8. The Teachers’ Hall of Shame (2 Peter 2:10-22)

10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;

15 forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, 16 but he received a rebuke for his own transgression; for a dumb donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

17 These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

8 Yet in the same manner these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.

11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

12 These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. 14 And about these also Enoch, [in] the seventh [generation] from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their [own] lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of [gaining an] advantage. 17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.

Introduction

Certain theological and textual problems in 2 Peter 2 may perplex the serious Bible student. But I do not wish to focus on what is unclear about our text, but what is becoming increasingly clear. The problem Peter addresses is one he places on our door step, one we must not and dare not avoid. Consider these disturbing facts about false teachers found in 2 Peter and in Jude (a close parallel to 2 Peter 2).

(1) False teachers are not just a hypothetical possibility; they are a certainty. There have always been false prophets throughout Israel’s history, and just so there will most certainly be false teachers in our time as well (2 Peter 2:1-3).

(2) These false teachers are not only to be expected outside the church but within the church as well. They are not just found in other churches but in our own. These false teachers arise “among us” (2:1); they exploit us (2:3). They practice their sinful ways in our presence (2:13), and even at the most sacred of all occasions, the Lord’s Table (Jude 12).

(3) These false teachers are not secretive about their sin, but publicly flaunt it (2:13).

(4) In spite of their openly fleshly lifestyle, even in the church gatherings, the saints seem oblivious to their sin, failing to recognize these people to be false teachers (Jude 4), and thus these false teachers feel free to continue in sin without any fear of rebuke or correction (“without fear,” Jude 12).

(5) Rather than expose and expel these heretics, the saints seem content to embrace them as fellow-believers, and in the process provide them with prestige and a platform from which they subvert the faith of others, especially the weak and vulnerable (2:13-14, 18-19).

In his first epistle, Peter speaks to the saints about suffering, showing that suffering should be viewed as a normative experience for the Christian, and one that can be endured with grace to the glory of God, certain of the glory yet to be revealed at the return of our Lord. The false teachers do not face up to the certainty (and glory) of suffering. In their appeal to fleshly lusts, they speak of success, of avoiding pain and enjoying pleasure. And so it was necessary for Peter to follow up his first epistle with a second. Second Peter deals primarily with false teachers and their teaching which denies that suffering is a part of God’s will for the saints, and which seeks to convince men that they may pursue fleshly lusts without any fear of judgment. First Peter speaks of earthly suffering in the light of eternal glory; 2 Peter speaks of the false teachers who promote sinful self-indulgence in this life while denying the future judgment to come.

The first chapter of 2 Peter begins on a very positive note. Peter stresses the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of His provisions for life and godliness. He urges the saints to diligently pursue godly character, assuring them this is the way God has provided for us to be blessed and to be certain that we will stand in the trials and temptations of this life. He ends chapter one by emphasizing the sufficiency of the inspired Scriptures, a “more sure word of prophecy” due to the coming of Christ and the revelation of His glory.

In chapter 2, Peter turns from the truth to that which is false. He contrasts the true prophets and their prophecies with the false prophets of old and their successors, the false teachers. In verses 1-2, Peter described the false teachers very briefly. These teachers are to be found in the church (“among you,” 2:1). They will exploit the saints (2:3). They live in sensuality, and they promote it, finding many followers who are attracted by the wiles of the flesh (2:2). Their teaching and practice are heretical, destructive to all who follow them (2:1). These false teachers do great damage to themselves and to others and bring reproach on the way of the truth (2:2). These teachers, and those who follow them, face certain destruction although it is still future (3:3).

In verses 4-10a, Peter turns back in time to similar situations in ancient history (namely the flood of Noah’s day and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Lot’s day) to show that God knows how to deliver the righteous from temptation and how to deliver the wicked to eternal punishment (see 2:9-10a).

Having assured his reader of the two-fold certainty of deliverance and destruction in verses 4-10, Peter now provides us with a description of these false teachers. Verses 10-14 describe the character and conduct of the false teachers. Verses 15 and 16 liken them to Balaam, an Old Testament prototype. Verses 17-22 describe these false teachers in terms of their destructive impact on those who follow them.

In this lesson, we will begin by attempting to characterize the condition of the churches to which Peter wrote. We will also seek to clarify our understanding of the evil which was becoming rampant in these churches. We will seek to characterize the false teachers and their teaching, especially its impact on others. We will consider the destruction which follows in the wake of these false teachers and their teaching. Finally, we will explore the implications of Peter’s teaching for our own day.

The Setting

We have already pointed out some of the conditions in the churches to which Peter was writing. A few more conditions can be inferred from the text. The false teachers had little respect for those in authority (2:10; Jude 8). They were grumblers and complainers who created strife and division in the church (Jude 16). They were greedy and self-serving (2:14-15; Jude 12). They used people for their own purposes and gratification (2:13-14; Jude 12, 16). They were immoral to the point of having no shame for their sin; they proudly flaunted their sin (2:13-14; Jude 13). These teachers gathered their own following of vulnerable saints (2:14, 18). If they were recognized for what they were, they were not dealt with as they should have been (2:13-14; Jude 12).

I can think of a church in the New Testament which sounds exactly like this—the church at Corinth. The church at Corinth was characterized by its factions (chapter 1), some of which even took members to court with one another (chapter 6). Some of the “leaders” of the church at Corinth seem to have belittled Paul and the other apostles, claiming apostolic authority for themselves (2 Corinthians 11). Paul’s suffering was cited as proof of his impiety, while the “spiritual giants” at Corinth knew only success (1 Corinthians 4:6-21; 2 Corinthians 4:7-15; 6:1-18; 12:7-13). Immorality was common (1 Corinthians 6:12-20), and even when the church knew of a man who lived with his father’s wife, they did nothing about it and were proud of their response to his sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-13). The saints at Corinth had made many questionable alliances with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Their ungodly leaders were “smooth talkers,” making Paul’s simplicity of speech pale in comparison (1 Corinthians 2; 2 Corinthians 2:14-17; 4:1-2).

But the church in Corinth was not the only church which manifested these symptoms of spiritual sickness. Paul’s letters to Timothy indicate these symptoms characterized many churches (see 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:14-26; 3:1-13; 4:1-4). The letters to the seven churches in Asia, recorded in Revelation 2 and 3, are addressed to some of the same churches Peter addressed in his epistles (compare 1 Peter 1:1 with Revelation 2 and 3).

Recent scandals involving prominent television preachers have become public in recent years and painfully parallel the description of false teachers given by Peter and Paul. But more than this, the descriptions of the church at Corinth and some of the churches in Asia are uncomfortably close to conditions in many of our evangelical churches today. Peter’s words to these saints of old are not mere history; they are prophetic words both of encouragement and of admonition for those who will hear and heed them. Let us listen well to what God has spoken through this inspired apostle.

The Profession of the False Teachers

False teachers do not wear name tags identifying themselves as such. They are hypocrites and deceivers, who have “crept in unnoticed” (Jude 4). They are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). They identify themselves as true believers, followers of Jesus Christ, and they profess to follow Jesus as Lord. They seem to operate in His power, and they do their impressive works in His name. They appear to oppose Satan (see Matthew 7:15-23).

These false teachers attend the church and participate in its functions, including the Lord’s Supper (Jude 12). They appear to be “in fellowship” with the saints and are closely associated with them (2 Peter 2:1, 3, 13). They claim to be knowledgeable and are often regarded as leaders and teachers (see Matthew 7:15-23; 23:1-3; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 3:1-4).

The Personal
Morality of the False Teachers

There can be little doubt about the spiritual condition of these false teachers. While they appear to be sincere Christians, they are not. They are “ungodly persons” (Jude 4) who are “worldly-minded” and “devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 19). They are spiritually ignorant (2 Peter 2:12; Jude 10), “slaves of corruption” (2:19), “children of a curse”⁵² (2:14). They are “doubly dead” (Jude 12). They are apostates, those who have heard the truth but have not embraced it and eventually turn away from it (2:15, 21).

The attitude of the false teachers is consistent with their ungodly nature. They are arrogant (Jude 16) and iron willed, hell-bent and determined to stay that way (2 Peter 2:10). They are “mockers” (2 Peter 3:3; Jude 18), who have no regard for authority, whether demonic or divine (2:10-11; Jude 8-9).

These false teachers are self-centered and self-serving, caring only for themselves (Jude 12). They use other people for their own self-gratification, rather than sacrificially ministering to them (Jude 16). Sexual immorality (including perversion, see Jude 7-8)⁵³ is one of their primary characteristics, along with greed (2:14-16).⁵⁴ This greed is not unconscious but a condition of heart that exists as a result of conscious development (2:14).⁵⁵

The root malady of these spiritual charlatans is that they are dominated by the flesh, enslaved by its corrupt desires and impulses (2:19-20). Driven by impulse and instinct, they hardly differ from animals (2:12). They sin persistently—non-stop (2:14). They are so deeply enslaved to sin that they no longer know any shame. Rather than carry out their fleshly desires in private, they find pleasure when they sin in public (2:13). The inference of the text is that some of the fleshly indulgence practiced by these pseudo-Christians is carried out publicly in the church gathering (2:13), even at the Lord’s Supper (Jude 12). From what we know of the Corinthian church (e.g. chapter 5, 11), this does not seem unreasonable.

A word of clarification needs to be said at this point, due to some rather popular misconceptions concerning the fleshly indulgence of these false teachers. It is often thought and said that the evils described by Peter are “Gentile paganism.” The assumption is that Jews would not do the things described here but that Gentiles would.

One would be hard pressed to prove this point from the Old Testament or the New. Old Testament patriarchs like Judah were guilty of immorality, a kind which seemed to even shock the pagans (Genesis 38:20-23). The Israelites frequently fell into practicing sins of the flesh. They quickly fell into sin after the exodus (see Exodus 32:1-6). Balaam was instrumental in the downfall of many Israelites. It would seem that he knew all too well their vulnerability to sexual seduction and immorality (see Numbers 25:1-3). Adultery and immorality was practiced not only by the Israelites but by their prophets as well (Jeremiah 23:10-14). One can safely say from the Old Testament record that there were virtually no Gentile sins which were not also, at some point in time, practiced by the Jews. No wonder the people of God are sometimes referred to as Sodom and Gomorrah (see Isaiah 1:9-10; 3:8-9; Lamentations 4:6; Ezekiel 16:44-59; Amos 4:11).

The Jews may have thought themselves to be above fleshly indulgence, but Jesus did not allow them to think this way for long:

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; 28 but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28).

If the Jewish religious leaders thought Jesus was speaking of someone other than them, Jesus made Himself crystal clear on this point:

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:25-28).

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things, and they were scoffing at Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God (Luke 16:14-15).

When Paul surveyed the history of the Israelites, he made it very clear they were habitually guilty of fleshly sins:

1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved. 7 And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (1 Corinthians 10:1-11).

Paul’s epistles give us further indication that fleshly indulgence is not merely a temptation promoted by Gentiles or to which Gentiles are more susceptible. A number of the warnings in Paul’s epistles concerning false teachers are clearly directed toward Jewish false teachers:

3 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus, in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than [furthering] the administration of God which is by faith. 5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions (1 Timothy 1:3-7).

There are hints in both 1 and 2 Peter that the false teaching of which Peter writes has at least a Jewish component. In 1 and 2 Peter, there is mention of Old Testament prophets and their prophecies (1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:16-21) with whom he expects his readers to be familiar. There are numerous references to Old Testament texts of Scripture in 1 and 2 Peter. Especially significant are Peter’s citations from the Old Testament in 1 Peter 2:4-10. Here, Peter applies to New Testament saints (many of whom are Gentiles) Old Testament statements concerning Israel. In both of his epistles, Peter refers to Old Testament events (such as the flood—1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:4-5) with which he assumes his readers are familiar.

