1 Peter 3:22

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1 Peter 3:22


22 Who [hos] is gone [poreuomai] into [eis] heaven [ouranos], and is [esti] on [en] the right hand [dexios] of God [theos]; angels [aggelos] and [kai] authorities [exousia] and [kai] powers [dunamis] being made subject [hupotasso] unto him [autos]. KJV-Interlinear


22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. NASB


At the first advent of Jesus Christ, He came into this world to render sin and death, impotent. He accomplished this on the Cross.

Throughout history, humanity has invented various other deities and faiths, as substitutes for a better divine destiny, and one that is more to mans liking and convenience. And in this, Jesus Christ was ignored, rejected, or replaced.

However, truth stands on its own, and invented deities, invented standards, convenient beliefs, which originate from mans imagination, filled with lies, never stand, but collapse under their own false weight.

By the same token, truth elevates the one and only means of access to God (the Father), which access is through Jesus Christ, who was rejected by arrogant humanity, to the highest possible position in existence.

God the Father is the highest ranking being. Satan wanted to be like the most high, but resented having to go through someone else.

Humanity in his arrogance seeks to elevate itself to the level of God (the Father), but resents having to go through someone else.

It seems that arrogance refuses to be relegated to rules, thinking themselves greater than the rules. And so the rule, the gateway, the only means of access, is Himself elevated to a position even higher than that of the Father.

The right side is traditionally the position of authority. When a general rides in a vehicle, walks down the sidewalk, sits at a table, he is always seated on the right, with all subordinates seated or positioned to the left. When you walk your dog, the dog is on the left with you the human positioned on the right. That is the relationship of authority to subordinates.

When you function in life, you may want to keep this in mind, for it reflects on how you view life, and on how you view Gods rules.

Jesus Christ is seated currently at the right hand side of the Father, in heaven, Psa. 110:1, Rom. 8:34, Col. 3:1, Eph. 1:20, Heb. 1:3. Jesus Christ, who is the one being rejected by evil, is in fact the highest authority in all of the universe and in heaven. There is no other realm in existence but heaven and our universe.

This position does not make Jesus better than the Father or the Spirit. They are all three co-equal, co-infinite, and co-eternal. They all three possess the same and identical attributes and essence. However, since man will attempt to approach God the Father, through their own efforts, then the plan of God (the Father), singled out the Son as the only means of access to the Godhead. Arrogance cannot stand being ordered about or told what it can or cannot do.

And since Gods plan is extremely simple, it becomes a stumbling block for sin, which rejects any suggestion that it is subordinate to anyone or anything.

If Jesus Christ has all the ability, resources, and power in existence, then He can do anything. There is nothing too difficult for Him. He is able to create a universe right down to it smallest detail. He can destroy the universe and recreated another one with different rules of physics and function.

If Jesus Christ holds us in His hands, then there is no one and nothing, that can take us out of His hands.

If you pursue your spiritual life, if you obey Gods mandates, if you subscribe to the principles and rules of the spiritual life as well as your temporal life, as God would have you, then it is He who watches over you and takes action on your prayers.

Don’t forget that all legitimate prayer is directed toward the Father, through the name of Christ, but it is Christ who executes your prayers and makes them come into reality.

With Christ on your side, then losing in life is an impossibility. Victory is certain.

By the same token, if you compromise your spiritual life, then you do not have Christ on your side, and winning becomes your impossibility. Loss becomes your certainty.

Peter has been addressing people who have been living under stressful conditions. Peter has pointed out that many folks in history have lived under even greater stresses, and have come out of it all in great shape. The difference between the winner and the loser in life, is Jesus Christ, in their life.

You just have to decide when it is that you are going to adopt and live by Gods mandates, setting your own personal standards or convenient beliefs, aside. Which view in life is more important?

1 Peter 3:21

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1 Peter 3:21


21 The like figure [antitupos] whereunto [hos] even baptism [baptisma] doth [sozo] also [kai] now [nun] save [sozo] us [hemas] (not [ou] the putting away [apothesis] of the filth [rhupos] of the flesh [sarx], but [alla] the answer [eperotema] of a good [agathos] conscience [suneidesis] toward [eis] God [theos],) by [dia] the resurrection [anastasis] of Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos]: KJV-Interlinear


21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, NASB


This is one of the most confusing verses in the Bible, as most folks look at the baptism aspects rather than the cause or purpose of the baptism.

The verse begins clearly with the statement that this is a ‘figure,’ a representation, a symbolism, an anti-type of a type, an example or illustration of the real thing. The real thing being salvation.

Remember that the Bible is a long series of parables. Filled with symbolisms and representations of real life experiences that teach spiritual phenomena.

The baptism is an immersion or the complete covering of a thing (your life) in such a manner as to wash away, or wipe away, or identify with, a greater reality (salvation).

Christ’s work on the Cross is the actual work of salvation. When a person believes in Christ, the Holy Spirit regenerates within the person, a human spirit, which is a vessel (the third vessel component of the person), and into which eternal life is inserted. This makes the person trichotomous (body, soul, and spirit). Unbelievers are body and soul only or dichotomous.

Using the flood of Noah, Peter illustrates the suffering Noah and his family endured when surrounded by extreme evil. That was the state of his world then, and is representative of the state of the current world now, and always has been.

They were not delivered by the water, not delivered by the ark, but delivered by means of their good conscience, which means that they believed in God, His instructions, and were obedient to His commands. And in this case, they were to build an ark.

Without the ark, they would have died in the water, along with everyone else. The water was the agent of judgment. The ark was not submerged in the water, but road up and above the water. It was the agent of deliverance. Neither Noah nor any member of his family were made wet (from the judgment), but were kept dry (in fellowship), within the confines of the ark (Gods protection). And their whole picture of this series of events, points to their faith and trust and obedience in God. For without that, they would have nothing.

Baptism is a washing. It is depicted as the washing away of filth and dirt and stench off of the external body. But washing the body in water is not salvation and it saves nothing. This is representative of the washing of the soul in salvation. The Holy Spirit’s baptism is the actual and real baptism, which washes away the stench of sin, from the persons soul.

In salvation, the individual is washed and immediately placed in fellowship. But then we do not go to heaven immediately. We still have to live our life, and grow up in our spiritual life. And as we are still confined to our physical bodies, which are riddled with the sin nature, we must cleanse regularly (confession), in order to maintain our spiritual cleanliness (fellowship) throughout our daily life.

All of this we do in obedience to Gods mandate for obtaining and keeping a relationship with Him.

The good conscience is the maintained soul. Maintained with the proper foods (Bible doctrine) and the proper care (confession). A proper diet (doctrine) and the proper exercise (application of doctrine to ones daily life), make for proper and healthy growth in ones spiritual life.

The rituals of life, do not save. The daily shower, the weekly or monthly sprinkle of water, do not save, or even contribute in any way to ones spiritual life.

The only thing that saves is faith in Christ. And in this, faith has only to be expressed one time in ones life. Once you believe you cannot undo, that belief.

The only thing that promotes growth and health, is obedience to Gods commands.

The answer, ‘eperotema,’ (Gods answer), to faith (your good conscience response), is salvation.

The answer, ‘eperotema,’ (Gods answer), to obedience in your spiritual life (your good conscience response), is spiritual growth to maturity.

The Holy Spirit is the agent of both of these accomplishments. Jesus Christ, is the source of both of these accomplishments.

1 Peter 3:19-20

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1 Peter 3:19-20


19 By [en] which [hos] also [kai] he went [poreuomai] and preached [kerusso] unto the spirits [pneuma] in [en] prison [phulake];
20 Which sometime [pote] were disobedient [apeitheo], when [hote] once [hapax] the longsuffering [makrothumia] of God [theos] waited [ekdechomai] in [en] the days [hemera] of Noah [Noe], while the ark [kibotos] was a preparing [kataskeuazo], wherein [eis] [hos] few [oligos], that is [toutesti], eight [okto] souls [psuche] were saved [diasozo] by [dia] water [hudor]. KJV-Interlinear


19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. NASB


After Christ’s work on the Cross was finished, He pushed himself forward, exhaled His last breath, and died physically, in the same manner as every other human being on this earth has died.

