1 Peter 3, Reading Through the NT 2015

Read chapter 3 of 1 Peter today.

Peter writes about those who are married to an unbeliever. Wives who finds themselves in this position should try to win over their husbands by the way they treat them. Our witness is not always in words, but in how we act and what we do. If you have a spouse that does not embrace your faith, submitting to them out of respect will go far in helping them see God’s love demonstrated to them.

Peter talks about the source of beauty, and it is not from what we wear or how we look. This is counter-cultural, because society places so much value on our outward appearance. We should not dress to impress, but be modest and live with a gentle quiet spirit. This is another way that people will see that our priorities are focused on our relationships – with God and with them, and not on outward adornments meant to draw attention to ourselves. Peter used Sarah as an example, and she was obedient to her husband, Abraham. She put her hope and trust in God, and was willing to follow Abraham’s leading, even when neither of them were sure where they were going. Our ultimate trust in God will be the single most important factor in how we deal with life’s struggles. If we are sure that God is in control, we can endure a lot of hardship, for we know it is only temporary. We need not give in to fear, for we are confident that God has our back.

A short reminder to husbands is given in verse 7, to ask for consideration for their wives and to treat them with respect. He calls them the weaker partner, and is most likely referring to their physical stature. Men are built to be stronger and have been placed as the head of the family to be both the spiritual and physical leaders of the household. Protecting their families was a large part of the responsibility of a husband at the time of this writing.

We are to think and behave in a Christ-like manner at all times, and it is not always easy. Peter tells us to be like-minded, sympathetic, loving one another, compassionate and humble. We are not to seek revenge and be careful not to speak evil against anyone. This is another reminder to watch our tongues, and think about what we say before we blurt out that insult or criticism. We are to do good, and seek peace. God is watching us, and He is listening for our prayers. His desire is for us to be serving others and living righteous lives. We don’t demonstrate this lifestyle when we are grumbling and speaking against people. May our words express kindness and love, to show the world what we believe.

Our actions and speech may be mocked or dismissed. There are many who oppose our way of thinking, and want to stifle the gospel message. There are countless Christians all over the world who are being persecuted for their faith, and yet stand strong in their beliefs. Peter tells us that God blesses this behavior. We should not fear, but always be ready to testify to God’s goodness and mercy. We have a living hope, as Peter already reminded us, and this is why we can continue to do good despite opposition.

Jesus suffered for our sake, to bring us to God. Peter recounts the gospel story, and reminds us that He died for us, but was raised to new life in the Spirit. He gives the parallel story of Noah, who with his family was saved from the flood waters, just as we show our salvation through baptism. It is a symbol of our commitment to Christ, and a witness to the world that we believe in God, and are forgiven of all our sin. It is by grace, through Christ, in faith that we are saved. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, waiting for just the right time to return and complete our salvation. We can submit ourselves to His power and authority, just as the angels do, for we have seen His Holy Spirit at work in our lives, and know the hope of eternal life that He brings to us!

1 Peter 2, Reading Through the NT 2015

Chapter 2 of 1 Peter is the text for today.

Peter urges us to get rid of the things that keep us from growing in our faith. Put aside all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. These things are detriments to our relationships – both with God and with people. We have seen the goodness of God, and because of that, we are able to follow Him into righteous living, and cultivate our faith more and more each day.

We are called “living stones” that are being used to build the spiritual house in God’s Kingdom! Jesus is the cornerstone that provides the firm foundation on which to build. As we grow and learn from his example, having been chosen by God and precious to Him, we can confidently demonstrate our faith, even in the face of rejection. There will always be those who turn away from God and go their own way. We need to love these folks, and show them we care, for that is what Jesus calls us to do. Our actions may cause them to stop and think about their lives, because they won’t expect kindness, gentleness and love from people they disagree with.

Peter declares some wonderful truth’s about the children of God – we are His chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, special possession and have been called out of darkness into light, to be His people and receive His mercy! If we are ever in doubt, we can remind ourselves of these rich descriptions, and be reassured of our special calling to faith from God.

