1 Peter 4-5

Doctrine: Those who have suffered in the flesh well have ceased from sin. People who suffer well, in the ways the world considers suffering, are proof to everyone that they have ceased from sin.

Doctrine: Suffering in the flesh well proves you are living according to the Will of God. We are only able to suffer in the flesh well if we have the "same mind" from verse 1, which was the Mind of Christ.

Peter stated that believers not participating in the "pleasures of the world" would stand out and be spoken against by unbelievers who did not understand why anyone would pursue something they could not see when they were surrounded by apparent pleasures. Peter stated these unbelievers would have to give an account to God in the long term.

Doctrine: The reason the Gospel was preached, even to those who were dead before Christ came to earth, was so that all people could be judged of man (which was persecution) which ought to cause them to live unto the spirit...which would prove the believer was doing the Will of God.

Above all things have fervent love among yourselves because love covers a multitude of sins. There are three types of sins:

1. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was unique in that it was the only unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32). Love could not cover that sin.

2. Sinning against God results in eternal damnation (death). Confession and repentance to God results in Salvation. Both of those sins result in death: damnation.

3. 1 John 5:16-17 stated there was a sin not unto death, which was the third type of sin. There are sins we do to each other. These sins affect our Reward. Luke 17:3 stated that we ought to confront a believer who sins against us and if he repents, then forgive him. The sin between believers will be equaled out during the second judgment according to books at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:12-13).

Here, Peter stated our love can cover a multitude of sins, not all sins. Our giving to others without expecting anything in return ("love") can cover the sins we have done to each other (#3) because we are equaling out Justice now instead of waiting at Judgment Day for God to equal it out. Verse 8 blatantly stated we ought to love each other because it would cover the sins we did to each other. Many people make the mistake of sinning against people and confessing/repenting to God. If they truly did confess and repent to God, the first thing God would say is confess and repent to (love) the person you sinned against. Many people who confess and repent to God for the sins they do to others are actually confessing and repenting to themselves.

This was an example of love: give (hospitality) without expecting (without murmuring), give with a good attitude.

The word "gift" in verse 10 was charis: grace. We ought to minister grace unto each other. If grace was "unmerited favor," how would this be possible? However, we know that loving God (First Command) results in the Second Command: God loving others through us via grace.

Peter concluded his explanation to allow God to do His Will through you by loving others with an exhortation to go hot (do everything to the full amount), even speaking as an oracle of God by grace.

Do not think it is strange when a tough external circumstance comes to prove your causes, as if you were surprised that you would experience suffering.

But rejoice that you are partaking in Christ's sufferings in the short term, so that when His Glory is revealed you will be glad with exceeding joy in the long term.

Doctrine: Being reproached for the name of Christ is proof that the Holy Spirit is influencing your actions.

Peter did not want Christians to suffer as an effect of evil causes. Peter wanted Christians to glorify when they suffer because of Righteous causes.

Peter stated that judgment began with the believers because not only ought we to be able to handle it well, but handling it well ought to result in us drawing believers towards God when we handle it well. If believers are barely able to handle this well, how will unbelievers recognize God's power?

Theme of Chapter 4: Rejoice in suffering as an effect of being Righteous. Why? Being reproached for the name of Christ is proof that the Holy Spirit is influencing your actions. Handling this unjust suffering well makes the Holy Spirit apparent to all.

Peter exhorted the elders among the people he was writing. Remember, elders are pastors.

He told the elders to tend their flocks, which was one of the things Jesus told Peter to do (John 21:16). Peter also focused the elders on doing this for the right cause: according to the Will of God which was grace.

Not as lords over (bosses) God's heritage but by being examples (leaders) to the flock. Leadership is a responsibility, not a perk. Peter stated the leaders of God's flock ought to be the best example of everything Peter wrote prior to this chapter.

When the Chief Shepherd (Jesus) appears, the elders will receive a crown of glory.

The younger should submit to the elders and all should submit to each other in humility because God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. We saw this same statement from James. Here was what was written for explanation of James 4:6 -

James referenced Proverbs 3:34. The proud were the ones who were speaking in their own strength for the world. This actually limited the ability of the Holy Spirit to speak through the person, which was grace. James referenced the scripture to show that God resisted the proud. The only way God could grow a person not flowing in grace was from the outside, from resisting them. However, God gave more grace to the humble. God grew the humble person more from the inside. Believers are humble and will be able to speak more and more for God via grace. God has provided everything necessary for Salvation. The proud people are at fault when they do not receive grace. Pride is unwilling to consider you are wrong and in need of nothing. Someone in pride is not going to reflect God's influence in their life, they are going to present their own influence which is actually from the world. They will speak for the world.

Peter concluded by stating we ought to humble ourselves, specifically by giving our cares to God. Taking everything Peter wrote (as well as what we learned from James) we can see that believers ought to humble themselves so that God can flow through the person via the Holy Spirit (grace) in order for God to do His Will. The proof that a believer is doing this is they will be unjustly persecuted by the world and then handle that unjust persecution well in order to make God's power apparent to all, so that all are saved, which is God's Will.

The devil walks about seeking whom he may devour. This verse was a proof that the devil is not omnipresent. If he is, he would not need to "walk about." When doing a study of this passage according to the definitions and etymology of the words, it is very enlightening:

• Being "sober" and "watchful" was also known as "vigilant." This came from the idea of keeping your blood flowing and ready to respond.
• The word "adversary" meant "adjuster," as in one who leads you to make a slight adjustment from your intended target.
• A "roaring" lion was not an attacking lion. A "roaring" lion was a distracting lion. The devil does not have power to hurt you. The devil has to deceive you into you hurting yourself. The devil is like a roaring lion that appears to be dangerous, but is actually intent on distracting you.
• The term "walketh about" meant the devil is constantly working towards causing this to happen.
• The word "devour" meant "to swallow up," to "lose one's blood flow."

Taken together, Peter painted a word picture where we ought to keep our blood flow up and focused, waiting for God to initiate His Will through us. However, this is not easy as the devil constantly works towards adjusting our focus and causing us to lose our blood flow through intimidation and distraction.

Peter stated that the same sufferings and attacks were being experienced by all believers.

Doctrine: God will, after we suffer for a while, make us perfect, established, and strong because He is the source of all grace.

Peter wrote this from Babylon. John-Mark was with him. Remember, the Gospel according to Mark was Mark's account of Peter's perspective.

Theme of Chapter 5: Peter concluded with a powerful summary. Believers ought to humble themselves so that God could flow through the person via the Holy Spirit (grace) in order for God to do His Will. The proof that a believer is doing this is they will be unjustly persecuted by the world and then handle that unjust persecution well in order to make God's power apparent to all, so that all are saved, which is God's Will.

The second epistle in this mini-section that contained four separate authors was written by Peter from Babylon around 60 AD. This would place this letter around the same time as Paul's earliest epistles (Romans and 1 Corinthians). While Paul went west towards Rome and focused on the Gentiles, Peter went east focused on the Jews. Peter used logic to present Doctrine from an emotional perspective. The purpose of this letter was to exhort believers to stand firm in all types of suffering.

Day 355