derision, prejudice, rejection, scorn, disdain, loathed, detested, and so forth. We are but pawns in this devils world, and innocent victims caught up in a war between Satan and God.
That is the policy of Satan, and therefore of the world. Arrogance is His foundation and hate is his motivation. In order to defeat God Satan has to destroy everyone.
So, evil is never going to be your friend.
Satan has many devices and methods to destroy you. In some cases he will use prosperity, talent, elitism and such. In most cases, he will use poverty, or enticements, or frustration.
The best and most effective tool that Satan has against truth, is the lie. And, Satan has saturated this world with religions, and even non-religions, in order to dilute, blur, and render ambiguous, the truths of God.
Regardless of your position in life, regarding truth, philosophy, religion, or whatever, you will be a victim of the world, sooner or later. And there, is the reason for these verses.
You are going to be slandered, ridiculed, harassed, and not in person, but in principle. That is to say, the policies of the world, as sponsored by Satan, and more obviously by people who pursue the policies of lies. The philosophies of government and society in general create policies and views that will have an impact on public policy, and that will sooner or later, affect you and your life.
Whether the price of bread or fuel, or the interest rates, the availability of an education, the opportunity to even pursue your dreams, or even have friends and a social life, all of these things affect your life, and are affected by the views of society.
You are a victim, whether you recognize it or not. Whether you are a billionaire, or just like everyone else, makes no difference.
The big difference between you and everyone else is your spiritual life, and their lack of one.
God blesses the believers of the world. God issues exceptional blessings to advancing believers, and especially mature believers.
Since everyone in the world is a victim, and since only believers will receive blessings because of this victim status, then it is by far better to be a believer, than not.
Unbelievers may live in the world and they will certainly be the target of trouble, if not during their life, certainly at the end of their life, but they will never be the recipient of blessing.
Their life is all for nothing.
You, as a believer, will be the target of trouble. You will not be able to escape it. So it is far better to understand this principle, stick with your spiritual life, and receive blessings from God, in the many different forms that they will come in, rather than living in this world just as unbelievers do (out of fellowship), get hammered from time to time, and get nothing out of it.
You do not have to be the recipient of direct hatred. No one has to come up to you and slap you in the face. Most of your suffering will be of the indirect kind, where you will be caught up in the worlds troubles, like in a bad economy.
Nothing is aimed at you personally, but the world will treat you as just another steer in a long line heading toward the slaughterhouse.
So, don’t get caught up in sin, don’t be a liar, a gossip, a criminal, and so forth. Don’t become part of the problem. And certainly do not get upset at life, when life goes wrong.
Remember, this is the devils world, and yet God is able to deliver you through all sorts of difficulties, regardless of what the world throws at you. Your greatest weapon for life, is Bible doctrine in your soul. All you have to do is get it into yourself, by staying the course, and letting God do the rest.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
1 Peter 4:12-13
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved [agapetos], think it [xenizo] not [me] strange [xenizo] concerning the [humin] fiery trial [purosis] which [en] is [ginomai] to [pros] try [peirasmos] you [humin], as [hos] though some strange thing [xenos] happened [sumbaino] unto you [humin]:
13 But [alla] rejoice [chairo], inasmuch as [katho] ye are partakers [koinoneo] of Christ's [Christos] sufferings [pathema]; that [hina], when [en] his [autos] glory [doxa] shall be revealed [apokalupsis], ye may be glad [chairo] also [kai] with exceeding joy [agalliao]. KJV-Interlinear
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. NASB
From the moment that you were born into this world, life has been one trial after another. Whether you were aware of it or not, is irrelevant, because the world represents the jungle environment in which we live.
You may have been born with a silver spoon or a wooden spoon, and that too is irrelevant. Life in this world is the same for everyone, whether privileged or not.
We all face the same obligations in life, and we all face the same tests that the world will throw at us. The only difference is, in the resources each of us has with which to deal with life’s trials.
The trials of life, are described here as fiery ordeals. This is not a reference to the burning of Christians in Rome, which did not even begin for several decades after Peter wrote this.
The fiery ordeals consist of everything that becomes a test of ones faith or spiritual strength. For some it may be a broken fingernail, for others it may be a ravaging cancer, or as a victim of some type of violence.
We all have trials of one sort or another. Most of us have financial problems, or employment related problems, or social problems of one type or another.
The Bible classifies the sources of problems that you will face, in four general categories – from your own thoughts, from other people, from systems (bureaucracies, government), or from natural or environmentally occurring disasters (weather, earthquake, genetic, cancers, accidents, etc.).
Each of these can cause you to fail in your spiritual life, and you will be hammered by each and every one of these sources of trouble, throughout your entire life.
One of the biggest difficulties that people have, is in not knowing what to do, or in doing nothing.
Prayer is good, but the spiritual life is intended to be a proactive life, not a passive life. Need medical attention? Pray certainly, but God has already answered your prayers. He has provided doctors, hospitals, bandaids and so forth. Use them.
Need a job? God has provided a job for you, but you have to answer ads, fill out applications, and go looking for it.
God has given us all an economic system with which to earn a living, an educational system with which to learn a trade, a medical system with which to get well, an agricultural system with which to feed ourselves, etc., etc., etc.
As a believer in Christ, as a human being in this devils world, you will face suffering in many ways. And because this is the devils world, you can count on it. And because the vast majority of the human race subscribes to non-biblical beliefs, the sources for trouble increase, all the more.
So do not be surprised, when the weather fails, when economies fail, when trouble invades your life. You do not have to be responsible for the trouble to become its victim. In fact most trouble will come to you, without your invitation.
You just should not participate in the worldly systems that produce trouble, so as to become a part of the cause of your troubles. Don’t get involved in bad politics, criminal activities, social dysfunctions, etc.
And certainly when trouble enters into your life, do not go crying, ‘Why me? What have I done to deserve this? God is punishing me for something I did thirty years ago! Not fair!’
And the world is not going to be fair, ever. The world intends to make your life either miserable or phenomenally prosperous, in order to get you away from God, Christ, doctrine, and especially your spiritual life.
Distractions come from all sides. The only way that you can stay ahead of them, is to pursue your daily spiritual life, and grow up.
Jesus Christ controls history, not Satan, not man, not the weather. God has a plan for your life, but that plan does not function as intended unless you are advancing in your spiritual life.
In Gods plan, you cannot fail and the world cannot defeat you. You will still face trouble, and you will still suffer, but all suffering, when you are advancing in your spiritual life, is suffering for Christ.
Use it to focus on Him, rather than on your own selfpity. Use it to help you advance in your spiritual life. Use it to your advantage, and then when you finally face Christ, you will become the recipient of the highest of honors imaginable.
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1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved [agapetos], think it [xenizo] not [me] strange [xenizo] concerning the [humin] fiery trial [purosis] which [en] is [ginomai] to [pros] try [peirasmos] you [humin], as [hos] though some strange thing [xenos] happened [sumbaino] unto you [humin]:
13 But [alla] rejoice [chairo], inasmuch as [katho] ye are partakers [koinoneo] of Christ's [Christos] sufferings [pathema]; that [hina], when [en] his [autos] glory [doxa] shall be revealed [apokalupsis], ye may be glad [chairo] also [kai] with exceeding joy [agalliao]. KJV-Interlinear
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. NASB
From the moment that you were born into this world, life has been one trial after another. Whether you were aware of it or not, is irrelevant, because the world represents the jungle environment in which we live.
You may have been born with a silver spoon or a wooden spoon, and that too is irrelevant. Life in this world is the same for everyone, whether privileged or not.
We all face the same obligations in life, and we all face the same tests that the world will throw at us. The only difference is, in the resources each of us has with which to deal with life’s trials.
The trials of life, are described here as fiery ordeals. This is not a reference to the burning of Christians in Rome, which did not even begin for several decades after Peter wrote this.
The fiery ordeals consist of everything that becomes a test of ones faith or spiritual strength. For some it may be a broken fingernail, for others it may be a ravaging cancer, or as a victim of some type of violence.
We all have trials of one sort or another. Most of us have financial problems, or employment related problems, or social problems of one type or another.
The Bible classifies the sources of problems that you will face, in four general categories – from your own thoughts, from other people, from systems (bureaucracies, government), or from natural or environmentally occurring disasters (weather, earthquake, genetic, cancers, accidents, etc.).
Each of these can cause you to fail in your spiritual life, and you will be hammered by each and every one of these sources of trouble, throughout your entire life.