At that moment several miracles and events took place. The storm, the earthquake, some Old Testament believers rose up and walked the streets for Jerusalem, the curtain dividing the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies in the Temple, was torn top to bottom and so forth.

But there was another set of events that occurred that living humanity did not see. When He died, Jesus’ body was placed in the grave, His soul went to paradise (one of the compartments in the underworld called Hades), and His spirit went to heaven (but His spirit made a quick stop in Tartarus, first).

In any other death of a believer, the soul and spirit never separate. They will remain together forever, never to be separated, ever. But in Jesus’ case, there was an exception, as well as a demonstration.

In death, the unbeliever who consists of body and soul only, leaves this world, resides temporarily in Torments (another of the compartments in the underworld called Hades), and remains there until they are called for at the end of human history, to stand before Christ at the Great White Throne. There, they will then be formally sentenced to the Lake of Fire, and that judgment formally executed.

When the believer died in Old Testament days, then their soul and spirit, both eternally united, went to paradise and there awaited the victory of the cross. They were often referred to as captives. Not that they were in jail for wrong doing, but because and until Satan’s accusations had been formally dealt with by the Cross, they had a place to go to while awaiting Gods victory.Cross.


Acts 2:27
27 Because Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay. NASB

Eph. 4:8-9
8 Therefore it says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.’
9 (Now this expression, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? NASB

Psa 68:18
18 Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captive Thy captives; NASB

Once the victory of the Cross had been historically accomplished, then those believers from Old Testament times, were led by Christ, out of Paradise, and into heaven. Therefore, since Paradise in now empty, this means only that Christ has accomplished, successfully, His work on the Cross and had descended (His soul that is) into Paradise (Hades).

Prior to the advent of the human race, angels lived in this universe. They were led in a rebellion by Satan, were given a chance to return to God, refused and some were judged to the Lake of Fire. Those rebellious angels, fallen angels or demons, or devils as they may be called, are currently awaiting their sentencing orders from God.

But there is another category of creature that came into existence at the time of Noah.

In Genesis six, we have the story of angels breeding with human women, producing many strange, strong and powerful hybrid creatures. They were evil to the extreme. And as the Bible states, these people were the source of the stories of the great men of old, which today we call Greek mythology.

When the ark was built they were evangelized by Noah, but rejected the salvation call. The word for disobedient, ‘apeitheo,’ means the disobedience of a belligerent kind. They were not only indifferent toward the gospel, but they openly and deliberately opposed God, Noah, and everything that smacked of truth. Their evil was never repeated in history, that is, until the end times of the Tribulation, when life will get evil and horrible to the extreme. That comparison is made in Matthew 24.

When Noah and his family (Noah, Noah’s wife, Noah’s three sons and their three wives), of only eight people, entered into the ark, then the rains and underground waters came and the entire population of the world died.

Those half-breed creatures, half-human, half-angel, were sent to Tartarus, where they remained and will remain until the end of human history and their judgment.

Their belligerent attitude was so great, that with their fate now sealed because of the victory of the Cross, Christ, in His spirit, went into Hades, to Tartarus, to announce the victory of the Cross and that their fate was now sealed.

The fallen angels have already been told their fate, and humanity will find out their fate in a formal trial at the Great White Throne. These creatures were evidently the worst of the worst of living creatures, and defiant to the maximum.

Their belligerence, their defiance, their evil was so great, and yet they lost everything. Only eight people were delivered because of their faith.

In the end days, the world will again turn evil to the maximum, and likewise there will be few by comparison, who will not follow the popular beliefs, but will remain faithful to the very last moment before the Second Advent.

Noah and his family suffered because of their faith and faithfulness. They worked on the ark for one-hundred and twenty years. That is a long time to bear the brunt of the worlds criticism. Most folks would cave in and turn away from God, because of the social pressures and treatment.

At the end of history, a few people, will stick it out, even to the point of hiding in caves with absolutely no comforts for home, when they could easily leave their caves and go with the popular opinions of the world.

And by the way, if the Tribulation does not occur for another hundred years, just imagine the comforts that people will have a century from now, and imagine leaving all of those conveniences for the extreme hardships of life in a cave. Could you do that today? It will be doubly hard for future generations. Generations who may not even know how to boil water, let alone make a fire, catch game and cook it, while at the same time hide and keep from being discovered, in an even further advanced technological age of the future.

And of course, after three days in the grave, Christ was reunited with his soul, and spirit, and a resurrected body, and then ascended into heaven and so forth. It was then that He led all of the captives out of Paradise and into heaven.

A huge parade, and huge celebration, one that we can only find a comparison in the Old Testament in 2 Sam. 6. You can read that story at your leisure.

Judgment on the Cross, blasted Christ apart into His three components, body, soul and spirit. And yet the work of the Cross was so thorough and complete, that death could not keep Him dismembered.

1 Peter 3:18

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1 Peter 3:18


18 For [hoti] Christ [Christos] also [kai] hath once [hapax] suffered [pascho] for [peri] sins [hamartia], the just [dikaios] for [huper] the unjust [adikos], that [hina] he might bring [prosago] us [hemas] to God [theos], being put to death [thanatoo] [men] in the flesh [sarx], but [de] quickened [zoopoieo] by the Spirit [pneuma]: KJV-Interlinear


18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; NASB


Jesus Christ went to the Cross and suffered in order that we may not have to suffer. Christ was nailed to the Cross in the mid morning hours and hung there until noon on the day of the Passover feast, a single day celebration.

At noon, when the sun was high and the day was bright, the skies darkened with a supernatural darkness. The first of two supernatural darkness's that will occur in history. The second will occur immediately before the Second Advent, at the end of their tribulation.

When darkness covered the world, then for three hours, Jesus screamed and screamed in the most horrible suffering beyond human imagination or perception. His physical suffering prior to all of this, the beatings, the mental torture, and so forth, were nothing by comparison.

For three hours, Jesus died a spiritual death, while he was still physically alive and hanging on the Cross, receiving the punishment for all of mankind's sins.

He died once. He went to the Cross once. He paid the price and penalty once, and only once, for that was all that was necessary in order to clear the slate of charges for the sins of all of humanity.

Jesus did not die daily, or even several times during His life. He did not come back and keep on coming back to earth in order to clean up mans continuing mess. Christ died once and He died for everyone, believers and unbelievers alike. All sins were paid in full. None were left out or forgotten or overlooked.

Jesus did not do anything in order to deserve this judgment and suffering. He is the just. Man has failed miserably throughout his life and all of history. Humanity is the unjust.

Being failures in life, man has no future whatsoever. Mans destiny would be eternal separation from God. God is truth, God is life, therefore man was at risk of being separated from truth and life, forever. And that is the Lake of Fire, which is an environment of uncontrollable chaos. God controls all of history, but leaves the Lake of Fire to mans’ and Satan's control, which results in no control.

Therefore, Christ went to the Cross in order to give each one of us an opportunity for restoration to life, which is also a relationship with God, who is life. Apart from Jesus, there is no other means of attaining this restoration.

Jesus went to the Cross and died a spiritual death when He received the punishment of all of mans sins. They were poured out on Him. Then He died a physical death, in the very same manner as every other human being dies. His soul and spirit left the body.

But unlike humanity, who lacks the ability or power to restore themselves, their soul and spirit, back into their physical body, Jesus, in faith, looked to God and was restored back to life.

‘Made alive again,’ means to be restored to life, made alive, recalled to life, reanimated with the affect that He would never lose life again.

