Bible study Daily, explanation and encouragement - 1 Peter

1 Peter 1:2

The Epistle of Peter has been described as the "Epistle of Hope", the "Epistle of Courage", and the "Epistle of Hope and Glory". Its most distinct lessons are:
1) that true children of God are subject to undeserved suffering, but that despite these persecutions, through the grace and power of God, they will remain steadfast.
2) that they will conduct themselves in holiness regardless of the situation they face. Peter reminds us that the Christian way is a way of holiness as exemplified by the life of Christ during His journey here on earth.

AUTHORSHIP - This epistle claims to have been written by Peter, and was universally accepted by the early church. There is uncertainty, however, regarding the part that Silvanus had in this writing (5:12).

RECIPIENTS - This "papal" letter was evidently intended for the entire body of Christ that inhabited the region of Asia Minor.

PURPOSE OF THE EPISTLE - With an energetic tone, Peter urges the scattered Christians to courage, patience, hope and holiness of life in the face of the mistreatment of their enemies. He wants to show Christians how to live their redemption in a hostile world. This involves the proper performance of all personal, civil and religious duties.

The text of this letter of Peter teaches us that there is a type of suffering according to God. Some sufferings happen IN CHRIST, and others happen BECAUSE OF HIM. When a believer suffers to do God's will, this is cause for joy (1 Peter 4:13). Saying no to "self" and suffering in the flesh leads to the death of selfishness, and this type of deprivation generates tremendous freedom and strength.

Peter calls us to live a lifestyle that is holy and pleasing to the Lord. He addresses not only our behavior but also our intentions, and he urges us to examine our hearts so that we can act from pure motives. The words in this book also give us pearls of truth for fighting spiritual warfare and overcoming the enemy.

I hope this book encourages you as you go through trials and difficult times, and that it inspires you to develop and maintain godly attitudes and behaviors in every area of ​​your life.

1 Peter 1:3

1 Peter 1:2 says: CHOSEN AND DESTINED BY GOD THE FATHER AND SANCTIFIED BY THE SPIRIT FOR OBEDIENCE TO JESUS ​​CHRIST AND FOR SPRINKLING WITH HIS BLOOD.

THE ISSUE OF ELECTION - It cannot be denied that the Bible teaches about election. We have 3 types of election in the Scriptures:

1. The election of an individual to perform some special or particular work (Dt 21.5; 1 Sm 2.27,28; Jer 1.5; Lk 6.13; Acts 9.15).
2. The election of nations or groups of people to high religious privileges (Dt 4.37; 7.6; 10.15; Is 41.8-9).
3. A personal election of individuals to become children of God and heirs of eternal glory (1:2; 2 Thess. 2:13, 140). This latter election does not imply an "exclusion of other Christians from similar precious blessings: nor does it guarantee that their salvation is irrevocably secure; they continue in a state of probation, and their election may be rendered useless (...) through unbelief, and may come to nothing."

"The election and predestination of God (...) are his gracious provision and purpose to save all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and not an arbitrary predetermination of those who can believe."

Their election was ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER; according to God's comprehensive knowledge of his own plans and works, so that foreknowledge is practically equivalent to his deliberate and discerning purpose.

THE SANCTIFICATION here proposed includes both the process and the result of this operation of the Holy Spirit, whereby the heart of man is cleansed from moral evil, and the character is brought into complete conformity with the will of God. God's eternal purpose is that man should be like Him (Eph. 1:4). In this moral condition, He created man (Gen. 1:26, 27). There is a decisive moment in this divine work, in which in an instant "the heart is cleansed from all sin and filled with the pure love of God and man." This holiness is wrought by the Holy Spirit, who ministers the "state of grace" provided through the Blood of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:4

The resurrection of Christ testifies to God’s acceptance of His sacrifice and is the basis of His mediatorial exaltation. The central goal of the believer’s hope is an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and does not fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, who by the power of God are kept through faith for salvation.

As children of God, believers are heirs of God. There is an inheritance stored up for them. Unlike earthly treasures that fade away, this spiritual inheritance is imperishable. It retains its unfading perfection because it contains no seeds of decay. This inheritance is kept absolutely secure for the believers who are being kept for it. This inheritance encourages believers to remain steadfast in the faith regardless of their sufferings.

THROUGH YOUR FAITH, GOD PROTECTS YOU WITH HIS POWER UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THIS SALVATION, READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIMES. This requires faith in the power of God, who guards His people against all enemies. He has the ability to preserve every believer who commits himself to divine power. THERE IS SECURITY FOR THE BELIEVER. It is for eternity, but it is not an unconditional security. This salvation requires faith, which involves mental assent and personal commitment.

1 Peter 1:6

That joy and sorrow can coexist in the Christian life is revealed by the greatness of the purpose of salvation and the preciousness of the wonderful Savior. Peter assures his readers that there is an "inheritance" awaiting Christians and that these various temptations that cause suffering are permitted to prove that their faith is real. Serenity in these crises, even though it may seem as if they were being tested by fire, would mean approval by the Lord Himself with praise, honor, and glory in His revelation. The problem of suffering has always bewildered Christians, but the path to glory lies through resistance or opposition. Furthermore, trials and sufferings "seldom come singly, but are numerous and come from different directions". This process purifies the soul by separating it from any impurity and manifesting the integrity of the Christian’s faith in Jesus Christ and love for Him.

In this epistle, Peter is fulfilling his Master’s commission to "strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:32). He had seen Jesus, but it is likely that no one in the churches to whom he wrote this epistle had seen Him. Peter commends them for believing in the crucified, risen, and unseen Christ and for their love which is the fruit of true faith. Their steadfastness in the face of persecution would prove the reality of their faith and strengthen them in ways that human language could not express their joy in being saved from all sin and qualified to enjoy the blessings that Christ will bestow upon the faithful at His return.

1 Peter 1:13

In view of this great salvation with its living hope and incorruptible inheritance, man cannot escape the obligation of living a holy life. Uncertainty and delay must not seduce them back to the old life from which they were saved. THEREFORE, PREPARE YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION AND EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL. PLACE YOUR WHOLE HOPE IN THE GRACE YOU WILL RECEIVE WHEN JESUS ​​CHRIST IS REVEALED at the Rapture of the Church. We must prepare ourselves and act, putting forth effort, concentrating ourselves entirely on our circumstances, and obeying God’s commands. Peter says that we must take care that our minds are not set on worldly importunities, fears, and prejudices. Success in the Christian life requires the cooperation of the intellect, the moral, and the spiritual faculties. To be prepared for the Lord’s return we must be OBEDIENT CHILDREN, not conformed to the manners and morality of those who lived among them. BE OBEDIENT CHILDREN. DO NOT GO BACK TO YOUR OLD WAY OF LIVING, WHEN YOU FULFILLED YOUR OWN LUSTS AND LIVED IN IGNORANCE (verse 14). Your character and conduct must be consistent with your Christian faith. This new way of life requires a turning away from what you were and did in the past and a transformation into what you had not been.