One of the biggest difficulties that people have, is in not knowing what to do, or in doing nothing.
Prayer is good, but the spiritual life is intended to be a proactive life, not a passive life. Need medical attention? Pray certainly, but God has already answered your prayers. He has provided doctors, hospitals, bandaids and so forth. Use them.
Need a job? God has provided a job for you, but you have to answer ads, fill out applications, and go looking for it.
God has given us all an economic system with which to earn a living, an educational system with which to learn a trade, a medical system with which to get well, an agricultural system with which to feed ourselves, etc., etc., etc.
As a believer in Christ, as a human being in this devils world, you will face suffering in many ways. And because this is the devils world, you can count on it. And because the vast majority of the human race subscribes to non-biblical beliefs, the sources for trouble increase, all the more.
So do not be surprised, when the weather fails, when economies fail, when trouble invades your life. You do not have to be responsible for the trouble to become its victim. In fact most trouble will come to you, without your invitation.
You just should not participate in the worldly systems that produce trouble, so as to become a part of the cause of your troubles. Don’t get involved in bad politics, criminal activities, social dysfunctions, etc.
And certainly when trouble enters into your life, do not go crying, ‘Why me? What have I done to deserve this? God is punishing me for something I did thirty years ago! Not fair!’
And the world is not going to be fair, ever. The world intends to make your life either miserable or phenomenally prosperous, in order to get you away from God, Christ, doctrine, and especially your spiritual life.
Distractions come from all sides. The only way that you can stay ahead of them, is to pursue your daily spiritual life, and grow up.
Jesus Christ controls history, not Satan, not man, not the weather. God has a plan for your life, but that plan does not function as intended unless you are advancing in your spiritual life.
In Gods plan, you cannot fail and the world cannot defeat you. You will still face trouble, and you will still suffer, but all suffering, when you are advancing in your spiritual life, is suffering for Christ.
Use it to focus on Him, rather than on your own selfpity. Use it to help you advance in your spiritual life. Use it to your advantage, and then when you finally face Christ, you will become the recipient of the highest of honors imaginable.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
1 Peter 4:11
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:11
11 If any man [ei tis] speak [laleo], let him speak as [hos] the oracles [logion] of God [theos]; if any man [ei tis] minister [diakoneo], let him do it as [hos] of [ek] the ability [ischus] which [hos] God [theos] giveth [choregeo]: that [hina] God [theos] in [en] all things [pas] may be glorified [doxazo] through [dia] Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], to whom [hos] be [esti] praise [doxa] and [kai] dominion [kratos] for [eis] ever [aion] and ever [aion]. Amen [amen]. KJV-Interlinear
11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NASB
Speaking, is the result of the content of the soul. Doing anything, is a result of the content of the soul. Even thinking, is obviously a result of the content of the soul.
You cannot think, say, or do anything, that has not first passed through your soul. Although, it may be questionable about the thinking processes of some folks. However, that is more of a humorous perception than anything else.
Now here is the tough part of human life. At war within you, is the sin nature on the one hand and the spiritual side of you, on the other.
Here Peter, instructs us to think, say and do everything in life, while in fellowship and under the control of the Holy Spirit. Since being in fellowship means sin free, then holding your tongue, holding your thoughts, even holding your actions in check can be trying at times.
You cannot accomplish this while under the control of the sin nature.
Everything given to you, including the air that you breathe, the things you have, and the circumstances that surround your life, are given to you in order that you can advance to spiritual maturity, and use your possessions, situation, etc. in such a manner as to help you advance to spiritual maturity, and practice Gods will.
Anything else is an abuse of all that God has provided.
Only you can examine your life and discover what you should or should not be thinking, saying, or doing, with what God has provided you in your life.
It is easy to ignore your responsibilities. It is easy to not care about your responsibilities. It is easy to redefine, or modify, or compromise your responsibilities. But when it all comes down to the final say about your life, that say, will be in Christ’s hands, not yours.
When placing your life in the hands of your sin nature, you might as well be rolling an infinite sided pair of dice. Your winning number will never come up.
But when placing your life in the hands of God, then the result of your life will always be a winning outcome.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:11
11 If any man [ei tis] speak [laleo], let him speak as [hos] the oracles [logion] of God [theos]; if any man [ei tis] minister [diakoneo], let him do it as [hos] of [ek] the ability [ischus] which [hos] God [theos] giveth [choregeo]: that [hina] God [theos] in [en] all things [pas] may be glorified [doxazo] through [dia] Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], to whom [hos] be [esti] praise [doxa] and [kai] dominion [kratos] for [eis] ever [aion] and ever [aion]. Amen [amen]. KJV-Interlinear
11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NASB
Speaking, is the result of the content of the soul. Doing anything, is a result of the content of the soul. Even thinking, is obviously a result of the content of the soul.
You cannot think, say, or do anything, that has not first passed through your soul. Although, it may be questionable about the thinking processes of some folks. However, that is more of a humorous perception than anything else.
Now here is the tough part of human life. At war within you, is the sin nature on the one hand and the spiritual side of you, on the other.
Here Peter, instructs us to think, say and do everything in life, while in fellowship and under the control of the Holy Spirit. Since being in fellowship means sin free, then holding your tongue, holding your thoughts, even holding your actions in check can be trying at times.
You cannot accomplish this while under the control of the sin nature.
Everything given to you, including the air that you breathe, the things you have, and the circumstances that surround your life, are given to you in order that you can advance to spiritual maturity, and use your possessions, situation, etc. in such a manner as to help you advance to spiritual maturity, and practice Gods will.
Anything else is an abuse of all that God has provided.
Only you can examine your life and discover what you should or should not be thinking, saying, or doing, with what God has provided you in your life.
It is easy to ignore your responsibilities. It is easy to not care about your responsibilities. It is easy to redefine, or modify, or compromise your responsibilities. But when it all comes down to the final say about your life, that say, will be in Christ’s hands, not yours.
When placing your life in the hands of your sin nature, you might as well be rolling an infinite sided pair of dice. Your winning number will never come up.
But when placing your life in the hands of God, then the result of your life will always be a winning outcome.
Monday, December 1, 2008
1 Peter 4:10
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:10
10 As [kathos] every man [hekastos] hath received [lambano] the gift [charisma], even so minister [diakoneo] the same [autos] one to another [eis] [heautou], as [hos] good [kalos] stewards [oikonomos] of the manifold [poikilos] grace [charis] of God [theos]. KJV-Interlinear
10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. NASB
As visitors to this planet, our true home being in heaven, God has give to each one of us, gifts, resources, things that belong to Him, but have been placed in our custody and care while He (Christ) is away.
We are left to the management of Gods possessions. And the principle possession of God is Bible doctrine, which has been left in our care for the nourishing of our own souls and therefore our lives, both now and forever.
Beyond doctrine, which becomes the foundation for our life and orientation to everything else in life, we are expected to be good stewards as we live and interact with people.
Whether they are obnoxious or pleasant makes no different, our attitude is to be consistent with all of whom we interact.
When people ignore their spiritual lives, when people reject God, when people openly abuse that which has been given to them, when they simply don’t care, then trouble is not far behind.
We are currently witnessing hard economic times, and for most folks, the belief is that these things can be solved with government controls or policies, or some type of human solution. However, we know that Jesus Christ controls history, and all of life revolves around mans attitude toward Christ. Positive attitudes reap reward, negative attitudes reap trouble.
And society seems to have gone indifferent to the very basics of morals. Left unchecked, then this uncaring attitude will turn society into selfish animals. In every situation in history, negative volition toward God, doctrine and ones spiritual side of life, has earned society extremely hard times. Often it takes hard times before people realize that life is not theirs for free without responsibility or stewardship. There are always repercussions.
Everyone born into this world, received the gift of life from God. Everyone receives a gift or a talent of some sort. And with these two things they can find their way through life, to God, doctrine and their spiritual life.
Everyone who has believed in Christ, has received the gift of eternal life. A double life gift, if you will. Everyone likewise, receives a spiritual gift, which may be an enhancement of their physical gift, or something else entirely.
Again, these gifts are there to aid you in your spiritual life, which includes responsibility and accountability for your decisions in life. You will be held accountable. Unfortunately people take these things and head off into the jungle of their own design, and then wonder what happened, when life falls apart.
Jer. 29:11
‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ NASB
God has a plan for your life, it is a phenomenal plan which will get you through this life, and position you for the best possible and phenomenal life for all of eternity.