In the third chapter of his second epistle, Peter’s warnings concerning false teachers seem to have a Jewish flavor:

3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with [their] mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For [ever] since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

The expressions “the fathers fell asleep” (verse 4) and “the beginning of creation” (verse 4) have a distinctly Jewish (or at least Old Testament) ring to them. Why would we assume that some of the false teaching would not come from the lips of Jewish false teachers when other New Testament texts clearly warn Gentile churches of this danger?

If we think the asceticism of some Jewish false teachers was an antidote to fleshly indulgence, we are wrong. Often such self-empowered, self-denial served to inflame fleshly passions rather than subdue them:

20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all [refer to] things destined to perish with the using)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, [but are] of no value against fleshly indulgence (Colossians 2:20-23; see also 1 Corinthians 7:5).

The Jews of Old Testament times were often guilty of the very sins Peter condemns in our text. The Judaisers of the New Testament were often promoters of fleshly indulgence. How then do we dare suggest the sins of which Peter warns us are sins of Gentile paganism, sins which are “typically Gentile,” and not typically Jewish? The error of which Peter speaks is neither “Gentile” nor “Jewish.” The error is one which is “common to man,” regardless of race or culture. Fleshly indulgence may take various forms, but it knows no racial boundaries. It is for this reason that Paul can seemingly condemn the sins of Gentile heathen (Romans 1:18-32), only to turn to the Jews and blame them for the same offenses (Romans 2:1-29).

The Doctrinal Beliefs of False Teachers

So much is said about the moral life of the false teachers that we may be surprised at how little is said about their doctrine. In brief, these false teachers promote false teaching or what Peter calls “destructive heresies” (2:1). He states that they “even deny the Master who bought them” (2:1).⁵⁶ I understand Peter to be telling us the outer limit of their heresy, the extreme to which they will go. I further understand Peter’s words here to be broad enough to refer to “denial” of the Master, whether that be in word or deed. I believe the natural course of events is that men first deny God’s authority functionally (in practice) and then, eventually, verbally. To disregard God’s command (2 Peter 2:21) is to deny His authority over us.

The false teachers forsake the right way, the way of truth. They reject the commandment of the Lord (2:21; 3:2), which I understand to be the gospel, as revealed through the apostles (see 1 Timothy 6:14; Jude 3). I would take it that the gospel is, in the final analysis, perverted both as to its origin (the atoning work of Jesus Christ, appropriated by faith alone) and as to its outworkings (the work of Christ in the believer, through the Spirit). In the context of Peter’s argument, these false teachers have distorted the grace of God through the gospel so that, rather than seeing the gospel as God’s provision for man’s freedom from sin, it is viewed as God’s provision for man’s freedom to sin (see Jude 4).

Elsewhere in Scripture, we are given more specific examples as to how the gospel may be perverted by false teachers (see Galatians 1:6-10ff.; 2 Timothy 2:18). Here, Peter is very general in his description of the doctrinal errors of the false teachers, while he is much more specific in his description of the moral failures of these apostates. Why is this? I believe it is because the cults and perversions of Christianity have great diversity in their doctrinal views, but the moral and practical manifestations are very similar.

By inference, it would seem Peter is suggesting that it may take considerable time for the false doctrines of the false teachers to become evident, while the moral failures of these folk are much more readily and quickly seen. Indeed, from what Peter writes about these false teachers, their moral collapse is evident to all (see 2:13; Jude 12). It is not that their sin is hidden but rather that it is not taken seriously enough (compare 1 Corinthians 5).

The Prey of the False Teachers

Just as wolves prey upon the young and the sickly of the flock, so these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” prey upon the vulnerable. This is what makes their sin so great:

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,” Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat [sheep] without feeding the flock. 4 Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them” (Ezekiel 34:1-4).

5 “And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of [its] stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!” (Matthew 18:5-7).

We should not forget that in our Lord’s final words to Peter, He instructed him to demonstrate his love for his Master by tending the little lambs:

15 When they had finished breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others?” “Yes, Lord,” he replied, “you know that I am your friend.” “Then feed my lambs,” returned Jesus (John 21:15, Phillips; see also NASB).

The most vulnerable members of the flock are those who need the greatest care. And it is these on whom the false teachers prey:

“enticing unstable souls” (2:14).

18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19a promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption … (2:18-19a).

6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women⁵⁷ weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:6-7).

The Methods
of the False Teachers

The false teachers are con artists par excellence. They have highly developed skills and the basest of motives. They are false. They are deceptive. They are evil.

They conceal their true identity. They represent themselves as something they are not—true believers (2:1-3). They even go so far as to claim apostolic authority (see 2 Corinthians 11:12-15). They associate with and among believers (2:13). They participate as members of the congregation, even at the Lord’s table (Jude 12). They do not reveal their true agenda, but slip in unnoticed and “secretly introduce destructive heresies” (2:1). They conceal their true identity and their agenda. They misrepresent themselves, their message, and their motives.

The false teachers are trouble-makers. They constantly agitate and seek to undermine God’s program by turning the people of God against their leaders. The false teachers resist and oppose authority (2:10; Jude 8; see also 2 Timothy 3:8). They grumble and find fault (Jude 16). They create strife and division among the saints (Jude 19).

False teachers oppose the truth. They deny the truth (3:3-4), or they distort it (see 2 Timothy 2:18). They teach falsehood (2:3), and they “reveal” truth which they falsely claim to have received from God (Jude 8; see also Ezekiel 13:9; 22:28; Zechariah 10:2). They distort the truth, such as by turning the grace of God into a pretext for sin (Jude 4).

False teachers are deceivers. They promise those who follow them things which they themselves do not possess (2:19). They promise their followers things which they do not and cannot produce (2:17). They use persuasive methods (“puffed up words of vanity,” 2:18) and seductive appeals to fleshly appetites (2:18). They employ flattery to gain the advantage (Jude 16). They are masters of deceit, of which they are proud (2:13).

The Impact of False Teachers

False teachers are disastrous in their effects. They introduce “destructive heresies” (2:1). Many will follow them (2:2). Unbelievers are no doubt drawn to their teaching, but Peter is not as interested in this dimension of the ministry of false teachers. They defraud their followers by promising what they do not produce (2:17-19). Those who follow them are misguided, just as a sailor would be who navigates by “wandering stars” (Jude 13). These false teachers prey upon the vulnerable and the weak. They “entice unstable souls” (2:14); they “entice those who barely escape from the ones who live in error” (2:18). They identify themselves and their sin with the saints and the church (2:13), exploiting them (2:3) and bringing reproach on them (2:2, 13). They incite grumbling and division among the saints (Jude 19).

The Fate of False Teachers

The only ones who gain from the ministry of the false teachers are the teachers themselves, and this but for a short time. They themselves are doomed for destruction, though they seem not to know it, because in their deceiving others, they themselves are deceived (2 Timothy 3:13). As they introduce destructive heresies, they are “bringing swift destruction on themselves” (2:1). Their judgment is certain: “Their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (2:3). The examples of the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah serve to demonstrate that God knows how to “keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment” (2:9). Never is any other fate than destruction indicated for these false teachers (see 2:12, 14; 3:16). For such as these “accursed children” (2:14), “the black darkness has been reserved” (2:17; Jude 13-15).

The judgment of false teachers is greater than it is for others. Their judgment is even greater for them than it was formerly. Their “last state has become worse than the first” (2:20). This is for several reasons. These false teachers receive greater condemnation because they lead the vulnerable (“little ones”) astray (Matthew 18:6-7). They are more culpable because they have known and rejected more than others (Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 12:47-48) and because they claim to know the way (John 9:39-41). They have greater guilt and bear more responsibility because they are teachers who lead others astray (James 3:1).

Peter’s words in verses 17-22 have perplexed many believers:

17 These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

These verses raise many questions, but they can be resolved by answering but one question: “Is Peter speaking here of the unbelieving false teachers, or of their naive, but Christian, victims?” The answer is actually both. I would suggest that the italicized references are to the unbelieving teachers, while the doubly underlined references are to their unsuspecting and naive Christian victims. I have reached this conclusion for the following reasons:

(1) It is evident in verses 18 and 19 that both the unsaved teachers and their victims are referred to. The question is simply, “Which is which?”

(2) According to Jesus’ reference to “dogs” and “pigs” in Matthew 7:6, we should conclude that neither are thought of as true believers. The false teachers must therefore be “dogs” and “hogs.”

(3) When Paul speaks of “dogs,” he is referring to Jewish false teachers:

2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision (Philippians 3:2).

(4) The “victims” referred to by “those” and “them” in verses 18 and 19 are represented as believers, new Christians who are weak and vulnerable, but those who have escaped from the camp of unbelievers.⁵⁸

(5) Only the last state of the false teachers can be worse than the first. If a Christian falls into sin and is judged for it, he still remains a believer with the assurance of eternal life. Even when physically destroyed, he has the sure hope of heaven (1 Corinthians 5:5). The unbeliever never did have the hope of heaven. His last state of unbelief is worse than his first state because he has come to know “the commandment” (the gospel) and has rejected it. It is better to be judged in ignorance than in willful rebellion (see Luke 12:47-48).⁵⁹

Conclusion

As we consider Peter’s description of false teachers, we should not expect that every false teacher will manifest every characteristic described. Rather, the characteristics Peter has given us should serve to cover the wide range of those who will arise as false teachers. In this regard, Peter’s list of characteristics of the false teacher is something like the description of the “ideal woman” in Proverbs 31:10-31. No woman will ever measure up to this “perfect woman” of Proverbs. I do not think it was ever thought any woman would or could. But in this picture of an ideal woman, we see qualities for which every woman should strive. So too Peter’s characterization of the false teacher is such that we see some of the earmarks of the false teacher who will arise in our midst.

Carrying the imagery of Proverbs a bit further, I am most impressed with the similarities between the false teachers of Peter’s description and the “strange or adulterous woman” of Proverbs. In Proverbs, the way of truth and wisdom is symbolized by “dame wisdom” (see Proverbs 1:20-33; 3:13-26; 4:5-9; 8:1-21, etc.). “Madam folly” symbolizes the way of evil and the seductions of those who would lead us astray onto this path (see 2:16-22; 5:1-23; 6:24-35; 7:1-27; 22:14; 23:27-28).

Notice, for example, the ways in which “madam folly” in Proverbs is like the characterization of the false teacher in 2 Peter:

(1) She flatters (2:16; 7:5, 21; compare Jude 16)

(2) Adulteress, immoral (2:16; 6:25; 7:5; compare 2 Peter 2:13-14)

(3) Forsakes the right path (2:17; compare 2 Peter 2:15-16, 21)

(4) Smooth talker and seducer (5:3; 6:24; compare 2 Peter 2:3, 14, 18)

(5) Promise more than they deliver; promise pleasure but deliver destruction (7:16-27; 2:18; 5:5; 6:26; compare 2 Peter 2:17ff.)

(6) Use people for their own gain (6:26; compare 2 Peter 2:3, 14; Jude 12)

(7) Prey upon the naive, the vulnerable (7:7; compare 2 Peter 2:14, 18)

(8) Boisterous and rebellious (7:11; compare 2 Peter 2:10-11, 13-14, 18)

(9) Brazen and shameless (7:13; compare 2 Peter 2:10, 13-14)

(10) Make sin look like a “religious experience” (7:16-18; compare 2 Peter 2:13; Jude 4, 12)

(11) Sensual (7:16-18; compare 2 Peter 2:2, 18; 3:3)

(12) Minimize consequences of sin (7:18-20; compare 2 Peter 3:1-4)

(13) No sense of guilt for sin (Proverbs 30:20; compare 2 Peter 12-14; compare 1 Timothy 4:2)

(14) Peter’s expose’ of false teachers helps me to better understand Paul’s personal convictions and conduct as he sought to disassociate himself from such folks as these. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul defended his right to be supported by those he taught, and then explained that he refused to accept such “support” for the sake of the gospel. Since some would have lumped him into the same category as the “religious hucksters,” Paul chose to clearly stand apart from them by being self-supporting (see also Acts 20:33-35; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12). He was also most careful in the way he handled funds which were given to minister to others (2 Corinthians 8:16-24). Paul also sought to differentiate his preaching methods (not to mention his message) from that of the false teachers (see 1 Corinthians 2; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:1-2).

