This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
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2 Peter
Introduction
The second book of Peter, was written while Peter was probably still living in Babylon. Although the place of writing is uncertain. In this book, Peter continues the theme of the previous book as a reminder that though believers will suffer in many and various forms, they should keep with the faith, endure, and wait patiently on Gods plan to unfold for them.
Probably written in the late sixties A.D., shortly after the first letter was written, and probably shortly before his death around 68 A.D., 2 Peter was written as an encouragement and as a reminder to believers to hold on to their faith and doctrine, especially during their time of suffering and adversity. Thus, the first letter was a book covering suffering, this book in one of reminder.
2 Peter Outline (New Unger's Bible Dictionary)
I. Introduction (1:1-4)
II. Exhortation to Christian growth (1:5-11)
III. Apostolic authority (1:12-21)
IV. The peril of apostate teachers (2)
V. Conduct in the light of the Lord's return (3)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
1 Peter 5:12-14
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 5:12-14
12 By [dia] Silvanus [Silouanos], a faithful [pistos] brother [adelphos] unto you [humin], as [hos] I suppose [logizomai], I have written [grapho] briefly [dia] [oligos], exhorting [parakaleo], and [kai] testifying [epimartureo] that this [taute] is [einai] the true [alethes] grace [charis] of God [theos] wherein [eis] [hos] ye stand [histemi].
13 The church that is at [en] Babylon [Babulon], elected together with [suneklektos] you, saluteth [aspazomai] you [humas]; and [kai] so doth Marcus [Markos] my [mou] son [huios].
14 Greet ye [aspazomai] one another [allelon] with [en] a kiss [philema] of charity [agape]. Peace [eirene] be with you [humin] all [pas] that are in [en] Christ [Christos] Jesus [Iesous]. Amen [amen]. KJV-Interlinear
12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ. NASB
Peter closes this letter with the mention of Silvanus, whom most believe to be the same Silas mentioned in Acts, also named as Silvanus by Paul, in both Thessalonians as well as in 2 Corinthians.
By these mentions, Silvanus appears to have been well known throughout the Christian groups in those early decades, and it also indicates that most of the early Christians knew of each other and their respective circumstances.
Knowledge of Christ, the scriptures, and those who taught them, was well known. Without any telephone, internet, television, or news reporting, as we know it today, information regarding Christ and doctrine spread throughout the region and beyond, almost effortlessly.
Absent the modern conveniences and technology, if Christianity is able to spread throughout the world back then, how much more so can it spread in our current day?
Jesus Christ controls history. Jesus Christ executes all of the details of Gods plan, even the spread of doctrine to every individual on the planet. Doctrine is never forced, but when anyone develops an interest, God knows, and therefore supplies the gospel and doctrine as it is needed and desired.
The reference to Mark is probably John Mark mentioned in Acts. And the reference as his son, is simply an expression of affection, not implying a father-son relationship. Many older folks will call younger men by the name of son.
Peter closes his letter of encouragement by telling those readers and hearers, that despite their suffering, whatever their situation might be, to hold on, be patient, and trust in Christ.
Peace is the ultimate goal and objective of the spiritual life – spiritual maturity. It is the symbol of completion of ones life to the maximum, and a designation for attaining the ultimate of all that is attainable in life, which includes security, prosperity, wealth, contentment and more.
Bible doctrine is the only means of attaining peace.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:12-14
12 By [dia] Silvanus [Silouanos], a faithful [pistos] brother [adelphos] unto you [humin], as [hos] I suppose [logizomai], I have written [grapho] briefly [dia] [oligos], exhorting [parakaleo], and [kai] testifying [epimartureo] that this [taute] is [einai] the true [alethes] grace [charis] of God [theos] wherein [eis] [hos] ye stand [histemi].
13 The church that is at [en] Babylon [Babulon], elected together with [suneklektos] you, saluteth [aspazomai] you [humas]; and [kai] so doth Marcus [Markos] my [mou] son [huios].
14 Greet ye [aspazomai] one another [allelon] with [en] a kiss [philema] of charity [agape]. Peace [eirene] be with you [humin] all [pas] that are in [en] Christ [Christos] Jesus [Iesous]. Amen [amen]. KJV-Interlinear
12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ. NASB
Peter closes this letter with the mention of Silvanus, whom most believe to be the same Silas mentioned in Acts, also named as Silvanus by Paul, in both Thessalonians as well as in 2 Corinthians.
By these mentions, Silvanus appears to have been well known throughout the Christian groups in those early decades, and it also indicates that most of the early Christians knew of each other and their respective circumstances.
Knowledge of Christ, the scriptures, and those who taught them, was well known. Without any telephone, internet, television, or news reporting, as we know it today, information regarding Christ and doctrine spread throughout the region and beyond, almost effortlessly.
Absent the modern conveniences and technology, if Christianity is able to spread throughout the world back then, how much more so can it spread in our current day?
Jesus Christ controls history. Jesus Christ executes all of the details of Gods plan, even the spread of doctrine to every individual on the planet. Doctrine is never forced, but when anyone develops an interest, God knows, and therefore supplies the gospel and doctrine as it is needed and desired.
The reference to Mark is probably John Mark mentioned in Acts. And the reference as his son, is simply an expression of affection, not implying a father-son relationship. Many older folks will call younger men by the name of son.
Peter closes his letter of encouragement by telling those readers and hearers, that despite their suffering, whatever their situation might be, to hold on, be patient, and trust in Christ.
Peace is the ultimate goal and objective of the spiritual life – spiritual maturity. It is the symbol of completion of ones life to the maximum, and a designation for attaining the ultimate of all that is attainable in life, which includes security, prosperity, wealth, contentment and more.