1 Peter 1:16

God’s holiness is the supreme motive for man’s holiness: BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY. God’s command to be holy (Lev. 11:44-46; 19:2; 20:7, 26) shows that His purpose is that the people whom He calls, shall be His possession, not to be shared with anyone else. He is their Father; Heaven is their home; and their life on earth is but fleeting. Therefore, the character that qualifies them for His Heaven must be like His. This qualification is not attained by a ritual separation from impurity, nor by a formal consecration to divine service, but by a sharing in God’s holiness through Christ (Heb. 12:10; 13:12; 1 John 1:7). Because of man’s nature, it is possible for him to be 'like' God. The possibility of becoming holy determines our duty to be holy. When we consider the nature of God, the will of God, the calling of God, the command of God, the promise of God, the provision of God, the power of God, and the eternal purposes of God, the inescapable conclusion is that without holiness we cannot please Him (Heb. 12:14).

1 Peter 1:18-19

Having encouraged his readers to walk “…in fear during the time of your sojourning here,” based on the fact that they have called God their Father, the apostle adds (v. 18) a second argument: "… You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ".
The thought of our redemption must be a constant and powerful incitement to holiness and the fear of God.
God expects the Christian to live in accordance with what he knows, and so we have great need to take seriously what we already know.
Neither gold nor silver nor any corruptible thing of this world can redeem even a soul. They are sometimes snares, temptations, and hindrances to man’s salvation, but they can in no way purchase or cause it. They are corruptible, and so they cannot save an incorruptible and immortal soul.
The blood of Jesus Christ is the only ransom for the redemption of man. The redemption of man is real, not metaphorical. We are bought with a price, and the price is equal to the value of the purchase, for it is the precious blood of Christ; it is the blood of an innocent person, a lamb without blemish and without spot, who was represented by the paschal lamb, and of an infinite person, being the Son of God, and therefore it is called the blood of God (Acts 20:28).
The design of Christ in shedding his most precious blood was to redeem us, not only from the eternal misery of the hereafter, but from the vain life of this world. That life is vain which is empty, frivolous, light, and useless to the honor of God, to the credit of religion, to the conviction of unbelievers, and to the comfort and satisfaction of man's own conscience. Not only the open wickedness, but the futility and uselessness of our life are tremendously dangerous. A man's life may have an appearance of devotion, and may plead antiquity and tradition in its defense, and yet after all be the most vain life.

1 Peter 1:22

Believers are called to holiness, which involves obedience to the truth. Jesus Christ declared, “I AM … THE TRUTH.” He also prayed to the Father that His followers would be sanctified "through the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17). The word of God operating in the heart of the believer as truth and light is the formal reason for sanctification. The process of purification can be said to have begun when a person accepts the truth about Christ and submits to His demands.

This purification is both negative, putting off all malice, and positive, putting on what is good and growing in it. Purification is something more than what began at regeneration and involves a moment-by-moment response to the Spirit’s revelation of God’s will.

The divine Agent in the purification of the heart is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit freely bestows both obedience and purity of heart.

The product of a pure heart is unfeigned brotherly charity. The new nature expresses itself in a love that is "unhypocritical", because the heart has been purified from selfishness and hatred. This love for one another is fervent, sincere, and constant, "with full capacity to love." There is nothing superficial or merely sentimental about it, for it comes from a heart pure from any taint of unholy desire or intemperate passion. The pure have a new source of life, a new nature, and a new power that impels them to convert duty into action.

1 Peter 2:1

The exhortation in verse 1 is an expansion of the principle of love in 1:22. Five things must be put aside because they are inconsistent with pure love.

MALICITY is malevolence, the inclination to harm our neighbor or cause others to suffer.
GUILE is deceitful cunning or trickery to gain advantage over others.
INSINCERITY is counterfeit acts by which someone pretends to be or do something that he or she is not or does not do.
ENVY indicates jealousy that is actually hidden malice or malevolence; it arises from hearts that are discontented and disparages the ability, prosperity, achievement, or reputation of others.
SLANDER signifies malice in speech, which insinuates, slanders and tells injurious lies.

Augustine quoted: Malice delights in the pain of another; envy languishes at the good of others; deceit imparts duplicity to the heart and hypocrisy (or flattery) to the tongue; gossip wounds the character of others.

Therefore, we must rid ourselves of these feelings by leaving them behind, which indicates a definitive action against every kind of sin at the moment of conversion, so that there is no room for any sin in the life of a Christian. Every sin that has survived the shock of conversion must be abandoned.

1 Peter 2:2-3

Again the negative and positive aspects of the Christian life are contrasted. In verse 1 there were hindrances to be cast off. Here, as babes born again, who have experienced a complete change of life and character, they must earnestly desire the pure spiritual milk, unadulterated, unmixed with water. They must make progress; the surest way not to relapse into sin is to pursue holiness. They have had a genuine regeneration. The nourishment afforded by the true doctrines of the gospel would enable them to grow in faith, love, holiness, unto the full stature of Christ.

It is only as Christians feed upon the word of God that they will grow. NOTHING CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR THE WORD. One explanation of many cases of pent-up growth among God's people is that so few have really proved, by personal attention to their devotional life, that the Lord is gracious; or as some translators prefer, "How sweet is the Lord." The growing soul needs "time to be holy."