And so, we as humanity, who believe in Christ, and living in this devils world, may very well suffer in varying degrees. In our suffering in life, we associate ourselves with the suffering that Jesus endured prior to and during the time He hung on the Cross. Likewise, in our physical death, this suffering as it may be called, because it is the event of separation of oneself from the physical body, is also an identification of Christ in his physical death after the events of the Cross.

So in life and in death we identify with Christ, and likewise being identified with Christ, we will be called back to life and restored just as He was.

There is our eternal guarantee of eternal life and the elimination of any possibility of having a second death or the Lake of Fire. This promise and guarantee belongs to each person who has believed in Christ, and therefore in believing in Him, identified with Him in His work (not our own pathetic attempts at works).

1 Peter 3:17

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1 Peter 3:17


17 For [gar] it is better [kreitton], if [ei] the will [thelema] of God [theos] be so [thelo], that ye suffer [pascho] for well doing [agathopoieo], than [e] for evil doing [kakopoieo]. KJV-Interlinear


17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. NASB


In life there are only two forms of suffering. There is suffering for unbelievers and suffering for believers.

For unbelievers there is suffering for pain, suffering for death, and suffering by means of Gods control over history.

In suffering for pain wherein the unbeliever suffers due to the many difficulties of life that bring pain into the unbelievers life, demonstrating their inability to control their own life, and thus (hopefully), seek a solution that is greater than they, and that solution is faith in Christ, or the salvation message.

So life's suffering is a form of judgment against the unbeliever with the objective of getting their attention and getting them to listen to the gospel with the result that they believe in Christ and thus become saved and not lost for all of eternity.

Suffering by death is the only result of a hardened stubborn attitude against truth. If the unbeliever rejects Gods grace in the gospel and refuses to believe in Christ. The only recourse then is to remove them from history by death. This leads to their eternal judgment or second death, which will be the Lake of Fire.

In life, the unbeliever can expect only judgment from God. Any blessing they receive is merely because of their association with believers who happen to be living on the same planet as the unbelievers. By having believers here on planet earth, is the only thing that gives the unbeliever any form of blessing.

While the Ark was being built, Noah and his family were the only ones receiving blessing. Unbelievers enjoyed life only while Noah was constructing the Ark. Once they entered into the Ark, that blessing enjoyed by the unbelieving population, ceased and they all died.

When the Rapture occurs, all believers will leave the world, leaving only unbelievers. The world will deteriorate rapidly and were it not for folks recognizing their circumstances and coming to Christ, then the Tribulation would not last its designated seven years, but would end in a much shorter time.

The last judgment related suffering for unbelievers comes for God Himself. Jesus Christ controls history. And despite that it is Satan who currently rules the world, it is Christ who controls the flow of history.

Evil despises evil. There is no honor among thieves. One tyrant hates another tyrant. One unbeliever hates another unbeliever. And Christ allows these evil components to destroy each other. One evil nation may be allowed to rise up in order to destroy another evil nation. And so history moves along with Gods guidance, not mans.

As for believers, there are two forms of suffering. The first is for punitive purposes, and the second is suffering for blessing.

Of all the suffering categories just mentioned, the very last is the best form of suffering that one could have, because it is God who controls all aspects of it, and its objective is to aid and accelerate the believer in his spiritual growth.

Punitive suffering comes from Gods discipline toward the individual for the bad choices the believer has made. These bad choices are all related to not living in the fellowship sphere and not living in accordance with Gods mandates and will, for the individual. Simply put, when you do not live within your spiritual life, then suffering from discipline will occur.

There is a fine line that differentiates suffering from discipline and suffering for blessing. One person can lose their job and if they do not have a functional spiritual life, then their suffering is disciplinary purposes. Another person who lives within their spiritual life, can lose their job, and that becomes suffering for blessing.

The first looks at life and probably for excuses or blame. They should learn from the experience and begin to look to God through doctrine. The second person, looks to God and knows in his heart, that another job will become available, that God will not let him down. They advance in their faith and trust in God.

In either case, the mental attitude and stresses on each individual will be different. Much easier for the spiritually mature person than the immature person.

They both will have to go look for work, etc. Responsibility and the methods for finding solutions will not differ for either. The only real difference between the two, is Gods blessing or lack of it in their respective lives, and the intent that God has for each of them as a result of the suffering.

The negative person receives suffering in order to get their focus on God, doctrine, and their spiritual life. The positive person, receives suffering in order to strengthen their spiritual life and advance them even further in their faith.

If a person endures suffering and does not respond as God intends, then what have they gained by their suffering? Nothing.

If a person endures suffering and then responds positively toward God, then they stand to gain immensely in their life.

It is far better that God should be the one coordinating your suffering (resulting in a better spiritual life), than your simply stumbling along in life with no real solution forthcoming (no advancement or effect in your spiritual life).

This is the devils world. Satan rules and evil is his policy. Therefore, suffering will occur, because that is the only result that evil can produce. If you subscribe to satanic policies, then suffering is all that you will ever receive. All of the rhetoric for change, for the children, for humanity, for peace, for whatever, will make no difference. Rhetoric, intentions, or sincerity have no power to alter or improve evil.

The unbelievers only hope is the change that accompanies salvation.

The negative or immature believers only hope is the change that accompanies their positive response to doctrine.

The mature believers only hope is in the confidence that they are advancing in their spiritual life, and that God has given them an opportunity to see life without the fears and anxieties that suffering normally produces. God is in the drives seat and their confidence through their enhanced faith, strengthens their spiritual life to even greater levels.

1 Peter 3:16

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1 Peter 3:16


16 Having [echo] a good [agathos] conscience [suneidesis]; that [hina], whereas [en] [hos] they speak evil [katalaleo] of you [humon], as [hos] of evildoers [kakopoios], they may be ashamed [kataischuno] that falsely accuse [epereazo] your [humon] good [agathos] conversation [anastrophe] in [en] Christ [Christos]. KJV-Interlinear


16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. NASB


A good conscience, is one that is clear of all that is phony, insincere, or hypocritical. A good conscience is one, which is backed up by credible scruples, principles, a pattern of life that supports, or is evidence of, the principles that you profess to live by.

It is not enough to be sincere in your opinions or beliefs. It is not enough to say all the right things to fit the convenience or opportunity of the moment. Anyone can make promises, or offer apologizes, or make appearances. It is quite another thing to back up those comments with credible actions in ones life.

Your objective in the spiritual life, is to advance to a level of understanding such that your life fits the guidelines prescribed by God.

We all falter from time to time, but the important thing is that we recover our spiritual stability and move on from our failures.

None of us are perfect. And there will be folks out there who will happily remind us of our flaws, especially any past failures you might have. People are unforgiving, in general.

Forgiveness means to forget. To forget just as though the deed had never occurred.

When God forgives, He wipes the sin out completely. He blots the sin out in such a way that is may as well have never occurred. Unfortunately, people do not do this.

And so, Peter teaches us to pursue our spiritual life no matter what confrontations we might run into. People will hate you. People will gossip against you. People will try to discredit you. But your best reaction to this is to keep on, keeping on in your spiritual life.

In so doing, you will advance yourself in your spiritual life, advance yourself in the eyes of God, and as for those who will try to ruin you, they will be discredited in due course. They may never acknowledge it until they reach heaven (assuming that they are believers), but discredited they will be, sooner or later.

And you will be vindicated by virtue of the fact of your spiritual advancement, by virtue of your spiritual production (established by a consistent life in fellowship), and by virtue of the fact of your blessings you will receive in heaven.

Do not let the world get you down. Even if you have been wrong in your life, even if you have failed miserably during your life, even if you have been a thorough jerk at some point in your life.

Then change yourself in doctrine, and keep with doctrine. Your objective is not to convince others. That may be impossible. But your objective is to gain Gods recognition by means of your consistent and legitimate spiritual life, and by your maintaining a steady (despite any stumbles from time to time) and consistent pattern of life, in your spiritual life, which proves the actual content of your soul.