Bible doctrine is the only means of attaining peace.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
1 Peter 5:11
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 5:11
11 To him [autos] be glory [doxa] and [kai] dominion [kratos] for [eis] ever [aion] and ever [aion]. Amen [amen]. KJV-Interlinear
11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. NASB
To ‘Him,’ is a reference to the one deity who brings perfection into your life, which is Jesus Christ. For, of Him and through Him are all things.
Jesus Christ controls history. Jesus Christ controls everything in history, everything in your life, everything that you can imagine and beyond.
To Him is dominion, which is power, control, authority, command, sovereignty, even territory, all territory that exists anywhere and everywhere.
Jesus Christ is the one who was in the burning bush before Moses. He is the ‘I Am,’ the eternally self-sufficient one. Which means that He has unlimited resources and unlimited abilities.
This is to impress upon you, that dedicating yourself to a daily study of the Bible, will produce a winning result for your life. In contrast, by avoiding your spiritual life, you will not have a winning result. At least not as good as it would be otherwise.
Winning with salvation and going to heaven is a win, but advancing to spiritual maturity is a completion and infinitely better.
The Bible is only a book of words. They are repeated over and over again, such that you cannot help but notice their principles at some point during your life.
But then everyone does know of God, Christ and doctrine. How is it then that people simply do not rush to Gods views, but instead rush to the opposite views from this world?
God offers everything and offers it forever.
The world offers nothing and goes into a great effort in order to get humanity distracted and all caught up in worldly activities, enticements, crusades, making them a priority over all else. People will invent their own morals and standards, and magnify them over those of Gods.
And yet, when all is said and done, Christ will be supreme and man, in this world, will be nothing. God will judge man. Man will never be able to judge God.
Why do people miss the point? What is it that makes people presume that their ideas and beliefs, are better than those of God?
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:11
11 To him [autos] be glory [doxa] and [kai] dominion [kratos] for [eis] ever [aion] and ever [aion]. Amen [amen]. KJV-Interlinear
11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. NASB
To ‘Him,’ is a reference to the one deity who brings perfection into your life, which is Jesus Christ. For, of Him and through Him are all things.
Jesus Christ controls history. Jesus Christ controls everything in history, everything in your life, everything that you can imagine and beyond.
To Him is dominion, which is power, control, authority, command, sovereignty, even territory, all territory that exists anywhere and everywhere.
Jesus Christ is the one who was in the burning bush before Moses. He is the ‘I Am,’ the eternally self-sufficient one. Which means that He has unlimited resources and unlimited abilities.
This is to impress upon you, that dedicating yourself to a daily study of the Bible, will produce a winning result for your life. In contrast, by avoiding your spiritual life, you will not have a winning result. At least not as good as it would be otherwise.
Winning with salvation and going to heaven is a win, but advancing to spiritual maturity is a completion and infinitely better.
The Bible is only a book of words. They are repeated over and over again, such that you cannot help but notice their principles at some point during your life.
But then everyone does know of God, Christ and doctrine. How is it then that people simply do not rush to Gods views, but instead rush to the opposite views from this world?
God offers everything and offers it forever.
The world offers nothing and goes into a great effort in order to get humanity distracted and all caught up in worldly activities, enticements, crusades, making them a priority over all else. People will invent their own morals and standards, and magnify them over those of Gods.
And yet, when all is said and done, Christ will be supreme and man, in this world, will be nothing. God will judge man. Man will never be able to judge God.
Why do people miss the point? What is it that makes people presume that their ideas and beliefs, are better than those of God?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
1 Peter 5:10
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 5:10
10 But [de] the God [theos] of all [pas] grace [charis], who [ho] hath called [kaleo] us [hemas] unto [eis] his [autos] eternal [aionios] glory [doxa] by [en] Christ [Christos] Jesus [Iesous], after that ye have suffered [pascho] a while [oligos], [autos] make [katartizo] you [humas] perfect [katartizo], stablish [sterizo], strengthen [sthenoo], settle [themelioo] you. KJV-Interlinear
10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. NASB
Here, suffering means to endure the hardships of life, whatever they might consist of. And simply being born into this world means that a person has to endure the physical and mental stresses of life, suffering begins at birth and continues until ones death.
This is a temporary state.
We all have two phases in our life, the one we have now, or our physical state in this life, and the second phase, which is our eternal state. Obviously the eternal state (trillions and trillions and trillions, etc. of years), which will last forever, is a far longer state than our current state, which can last but a few decades. So this life is but a blink if not less than that, on the timeline of life.
God the Father saw your life in eternity past. You were conceived in His mind and manifested in His plan, a very long time ago. He saw your faith in Christ, and therefore brought you into existence for the purpose of living forever with Him, in heaven.
For by means of Christ, by means of the Holy Spirit, by means of doctrine, which is our link through Christ to God, He will build you up and complete your life.
Peter uses four construction terms here to describe the building of your spiritual life.
God will make you perfect, which is the alignment of all components of a building, relative to each other. All parts of your spiritual life will be assembled together perfectly.
Stablish means to make one firm, to tie together, where one part serves to support another part such that every part holds up and holds together every other part.
The strengthening takes into consideration the shifting, leaning, warping, racking factors of a building. Every part of your spiritual life, in doctrine, is tied together in such a way that it cannot fall over, twist or break apart, even under the pressures from the heaviest of storms.
And the settling component of a newly established building all depends on the foundation upon which it is built. Bible doctrine is the safest, surest, soundest, most secure foundation in existence. There is nothing better, anywhere.
