Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
The question today is what does Peter mean when he writes, “…a Father who judges each person’s work impartially…?”
Wait a minute…
Doesn’t Peter know about grace? Doesn’t he understand that if we believe in Jesus we get a pass on judgment? How can he say that God is judging our “work?” What is going on here?
Continue reading “1 Peter 1:17 — Boxes”
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
The word, “holy” suggests that something or someone is pure, sinless, upright, and set apart for God. God, Himself is the definition of holy. As I understand Peter he is saying that we who are called by God should be like God. Not in the things that are unique to God, his power, omniscience, and authority, etc., but in his character. God is humble and loving, patient, kind, and long-suffering. Those are the things we can emulate.
Discerning the difference between what is unique to God and what he can share with us is important. We need to understand that He is God and we are not. It is the lack of discernment in this area that led Lucifer to presume he could be like God. I think we are in danger of falling into the same trap when we presume upon God’s authority.
Continue reading “1 Peter 1:15-16 — Picking Nits”
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
What am I about to write might be considered heresy by some. If any of you reading this are in that camp, please consider that as a child of God, I may still be living in ignorance. My life is a journey and for these last many years my journey has been all about getting to know God better. If what I write does not fit with what you believe, please feel free to gently correct me in the comments.
Peter presumes that as believers we are “obedient children.” How I wish that this were true! I see many who walk in faith moving from ignorance to knowledge of God’s ways. To some extent, that is all we can hope for in this life. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:12;
Continue reading “1 Peter 1:14 — Heresy?”
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
I don’t know about you, but I find this sentence confusing. I glanced through several other translations of this verse and you know what? They confused me, too.
Let’s deconstruct what Peter is saying here:
These have come…
In verse six, Peter talks about the grief believers suffer because of “all kinds of trials.” Peter knows what he is talking about here. He certainly has experienced all kinds of trials! But why do trials come? Why do we suffer if God is watching out for us?
Continue reading “1 Peter 1:7 — Refined by Fire”
…through the sanctifying work of the Spirit…
In his introduction to his letter, Peter identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He identifies his audience as a group of Christians who have gone into exile 20 to 30 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. He identifies the people he is writing to as “God’s elect” and then tells us the geographical region they live in. He explains that being “chosen” is because God already knows how things will play out.
There is a lot of information here, but Peter is not done. He still hasn’t finished his first sentence yet! Somehow the process of being chosen has something to do with the sanctifying work of the Spirit.
How?
Continue reading “1 Peter 1: 2 (b) — Changed”
Be merciful to those who doubt…
Jude continues to give us his advice. Perhaps what he says sounds surprising. After all, he has spent the larger part of his letter warning us against the ungodly. Now he says, “Be merciful to those who doubt…” Could it be that he is worried some might confuse doubting with being ungodly?
It is a fair question. If you have spent any time at all reading this blog you know that I have a lot of questions! And if ever there is a quiet moment, I can come up with more questions at the drop of a hat.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 22 — Doubt”
…they follow their own evil desires…
Jude is almost done with his description of those who pollute and dilute the Body of Christ. It is as if Jude is looking into the face of Jesus himself, and in that face he sees the purity that Jesus wants for his church.
Let’s join Jude and imagine what the Body of Christ could be like.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 16b — The Face of Jesus”
…and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Jude warns us about people who secretly slip into our churches and are ungodly, pervert the grace of our God, and deny Jesus Christ.
We have talked about the first two. What about the third? How do they deny Jesus?
One way to deny Jesus is to proclaim a false Jesus. These people redefine Jesus to fit their concept of religion.
Jesus is unique. The Jesus we meet in the Bible is unlike anyone else that has ever lived or will ever live. Jesus has power over all things physical and spiritual. Jesus knows you and me inside and out. He knows our hearts and what is in our minds. He “sees” everything about us. He is one with God the Father and serves Him faithfully.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 4d — The Test”
They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God…
Jude begins to describe the people who have secretly slipped in among the believers who are loved by God and kept for Jesus.
He starts by saying they are ungodly people. Thinking back to James, chapter 3, we are reminded that the same tongue can both praise and curse. If someone were to walk into a church and curse God, they could not be said to have “secretly slipped in among you.” So if the ungodly were to sneak in secretly, they would make every effort to appear godly.
So what does it mean to be godly? Is it about what we say, or what we do?
Continue reading “Jude 1: 4b — Ungodly People”
To those who have been called…
The second mystery of Jude’s letter is found in these six little words: “To those who have been called.” What does he mean by “called,” and who are these people who have been called?
To answer the question of what it means to be “called,” let’s turn to Peter’s first letter:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
— 1 Peter 2: 9-10
Continue reading “Jude 1: 1b — Six Little Words”