1 Peter 2:9

• As a Christian, we must realize that we belong to a holy nation. The Israelites were set apart to live to God's honor and glory and to be a representative to show God to the Gentile nations. Likewise, the Christians are set apart to represent God on earth and to preach the gospel among the nations.
• The world lives in darkness, ungodly, despises God's commandments, many live under the influence of powers of darkness, drugs and alcohol. God has called the Christian to let His marvelous light of Salvation shine through the blood of Jesus Christ in the world.
• The Christian is called to fulfill his duties as a royal priest. The High Priest had to dress daily in special worthy clothing, with the breastplate on which the 12 tribes of Israel were engraved. He carried the Jewish people on his heart. Likewise the Christian is called as a priest not to participate in the world, but to distinguish himself from the world. The Christian must carry the unbeliever on his or her heart and make daily intercessions. Praying by name of the unbeliever that he or she will come to faith in Jesus Christ.
• The High Priest was only allowed to enter the Holy of Holies once a year after bringing a sacrifice for his sins. The Christian may, after confessing his or her sins, approach God the Father in prayer any time of the day. For our Lord Jesus Christ has made the sacrifice for us. But we must remember that God the Father is a Holy God.
• The church (the Holy of Holies) may not resemble a place of a worldly disco, where one enters with torn clothes and the mobile phone activated.
• People come to church to worship God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, to praise. The Trinity is a Holiness, They are God. They are above all presidents and kings on earth. They are above all angels. The angels show all respect for God. The fate of satan and fallen angels who wished to place themselves above God, their destiny is the lake of fire forever.
• The priest in the Old Testament was set apart from the ordinary Israeli people. The Christian received the Holy Spirit immediately after his or her assumption of Jesus as Savior. The O.T. priest had a ministry. The Christian must use the power of the Holy Spirit to say NO to sin and complete his or her ministry to the Will of God.

1 Peter 2:9

Praise opens the door to more grace - John Wesley
Praise and worship in your mouth is a powerful weapon to defeat Satan.

We have to face our circumstances and other things on earth before the Lord returns, not with fear or anxiety, but with HIGH PRAISES to the Lord from our mouth and the two-edged sword that is His Word in our hand.

This is the time for God's people to declare their praise among the nations! God made us a royal priesthood to proclaim His praise to the ends of the earth.

SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE BEGIN TO PRAISE, SING AND REALLY WORSHIP HIM.
There is a releasing of the Spirit and new freedom arises! The shackles of fear, doubt, and worry begin to slip away.

Praise strikes down the power of darkness, scatters demonic opponents, and thwarts Satan's strategies - Wesley L. Duewel
Face Satan and his principalities in advance with PRAISE and WORSHIP on your lips. In so doing, God will fight for you, just as he did for Israel! (2 Chronicles 20).

The enemy will hear your worship and will know he is defeated!

1 Peter 2:9

1. All true Christians are a chosen generation; they all form one family, a sort and species of people, distinct from the common world, of another spirit, principles, and practice, than they could ever be, were they not chosen in Christ, to be thus sanctified by the Spirit.

2. All true servants of Christ are a "...royal priesthood..." They are royal in their relationship to God and Christ, in their power with God, and over themselves, and all their spiritual enemies; they are princely in the development and excellence of their own spirits, and in their hopes and expectations; they are a royal priesthood, separated from sin and sinners, consecrated to God, and offering to God spiritual services and oblations, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

3. All Christians, wherever they may be, constitute a holy nation. They are one nation gathered together under one head, agreeing in the same manners and customs, and governed by the same laws; and are a holy nation, because they are consecrated and devoted to God, renewed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

4. It is an honour to the servants of Christ, that they are God's peculiar people. They are the people of His purchase, His choice, His care, and His pleasure. These four dignities of every true Christian are not natural to him; for his first estate was a state of horrible darkness; but they are indeed called out of darkness, into a state of wonderful light, joy, pleasure, and prosperity, with this intent and view, that they may show forth, by word and deed, the virtues and praises of him that hath called them.

1 Peter 2:11

In this text, Peter begins another series of exhortations. Here, he is concerned with relationships with the outside world. This initial exhortation warns that there are carnal desires that war against the soul. John Wesley speaks of their dwelling in a foreign house (the body) and of being pilgrims in a foreign country (this world). Therefore, they must abstain from everything which is natural in this foreign house where they temporarily live or in this country through which they are passing. We must not conclude that the body (or human life) on earth is essentially evil. They become evil as they come into conflict with God's will for the soul.

Verse 12: SEEK TO LIVE IN AN EXEMPLARY MANNER AMONG UNBELIEVERS. SO, EVEN IF THEY ACCUSE YOU OF DOING EVIL, THEY WILL SEE YOUR RIGHT BEHAVIOR AND GIVE GLORY TO GOD WHEN HE JUDGES THE WORLD. Christians were maligned and mistreated because they refused to worship pagan gods and to partake of carnal feasts and idols. Peter tells them to carefully avoid anything that would harm the body, hinder the development of the soul, destroy mutual love, or weaken their Christian witness. Their entire lives must be honest among the Gentiles, and their virtues of moral judgment must be approved even by non-Christians. Long before the Christian era, Plato wrote of "the immortal battle between right and wrong." Despite the slander and defamation that accused Christians of being evildoers, a careful investigation of their lives and characters would convince their detractors of their Christian consistency and might lead the Gentiles (pagans) to believe in Christ. In any case, honesty would compel them to glorify God, to magnify the God of the Christians, after whom they patterned their conduct.

1 Peter 2:13-14

The loyalty of Christians to Jesus as the heavenly King subjected them to persecution because of the false accusation of disloyalty to the rulers of this world. Although Christians were "strangers and pilgrims", they were to be subject to the civil powers, which "instrumentally … are ordained by men, but originally all their power is of God". Peter knows that true saints make the best citizens. Their submission is for the Lord’s sake. Cooperation with those authorities who promote the general welfare of humanity commends the gospel to all good citizens; therefore, Christians must avoid being "consciously contentious" by refusing to do what it would not be sinful to do. This submission extends to EVERY HUMAN ORDER, every institution ordained by man, or every human authority, every fundamental social institution, the state, the home, the family, and divinely ordained functions. This submission TO THE KING, AS THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY, meant submission to the Roman emperor, who at the time Peter wrote this epistle was most likely Nero.
Peter emphasizes obedience to civil authority. This was a general rule, but there are exceptions in which "human ordinances conflict with the dictates of conscience, enlightened by the Holy Spirit". In such cases, Peter himself is an example of what should be done (Acts 4:19,20; 5:29).

The obedience that true holiness shows fulfills the will of God, which always involves an irreproachable life.

1 Peter 2:17

In four brief commands, Peter mentions principles that, if obeyed, will prevent many problems and satisfy man’s ethical obligations. TREAT ALL WITH RESPECT. This means that all men will receive the esteem they deserve because they have been created in the image of God, redeemed by His Son, and designated for a specific place in His kingdom. There are different circumstances of life, but the Christian gives each one the respect and treatment to which he is entitled. Obedience to this simple command will result in a “death blow” to all racial conflicts.

LOVE YOUR BROTHERS. This requires a special attitude toward the body of believers, not only as individuals but as a community. Right relations with non-Christians require the observance of proper rules of conduct; however, within the Church, life is more a matter of right attitudes and feelings than of rules. This kind of love is possible only among Christians.

