Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Summary: God asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) Peter helps us understand what this means.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:9 — Twofer”1 Peter 4:9 — Twofer
1 Peter 4:7 (a) — The End of all Things
The end of all things is near.
Summary: The end of all things is not the end for everything. In truth, it is the beginning.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:7 (a) — The End of all Things”1 Peter 4:6 — Rorschach Test
For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
Summary: A Rorschach test is to psychology what a mirror is to the face. God has placed occasional Rorschach tests in His Word. Today’s passage is one of them.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:6 — Rorschach Test”1 Peter 4: 2 — More Jesus
As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
Summary: There are two ways to try and live for God. One works and the other doesn’t. The one that works is to fill our lives with Jesus, who points us to God.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4: 2 — More Jesus”1 Peter 4:1 (b) — Done with Sin
… because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.
Summary: Peter tells us that it is possible to be ”done with sin.” The price is to stay focused on Christ and adopt Christ’s attitude toward suffering. Today we explore what this means.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:1 (b) — Done with Sin”1 Peter 3:21 (b) — Baptism, Part II
It [baptism] saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…
Summary: Peter says that we are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This simple phrase describes the incredible moment in history when God opens the door to salvation through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:21 (b) — Baptism, Part II”1 Peter 3:20 (b) – 21 (a) — Baptism, Part I
…when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.
Summary: Peter uses the analogy of Noah’s ark to describe baptism. Baptism is an appeal to God for a clear conscience. Looking deeper, we see it is also an analogy of our Christian life here on earth.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:20 (b) – 21 (a) — Baptism, Part I”1 Peter 3: 19-20 (a) — What Did He Mean?
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago …
Summary: God’s Word is written from God’s perspective and knowledge base. There are times that the Spirit helps us understand and times we are just meant to wonder and marvel.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3: 19-20 (a) — What Did He Mean?”1 Peter 3:18 (b) — Made Alive
He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
Summary: Peter focuses in on the key fact of Christianity: That Jesus was put to death, was allowed to remain dead, and then was made alive again.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:18 (b) — Made Alive”1 Peter 3:18 (a) — The Flavors of Righteousness
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
Summary: There are four types of righteousness and two of them will get you to heaven. The only problem is that the third type is impossible to achieve and the fourth requires that somebody else achieve it and offers you a free pass. Fortunately for us, Jesus does both.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:18 (a) — The Flavors of Righteousness”