What others think of you is of no consequence. They cannot evaluate and they cannot bless. Only God can do that, and only Gods opinion counts.

1 Peter 3:15

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1 Peter 3:15


15 But [de] sanctify [hagiazo] the Lord [kurios] God [theos] in [en] your [humon] hearts [kardia]: and [de] be ready [hetoimos] always [aei] to [pros] give an answer [apologia] to every man [pas] that asketh [aiteo] you [humas] a reason [logos] of [peri] the hope [elpis] that is in [en] you [humin] with [meta] meekness [prautes] and [kai] fear [phobos]: KJV-Interlinear


15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; NASB


To sanctify, means to make holy, to bless, to consecrate, to purify, and therefore means to transform your soul from the sin nature state that it is in, to a holy state that it should be in, through doctrine.

Peter quotes from Isaiah 8.

Isa. 8:13
13 ‘It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. NASB

Here he replaces ‘the Lord of Hosts’ with ‘the Lord God’ as his reference to Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the living word. When we take into our souls, the word of God, through study and application to our daily lives, then we are in effect taking in Jesus Christ into our souls. A living source as opposed to a dead thing in the sin nature.

Bible doctrine is the truth, and truth is life. Anything else is not life and therefore a dead thing. If you have ever seen something or someone who is dead, then you understand that the dead have no life, and are empty, totally empty of everything. Anything from this world is dead, and therefore amounts to grand total of nothing.

Of the many reasons for you to grow up in your spiritual life, one certain reason is so that you will be able to answer any questions that may be asked of you. People may challenge you in doctrine, or they may simply ask a question out of curiosity.

The word here for answer, ‘apologia,’ means to answer formally before a judge. But Peter is making this response a general response, and therefore making it a casual answer in casual circumstances, but an answer from preparation, not from guesses.

You are not expected to quote scripture, or to list the ten points of a subject and identify each and why. That is too formal. Most folks, when they ask questions, are not interested in the nitty-gritty details or proofs of your aanswer, all they really want is something that makes sense.

Think of a child, when he or she asks a grown-up type of question. The simple answer is the best answer. The child cannot understand a PhD type of dissertation on a subject, and so too, a spiritually young individual just needs the basics, not some complicated answer.

If you have been studying doctrine for a while, then you are prepared, even if you do not know it.

In your lifetime, you will no doubt be challenged or inquired of, by many different folks, and the simple answer is usually the best answer.

And as Peter here suggests, answer in humility and respect (gentleness and reverence/meekness and fear). This is accomplished without arrogance and not challenging the beliefs of the other person. If more information is sought, then you can invite them to your study group, online study, or church, or wherever you assemble for your own personal study. There, they can begin their own study, and hopefully find the answers they are seeking.

Never close the door on a potentially positive person. Remember that Paul was a murderer before he became the primary writer of the New Testament. Jacob was a chiseler before his name was changed to Israel, the father of a nation. Moses committed murder before he ran off into exile, and later returned for the deliverance of a nation. Solomon was a womanizer. David had many wives, and made many mistakes.

None of us are perfect. Look in the mirror and you’ll see your own flaws. Perhaps they are not as dramatic, but you have flaws and you are not perfect.

God made room for you, therefore you have no right to prevent someone from doctrine, even if they challenge or ridicule you. Their eternal life is at stake even if they do not understand it.

But you understand, and God may well use you some day, for the purpose of bringing someone to doctrine and their spiritual life, and that is something that has eternal repercussions. What you say will impact them forever.

Therefore, promote doctrine, as God would want you to, not by defensiveness, not by arrogance, not with reservations, but with humble confidence and certainty.

Famous people of history have an impact on history, but that impact is transient and temporary. You could and probably will, have an impact through doctrine, on someone's life, and that impact will have eternal consequences.

Do your best to do it right. And if you study daily, then your preparation will help you to succeed.

1 Peter 3:14

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1 Peter 3:14


14 But [alla] and if [ei kai] ye suffer [pascho] for [dia] righteousness' sake [dikaiosune], happy [makarios] are ye: and [de] be [phobeo] not [me] afraid [phobeo] of their [autos] terror [phobos], neither [mede] be troubled [tarasso]; KJV-Interlinear


14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, NASB


This is the devils world. Nothing good will ever come out of this world. Only bad.

Therefore, forewarned, you will be the recipient of many difficult times in your life. Some may be as annoying as insect bites, others may be massively distressing. But not to worry, because your future is safe and intact in Christ.

What the world cannot do, is remove your spiritual life and blessings from you.

The world therefore becomes only a testing ground for the believer. It cannot define a destiny. It cannot control history. The world cannot manage anything, really. So the world has nothing to offer anyone.

Since the world cannot guarantee or articulate a destiny, its only purpose is to intimidate and destroy, if at all possible. And it does this by means of intimidation, distraction, and deception.

There are four sources of distractions and trouble – your own thoughts, other people, the bureaucracies of the world, and natural phenomena. And folks without doctrine will be totally inundated if not disillusioned by the world.

You will be hammered with things that are popular. Things in the media will hit you with tremendous repetition. The world has an endless array of enticements, and things to draw out your wants and desires.

On the other side of the coin, the world can hammer you with the most unfair of situations to exacerbate your fears and anxieties. The world can make you feel small and without control over your own life or destiny. The world can take from you and keep on taking, then toss you off to the side and forget you. For that is its purpose.

The world follows the pattern of Satan, which draws a future only for himself, at your expense. You will never be in Satan’s plans, not even the angels that followed him into rebellion are of any concern to him. He gladly sacrifices any and all, for his own advantage. And that is what the world has for you.

Isa. 8:12-13
12 ‘You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it.
13 ‘It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. NASB

Matt. 5:10
10 ‘Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. NASB

But, you have one thing that the world does not, nor ever will have – a future in heaven.

The world is temporary and will soon cease to exist, and then it will be totally forgotten, by all who will live in heaven.

Therefore, align yourself with God, with Christ, with doctrine, with your spiritual life. And as Peter emphasizes here in this book, be obedient to your faith and God, and do not risk or compromise the wealth of your future, for something that is going to disappear from history.

1 Peter 3:13

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1 Peter 3:13


13 And [kai] who [tis] is he that will harm [kakoo] you [humas], if [ean] ye be [ginomai] followers [mimetes] of that which is good [agathos]? KJV-Interlinear


13 And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? NASB


Peter has previously quoted Psalm 34, and then continues with a question. If you pursue the details of the psalm, then who can stop you, who can bring harm to you? And the inference here is simply this, ‘What harm can you suffer if you comply with the requirements of Psalm 34? What is the real cost to you?

And the quick answer is, ‘None.’ There is no real cost to anyone, no cost of any kind, whatsoever, to those who pursue and comply with Gods mandates. There is only gain.

But when people read or hear these requirements, then they become defensive. They wish to think about it for a while. They begin to disagree with the interpretation. They begin to build up their arguments as to why they should not fall under these obligations, or that they do not apply to them.

And that is why most people do not advance in their spiritual lives.

Just as Jobs friends came up with arguments and opinions galore, most of which were totally out of left field and unrelated to the facts at hand, so too, people who simply do not want to comply with Gods mandates, comes up with their own arguments, which to them, seem more than reasonable. After all, God is not here to counter their disagreement.

But then, doctrine is here, and rational thought is here, and most folks know, deep down inside of them, that they have responsibilities and obligations, but they simply do not want to do them. One excuse becomes two, and then the whole realm of Bible doctrine becomes easier to compromise and transform into whatever a person wants it to be.

And that is the objective of arrogance. Selfishness is the result of not wanting to do what God demands, but doing what you want to do, or not doing what you do not want to do.

And the question asked here is, ‘What is the real cost to you?’

Seeing that God provides you with everything and you provide yourself with nothing. Hummm! Did you give yourself life? Did you choose the time in history in which you were going to be born? Can you control the weather, or the economy, or anything in life? Can you force or persuade anyone to do whatever it is that you want?