FEAR GOD. Peter began with men in general, then moved on to spiritual men and from them to God himself. God must be treated with such reverence and humility that man's greatest fear will be to displease God. This fear requires a proper respect for the civil authorities He has instituted: yet when claims for obedience conflict, His claim supersedes that of any human authority.

1 Peter 2:19

YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

• As in a good marriage, it is important to talk to each other every day. Similarly in your relationship with God. God speaks to you through the Bible, you must test everything unto the Bible whether it is from God or not. All that people proclaim, the only keystone is God's Word. You speak to God through worship and prayer.
• The Christian reads the Bible daily, about 3 pages a day, in 1 year from Genesis to Revelation. The best in two translations that give a better light. After reading, take the time to reflect on what God today has to say to you.
• In the Bible Circle you hear the interpretation of other Christians.
  In Bible comments the texts are explained, often based on the original (Hebrew and Greek) text. But be critical and do not accept everything cockroach, test against other Bible texts in their context.
• Your worship and praise for the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross, that He died for your sins.
• Thank Him for your daily food, health and work.
• Bringing your problems and concerns to God.
• The intercession for governments that they will respect God's commandments and not pass laws that go against God's commandments. The protection of them by God.
• Bringing your problems and concerns to God.
• The intercession that teachers at schools and universities will respect God's commandments and not teach false doctrines of socialism and communism, etc.
• The intercession for unbelievers by name that they will be delivered from the powers of darkness and will come to faith in Jesus Christ.
• For your spiritual growth and walk under the control of the Holy Spirit and to know God's Will.
• The intercession for Israel, including Matthew 24:19-20 And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath.

1 Peter 2:19

The context of this passage begins in verse 18 when Peter discusses slavery, which he accepted as an institution, and the organization of society at the time, which included in the structure of homes and families a hierarchy of servants, ranging from slaves to employees. Some "masters" were good and humane, kind and considerate; others, however, were evil (tyrannical and unjust). Regardless of the disposition of the master, the servant was to be obedient and submissive with all fear (respect). Verse 19 makes it clear that Christian servants should be motivated by the desire to be faithful to God's demands and loyal to their superiors, rather than by fear of punishment.

This is a manifestation of grace rather than "natural heroism or philosophical pride" when, CONSCIOUS OF HIS WILL, THEY PATIENTLY BEAR UNJUST TREATMENT in order to maintain the sense of God's presence and blessing. This is an echo of the SERMON ON THE MOUNT (Matthew 5:10). But there is no glory if sufferings, regardless of their severity or how patiently they are endured, are a consequence of the servant’s faults. Peter is saying that if after we have done what is good and lovely, we are afflicted unjustly, THIS IS PLEASING TO GOD (v. 20) or WE WILL FIND GOD’S FAVOR. What happened to a person is no less important than his reaction, because the reaction reveals his true character.

1 Peter 2:21

Christians are called to follow Christ, to be holy, and, if necessary, to suffer unjustly. They are to go where He goes and follow His example, whether it be to the glorious Mount of Transfiguration or to the sad Gethsemane and Calvary. The apostles never promised that following Christ would exempt us from suffering, even unjust suffering, FOR CHRIST SUFFERED FOR US (v. 21). Since He suffered in our place to redeem us, a grateful heart should constrain us to suffer for Him. Following Christ involves bearing the cross (Mark 8:34) and tribulation (John 16:33), in which He is our example. In verse 21 we have a double metaphor: an example, a written copy set by the Lord to be carefully observed by His followers; and a walk to be imitated: FOLLOW HIS FOOTSTEPS. The ideas involve complete identification with our Lord’s personal innocence, patient submission, and humble meekness.

Our suffering Lord NEVER SINNED, NOR DECEIVED ANYONE! (v. 22). He was above reproach in word and deed. HE DID NOT FIGHT BACK WHEN INSULTED, NOR DID HE THREAT TO TAKE REVENGE WHEN HE SUFFERED, BUT HE LEFT HIS CASE IN THE HANDS OF GOD (v. 23). His voluntary submission not only fulfilled God’s will, but provided a principle and an example for his followers. He believed that God would vindicate him and reward innocence.

Peter had once rebuked Jesus when He foretold His death (Matt. 16:21-23). ​​But now he knows that all hope of eternal life and salvation lies in the suffering and death of our Lord. Peter describes the purpose: THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SIN AND LIVE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS. The expression BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED indicates the humiliation and extreme suffering of Christ (Isaiah 53), through which man is saved. "This is a new and strange method of healing; the physician paid the price, and the sick received his healing."
FOR YOU WERE STRAYING LIKE SHEEP, BUT HAVE NOW RETURNED TO THE SHEPHERD AND GUARDIAN OF YOUR SOULS (v.25).

1 Peter 3:1

Peter showed that divine grace is sufficient to save, to sanctify, and to sustain during suffering. Now he shows that it is sufficient for social relationships. Continuing the idea of ​​subjection, Peter moves on to the relationship between wives and husbands, not women and men in general. Christian wives are to be obedient and loyal to their own husbands, even if the husband does NOT obey the word, and he is not a Christian. This command does not imply the personal inferiority of the wife nor does it oblige her to participate in anything that violates her conscience enlightened by the Spirit or the dignity of her human rights.

Marriage is a divine institution and incompatibility of religion does not justify the dissolution of the marriage. The subordination of the wife to the husband was ordained by God (Gen. 2:7, 21,22) and she must be maintained in love by the woman as the man's helper. On the other hand, the man's leadership role must be developed in a loving manner. Christianity restores husband and wife to the right relationship. Authority exercised in a loving manner, and subordination acknowledged, promote the development of affection and friendship.
The noble aim is that the unbelieving husband, BY THE CONDUCT OF HIS WIFE ... BE WON WITHOUT WORDS, CONSIDERING HER CHASTE LIFE IN FEAR. The wife, through holy fear, seeks to act in such a way as to create no obstacle to her husband's conversion. Her wordless sermon will convince him that Jesus must be the Messiah, otherwise his wife could not be so pure and virtuous! WITHOUT WORDS that is, without arguments, only by conduct.

