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1 PETER CHAPTER 3 KJV WEB See previous page 1Pet 3,1-7 (3c) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Instruction about marriage – Peter is addressing women, saying that two imperfect people who think only about themselves can cause quite a strain on a marriage; therefore, he puts the responsibility on the women saying, ‘If you want your marriage healed, this is what you have to do,’ and what was his advice? He commanded her to submit to her husband, not to his sin or his destructive behavior, but to his authority over the marriage. The man is head of the household, and if the woman cannot accept that, she will destroy her marriage. If the wife doesn’t appreciate Peter's advice, she should realize that what remains outside submission to authority is rebellion. As the man observes her chase and respectful behavior, he will respond to her and correct his own behavior if he is truly a man of God, and of course this is the premise for all biblical advice, written to believers who love God. Biblical advice was not intended for the world or for complacent, nominal "Christians"; God’s word does not work for them. Nevertheless, even those who love God can have marriage problems, but they are solvable, based on their willingness to implement God plan, but people who are Christians in name only "are of all men most to be pitied" (1Cor 15-19). Peter says that a godly man can be won without a word by the behavior of his wife, but she can’t pound God’s solutions into the mind of an unbeliever. See also: Women; 3i (3i) Responsibility >> To the Family >> God addresses both genders >> Women leaders – Women should adorn themselves with a gentle and quiet spirit, "which is precious in the sight of God." To possess the attributes of God but to never show them is useless. No one really cares that we have a gentle and quiet spirit if they never see it or hear it. Peter does not condemn braiding the hair and wearing expensive jewelry and flashy dresses; rather, he wants the hidden person of the heart to become more valuable than these external decorations of the flesh, for if we appraise higher the things of God, we must inversely prioritize our peripheral concerns. See also: Women; 1Pet 3-1,2; 12a (73h) Authority >> Respect authority in the family >> Respect the institution of marriage 1Pet 3-1,2 (12a) Servant >> Examples of God’s people >> Good examples -- These verses go with verses 5 & 6. This chapter is about women who are spiritually distraught because of their husbands, through neglect or a lack of faith in God. Peter’s main point is that we should always strive to do what is right and be an example for others to follow. This chapter was written to women suffering at the hands of their husbands. Peter does not speak to battered women; other passages address that subject (1Cor 7-15 basically instructs such women to leave their husbands, for God has called us to peace). See also: Women; 14n (14n) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers take the last place as a better service to you – Not enough emphasis is made on women having the role of servants. It is not popular to be a servant these days, because people have lost touch with the greatness of servanthood. Most people have concluded that being a servant is a grunt, though Jesus was the greatest servant of all. God made women in the likeness of angels (1Cor 11-10), and the role of angels is to serve. Servants have so much authority they can influence people to change their way of life without saying a word. See also: Women; 1Pet 3,3-6; 113a (20l) Sin >> Disobedience >> Paying no attention to the word (86l) Thy kingdom come >> Obedience >> Be doers of the word >> Clothe yourself with the word of God >> Be an example (92l) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> Our holy conduct along the narrow way -- These verses go with verses 9-17 (149e) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness to Jesus >> Evangelism >> Compel them to come in >> luring them in 1Pet 3-1 (66c) Authority >> Lordship of Christ >> Jesus is Lord of His people (161c) Works of the devil >> Wandering from the character of God >> Wander from the truth (193i) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Repent >> Making amends with people you offended KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3,3-7 (94b) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective on wealth in this life 1Pet 3,3-6 (74e) Thy kingdom come >> Heart is man’s central value system >> Where man interprets worth (113a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> The anointing >> Heaven’s clothes >> Protection >> Covering – Peter is addressing women, telling them that their clothes are immaterial to their behavior, that anybody who would emphasize her wardrobe over her faith has abandoned a healthy interest in Christ. When Peter sees Christian women who have made a claim to godliness clothed in fancy apparel, he knows they have backslidden from their first love. Paul said in Rom 13-14, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” We are to let our clothing be secondary to our faith in Jesus; our faith should be just as external as our clothing. To the extent that people can see we are wearing modest clothing is the extent they should also see the fruits of the Spirit exhibited in us. Paul also said in Eph 4,22-24, “Lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” It also says in Rev 19-8, “It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” All these passages are talking about heaven’s clothes. We are to clothe ourselves with the principles of the Kingdom of God that we intend to inherit one day, but caring more for our attire is idolatry. See also: Women; 1Pet 3,3-5; 128e 1Pet 3,3-5 (128e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Gentleness >> Be gentle in all your ways >> Put gentleness in your character -- These verses go with verse 15. People in the Church these days have an extremely difficult time prioritizing the life they will have in eternity above this current life. For most Christians this life takes priority over their faith in Jesus. They hold this attitude: 'Since we are living this life, we might as well make full use of it,' but Paul said, “Those who use the world [should not]… make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away” (1Cor 7-31). Generally, Peter says that Christian women struggle between the clothes they wear and the gospel they believe, and specifically told them what kind of fruit they should produce, making a special request that all women of faith should pay attention to the hidden person of the heart. Peter asked women to take special care to produce the fruit of gentleness. Of all the nine fruits, gentleness is the one that befits women and makes them most attractive, though the same could be said about men. Peter told them to garnish themselves with a spirit that doesn’t seek to take power from their husbands or compete for his authority but willingly submit to him. See also: Women; 1Pet 3-3,4; 117b (171f) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Decorating the outside to simulate the inside >> Playing the part to be accepted by men 1Pet 3-3,4 (31c) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> He favors you in