God is truth. Gods plan is truth. Gods Word is truth. There is nothing shady, deceitful, or flawed, in Gods spiritual design. The world offers nothing but uncertainty and suffering. God offers certainty and hope. In the world, you will always lose. In Christ, you will always win. All circumstances therefore, are irrelevant.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:10
10 But [de] the God [theos] of all [pas] grace [charis], who [ho] hath called [kaleo] us [hemas] unto [eis] his [autos] eternal [aionios] glory [doxa] by [en] Christ [Christos] Jesus [Iesous], after that ye have suffered [pascho] a while [oligos], [autos] make [katartizo] you [humas] perfect [katartizo], stablish [sterizo], strengthen [sthenoo], settle [themelioo] you. KJV-Interlinear
10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. NASB
Here, suffering means to endure the hardships of life, whatever they might consist of. And simply being born into this world means that a person has to endure the physical and mental stresses of life, suffering begins at birth and continues until ones death.
This is a temporary state.
We all have two phases in our life, the one we have now, or our physical state in this life, and the second phase, which is our eternal state. Obviously the eternal state (trillions and trillions and trillions, etc. of years), which will last forever, is a far longer state than our current state, which can last but a few decades. So this life is but a blink if not less than that, on the timeline of life.
God the Father saw your life in eternity past. You were conceived in His mind and manifested in His plan, a very long time ago. He saw your faith in Christ, and therefore brought you into existence for the purpose of living forever with Him, in heaven.
For by means of Christ, by means of the Holy Spirit, by means of doctrine, which is our link through Christ to God, He will build you up and complete your life.
Peter uses four construction terms here to describe the building of your spiritual life.
God will make you perfect, which is the alignment of all components of a building, relative to each other. All parts of your spiritual life will be assembled together perfectly.
Stablish means to make one firm, to tie together, where one part serves to support another part such that every part holds up and holds together every other part.
The strengthening takes into consideration the shifting, leaning, warping, racking factors of a building. Every part of your spiritual life, in doctrine, is tied together in such a way that it cannot fall over, twist or break apart, even under the pressures from the heaviest of storms.
And the settling component of a newly established building all depends on the foundation upon which it is built. Bible doctrine is the safest, surest, soundest, most secure foundation in existence. There is nothing better, anywhere.
God is truth. Gods plan is truth. Gods Word is truth. There is nothing shady, deceitful, or flawed, in Gods spiritual design. The world offers nothing but uncertainty and suffering. God offers certainty and hope. In the world, you will always lose. In Christ, you will always win. All circumstances therefore, are irrelevant.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
1 Peter 5:9
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 5:9
9 Whom [hos] resist [anthistemi] stedfast [stereos] in the faith [pistis], knowing [eido] that the same [autos] afflictions [pathema] are accomplished [epiteleo] in your [humon] brethren [adelphotes] that are in [en] the world [kosmos]. KJV-Interlinear
9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. NASB
Resist him, means resist the policies, philosophies, and views of Satan. In all the world, there are only two views of life, Gods and Satan's.
Gods view is truth, and Satan's view is not truth, or lies.
You either subscribe to one or the other. There is no third choice. There is no combination of the two which is acceptable in any situation. Lies and truth are mutually exclusive. No pretense, no emotional feelings, no logic, nothing can compromise the truths of God.
There is only one way to oppose lies, and that is with truth. There is only one way to gain possession of truth, and that is by means of the mechanism, which God designed for learning, understanding, and inculcating truth into your soul.
And the ultimate goal of learning truth is not to accomplish something that you can do, but accomplishing a level of faith, wherein you trust God completely. Daniel and Moses are two examples of people who were brought to the very edge of human helplessness and they trusted God, even fully expecting their own death, but were delivered.
And that is your defense (faith), against the lies, enticements, distractions, threats or intimidations from this world.
You are not alone in the fight for spiritual success. Every believer that has ever lived and every believer that is alive today, is a target, and is suffering from the same difficulties as you are. Most of us have financial, social, physical, or emotional stresses of one kind or another. And the world will pound you relentlessly until you quit doctrine.
We just finished our study of Job. He hung in there, despite horrendous difficulties from financial losses, from personal family losses, from health losses, from social ostracism and such.
When you cry out for the pain, giving in to the world, then the world will probably, but not necessarily, leave you alone. More likely it will just hammer you all the more. Remember, the world cares nothing for you. Like the lion roaring after its prey, when the prey gives in, it is killed and devoured. That is Satan’s policy. There is never any mercy.
But in grace, faith is never abandoned, never let down. God cares more for you than you realize. He created an entire universe just so you could see the stars at night, or be amazed by the technologies that this universe makes possible. Couldn’t He have made salvation possible with far less?
After all, most of the technology we have today, was never known to humanity for many thousands of years, and has been with us only a few decades.
Your ultimate goal is to stand before the Lord, one day in the near future, and receive His highest praise as a good and faithful servant. You accomplish this by means of advancing in, and sticking with, your spiritual growth.
Expect trouble from many sources. The world has rejected God for a very long time now. This country is slipping away from Biblical principles. Even the weather is hammering us all with bitter winter storms.
There is only one-way out of, or through, your dilemma, and that is through faith, developed by a daily diet of Bible doctrine.
And if and when you do get hammered, do not blame God, but stick with your studies, and weather the storms of life as best you can. God will be there, with solutions of one type or another.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:9
9 Whom [hos] resist [anthistemi] stedfast [stereos] in the faith [pistis], knowing [eido] that the same [autos] afflictions [pathema] are accomplished [epiteleo] in your [humon] brethren [adelphotes] that are in [en] the world [kosmos]. KJV-Interlinear
9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. NASB
Resist him, means resist the policies, philosophies, and views of Satan. In all the world, there are only two views of life, Gods and Satan's.
Gods view is truth, and Satan's view is not truth, or lies.
You either subscribe to one or the other. There is no third choice. There is no combination of the two which is acceptable in any situation. Lies and truth are mutually exclusive. No pretense, no emotional feelings, no logic, nothing can compromise the truths of God.
There is only one way to oppose lies, and that is with truth. There is only one way to gain possession of truth, and that is by means of the mechanism, which God designed for learning, understanding, and inculcating truth into your soul.