1 Peter 3:3-4

The idea is not to advocate the unimportance of outward appearance, but the concept that inner qualities are more important. Outward beauty is corruptible; inward beauty is incorruptible. This hidden beauty of the heart is expressed by "a gentle and quiet spirit" (v. 4). This quality is not a reference to genetically acquired personality traits, such as being a person of few words. Rather, it refers to an inner attitude marked by an absence of anxiety, coupled with trust in God, the blessed controller of all things. A gentle spirit is of great value; a woman characterized by a "gentle and quiet spirit" is not only precious to God and a glory to her husband, but also a source of joy to all who live with her!

Some people have always tended to be extreme in their dress. The tendency today is to sin by wearing too little clothing. Holiness of heart is the remedy for the love of outward adornment. The extreme disdain for personal appearance that some people display is not a mark of superior piety; Holy women always seek to be blameless in their behavior, in their attitude toward dress and in their respect and deference toward their husbands, like Sarah, whose spiritual daughters should follow her example. Regardless of the detailed prohibitions that some see in these verses, four principles should govern a Christian’s clothing:
1. It should be tasteful, not slovenly.
2. Clothing should be simple, not gaudy or ostentatious.
3. It should be modest, dressing the person in a decent manner.
4. It should be economical and consistent with Christian stewardship.

1 Peter 3:7

Husbands also have the duty to live with their wives with understanding, that is, understanding, discernment as equals. Their obligations are equal, because they are her co-heirs of the grace of life. As the weaker vessel physically, the wife should receive respectful treatment from the husband to whom she is subordinate. Domestic disharmony that arises from disagreements and negative feelings should be avoided, so that their prayers are not hindered. Holiness produces right attitudes and appropriate actions between husbands and wives (1 Thess 7:3-7).

Another observation that one see a lot in many families is that the father or husband, in church or among believers, is a great person, polite, tolerant, kind, willing to help anyone from outside with their problems. However, at home, he is nothing like that. He is grumpy, complains about everything, has no patience, has no time for his wife or children, does not thank anyone, does not praise anyone, nothing is good. Please, if you act like this, change. Do not be a hypocrite. Those who help us at home and give us support so that we can continue with our secular work and ministries should be treated well. Is it really worth trying to make so many people happy on the outside that you sometimes do not even know at the cost of your own family living sad because of your actions? Think about it.

1 Peter 3:9

Learn:
1- RETURNING "... evil for evil, and reviling for reviling" is an unchristian and sinful practice. The magistrate may punish wrongdoers, and individuals may seek help when they are wronged; but personal revenge by duels, rebukes, and secret injuries is forbidden (Prov. 20:22; Luke 6:27; Rom. 12:17; 1 Thess. 5:15). Reviling is insulting another person with harsh, angry, and shameful terms; but when ministers censure severely and preach earnestly about the sins of their time, they are not thereby reviling. All the prophets and apostles did this (Isa. 56:10; Zeph. 3:3; Acts 20:29).:
2- The laws of Christ oblige us to revile with a blessing. Matthew 5:44 "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM WHO CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH HURT YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU." You must not justify them in their sins, but you must do for your enemies whatever justice demands or charity commands. We must have compassion for those who insult us, pray for them, and love them.
3- The calling of the Christian, inasmuch as it promotes him to glorious privileges, also obliges him to various duties.
4- All true servants of God will inevitably inherit a blessing; they already have it in large measure, but the full possession of it is reserved for another state and another world.

1 Peter 3:15

The secret of courage and success in facing opposition is: to sanctify in Christ and consecrate Him as Lord of your life. This means enthroning Christ in your heart as the supreme Lord, who though innocent suffered for the guilty and has the preeminence in all things (Col. 1:18); acknowledging him as holy; trusting fully in his wise providences with all sincerity; and loving him with a love inspired by a sound theology that covers his death “with atoning significance.”

We must always be PREPARED to face the ridicule of critics and the honest investigation of those who seek the truth. The answer to ANYONE WHO (...) ASKS A REASON FOR THE HOPE involves a rational account of the basic truths of Christianity and a convincing refutation of false accusations. Such an answer requires GENTLENESS AND FEAR AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE (v. 16). To be effective, testimony must be based on a godly life; It must be presented firmly, free from any trace of rebellion or disrespect toward the questioners, and it must come from a heart that is conscious of the divine presence. In Peter's day, when Christians were viewed as evildoers and accused of heretical religious views and evil customs, their best defense was not vehement argument but good conduct in Christ, the silent witness of a holy life centered on the Lord Jesus.

1 Peter 4:1

Peter emphasizes in several ways the preparation for suffering, which is inescapable. Christ is our example of undeserved suffering (3:18-22). Here in verses 1-6 separation from sin is cited as one of the causes of persecution. Since CHRIST SUFFERED PHYSICALLY FOR US, Christians are to arm themselves with "the same mind" to suffer patiently whatever God's Will is. This not only means identification with Christ in spirit and purpose, but in abhorring sin. Peter here uses the phrase SUFFERED PHYSICALLY FOR US to refer to our death to sin (Rom. 6:2-4). But he does not mean that this kind of suffering saves man. Identification with the death of our Lord means that the Christian HAS CEASED FROM SIN. He is in the world but not of the world. He is in the body, but having broken all connection with sin, he no longer patterns his life according to the lusts of men, which are prompted by the depraved nature. Instead of conforming to the moral standards of the old life, his life now has a new orientation: THE WILL OF GOD. This life also has a new dynamic: THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Rom. 6:1-13; 8:1-3).

1 Peter 4:7

Peter understood that the end of the dispensation was NEAR. The Coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment were believed to be very near. This picture served as a powerful incentive to holy living and encouragement to believers in their afflictions. The brevity of time required discretion, self-control, "sound judgment and a sober spirit for the purpose of prayer". "Unreasonable and restless excitement makes true prayer impossible."

Peter may have written these words as a sad recollection of the time when "fear, idle curiosity, impatient excitement, and neglect of duty" caused him to fail in watching and praying, and he ended up denying the Lord. However, regardless of the delay of our Lord’s return, Christians must be ready and alert for the wiles and deceptions of the devil, who seeks to take advantage of them.

We must be constant in prayer, so that this end does not come upon us unawares. Jesus is very clear in Matthew 24. Verse 6-9 "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs. 'Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake'.". The rise of nation against nation (U.S.A.) we see now in California, the wars in Ukraine, the Muslims killing the Christians in Africa, etc. It is clear that we are living in the last days. Including the lawlessness (vs 12 wickedness). Satan is doing everything he can and the 7 years of Great Tribulation are coming. These signs are clearly described by Jesus in Matt. 24 and expanded in the book of Revelation.