Unfortunately, most folks do not give this concept much credibility. They would rather stampede over and kill other people in order to get a good deal on a television, caring nothing about the ones they hurt, and still maintain that their values are better than those spelled out in the Bible.
And by the way, this verse in Jeremiah is one that you should place on your refrigerator, or note-board, and certainly within your own memory.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:10
10 As [kathos] every man [hekastos] hath received [lambano] the gift [charisma], even so minister [diakoneo] the same [autos] one to another [eis] [heautou], as [hos] good [kalos] stewards [oikonomos] of the manifold [poikilos] grace [charis] of God [theos]. KJV-Interlinear
10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. NASB
As visitors to this planet, our true home being in heaven, God has give to each one of us, gifts, resources, things that belong to Him, but have been placed in our custody and care while He (Christ) is away.
We are left to the management of Gods possessions. And the principle possession of God is Bible doctrine, which has been left in our care for the nourishing of our own souls and therefore our lives, both now and forever.
Beyond doctrine, which becomes the foundation for our life and orientation to everything else in life, we are expected to be good stewards as we live and interact with people.
Whether they are obnoxious or pleasant makes no different, our attitude is to be consistent with all of whom we interact.
When people ignore their spiritual lives, when people reject God, when people openly abuse that which has been given to them, when they simply don’t care, then trouble is not far behind.
We are currently witnessing hard economic times, and for most folks, the belief is that these things can be solved with government controls or policies, or some type of human solution. However, we know that Jesus Christ controls history, and all of life revolves around mans attitude toward Christ. Positive attitudes reap reward, negative attitudes reap trouble.
And society seems to have gone indifferent to the very basics of morals. Left unchecked, then this uncaring attitude will turn society into selfish animals. In every situation in history, negative volition toward God, doctrine and ones spiritual side of life, has earned society extremely hard times. Often it takes hard times before people realize that life is not theirs for free without responsibility or stewardship. There are always repercussions.
Everyone born into this world, received the gift of life from God. Everyone receives a gift or a talent of some sort. And with these two things they can find their way through life, to God, doctrine and their spiritual life.
Everyone who has believed in Christ, has received the gift of eternal life. A double life gift, if you will. Everyone likewise, receives a spiritual gift, which may be an enhancement of their physical gift, or something else entirely.
Again, these gifts are there to aid you in your spiritual life, which includes responsibility and accountability for your decisions in life. You will be held accountable. Unfortunately people take these things and head off into the jungle of their own design, and then wonder what happened, when life falls apart.
Jer. 29:11
‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ NASB
God has a plan for your life, it is a phenomenal plan which will get you through this life, and position you for the best possible and phenomenal life for all of eternity.
Unfortunately, most folks do not give this concept much credibility. They would rather stampede over and kill other people in order to get a good deal on a television, caring nothing about the ones they hurt, and still maintain that their values are better than those spelled out in the Bible.
And by the way, this verse in Jeremiah is one that you should place on your refrigerator, or note-board, and certainly within your own memory.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
1 Peter 4:9
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:9
9 Use hospitality [philoxenos] one to another [eis] [allelon] without [aneu] grudging [goggusmos]. KJV-Interlinear
9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. NASB
Hospitable means to be kind, courteous, polite, social and so forth, with family, friends, acquaintances and even with strangers.
But this hospitality is not limited to chance meetings or greetings, it is intended to be the attitude displayed to everyone all of the time. In other words, your demeanor day in and day out, everyday, throughout your life.
No good days and no bad days. No being nice only when you feel like it. And the tough one, being nice, even when others are not nice to you, or when others do not perform up to your expectations.
Children for example, can be a trying experience. Who picks up after them? Who reminds them? Who gets after them day in and day out? The mom (mostly), or both parents, naturally.
But as this is a learning and training experience for the kids, even if they do not realize it, it is also a trying or testing experience, established by God, for parents.
Have you ever known of the perfect child? No. And you cannot expect them to be perfect. So letting loose with a stream of comments or complaints is a failure to some extent, of the hospitality concept. However, reminding and issuing orders to clean up after themselves is perfectly legitimate.
As for friends and strangers. Do not treat any with one set of rules, and another group with another set of rules. Your personality while away from home, should be the same as it is when you are, at home.
Have you ever yelled at your spouse, and then answered the phone with the sweetest of voices? Ladies??
Ok, if I had a guy example I would certainly list it. But can’t think of one at the moment!!! But as most students are pretty bright, you’ll certainly think of better examples than I would.
Hospitable covers a wide range of behavior.
From not talking too loud, not dominating a conversation, not interrupting, the various forms of courtesy, to a ‘others first, me last’ attitude. If you think of yourself as your very own receptionist, representing yourself, with others being your paying guests, deserving the very best of service and courtesy, then you will have a behavior that conforms with this principle.
Life is tough, and being nice when under pressure is often difficult. We are all flawed and none of us are perfect, but with doctrine in our souls, then this personality behavior guideline can become much easier than you think.
Slip occasionally? Of course, but just confess (privately to God the Father) and re-gather yourself, and move on.
Remember, you are preparing yourself for your final review before Christ, which matters more than anything else.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:9
9 Use hospitality [philoxenos] one to another [eis] [allelon] without [aneu] grudging [goggusmos]. KJV-Interlinear
9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. NASB
Hospitable means to be kind, courteous, polite, social and so forth, with family, friends, acquaintances and even with strangers.
But this hospitality is not limited to chance meetings or greetings, it is intended to be the attitude displayed to everyone all of the time. In other words, your demeanor day in and day out, everyday, throughout your life.
No good days and no bad days. No being nice only when you feel like it. And the tough one, being nice, even when others are not nice to you, or when others do not perform up to your expectations.
Children for example, can be a trying experience. Who picks up after them? Who reminds them? Who gets after them day in and day out? The mom (mostly), or both parents, naturally.
But as this is a learning and training experience for the kids, even if they do not realize it, it is also a trying or testing experience, established by God, for parents.
Have you ever known of the perfect child? No. And you cannot expect them to be perfect. So letting loose with a stream of comments or complaints is a failure to some extent, of the hospitality concept. However, reminding and issuing orders to clean up after themselves is perfectly legitimate.
As for friends and strangers. Do not treat any with one set of rules, and another group with another set of rules. Your personality while away from home, should be the same as it is when you are, at home.
Have you ever yelled at your spouse, and then answered the phone with the sweetest of voices? Ladies??
Ok, if I had a guy example I would certainly list it. But can’t think of one at the moment!!! But as most students are pretty bright, you’ll certainly think of better examples than I would.
Hospitable covers a wide range of behavior.
From not talking too loud, not dominating a conversation, not interrupting, the various forms of courtesy, to a ‘others first, me last’ attitude. If you think of yourself as your very own receptionist, representing yourself, with others being your paying guests, deserving the very best of service and courtesy, then you will have a behavior that conforms with this principle.
Life is tough, and being nice when under pressure is often difficult. We are all flawed and none of us are perfect, but with doctrine in our souls, then this personality behavior guideline can become much easier than you think.
Slip occasionally? Of course, but just confess (privately to God the Father) and re-gather yourself, and move on.
Remember, you are preparing yourself for your final review before Christ, which matters more than anything else.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
1 Peter 4:8
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:8
8 And [de] above [pro] all things [pas] have [echo] fervent [ektenes] charity [agape] among [eis] yourselves [heautou]: for [hoti] charity [agape] shall cover [kalupto] the multitude [plethos] of sins [hamartia]. KJV-Interlinear
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. NASB
The activities of the sin nature stir up nothing but trouble. All of your life, when lived under the power of the sin nature (out of fellowship), is a source of trouble, and results in trouble, regardless of the activities of your life.
The activities of the spiritual life, serve nothing but good. By definition, the spiritual life is a life, which functions sin free, within the will of God.
The content of the Word of God is truth. The principles of truth, the sum total of the content of the Bible, make up the concept of love. Review our study of 1, 2, and 3rd John.
There are generally three terms used for love, 'phileo', 'agapao', and 'eros.'
The first refers to the emotional responses or reactions of ones life. The second, ‘agapao,’ refers to the principles of life, the rights and wrongs, the knowledge of good verses evil, the discernment of what one should or should not do. The third word is used in reference to intimate relationships between husband and wife, for example.
Fervent, is a word used for urgency, for something of huge importance, for something, right now, that takes precedence over all else. For example, when a person falls or is hurt severely with a life threatening injury, then the only thing that matters is medical attention, right now. That is what urgent means.