This text also helps to explain Paul’s emphasis on the importance of godly character in church leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-13; 4:12-16; Titus 1:5-9). It explains why Paul makes so much of his own example in relation to his teaching (Acts 20:18-21, 33-35; 1 Corinthians 4:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 2 Timothy 3:10-11).

There is a very important principle underlying the teaching of the apostles as it relates to doctrine and conduct. It may be stated this way: There is an inseparable union between one’s doctrine and one’s conduct. While our doctrine should determine our conduct, it is most often true that sinful conduct is the first step to a perverted theology.

This seems to be the sequence of events envisioned in 2 Peter. False teachers do not “introduce destructive heresies” in a Sunday School class or from the pulpit, at least not at the outset. They introduce “destructive heresies” by seducing the saints to pursue their fleshly lusts. Once men have become enslaved to their passions, they will quickly rearrange their doctrine to square with their conduct. This is not the way it should be, but it is the way it often works. I believe Solomon’s heart was turned to his foreign wives before his doctrine became corrupt. Balaam knew that the way to turn the Israelites against the Lord was to first entice them to commit sexual immorality (see Numbers 25:1-2). The young man in Proverbs 7:21-23 suddenly went in to the seductress, and, not so suddenly, changed his theology. The simple fact is: our morality often determines our theology, rather than our theology dictating our morality.

Notice the close relationship between morality and theology in this passage:

18 Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood, And sin as if with cart ropes (Isaiah 5:18).

False teachers will become evident by their theology, but it would seem they are first evident by their ungodly lifestyle. This is exactly what our Lord is talking about in Matthew 7:13-29. False teachers (literally “false prophets”) will become evident by their fruits. These “fruits” are not found in their doctrinal statement. These “fruits” are not what we might expect. The false prophets of whom our Lord speaks claim to believe in Jesus as their Lord. They prophecy, cast out demons and perform miracles, all in His name (7:22), and yet our Lord will say that He never knew them. He will call them those who “practice lawlessness” (7:23). Those who are the children of God are those whose conduct is godly, those who are obedient to what they know of Him and His will (see 7:24-27).

This text in 2 Peter was not written to make the Christian question their salvation or their eternal security. Peter has already indicated how the saints can avoid stumbling—through the appropriation of God’s provisions and through the pursuit of godly character (see 2 Peter 1:1-21). Peter has already assured us of this fact:

9 The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment (2 Peter 2:9).

Paul has done likewise:

19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and “Let every one who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness” (2 Timothy 2:19).

And so has Jude:

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, [be] glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 1:24-25).

What should Peter’s words say to us? First of all, we should recognize that spiritual growth is not automatic, and that there are those who are eagerly seeking to undermine our walk with the Lord. There are those who pass themselves off as Christians and who would pervert God’s Word, redefining the gospel and distorting the teachings of Scripture which require holiness. We should be alert to the characteristics of false teachers, and we should contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3). We should exercise special care for the newborn believers, for the weak and the vulnerable as God’s little ones.

We should look for false teachers; we should expect them, not only in other churches, and outside the church, but arising from within the church. We should expect false teachers in our church to claim to be Christians, to profess to serve the Lord Jesus and even to accomplish some impressive tasks. We should expect them to oppose Satan. We should recognize that spiritual leaders in the church should not be recognized too quickly and that Christian character is evident over time. We should recognize sin and immorality in the church not only as dangerous, but as one of the primary characteristics of the false teacher. We should see that self-indulgence leads to doctrinal deviation and ultimately to disaster. We should not give false teachers status and sanctuary in the church, but should put them out, protecting the flock from them and their devastating words and works.

We should, as we read such passages as this one in 2 Peter, be deeply touched. On the one hand, we should recognize that “there, but for the grace of God, go I.” We should see that the sensual lifestyle and distorted thinking of the false teachers was once ours, until God in His grace sought us out, saved us, and rescued us from the “corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Peter 1:4). We should realize that false teachers find many followers (2 Peter 2:2) simply because they tell a lost world what they want to hear (2 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:3-4). We should realize that we still struggle with the pull of fleshly lusts (Romans 7), but that we must abstain from them (1 Peter 2:11).

We should commit ourselves to doing exactly what Jude requires of us:

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh (Jude 1:20-23).

As I conclude this lesson, let me remind you that the error which Peter describes is one that is “secretly introduced” (2:1). It is not immediately apparent, but only seen in time. Fleshly indulgence is dramatically apparent when men and women live in adultery and sexual perversion. Fleshly indulgence was readily evident in Sodom and Gomorrah. But I fear that fleshly indulgence is all too common in evangelical churches. Not so much in open immorality (though that is becoming all too common), but in sensuality and self-indulgence that is more subtle, even spiritual in appearance.

This morning, as I was driving to a Bible study, I heard a missionary organization speaking of its ministry as “fulfilling.” We speak to the lost about “finding what they have been looking for” in Jesus. When we raise funds, we often appeal for motives which are fleshly (we will give a “free gift” in return, or we will put their name on a plaque for all to see). Jesus constantly spoke of His cross, and of the fact that those who would follow Him must take up their cross, daily. Why are we talking little about the cross we must bear, and so much about the fulfillment and satisfaction we can find, as Christians? While our fleshly indulgence may not have reached the dramatic proportions we see in the world, or in places like Sodom and Gomorrah, it is “alive and well” in the saints and in the church. This is not the way of the gospel, the way of the cross. May God give us the grace to heed Peter’s words.

52 “‘Children of a curse!’ The expression children of is Semitic and occurs in a number of forms: For example, ‘children [objects] of wrath’ (Eph. 2:3), ‘children of light’ (Eph. 5:8), and ‘children of obedience’ ((1 Peter 1;14).” It is similar to the phrase “sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:2; 5:6, NKJV).” Simon J. Kistemaker, Peter and Jude (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), 1987. New Testament Commentary Series, pp. 302-303.

53 “Instead of shunning defilement, these false teachers take great pleasure in moral impurity. A literal translation, therefore, has the reading ‘those who walk . . . in the lust of uncleanness’ (NKJV). The Greek word translated ‘uncleanness’ refers to the act of polluting oneself and others. It is preceded by the term lust and forms the phrase lust of uncleanness. The phrase means a ‘hankering after unlawful and polluting use of the flesh.” Simon J. Kistemaker, Peter and Jude (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), 1987. New Testament Commentary Series, p. 295.

54 Commenting on verse 14, Barclay writes,

“The Greek literally is: ‘They have eyes which are full of an adulteress.’ Most probably the meaning is they see a possible adulteress in every woman, wondering how she can be persuaded to gratify their lusts. ‘The hand and the eye,’ said the Jewish teachers, ‘are the brokers of sin.’ As Jesus said, such people look in order to lust (Matthew 5:28).” William Barclay, The Letters of James and Peter (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, [rev. ed], 1976. The Daily Study Bible Series, p. 331.

55 “They have their hearts trained in unbridled ambition for the things they have no right to have. We have taken a whole phrase to translate the one word pleonexia which means the desire to have more of the things which a man has no right even to desire, let alone have. The picture is a terrible one. The word used for trained is used for an athlete exercising himself for the games. These people have actually trained their minds to concentrate on nothing but the forbidden desire. They have deliberately fought with the conscience until they have destroyed it; they have deliberately struggled with their finer feelings until they have strangled them.” Barclay, p. 332.

56 As explained in an earlier lesson, I understand Peter to be saying that these rebels against all authority reject God’s authority over their lives, even though He has the right to demand and expect complete obedience. This statement, couched in terms of the exodus, does not emphasize the atonement of our Lord in particular so much as it does the authority of God in general, which the false teachers, like the false prophets who preceded them, reject.

57 I do not think Paul is being chauvinistic here, suggesting it is only women who are weak and burdened down with the guilt of their sins, making them vulnerable prey for false teachers. Peter’s instruction in our text helps us to understand Paul’s words more clearly. These false teachers are men, men who are immoral, men who have “eyes full of adultery.” Who else would we expect such depraved men to prey upon? They seek out weak women, not because there are not weak men, but because they want to use these women to satisfy their lusts. Unfortunately, the more corrupt these teachers become, the less likely they are to be drawn only to women.

58 If “the ones who live in error” in verse 18 are the false teachers, then this verse assures us that the weak and vulnerable saints will escape, although barely so.

59 How can these unbelievers, under sentence of eternal damnation, be said to have “escaped” in verse 20? They have not escaped from the camp of unbelievers, as have the vulnerable saints (verse 18); they have escaped, to some degree, from the defilements of their sinful and indulgent lifestyle by their association with the truth of the gospel and with the church. But their “escape” was neither full nor final.

9. Scoffers, the Second Coming, and Scripture (2 Peter 3:1-13)

1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7 But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Introduction

We Americans do not handle delays very well as we saw in the recent airline attendants’ strike. When numerous flights were canceled and many others were delayed, no one found the delays pleasant. Our culture simply does not like to wait. Yet we wait less today than men have ever waited. We travel at high speed waiting less to arrive at a distant place. Communications which formerly took months now are completed in seconds. Meals which used to take hours to cook are now done in minutes in microwave ovens. People used to have to wait until they had cash to purchase a new car or home. Now these things are bought on credit. We do not have to wait. Fewer and fewer people are willing to wait until marriage to enjoy the pleasures of sex. We Americans are not accustomed to waiting.

Men do not enjoy waiting for anything, or anyone, including God. But the trust is men have been waiting on God all through history. Noah waited a good 100 years or so for the flood to come upon the earth (compare Genesis 5:32; 6:10; 7:6). Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the birth of the son God had promised them (compare Genesis 12:4; 21:5). Abraham did not even possess the promised land in his lifetime, and it was more than 400 years until his descendants took possession of it (compare Genesis 12:1-3; 15:12-16). Asaph felt for a time that he had waited too long for God’s promised blessings (Psalm 73).

From their constant questions about the coming of our Lord’s kingdom, it was evident the disciples were not excited about waiting either. When Jesus tarried three days before going to the place Lazarus had fallen sick and died, both Martha and Mary cautiously chided Jesus for coming too late (see John 11:21, 32).

God’s promises never come too late; in truth, they are never “late” at all. When the Scriptures indicate a time for God’s actions, the fulfillment is always precisely on time (see Exodus 12:40-41). When Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would be expelled from the land and held captive in Babylon for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12), the fulfillment of this prophecy would take place precisely at the end of 70 years. Knowing this, Daniel prayed accordingly (Daniel 9:1-3ff.). Likewise, the birth of the Lord Jesus came about exactly on schedule (see Daniel 9:24-27; Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4-5; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).

God is never “late;” He is always “on time.” But there are mockers⁶⁰ who seek to convince themselves and others that the promise of our Lord’s second coming is false based upon the passage of much time and compounded by no visible evidences that He will come at all. In the college classroom, students allow an instructor five minutes to arrive for class, and then they leave. A full professor, being more important, is given up to ten minutes to arrive after the bell has rung. Mockers believe they have given God plenty of time to fulfill His promise to return and thus have now concluded that His time is up. “If He hasn’t come by now,” they say, “He simply isn’t coming.”

In chapter 3 of his second epistle, Peter exposes these mockers, along with the folly of their denials. He does so by reiterating his commitment to remind his readers of the truths of the Scriptures as revealed through the Old Testament prophets, the Lord Jesus, and His apostles (3:1-2). Peter then describes the mockers of whom he warns his readers, both in terms of their lifestyle and their creed (3:3-4). Verses 5-7 he expose the folly of their thinking, especially as it relates to the role of the Word of God in Old Testament history and in prophecy.

