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 4:8 (b) — Formula for Forgiveness
… because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Summary: Peter continues his thought on loving deeply by adding that love “covers over” sins. God models the power of love by forgiving our sin.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:8 (b) — Formula for Forgiveness”1 Peter 4:8 (a) — Deep Love
Above all, love each other deeply…
Summary: Peter echoes the Great Commandment (Matthew 22: 37-40) when he tells us to love each other deeply.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:8 (a) — Deep Love”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 4:3 — Enough
For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
Summary: Peter gives us a short list of things pagans do. He does not rub our noses in it, but simply says we have done enough in the past. Now is the time to live for God.
Continue reading “1 Peter 4:3 — Enough”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 3:18 (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”1 Peter 3:16 (a) — Saying “No”
… keeping a clear conscience …
Summary: Our conscience is like the red light on a car’s dashboard. It tells us something is wrong. It says, “Pay attention!” If we ignore the warning, we might survive, but our conscience suffers. Each little stain of being ignored clouds our conscience and leaves a mark that haunts us until we die.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:16 (a) — Saying “No””1 Peter 3:14 (b) — Godly Possibilities
“Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
Summary: Peter warns us against the power of fear and the danger of turning our imagination against ourselves. We need to keep our focus on Godly possibilities.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:14 (b) — Godly Possibilities”1 Peter 3:12 (c) — God’s Whiteboard
…but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Summary: Looking at the whole of verse 12 we see that Peter is contrasting God’s reaction to righteousness and evil. It is helpful to know what God thinks each of those words means.
Continue reading “1 Peter 3:12 (c) — God’s Whiteboard”