And the ultimate goal of learning truth is not to accomplish something that you can do, but accomplishing a level of faith, wherein you trust God completely. Daniel and Moses are two examples of people who were brought to the very edge of human helplessness and they trusted God, even fully expecting their own death, but were delivered.
And that is your defense (faith), against the lies, enticements, distractions, threats or intimidations from this world.
You are not alone in the fight for spiritual success. Every believer that has ever lived and every believer that is alive today, is a target, and is suffering from the same difficulties as you are. Most of us have financial, social, physical, or emotional stresses of one kind or another. And the world will pound you relentlessly until you quit doctrine.
We just finished our study of Job. He hung in there, despite horrendous difficulties from financial losses, from personal family losses, from health losses, from social ostracism and such.
When you cry out for the pain, giving in to the world, then the world will probably, but not necessarily, leave you alone. More likely it will just hammer you all the more. Remember, the world cares nothing for you. Like the lion roaring after its prey, when the prey gives in, it is killed and devoured. That is Satan’s policy. There is never any mercy.
But in grace, faith is never abandoned, never let down. God cares more for you than you realize. He created an entire universe just so you could see the stars at night, or be amazed by the technologies that this universe makes possible. Couldn’t He have made salvation possible with far less?
After all, most of the technology we have today, was never known to humanity for many thousands of years, and has been with us only a few decades.
Your ultimate goal is to stand before the Lord, one day in the near future, and receive His highest praise as a good and faithful servant. You accomplish this by means of advancing in, and sticking with, your spiritual growth.
Expect trouble from many sources. The world has rejected God for a very long time now. This country is slipping away from Biblical principles. Even the weather is hammering us all with bitter winter storms.
There is only one-way out of, or through, your dilemma, and that is through faith, developed by a daily diet of Bible doctrine.
And if and when you do get hammered, do not blame God, but stick with your studies, and weather the storms of life as best you can. God will be there, with solutions of one type or another.
Monday, December 15, 2008
1 Peter 5:8
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 5:8
8 Be sober [nepho], be vigilant [gregoreuo]; because [hoti] your [humon] adversary [antidikos] the devil [diabolos], as [hos] a roaring [oruomai] lion [leon], walketh about [peripateo], seeking [zeteo] whom [tis] he may devour [katapino]: KJV-Interlinear
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. NASB
People look around themselves as though there is nothing else to consider in reality. We view science fiction as the view of mans future, when technology is advanced enough to allow humanity to venture into the stars, or fix virtually any body part or genetic part that is not functioning right.
Most folks view their temporal life as the only reality, and the spiritual life as nothing more than an emotional support, like a medication, to help relieve tension and worries. Kind of like a child’s favorite blanket or teddy bear. Something to help stabilize ones mental state, but only with psychological implications.
Weaker folks may need religion to help them get along in life, and the more intellectual of society, look at religion as something that they do not need, as they are above such children's stories or mental supports.
We know that there are things that we cannot see, like radio waves, light waves, sound waves, radar, atoms, electrons, genes and more. But since we have been able to detect them, we presume that if anything exists, it is detectable or measurable.
However, human life seems to elude us all. We can’t extract it from the body and place it in a jar. Angels seem to be able to hide from us. And though we know that human life exists, we ignore the possibility of angels or even God as a tangible creature.
And so life in this world becomes mans entire world. Even though we know with certainty that people do not live forever. The cemeteries are filled with past generations, and that is where we all will be sooner or later. But it is easier to ignore rather than contemplate.
We wrap ourselves up in the politics or beliefs of the day. We keep busy with our daily hustle and bustle looking toward the weekend, or the next vacation, or even toward retirement. And then what?
As we sleep at night, the earth still rotates, the clouds keep moving, the rivers keep flowing, the clock keeps ticking, and life for each one of us keeps on moving toward our ultimate meeting with Jesus.
How important is your belief in abortion or your opposition to it? How important is your belief in, or rejection of, global warming? How important are your views of marriage, or relationships, or anything in life?
Are these things great enough for you to put your spiritual life on hold?
God tells us to be alert, to be sober, to be on our guard. Why? Because we have one enemy in this world, Satan, whom we cannot see, cannot detect, cannot even get hold of by e-mail. And yet he is more powerfully deceitful and subtle than anything humanity has ever encountered in history.
And while people will not pursue truth from God, which is able to stand up against all tests and proofs, they will rush into the lies of life, which they cannot substantiate or prove.
Being sober means to be clear headed, straight thinking, able to discern between the truth and the lie.
Being alert means to be watchful, diligent, prepared.
And both refer to your only resource for having a stable and profitable life – Bible doctrine.
Anything that distracts you from your spiritual life, is from Satan. Whether he formally authored something or merely allows humanity to promote his policies, makes no difference. Evil originated from Satan, and evil is not easily detected when you are spiritually deficient.
Your destiny is not in this world. Your destiny is in the next life. The details and content of your destiny are determined by your own decisions in this life. And while you did not have any say in the details of your current life, you do have the opportunity to determine the extent of the details of your next life.
Why would you pass up that opportunity?
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober [nepho], be vigilant [gregoreuo]; because [hoti] your [humon] adversary [antidikos] the devil [diabolos], as [hos] a roaring [oruomai] lion [leon], walketh about [peripateo], seeking [zeteo] whom [tis] he may devour [katapino]: KJV-Interlinear
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. NASB
People look around themselves as though there is nothing else to consider in reality. We view science fiction as the view of mans future, when technology is advanced enough to allow humanity to venture into the stars, or fix virtually any body part or genetic part that is not functioning right.
Most folks view their temporal life as the only reality, and the spiritual life as nothing more than an emotional support, like a medication, to help relieve tension and worries. Kind of like a child’s favorite blanket or teddy bear. Something to help stabilize ones mental state, but only with psychological implications.