Peter calls the use and application of Bible doctrine in ones life, with respect to all things, with respect to relationships between people, with respect to ones relationship with God, as urgent. The love used here includes the concepts, the content, of the Bible.
You can only utilize that which you have learned, and learning requires the priority of, and being consistent in, ones daily study.
In other words, your spiritual life needs to be your highest priority in life. The urgency of your spiritual life means that each time you ignore your spiritual life, you are placing yourself at risk. Why?
Because time is short.
Time is short for your own personal life, because you do not know the details of tomorrow, nor do you know the details of the future of humanity.
And what is the significance of this urgency? Because you are going to be evaluated by Christ one day.
Everything you do in this life is irrelevant and meaningless if you ignore and do not advance in your spiritual life.
Therefore, your daily study, learning, obedience, prayer, etc, should all be high on your daily to-do list.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:8
8 And [de] above [pro] all things [pas] have [echo] fervent [ektenes] charity [agape] among [eis] yourselves [heautou]: for [hoti] charity [agape] shall cover [kalupto] the multitude [plethos] of sins [hamartia]. KJV-Interlinear
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. NASB
The activities of the sin nature stir up nothing but trouble. All of your life, when lived under the power of the sin nature (out of fellowship), is a source of trouble, and results in trouble, regardless of the activities of your life.
The activities of the spiritual life, serve nothing but good. By definition, the spiritual life is a life, which functions sin free, within the will of God.
The content of the Word of God is truth. The principles of truth, the sum total of the content of the Bible, make up the concept of love. Review our study of 1, 2, and 3rd John.
There are generally three terms used for love, 'phileo', 'agapao', and 'eros.'
The first refers to the emotional responses or reactions of ones life. The second, ‘agapao,’ refers to the principles of life, the rights and wrongs, the knowledge of good verses evil, the discernment of what one should or should not do. The third word is used in reference to intimate relationships between husband and wife, for example.
Fervent, is a word used for urgency, for something of huge importance, for something, right now, that takes precedence over all else. For example, when a person falls or is hurt severely with a life threatening injury, then the only thing that matters is medical attention, right now. That is what urgent means.
Peter calls the use and application of Bible doctrine in ones life, with respect to all things, with respect to relationships between people, with respect to ones relationship with God, as urgent. The love used here includes the concepts, the content, of the Bible.
You can only utilize that which you have learned, and learning requires the priority of, and being consistent in, ones daily study.
In other words, your spiritual life needs to be your highest priority in life. The urgency of your spiritual life means that each time you ignore your spiritual life, you are placing yourself at risk. Why?
Because time is short.
Time is short for your own personal life, because you do not know the details of tomorrow, nor do you know the details of the future of humanity.
And what is the significance of this urgency? Because you are going to be evaluated by Christ one day.
Everything you do in this life is irrelevant and meaningless if you ignore and do not advance in your spiritual life.
Therefore, your daily study, learning, obedience, prayer, etc, should all be high on your daily to-do list.
Friday, November 28, 2008
1 Peter 4:7
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:7
7 But [de] the end [telos] of all things [pas] is at hand [eggizo]: be ye [sophroneo] therefore [oun] sober [sophroneo], and [kai] watch [nepho] unto [eis] prayer [proseuche]. KJV-Interlinear
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. NASB
The, ‘end of all things,’ carries two meanings. The first is the generally accepted meaning, which refers to the end of the dispensation of our Church Age. This is commonly called the end of the world, as well.
The second meaning is the end of your own personal life here in this world.
Both meanings apply here.
Unless you are very old, then even the day and hour of your death is not known, but everyone knows that you are on the plank, and walking ever so slowly to its edge.
But for most of us, the date of our death is an unknown. Most of us will live to beat the old age averages. Some will be caught by surprise in some accident, or by some physical ailment, etc., and leave this world sooner than expected.
And as for the end of the world, Jesus said it best.
Matt. 24:36-39
36 ‘But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
37 ‘For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
38 ‘For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. NASB
The deity of Christ, knows the date and hour, but the humanity of Jesus, does not know the fixed and certain date, that has been set by God the Father, in His divine decrees.
In Peter’s day, before Jesus revealed our current dispensation, the common knowledge of the end times was that:
the Messiah would come into the world at the end of the age of Israel,
that He would secure salvation,
that the Tribulation of seven years (Satan’s last rebellion) would occur,
and then Christ would promptly establish His Kingdom (which is the Millennium or one-thousand years of His rule),
followed by the final judgments and the eternal state.
What was hidden from the Old Testament, was the existence of out current dispensation, which is called the Church Age. Our dispensation was inserted into history and it interrupted the dispensation of the Age of Israel.
That dispensation (the Age of Israel) has seven years remaining in it. Those seven years have been postponed until after our dispensation is completed.
Our dispensation will end with the Rapture.
And just as the days of Noah were ignored as people kept on having parties, weddings and such as their final judgment was approaching, so too, in our current dispensation, the general population of the world will not take note of the many signs of the approaching judgment of the Tribulation.
We do not know the year, day, or hour of the Rapture, but it is really not relevant to our spiritual life.
We are supposed to live our life, in doctrine, growing in grace and spiritual preparation as though each day is going to be our last day here.
The Rapture could occur tomorrow, or it could occur a century from now. Your life could end tomorrow, or you could live for many more decades. In either case, the day of your final breath is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether you will be prepared for your eventual and certain evaluation before Christ.
Your preparation comes from your daily study of the Word for God, and your subsequent advance toward spiritual maturity. That is your priority and objective in life.
The signs that we are nearing the end, is as long as your arm. But, remember that all of those signs are mentioned in the Bible as trends, not specific events (increase in numbers of nations, increase in earthquakes, increase in apostasy, etc., etc., etc.). Most of these trends will occur over several generations, and therefore the date of the Rapture can never be specifically known.
Personally, I don’t think that the Rapture will occur until after the world population has grown to enormous numbers, perhaps fifty or a hundred billion of people, as opposed to the current population of seven billion. If that is correct, then the Rapture will not occur for a century or more. But then this is only a guess. None of us really knows, nor will we ever know.
But one thing is certain, and that is that the world will not have a nation upholding the banner of Christian principles, when the end finally does arrive. And we have seen movement to very anti-Christian philosophies in our own country and throughout the world, just in our own current generation.
Things were bad in the world when Noah was given his instructions, and then he had only a hundred and twenty additional years remaining before judgment. I would just bet that history will move a bit faster in our day, but then who knows!
All that this means is that there will be an end, of your life or of history, and that you will stand before the Lord perhaps sooner than you think. Will you be ready? Or, will you ignore all of this and continue in your ‘I’m doing all that I need to do,’ attitude, with no real sense of urgency for your own spiritual status.
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1 Peter 4:7
7 But [de] the end [telos] of all things [pas] is at hand [eggizo]: be ye [sophroneo] therefore [oun] sober [sophroneo], and [kai] watch [nepho] unto [eis] prayer [proseuche]. KJV-Interlinear
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. NASB
The, ‘end of all things,’ carries two meanings. The first is the generally accepted meaning, which refers to the end of the dispensation of our Church Age. This is commonly called the end of the world, as well.
The second meaning is the end of your own personal life here in this world.
Both meanings apply here.
Unless you are very old, then even the day and hour of your death is not known, but everyone knows that you are on the plank, and walking ever so slowly to its edge.
But for most of us, the date of our death is an unknown. Most of us will live to beat the old age averages. Some will be caught by surprise in some accident, or by some physical ailment, etc., and leave this world sooner than expected.
And as for the end of the world, Jesus said it best.
Matt. 24:36-39
36 ‘But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
37 ‘For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
38 ‘For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. NASB
The deity of Christ, knows the date and hour, but the humanity of Jesus, does not know the fixed and certain date, that has been set by God the Father, in His divine decrees.
In Peter’s day, before Jesus revealed our current dispensation, the common knowledge of the end times was that:
the Messiah would come into the world at the end of the age of Israel,
that He would secure salvation,
that the Tribulation of seven years (Satan’s last rebellion) would occur,
and then Christ would promptly establish His Kingdom (which is the Millennium or one-thousand years of His rule),
followed by the final judgments and the eternal state.
What was hidden from the Old Testament, was the existence of out current dispensation, which is called the Church Age. Our dispensation was inserted into history and it interrupted the dispensation of the Age of Israel.