Peter then turns his attention to the saints in verses 8-13. While mockers deny the Scriptures, true saints base their hope and their conduct on the promises of the Word of God. In verses 8 and 9, Peter gives a divine perspective of time and presents a very different explanation for the apparent delay of the Lord’s return. This he does by focusing on God’s attributes: His eternality, His omnipotence, and His mercy.

In verses 10-13, Peter explains why the nearness of the “day of the Lord” is not evident to unbelievers and how the Lord’s return should impact the saints who look forward to the “new heavens and a new earth.” Verses 14-18 conclude this chapter and the entire epistle with some final exhortations to the saints regarding their relationship to the Scriptures.

Peter’s Ministry of Stirring Up the Saints
(3:1-2)

In his first chapter, Peter exhorted his readers to diligently pursue holiness (verses 1-11) and then conveyed his resolve to remind his readers of the truths of the inspired Scriptures:

12 Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you [already] know [them], and have been established in the truth which is present with [you.] 13 And I consider it right, as long as I am in this [earthly] dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my [earthly] dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind (2 Peter 1:12-15).

Peter reminds us in verses 16-21 of his certainty in turning our attention to the inspired Word of God. Because of the Father’s testimony concerning the identity of His Son at the transfiguration, we have the “prophetic word made more sure,” a word “to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts” (1:19).

Now, once again, Peter speaks of his intention to remind his readers of the truth of God. Here it is not the certainty of that Word but the source which seems to be in view. Peter strongly implies that no longer is new revelation needed and that what God has revealed is entirely sufficient. There once were “false prophets,” but now there are only “false teachers” (2:1). These false teachers do not communicate new revelation from God; rather they seek to deny and distort the Scriptures which have once for all been revealed (see 2 Peter 3:4, 16).

The natural man is always more interested in something “new” than in being reminded of that which is “old” (see Acts 17:19-21). Our technological age sees “old” as inferior and “new” as better. When I recently tried to order a laptop computer to take with me to India, laptops rated as “best buys” three months earlier were already obsolete! The “new” laptops were indeed superior. But we not find this so with respect to truth. Here, the “old wine” is better, and the new is the first to be forgotten.

Peter has little “new” for his readers. Like the rest of the apostles, he continually turns his readers to the truths of the Scriptures. There is a continuity and a climax to Scripture because God has progressively revealed His truth to men in the course of history. This revelation culminated in Christ, God’s “final word,” which was communicated to us by the apostles (Hebrews 1:1-3; 2:1-4). The truth of God is therefore found in the writings of the “holy”⁶² Old Testament prophets, whose teachings are affirmed, clarified, and further explained by our Lord, whose teachings were recorded by the apostles. There is no need for any additional revelation (see Revelation 22:18-19).

Peter wants us to view the Scriptures as sufficient, as reliable, accurate, and true. He also wants us to see these Scriptures as authoritative. These are not merely words which claim to be true; they are the only absolute truth God has revealed. But they are not truths submitted to the bar of human judgment. They are not divine suggestions; they are divine “commands.” You will remember that in the so-called “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:18-20) of our Lord, He instructed His disciples to teach “all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). God spoke not just to inform us but to instruct us about what we are to believe, and thus how we are to behave. To disregard God’s word is to disobey Him.

Mockers: Their Lifestyle and Their Logic
(3:3-4)

It should come as no surprise that men would arise who deny the second coming of our Lord. One of the most common falsehoods referred to in the New Testament (see 1 Corinthians 15:32; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2), this false teaching had an adverse affect on some of the saints (2 Timothy 2:18). To deny the second coming is not only to deny the Christian’s future hope but also to deny the judgment of sinners at the return of Christ. No wonder these “mockers” denied the second coming. These were those who were “following after their own lusts” (verse 3). How much more comfortable it was to practice sin with the false assurance that they would not give account to God.

How ironic are Peter’s words. In the last days, mockers will come with their mocking. Dominated by their own lusts, they will deny the second coming. Yet their very existence is a fulfillment of Scripture and confirmation that indeed we are living in the last days. These mockers point to the nearness of the day of judgment by mocking it. In the last days there will be mockers. There are mockers. These are the last days.

The term “mockers” is found elsewhere only in Jude 18. I understand these “mockers” as the equivalent of the “scoffers”⁶³ referred to in Proverbs. Proverbs speaks of those who are simple, naive, and easily led astray due to their youth, thus a lack of knowledge and experience. Some are fools, who are more willfully ignorant and morally stupid. But the scoffer is a hard-core fool, a fool who vehemently opposes truth and wisdom.

Peter wants us to “know” something first of all: expect “mockers” in the last days. We see that he believes we are living in the last days.⁶⁴ These mockers were compelled to deny the second coming of Christ, not by the weight of the evidence, but due to the guilt and deceit produced by their sin. They are led astray by their impure lusts, not by pure logic.

Peter summarizes their argument in verse 4. Like so many heretics, their doctrine is posed in the form of a question. This use of a question well suits their character as mockers.⁶⁵ Their logic appears to be:

(1) The “day of the Lord” will entail a cataclysmic change.

(2) There has been no such change since the death of the patriarchs (“the fathers”),⁶⁶ and there is no indication that there will be.

(3) Since the Lord has not returned for such a long time, and since there is no indication that He will, we must conclude He is not coming.

(4) Since the Lord promised to come to establish His kingdom on earth and He has not, we must conclude His promises are not reliable, and His word cannot be trusted.

This kind of logical process is not new. We see the same reasoning in Asaph’s description of the wicked in Psalm 73:

3 For I was envious of the arrogant, [As] I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pains in their death; And their body is fat. 5 They are not in trouble [as other] men; Nor are they plagued like mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. 7 Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of [their] heart run riot. 8 They mock, and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. 9 They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return to this place; And waters of abundance are drunk by them. 11 And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased [in] wealth (Psalm 73:3-12).

The wicked may have gone about their sinful ways tentatively at first, but when they perceived that no punishment was meted out to them, they became arrogant and blasphemous. They publicly sinned and mockingly declared that God either did not exist or He did not care.

Notice the apparent piety of the language of denial in verses 3 and 4 of our text. These mockers have used all the right theological buzz words. They deny the faith with stained glass words. They speak of the “fathers,” of the “promise,” of the creation of the world, and they even speak of death as “sleep.” They use orthodox terminology, but they have created a heretical theology.⁶⁷ Truly these are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). These are those who wish to appear orthodox, who will “secretly introduce destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1).

Peter is about to show the fallacy of these mockers’ theology in the following verses. But before moving on to consider his rebuttal, notice a very subtle but important inference contained in the statement of the mockers’ theology. No direct reference is made to the Lord Jesus Christ here. These heretics make a sweeping statement covering a large expanse of history going all the way back to the “beginning of creation.” They insist there is no evidence to support the Lord’s promised “coming,” but there is not so much as one word about the first “coming” of the Lord Jesus. “Nothing of any significance has happened,” they maintain, “which would support the biblical promise of the Lord’s coming.” The first coming is not even given so much as an honorable mention. Yet it was during this first coming that Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration and beheld the glory and splendor of His second coming. It was at this time that the Father testified to the identity of the Lord Jesus as the promised Messiah (2 Peter 1:16-19).

When the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels spoke these words to the disciples:

10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; 11 and they also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10-11).

The worst form of insult is ignored: the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, His miraculous birth, His sinless life, His mighty miracles, His amazing teaching, His death and resurrection from the grave; none of these seem to have any significance to the scoffers. Jesus does not even merit an “honorable mention.”

These scoffers daringly said nothing of significance had happened since the time of the creation to lend credence to the promise of God to come and establish His kingdom on the earth. They looked back to the beginning of time. But in so doing, they overlooked the coming of Christ just a few short years before. What an amazing oversight. In the following verses, Peter points out a number of biblical truths which must be overlooked (see verses 5 and 8) if one doubts or denies the certainty of the second coming.

Leaks in the Logic of the Mockers
(3:5-7)

5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice⁶⁸ that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7 But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men [emphasis mine].

If I understand Peter correctly, the false teachers of whom he wrote are unbelievers, whose fate is eternal destruction (2:1, 3-13, 17). While they represent themselves as true believers and even participate with the saints in worship (2:1, 13; Jude 12), they are not really believers. Jude tells us they are “devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 19). This being the case, false teachers lack saving faith.

The mockers’ lack of faith is evident in their response to our Lord’s apparent delay in coming to establish His kingdom on earth. If they had faith, they would believe not in what they see but in what God has said; they would believe God’s Word (see Hebrews 11:1-3). But lacking such faith, they live only on the basis of their interpretation of what they see and touch and smell. Worse yet, lacking experiential knowledge, they act purely on impulse, or as Peter says, “instinct” (2 Peter 2:12).

In contemporary terms, we might say these men do not live by faith but by the scientific method. Please do not misunderstand: I am not opposed to the scientific method as long as it is applied to scientific investigation. But I am opposed to the scientific method as the basis for one’s spiritual life. The Christian’s life is based solely on what God has said, on God’s Word. The scientific method looks only at what can be seen, analyzed, and tested. It is unwilling to take anything on faith.

We see much reliance today in Christian circles on the scientific method when dealing with the spiritual life. Their banner: “All truth is God’s truth.” “Christian experts,” whose training and experience is dominated by the secular world, speak with authority about matters of Christian living. All too often, they Christianize secular principles, using more spiritual labels and often sprinkling their words with a few biblical terms or concepts. Their listeners buy up their advice as though it came straight from God, when they might hear the same advice from an unsaved expert minus the spiritual verbiage.

Peter’s words in verses 5-7 dramatically demonstrate how different the Christian’s perspective is, based upon the Scriptures, from the perspective of the unbeliever who will believe only what he can see. In verses 5, 6, and 7, Peter concentrates on the “Word of God” in relation to creation and judgment.

Do these mockers doubt and even deny the Word of God? How can they claim to be orthodox in their doctrine and speak of the creation of the world without acknowledging that the world was created by the Word of God? In the seven-day creation account of Genesis 1, every step of the creation began with the spoken Word of God. Each day begins with the statement, “And God said … ” (see Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24), shortly followed by the statement, “And God called … ” (see Genesis 1:5, 8, 10).

The “beginning of creation” to which these apostate mockers refer was a dramatic demonstration of the power of God’s Word. When God spoke, He spoke creation into existence. God’s Word transformed the chaotic mass of land and water into a world that would sustain life. It is the same “Word of God” which reversed the process of creation at the flood so that the land was covered with water, destroying all life by those saved by the ark (2 Peter 3:6). The same expressions found in the creation account of Genesis 1 (“God said” and “God saw”) are now repeated in Genesis 6 (see Genesis 6:1-8). The Word of God which created all life was now the Word by which all life was destroyed.

Creation and the flood both involved “water.” The “promise of God’s coming,” which the scoffers deny, involves “fire.” In verse 7, Peter reminds us that the present heavens and earth are “being reserved for fire.” It will take but a word from God, and this judgment will take place. Until that time, it is the Word of God which sustains creation as it is.

Once again, scoffers miss the point the Word of God makes so clear. They point to the constancy of life on this planet as evidence of God’s lack of involvement and proof that His Word is not true. Peter points to this same continuity (sameness) as proof of the sustaining power of God’s Word. He is the living Word, who not only created this world but who also sustains it:

16 For by Him all things were created, [both] in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17).

What we “see” should not cast doubt on our trust in the promises of God and our hope of His coming. What we see, when interpreted in the light of God’s Word, is further evidence of the power of God’s Word. By His Word, the world as we know it was created. By His Word, the world was destroyed by the flood. And by His Word, the present heavens and earth are being preserved for the day of judgment which God promised.

The “promise of His coming” is the promise of Scripture.⁶⁹ The promise of His coming is the word of God. Peter’s rebuttal in verses 5-7 focuses on the power and reliability of the word of God. From the scoffers’ perspective, history provides ample evidence the Word of God is impotent. From the perspective of the Scriptures, history provides ample evidence the Word of God is certain, because God is omnipotent.