Weaker folks may need religion to help them get along in life, and the more intellectual of society, look at religion as something that they do not need, as they are above such children's stories or mental supports.
We know that there are things that we cannot see, like radio waves, light waves, sound waves, radar, atoms, electrons, genes and more. But since we have been able to detect them, we presume that if anything exists, it is detectable or measurable.
However, human life seems to elude us all. We can’t extract it from the body and place it in a jar. Angels seem to be able to hide from us. And though we know that human life exists, we ignore the possibility of angels or even God as a tangible creature.
And so life in this world becomes mans entire world. Even though we know with certainty that people do not live forever. The cemeteries are filled with past generations, and that is where we all will be sooner or later. But it is easier to ignore rather than contemplate.
We wrap ourselves up in the politics or beliefs of the day. We keep busy with our daily hustle and bustle looking toward the weekend, or the next vacation, or even toward retirement. And then what?
As we sleep at night, the earth still rotates, the clouds keep moving, the rivers keep flowing, the clock keeps ticking, and life for each one of us keeps on moving toward our ultimate meeting with Jesus.
How important is your belief in abortion or your opposition to it? How important is your belief in, or rejection of, global warming? How important are your views of marriage, or relationships, or anything in life?
Are these things great enough for you to put your spiritual life on hold?
God tells us to be alert, to be sober, to be on our guard. Why? Because we have one enemy in this world, Satan, whom we cannot see, cannot detect, cannot even get hold of by e-mail. And yet he is more powerfully deceitful and subtle than anything humanity has ever encountered in history.
And while people will not pursue truth from God, which is able to stand up against all tests and proofs, they will rush into the lies of life, which they cannot substantiate or prove.
Being sober means to be clear headed, straight thinking, able to discern between the truth and the lie.
Being alert means to be watchful, diligent, prepared.
And both refer to your only resource for having a stable and profitable life – Bible doctrine.
Anything that distracts you from your spiritual life, is from Satan. Whether he formally authored something or merely allows humanity to promote his policies, makes no difference. Evil originated from Satan, and evil is not easily detected when you are spiritually deficient.
Your destiny is not in this world. Your destiny is in the next life. The details and content of your destiny are determined by your own decisions in this life. And while you did not have any say in the details of your current life, you do have the opportunity to determine the extent of the details of your next life.
Why would you pass up that opportunity?
Sunday, December 14, 2008
1 Peter 5:7
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 5:7
7 Casting [epirrhipto] all [pas] your [humon] care [merimna] upon [epi] him [autos]; for [hoti] he [autos] careth [melo] for [peri] you [humon]. KJV-Interlinear
7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. NASB
In life, probably each and every day of our life, we all have anxiousness's, concerns, worries, apprehensions and such. And we have these worries because of the uncertainties of life.
Matt. 6:31-34
31 ‘Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?'
32 ‘For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 ‘But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.
34 ‘Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NASB
One of the most difficult things in life to master, is faith. We are so used to seeing and touching and deciding based on the tangible things around us, but there is always the uncertainty beyond the five senses as well as beyond logic. We cannot know what tomorrow will bring.
It is difficult enough during times of prosperity, and doubly difficult in times that are less than prosperous.
Just as we have studied the various uncertainties of life based on attitudes in these past few days, the biggest barrier in those studies, is in not getting upset with the subject material or the comments made. It is too easy to disagree and then become distracted from ones study.
None of us are prophets these days, we can only speculate, but we can know one thing for certain, and that is, that God blesses those who adopt His doctrine, and God disciplines those who do not. The specifics of either situation is the unknown.
But here is a promise. Your concerns, either spiritual or temporal, are Gods concerns. He knows what you need in life and when you need it. But that does not mean that He is going to provide you with what you want.
Your eternal life is of greater importance, and God will never trade away your destiny, for something temporary for today.
God is merciful, caring, loving, and deeply concerned for your life. Your concerns are His concerns. Your worries are His worries. Your problems are His problems, and God is your only solution regardless of your situation. God is your only solution regardless of what you think.
Remember, Jesus came into this world as a poor carpenters’ son. The priests were expecting a prince, riding a white warhorse, carrying a sword with lightning and power, and they expected Him to do their bidding, not His.
They all rejected Christ.
Very few who were present, actually cared for Jesus. And yet He did not reject us because we rejected Him.
And so, even if we do not agree with Gods teaching, we should be open minded enough and patient enough to hear Him out.
The world has enjoyed a tremendous period of prosperity since the end of World War II, despite several ups and downs along the way. Now we seem to be facing a transitional period of difficulty.
And while none of us truly know what to expect in the near or distant future, that really is irrelevant if you are pursuing your spiritual life.
This is a good verse to place in your list of memory verses.
Psa. 55:22
22 Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. NASB
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:7
7 Casting [epirrhipto] all [pas] your [humon] care [merimna] upon [epi] him [autos]; for [hoti] he [autos] careth [melo] for [peri] you [humon]. KJV-Interlinear
7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. NASB
In life, probably each and every day of our life, we all have anxiousness's, concerns, worries, apprehensions and such. And we have these worries because of the uncertainties of life.
Matt. 6:31-34
31 ‘Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?'
32 ‘For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 ‘But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.
34 ‘Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NASB
One of the most difficult things in life to master, is faith. We are so used to seeing and touching and deciding based on the tangible things around us, but there is always the uncertainty beyond the five senses as well as beyond logic. We cannot know what tomorrow will bring.
It is difficult enough during times of prosperity, and doubly difficult in times that are less than prosperous.
Just as we have studied the various uncertainties of life based on attitudes in these past few days, the biggest barrier in those studies, is in not getting upset with the subject material or the comments made. It is too easy to disagree and then become distracted from ones study.
None of us are prophets these days, we can only speculate, but we can know one thing for certain, and that is, that God blesses those who adopt His doctrine, and God disciplines those who do not. The specifics of either situation is the unknown.