That dispensation (the Age of Israel) has seven years remaining in it. Those seven years have been postponed until after our dispensation is completed.
Our dispensation will end with the Rapture.
And just as the days of Noah were ignored as people kept on having parties, weddings and such as their final judgment was approaching, so too, in our current dispensation, the general population of the world will not take note of the many signs of the approaching judgment of the Tribulation.
We do not know the year, day, or hour of the Rapture, but it is really not relevant to our spiritual life.
We are supposed to live our life, in doctrine, growing in grace and spiritual preparation as though each day is going to be our last day here.
The Rapture could occur tomorrow, or it could occur a century from now. Your life could end tomorrow, or you could live for many more decades. In either case, the day of your final breath is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether you will be prepared for your eventual and certain evaluation before Christ.
Your preparation comes from your daily study of the Word for God, and your subsequent advance toward spiritual maturity. That is your priority and objective in life.
The signs that we are nearing the end, is as long as your arm. But, remember that all of those signs are mentioned in the Bible as trends, not specific events (increase in numbers of nations, increase in earthquakes, increase in apostasy, etc., etc., etc.). Most of these trends will occur over several generations, and therefore the date of the Rapture can never be specifically known.
Personally, I don’t think that the Rapture will occur until after the world population has grown to enormous numbers, perhaps fifty or a hundred billion of people, as opposed to the current population of seven billion. If that is correct, then the Rapture will not occur for a century or more. But then this is only a guess. None of us really knows, nor will we ever know.
But one thing is certain, and that is that the world will not have a nation upholding the banner of Christian principles, when the end finally does arrive. And we have seen movement to very anti-Christian philosophies in our own country and throughout the world, just in our own current generation.
Things were bad in the world when Noah was given his instructions, and then he had only a hundred and twenty additional years remaining before judgment. I would just bet that history will move a bit faster in our day, but then who knows!
All that this means is that there will be an end, of your life or of history, and that you will stand before the Lord perhaps sooner than you think. Will you be ready? Or, will you ignore all of this and continue in your ‘I’m doing all that I need to do,’ attitude, with no real sense of urgency for your own spiritual status.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
1 Peter 4:6
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:6
6 For [gar] for [eis] this cause [touto] was the gospel preached [euaggelizo] also [kai] to them that are dead [nekros], that [hina] they might be judged [krino] [men] according to [kata] men [anthropos] in the flesh [sarx], but [de] live [zao] according to [kata] God [theos] in the spirit [pneuma]. KJV-Interlinear
6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. NASB
The gospel of Christ is the good news of the actual work of Christ after it had been accomplished on the Cross.
Prior to the first advent of Christ, all that people had to go on was the promise of a savior, a messiah, a deliverer.
One (God), who would come in the flesh as perfect humanity, pay the price demanded by sin and death, and in so doing, save each person who believes in the one doing that work. This promise and principle of salvation was taught and passed on from generation to generation, by word of mouth and by deed of sacrifices.
And, this principle of salvation (by word and sacrificial ritual) followed humanity from culture to culture, as man moved around the world throughout the ages. Even though many of the sacrificial rituals were distorted and bastardized into evil purposes (as all principles of truth are), their existence testifies to the existence of Gods first promises to Adam and Eve.
For each principle of truth, Satan (and man) has invented a counter principle for evil purposes.
Knowing that humanity would fall off course in life, and knowing that humanity would be judged eventually, before the throne of Christ, this then is the primary reason that the gospel of Christ (both the promise of a savior and the fact of His work) was prepared and given to humanity.
That though humanity would live in the flesh and suffer and live as is common to humanity, and that humanity would eventually all die during the normal course of human history (everyone dies eventually), so that all of humanity would have the opportunity to live in the spirit with God in heaven, and be judged accordingly for heaven.
In other words, knowing that everyone who would be born into life in this world, and that everyone would face judgment, the gospel was prepared and made available to everyone throughout history, regardless of their culture, regardless of the time in which they lived in history, regardless of where on planet earth they would live.
No one would be left out, and therefore no one would, or will, have an excuse of not knowing what is expected by God, and of what they should expect in their own personal future.
This includes you.
You cannot get through life without receiving in some form, the gospel of Christ, and/or the doctrines affecting your spiritual future.
Whether you acknowledge these things or not, is your decision to make. Whether you accept your responsibilities in life, is a decision you have to make daily. Whether you become obedient to the mandates of God and therefore function properly within your spiritual life, is a decision that only you can make for yourself.
In any case, you, only you, make or destroy your own future.
In this world, you will see religious fanatics running, sprinting, giving all that they have, to be obedient or true to their false beliefs. These are the quintessence of fools.
Conversely, in Christianity, you will see believers who live in constant hesitation, constant disobedience, constant indifference, constant reasoning as to why this or that does not apply to them, and yet they hold in their little hands the key to the most phenomenal future that will ever be available to anyone. They remain stubborn to the point of losing a vast fortune, when they are soooo close!
Peter was addressing people who were living under tremendous sufferings and pressures in their lives. No doubt many back then, were thinking exactly as you think, worried about the day to day details of their life.
Your spiritual life is yours alone to live or not live. You have no right to evaluate anyone else. Concentrate on your own life, for how someone else lives in really none of your concern.
God has a plan for you. And only you can choose to follow that plan, or try to skimp by. And who then, is the wise or the fool?
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:6
6 For [gar] for [eis] this cause [touto] was the gospel preached [euaggelizo] also [kai] to them that are dead [nekros], that [hina] they might be judged [krino] [men] according to [kata] men [anthropos] in the flesh [sarx], but [de] live [zao] according to [kata] God [theos] in the spirit [pneuma]. KJV-Interlinear
6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. NASB
The gospel of Christ is the good news of the actual work of Christ after it had been accomplished on the Cross.
Prior to the first advent of Christ, all that people had to go on was the promise of a savior, a messiah, a deliverer.
One (God), who would come in the flesh as perfect humanity, pay the price demanded by sin and death, and in so doing, save each person who believes in the one doing that work. This promise and principle of salvation was taught and passed on from generation to generation, by word of mouth and by deed of sacrifices.
And, this principle of salvation (by word and sacrificial ritual) followed humanity from culture to culture, as man moved around the world throughout the ages. Even though many of the sacrificial rituals were distorted and bastardized into evil purposes (as all principles of truth are), their existence testifies to the existence of Gods first promises to Adam and Eve.
For each principle of truth, Satan (and man) has invented a counter principle for evil purposes.
Knowing that humanity would fall off course in life, and knowing that humanity would be judged eventually, before the throne of Christ, this then is the primary reason that the gospel of Christ (both the promise of a savior and the fact of His work) was prepared and given to humanity.
That though humanity would live in the flesh and suffer and live as is common to humanity, and that humanity would eventually all die during the normal course of human history (everyone dies eventually), so that all of humanity would have the opportunity to live in the spirit with God in heaven, and be judged accordingly for heaven.
In other words, knowing that everyone who would be born into life in this world, and that everyone would face judgment, the gospel was prepared and made available to everyone throughout history, regardless of their culture, regardless of the time in which they lived in history, regardless of where on planet earth they would live.
No one would be left out, and therefore no one would, or will, have an excuse of not knowing what is expected by God, and of what they should expect in their own personal future.
This includes you.
You cannot get through life without receiving in some form, the gospel of Christ, and/or the doctrines affecting your spiritual future.
Whether you acknowledge these things or not, is your decision to make. Whether you accept your responsibilities in life, is a decision you have to make daily. Whether you become obedient to the mandates of God and therefore function properly within your spiritual life, is a decision that only you can make for yourself.
In any case, you, only you, make or destroy your own future.
In this world, you will see religious fanatics running, sprinting, giving all that they have, to be obedient or true to their false beliefs. These are the quintessence of fools.
Conversely, in Christianity, you will see believers who live in constant hesitation, constant disobedience, constant indifference, constant reasoning as to why this or that does not apply to them, and yet they hold in their little hands the key to the most phenomenal future that will ever be available to anyone. They remain stubborn to the point of losing a vast fortune, when they are soooo close!
Peter was addressing people who were living under tremendous sufferings and pressures in their lives. No doubt many back then, were thinking exactly as you think, worried about the day to day details of their life.
Your spiritual life is yours alone to live or not live. You have no right to evaluate anyone else. Concentrate on your own life, for how someone else lives in really none of your concern.