The Word of God and the Character of God
(3:8-9)

Verses 8 and 9 continue Peter’s argument against the scoffers’ contention that the second coming will not come to pass and that God’s promise and His Word are not trustworthy. Peter continues also to remind his readers of things which may have escaped their notice. But there is a clear and important change beginning at verse 8. Verses 3-7 focused on the mockers and their mocking the second coming. Now, beginning at verse 8, Peter focuses more on the saints than the scoffers. He changes pronouns from “they” and “their” to “you.”

The scoffers have rejected and ridiculed the Word of God, the very Word which could deliver them from the wrath to come by pointing them to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Since they have rejected the Word, there is nothing more that can be said to them or of them. And so Peter turns to the saints and to the Scriptures to explain biblically why the Lord’s return has taken so long and has not yet occurred.

In verses 8 and 9, Peter explains the Lord’s “delay” by reminding us of the character of God. Viewed from the divine perspective, what the scoffers see as a deficiency in God’s character is actually a display of His infinite wisdom, power, and grace. In verse 10, Peter refutes the error of the scoffers from the nature of divine judgment, especially the final judgment of the “day of the Lord.”

Peter challenges us in verse 8 to look at the “delay” in our Lord’s coming from a divine perspective rather than our very limited human perspective. From a human perspective, the mockers noted that considerable time had lapsed from the time of creation to their day, and yet the Lord had not come as promised. Worse yet, in their minds, there were no indications He would come. They thus concluded God was not coming and that His promises were untrue.

Peter challenges us to look at these same facts from a different perspective—the divine perspective. We must view the length of time God has tarried from the standpoint of who God is rather than from our own limited vantage point. God is eternal; we are mere mortals. God has no beginning and no end. If we live 70 years or perhaps a few more, we think we have had a full life. George Burns may make it to his 100th birthday, but what is 100 years compared to eternity?

Peter derives his theology from the Old Testament. Verse 8 draws heavily from the psalm written by Moses in which he meditates on the meaning of time and eternity:

1 (A Prayer of Moses the man of God.) Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born, Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. 3 Thou dost turn man back into dust, And dost say, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in Thy sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or [as] a watch in the night. 5 Thou hast swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew. 6 In the morning it flourishes, and sprouts anew; Toward evening it fades, and withers away. 7 For we have been consumed by Thine anger, And by Thy wrath we have been dismayed. 8 Thou hast placed our iniquities before Thee, Our secret [sins] in the light of Thy presence. 9 For all our days have declined in Thy fury; We have finished our years like a sigh. 10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is [but] labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away. 11 Who understands the power of Thine anger, And Thy fury, according to the fear that is due Thee? 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom. 13 Do return, O LORD; how long [will it be]? And be sorry for Thy servants. 14 O satisfy us in the morning with Thy lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad according to the days Thou hast afflicted us, [And] the years we have seen evil. 16 Let Thy work appear to Thy servants, And Thy majesty to their children. 17 And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And do confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands (Psalms 90:1-17).

One cannot help but wonder at what point in the life of Moses this psalm was written. I am inclined to think it was later in his life, when the first generation of Israelites were dying off in the wilderness. What a time to ponder the finiteness of man in contrast to the eternality of God.

Peter draws upon the meaning of time to the eternal God as described in verse 4: “For a thousand years in Thy sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or [as] a watch in the night.”

To God, who is eternal, there is no hurry. We are in a hurry for God to establish His kingdom on the earth because our time is running out. Our days are numbered; His are not. We are in a hurry to see things happen; He is not. For one who lives less than 100 years, a thousand years is a long period of time. But to God, a thousand years is but a drop in the bucket.⁷⁰

Time does not limit God in any way. A long period of time in the eyes of men is nothing in the eyes of God. Conversely, a very short period of time in our sight is not short in God’s sight. This truth is based not only upon God’s eternality, but also on His great power, His omnipotence.

Time and ability are very much related. Few of us can buy a new house and pay for it in cash. But given enough time, we can buy a home far beyond our immediate ability to pay. What we are not able to do in a short time, we can do over a longer period of time. Conversely, we may be able to do some things for a short period of time that we cannot do for a longer time. For example, we cannot go on vacation for 11 months of the year because we cannot afford it. We have to work. God can take all the time He pleases, because His resources are unlimited.

God has no need to hurry, because He is not only eternal, He is omnipotent. He can do in a very short time that which would take us forever. For example, God was able to “compress” an eternity of judgment into those few hours our Lord suffered on the cross of Calvary. Yet, God was also able to delay the fulfillment of His promises to the patriarchs for thousands of years so we and they might experience the fulfillment of God’s promise at the same time (see Hebrews 11:39-40).

Peter challenges us to view the length of time our Lord has tarried in terms of just who God is rather than in terms of who we are. When viewed from the standpoint of who God is—His attributes—the time He has apparently delayed is inconsequential. Only from a human perspective can it be deemed “too long.”

In the mockers view, this length of time reflected badly on God’s ability or unwillingness to bring His kingdom about. In truth, the delay reflects the opposite as Peter moves in verse 9 to another of God’s attributes directly relating to His apparent “delay”—the patience of God. The length of the Lord’s delay in coming to establish His kingdom is directly proportionate to His patience and longsuffering toward sinful men.

9 The Lord is not slow⁷¹ about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

The patience of God is toward His elect. In Peter’s words, He is “patient toward you” (emphasis mine). God’s judgment will fall upon the wicked, but His grace is toward those hearts He opens, who therefore turn to Him in faith (see Acts 13:48; 16:14). The sovereignty of God in salvation may be difficult to accept for some, but it is certainly true, and it involves His longsuffering toward those who are doomed as well as toward the elect:

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” 20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And [He did so] in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 [even] us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles (Romans 9:19-24; see also Romans 3:25).

Our response toward the patience of God should be to regard the delay in terms of salvation (verse 15). The delay of God in judging sinners has made possible our salvation. It also provides the opportunity for others to be saved and for us to be instruments in their salvation by proclaiming the gospel. How beautiful the “delay” of God’s kingdom now appears in light of God’s patience and the salvation of lost sinners, including us.

These words of Peter in verse 9 are sometimes misinterpreted:

9 … not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9b).⁷²

Does this mean that for God “wishes” do not come true? Does this mean that God wants all men to be saved, but He is not able to do so? Some sincere Christians say so, but I believe they are wrong. What God purposes will take place. Period. Neither man’s unbelief, his apathy, his rebellion, or his weakness will prevent it from happening. God causes all things to “work together for good” (Romans 8:28). Even when men sin against Him, they achieve His purposes (see Acts 2:22-23; Romans 11). God does as He pleases:

3 But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases (Psalms 115:3).

6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps (Psalms 135:6).

35 “And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And [among] the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What hast Thou done?’ (Daniel 4:35).

Peter shows in this text that God does not delight or take pleasure in the suffering of men but in their salvation (see Isaiah 28:21; Lamentations 3:33). Our Lord, in one sense, did not take pleasure in His death at Calvary, but He submitted to it as the Father’s will (see Matthew 26:39, 42). The Father surely did not delight in the suffering and torment of His Son. God’s sovereign will includes that which gives Him pleasure as well as that which does not. Peter is simply telling us that God does not desire (as a pleasurable thing) that any should perish in their sin, but He does purpose it (see Romans 9:1-23; 1 Peter 2:8; Revelation 13:8; 17:8).

God’s pleasure would be the salvation of every sinner, but Peter knows full well His purpose is to save some. The delay in the return of the Lord Jesus to subdue His enemies and rule over His kingdom is not so that someone might come, but so that He might draw His elect to Himself (see John 6:44; Acts 13:48; 16:14). Specifically, Peter says the Lord’s delay is so we (literally, “you”) might be saved (verse 9). God is patient toward us (“you”). Our salvation is the result of His patience and longsuffering. The unsaved may attempt to explain God’s delay as a flaw in His character, but the Christian can only praise Him for withholding His wrath until we are brought to faith. The “delay” of our Lord is not a pretext for accusing Him but another occasion to adore Him.

6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth (Exodus 34:6).

15 But Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth (Psalm 86:15).

4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4).

22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? (Romans 9:22).

20 Who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through [the] water (1 Peter 3:20).

The Day of the Lord as a Day of Destruction
(3:10-12)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

The coming day of judgment is now called by its Old Testament name: the “Day of the Lord.”⁷³ The day of the Lord is a day when destruction is dramatic and intense:

“He uses one very vivid phrase. He says that the heavens will pass away with a crackling roar (roizedon). That word is used for the whirring of a bird’s wings in the air, for the sound a spear makes as it hurtles through the air, for the crackling of the flames of a forest fire.”⁷⁴

It is a dramatic destruction, a destruction by fire involving great heat so intense it literally melts the earth and the elements (verse 11). And the passing away of the heavens is accompanied by a noise, a roar.

The “Day of the Lord” is a day of destruction such as has never been seen before. At first, verse 12 appears to be a mere repetition of verse 10 at first, but it is more than this for it describes a destruction unlike any ever before. It is not all that difficult to imagine an entire city like Sodom, for example, being burned up. But Peter says that while the destruction of the Day of the Lord will be by fire, this “fire” will destroy things which do not appear to be flammable. The heavens will be destroyed by burning and so will the elements of the earth. Peter describes a fire so intense that seemingly indestructible matter is completely destroyed.

We have no way of likening this fiery destruction to any previous “fire” of judgment. It is beyond demonstration, let alone human comprehension. We have only one reason to believe it will happen, and that is because God has said it would. Our belief in the coming Day of the Lord is based solely upon our confidence in God and His Word. No wonder those who do not trust in God or His Word mock the possibility of such a day of divine judgment.

God’s judgment in the Day of the Lord will come unexpectedly on a scale never before witnessed in the history of mankind. The flood destroyed all mankind (except those on the ark) and much of nature. But the earth remained, and when the waters subsided, life went on. Cities like Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, but life went on. But when the Day of the Lord comes, all God has created (as recorded in Genesis) will be destroyed. All of life, all of the elements, and even the heavens. Nothing will be spared. All previous judgments are examples of divine judgment, but none convey the magnitude of the judgment yet to come.

The Day of the Lord is a future day which will come upon an unsuspecting world “like a thief.”¹⁶ Life will be going on as usual with men going about their normal routines (see Matthew 24:37-39). Do mockers reject God’s Word because the world goes on as usual with no indications of impending doom? That is exactly as our Lord said it would be. Yet there is a warning message. Now, as in days of old, God has sent His messengers to proclaim a two-fold message of coming judgment and of salvation and deliverance. If men will be saved, they will be saved by believing in God’s Word, and not by signs and wonders (see Luke 16:27-31).

Peter’s words about the nature of the Day of the Lord are written to us, the saints. Apart from divine enlightenment, his words fall on deaf ears as far as the unsaved are concerned. But what do these words say to us? How can we apply them to our lives? Peter sums our responsibility in verses 11 and 12:

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

The first application for believers is godliness. Early in Peter’s first epistle, we were called to holiness, a theme Peter never ceases to emphasize:

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts [which were yours] in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all [your] behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY” (1 Peter 1:14-16).

9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR [God’s] OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. 11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe [them,] glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:9-12).

8 To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For, “LET HIM WHO MEANS TO LOVE LIFE AND SEE GOOD DAYS REFRAIN HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING GUILE. 11 “AND LET HIM TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; LET HIM SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. 12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE UPON THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL” (1 Peter 3:8-12).

Peter points out in chapter 2 of 2 Peter the sharp contrast of the believer’s holiness to the fleshly indulgence of the false teachers. The one without hope beyond this life gives full indulgence to the flesh (see 1 Corinthians 15:32). But the one who lives in hope denies fleshly lusts, in light of the blessings God has promised in the life to come (1 Peter 2:11-12).