And the answer is, ‘No.’

Jesus Christ controls history. He placed you into history, just as He placed every detail of your life into history along with you and everyone else.

How did humanity survive for so many thousands of years without antibiotics or a simply bandaid? For that matter, how did humanity survive without grocery store deli’s, a television, a cell phone, a microwave, or an mp3 player?

You may read, or listen to, or learn Bible doctrine, but it is the Holy Spirit within you, that makes all of the spiritual ingredients function. You cannot control the beating of your own heart, but it is Jesus Christ, who put together the biological functions that keep your heart beating.

So, if it is God who provides you with everything, and He does, then where is the danger in complying with His mandates? Where is the disadvantage of pursuing truth? Where is your argument that justifies your non-compliance? What is it that you can have that is better, than that which God provides?

Truth overwhelms all other opinions, and yet the world’s populations will reject it, without blinking an eye.

Isa. 50:9
9 Behold, the Lord God helps Me; Who is he who condemns Me? Behold, they will all wear out like a garment; The moth will eat them. NASB

Rejecting God and embracing the world, makes you the victim of the moth, and the moth is virtually nothing. So what would that make you?

1 Peter 3:10-12

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1 Peter 3:10-12


10 For [gar] he that will [thelo] love [agapao] life [zoe], and [kai] see [eido] good [agathos] days [hemera], let him refrain [pauo] his [autos] tongue [glossa] from [apo] evil [kakos], and [kai] his [autos] lips [cheilos] that they speak [laleo] no [me] guile [dolos]:
11 Let him eschew [ekklino] [apo] evil [kakos], and [kai] do [poieo] good [agathos]; let him seek [zeteo] peace [eirene], and [kai] ensue [dioko] it [autos].
12 For [hoti] the eyes [ophthalmos] of the Lord [kurios] are over [epi] the righteous [dikaios], and [kai] his [autos] ears [ous] are open unto [eis] their [autos] prayers [deesis]: but [de] the face [prosopon] of the Lord [kurios] is against [epi] them that do [poieo] evil [kakos]. KJV-Interlinear


10 For, ‘Let him who means to love life and see good days Refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. 11 ‘And let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 ‘For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ NASB


This is a quote from Psalm 34.

Psa 34:12-16
12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth. NASB

There are only two types of people in this world. The first group consists of those who desire and pursue the opinions of God, and the second group consists of those who desire and pursue the opinions of the world.

The second group consists of perhaps 99% of the entire world. And though most of that second group are unbelievers, there is a huge percentage of believers, also in this second group, who are lax in their spiritual life and therefore have their eyes on their beliefs and comforts from the world.

Peter cites four pursuits in these verses. There are those who love life, refrain the tongue, turn from evil, seek peace, and then there is the response from God with respect to the mature believer who establishes these attributes in his life.

The first is really a question. ‘Who is it that loves life?’ Who is it that desires life in such a way that he can enjoy life, regardless of his circumstances? It is only the person who pursues their spiritual life, as God would have them to pursue it. It is the person who does not make up their own rules, who does not mix in their own standards, the person who does not compromise Gods principles with their earthly conveniences or excuses.

And as for the refraining of the tongue? This is the selfish desires of the individual for whatever it is that they currently have or want. The word for refrain, ‘pauo,’ means to cease sins against charity, and therefore comes to mean selfishness in thought, expressed by ones refusal to give. This type of person takes but never gives.

We all have financial burdens in our lives, but most folks disregard the fact that it is God who gives us all of our finances, whatever they may be. God gives us life from the very moment of our birth and then gives us various means to live that life. This includes the presentation of circumstances where we are faced with giving up what we have , so someone else can have something. Whether it is charity giving, or support for doctrine, both are in view here.

Often times God will place people in situations in which they cannot make a living, or have obligations such that receipt of a gift from someone else is necessary for them to have a life.

And selfishness, greed, and an indifferent attitude will always come up with an excuse as to why giving is not required from you. ‘They have enough, they don’t need anymore.’ ‘They got themselves in that mess, they can get themselves out of it.’ ‘They are rich already, why give to them’ ‘Someone else can give, I don’t have the money right now.’ ‘My situation, my needs are more grim than theirs.’ ‘It’s free. Why should I pay for it?’

And so the first requirement of spiritual maturity, is cancelled out by ones excuses which are used to veil his selfishness.

God set out an economic system, by which financial support, though everything comes from Him, is funneled through people. And whether the need is for a bit of food, or for some massive enterprise, God allows people to either become a part of it, or refuse to be a part of it.

The third expectation of the spiritual life is to turn ones back on the ways of the sin nature. The old self must die, in order for the new self to live. Life in the carnal sphere and life in the spiritual sphere are mutually exclusive. Each cannot cross over into the sphere of the other.

He who lives his life in both, in an inconsistent manner, takes a step or several steps backwards for every step forwards. They get nowhere. An inconsistent spiritual life gains you nothing. You must establish a long term (for the rest of your life), pattern of living, and that lifestyle must be inside the fellowship sphere, or living within your spiritual life day in and day out.

Again, most folks simply do not pay attention, moment to moment, day after day, to their spiritual status. All believers are soldiers and a part of their duty is to mind their post, or to stand their watch for the enemy. Your life is always on duty, and you either have a watchful eye out for the enemy in your life (sin), or you go to sleep at your post and fall into the enemies grasp (the sin nature).

And finally, you must seek peace. This is the ultimate goal of the spiritual life – spiritual maturity.

From spiritual infancy (the moment of faith in Christ), to spiritual maturity, when Bible doctrine so saturates your thinking process and lifestyle, you grow up through daily study, learning, application, advancement in your spiritual life, slippages backwards in your spiritual life, recovery of your forward motion, and so forth, until you arrive at a point when the problems of life no longer bother you. Your faith in Christ is so great, that the storms of life seem as nothing, because you trust in His good judgment and help for your life.

Peter has long been addressing our eternal future, in these chapters. Peter has been addressing people who live under horrible conditions, and yet if they focus on their daily Bible study, their living conditions will become less and less of a burden in their lives. Life will actually become a fun adventure.

But in order to achieve this level of spiritual life, you must set aside selfishness, recognize that everything comes from God. You must make a commitment to live inside the spiritual sphere of life, monitoring your own life moment to moment, day after day, for the rest of your life in this world. You must decide to pursue Gods word everyday, listen, read, learn, and use what you learn, and develop a professional attitude toward wanting to learn and grow in your spiritual life, and actually want it more than anything else in the entire universe. Your leap of faith, as it were.

That is the love of life at its best. Anything else is merely a convenience for sin.
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And it is this person, as set out in these verses, that God focuses His attentions on. It is from this person that God actually listens to their prayers, and answers. Anything else, any other type of lifestyle, is an illusion and amounts to nothing as well as a huge waste of ones time.

The mature believer, is the person who pursues doctrine because he loves it, can’t get enough of it, can’t even visualize a day going by without it. It is this person that God uses in His divine plan, and for whom He even established a plan in the first place.

Anyone else, is nothing more than historical filler.

Which are you?

1 Peter 3:9

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1 Peter 3:9


9 Not [me] rendering [apodidomi] evil [kakos] for [anti] evil [kakos], or [e] railing [loidoria] for [anti] railing [loidoria]: but [de] contrariwise [tounantion] blessing [eulogia]; knowing [eido] that [hoti] ye are [kaleo] thereunto [eis] [touto] called [kaleo], that [hina] ye should inherit [kleronomeo] a blessing [eulogeo]. KJV-Interlinear


9 not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. NASB


You were placed in this world for one reason only, and that is to inherit. But not just any inheritance, our inheritance is going to be the new heaven and universe for all of eternity.

We have covered the many blessings of being a Christian. There is a blessing list on the web site that you may want to review from time to time.