your circumstances -- These verses go with verse 14 (104g) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart shall see God >> Shall see the Father >> God can see us—we are in His sight (117b) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Rest in Jesus (Sabbath) >> Rest in His yoke through obedience -- Peter is admonishing women to be content with showing off the things God has given them, such as a gentle and quiet spirit, rather than showing off their flesh, reminding them that God really takes notice of those who clothe themselves with the garments of His heavenly kingdom. They should be happy just to please Him. See also: Women; 1Pet 3-5,6; 151ba (222a) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world >> The Church is hidden from the world (243h) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> The indestructible kingdom >> The body of Christ is indestructible >> The new man is indestructible 1Pet 3-3 (223c) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Conceit >> Imposing your opinion of self on others >> Cliques make people seek your acceptance -- This verse goes with verse 6 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3-5,6 (12a) Servant >> Examples of God’s people >> Good examples – These verses go with verse 9. The Bible teaches that if your husband is living outside the will of God, the best (and only) way to win his heart to Christ is to quiet your own heart and be an example with a submissive attitude, not submitting to his unbelief, but to Christ. (121k) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Hope Based On Faithfulness >> Hope based on character (133j) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> Our obedience is holy to the Lord (151ba) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> New Testament bears witness of the Old >> The Patriarchs >> Abraham >> Faith of Abraham – Peter is not saying that wives need to call their husbands lord, but that she should respect her husband as Sarah respected Abraham. She didn’t just have an attitude of respect and submission; she actually obeyed him, and as a result Abraham became the Father of all who believe in Jesus. Abraham got the credit, but Sarah got pregnant and had Isaac. What does it mean for Sarah to obey her husband, even calling him lord? It almost sounds like Abraham was a type of Christ to her, for as Christ is leader of mankind, so the husband is leader of his wife, and she is to follow him as she would follow Christ. Without her husband she would be following Christ, but with her husband she follows Christ through him. Christians live much the same as Abraham did, by faith, for we are following the same Holy Spirit. Some of the things God spoke to Abraham were very difficult and troubling both to him and Sarah. They both needed tremendous faith; Abraham obeyed God as Sarah obeyed Abraham. Although the Lord never spoke directly to Sarah, she believed in Him through her husband (Gen 18,10-15), and God accepted her faith as righteousness. Sarah followed Abraham wherever his vision took him, and in so doing had the faith of her husband. She believed in Abraham and saw to it that his vision was fulfilled. Abraham’s vision required every ounce of strength from both of them as they sojourned in a foreign land and lived among a people they did not know. Sarah following God through her husband had its unique challenges; she not only had to trust God; she also had to trust her husband that Abraham did not misinterpret what God said to him. She could have been following a madman for all she really knew, yet Sarah loved Abraham, and for that reason she trusted him, which led her to submit and obey. She believed in Abraham, which named her among the great women of the Bible. God chose Abraham, and in choosing him He also chose Sarah. Abraham told Sarah, ‘This is what we need to do,’ and what he said sounded like the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard to her nesting instincts. She needed reassurance and feelings of security that the husband does not need by comparison. Men must understand that women have emotional needs that they cannot fully understand, and men must do everything in their power to help her feel secure. Marriage is a give-and-take relationship; it's not the woman giving and the man receiving; it’s the man and woman both giving and receiving that makes for a happy marriage with potential for spiritual growth and mutual respect. See also: Women; 1Pet 3-7; 36h KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3-6 (23k) Sin >> Poverty (Oppression) >> Fear of the unknown >> The fear of fear (33i) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> Children need to obey their Father (36l) Gift of God >> Adopted >> We are adopted by the Spirit (128d) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Be an example of good works (206g) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to the gifts of God >> Conditions to the promises of God (223c) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Conceit >> Imposing your opinion of self on others >> Cliques make people seek your acceptance -- This verse goes with verse 3 1Pet 3,7-9 (127c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Kindness >> Be kind like God >> Returning kindness for evil 1Pet 3-7 (32j) Gift of God >> Father will honor your devotion to Him >> Honor your prayers (36h) Gift of God >> Inheritance >> We are heirs according to the will of God -- This verse goes with verse 9. Peter is contrasting men and women by the fact that we are both heirs of the grace of life, and that we will one day lose our sexuality in the Kingdom of Heaven. They asked the Lord about marriage in heaven and He said that people are like angels that don’t procreate (Mat 22-30). Does that mean there won’t actually be men and women in heaven? We don’t know that, but we do know our gender roles will be terminated; although women may still look like women and men may still look like men, our appearance will be be a mere vestige of our former selves. Peter is saying to treat our wives as fellow heirs of the grace of life, because in heaven we will be the same. We are not to aggressively assert authority over the opposite sex, since in Christ there is no longer male or female (Gal 3-28). In his teaching how to act as men and women in this life, we are not to overemphasize our gender roles; instead, we are to honor one another as fellow heirs of the grace of life, so our prayers may not be hindered. This suggests that we should pray together as husband and wife and practice sameness toward each other. In a state of prayer the line between gender disappears. Therefore, we should pray with one another so we can understand the kind of life we will have in heaven, that we will not be much different from each other and that we will have equal authority, though God will give more authority to one than another, yet not based on gender. For man and wife to pray together, removing their differences, is a step toward marriage problem resolution, for the more we see each other the same, the more we realize we have things in common and the better we can relate to each other and the more intimate we can become. See also: Women; 1Pet 3,1-7; 3c (56f) Paradox >> Opposites >> Humble yourself for the right motives (62g) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Being clever >> Maintaining a blameless reputation (82e) Thy kingdom come >> Three elements of prayer >> Our approach >> Be devoted to prayer (89a) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom >> Being sensible is always wise (95j) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Obedient attitude >> Positive attitude about authority (116b) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Working the grace of God >> Through worship >> In prayer (136c) Temple >> Your spirit is the temple of God >> The body of Christ >> Similarity in the body >> No distinction between male and female (206j) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to getting your prayers answered (241a) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Hindering the kingdom >> Taking away the key of knowledge >> Hindering unity in the Church KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3,8-18 (124k) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love your enemies >> Love your enemies that you may not become like them – Before we get to heaven, God wants us to live by faith and love our fellow man and especially our enemies, being our only opportunity to demonstrate love so graphically, because in heaven we won’t have enemies. This is very difficult for us, because we are vindictive by nature. We think justice should come immediately, and we want whoever stole our car or vandalized our house to pay for his sins soon as possible, and we want to see them suffer. Isaiah 66-19 says, “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” Based on the context, being the new heavens and the new earth that God will create in eternity, this verse indicates there will be a kind of porthole wherein we can look and see the damned suffering in hell, but for now God is calling us to return a blessing for their curse, for we are not their judge. See also: Lake of fire (Located at the center of the new earth--under the earth); Mat 22,11-14; 48m 1Pet 3-8,9 (42g) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Transformation >> Conform to the Love of Christ (95f) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Having a cooperative attitude >> Cooperating with each other (115l) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Working the grace of God >> Through Good Works >> Works that God prepared for you (234j) Be A Blessing (Key verse) (234l) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Be a blessing >> Freely give what you received from God – President Truman said, “The buck stops here;” when insults start flying, they stop here. Returning evil for evil becomes a network of self-perpetuated sin, but if someone big enough breaks the chain, the continuance stops, and it’s the Christian who is called to terminate the cycle of sin, for he has the most incentive and has the most invested in doing what is right. Peter reminds that we have inherited a blessing, which has at its root God's forgiveness, and since we have received these things, God has called us to give them, knowing we cannot out give Him. The reason Jesus chose to feed the five thousand from a basket of five loaves and two fish was that there was a spiritual principle of giving that He wanted to elucidate. In all our giving of God's things, it causes our gift to grow and enhances our possession, so the more we give, the more we have to give. It’s not that we cannot afford to give the things of God, we can’t afford not to give. 1Pet 3-8 (77n) Thy kingdom come >> God ministers to people through the humble >> Humility gives a blessing 1Pet 3,9-17 (92l) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> Our holy conduct along the narrow way -- These verses go with verses 1&2 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3,9-15 (32g) Gift of God >> Father will honor you if you die to self >> Your faithfulness 1Pet 3,9-13 (127o) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Overcome evil with good – Peter twice mentions keeping our life above reproach so our prayers may not be hindered (Vs 7&12). This applies both in our response to our spouse in love, and in our giving from the heart, especially to our enemies. Those who live by this standard have God’s attention in prayer. 1Pet 3,9-12 (85j) Thy kingdom come >> Words of your mouth >> Better not to say anything >> Shut up! (192j) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Repent >> Stop practicing sin >> Stop sinning (194h) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Hate evil >> Victory over sin >> Hate evil by doing good 1Pet 3-9 (5d) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Disciples are servants – Sometimes it is not what we do, but what we don’t do that makes us a good servant. The act of not returning an insult is a large part of being a Christian. A living example of a servant especially to our enemies is the greatest service anyone can offer. (12a) Servant >> Examples of God’s people >> Good examples -- This verse goes with verses 17 & 18. The opportunity to practice this verse comes up two or three times a day in marriage. Living with someone is no easy task, and problems magnify with stubbornness. Therefore, to master this verse is a requirement for success in obeying Christ both at home and at work. We need to know how to respond appropriately in every situation, for we are called by the blessed one to receive a blessing and to pass it on. (36h) Gift of God >> Inheritance >> We are heirs according to the will of God -- This verse goes with verse 7 (48k) Judgment >> Levels of judgment >> God judges your enemies according to your faithfulness – We intend to live forever in heaven and receive all the blessings of God; meanwhile, the people who malign us are demonstrating that they don’t know God, and if they don’t repent and get saved, they will spend eternity in hell. For a few years of this life we must endure the wicked without retaliating, knowing there is a judge in heaven who is recording everything. God will judge them one day, making our criticisms obsolete. We want to exact revenge on those who hate us, but God does not want to get even with them; He wants to give them what they deserve, suggesting there is a difference between vengeance and the reckoning. God will also get His revenge, for it was personal what they said and did to us, especially when we didn't retaliate or seek revenge on our own. (91c) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> God’s purpose is an inherent component of His calling >> His purpose is for us to be vessels of mercy – When someone does evil to us, we are to respond with a blessing, because we have been called to inherit a blessing, as Jesus said in Mat 5-44,45. God is good to those who hate Him. The world does not often see that, but more often see the opposite that God is evil. The enemies of God will openly slander Him and then go home with the sun shining on their property after a spring rain has freshly watered their lawn and their newly planted garden. We don’t necessarily think of God as good to His enemies, but He is good to millions of people around the globe who hate Him, and God wants us to be like Him. (91f) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> Walking along the narrow way >> Walking in God’s calling is to fulfill His