In verses 11 and 12, Peter is not talking about the blessings of the coming kingdom of God but the outpouring of God’s wrath upon sinners. He is speaking of the devastating consequences of sin and its corruption. Even though the Christian will not experience this judgment, he should learn from this. The Christian should be reminded of the holiness of God and His hatred of sin. If God deals with sin in His creation this way, how does God feel about sin in our lives? We must learn to hate what God hates. We must seek to be holy, as He is holy. We must flee from sin and its corruption and live godly and holy lives.

The horror of that day for sinners, and the finality of their judgment, should greatly motivate us to bear witness to our faith and seek to turn men from God’s wrath to His salvation:

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 1:22-23).

9 Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences (2 Corinthians 5:9-11, emphasis mine).

A second application of the Day of the Lord should be “looking for and hastening” its coming. We believe that Day is coming because God’s Word tells us so. We need no “signs and wonders” to prove its imminence; we know because God’s description of the “last days” indicates the day is near. Let us not be caught by surprise when that great day arrives, for we know it is coming, and the time is near. Let us be watching for that great day, as our Lord and His apostles instructed us (Matthew 24:42-43; 25:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Peter 4:7; Revelation 3:2; 16:15).

We can more easily understand how we are to “look for” the “Day of the Lord,” but how do we “hasten its coming?” Before answering, let us also consider another question: “Why would the Christian want to hasten the coming of the Day of the Lord?” It is a horrible day for the wicked, a day of complete destruction. Why would we ever wish the hastening of this day?

The answer might best be found in the Psalms. That day is the day justice is accomplished on the earth, when wrongs will be made right, and evil-doers will receive just punishment.

1 O LORD, God of vengeance; God of vengeance, shine forth! 2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render recompense to the proud. 3 How long shall the wicked, O LORD, How long shall the wicked exult? 4 They pour forth [words], they speak arrogantly; All who do wickedness vaunt themselves. 5 They crush Thy people, O LORD, And afflict Thy heritage. 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the orphans. 7 And they have said, “The LORD does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob pay heed” (Psalms 94:1-7; see also 6:3; 13:1-6; 35:17; 74:4-11).

The Book of Proverbs also explains why the righteous rejoice at the thought of the coming of the Day of the Lord, the day when the wicked are punished and our Lord Jesus Christ, the Righteous King, rules over all creation:

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is glad shouting (Proverbs 11:10).

15 The execution of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity (Proverbs 21:15).2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan (Proverbs 29:2).

The New Testament Book of Revelation portrays the rejoicing of the righteous at the judgment of the wicked:

4 And the third [angel] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous art Thou, who art and who wast, O Holy One, because Thou didst judge these things; 6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink. They deserve it. “ 7 And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments” (Revelation 16:4-7).

1 After these things I heard, as it were, a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2 BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER” (Revelation 19:1-2).

The saints rejoice at the thought of the coming Day of the Lord, for God will punish the wicked and establish His throne in righteousness. We may wish that day would come soon. Peter does not list how we may “hasten its coming,” but he expects us to know. Among the ways we can “hasten His coming” are these:

(1) By living righteously and suffering unjustly for doing so. The Lord hears and heeds the cries of His people, who suffer for living as saints.

4 Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 [This is] a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 For after all it is [only] just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and [to give] relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (2 Thessalonians 1:4-9, see also 1 Peter 2:12).

(2) By proclaiming the gospel to lost sinners.

14 “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come” (Matthew 24:14).

(3) By praying. Our Lord Himself instructed us to pray in this way:

9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. 10 ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).

The Positive Side of the Day of the Lord
(3:13)

13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Peter does not leave the subject of prophecy on the somewhat sour note of the destruction of creation. Instead, he turns once again in verse 13 to the “blessed hope” of the believer. We are not those who await judgment; we await God’s salvation. The destruction of this present creation is a necessary step in preparation for the “new heavens and a new earth” which are to come. The destruction of this creation in the Day of the Lord is like the demolition of an old building to make way for the construction of a new one in its place. Our hope is not just for God’s judgment but for the kingdom He will bring in which righteousness dwells. And since that kingdom is one characterized by righteousness, we should live in a manner consistent with our destiny (compare 1 Peter 3:8-12). We should live righteously.

Conclusion

Borrowing from the words of Francis Shaefer’s book, “How Then Shall We Live?”, how should the truths of this passage affect the way we think and the way we live out our lives on this earth? Consider how these implications might apply to your lives.

First, our text tells us a lot about false teachers so that we can more readily recognize them—and then avoid them. False teachers will certainly deny and distort the Scriptures. One doctrine they will attack is the believer’s future hope. They will emphasize the here and now, and minimize, if not deny, the hereafter. Rather than exhorting us to live now in the light of eternity, they will encourage us to live for the present, as though there were no eternity, and indulge the flesh. They will surely deny the Scriptural teaching of divine judgment. Their teaching is but a thinly veiled excuse for their own self-indulgent lifestyle. They are those who “follow after their own lusts” (2 Peter 3:3).

These false teachers seem to have far more questions than answers. And the very things which should cause them to trust God and praise Him are the things for which they accurse Him. Turning reality upside-down, when the Lord tarries graciously, giving men the opportunity to repent, these mockers accuse God of forsaking or at least failing to fulfill His promises. And when the world (and the universe) continues to function in the way it has since creation, they do not praise the Lord for sustaining it (see Colossians 1:16-17) but condemn Him for not giving any spectacular indications that the end is near. Ironically, even the presence of these false teachers is one of the indications that we are in the “last days” (see 3:3).

This text has so much to teach the Christian. Peter not only instructs us about false teachers, he also repeatedly reminds us of the truth. To Peter, as should be so for us, the Scriptures are foundational and fundamental. In both of his epistles, he turns our attention to the truths of the Word of God, truths which have been consistently taught by the Old Testament prophets, the Lord Jesus, and His apostles (3:1-2). It is the Word of God which false teachers attack and deny (3:3-7); if they cannot do this, they will attempt to distort them (3:14-16).

To Peter, the Scriptures are absolutely vital to Christian growth and stability. They are the source of divine revelation. They are the standard to which all teaching and practice must conform. They are absolutely sufficient, providing the believer with “everything pertaining to life and godliness.” They are the basis for our faith and hope and the believer’s sole source of revelation concerning the future. They speak of the Lord’s return to judge the wicked and destroy the existing creation. They speak as well of the glorious kingdom He will establish after this.

As the basis for our faith and hope, the Scriptures also give us a perspective which enables us to see through the distortions and deceptions of this world. We do not view the truths of the Word of God through the cloudy eyes of our culture or of this age. Indeed not! We view this age through the clear-eyed perspective of the Scriptures. The world is not as it seems; reality is revealed through the light of the Scriptures.

The prophecies of Scripture play a significant role in the life of the believer. They reveal all that we can now know about the future and assure us the Lord will return to this earth to judge the wicked and to establish His kingdom. The Scriptures stimulate us to godliness, knowing how God will deal with sin and its effects. Prophecy should also motivate us to evangelize, knowing the time is short and that sinners will suffer the eternal wrath of God. Prophecy informs us that materialism is folly, for all the things of this world will be burned up. Only God’s Word and people will endure for eternity, and these must be our priorities. Prophecy enables us to deny ourselves and to endure persecution for the sake of the gospel, for these cannot compare to the glory which lies ahead.

Our text also shows us the relationship between time and eternity. A long time may have passed, but it is put into its proper perspective when seen in the light of eternity. Time is our opportunity to enter into eternal life and to invest our lives for eternity. It is also our opportunity to tell others of the salvation God has provided through Christ.

This passage underscores the importance of viewing life from the vantage point of the character of God. The attributes of God are not abstract theological assertions of truth; they are the ultimate basis for our faith and hope. Prophecies (the promises of God) are of little value if God is not sovereign and omnipotent (all-powerful) and able to bring them to pass. Promises made centuries ago would have little value unless they were made by an eternal God, who is not bound by the limits of time. And a delay of centuries would seem to be cause for concern unless we view it from the standpoint of God’s patience, His mercy, and His grace.

Indeed, the attributes of God are no mere propositions; they are the description of the nature and character of the God whom we worship and serve. When life brings difficulties which seem to have no answers (even clear, biblical ones), we may rest confidently in who God is and what He is like. We see this often in the Psalms where the psalmist frequently cries out to God, presenting his problems, and lamenting no solution. But in the final analysis, the psalmist finds comfort and consolation in who God is, and thus he trusts in God and worships Him even though his immediate problems may remain. The great question in life is, “Whom do you trust?” We see from the attributes of God that we can only trust God.

The psalmists were not reticent to ask God questions. But we know from the Psalms they did not always receive a quick answer. This is why they based their trust and hope in God’s character. But there are different kinds of questions, and some should not be asked. Scoffers ask, “Where is the promise of His coming?” The godly ask, “How long, Lord, how long?” A world of difference exists between these two questions. One is a question rooted in sin and unbelief. The other is founded on faith and hope.

I dare not conclude, my friend, without asking you about your eternal future. Do you look forward in hope to the “new heavens and a new earth,” or is your destiny eternal destruction? The difference between these two destinies lies in your response to Jesus Christ. He came to the earth and died on the cross of Calvary to die for sinners, to bear the penalty of God’s eternal wrath. Those who trust in Him for the forgiveness of their sins need not fear the coming “Day of the Lord,” but may look forward to it and even seek to hasten its coming. Those who have not received Jesus Christ as their Savior will face Him as their Judge when He comes to the earth again. Have you trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and as God’s provision for eternal life? I pray that you have. And if you have not, I pray that you will—even now.

60 While it is difficult to tell for certain whether these “mockers” are the same group of individuals spoken of earlier as “false teachers,” it certainly appears to be so. In my opinion, the false teachers Peter has referred to earlier are “mockers,” but there may be other “mockers” included here by Peter, in addition to the false teachers. These “mockers” make it their business to actively ridicule the Christian hope in order to validate their wicked lifestyle. From the beginning of the creation, the certainty of God’s promises have been denied by mockers, beginning with Satan, who assured Eve that God’s promise of death for eating the forbidden fruit was untrue (see Genesis 3:4).

“On the content of the commandment, there are three possible views. Peter may be telling them to remember God’s revelation in general through apostles and prophets. Alternatively, it may be a specific reference to the parousia, certain because it is founded on the teaching of both Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles: so most commentators, and the contents of the chapter could support this view. Or it may be simply a reference to Peter’s own warnings. This would preserve the natural connection with verse 3.” Michael Green, 2 Peter and Jude (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987), revised edition, pp. 124-125.In my opinion, the expression, “the commandment,” is best viewed as referring to the gospel. See 2 Peter 2:21; 1 Timothy 6:14; Jude 3.

61 The “holy” prophets who, by inspiration, wrote the Old Testament Scriptures, are contrasted with the “unholy” false prophets of old, and the false teachers who follow in their footsteps.

62 “Scoffing should not be confused with jesting. Jesting depicts frivolity, but scoffing is a sin that is deliberate. Scoffing occurs when men show willful contempt for God and his Son.” Simon J. Kistemaker, Peter and Jude (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House), 1987. New Testament Commentary Series, p. 325.

63 “His coming to the world was the decisive event in human history. It was the ‘fulness of the time’ (Gal. iv. 4), ‘the end of the days’ (Heb. i. 2). With the advent of Jesus the last chapter of human history had opened, though it was not yet completed. In between the two advents stretches the last time, the time of grace, the time, too, of opposition. For the prediction of false teachers in the last days, see Matthew xxiv. 3-5, 11, 23-26, 2 Timothy ii. 1 ff., James v. 3, Jude 18.” Green, p. 126.