But here is a promise. Your concerns, either spiritual or temporal, are Gods concerns. He knows what you need in life and when you need it. But that does not mean that He is going to provide you with what you want.
Your eternal life is of greater importance, and God will never trade away your destiny, for something temporary for today.
God is merciful, caring, loving, and deeply concerned for your life. Your concerns are His concerns. Your worries are His worries. Your problems are His problems, and God is your only solution regardless of your situation. God is your only solution regardless of what you think.
Remember, Jesus came into this world as a poor carpenters’ son. The priests were expecting a prince, riding a white warhorse, carrying a sword with lightning and power, and they expected Him to do their bidding, not His.
They all rejected Christ.
Very few who were present, actually cared for Jesus. And yet He did not reject us because we rejected Him.
And so, even if we do not agree with Gods teaching, we should be open minded enough and patient enough to hear Him out.
The world has enjoyed a tremendous period of prosperity since the end of World War II, despite several ups and downs along the way. Now we seem to be facing a transitional period of difficulty.
And while none of us truly know what to expect in the near or distant future, that really is irrelevant if you are pursuing your spiritual life.
This is a good verse to place in your list of memory verses.
Psa. 55:22
22 Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. NASB
Saturday, December 13, 2008
1 Peter 5:6
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 5:6
6 Humble yourselves [tapeinoo] therefore [oun] under [hupo] the mighty [krataios] hand [cheir] of God [theos], that [hina] he may exalt [hupsoo] you [humas] in [en] due time [kairos]: KJV-Interlinear
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, NASB
In the general sense, the word humble means to be modest or unassuming, but in the spiritual sense, humble means to set aside ones own priorities, beliefs, attitudes and such, and replace them with Gods truth.
That is often difficult to accomplish when your own beliefs interfere with truth, as you often times will try to open up the rules of compromise, and include your own views mixed in with Biblical views.
Prov. 3:34
34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. NASB
Deut. 3:24
24 'O Lord God, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness and Thy strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Thine? NASB
Luke 1:51
51 ‘He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. NASB
In life you are always faced with submitting yourself to Gods will and thus receiving the marvelous blessings of grace, or constantly trying to incorporate your views into or over and above those of Gods, and then reaping the power of His discipline.
In this universe and in heaven, God is the sovereign power and authority. On this earth, neither you nor I, nor anyone in humanity has the power or authority to make the day one minute longer or shorter, or extend our life by even a minute.
Our opinions mean nothing. Gods opinion means everything.
Therefore, recognize your place, sooner than later, so that you will enjoy more blessing than suffering.
The biggest problem that folks seem to have, is that they take themselves too seriously, and think too highly of their own opinions. And, it is just too embarrassing to pretend that you are trusting in someone that you can’t contact, can’t see, can’t even locate on a map.
But, God possesses the power to punish, and He certainly possesses the power to exhalt.
And one last thought for this lesson. Is it not odd that all of the problems of the last decade or so have come together in this single year. The seeds sewn in the last of the 90’s now resulting in the current financial crisis, the environmental opposition to drilling for several decades resulting in the oil price crisis earlier this year (prior to the election), the disregard of terrorists in the 90’s resulting in the current fight against them in this decade, an unqualified candidate defeating a qualified candidate in the general election, a liberal candidate with government running everything views winning the presidency, a governor auctioning off senate seats, car companies failing to design more economical cars, unions reaching all time greed highs with total compensation packages exceeding 70 dollars an hour verses their competition who are at 45 dollars an hour, liberal thought that the ways of old (which have made this country great) need to be changed (to what), conservative thought that has become rigid and losing perspective.
And all of this and more coming to fruition this year!
And why? Because society has been drifting negative toward God, doctrine, and their spiritual lives for a long time. Once people drift away from God, they dig in their heals for this false beliefs.
What should we expect in the near future? That everyone will simply discover their mistakes and change? Or, that people will continue to embrace their beliefs and decisions, leading society to even greater trouble.
In almost every historical setting, it takes great crisis before people abandon their faulty views. The last great crisis in our country was back in the thirties and forties, and it took from 1929 to 1945 (16 years), before things turned around. And what exactly happened during those years?
And this is in our verse. God has a mighty hand (emphasis on the words ‘mighty hand’), and we have been witness to many events coming to a head this year. No one has elected to change or recognize the need for their change, so God has given society all their choices.
Back in ancient times, the people chose Saul rather than David. The country was nearly destroyed.
But, regardless of how the rest of the world goes, you always have an out. And that out is God, Christ, doctrine, and your spiritual life. Don’t adopt a causual attitude toward life and then be surprised when reality gets really serious (emphasize the word ‘serious’). You will have no one to blame but yourself (even though people will seek scapegoats).
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:6
6 Humble yourselves [tapeinoo] therefore [oun] under [hupo] the mighty [krataios] hand [cheir] of God [theos], that [hina] he may exalt [hupsoo] you [humas] in [en] due time [kairos]: KJV-Interlinear
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, NASB
In the general sense, the word humble means to be modest or unassuming, but in the spiritual sense, humble means to set aside ones own priorities, beliefs, attitudes and such, and replace them with Gods truth.
That is often difficult to accomplish when your own beliefs interfere with truth, as you often times will try to open up the rules of compromise, and include your own views mixed in with Biblical views.
Prov. 3:34
34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. NASB
Deut. 3:24
24 'O Lord God, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness and Thy strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Thine? NASB
Luke 1:51
51 ‘He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. NASB
In life you are always faced with submitting yourself to Gods will and thus receiving the marvelous blessings of grace, or constantly trying to incorporate your views into or over and above those of Gods, and then reaping the power of His discipline.