At the moment you believed in Christ, your future potential shot off the charts. With spiritual growth to maturity, your life in eternity in heaven, will be infinitely better than all of the successful people of all of human history, combined. Your future is so vast, you cannot even begin to calculate it all.

As a believer, you are in union with Christ. As a believer you are indwelled by all three members of the Trinity. You possess joint rulership with Christ. You share in His sonship, in His inheritance, is everything that belongs to God. You are a member of the family of God. That makes you a member of the highest royal family that will ever exist. You are a member of the longest lasting dynasty (forever) that will ever exist. You are a royal high priest, a royal ambassador, a chosen ‘first born’ son of God in including all of the rights and privileges that traditionally belong to a first born, and crown prince no less.

Your position in Christ is permanent and cannot be lost. Your blessings, however, are potential, and subject to your advancement to spiritual maturity and remaining there.

Since your blessings are beyond value, then, your loss likewise, is also beyond value, if you decide to disregard Gods Word. And since Adam and Eve’s time, most likely trillions of people have been born into this world, and trillions have disregarded Gods mandates. Very few, perhaps just a few million (or one-millionth of everyone), throughout all of human history, will step forward and seize their inheritance at its fullest. That is a very small percentage of the human race that will enjoy their inheritance in full. And that places you in the smallest minority in all of history, the minority of mature believers.

So, what sin are you willing to commit and trade away your vast blessings?

You were not placed here on this earth to grow up and retire in life, with nothing beyond that. Humanity was not placed here on this earth to advance in his human endeavors, and to rule the galaxies. Mankind was not placed here on this earth to restore the Garden of Eden. You were not placed here on this earth, to accumulate earthly things.

In the coming days or decades, you will pass away from this life just as generations before you, have done. The real questions are:

What are you going to take with you when you stand before Christ, divine production, or worldly production?

How are you going to live your life now?

What principles are you going to live by, and are you going to obey Gods mandates (all of them), or are you going to pick and choose among them, or simply ignore them?

Are you going to make an effort yourself, or are you going to expect someone else to do things for you?

Are you willing to stick it out (spiritual growth), for the rest of your life, even (and especially) if you don’t get the things out of this life that you want.

1 Peter 3:8

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1 Peter 3:8


8 Finally [de] [telos], be ye all [pas] of one mind [homophron], having compassion one of another [sumpathes], love as brethren [philadelphos], be pitiful [eusplagchnos], be courteous [philophron]: KJV-Interlinear


8 To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; NASB


‘Finally,’ is the beginning of Peter’s summary of what he has been saying in the verses prior to this one.

‘Finally,’ rises to a summation of the principles he has been teaching.

‘Finally,’ is a reference to your understanding of what has been mentioned, as opposed to what you might think you understand. And most folks mess up these last few verses, because they believe that they are speaking of them, rather than a principle of doctrine.

And just what is that principle?

The structure and mechanics of the spiritual life, is what we are being taught.

The Bible is a long series of parables. From end to end, it uses common world experiences, to teach spiritual principles.

All of humanity begins in spiritual death. Anything that is spiritually dead cannot understand the spiritual realm, let alone the doctrines that pertain to it. Therefore, through the Holy Spirit, we come to learn of the gospel, the many doctrines for Christ, the principles of obligation and responsibility, and so forth, through the teaching of parables.

We have just seen a glimpse of marriage and the relationship of the husband and wife together with their respective roles.

Lets review, so you can begin to catch on to just what you have been learning.

First, the male is placed in authority. He has obligations to learn the rules and scope of his authority. That learning comes through the daily study of Bible doctrine. He is therefore obligated to subordinate himself to his studies and the framework of the spiritual life.

The wife, is the female part of this relationship. She is obligated to subordinate herself to authority, and in so doing, she is applying the doctrines she knows, to how she functions in life. This is the application aspect of the spiritual life.

Together, the two of them form a marriage of the two aspects of the spiritual life – learning, and application.

Together, in marriage the husband and wife become intimate, and produce a family. Likewise together they create a home. Together they enjoy the production of the synergy of the two of them, in blessings that are far greater than they could possibly enjoy on their own. On ones own, you cannot produce a child. On ones own, you cannot make a family, etc.

Therefore, marriage is a picture of the spiritual life as it applies to each one of us, individually.

We are all obligated to subordinate ourselves to the authority of God the Father, just as Christ did, and look to God the Father, through His plan, which means that we approach Him through Christ and only through Christ, and by no other means.

The marriage is a picture of our functioning in life, in accordance with the principles that we have learned. By being obedient to God in principle, we should also be obedient to Him in practice.

We live life with one mind, the principles of Bible doctrine. We live life with mutual respect to one another, we all being equal in salvation, in thought (doctrine), and we all possess the same potential of advancement to maturity.

Whether we are male or female, rich or poor, smart of dumb, makes no difference. We all have the same potentials toward life and certainly toward eternity. None of us are superior to anyone else.

The wealthy of the world do not have an advantage over the rest of us. The husband does not have an advantage over the wife. The gifted does not have an advantage over the un-gifted.

In this world, which is the devils world, there is an infinite set of disadvantages and unfairness for everyone. But in the spiritual life, the playing field is level and fair for everyone. We do not compete against each other in doctrine. We only have to compete against our own thoughts and attitude. And in that respect you are your own worst enemy.

Being sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit, means that we do unto others, etc. We exclude arrogance, prejudice, hate, inordinate competitiveness, and so forth from our dealings with one another.

1 Peter 3:7

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1 Peter 3:7


7 Likewise [homoios], ye husbands [aner], dwell with [sunoikeo] them according to [kata] knowledge [gnosis], giving [aponemo] honour [time] unto the wife [gunaikeios], as [hos] unto the weaker [asthenes] vessel [skeuos], and [kai] as [hos] being heirs together [sugkleronomos] of the grace [charis] of life [zoe]; that [eis] your [humon] prayers [proseuche] be [ekkopto] not [me] hindered [ekkopto]. KJV-Interlinear


7 You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. NASB


Throughout the ages, women have been relegated to the lower rungs of the social ladder. In every religion, except Christianity, women have been considered as unequal's, or lower than their male counterparts, and therefore inferior.

Only in Christianity, is the female guaranteed an equal status in life and in heaven.

The woman is certainly not less intelligent than men. Women are certainly not less capable than men. Women are certainly not inferior in many ways, than their male counterparts. But throughout history, women have been handed the lesser roles, the short stick as it were, the more humiliating places in life.

When war came the woman was ravaged and treated with tremendous disrespect. Even in marriage, many a woman has been taken advantage of by husbands that were less than honorable, to say the least. Getting a decent inheritance was near impossible.

But here, God places a tremendous burden of responsibility on the husband.

In Ephesians 5, the husband is commanded to love his wife, how? As Christ loved the Church. And how did Christ love the church? He loved it first before Himself, and second, He gave His life for it.

So now this places mans command authority in a different perspective.

But Peter now teaches us that we are to love our wife, ‘according to knowledge.’ And what is that? According to doctrine.

Any person placed in a position of authority, is expected to learn his responsibilities and obligations. Whether it is a general, a president, a teacher, a parent, or a husband, it makes no difference. Any person in authority is expected to learn the limits and responsibilities of his authority.

The husband may not boast of his position. The husband may not demand respect. The husband may not abuse his position, or take advantage of others.

The husband may not ignore Bible doctrine, and this is the bottom line. Without doctrine in your soul, you forfeit your rights, and God is the only one who promotes or demotes in this regard.

The woman is the weaker vessel in that she does not hold this marital position. The woman has been taken advantage of throughout the ages. She may be smarter, stronger, more able, but Peter does not refer to her soul, but to her vessel. And the vessel is the biological physical body that we have all come to recognize as the female.