1 Peter 4:14

As partakers of Christ’s sufferings, they should rejoice, not because of the suffering, but because they experienced it as representatives of Christ. The immediate suffering came because Christians called Jesus the Son of God and worshipped Him as the supreme ruler instead of the emperor. The degree of their rejoicing should be increased by the intensity of the persecutions they endured. The joy they now experience in spite of their sufferings will give way to greater joy at the revelation of His glory, when they will see Christ and His kingdom will be supreme. At that time, these sufferers should leap for joy in triumphant exultation.

Contemptuous treatment inflicts greater suffering on the most sensitive soul than physical abuse or the destruction of property.

The Spirit of God’s glory gives courage to face suffering without shrinking.

Verse 15 says: IF THEY SUFFER, HOWEVER, LET IT NOT BE FOR KILLING, STEALING, CAUSING CONFUSION, OR MEDDLE IN THE AFFAIRS OF OTHERS. This means the following: Let no one dishonor Christ by suffering a just punishment for crimes against men; no one is blessed if he is suffering as a result of his own faults. Instead, let man glory because of the punishment inflicted for being a Christian.

MEDDING IN THE AFFAIRS OF OTHERS - This is very common in our days, it is the person who "is due to his calling and becomes a judge of others." Or people who were not called to help or guide certain conflicts and get involved thinking that because they are Christians they have the wisdom to do so, and many other aspects of daily life.

1 Peter 4:18

The common method of Providence has been this: When God brings great calamities and judgments, and terrible judgments upon whole nations, He generally begins with His own people (Isa. 10:12; Jer. 25:29; Ezek. 9:6). A TIME OF UNIVERSAL CALAMITY IS NOW AT HAND, EVEN AS HAS BEEN FORETOLD BY OUR SAVIOR (Matt. 24:9-10). This renders all the admonitions to patience given in the preceding verses very necessary. And we have two considerations to support us:
1. That these judgments are only beginning with us, and will soon be over; our trials and chastenings will not last long.
2. Our troubles will be but brief and light, in comparison of all that will fall upon the wicked world, partly upon the Jewish people, and the infidel and idolatrous people among whom we live.

If true believers find it hard to endure trials, they should remember that the fate of THOSE WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT TO GOD far exceeds the worst that Christians are called to endure, or can imagine. Their outlook is hopeless. And lest any reader be tempted to seek relief from persecution by renouncing the Christian faith, Peter reminds them that something far worse awaits the disobedient. If the righteous Judge does not overlook the faults of His submissive followers, but disciplines them to purify them and prepare them for glory, how terrible must be His wrath toward the rebellious!

When suffering is the instrument of divine discipline, and when it is not the result of personal wrongdoing, it is ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD, and should be accepted in the right spirit. Such sufferers are charged with the following charge: "Continue to do what is right, and commit yourselves to the care of God who made you, for He will never fail." Since God created the soul and gave it new life in Christ, He will be faithful to fulfill His promise to protect His possession. HOLINESS FREES THE BELIEVER FROM THE FEAR OF GOD'S EXAMINATION OF CHARACTER AND CONDUCT.

1 Peter 5:7

Whenever something happens to the Christian that can make him anxious, filling him with unrest and apprehension, he should turn to the heavenly Father in prayer.

PUT YOUR ANXIETY UPON GOD confidently that it will be heard by the ONE WHO CARES FOR YOU. This will result in an inner calm, the peace of God that will guard the heart and mental faculties.

Deep inside, the Christian will feel free from restlessness, bad feeling and alarmism, and his mind will not be disturbed by distractions resulting from anxiety. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4.6,7).

The psalmist declared: The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalms 34:18).

For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil (1 Peter 3:12).

Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God! (Is 41.10).br>Everything will be fine, keep trusting in God!

1 Peter 5:8

The churches are allowed to open again. Nevertheless, there are brothers and sisters who are afraid to visit the church again because of possible contamination. Many go shopping again but are afraid of going to church. Even some believers have the guts to give negative advice on Facebook to go back to church. Let them remember carefully that satan roams like a roaring lion, seeking who he can devour.

Every brother and sister has his or her responsibility. Each will have to answer PERSONALLY for the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 5:10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body.

What each one does at home, studies the Bible, how long prays, celebrates the Holy Supper with his / her family, each must be accountable to Jesus Christ. Heb. 10:25 says: "Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near". The day of the Rapture of the Church is approaching. With the Covid-19 and all the destruction in protests, it is clear that the Rapture is approaching.

I myself belong to the high-risk group, but that does not prevent me from continuing my work for the Lord Jesus Christ. But do take all precautionary measures, no embrace of my brother or sister, no shaking of hands, always keep with mask and distance.

1 Peter 5:8

Yesterday, the 13th, we learned how we read the Bible and WHY.

• Without in-depth knowledge of the Bible, without the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17), we are unable to defeat the roaring lion of Satan (1 Peter 5: 8).
• Jesus used purely the Word of God in Matthew 4:3-11 to resist satan, and in verse 11, satan suffered defeat and was gone. Thus, with every attack by Satan on the believer, the believer must use the Word of God (text(s) of the Bible) to resist Satan. This requires heartfelt Biblical knowledge, which you only have if you read the entire Bible in 1 year.
• With love, one can use Biblical texts to evangelize and approach the unbeliever, John 3:16 being the best known. It is the Word of God and the Holy Spirit that convict unbelievers.
• By practicing in the Word of God with every attack of satan, one grows spiritually. But this requires in-depth knowledge of the Bible because in the fall Eve fell for Satan's half-truths. And pay close attention to Satan's abuse of God's Word in the temptations of Jesus in Matthew 4.
• Learn by heart the verses of the Bible that you consider important in the fight against Satan and for evangelism.

1 Peter 5:8

Satan’s true nature is vividly described as:

1- OUR ENEMY – The opponent of God, His eternal purpose and all that is good. Satan is the prosecuting attorney in cases before the Judge. He is the “accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10), making false and slanderous accusations against the saints. Any slip in sin gives him the right to condemn the sinner and ensure his punishment; therefore, perpetual vigilance and effort on the part of the Christian is essential. He is also called

2- THE DEVIL – who accuses, slanders, tempts and seduces. His wiles vary. He may appear in the form of a cunning serpent or an angel of light.

3- LIKE A LION – a roaring, bloodthirsty, violent and insatiable lion, always on the prowl, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. This cunning enemy does not lie in wait for his prey in an absent-minded manner; he watches all Christians to see which one he has the greatest chance of devouring both soul and body.

