a worthy goal...

March 15, 2013

1 Peter 2:21-22

V 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth

Are we ever going to be sinless outside of Heaven, nope, never? To assume that we might be would just be leading us to disaster. So this verse isn’t setting us up for sure failure; nor, is it meant to make us feel bad for never being able to attain this worthy goal. It is a reminder that Christ was indeed sinless. This verse is meant to remind us that although sinless-ness isn’t something we can attain; we can choose not to sin in the strength to God. This verse reminds us that through His sufferings He never sinned when it would have been easy to do so. Christ suffered without ever sinning. This is a choice we can make. Will we always, no. However, the ability is there; the strength for us to make that choice is there. We simply have to call upon it. We simply have to follow in the example that Christ left with us.

enduring for the right reason...

March 13, 2013

1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is it, if you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God

Doing bad or sinning isn’t a hard thing for us to do, right? I mean we want to pretend that it’s hard, and it may break our hearts when we do so (it should!), but really sinning is easy. I was discussing this with Jackson the other day. That it was easy to sin and sometimes the “sin” itself is something that we “our flesh” enjoys. What is really hard is denying yourself this sin. Denying yourself what “it” really wants to do is the battle. What good would a reward be (which is what a believer should consider the ability to endure, a reward) if you have sinned, which is something your flesh wanted anyway. A reward is only valid if there have been some sort of sacrifice. Enduring for goodness sake is a sacrifice. That is worthy. 

enduring gracefully...

March 12, 2013

1 Peter 2:18-19

V 18 be subject to your masters with all respect…not only the gentle…but also the unjust.

V 19 …this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly

We want to lash out, to act out, when we are treated unjustly. “It’s just not fair,” How many times have we uttered those words? Many, right, but do those words, and the sentiment behind them, belong in the life of a Child of God? I’d say no, as evident in these two verses. We are to be gracious and respectful no matter what is going on or how we are being treated. How many times have we heard that our worship, behavior, and attitude aren’t subject to our circumstances but to our Savior? Without a doubt, He is always worthy no matter our circumstances. Now is that to say that this is easy or that our circumstances will be like a walk in the park. Nope, some of them will be hard and they will hurt, but we are called to “endure sorrows” in His Strength not our own.

not an emperor, thank God...

March 8, 2013

1 Peter 2:17 Honor the emperor

Thankfully the United States of America does not have an emperor, but a President. Regardless of what we might think of him, it is so much better that he is not an emperor. We are subject to him only for a short amount of time rather than forever! However, our first responsibility is to honor God and His word and His commandments. Those are the ones to which we truly bow. A verse in Psalms (I think) tells us that God can change the heart of any king or ruler; reminding us that God is truly in control. Nothing that happens to us is out of the bounds of His control. For that we praise and thank Him!

reverence...

March 7, 2013

1 Peter 2:17 Fear God…

First off this isn’t fear like I’ve had the worst nightmare in my life so I refuse to go in the bathroom by myself. No, this fear is one of awe, reverence, bowing down in worship to a God that is so great and powerful. This is an acknowledging that HE is God and I am not. A knowing that He controls the paths of your life and only He is powerful enough to do that. In Proverbs we see that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” we have to know and recognize that God is supreme and worthy of our devotion, and we really only see that as we “fear” Him!

loving...

March 6, 2013

1 Peter 1:17 …love the brotherhood

The brotherhood, the Church, the people that Christ died to save; yes, those same people that you see Sunday and Wednesday for years, that’s who we are to love. Sometimes it’s harder than other times. Some people are just easier to love than others. Again, we aren’t really given an out here, just a directive to “love the brotherhood.” I’m sure that in Peter’s day there were some who were difficult to love and some who were easy. I’m sure that were some that he got along with really well and some not so well, but we don’t know it. He didn’t vent about it. He didn’t give a disclaimer when he wrote “love the brotherhood.” Nope, he didn’t. You know what that means? We don’t get to give ourselves an out either.