And who placed her in that body? God. And why did God place her there? Because she was better able to deal with the problems that she would encounter in her life. That is true of anyone of course. We are all placed where we are, because God saw down through the tunnel of time, that we would be better off where we are, as opposed to being someone or somewhere else. What those alternatives might have been, we will not likely ever know. We are now, what we are.

Therefore, unlike all other religions, cults, philosophies, etc., Christianity elevates the woman, especially the wife, as an equal. In the spiritual life, she is entitled to the same opportunities, the same blessings, the same inheritance, the same positions, the same rights and titles, and so forth, as any man.

To consider the woman as anything else, is nothing more than a form of prejudice and stupidity. And anyone who takes advantage, or abuses his position as a man, will be dealt with by God, for this violation of Gods mandate.

1 Peter 3:5-6

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1 Peter 3:5-6


5 For [gar] after this manner [houto] in the old time [pote] the holy [hagios] women [gune] also [kai], who [ho] trusted [elpizo] in [epi] God [theos], adorned [kosmeo] themselves [heautou], being in subjection [hupotasso] unto their own [idios] husbands [aner]:
6 Even as [hos] Sara [Sarrha] obeyed [hupakouo] Abraham [Abraam], calling [kaleo] him [autos] lord [kurios]: whose [hos] daughters [teknon] ye are [ginomai], as long as ye do well [agathopoieo], and [kai] are [phobeo] not [me] afraid [phobeo] with any [medeis] amazement [ptoesis]. KJV-Interlinear


5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands. 6 Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. NASB


People from the history books, may have had reputations of one sort or another, but those reputations originated from activities of the sin nature, and they have long since departed from their respective lives.

Anyone who has received recognition from God, did so because they had doctrine resident in their soul, because they learned it through consistent study, and they grew up in their spiritual lives. But more than their simply learning doctrine, they applied it to their daily lives.

We studied this principle in James recently. Faith is of no use unless it is applied. James called it spiritual works. We simply call it applying doctrine to ones daily life.

You can believe in something, but if you do not subscribe to it, if you do not live by its principles, then your belief is nothing more than a form of cheap hypocrisy.

And here Peter teaches us through the examples of phenomenal women from the ancient world. And we are not speaking of women of less than honorable reputations, or of women who engaged in historical crusades of one sort or another.

We are talking about women who had phenomenal capabilities and intellect, but of their own free will, subordinated themselves to their husbands. Some men, of which were not as smart as their wives.

Peter used Sarah as his example, but remember that she was not always known as Sarah. Her name was changed as was Abrahams, and in her former years, she was quite the vocal, opinionated, and obstinate (to use kind terms) person. We could use Ruth, Rahab, Noah’s wife, Mary, Deborah, Esther, and others as examples, as well. Each possessing qualities and capabilities that more than match any man.

But their priorities were not to compete and make a place for themselves in this world, a place in which the world would recognize them as great, successful, notable, accomplished and so forth.

Their objective was to pursue God, their Savior, learning Bible doctrine, and otherwise growing up in their spiritual life. Why? Because their spiritual life was more important than anything else in their life.

Jesus, when He came to this world, possessed the power of God. He could have done anything, but He did not. He set aside all of His divine powers and abilities, and subordinated himself as a servant to humanity, because there was a greater purpose to be obtained through His servitude, than some elite status.

The greatest women of history, set aside their places in life, and subordinate themselves to their husbands. That can be an overwhelming and difficult decision, given the fact that they most certainly could have become famous, accomplished, or otherwise better in the eyes of the world.

Men must set aside their ego and personal wants, and subordinate themselves to their obligation to their family, career, etc.

We all should set aside our sin natures, and subordinate ourselves to Bible doctrine, through fellowship, and living our lives in fellowship, rather than through our sin nature. All of these examples, especially the last one, are extremely difficult.

Being interested in the Bible, is commendable, but not enough to get you saved. You have to believe in Christ in order to be saved. Many folks are interested in the Bible, but only as one of many philosophies that they enjoy studying. They do not attach any real life consequences to past beliefs.

Many folks who have believed in Christ, and thus are saved, are interested in doctrine, but their interest is passive. They only think of God during holidays, or after bad times have entered into their life.

Many folks have a further interest level, as they attend church several times a year. But their attendance is nothing more than a continuation of a habit started by their parents, and continued because they feel an obligation or guilt of some sort, to attend church.

Then there are those who attend church religiously, but they fail to learn even the fundamental lessons of doctrine. Their spiritual life is dysfunctional as is the spiritual life of the other examples.

Then you have the example of those who learn doctrine, begin to know and understand the doctrines taught, but their spiritual life does not quite take off, because of their inconsistency, and failure in obeying all mandates.

They try to pick and choose, and mix in the many habits of the sin nature, that they have become comfortable with. They mix in their own invented or learned beliefs, in order to have the balance of their life, along with soe of Gods expectations. And this too, is an error within their spiritual life. They find excuses as to why they should or should not do something.

Marry? We can try it out for a while. Give? Someone else can do that. Study? I am to busy at the moment.

A wrong thing done in a wrong way, is wrong.

A right thing done in a wrong way, is wrong.

A wrong thing done in a right way, is wrong.

Only a right thing done in a right way, is right.

And these women of old, were saved by their faith in the Savior. They learned doctrine as it was available to them in their day, they believed in the principles taught by the scriptures, they subscribed to those principles, and although they could very well have ignored them, they subordinated their stubbornness and self-will, to that which is commanded by God.

Some of these women had very strong wills, and to subordinate themselves to anyone, would have been an almost impossible task for them. Yet they did it of their own free will.

In history, there are many people who have made it into the history books. Some are honorable, many are less than honorable. None of them received any recognition or honor from God.

Only those who advanced in their spiritual life and subordinated themselves to Gods will, were actually used by God, to further their own spiritual life as well as play some part in human history. There are most likely many names in history, of great people, but known only to God. Their names never made it into the history books of this world. But their eternal futures will be infinitely better than all of the names of notoriety, that we have become familiar with in history.

Sarah is the example given here. She demonstrated her spiritual growth through her willingness to subordinate herself to her husband. And in so doing she teaches us that we must all subordinate ourselves to God, through doctrine.

But as learning is not enough, you must apply your learning to practice in life. This is where most people fail.

This application of doctrine then, builds up faith and spiritual muscle in your life, which is recognized by God, and therefore qualifies for maximum blessing both in time, and in eternity.

1 Peter 3:3-4

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 3:3-4


3 Whose [hos] adorning [kosmos] let it [esto] not [ou] be [esto] that outward [exothen] adorning of plaiting [emploke] the hair [thrix], and [kai] of wearing [perithesis] of gold [chrusion], or [e] of putting on [endusis] of apparel [himation];
4 But [alla] let it be the hidden [kruptos] man [anthropos] of the heart [kardia], in [en] that which is not corruptible [aphthartos], even the ornament of a meek [praus] and [kai] quiet [hesuchios] spirit [pneuma], which [hos] is [esti] in the sight [enopion] of God [theos] of great price [poluteles]. KJV-Interlinear


3 And let not your adornment be merely external — braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. NASB


Adornment or accessorizing oneself in order to become more beautiful or presentable to others, is a natural desire, and rightly so.

God adorned the entire world, with color, with texture, with aroma, with every possible thing one can imagine. Fruits have taste and color. They can certainly nourish without these things. The forest has texture, and variety, and color, and aroma’s galore. The forest can certainly function without these things.

But what would this world be without a waterfall, without a sunset, without the clean smell after an afternoon rain?

And into this world God placed man, who does not look so ravishing, so He added woman, and that is where all the adornment of a relationship begins. People can function in life without all of the beautifying things they use, but then what would life be like if everyone were ugly.

The woman is the object of desire, the treasure worth fighting for. She offers many good things, not the least of which are intimate. And so the woman will accessorize herself, in order to feel good about herself, as well as attractive to others.