The Christian attitude toward this diabolical personality must be one of firm resistance in faith. He who hates the saints and does not give up his opposition to God, truth, and holiness can be overcome by the power of God and spiritual armor (Eph. 6:11-18). Orthodoxy (doctrine or theological system) alone is not enough. Human wisdom is insufficient, and bowing down in fear leads to defeat. But the devil can be defeated by complete dependence on God as the great Deliverer, by maintaining unshakable trust in divine help, and by steadfast loyalty to Christ (Rev. 12:11).

These afflictions instilled by Satan extend to all the brethren in the world. All true Christians experience the same afflictions and persecutions. Therefore, we should not regard our afflictions as an indication of God's disfavor or proof that He has forgotten us. Being part of a fellowship of sufferers encourages us to resist the devil, with this goal in mind: "That you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

1 Peter 5:10

The problem of suffering, introduced in 1:6-9 and mentioned repeatedly in this epistle, has perplexed philosophers and theologians through the centuries. Job wondered why the righteous suffer. David was perplexed by this problem (Ps. 73, especially verses 12-17). It perplexed Christ’s disciples (John 9:1-3). It troubles believers today. But God intended all this to happen “for a testimony” (Luke 21:13). Despite the things we do not understand or are unable to explain, suffering is compatible with holy living (Isa. 48:10; Dan. 11:35; 12:10). Rather than signifying that the sufferer is under God’s wrath, it can mean that God has chosen that person to demonstrate his grace and power. Suffering produces a unity with God and a closeness that comes in no other way; it broadens life and teaches compassion for other sufferers. Above all, it teaches the price of our redemption (1:18-19; 2:21-24; 3:18).

Peter was concerned that his Christian readers would be deceived by self-pity, which has its origin in Satan (Matt. 16:23). If they began to think that no one else suffered as they did or had such a difficult fate, their faith and love might wane. Satan would take advantage of this and exploit this situation by questioning whether God was being fair to them. One author has said that life reaches its peak in suffering, which places a person in a position where he can understand the ultimate and immediate meaning of suffering.

Suffering is a process that develops and matures the gifts and the Fruit of the Spirit and, through this, helps us to control the human element involved. The text says that God will restore, sustain, and strengthen us and place us on a firm foundation. We will be confirmed and established in faith and obedience. Approval not only reveals the possession of a specific strength, but the need and possibility of more strength, which God grants by giving an inner power to overcome all enemies.

2 Peter 1:3

God’s power provides us with everything we need to live extraordinary, godly lives, but what He gives comes to us through our full, personal knowledge of God. We cannot know God through another person. We can learn facts about Him through others, but to know Him for ourselves, we need to study His Word alone and spend time with Him one-on-one.

You can be as close to God as you want to be. He is no respecter of persons, and if one person can have a close, intimate relationship with Him, everyone else can too. Why do some people seem so close to God and others don’t? I believe it all depends on how much time we are willing to spend developing a personal relationship with Him.

Attending church does not necessarily make us closer to God. Going to church is a good and right thing to do, but we need more than two hours on Sunday mornings with God if we are to learn enough to fulfill our destiny and truly enjoy life.

2 Peter 1:3 tells us that God has called us by His own glory and goodness. He wants us to live excellent lives, but He also expects us to learn to behave excellently. We only find the strength to do this as we wait on Him. Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31), and spending time meditating on God’s Word teaches us to discern right from wrong. The Bible provides numerous instructions on how we should behave towards others and in specific situations. It teaches us to be excellent and to go the extra mile: to do everything to the best of our ability and as if it were for the Lord.

Commit to making time for God and I believe you will see, through His promises, the life and power that are available to you. Be a lifelong learner. Refuse to have a second-hand relationship with God; get to know Him for yourself.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Far from being immobile or passive, the principle of faith actually throws us into the suffering of endless ethical effort: IN THE FACE OF ALL THIS, STRIVE TO THE UTMOST AND ADD TO FAITH MORAL EXCELLENCE - Faith is the root of the Christian life; works are the fruit of faith; or, to use another analogy, faith is the foundation upon which the edifice of love must be built. John Wesley said, "Our diligence is to follow after the gift of God, and it is attended with the increase of all his gifts."

The word ADD means to supply. It comes from the compound word epichorigio, meaning "to gather, to supply one thing after another, so that there is no lack or gap" and was used in the arts to mean "to direct a choir." Thus, Peter urges us to add one aspect after another in beautiful order until the chorus is complete and the Christian life is fully equipped with each virtue. And each grace received helps to perfect the other graces.

Moral excellence or VIRTUE is moral courage and goodness. It is the value that results from the performance of Christian duty. It is the moral power developed when one stands firm under test.

The next step upward is to add KNOWLEDGE — the knowledge of God, of divine things in general; that is, a mature moral wisdom that comes as a result of living by faith. And to this is added SELF-CONTROL, which is self-control both inward and outward, in the use of all lawful things. To this is added patience or PERSEVERANCE, which in the original language means persistence or constancy in faith during trials and sufferings (Rom. 5:3-5). Patience, as it is developed by faith, leads to DEVOTION TO GOD or piety, which means the "acknowledgement of dependence upon the gods, the confession of human dependence, the tribute of reverence, which man pays in the certainty that he needs their favor." For the Christian, this means being dependent upon God and conforming oneself to His mind in all things, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And finally, BROTHERLY LOVE, loving a brother in the Christian faith. And everything comes to a climax when God's love for humanity arrives.

2 Peter 2:1

Here Peter exposes the danger of false prophets. He says that they will teach destructive heresies. By these heresies, the false teachers are "denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing destruction upon their own heads".

HERESY in Greek means a choice. Thus, "a heresy is, strictly speaking, the choice of an opinion contrary to that generally held, and for this reason transferred to the body of those who profess its opinions, and thus form a sect". The nature of these sectarian movements is to propagate heretical teachings, to carry off members of existing congregations as birds of prey, and to create divisions, causing significant damage to the work of Christ in the world when they "turn the grace of God into lasciviousness". It is no wonder, then, that heretical teaching has been a primary instrument of Satan to sow seeds of discord and stifle the progress of world evangelization (Matt. 13:24-30). It is also no wonder that the apostles denounced heresy so vehemently, for heretical teaching is often the treacherous enemy of holiness and righteousness! This heresy is dangerous because the sanctification of the human spirit occurs through belief in divine truth (2 Thess. 2:13). Therefore, to believe a lie, however innocently propagated, is to invite possible condemnation upon oneself (2 Thess. 2:9-12). The strong affinity between heresy and corrupt morality, according to this chapter, illustrates the reciprocal stimulus that one gives to the other — both acting as cause and effect. The criterion for detecting heresy in Christian teaching is to recognize whether it denies the Lordship of Christ. This teaching may be a deliberate or unintentional rejection of revealed truth, accepting contradictory positions in its place.