God has a plan for you. And only you can choose to follow that plan, or try to skimp by. And who then, is the wise or the fool?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
1 Peter 4:5
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:5
5 Who [hos] shall give [apodidomi] account [logos] to him that is [echo] ready [hetoimos] to judge [krino] the quick [zao] and [kai] the dead [nekros]. KJV-Interlinear
5 but they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. NASB
There are only two truths in life. The first is that if you have been born into life, then one day you will certainly die. And the second truth is, that at some point in the future, after your certain death, you will be judged by Christ.
Whether you are an unbeliever or a believer makes no difference. Whether you are an immature believer or a mature believer also makes no difference. Even if you happen to be alive in the Rapture generation, your separation from this world will be a form of death as your old body is instantaneously transformed into a resurrection body.
Everyone who has been born into life, will leave this life for eternity, and everyone will be judged (or evaluated) by Christ.
Most people, when they are faced with an examination, will try to prepare for it, in order to get a better grade. But of course there are those folks who do not prepare, and their final grade will be a poor one.
As you live through your life, in this life, as a growing believer, you will face many hardships. And, many of those hardships will come at the hands of folks that don’t happen to like you. Whether you are a peasant caught in the struggle for power by higher classes of folks, or a pawn in someone else's social struggle, or just a person who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, all makes no difference.
Your life depends on God, and your future evaluation depends on the amount of doctrine in your soul that you have learned, understood, applied to your life, and resulted in an abundance of spiritual production.
Everything else that you think, say, and do in life, if it is not a result of your spiritual life, amounts to absolutely nothing.
And the nice thing about all of this, is that this principle or rule, applies to everyone.
The elite, the privileged, the high and mighty, and so forth, are no different than the lowliest of the low, when it comes to the command of God, that they should stand before Him at their appointed time.
The first evaluation in history, will occur immediately after the Rapture. We believers of the dispensation of the Church Age will stand before Christ, in heaven, while the world is undergoing its phenomenal Tribulation.
At the end of their Tribulation, immediately after the Second Advent of Christ, all Old Testament believers will stand before Christ for their evaluation.
We call these judgments, the Judgment Seat of Christ, by the way. This is a good judgment to participate in.
At the end of the Millennium, then all of the Millennial believers will receive their evaluation, and that will conclude the judgments for believers.
At the end of the Millennium, and after all believer judgments, then all unbelievers will be brought before Christ at the Great White Throne, and there they will receive their judgment. This judgment will not be a good one for them. The will collectively and individually continue to reject Christ, and then they will be throne into the Lake of Fire, never to be heard from, or even seen, again.
The universe will then be destroyed, obliterated, extinguished into nothing, as though it had never ever existed, and then heaven will descend into a new universe, which between the two, will combine into our one great new and eternal playground and home. It will be so vast, that even in all of eternity, we will never be able to explore all of it.
The results of your evaluation, the blessings, rewards, privileges, honors, etc, that you receive at your judgment before Christ, will be yours and will become active and functional during this eternal state.
Therefore, your evaluation before Christ is the single most important evaluation that you will ever have. And the results of your evaluation, are totally determined by the doctrine, the spiritual production of your spiritual life. In this manner, you have some control over the design of your evaluation results.
You can either grow and live the spiritual life as God intends for you to live it, and become the recipient of the eternally permanent and highest honors in all of history, or you can ignore all of this Bible stuff, and lose out on those blessings and rewards.
Those rewards are totally dependent on your spiritual life, or lack of it.
So, remember when you are being maligned or used as a puppet by the people and systems of the world, that they will have to answer to God, just as you will. And that they, by their sin nature driven souls, are doing nothing to you, but totally destroying their eternal future blessings.
You may be hammered a bit for now, but then it is far better to suffer now for later blessings that will never end, than to have the good life, of the sin nature, now, and then suffer (lose out on blessings) for all of eternity.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:5
5 Who [hos] shall give [apodidomi] account [logos] to him that is [echo] ready [hetoimos] to judge [krino] the quick [zao] and [kai] the dead [nekros]. KJV-Interlinear
5 but they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. NASB
There are only two truths in life. The first is that if you have been born into life, then one day you will certainly die. And the second truth is, that at some point in the future, after your certain death, you will be judged by Christ.
Whether you are an unbeliever or a believer makes no difference. Whether you are an immature believer or a mature believer also makes no difference. Even if you happen to be alive in the Rapture generation, your separation from this world will be a form of death as your old body is instantaneously transformed into a resurrection body.
Everyone who has been born into life, will leave this life for eternity, and everyone will be judged (or evaluated) by Christ.
Most people, when they are faced with an examination, will try to prepare for it, in order to get a better grade. But of course there are those folks who do not prepare, and their final grade will be a poor one.
As you live through your life, in this life, as a growing believer, you will face many hardships. And, many of those hardships will come at the hands of folks that don’t happen to like you. Whether you are a peasant caught in the struggle for power by higher classes of folks, or a pawn in someone else's social struggle, or just a person who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, all makes no difference.
Your life depends on God, and your future evaluation depends on the amount of doctrine in your soul that you have learned, understood, applied to your life, and resulted in an abundance of spiritual production.
Everything else that you think, say, and do in life, if it is not a result of your spiritual life, amounts to absolutely nothing.
And the nice thing about all of this, is that this principle or rule, applies to everyone.
The elite, the privileged, the high and mighty, and so forth, are no different than the lowliest of the low, when it comes to the command of God, that they should stand before Him at their appointed time.
The first evaluation in history, will occur immediately after the Rapture. We believers of the dispensation of the Church Age will stand before Christ, in heaven, while the world is undergoing its phenomenal Tribulation.
At the end of their Tribulation, immediately after the Second Advent of Christ, all Old Testament believers will stand before Christ for their evaluation.
We call these judgments, the Judgment Seat of Christ, by the way. This is a good judgment to participate in.
At the end of the Millennium, then all of the Millennial believers will receive their evaluation, and that will conclude the judgments for believers.
At the end of the Millennium, and after all believer judgments, then all unbelievers will be brought before Christ at the Great White Throne, and there they will receive their judgment. This judgment will not be a good one for them. The will collectively and individually continue to reject Christ, and then they will be throne into the Lake of Fire, never to be heard from, or even seen, again.
The universe will then be destroyed, obliterated, extinguished into nothing, as though it had never ever existed, and then heaven will descend into a new universe, which between the two, will combine into our one great new and eternal playground and home. It will be so vast, that even in all of eternity, we will never be able to explore all of it.
The results of your evaluation, the blessings, rewards, privileges, honors, etc, that you receive at your judgment before Christ, will be yours and will become active and functional during this eternal state.
Therefore, your evaluation before Christ is the single most important evaluation that you will ever have. And the results of your evaluation, are totally determined by the doctrine, the spiritual production of your spiritual life. In this manner, you have some control over the design of your evaluation results.
You can either grow and live the spiritual life as God intends for you to live it, and become the recipient of the eternally permanent and highest honors in all of history, or you can ignore all of this Bible stuff, and lose out on those blessings and rewards.
Those rewards are totally dependent on your spiritual life, or lack of it.
So, remember when you are being maligned or used as a puppet by the people and systems of the world, that they will have to answer to God, just as you will. And that they, by their sin nature driven souls, are doing nothing to you, but totally destroying their eternal future blessings.
You may be hammered a bit for now, but then it is far better to suffer now for later blessings that will never end, than to have the good life, of the sin nature, now, and then suffer (lose out on blessings) for all of eternity.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
1 Peter 4:3-4
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:3-4
3 For [gar] the time [chronos] past [parerchomai] of our life [bios] may suffice [arketos] us [hemin] to have wrought [katergazomai] the will [thelema] of the Gentiles [ethnos], when we walked [poreuomai] in [en] lasciviousness [aselgeia], lusts [epithumia], excess of wine [oinophlugia], revellings [komos], banquetings [potos], and [kai] abominable [athemitos] idolatries [eidololatreia]:
4 Wherein [en] [hos] they think it strange [xenizo] that ye [humon] run [suntrecho] not [me] with them to [eis] the same [autos] excess [anachusis] of riot [asotia], speaking evil of [blasphemeo] you: KJV-Interlinear
3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you; NASB
You have five potential live phases. The first is as an unbeliever. This occurs from the moment of your birth to the moment of your belief in Christ.
Everyone lives this phase of their life.