64 “That was a form of Hebrew expression which implied that the thing asked about did not exist at all. ‘Where is the God of justice?’ asked the evil men of Malachi’s day (Malachi 2:17). ‘Where is your God?’ the heathen demanded of the Psalmist (Psalm 42:3; 79:10). ‘Where is the word of the Lord?’ his enemies asked Jeremiah (Jeremiah 17:15). In every case the implication of the question is that the thing or the person asked about does not exist.” William Barclay, The Letters of James and Peter (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, [rev. ed], 1976. The Daily Study Bible Series, p. 338.

65 One can hardly take the expression, “the fathers,” in any way other than its most common sense--the patriarchs:

“However, since every other reference to ‘the fathers’ in the New Testament (cf. Acts iii. 13, Rom. ix. 5, Heb. i. I, etc.) means ‘the Old Testament fathers’, such I take to be the probable meaning here. For it is not said that things continue as they have done since the coming of Christ, but since the beginning of the creation.” Green, p. 129.

“In the New Testament, the expression our fathers signifies the Old Testament fathers (compare John 6:31; Acts 3:13; Rom. 9:5). Because this was a standard expression, we are not amiss in asserting that Peter appears to conform to the usage that was current in his day.” Kistemaker, p. 326.

66 “Their comment that the fathers ‘fell asleep’ (ekoimethesan) suggests that the mockers formulate their argument against the Parousia in the language of orthodox faith. . . Having been so used by the Master Himself (katheudo), Mark 5:39; koimao, John 11:11), the usage naturally passed into the language of believers as a witness to their faith concerning those who died in Christ (Acts 7:60; 1 Thess. 4:13-14; 1 Cor. 15:6, 18, 29, 51).” D. Edmond Hiebert, Second Peter and Jude (Greenville, South Carolina: Unusual Publications, 1989), pp. 144-145.

67 The NIV renders this expression “they deliberately forget.” Overlooking the biblical evidence was not a sin of ignorance, but an act of willful disregard for the Scriptures from which the evidence derived.

68 For some of the “promises of His coming, see Joel 2:30; Psalm 50:3; Isaiah 29:6; 30:30; Isaiah 66:15-16; Joel 2:1-2; 2:28-32; Nahum 1:5, 6; Malachi 4:1; Matthew 3:1-12, 17; 10:23; 16:28; 24:3, 32-36; Mark 9:1; Acts 1:11.

Kistemaker writes, “The writers of the New Testament consistently teach the doctrine of Jesus’ return. ‘In fact, it is found in every N[ew] T[estament] book except Galatians and the short Philemon, 2 John and 3 John.” Kistemaker, p. 327, citing Leon Morris, “Parousia,” ISBE, vol. 3, p. 667.

69 It is interesting to see this imagery used in Isaiah 40:15. There, the contrast between finite men and God is not played out in terms of time, but in terms of wisdom, power, and significance.

70 “‘Is not slack’. . . denies that slackness is a real feature of God’s actions. The verb, which Paul used of himself in 1 Timothy 3:15, means ‘to delay, be slow, loiter’ and implies lateness in reference to an appointed time. Such dilatoriness may be due either to indifference or to inability to perform. . . . With Him ‘there is no dilatoriness; He waits, but is never slow, is never late.’ It is always within His power to fulfill His promise as He sees fit.” D. Edmond Hiebert, Second Peter and Jude (Greenville, South Carolina: Unusual Publications, 1989), p. 154.

71 See also Romans 11:32; 1 Timothy 2:4; Ezekiel 18:23.

72 See Isaiah 13:6,9, 10-13; 24:19-23; 34:1-17; Jeremiah 46:10; Lamentations 2:22; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11; 3:14; Amos 5:18-20; Obadiah 1:15; Zephaniah 1:7, 8, 14, 18; 2:2.

73 Barclay, p. 344.

74 Here, Peter is echoing his Master. See Matthew 24:43.

10. Peter and Paul (2 Peter 3:14-16)

14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Introduction

A friend I met a number of years ago when our church hosted a Prison Fellowship Discipleship Seminar will graduate soon from Wheaton Bible College. Chuck and I frequently talk on the phone, and as we finish our conversation, he ends by saying, “Appreciate ya’.”

These two words convey a lot more meaning to me than they would to others. We might say they are a “he-man’s way” of expressing brotherly love. But they are also a reminder of the depth of our relationship which has developed over the years. Our friendship began with a shopping trip to buy a pair of shoes while he was on furlough. This led to a number of conversations related to biblical decision-making. Our friendship grew over the months as we talked nearly once a week when Chuck called from prison where he was still incarcerated. Our bond grew as I attended his mother’s funeral and made several trips to visit him in Chicago. Though only two words, they bring tears to my eyes or to his, and sometimes to both.

In our text, Peter says only a few words about Paul, but I can assure you they are but the tip of the iceberg. We could easily pass by them almost unnoticed, but we would be overlooking so much. Some time ago, a liberal school of thought sought to show that Paul and Peter were arch rivals, and that the New Testament must be understood in light of their polarizing conflict. Our text might seem to put the final nail in the coffin of such a theory, but this is hardly the case. Some consider these words spoken of Paul in 2 Peter 3 as proof this was not the “real Peter” who wrote this epistle, but someone else writing as though they were Peter.

Our contention is that the Peter of the gospels is the author of both 1 and 2 Peter. Our conviction also is that Peter’s words reflect not only Paul’s apostolic authority, but also Peter’s acknowledgment of the tremendous impact Paul had on the church and on the gospel.

Having come to the final verses of 2 Peter (2 Peter 3:13-18), our study of these verses will be carried out in three parts:

(1) Peter’s endorsement of Paul’s writings

(2) Peter’s warning of Scripture twisters

(3) Peter’s final exhortations

This particular lesson focuses on Peter’s endorsement of Paul and his epistles. We will seek to show that the Peter of the Gospels, and even the Peter of the Book of Acts, would not write the things concerning Paul written in these closing verses of his second epistle. We will also see that Paul profoundly influenced not only Peter but the rest of the apostles as well, and that his ministry played a major role in the definition and declaration of the gospel from New Testament days until now.

The Peter of the Gospels

From the very beginning, tt was obvious that Peter would play a key role in the Gospels and a key role as a disciple of our Lord (see John 1:42). Peter was one of the three in the inner circle of our Lord (Peter, James, and John). They were privileged to participate in things from which the others were excluded (see Matthew 17:1; 26:37; Mark 5:37). If the three were set apart from the rest of the twelve, Peter was even set apart from James and John, due to his “great confession.” Peter would play a crucial role in the establishment of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18-19).⁷⁵ John’s reaction to the “unauthorized” ministry of one who was not one of the twelve may well reflect Peter’s sentiments (see Mark 9:38). Even Peter’s words in John 21:20-21, his last exposure in the Gospel of John, seem to reveal a competitive spirit with respect to his fellow-disciples. One can hardly envision this Peter of the Gospels welcoming Paul into the circle of the apostles with open arms.

Peter and Paul in the Book of Acts

The Book of Acts portrays a very interesting relationship between Peter and Paul. While Peter is prominent in the first part of Acts, Paul clearly dominates the latter portion of the book. Peter is to Paul in Acts what John the Baptist is to Jesus in the Gospels. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

In Acts 1, Jesus instructed His disciples to wait until the promise of the Spirit had come before they left Jerusalem (1:2). It was Peter who took the initiative to fill the vacancy among the apostles by selecting a new apostle from those in their midst—from the candidates they put forward (Acts 1:15f.). One cannot say with certainty the selection of Matthias was wrong, but one certainly can say that Paul had far more impact as an apostle than Matthias did.

In Acts 2, filled with the Spirit, Peter stepped forward to preach the sermon at Pentecost (2:14f.). In chapters 3-5, Peter and John are the dominant personalities among the apostles. In Acts 6, things begin to change as the leadership of the church begins to shift from the “native Hebrews” (those Jews born in Israel) to the “Hellenistic Jews” (those Jews born elsewhere whose native language and culture was “foreign”). A rift develops between these two factions of Judaism in Acts 6 due to the perception at least that the Hellenistic Jewish widows were getting second-class treatment compared to the native Hebrew widows (Acts 6:1).

When tensions reached the boiling point, the apostles were forced to intervene. The apostles understood their primary calling to be “prayer and the ministry of the word” (6:4). To devote most of their energies to the care and feeding of the widows was to fail to fulfil their stewardship as apostles. They thus charged the congregation of believers to select seven men of high character and ability who would oversee this matter, leaving the apostles free to devote themselves to the priority they had been given.

I believe the apostles did the right thing. They would have failed to fulfill their stewardship as apostles had they allowed the care of the widows to consume their time and energies. They were right to concentrate on prayer and the ministry of the word. But it is ironic that the apostles were not on the cutting edge of fulfilling the Great Commission. The apostles were not the ones who first took the gospel to the Gentiles, even though it seems that Jesus’ words could require nothing else:

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The seven were chosen and appointed to oversee the care of the widows so the apostles could pray and preach the word. And yet the apostles were not those on the cutting edge of evangelism, especially among the non-Jews (i.e. Samaritans and Gentiles). Indeed, two of the seven men selected to free up the apostles to minister the word were the ones who played a major role in carrying the gospel to the Gentiles. Stephen’s preaching was powerfully underscored by the signs and wonders God performed through him (6:8-10), and his death was the catalyst which brought about a great persecution against the saints in Jerusalem, prompting all except the apostles to flee the city (Acts 8:1).

After Stephen’s death and the scattering of the saints, evangelism began to take place among the Samaritans and the Gentiles. Even this was not due to the efforts or encouragement of the apostles. It was through the zeal of a few noble saints who could not keep the faith to themselves:

19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and [began] speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord (Acts 11:19-21).

Philip, one the seven “deacons” selected in Acts 6 (verse 5), began to emerge as an evangelist (see Acts 21:8) and was used of God to win large numbers of the Samaritans to faith in Christ (Acts 8:5-13). In response to the salvation of the Samaritans, the Jerusalem apostles sent Peter and John to Samaria, where they laid hands on the believers who received the Holy Spirit (8:14-17). Philip then was directed to witness to the Ethiopian eunuch, bringing about an ever wider spread of the gospel—this time to a man who was clearly a Gentile God-fearer.

Luke records in Acts 9 the salvation of a prominent Hellenistic Jew named Saul. Three times in the Book of Acts Saul’s conversion is reported: the first time in the third person (Acts 9), the second and third times in the first person (Acts 22, 26). In Acts 22, Paul (formerly Saul) gives his personal testimony to his fellow-Israelites and in chapter 26, he testifies of his conversion before the Agrippa. In so doing, Paul fulfills the purpose of God for him revealed at the time of his salvation:

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16).

From this point on in the Book of Acts, Peter’s presence declines, and Paul becomes prominent. It was not from Jerusalem that the purposeful evangelization of the Gentiles was commenced, but from Antioch. And the leadership and initiative was not from the Jerusalem apostles, but from men like Barnabas and Paul and other Hellenistic Jews (see Acts 13:1f.).

This is not to say God let the native Hebrew apostles off the hook that easily. Contrary to his preferences and prejudices, Peter will play a crucial part in God’s purpose to involve the apostles in Jerusalem in the evangelism of Gentiles. And so in Acts 10, God orchestrated the visions of Cornelius and Peter, compelling Peter to go to the house of this Gentile where he then preached the gospel. God gave Cornelius and those gathered there faith to believe and baptized them with His Spirit, just as He had done with the Jews in Jerusalem at Pentecost (see Acts 11:17). Peter could do nothing else than to baptize them with water (Acts 10:47-48).

When the Jewish church leaders in Jerusalem (which had to include some of the apostles, directly or indirectly) heard of Peter’s actions regarding Cornelius and the salvation of these Gentiles, they did not rejoice—they were incensed. How dare Peter preach to the Gentiles and share salvation with them! He was summarily called on the carpet to explain his actions.