purpose (124i) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love your enemies >> Loving your enemies leaves room for God to Work >> Leave room for the wrath of God – To become vessels of mercy is ironically God’s way of passing judgment on our enemies, deferring judgment for another day that He has dedicated for this very purpose. It is called the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20,11-15). By deferring judgment He judges both them and us, judging them worthy of eternal punishment for persecuting His disciples, and judging us worthy of eternal life for living by faith in Him. The day of Judgment on the wicked will be so severe that heaven and earth will have fled away, meaning this day will occur after God has destroyed the old universe and before He creates the new one. Essentially, the wicked will be floating in space, just God and them, and there will be nowhere to hide. God will remind them of every evil thing they ever said and did, and He will brand it upon their conscience and send them to hell with it. There they will be tormented day and night by their sin especially committed against His faithful ones, who returned kindness for their contempt. It is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay says the Lord” (Deuteronomy 32-35; Rom 12,19-21). We are to leave room for the wrath of God and give a blessing instead. The more we seek vengeance on our enemies, the less God will seek vengeance on them, in that they will have become victims of our wrath and therefore deserving less retribution from God. If we want to see those punished who mistreated us, the meanest thing we could do to them is be kind to them and get out of God’s way. That is the ultimate vengeance, because it leaves room for the wrath of God, who will repay them with eternal damnation in hell. See also: Hell (Bible was written so we could avoid hell); Rom 15-4,5; 141i (235i) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Giving (your inner self) >> Give for goodness sake KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3,10-12 (126f) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Peace >> Terms of peace – Peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit, and it is one of the main attributes of heaven, the very environment of God (Rev 4-6). The believer in Jesus who actively obeys the Lord, who is seeking peace and pursuing it, has a environment of peace surrounding him, and for this reason he becomes a peacemaker among his fellows and receives the gift of peace from God as one of the fruits of obeying the Holy Spirit. God is not interested in giving His blessing to those who do not pursue Him. Isaiah 48-22 says, “There is no peace, says the LORD, for the wicked.” They must seek peace before they can find it. (141j) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Old Testament bears witness to the new >> Old Testament is for our instruction >> It reflects the nature of man in the law – Peter was quoting the Old Testament, proving that the OT is still relevant. The passage instructs the person who desires a long life, to love and see good days that he must keep his tongue from speaking evil and his lips from deceit. We are to watch our mouth, because what we say is just as significant as what we do. the words of our mouth determines our eternal destiny, whether we go to heaven or not (Mat 12-37). (193k) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Run to God >> Run to God to avoid running from Him (234aa) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the glory of God >> God chooses us as we seek His glory >> As we appeal to Him – “He must turn away from evil and do good.” God knows we are sinners, yet He demands that we use our tongue as a blessing, that we do good, seek peace and pursue it. God is telling us that if we seek His favor and want his blessing and believe in Jesus for eternal life, to oppose Christ by the way we live, holding our fellow man in contempt and exploiting every situation for our own profit at the cost of others, tells God that this life is more important to us than the one to come. The righteousness we achieve in our sinful flesh we use as an appeal to God for His grace and mercy that invites His blessing to come, but if we do not seek righteousness (Mat 5-6), we will not be happy in heaven, so why do we want to go there? Are we just trying to avoid hell? If we use this life for evil, our love for others will wither, and the good days we seek will vanish like a fog. If we are not seeking peace, it will not come to us. 1Pet 3-11 (133i) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> Our godly behavior is holy to the Lord -- This verse goes with verse 13 1Pet 3-12 (82k) Thy kingdom come >> Power of prayer >> Prayer prepares you to meet Jesus (97g) Thy kingdom come >> Attention >> Facing the direction of God’s will >> Focusing your attention on finishing the course 1Pet 3,13-18 (99f) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> Enduring our circumstances caused by other people – It is an undeniable, irrefutable, absolute truth that if we must suffer, it is better we suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong. That’s just simple logic, and it is also the will of God. 1Pet 3,13-15 (71l) Authority >> Ordained by God >> We are ordained through obedience KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3-13,14 (8g) Responsibility >> Prepare to interact with God >> Preparing to receive from God – A large part of preparing to receive from God is how we deal with adversity; if adversely, we will chase away the Holy Spirit (not salvation, but the blessing), but if we are willing to accept adversity and deal with it appropriately, we will become a true victim of your circumstances, inviting the Holy Spirit to help us through our difficulties. (28f) Gift of God >> God is our advocate >> Protect us through our walk >> Wise conduct (34j) Gift of God >> God is willing to Give >> Receiving God’s blessings through endurance -- This verse goes with verse 17 (57h) Paradox >> Opposites >> More you love righteousness, the less your enemies can harm you – A person who proves zealous for what is good is labeled a goodie-two-shoes by the world, and he may be persecuted for it. That is the promise Paul gave in 2Tim 3-12 who desires to live godly in Christ Jesus. Still, Peter asked, “Who is there to harm you?” suggesting that even if they persecute us they cannot harm us. If we prove zealous for what is good, when they persecute us, blessings will result; our persecutors will certify that we can be trusted with the gospel of Christ, and they proved us loyal to our God and to our fellow saints. If we are willing to endure persecution, we can also be trusted with money, and if we be can trusted with money, we can be trusted with anything. As a result of persecution, our ministry increases and we become more fruitful; people recognize our faith and strive to imitate us, and the Church grows spiritually and numerically. (93n) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective on the circumstances of this life -- These verses go with verse 17 (101b) Thy kingdom come >> Zeal >> For the manifestation of God’s kingdom >> Zealous for good works (243h) Kingdom of God >> The eternal kingdom >> The indestructible kingdom >> The body of Christ is indestructible >> The new man is indestructible – Jesus said, “…and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Lk 21,16-19). He was speaking in terms of the resurrection, and so was Peter. In fact, the entire New Testament can be interpreted in terms of the resurrection. Even if we are martyred we will return to life in the First Resurrection, never to die again. So, Peter and the Lord are saying, ‘Who cares what happens to us in this life if there is a resurrection?’ Why is this life so important to us if we know that a better life is awaiting us in heaven? If we will be raised from the dead and given a body that cannot die, why do we care so much about this life? Nothing matters because of the resurrection. Heb 11-35 says, “Others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection.” If we live a blessed life by faith we will partake of the blessed First Resurrection, and if live a tortured and martyred life by faith, or perhaps racked by disease, tortured worse than any human could harm us, we will appreciate our resurrected body all the more that is immune to disease, pain and death. See also: Rewards appended to the resurrected body; Lk 6-35; 127a (236g) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Invest your treasures into the kingdom >> Invest your flesh 1Pet 3-13 (133i) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> Our godly behavior is holy to the Lord -- This verse goes with verse 11 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3-14 (31c) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> He favors you in your circumstances -- This verse goes with verse17 (88e) Thy kingdom come >> Faith produces works >> The function of works in faith >> Faith doesn’t move men until it is manifested in the spiritual realm -- This verse goes with verse 17 (98i) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance >> (Faith à Suffering [Integrity] à Glory [Reward]) (103l) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Purified by circumstances >> Purified Through hardship -- This verse goes with verse 17 (188f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Suffering >> Suffering righteousness -- This verse goes with verse 17 (242d) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Persecuting the kingdom >> Persecuting God >> Persecuting righteousness – There is a paradox here: doing God’s will can bring about persecution, yet ‘Who is there to harm us?’ There are people in the world who look for Christians to persecute, and what are some of the attributes they target? They look for people who do good, but Peter’s comment is rhetorical, there is no one to harm us if we prove zealous for what is good. His point was that persecution never hurt anyone. For example, they martyred Peter upside down on a cross, yet he is still alive and in good health to this day, and he will be glorified all the more for it throughout eternity. We should not allow their intimidation to trouble our heart; rather, we should always maintain a sense of peace that can only come from God. The Christian is blessed whether he suffers or not, for if he doesn’t suffer, he’s blessed in his life, but if he does suffer for the cause of righteousness, he is eternally blessed by God, who grants us power to endure our circumstances. See also: Paradox (Give to him who has); 1Jn 2-21; 155j 1Pet 3-15 (4d) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Being accountable to Jesus (74b) Thy kingdom come >> The heart >> God wants a relationship with your heart (81f) Thy kingdom come >> Pray without ceasing >> Obedience through continuous prayer (83l) Thy kingdom come >> Be on the alert >> Remain on duty >> Be ready (88k) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God >> Revering God (121f) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Hope >> Expectation >> Expecting good things based on God’s character >> Expectation based on God’s generosity – In the midst of persecution God calls us to open our mouth in the proclamation of the gospel even to our enemies. We should always be prepared to give an account of the mystery of the faith, as Jesus said in Luke 21-14,15, “Make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” God works with His people in this manner to sanctify Christ as Lord in their hearts. This hope that people would ask us to describe is displayed on our countenance, and its signature is written in our behavior. People have the right to know what gives us courage; we’re not afraid of death or of life or of anyone or anything, because we have hope, but in order for our hope to manifest, we must live the principles of God's kingdom, and the most important principle is love. (128e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Gentleness >> Be gentle in all your ways >> Put gentleness in your character -- This verse goes with verses 3-5 (150a) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness to Jesus >> Evangelism >> Invitation to the Kingdom of God (191f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Set apart >> God sanctifies us through our devotion to Him 1Pet 3-16 (18j) Sin >> Twisted thinking >> Unable to distinguish between good and evil >> God’s people are evil (84i) Thy kingdom come >> Words of your mouth >> Gossip >> Attacking a person’s name – When someone slanders a Christian, and we keep our behavior excellent (1Pet 2-12), often instead of being put to shame our persecutors pretend ignorance. To shame an unbeliever he usually needs to be proven wrong, and that requires at least one other person as a witness. When he sees the Christian’s good behavior, the witness puts the unbeliever to the test, suggesting that these things are done publicly, where the gospel is also proclaimed. At the workplace we cannot always be outspoken with the gospel, but we can let everyone know that we’re Christians. They will learn about us one way or another by the way we speak and how we respond to adversity. The aim of Christianity is to keep our behavior excellent among unbelievers for the sake of those who are watching with an objective viewpoint, who will likely recognize our faith as real. Our persecutors often develop a willful blindness to the reality of faith, and when they are put to shame, it incites their rage against us, but the more they persecute us and the more we keep our behavior excellent among them, the more those with objective minds are inclined to believe in Jesus when they see our proven faith, worth suffering for it. (153k) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> God bears witness against the world >> Shame >> Living for Jesus exposes sin >> Your walk with God puts others to shame – Occasionally, those of our persecutors are overcome with conviction and are shamed into the kingdom after they come to realize that they hated us without a cause, and they repent and believe in Jesus for the hope of eternal life. This is a common testimony and an effective method of evangelism. People should be ashamed of their sinful nature. In fact, the gospel should attract every person on the planet, but sadly the gospel is unattractive to most people, because they are steeped in the elementary principles of the world and cannot believe anything that contradicts the principles of greed, lust and pride. When we start talking about living for a life to come, most people immediately turn-off, but there are always some who believe in Jesus, who have been chosen to inherit His kingdom. (155b) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Witness of the believer >> Conscience >> Having a good conscience >> Conscience bears witness of our good behavior (161i) Works of the devil >> Satan determines the world's direction >> Carried Away >> Condemnation based on evidence of sin (180c) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Wolves >> Be shrewd as wolves and more innocent than they appear >> Fighting off wolves with a clever innocence >> Being more innocent than their self-righteousness – When someone accuses us of evil, it is our job to prove him wrong by being innocent of what they say about us, and we do that by living a life that befits our hope in Christ, putting to shame our accusers. When people are shamed, they often react by getting angry and vindictive, which may cause them to persecute us all the more. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3-17,18 (12a) Servant >> Examples of God’s people >> Good examples -- These verses go with verses 1& 2. We need to think in terms of eternity when suffering unjustly. The temporal mindset will see only the injustice of suffering for what is right, but we who set our mind on eternity will see a greater reward of God’s approval waiting for them in heaven. We were called to conform to the image of Christ, and a large part of that is putting up with ill treatment by those who have no hope. So the playing field is balanced by the eternal rewards we seek and the eternal consequences they receive for oppressing us and suppressing the truth. 1Pet 3-17 (31c) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> He favors you in your circumstances -- This verse goes with verses 3&4. People often put us in situations where we must choose between doing what is right and doing what is wrong, and in both cases we suffer. If choosing to do right causes us to suffer, how much more when we choose to do evil? If we do what is right and suffer for it, there is reward in the hand of God waiting for us in heaven, but if we sin, we will have received sin's reward in full. We are much further ahead to keep God in every situation even if it causes us to suffer. (34j) Gift of God >> God is willing to Give >> Receiving God’s blessings through endurance -- This verse goes with verse 13&14. For the purpose of appeasing their own conscience, people will tempt us to compromise our convictions; meanwhile, God cautions us to abandon such dealings. Our conscience disrupted and repentance in order, the only redeemable part is an opportunity to learn not to do evil again, which no doubt we already learned and are now relearning it. It is good to relearn lessons, but it is better to know that doing God’s will is better. This is the Christian walk, learning and relearning, because the flesh is weak when resisting temptation and stupid when understanding God. Sometimes people get mad at God when they suffer for doing what is right, but they are missing the point; suffering the will of God always has a hidden blessing. The fact is, we stand to gain from those who would make us suffer. (88e) Thy kingdom come >> Faith produces works >> The function of works in faith >> Faith doesn’t move men until it is manifested in the spiritual realm -- This verse goes with verse 14 (93n) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective on the circumstances of this life -- This verse goes with verses 13&14 (103l) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Purified by circumstances >> Purified Through hardship -- This verse goes with verse 14 (188f) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Suffering righteousness -- This verse goes with verse 14 (247j) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> God’s interests are not man’s interests 1Pet 3-18 (31k) Gift of God >> Gift of His grace >> Grace is the work of God – Jesus died for sinners in bringing us to God, and He now intercedes for us before the Father, so when we stand before God and He asks why he should let us into His heaven, we can point to Jesus and say He died for our sins, or Christ Himself may turn to the Father and say, ‘My Lord, this child believes in Me,’ and the Father will open wide His heart to us and the gates of heaven will open, and He will usher us into His kingdom where we will live with Him forever in perfect harmony and joy. (56g) Paradox >> Opposites >> Seek God’s life by subduing your flesh – “Put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit” is the calling of every Christian, according to Paul who also taught this way in Romans chapters 6-8, referring to dying to self in order that our spirit might live, who has been mixed with the Spirit of God, reborn as a new creation. When we deny our fleshly passions and desires, it allows God an avenue in our lives, rather than being pushed into the background and made to sit down and shut-up. That is what our flesh does to the Spirit of God within us if we don’t constrain ourselves. Our flesh acts like a bully to the Holy Spirit that arrogantly imposes its will against Him, but God rather appeals to our conscience to make right decisions, and He appeals our decision-making to let Him to be Lord in our lives, in hope of leading us to victory, to heaven and to all the blessings that God has prepared for those who love Him. Our job in all this is to control our flesh and make it mind our will that has been harnessed by "the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself" (Phi 3-21). (83i) Thy kingdom come >> Jesus intercedes for us >> He prepares us to meet the Father – We are following Jesus to heaven one step at a time: step-1, as Jesus walked in our footsteps, so we walk in His. Step-2, as Jesus died because of sin, so we die to sin. Step-3, we will eventually literally die. Step-4, As Jesus’ body was raised from the dead, so we too will partake of the First Resurrection. Step-5, As Jesus dwells in unapproachable light as the Son of God, so we too will shine like stars in the heavens forever in His kingdom as sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters of Christ. (172j) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Catholicism >> Scripture that contradicts the Catholic faith >> Jesus never to die again >> Because His death was sufficient – “Once for all” sounds like the book of Hebrews, which repeated this statement many times, for the sake of Catholicism. God knew such a governing system would rise to take the reigns of the Church. The Catholics need to understand that their transubstantiation theology is blasphemous, suggesting that the bread and the wine do not miraculously turn into the body and blood of Christ for salvation to be complete. They crucify Christ over and over through this method of communion, which if done in full knowledge is one of the most toxic forms of blasphemy known to Scripture. (207l) Salvation >> Salvation verses >> The kindness of God >> God is kind to sinners >> He seeks and saves that which was lost – Jesus was put to death in the flesh but was made alive in the Spirit, after receiving a spiritual body at His resurrection. Jesus ascended to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit in His place, who now represents Him. All those who would believe in Jesus’ blood sacrifice receive forgiveness of sin along with a spiritual version of Jesus Christ implanted in their hearts. God now speaks to His people internally by His Spirit. God is able to divide Himself an infinite number of times and place His Spirit in every believer and specifically work with each one individually and simultaneously. This is why Jesus said that it was to our advantage that He went away (Jn 16-7)—the administration of the Holy Spirit is a better ministry than Jesus had in the flesh with His disciples. Christ was unable to dissuade His disciples from their preconceived ideas about establishing a physical kingdom on the earth that is still to come; rather, He came to establish a spiritual kingdom in our hearts, and let the physical come later. It was evident that because they made this mistake in their thinking that they misinterpreted everything Jesus said; it was only after Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to the Father and Sent the Holy Spirit that they finally understood His mission. They were completely lost while Jesus was with them, having no idea what He was saying or doing most of the time, until Pentecost. There were obvious advantages to walking with Jesus in the flesh, yet the advantages of walking with Him in the Spirit cannot be overstated. See also: Missed the first coming of Christ; Jn 9,24-34; 53j KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3,19-21 (103e) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> God’s cleansing power >> Cleansing of baptism – This is life after baptism: not removal of dirt from the flesh, but removal of dirt from the conscience. Not the physical act of baptism, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ is what saves us. Baptism denounces our old life with all its depravity, and celebrates a new life, starting fresh with a clean conscience. If we sin, we repent. Baptism represents a change of life from which we rise from the water to live for God. We serve our conscience, so whenever we sin, we take measures to correct it, keeping our conscience pure, instead of serving our flesh. See also: Baptism; 1Pet 3-21; 155a 1Pet 3-19,20 (20k) Sin >> Disobedience >> Rejecting the word (47h) Judgment >> God Judges the world >> Prison of the bottomless pit – Eph 4,8-10 says that Jesus descended into the lower parts of the earth, where “He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,” referring to those in hell. Note it says that the people were disembodied spirits, suggesting that the second resurrection hasn't yet occurred. Once God gives them a body with the ability to physically experience hell, He will throw them into the lake of fire. Peter brought up those who perished in Noah's flood because it was the generation that God posited as an example to all future generations that would think to corrupt themselves as a whole, and the way the lived reflected that. Noah and his family made it into the ark as a testament of faith, who opposed their generation. God hates sin, which comes in many forms, which are all products of unbelief. God makes no distinction between disobedience and unbelief, they are one and the same, just as faith and love are one and the same. (126i) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Patience >> The patience of God >> God is patient (151h) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> New Testament bears witness of the Old >> Men of faith – Jn 3-19,20 says, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." This passage proves that God could not judge the world unless Jesus came and gave His life for the sins of mankind. Even in the days of Noah when He judged the world with a flood, He did it in anticipation of the cross. God judged the world in the days of Noah in a temporal sense, destroying man’s flesh, but the cross of Christ carries with it eternal judgment against those who would reject his offer of forgiveness and eternal life. This indicates that if Noah could have preached Jesus to his generation, every person would have rejected salvation through Christ. Jesus alluded to the days of Noah when He spoke about endtimes, suggesting that there will be another generation that will be just like the days of Noah, when nobody is getting saved, when nobody believes in Jesus for forgiveness of sin and when nobody trusts God for eternal life, except a remnant, just like there was a remnant in the days of Noah. God brought the solution to Noah and His family before he sent the flood, just as He will bring a solution in the last days, a Great Endtime Revival, of which the developed nations of the world will excuse themselves because of their unbelief, except for a remnant. Third-world nations will mostly participate in the last days revival, who will have essentially entered the ark. There will be salvation and a place of safety for them, while the rest of the world is judged. See also: Great Endtime Revival (Mark of God on their foreheads); 2Cor 3,2-11; 109d 1Pet 3-19 (150j) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness of Jesus >> Speak the word >> Preaching the word to the Church (163b) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Bondage >> Being slaves of men >> Prison 1Pet 3-20 (64c) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Limits of God >> God has limited patience – Noah’s day was a terrible time in history when every man, woman and child determined to rebel against God, when every thought was trained continually on evil. Except Noah and His family, every person on the face of the earth felt that He was faulty in some way, hence unworthy of their loyalty. It also says in the account of Noah that the Nephilim were there, men of renown (Genesis 6-4). These came about by man’s complete rebellion. God allowed demons to mate with women, which tells just how closely related man is to demons, depicting the epitome of evil that natural and spiritual forms would intersect this way. For this to happen, a demonic environment was prepared, which grew throughout the world with the result that demon forces convinced humanity of their worldviews. It was easy for demons entrap mankind in their views compared to our own generation, because there was less proof of the God back then. For example, the Bible had not yet been written, meaning there was no law. Also, there were no stars that appeared at night, because of the atmospheric canopy that the hung over the earth and protected life from the aging forces of certain light rays from the sun, and they didn't have the Hubble Telescope to take pictures of galaxies millions of light-years into space. The only thing they had was their conscience, the internal compass of right and wrong, which they overthrew, which our own generation is doing. Through a good conscience man instinctively knows the character of God, so those ignorant of God are evidence that they have trampled on their consciences. This was God’s concept of sin in the days of Noah and is true to this day. However, sin and its consequences has grown in proportion to our knowledge of sin and of the proofs He has given us of Himself. Now we have no excuse for disobeying God compared to Noah's day, and if God’s patience wore thin back then, how thin is