Every man will take notice when a well adorned woman walks by, but while the excitement of the outer attraction is strong, the longer term desires of the male prefer a relationship that will last a long time, and not for just a single encounter or weekend.

External things are enticing, but there is a personality behind all the outer wares. And it is that inner personality that one has to ultimately deal with in a relationship. If a woman is beautiful, but has a bad attitude, then she is worthless.

Peter does not condemn adornment and accessorizing oneself, but what he does here is emphasize the inner self over the outer self. This does not mean that you neglect your outer self. Remember that men are external minded creatures, and their eye captures in all the beauty it can.

The mans’ desires lie outside of himself, while the womans’ desires lie within herself. This is why, gentlemen, that opening the door, bringing home flowers, cleaning up the yard, fixing things, saying all the right things, will gain a mountain of response from your wife. Women appreciate the nice things, which reflects on their inner being.

And Peter here emphasizes that the inner self, your soul, needs to be more valued and attended to, as opposed to the outer condition of your life. Look what response can you get from external beauty, but how much more response can you obtain from internal beauty? Doctrine in the soul is your inner adornment. It is your inner source of beauty.

When you are in fellowship, and as you study doctrine, it becomes the building blocks of your souls structure.

As you use doctrine, while living your life while in fellowship, then your function becomes your spiritual production. No matter what you do, while in fellowship, your soul develops production.

The doctrine details in your soul are the foundation and building structure of your inner castle, your inner temple, your inner home. But a home is not a home until you begin to adorn it. You place furniture, and paintings and rugs and shelves and knick-knack’s in your home. Now it takes on a life. It becomes a real home.

Your spiritual production is the adornment of your soul. Also, referred to as the gold, silver, and precious stones you accumulate within the structure of your soul.

The opposite adornment ingredients of the sin nature, or production while out of fellowship, is often referred to as the wood, hay, and stubble adornment, or worthless accessories.

Everyone enjoys the beauty of nature, but the inner beauty of the soul originates from the doctrine that resides within the soul, and overflows to the personality, and far surpasses natures beauty, in that a lasting and meaningful relationship can be constructed based on that inner beauty.

The external beauty of a wife or of nature, cannot be possessed. You can only observe and appreciate it. Anyone can only view and appreciate the outer beauties of the world around us.

But the inner beauty of the soul (whether you are male or female), is something that you can own and possess, and incorporate into your entire being, forever. It is something like when you inhale a pleasant aroma, close your eyes and allow the aroma to absorb inside of you, and you feel that it is becoming a part of you, that is how the woman feels or responds to life, when life is good to her.

This is something that a man can only begin to understand, and really never understand.

But by the same token, when the wife adorns her inner self, and this overflows to her outer self, then the man comes to greatly appreciate her. And the wife, as such, becomes the husbands most valued possession.

God gave us all, many examples of adornment in this world. And these are only external examples of how our inner soul can be, if we advance in our spiritual life. This is what God desires from us, which is doctrine in us.

In life, God is the masculine part of life and we, humanity, are the feminine part of life. Doctrine in our soul becomes the foundation of our inner beauty as well as our inner wealth, and how we conduct ourselves in life, is converted to the adornment within our soul.

Any woman would die for the cover girl figure, and attention of those observing her. But, that attractiveness is only temporary. What we should all want to die for, is the inner beauty of the soul, which far surpasses any exterior beauty you can imagine, and it is permanent and a possession which you will never lose, ever.

And that is what God places high value on – your spiritual maturity, complete with your spiritual production.

1 Peter 3:1-2

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 3:1-2


1 Likewise [homoios], ye wives [gune], be in subjection [hupotasso] to your own [idios] husbands [aner]; that [hina], if any [ei tis] obey not [apeitheo] the word [logos], they [kerdaino] also [kai] may [kerdaino] without [aneu] the word [logos] be won [kerdaino] by [dia] the conversation [anastrophe] of the wives [gune];
2 While they behold [epopteuo] your [humon] chaste [hagnos] conversation [anastrophe] coupled with [en] fear [phobos]. KJV-Interlinear


1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. NASB


So now we have arrived at the verse that the guys love and the women despise. How can God give all of this authority to a ‘man,’ and force this humiliation on women, especially when most of the men out there are dumber anyway?

And the answer to this perplexing situation is that you do not understand it, first of all, and second, you probably did not associate it with the previous chapters. Duh! We still have a context here, and that context is to be subordinate to Gods authority, by shedding your sin nature’s control over your life, and replacing it with the Holy Spirit’s control through your residence in fellowship.

‘In similar fashion,’ here means, just as we have already studied. Be submissive to the current government, which means obey the laws. Drive on the correct side of the road, obey traffic signals, pay your taxes, etc., etc., etc.

Respect the authority of the coach, the teacher, the employer. And now we have the husband.

The family is an organization, which is a part of divine establishment. It is the culmination of volition, marriage, and children. It is a structure for the protection and perpetuation of the marriage, and it provides an environment for laying a foundation for raising children. The more stable the family, the better prospects for the children.

There are always exceptions, of course. We live in the devils world and children have sin natures, as we all do.

The family has a configuration for preserving its structure. Two people must agree and be willing to compromise with each other, in order to make the marriage work. If one or both are selfish, then what outcome would you expect?

The man is given the position of the authority, because he is typically the one who earns the living which supports the family. This does not make him the wiser, or the more able of the married couple.

But the point here is, simply, the preservation of the family or marriage, is more important than ones own personal wants and desires.

As a single person you have only yourself to care for. But in marriage, you have to place some of your own desires on the back burner, or cancel them altogether, in order to make room for the needs of the couple, or the family, if there are children.

To promote conflict, solves nothing. But to promote love and affection, to promote companionship, to promote these kinds of things, will lead to a preserved and better marriage.

In this situation, as described by Peter, if the husband does not function in his spiritual life, then the wife in effect leads by example - in doctrine, and without forcing the issue. And then hopefully the husband will follow that lead, and get with his own spiritual growth program.

Why is this important? Because, blessing comes into this world, from God, through mature believers. If a husband and wife are both advancing in their spiritual life, then they in effect receive a double portion of blessing for their family. If only one is advancing then that tends to limit this blessing synergy.

More is better than one, but that does not mean that you are cheated if only one is advancing in their spiritual life. It just helps the relationship, the marriage, the family and more important, when hard times really do strike, then you both will be better off in dealing with the hardship, rather than fighting between the two of you, and running for self-preservation off a sinking ship.

The Bible commands the husband to love the wife. The Bible commands the wife to respect the husband.

From this, the woman should never marry until she truly respects her chosen future husband. That alone should eliminate a lot of short term engagements, and prevents a lot of grief later on. From respect, love will blossom.

As for the husband, in that he is in authority, this places the burden of responsibility on him. When single he could do whatever for himself, but in marriage, his interests disappear from life. Love means placing your spouse and children first, and your personal interests last, if at all.

This does not make you a dictator, or give you the right to be a tyrant. Authority means that you are responsible, and to that end, God will hold you accountable for the way you lead your family.

The wife, likewise, is not without responsibility. In the spiritual life, part of growing up spiritually, means that we all are accountable and responsible for living a life as God intends for us to live.

On a ship, the captain has the ultimate authority, but it is the first officer that really gets things done. In rank the first officer recognizes the authority of the captain, but throughout the ship, the first officer carries the power and authority of the captain, especially in the captain’s absence.

So the wife really runs things, with respect to the children, with respect to vendors, with respect to the bills that have to get paid, with everything that has to do with the running of a functioning family and home.

And, when all is over for the day, and when the children are neatly tucked in their beds, the husband and wife retire to a more intimate setting where rank does not exist.

And that is a picture of the perfect marriage which is really choreographed by the wife.

Through the wise and innovative wife, a marriage can blossom to beyond ones imagination.

But it is not the wife who is taking the lead, but doctrine in her soul, that provides the environment and wisdom for making the marriage succeed.