The fact that many will follow dissoluteness (libertine practices) is evidence that the heart of man, apart from divine grace, is very prone to corruption and error. Because of these deceived people, the way of truth will be blasphemed. Danger is ever present because of the efforts of these false teachers to make money by taking advantage of God’s people with fake words. Therefore, we need to be cautious and study the Bible and pray.

2 Peter 2:4

The end of the false teachers, in terms of “judgment” and “perdition” (v. 3), is a prophetic statement, but it is as certain as history. Peter cites four examples, three of punishment and one of preservation, to reinforce his argument of things to come.

IF GOD DID NOT SPARE THE ANGELS WHO SINNED (4); HE DID NOT SPARE THE ANCIENT WORLD, BUT KEPT NOAH (5); IF HE CONDEMNED THE CITIES OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH TO BE OVERTURNED, REDUCING THEM TO ASHES (6); AND IF HE DELIVERED THE RIGHTEOUS LOT (7), THEN THE LORD KNOWS HOW TO RESCUE THE GODLY FROM TRIAL, AND TO KEEP THE UNRIGHTEOUS UNTIL THE DAY OF JUDGMENT (9). The form of judgment may be casting them into hell and delivering them to chains of darkness (pits of darkness), as in the case of the fallen angels; or by means of a flood, as in the world of Noah's day; or by reducing cities (...) to ashes, as in Sodom and Gomorrah. It is clear that the judgment of sinful people is certain. To this list, Peter adds false teachers and their victims, who, if they do not repent, will also perish in the judgment. This class of people is described as "those who follow the lust of defiling passion and despise authority" (v. 10).

God's judgment is not only certain and severe, but also selective. Some angels did not fall; Noah and his immediate family were saved; Lot was saved from Sodom. Thus, the Lord knows who should be condemned and who should be delivered, and He knows how to keep each for his or her eternal destiny.

2 Peter 3:3-4

One of the hallmarks of the LAST DAYS will be the appearance of scoffers, men who walk FOLLOWING THEIR OWN PASSIONS, whose only goal in life is what they want for themselves. These men seek to destroy sound doctrine through mockery. "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation”. This type of comment is an example of their mockery. The essential point of the argument is that if Christ had not come in their time, He never would. Peter shows how he used the Word of God in refuting their mockery. Sooner or later, Jesus Christ would return. This had been specifically promised at his Ascension (Acts 1:10-11), and the promise is well-founded in a theistic and supernaturalistic philosophy of history, as reflected in verses 5-7. Peter’s argument is that those who deny the Second Coming of Christ "willfully forget this fact: that God destroyed the world with a mighty flood, long after he had made the heavens by the word of his command, and had used the waters to form the earth and surround it. And God commanded that the earth and the heavens be reserved for a great burning on the day of judgment, when all ungodly men will perish.”

Thus, the only logical end of the argument for unbelief in denying the Coming of Christ is to deny His life on earth as well. Their denial, then, was not based on sound philosophy or a clear perspective on history. It was actually based on their hatred of anything supernatural, because they resented any interference with their own will. This is the enemy of the carnal mind against God (Romans 8:5-8).

Peter answers the scoffers by telling precious truths about God’s Word. It is his creative word (v. 5), but it is also a destructive word, concerning ungodliness (v. 6). It is a word that begins (v. 5) and sustains creation (v. 7) and can also stop it (v. 6-7). It brings consternation to the wicked (v. 5,6,10) and comforting counsel to the beloved (v. 1,8,14,17).

2 Peter 3:8

Where is the promise of His coming? is the question unbelievers ask. When will the Lord come? is the question of believers. Some who do not deny are nevertheless perplexed by His delay.

To the question, "Why does the Lord delay His Second Coming?" Peter gives an answer, highlighting four aspects:

1) Delay does not mean denying God's Word, because THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME.

2) Delay does not mean nullifying (reversing) God's word, because THE LORD DOES NOT DELAY HIS PURPOSE (is not slow).

3) Delay is evidence that God exists eternally - ONE DAY WITH THE LORD IS AS A THOUSAND YEARS, AND A THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY.

4) Delay means that God is extending His mercy. He does not want any to perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Although the Lord will not come before the set time, since one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, the second coming is always soon, because with God, a thousand years are as one day. We also read that the day of the Lord WILL COME LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT (Matt. 24:43; 1 Thess. 5:2, 4; Rev. 3:3; 16:15).

When this occurs, THE HEAVENS WILL PASS AWAY WITH A LOUD NOISE, AND THE ELEMENTS (the elementary particles used in the construction of the universe) WILL BE DISSOLVED WITH FIRE, AND THE EARTH AND THE WORKS THAT ARE UPON IT WILL BE BURNED UP. Whatever the mystery as to when and how, "all these things shall be (...) dissolved" only one certainty remains: THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME.

2 Peter 3:11

As elsewhere in Scripture, Peter aims to do more than inform the mind or satisfy human curiosity: he seeks to stimulate ethical effort, to inculcate the highly moral responses to faith-action in terms of obedient love.

Anything short of holiness of heart and life is inadequate in preparing for the coming of the Day of the Lord.

Closely linked with the kind of people we should be is the outlook we should have. Looking for and hastening (running toward) the coming of the Day of the Lord. Clearly, Christians can hasten the Day of the Lord by helping to fulfill those conditions without which that day cannot come — preaching the gospel to the whole world (Matt. 24:14) and calling people to repentance and conversion (Acts 3:19). Such diligent labor helps Christians look forward to the NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH. Our labors are also stimulated by the promise we must believe — the promise of a world in which RIGHTEOUSNESS INHABITS. Whatever the perplexities of the present, the future has its home in righteousness (Isa. 65:17; 66:22; Rev. 21:1). Believing this makes it easier to endure the afflictions of injustice now.

These words were written by Peter long before the atomic age, but this description of a great noise, of "the elements burning", etc., fits remarkably well with the atomic vocabulary. It is impossible to say whether God will use atomic destruction to bring an end to the present order of things. Some believe that he will. In any case, it is clear that there is a divine determination to bring an end to the sinful order on earth by a fiery, cleansing baptism and to prepare it for righteousness alone. The new creation in Christ, as described by Paul (2 Cor. 5:17), is a pledge of the completely new heavens and earth, according to Peter.