it wearing in our own time after the Lord spilled His blood for the sins of the world? Note that people who lived in the days of Noah were still alive after Jesus was crucified, who descended into the lower parts of the abyss and preached the word of God to those who perished in the flood. If they were still alive then, they are still alive now, proving that man is an eternal spirit. (87h) Thy kingdom come >> Obedience is logical to your spirit >> Obey God to spite your carnal mind KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Pet 3-21 (30h) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> God favors you by His grace >> He favors you through His son (63m) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Sarcasm >> Scoffing at false doctrine (155a) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Witness of the believer >> Conscience >> Having a good conscience >> Doing right to the best of our knowledge – What does baptism do for us? Peter just said that it acts as an appeal to God for a clear conscience. What did Jesus say when He came to be baptized by John the Baptist? “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Baptism is an act of obedience that prepares our heart to believe in Jesus with a sincere faith. Baptism does not save us; our conscience does not save us; His blood sacrifice saves us, and the only way we can believe in His forgiveness is through a clear conscience. Baptism represents the platform of obedience from which we believe in Jesus for eternal life, and for the same reason we take communion as often as we come together; it performs the same function as baptism; it appeals to God for a clear conscience, setting the stage for a genuine faith that believes in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. See also: Baptism; 191ba (191ba) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Baptism >> Baptism symbolizes death, burial and resurrection >> Baptism is a sign of faith – This verse corresponds with verses 19&20 that speak of Noah’s flood, which was a form of baptism. God baptized the world and it died, except for eight persons, who were a type of resurrection. The water did not save the world but killed it, so the water of baptism does not save us either, any more than the flood saved sinners in Noah's day, or taking a bath (the removal of dirt from the flesh) ever saved anyone. Nevertheless, millions of people throughout the world for thousands of years have trusted in baptism to save them from their sins, as though the ceremony performs some kind of a spiritual function. Anything we do that we say moves the hand of God but really doesn't is a form of witchcraft. Peter said that baptism doesn’t save, and a clear conscience doesn't save us either, though we use it to believe in Jesus' blood sacrifice to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, who three days later rose from the dead to prove that His death actually performs the spiritual function of forgiving our sin when we believe in Him for eternal life. See also: Baptism; 205i (205i) Salvation >> Salvation is based on God’s promises >> Faith versus works >> The faith of God versus the faith of men >> Faith is the work of God – Removal of dirt from the flesh refers to the act of baptism, and Peter said it didn’t save us. People will continue believing in baptism to perform a spiritual function, when in fact the spiritual function is in the blood of Christ. The Father ordained it, who qualified His Son’s death as full payment for our sins through faith. We should not trust anything else. We don’t trust in baptism or communion or any other act of obedience; our only trust is in the cross. All forms of obedience act as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, so we can believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. In the same way, we should not put our trust in going to church for our salvation, rather use it as an appeal to God for a clear conscience so we can believe in Jesus’ blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. See also: Baptism; 1Pet 3,19-21; 103e (238c) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Transferring the kingdom >> The kingdom is transferred to the Church >> Born again >> Born of the Spirit by the resurrection 1Pet 3-22 (38f) Judgment >> Jesus defeated death >> God judged the world, the flesh and the devil (39ia) Judgment >> Jesus defeated death >> Jesus defeated Satan’s authority >> The demons are subject to Christ – Angels, authorities and powers that Peter mentioned refer to demons, who rebelled against God in times past, who are now subjected to Christ, and if they are subject to Christ, then they are subject also to us through Christ. Since the crucifixion and His subsequent resurrection, every demon, including Satan, is subject to Christ, why? Jesus destroyed the power of death in His flesh, and death defines Satan's power. Death had no power over Jesus, because He was without sin, which is why the Father was willing to raise Him from the dead. His resurrection authenticated His victory over death and the demon world. It says in Rom 5-13, “Sin is not imputed when there is no law;” venturing further we can say, ‘Death is not be imputed where there is no sin,’ but in Jesus' case death was indeed imputed where there was no sin, and this violated the law of sin and death (Rom 8,1-4). It states that when sin is committed, death must surely follow, but what happens when death is imputed where there is no sin? It breaks the law of sin and death! Jesus is the only one who could do this because He is the only one who was without sin. Once Jesus recovered the keys of sin and death from the Satan, all he had left was deception and lies. There was a time when Satan held the power of death over mankind, so that every person born was destined for hell, but since the crucifixion of Christ, those who believe in Jesus Christ can use the door that Jesus made in the law of sin and death to walk into the promise of eternal life. See also: Comparing the Law to the fruits of the Spirit; Mat 5-19; 45h (46i) Demons subjected (Key verse) (46j) Judgment >> Spiritual warfare >> Demons are subject to Christ – Jesus has given us the keys of the kingdom, so whatever we bind on earth is bound in the heavenly realm of demons, and whatever we loose on earth is loosed in the physical realm of mankind. God has given us power to eradicate destruction wherever Satan has planted it, including demon possession. Unlike depicted on TV, the demons cannot possess anybody but must groom the person for a period of months or even years before they can actually possess a person. They are not allowed to violate the will of man commensurate with God's unwillingness to violate the will of man. Therefore, how much less authority does he have in those who belong to Jesus Christ, who have sanctified Christ as Lord in our hearts? We have been given power to subject demons to the will of God, and they have no choice but to obey. Therefore, any demon that refuses to leave where it has been evicted is lying. If we command them to leave, they must leave, because they cannot implement their death and destruction where we invoke the life and power of Christ. (67b) Authority >> Jesus at the right hand of the father >> He is above all other authorities See next page