In this universe and in heaven, God is the sovereign power and authority. On this earth, neither you nor I, nor anyone in humanity has the power or authority to make the day one minute longer or shorter, or extend our life by even a minute.
Our opinions mean nothing. Gods opinion means everything.
Therefore, recognize your place, sooner than later, so that you will enjoy more blessing than suffering.
The biggest problem that folks seem to have, is that they take themselves too seriously, and think too highly of their own opinions. And, it is just too embarrassing to pretend that you are trusting in someone that you can’t contact, can’t see, can’t even locate on a map.
But, God possesses the power to punish, and He certainly possesses the power to exhalt.
And one last thought for this lesson. Is it not odd that all of the problems of the last decade or so have come together in this single year. The seeds sewn in the last of the 90’s now resulting in the current financial crisis, the environmental opposition to drilling for several decades resulting in the oil price crisis earlier this year (prior to the election), the disregard of terrorists in the 90’s resulting in the current fight against them in this decade, an unqualified candidate defeating a qualified candidate in the general election, a liberal candidate with government running everything views winning the presidency, a governor auctioning off senate seats, car companies failing to design more economical cars, unions reaching all time greed highs with total compensation packages exceeding 70 dollars an hour verses their competition who are at 45 dollars an hour, liberal thought that the ways of old (which have made this country great) need to be changed (to what), conservative thought that has become rigid and losing perspective.
And all of this and more coming to fruition this year!
And why? Because society has been drifting negative toward God, doctrine, and their spiritual lives for a long time. Once people drift away from God, they dig in their heals for this false beliefs.
What should we expect in the near future? That everyone will simply discover their mistakes and change? Or, that people will continue to embrace their beliefs and decisions, leading society to even greater trouble.
In almost every historical setting, it takes great crisis before people abandon their faulty views. The last great crisis in our country was back in the thirties and forties, and it took from 1929 to 1945 (16 years), before things turned around. And what exactly happened during those years?
And this is in our verse. God has a mighty hand (emphasis on the words ‘mighty hand’), and we have been witness to many events coming to a head this year. No one has elected to change or recognize the need for their change, so God has given society all their choices.
Back in ancient times, the people chose Saul rather than David. The country was nearly destroyed.
But, regardless of how the rest of the world goes, you always have an out. And that out is God, Christ, doctrine, and your spiritual life. Don’t adopt a causual attitude toward life and then be surprised when reality gets really serious (emphasize the word ‘serious’). You will have no one to blame but yourself (even though people will seek scapegoats).
Friday, December 12, 2008
1 Peter 5:5
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 5:5
5 Likewise [homoios], ye younger [neos], submit yourselves [hupotasso] unto the elder [presbuteros]. Yea [de], all [pas] of you be subject [hupotasso] one to another [allelon], and be clothed [egkomboomai] with humility [tapeinophrosune]: for [hoti] God [theos] resisteth [antitassomai] the proud [huperephanos], and [de] giveth [didomi] grace [charis] to the humble [tapeinos]. KJV-Interlinear
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. NASB
The proud and the humble are terms referring to the relative spiritual growth of immature believers as opposed to mature believers.
Likewise, the terms elders and younger also refer to those who are more advanced in wisdom as opposed to those who have relatively little spiritual growth under their belt.
The key to this whole verse is Gods policy toward believers in general, toward spiritually deficient believers specifically, and also toward mature believers.
Physical age has no bearing on Gods policy. Bible doctrine is the key as to what kind of relationship you will or will not have with God.
Therefore, if you are a relatively young believer, or better stated, if your spiritual life is relatively new or young, and it will be if you have just believed in Christ (whether you are nine or ninety is irrelevant), then prepare to subordinate yourself in respect, in humility, and so forth, toward those who have greater wisdom than you.
If in doubt, being quiet and polite is the better attitude to adopt. Time and doctrine will educate you as to whether your elders, are indeed wise in doctrine, or just older folks who can fool you.
You learn doctrine by clothing yourself in humility. Humility is a reference to your spiritual life. Therefore, put on the clothing of wisdom, and not arrogance. You put on these clothes by means of your spiritual growth. In other words, grow up.
Park your attitude and former beliefs at the door, and not only that, leave them outside of your life permanently. Listen and do not voice your opinions. No one wants to hear from an immature person anyway. The unwise cannot have anything to say, to the wise. The unwise has nothing to teach the wise.
All students of the Word of God, come before God without portfolio.
This verse is a general command to help you put your beliefs in perspective, to help you listen rather than speaking, to help you learn and grow up.
And when you grow up spiritually and become wise, then you will realize that you will not need to voice your opinions. That God voices His Word quite well, without your help. And you will just smile to yourself when other younger believers try to impose their opinions, which you can simply ignore, and know that you too once had those same dumb ideas. Oh, well. We’ve all been there, done that.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:5
5 Likewise [homoios], ye younger [neos], submit yourselves [hupotasso] unto the elder [presbuteros]. Yea [de], all [pas] of you be subject [hupotasso] one to another [allelon], and be clothed [egkomboomai] with humility [tapeinophrosune]: for [hoti] God [theos] resisteth [antitassomai] the proud [huperephanos], and [de] giveth [didomi] grace [charis] to the humble [tapeinos]. KJV-Interlinear
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. NASB
The proud and the humble are terms referring to the relative spiritual growth of immature believers as opposed to mature believers.
Likewise, the terms elders and younger also refer to those who are more advanced in wisdom as opposed to those who have relatively little spiritual growth under their belt.
The key to this whole verse is Gods policy toward believers in general, toward spiritually deficient believers specifically, and also toward mature believers.
Physical age has no bearing on Gods policy. Bible doctrine is the key as to what kind of relationship you will or will not have with God.
Therefore, if you are a relatively young believer, or better stated, if your spiritual life is relatively new or young, and it will be if you have just believed in Christ (whether you are nine or ninety is irrelevant), then prepare to subordinate yourself in respect, in humility, and so forth, toward those who have greater wisdom than you.