Living in this fallen and broken world but not taking part in their sinful behaviors is always a challenge. Peter tells us to live such good lives among the pagans, that they will see our good deeds and glorify God. What we do and say tells people what we believe. As the world watches God’s people, we need to make sure they see His love and compassion in our actions and speech. We need to guard against the hypocrisy that Christians unfortunately have a reputation for, and help people see Jesus love at work.

Peter then give us some practical ways to show the world who we are – we are to submit to the authorities that are over us. We are slaves to God’s authority, and He has ordained those who are over us. We need to respect our leaders, and live according to what God has commanded. Verse 17 is our mandate to follow: show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God and honor the emperor.

We are not enslaved as the people of Peter’s time were, but we have bosses and leaders who are over us in our work and communities.  Having a relationship with God compels us to act differently towards our bosses, and even when they are not fair, we should act as Jesus would – by enduring this hardship as Jesus endured His unjust persecution. If it is possible, we should not remain in a bad situation, but until we can change this, we must act as Christ-like as we are able. (not always easy, I know!)

Jesus did not retaliate when he was suffering and beaten. He took His pain to the cross, for our benefit to save us from our sins. He is our great Shepherd and Overseer, and when we were wandering away and going astray, He brought us back into the fold to redeem us and make us His own.

Ephesians 6, Reading Through the NT 2015

We finish the book of Ephesians today, reading chapter 6.

Paul continued to write about relationships, and began this chapter with a call for children to be obedient to their parents. He quoted the fifth commandment to “honor your father and mother” and added that this command came with a promise – that it may go well for them and that they would enjoy a long life on earth. It is not guaranteed that when we honor our parents our lives will be perfect. What Paul was trying to teach was that when children obeyed their parents, they were learning also to obey God. Their lives would be blessed with His presence and oversight, and He would be watching over them – just as a loving Father watches over their kids. There is one caution though, not written here – if a parent asks a child to do something that is against what God would have them do, then the child should be obeying God first.

Paul then addressed Fathers (and I would suggest Mothers too!) in his next teaching. Parents are to teach their children about the Lord, and be gentle and compassionate with them. They are not to “exasperate” them. What does that mean? When our kids act out and make mistakes, our response is crucial. Our discipline should fit the crime, and we need to let them know how much we love them, despite their mistakes. This is how God treats us, and He is the ultimate example to follow in how to parent our children.

As Paul continued, he wrote about the relationship between slave and master. In today’s world, this would be how an employee and their boss should behave. We need to respect those over us in authority and do what they say. When we are following what our bosses tell us to do with sincerity and with a servant’s heart, they will see that we are good workers and we may have the opportunity to share the gospel with them. In the same way, if we are the boss, we need to be fair and treat our employees with kindness and respect. God looks at all of us the same – there is no slave or master, rich or poor, male or female, etc., in His economy. Everyone is equal in His sight. How we treat one another is a visible sign of God’s work in our lives. When we can show love and treat people with respect, we become a better friend, spouse, child, parent, employee, neighbor, etc.

The final section of the book of Ephesians is a call to put on the full armor of God and use His strength to stand strong in our faith. We have great tools to help us live as believers, and Paul lays out the individual pieces of armor we can use to fight against the enemy. First there is the belt of truth, and then the breastplate of righteousness. On our feet is the gospel of peace. We can put on the shield of faith and then the helmet of salvation. In our hands, we can carry the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word. We are not left alone on this earth to fight the battle alone. God has provided us all we need, and all we have to do is use the tools He has given us, and remember that He is in charge and we are not! When we know the truth and live our lives following God’s character and values, we are on the path to righteousness. We can live in peace as we share God’s grace and love with others, and be confident in what we believe. Jesus came to save us, and our hope is in an eternal future with Him. There is nothing in this world that can separate us from His love. God’s Word is the ultimate weapon, because it gives us knowledge and understanding of who God is and how He works. We need to spend time reading and reflecting on Scripture, and memorize key verses that we can pull up when we are faced with difficulties or opposition. We have all we need at our disposal, to live the life God has called us to live. We just need to put this armor on, and not depend on our feeble selves!