The second phase of your life begins the moment of your initial faith in Christ. This is your second birth. Just as your first birth occurred in an instant of time (you exited the womb and inhaled your first breath of air), so too your second birth occurs in an instant of time (the moment of your faith in Christ). At the moment of your salvation, you are in fellowship with God.
The third phase of your life occurs while you are a believer and it oscillates back and forth between fellowship and your carnal life. It begins at the moment of your first sin, ends at the moment of your confession, restarts when you commit another sin, ends when you confess, and so forth.
Your second and third phases oscillate back and forth between your carnal life and your spiritual life, but both occur during your life as a believer.
Your fourth phase of life begins at the moment of your physical death, and continues until you receive a resurrection body.
And your fifth phase of life will begin at the moment when you receive your resurrection body and will continue on forever without interruption.
Note quickly that each of these phase changes occur instantaneously. Only the second and third phase may be controlled by your own decisions. The decision to believe in Christ, and the decisions to confess.
Peter tells us here that when we have believed in Christ, then our first life phase, the time when we are totally under the control of our sin nature as an unbeliever, has passed away permanently. Once you believe in Christ, then you cannot return to your former state. Once born, you cannot unborn yourself. Once born again, you cannot unborn yourself.
But while you are a believer you can certainly imitate the lifestyle of the unbeliever, simply by ignoring doctrine. And if you do that then you will think and act just like any unbeliever, and you will be one of them, so to speak.
But, if you choose to ignore the call of your sin nature, and pursue the call of your spiritual life, then you will be ostracized, treated as an outsider, made fun of, shunned, ridiculed, even treated with contempt or violence.
You have a choice as a believer in Christ. You can live like any other unbeliever, cave in to the peer pressures of life, refuse to go against the tide of current or popular opinion, and in effect bow down to the god of the worlds’ philosophies, ideas, and beliefs.
Or, you can refuse to bow to the world, and take the hits that the world will throw at you.
The activities listed in verse three, are simply broad categories of the activities of the sin nature. We studied that yesterday. Whether criminal, human righteousness, lascivious, lustful, or asceticism, any activity sponsored by the sin nature is evil.
The world will demand that you conform to it, and any rejection of the world makes you an instant enemy.
And understand that the world, its philosophies, its religions, its beliefs, and so forth, make friends of no one, and sooner or later, enemies of everyone.
In doctrine, you will end up in life a winner, regardless of your circumstances.
In the carnal world, you will end up a loser, regardless of your circumstances.
Jesus Christ controls history, not man, not angels, certainly not governments. Jesus Christ holds you, the advancing believer, in the palm of His hand, and there you are under His protection, His perfect protection.
Whatever happens in life, and we are probably witnessing the beginnings of a difficult economic time in our history, just remember that it is Christ who will get you through it all, not the world.
So your best avenue of survival is to stick with your daily Bible studies, and in so doing, God will place the seeds of clear responsible thinking within your mind, so you can make the tough decisions and the right decisions that will help you get through life, regardless of what you may be facing.
Typically, the world that drifts away from truth, has to be hit hard, before enough folks get it, wake up, and get back to focusing on truth, God and their spiritual life. The more stubborn the population is, the more and harder the hits will become. So, as the Bible says, gird up your loins, prepare yourself.
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1 Peter 4:3-4
3 For [gar] the time [chronos] past [parerchomai] of our life [bios] may suffice [arketos] us [hemin] to have wrought [katergazomai] the will [thelema] of the Gentiles [ethnos], when we walked [poreuomai] in [en] lasciviousness [aselgeia], lusts [epithumia], excess of wine [oinophlugia], revellings [komos], banquetings [potos], and [kai] abominable [athemitos] idolatries [eidololatreia]:
4 Wherein [en] [hos] they think it strange [xenizo] that ye [humon] run [suntrecho] not [me] with them to [eis] the same [autos] excess [anachusis] of riot [asotia], speaking evil of [blasphemeo] you: KJV-Interlinear
3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you; NASB
You have five potential live phases. The first is as an unbeliever. This occurs from the moment of your birth to the moment of your belief in Christ.
Everyone lives this phase of their life.
The second phase of your life begins the moment of your initial faith in Christ. This is your second birth. Just as your first birth occurred in an instant of time (you exited the womb and inhaled your first breath of air), so too your second birth occurs in an instant of time (the moment of your faith in Christ). At the moment of your salvation, you are in fellowship with God.
The third phase of your life occurs while you are a believer and it oscillates back and forth between fellowship and your carnal life. It begins at the moment of your first sin, ends at the moment of your confession, restarts when you commit another sin, ends when you confess, and so forth.
Your second and third phases oscillate back and forth between your carnal life and your spiritual life, but both occur during your life as a believer.
Your fourth phase of life begins at the moment of your physical death, and continues until you receive a resurrection body.
And your fifth phase of life will begin at the moment when you receive your resurrection body and will continue on forever without interruption.
Note quickly that each of these phase changes occur instantaneously. Only the second and third phase may be controlled by your own decisions. The decision to believe in Christ, and the decisions to confess.
Peter tells us here that when we have believed in Christ, then our first life phase, the time when we are totally under the control of our sin nature as an unbeliever, has passed away permanently. Once you believe in Christ, then you cannot return to your former state. Once born, you cannot unborn yourself. Once born again, you cannot unborn yourself.
But while you are a believer you can certainly imitate the lifestyle of the unbeliever, simply by ignoring doctrine. And if you do that then you will think and act just like any unbeliever, and you will be one of them, so to speak.
But, if you choose to ignore the call of your sin nature, and pursue the call of your spiritual life, then you will be ostracized, treated as an outsider, made fun of, shunned, ridiculed, even treated with contempt or violence.
You have a choice as a believer in Christ. You can live like any other unbeliever, cave in to the peer pressures of life, refuse to go against the tide of current or popular opinion, and in effect bow down to the god of the worlds’ philosophies, ideas, and beliefs.
Or, you can refuse to bow to the world, and take the hits that the world will throw at you.
The activities listed in verse three, are simply broad categories of the activities of the sin nature. We studied that yesterday. Whether criminal, human righteousness, lascivious, lustful, or asceticism, any activity sponsored by the sin nature is evil.
The world will demand that you conform to it, and any rejection of the world makes you an instant enemy.
And understand that the world, its philosophies, its religions, its beliefs, and so forth, make friends of no one, and sooner or later, enemies of everyone.
In doctrine, you will end up in life a winner, regardless of your circumstances.
In the carnal world, you will end up a loser, regardless of your circumstances.
Jesus Christ controls history, not man, not angels, certainly not governments. Jesus Christ holds you, the advancing believer, in the palm of His hand, and there you are under His protection, His perfect protection.
Whatever happens in life, and we are probably witnessing the beginnings of a difficult economic time in our history, just remember that it is Christ who will get you through it all, not the world.
So your best avenue of survival is to stick with your daily Bible studies, and in so doing, God will place the seeds of clear responsible thinking within your mind, so you can make the tough decisions and the right decisions that will help you get through life, regardless of what you may be facing.
Typically, the world that drifts away from truth, has to be hit hard, before enough folks get it, wake up, and get back to focusing on truth, God and their spiritual life. The more stubborn the population is, the more and harder the hits will become. So, as the Bible says, gird up your loins, prepare yourself.
Monday, November 24, 2008
1 Peter 4:2
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:2
2 That [eis] he [bioo] no longer [meketi] should live [bioo] the rest [epiloipos] of his time [chronos] in [en] the flesh [sarx] to the lusts [epithumia] of men [anthropos], but [alla] to the will [thelema] of God [theos]. KJV-Interlinear
2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. NASB
The distinction here is whether you choose to live within the power of the sin nature that resides within your physical body, or to live within the power of the Holy Spirit (fellowship).
The sin nature is a genetic defect that passes down to all of humanity, from Adam, Rom. 6:6, 7:5, 18, Gen. 5:3. When a person is born, the sin nature is the target of the original sin of Adam, Rom. 5:12. This leads to spiritual death and the subsequent sovereignty of the sin nature’s control over the person’s life, Rom. 6:12.
The sin nature is the focal point of mans rebellion against God and truth, and is referred to by various terms – sin, Rom. 7:13, flesh, Gal. 5:16, old man, Eph. 4:22.
The sin nature has an area of weakness which is sin, Rom. 12:1, an area of strength which is human good, Isa. 64:6, a tendency toward asceticism, 2 Cor. 11:13, a trend toward lasciviousness, Gal. 5:19-21, and a lust pattern, Eph. 2:3.