If in doubt, being quiet and polite is the better attitude to adopt. Time and doctrine will educate you as to whether your elders, are indeed wise in doctrine, or just older folks who can fool you.
You learn doctrine by clothing yourself in humility. Humility is a reference to your spiritual life. Therefore, put on the clothing of wisdom, and not arrogance. You put on these clothes by means of your spiritual growth. In other words, grow up.
Park your attitude and former beliefs at the door, and not only that, leave them outside of your life permanently. Listen and do not voice your opinions. No one wants to hear from an immature person anyway. The unwise cannot have anything to say, to the wise. The unwise has nothing to teach the wise.
All students of the Word of God, come before God without portfolio.
This verse is a general command to help you put your beliefs in perspective, to help you listen rather than speaking, to help you learn and grow up.
And when you grow up spiritually and become wise, then you will realize that you will not need to voice your opinions. That God voices His Word quite well, without your help. And you will just smile to yourself when other younger believers try to impose their opinions, which you can simply ignore, and know that you too once had those same dumb ideas. Oh, well. We’ve all been there, done that.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
1 Peter 5:4
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 5:4
4 And [kai] when the chief Shepherd [archipoimen] shall appear [phaneroo], ye shall receive [komizo] a crown [stephanos] of glory [doxa] that fadeth not away [amarantinos]. KJV-Interlinear
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. NASB
There are five crowns of reward, for the believer, mentioned in the Bible. Three relate to self, and two relate to others.
For Self:
Crown of victory or incorruption, 1 Cor. 9:25 – remaining in fellowship.
Crown of life, James 1:12, Rev. 2:10-11, 1 Cor 3:15 - testing by trial.
Crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8 - maturity (perfection, integrity).
For Others:
Crown of the soul winner or rejoicing, Phil 4:1, 1 Thes. 2:19 - bringing others to Christ - their salvation.
Crown of glory, - teaching others about Christ - their growth, 1 Pet. 5:4.
In ancient times, winners of various events or those who accomplished things of an extraordinary nature, were presented with wreaths of flowers and such. These awards naturally faded over a short space of time. Their awards also were generally accompanied with honors, and even compensation, depending on the nature of the award.
This is the concept of the crowns mentioned in the scriptures, as they apply to each believer.
By accomplishing these various tasks, or by participating in them, then the believer can expect to receive an award when they come face to face with Christ.
Heb. 13:20
20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, NASB
At the ‘appearance of Christ,’ who is the Chief Shepherd, is a reference to your standing before His Judgment Seat for your evaluation.
When you participate in a competition of some type, you expect some type of award. It may be a ribbon or a medal for finishing first, or second, or third, or even a participation award, maybe a plaque or a trophy. And so it is with your spiritual life.
When you advance in your spiritual life, there are rewards waiting for you in heaven and eternity. The Parables of Christ, are filled with examples of these rewards. And even though we do not know the specifics of these rewards, we do know that they are beyond anything we can imagine (exceedingly abundantly beyond all we can think or ask), and that covers a huge unknown region that has not even been invented.
And not only are these rewards beyond imagination, but they will last forever, never fading, never being lost.
In this world, you have to defeat someone in order to win, and there is only one first place prize, one second place prize, and so forth.
But in the spiritual life, when you help someone win, you also become a winner. Heaven has enough room for us all to be winners. Your only competition is yourself and your willingness to seize hold of the greatest gift that God has provided us all, which is your spiritual life.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 5:4
4 And [kai] when the chief Shepherd [archipoimen] shall appear [phaneroo], ye shall receive [komizo] a crown [stephanos] of glory [doxa] that fadeth not away [amarantinos]. KJV-Interlinear
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. NASB
There are five crowns of reward, for the believer, mentioned in the Bible. Three relate to self, and two relate to others.
For Self:
Crown of victory or incorruption, 1 Cor. 9:25 – remaining in fellowship.
Crown of life, James 1:12, Rev. 2:10-11, 1 Cor 3:15 - testing by trial.
Crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8 - maturity (perfection, integrity).
For Others:
Crown of the soul winner or rejoicing, Phil 4:1, 1 Thes. 2:19 - bringing others to Christ - their salvation.
Crown of glory, - teaching others about Christ - their growth, 1 Pet. 5:4.
In ancient times, winners of various events or those who accomplished things of an extraordinary nature, were presented with wreaths of flowers and such. These awards naturally faded over a short space of time. Their awards also were generally accompanied with honors, and even compensation, depending on the nature of the award.
This is the concept of the crowns mentioned in the scriptures, as they apply to each believer.
By accomplishing these various tasks, or by participating in them, then the believer can expect to receive an award when they come face to face with Christ.
Heb. 13:20
20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, NASB
At the ‘appearance of Christ,’ who is the Chief Shepherd, is a reference to your standing before His Judgment Seat for your evaluation.
When you participate in a competition of some type, you expect some type of award. It may be a ribbon or a medal for finishing first, or second, or third, or even a participation award, maybe a plaque or a trophy. And so it is with your spiritual life.
When you advance in your spiritual life, there are rewards waiting for you in heaven and eternity. The Parables of Christ, are filled with examples of these rewards. And even though we do not know the specifics of these rewards, we do know that they are beyond anything we can imagine (exceedingly abundantly beyond all we can think or ask), and that covers a huge unknown region that has not even been invented.
And not only are these rewards beyond imagination, but they will last forever, never fading, never being lost.
In this world, you have to defeat someone in order to win, and there is only one first place prize, one second place prize, and so forth.
But in the spiritual life, when you help someone win, you also become a winner. Heaven has enough room for us all to be winners. Your only competition is yourself and your willingness to seize hold of the greatest gift that God has provided us all, which is your spiritual life.
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