Another weapon that we have to tap into is prayer. We can come to God with our requests, our fears, our doubts and our praises, anytime and anyplace. The Holy Spirit in us will help us know what to say, and carry our requests to God. We need to pray for one another, and those that are on the front lines of ministry. We can be a great encouragement to others with our prayers. When we don’t know what else to do when life gets hard, prayer is the best solution. As we unburden our hearts before the Lord, He lifts that heavy load from our shoulders and takes it on Himself. We then need to remember to give thanks to Him when we see the answer to our requests. It may take a long time, or be different than what we thought it would be, but God sees the big picture, and knows what we need.

As Paul closed out his letter to the Ephesian churches, he noted that he was sending Tychicus to them as his messenger. He wanted Tychicus to share how he was doing, and to be an encouragement to these churches. He wished them peace and love, and ended with a benediction of grace to all who love the Lord with an undying love. There was much wisdom in this book, and it would be great to go back and read it over again, to remind us of how to live a good Christian life. Paul wanted so much for each believer to stand firm in their faith, and he gave many ideas on how to do that. He was guided by God each step of his ministry, and we have the privilege of hearing his words through Scripture today. What he taught is timeless, and applies to our lives now, even though it was written long ago.

1 Corinthians 11:1-15 Reading Through the NT 2015

Read verses 1-15 in chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians today.

Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to follow his example in how to live. They did not have New Testament Bibles to find out how Jesus lived, so they needed people who knew Him and what He taught as a model for their behavior. Our lives should reflect the character and values of Jesus so those who don’t know Him can see Him in us. Paul was not being arrogant asking this of them. This church trusted him and his passion was to help them live like Jesus, copying his way of life as much as possible.

In verse 2, Paul praised these believers for their remembrance of him and the teaching he had shared with them. He wanted them to know he valued his relationship with them. We should always begin a hard conversation with something positive, to be an encouragement before we say the tough stuff. Paul did this and it gave him license to then give some words of correction to help them understand their roles and responsibilities as believers. Looking at this in the cultural context of that time, there were customs that were observed which were being disregarded and Paul was concerned that they were being irreverent in their worship. It was customary for women to have their heads covered, and for men to go hatless when coming to worship. Paul wanted unity in this church, and reminded them of God’s sovereignty over the relationship between men and women. Men and women were equal spiritually, and there needed to be respect between them with a mutual reverence and appropriateness in their focus on their relationship with God. This was an essential. God ordained order in His creation, and man was created first, and then the woman came from man. Christ was the head of both, and He came from God. Christ, though equal with God the Father, submitted to Him to carry out the plan for salvation. Women, though equal with man, is asked to willingly submit to the man’s authority, with mutual cooperation and commitment to one another in unity so God would be glorified.

In today’s culture, we don’t put any merit on head coverings for worship. We need to watch that we don’t dwell on non-essentials that distract us from true worship. The debate between men and women and their roles in the church is very sensitive, and has caused divisions in our churches. Paul did not want this to be an issue in this Corinthian church either, and he plainly stated his argument for proper behavior of both men and women when coming to worship. The point was and is to avoid appearances and behaviors that detract from our goal of being reliable witnesses for Christ as we demonstrate our faith to the outside world. In this, we are following the example of Paul, who wanted to be more and more like Jesus everyday! As Paul stated in verse 12, “Everything comes from God.” Dwell on the essentials, and put aside what is not relevant to our relationship with God. Does He care if we come with a hat or not? If it causes division or turns someone away from being able to worship Him, this is a stumbling block (just as eating food sacrificed to idols was in the previous chapter.) We need to decide if what we do, say or put on gets in the way of someone worshiping or believing in God. Be very careful not to let anything get in the way of someone coming to faith. This is how Jesus would behave, and we can emulate Him as we bring unity to our congregations in respect and mutual regard for one another.