The sin nature is in constant conflict – the law of God verses the law of the physical body, Rom. 7:22-23
And here we have the command of God to live the rest of our days, in fellowship, under the control of Gods laws, rather than under the control of the carnal laws of the body.
You are bound by one set of laws or the other. There is no third set of laws, no self defined laws, preferences, or beliefs, by which you can free yourself from sin, or from God. You live your life either by the sin nature or by Bible doctrine. And you make that choice all by yourself. You are a slave to the one or to the other.
And it is far better to be a slave of truth, than a slave of lies.
God expects you to choose truth, rather than subject yourself to the selfish lies of the flesh, its pleasures, its arrogant opinions, its enticements, its arguments, its reasonings, its logic, all of which are deceitful traps.
God expects you to live your life in fellowship, which is accomplished by the regular confession of your sins from day to day, or how ever often you need to confess to God the Father.
God expects you to grow up in truth, by learning Bible doctrine, developing an appetite for truth, by using it in your daily life, and by advancing to maturity in your spiritual life. This is the path of your life for a complete, and thorough, and successful life. One which will last you forever.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:2
2 That [eis] he [bioo] no longer [meketi] should live [bioo] the rest [epiloipos] of his time [chronos] in [en] the flesh [sarx] to the lusts [epithumia] of men [anthropos], but [alla] to the will [thelema] of God [theos]. KJV-Interlinear
2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. NASB
The distinction here is whether you choose to live within the power of the sin nature that resides within your physical body, or to live within the power of the Holy Spirit (fellowship).
The sin nature is a genetic defect that passes down to all of humanity, from Adam, Rom. 6:6, 7:5, 18, Gen. 5:3. When a person is born, the sin nature is the target of the original sin of Adam, Rom. 5:12. This leads to spiritual death and the subsequent sovereignty of the sin nature’s control over the person’s life, Rom. 6:12.
The sin nature is the focal point of mans rebellion against God and truth, and is referred to by various terms – sin, Rom. 7:13, flesh, Gal. 5:16, old man, Eph. 4:22.
The sin nature has an area of weakness which is sin, Rom. 12:1, an area of strength which is human good, Isa. 64:6, a tendency toward asceticism, 2 Cor. 11:13, a trend toward lasciviousness, Gal. 5:19-21, and a lust pattern, Eph. 2:3.
The sin nature is in constant conflict – the law of God verses the law of the physical body, Rom. 7:22-23
And here we have the command of God to live the rest of our days, in fellowship, under the control of Gods laws, rather than under the control of the carnal laws of the body.
You are bound by one set of laws or the other. There is no third set of laws, no self defined laws, preferences, or beliefs, by which you can free yourself from sin, or from God. You live your life either by the sin nature or by Bible doctrine. And you make that choice all by yourself. You are a slave to the one or to the other.
And it is far better to be a slave of truth, than a slave of lies.
God expects you to choose truth, rather than subject yourself to the selfish lies of the flesh, its pleasures, its arrogant opinions, its enticements, its arguments, its reasonings, its logic, all of which are deceitful traps.
God expects you to live your life in fellowship, which is accomplished by the regular confession of your sins from day to day, or how ever often you need to confess to God the Father.
God expects you to grow up in truth, by learning Bible doctrine, developing an appetite for truth, by using it in your daily life, and by advancing to maturity in your spiritual life. This is the path of your life for a complete, and thorough, and successful life. One which will last you forever.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
1 Peter 4:1
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:1
1 Forasmuch then as [oun] Christ [Christos] hath suffered [pascho] for [huper] us [hemon] in the flesh [sarx], arm [hoplizo] yourselves [humeis] likewise [kai] with the same [autos] mind [ennoia]: for [hoti] he that hath suffered [pascho] in [en] the flesh [sarx] hath ceased [pauo] from sin [hamartia]; KJV-Interlinear
1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, NASB
Because Christ went to the Cross, because Christ came into this world and suffered in our place, because Christ performed the work of salvation making a path open to each one of us, because Christ did all of this and more, making available for each one of us a means for spiritual growth to maximum maturity and benefit forever, then ‘arm yourselves,’ says this verse. Because you have this wonderful opportunity, then take advantage of it.
This armor is a protective covering, both for offensive and defensive actions, as applied in a military setting.
Our armor is Bible doctrine, it is the shield for our soul, covering us over with Gods protection of discernment, for seeing and recognizing truth, for possessing the orientation to life, to people, to God, to understanding, to wisdom, to everything.
This armor is the armor of thought, the thinking of your mind. The same thinking that Christ possesses, which is the Word of God, the mind of Christ.
Because when you live outside of the fellowship of God, you by default live in the carnal realm of the sin nature. And whether you admit it or not, whether you recognize it or not, all life under the control of the sin nature, is a form of suffering.
Some folks will laugh at this comment, as they exercise their lusts and passions, never imagining their activities as suffering, but more to pleasure than anything else.
But suffering does not mean physical pain or mental pain only, suffering also means the repercussions of ones chosen lifestyle. And those repercussions of a life lived under the sin nature, will lead to loss of spiritual growth, and therefore loss of eternal blessings. These blessings will not become apparent until you actually see them and then lose them.
Imagine holding the winning ticket for gazillions, seeing the pile of money so high that you cannot even see the top, beginning your celebration for your good fortune, and then at the last moment, someone comes along and takes it from you. You lose. The disappointment overwhelms you. The jokes, the attitude, all suddenly have no meaning as they once did.
And so it is with people who just will not get with their daily study program, with people who will not buy into Gods plan, with people who never, or refuse, to see the importance of their spiritual life.
It is far too easy to ignore God and just live your life from day to day, but then no commitment means no reward. But making a commitment means ‘Ugh!’ having to read the Bible everyday, having to confess perhaps several times a day, having to monitor your thoughts constantly. It means no more fun … in the sinful sense. It means having to share with others, that which you have worked so hard for … Ugh! Such suffering! And for what?
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:1
1 Forasmuch then as [oun] Christ [Christos] hath suffered [pascho] for [huper] us [hemon] in the flesh [sarx], arm [hoplizo] yourselves [humeis] likewise [kai] with the same [autos] mind [ennoia]: for [hoti] he that hath suffered [pascho] in [en] the flesh [sarx] hath ceased [pauo] from sin [hamartia]; KJV-Interlinear
1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, NASB
Because Christ went to the Cross, because Christ came into this world and suffered in our place, because Christ performed the work of salvation making a path open to each one of us, because Christ did all of this and more, making available for each one of us a means for spiritual growth to maximum maturity and benefit forever, then ‘arm yourselves,’ says this verse. Because you have this wonderful opportunity, then take advantage of it.
This armor is a protective covering, both for offensive and defensive actions, as applied in a military setting.
Our armor is Bible doctrine, it is the shield for our soul, covering us over with Gods protection of discernment, for seeing and recognizing truth, for possessing the orientation to life, to people, to God, to understanding, to wisdom, to everything.
This armor is the armor of thought, the thinking of your mind. The same thinking that Christ possesses, which is the Word of God, the mind of Christ.
Because when you live outside of the fellowship of God, you by default live in the carnal realm of the sin nature. And whether you admit it or not, whether you recognize it or not, all life under the control of the sin nature, is a form of suffering.
Some folks will laugh at this comment, as they exercise their lusts and passions, never imagining their activities as suffering, but more to pleasure than anything else.
But suffering does not mean physical pain or mental pain only, suffering also means the repercussions of ones chosen lifestyle. And those repercussions of a life lived under the sin nature, will lead to loss of spiritual growth, and therefore loss of eternal blessings. These blessings will not become apparent until you actually see them and then lose them.
Imagine holding the winning ticket for gazillions, seeing the pile of money so high that you cannot even see the top, beginning your celebration for your good fortune, and then at the last moment, someone comes along and takes it from you. You lose. The disappointment overwhelms you. The jokes, the attitude, all suddenly have no meaning as they once did.
And so it is with people who just will not get with their daily study program, with people who will not buy into Gods plan, with people who never, or refuse, to see the importance of their spiritual life.
It is far too easy to ignore God and just live your life from day to day, but then no commitment means no reward. But making a commitment means ‘Ugh!’ having to read the Bible everyday, having to confess perhaps several times a day, having to monitor your thoughts constantly. It means no more fun … in the sinful sense. It means having to share with others, that which you have worked so hard for … Ugh! Such suffering! And for what?
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