Peter’s explanation of the events leading up to his visit to the home of Cornelius, along with his description of what took place as he preached, was too convincing and compelling for the Jerusalem Jewish church leaders to deny. They acknowledged with some measure of surprise that God was actually saving Gentiles as well as Jews. This should not have come to them as new revelation. As Paul will demonstrate in Romans 9-11, the Old Testament clearly foretold this, and so did our Lord. What else could our Lord have meant by these words:

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The surprise of the Jerusalem Jewish saints is more an indication of their racial and religious biases than of genuine ignorance. The Jews had forgotten they were “stewards” of the gospel of God’s grace—not its owners. This mentality carried over into the church so that even Christian Jews (if we dare use such an expression) felt a kind of smug superiority to Gentile believers.

Even the apostles were infected with this “superiority complex” and reticent to accept that God had indeed chosen to save Gentiles as well as Jews. But even when they reluctantly acknowledged the truth, only a handful of unknown Hellenistic Jews actually shared their faith with Gentiles (Acts 11:19-21). Only after Gentile saints came to faith (no thanks to the Jerusalem Jews and even the apostles, save Peter) did the apostles respond by sending Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:22-26). It was the Hellenistic Jews like Philip, Paul, and Barnabas who were on the cutting edge of Gentile evangelism. It was from the Gentile church of Antioch and not Jerusalem that world-wide evangelism was purposefully begun (Acts 13:1-3).

So far as Luke’s account is concerned, the “first missionary journey” was completely independent of the church in Jerusalem. The Spirit of God spoke to and through the leaders of the church at Antioch, and Barnabas and Paul were sent out (Acts 13:1-4). It was not as though Paul and Barnabas were neglecting the unsaved Jews, because they always sought to preach “to the Jew first,” and then to the Greeks (Romans 1:16). It was only as a result of the rejection of the gospel by the Jews that Paul and Barnabas focused their attention on Gentile evangelism (Acts 13:44-52).

The salvation of many Gentiles brought about a problem so serious that the Jewish leaders of the Jerusalem church, which included both the apostles and the elders, could not ignore it. Some unbelieving Jews opposed the preaching of the gospel; others sought to distort the gospel by insisting that Gentile converts be forced to submit to the Law of Moses as indicated by circumcision.

1 And some men came down from Judea and [began] teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, [the brethren] determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue (Acts 15:1-2).

At the end of their first missionary journey while Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch, some Jews came down from Judea insisting the only way a Gentile could be saved was to convert to Judaism, as well as to trust in Christ. They insisted the only way a Gentile could enter into the blessings of the kingdom of God was to become a Jew, that is, a Jewish proselyte.

We know the Jerusalem Council decided that “keeping the Law” was impossible for the Jews and that striving to do the works of the Law could only condemn and not save (Acts 15:10-11). Gentile saints were therefore not required to be circumcised nor to keep the Law. The only requirements of the Gentile believers were these:

28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell” (Acts 15:28-29).

It is most interesting to note who played the dominant role as this decision was reached. According to Luke’s account, Peter was the first to speak. His argument is allotted five verses (7-11) by Luke. James spoke last, and he is the one who proposes the verdict which the council should reach. The account of his participation takes nine verses (13-21). James, the half-brother of our Lord, was not one of the twelve apostles. James, the apostle, was put to death by Herod earlier as recorded by Luke in Acts 12. And yet James is the one who seems to carry the greatest weight among the Jerusalem brethren.

How much weight did Paul carry among these Jerusalem Jewish saints? Very, very little. The participation of Paul and Barnabas is recorded in but one verse (12) in this chapter. And you will notice here the order of the two apostles to the Gentiles is listed in the reverse: “Barnabas and Paul.” This is also the order of the two names in verse 25, part of the text of the letter the Council sent out to the Gentile churches.

Why “Barnabas and Paul” rather than “Paul and Barnabas?” The order of these two names reflects the ranking of these two men in the minds of the speakers (or writers). In Acts 13:1, when the leaders of the church in Antioch were listed, Barnabas was named first and Paul last. This should come as no surprise. The apostles in Jerusalem were about as attracted to Paul as a cat to a dog. As an unbeliever, Paul was an extremist and hardly less as a Christian. The apostles were hesitant to accept him as a new believer (Acts 9:26). They seem hesitant to accept him as a leader, let alone as a peer. His input to the Jerusalem Council was not that of a spiritual heavyweight. There, it was James who carried the day.

The Jerusalem Council did endorse Barnabas and Saul and disassociate themselves with those who had gone out to Antioch insisting that Gentile converts be circumcised. Nevertheless, the pressure applied by these lobbying legalizers never completely subsides. Their presence is somehow always lingering in Jerusalem in particular, but also even in the Gentile churches.

In Acts 21, Paul returns to Jerusalem bringing with him some representatives from the Gentile churches who carried contributions for the poor from grateful believers who had come to faith in Christ. The church leaders received Paul pleasantly; among them were James and all the elders (Acts 21:18). They rejoiced at the report Paul gave of his ministry among the Gentiles (verse 19), but they were very quick to turn the subject to the concerns of the more legalistic brethren, based upon false reports of his teaching and ministry (verses 20-21). They urged Paul to take their advice, and in so doing to put the minds of the more legalistic brethren at ease. As you know from the Scriptures, it did not produce the desired result. Instead, it led to a riot and ultimately took Paul, in chains, to stand before Caesar in Rome.

My concern here is James and the elders seem to have had too much interest in pacifying those who tended toward legalism. They are willing to take the initiative in dealing with Paul, but not so willing to take on the legalists, indeed, even the Jewish heretics such as we saw in Acts 15:1. The best that can be said of the Jerusalem church is they were on the lagging edge of Gentile evangelism, and they seemed to drag their feet in dealing decisively with the error of the legalists with whom they seemed to be too closely associated.

Peter and Paul in Galatians

If Acts’ description of the relationship between Paul and Peter and the other disciples/apostles, leaves us troubled concerning the apostles’ response to the Jewish heretics and the all too closely related legalistic Jewish Christians, Paul’s words in Galatians 1 and 2 do little to give us comfort concerning this situation. Indeed, Paul’s description of his relationship with the apostles and church leaders in Jerusalem may make us even more uneasy.

When Paul wrote to the Galatian churches, he spoke first of those who are like the false teachers of 2 Peter 2 and 3 in that their “gospel” is not the true gospel, and their destiny does not seem to be heaven:

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is [really] not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:6-9).

So much for those who preach or hold to a “different gospel,” but what of the apostles in Jerusalem? How does Paul speak of them? An unbiased reading of Galatians 1 and 2 would lead us to say Paul did not speak of them with reverential awe. They were not “heavyweights” to him as seen in his words concerning them:

6 But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter [had been] to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in [his] apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we [might go] to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 [They] only [asked] us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do (Galatians 2:6-10).

Paul had little contact with the apostles or with the Jerusalem church leaders, especially in the early years after his conversion (Galatians 1:17-19). He was saved and “discipled” independently of them. His contacts with them were few and far between and of short duration. When he and Barnabas did go up to Jerusalem after 14 years, they took Titus with them. Those whom Paul calls “false brethren” (Galatians 2:4) sought to compel Paul to have Titus circumcised. Paul refused, because it was clear they believed in a salvation by works and not by grace. Where were the apostles and church leaders while all this debate was taking place? They seem strangely silent. Paul seems to have to stand alone, along with Barnabas and Titus, in his confrontation with these legalistic Jewish heretics. I am puzzled that the Jerusalem Jewish saints do not seem to take a prominent role in this conflict.

Even the endorsement of Paul’s ministry seems tongue-in-cheek and less than whole-hearted. Paul is given the “right hand of fellowship” by Peter, “James” (the half-brother of our Lord and prominent leader in the Jerusalem church), and John, but this is as one who is the “apostle to the Gentiles” (2:8). Peter, on the other hand, is regarded as the “apostle to the Jews,” or more accurately, the “apostle to the circumcised” (2:7).

I am not sure I see so great a distinction between the ministries of Peter and Paul that I would want to characterize Peter as the “apostle to the circumcised” and Paul as the “apostle to the uncircumcised.” Paul always preached to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. Up to the end of the Book of Acts, Paul persists in seeking to reach lost Jews for Christ. Conversely, Peter does not just preach to Jews in Acts. His preaching in Acts 2-5 is surely more directed toward the Jews, because he was living among Jews and speaking to them. But in his preaching to the household of Cornelius, his ministry is to Gentiles. And in his writing to the saints in his two epistles, Peter is ministering to many Gentiles.

I fear the distinction of Peter as the “apostle to the circumcision” and Paul as the “apostle to the Gentiles” is equivalent to the Supreme Court decision which established what has become known as the policy of “separate but equal” (Plessy v. Ferguson, 1898). The high court ruled that so long as the quality of education was the same, whites could be educated in all-white schools, while blacks could be taught in all-black schools. This decision sanctioned segregated schools, so long as the schools were “equal.” It was finally struck down by a 1954 ruling of the high court (Brown v. the School Board of Topeka). Separate, but equal, was simply not good enough.

I believe this is precisely the policy the Jerusalem saints (including their leaders) wanted. They wanted Jewish churches and Gentile churches. They wanted apostles for the Jews and apostles for the Gentiles. In some ways the Jerusalem saints and their leaders seem to be more tolerant of the false brethren than they do of their Gentile brethren, or of men like Paul and Barnabas and others who preach to the Gentiles.

Look at what happens in the last half of Galatians 2.

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he [began] to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy (Galatians 2:11-13).

Peter came to Antioch, the Gentile church which had become the launching pad of Gentile evangelism. Paul was there as well, along with Barnabas and others. When Peter first arrived, he associated freely with the Gentile saints, eating his meals with them. And then “certain men from James” arrived. These were of the circumcision party. Whether they were legalistic Christians or “false brethren” (cf. Galatians 2:4) is not altogether clear. They do seem to have come from Jerusalem, from the church, and “from James.” Once again James and the Jerusalem church leaders seem to be closely and not uncomfortably (to them) associated with those who distort the gospel.

With the arrival of these men “from James,” Peter’s conduct suddenly changed. He distanced himself from the Gentile believers, and this “out of fear for the party of the circumcision” (2:12). Can you imagine this? Peter was afraid of what these Jewish visitors thought! He was so intimidated by them that he acted hypocritically. He would rather offend his Gentile brethren than offend these legalists who might not even be saints. And by his actions, Peter influenced others to do likewise. Even a man like Barnabas was drawn into this disaster.

Paul had just written that he was no man-pleaser (1:10f.). He would not be intimidated or awe struck by those who “were of high reputation” (2:6). Publicly, Paul rebuked Peter face to face. He accused Peter of hypocrisy. I doubt Peter was surprised by this charge. But Paul pressed this error to its ultimate and most despicable roots—it was a denial of the gospel.

The gospel declares all men to be sinners, under the wrath of God and doomed to eternal punishment. The Law saves no one by law-keeping but condemns Jew and Gentile alike. When men are saved, they are saved by faith in Christ, apart from good works. The Jews can claim no merit, they can take no credit, with respect to their salvation, and thus they are no better than Gentile saints. The gospel makes equals of every saint, for the only righteousness which will get a man to heaven is Christ’s righteousness, received by faith, apart from works.

The Jews thought that being Jews made them better than Gentiles. They looked upon Gentiles as sinners and upon themselves as saints (2:15). They therefore thought they had the right to establish standards for the Gentiles who would be saved. And the standard they set was to be circumcised as a symbol of their commitment to keep the Law.

When Peter withdrew his fellowship from the Gentile saints and associated himself only with the Jews, he identified himself with the error they embraced and the self-righteousness in which they gloried. And in so doing, Peter functionally denied the very gospel by which he and every other Jew was saved. To be saved, Gentiles do not have to embrace Judaism with its self-righteousness through law-keeping. To be saved, Jews cannot embrace self-righteousness through law-keeping, but must trust only in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter, the “rock,” the disciple who was one of the three disciples most intimately associated with the Master, the one who preached the gospel so clearly and forcefully to the Jews at Pentecost and who also preached to the Gentiles at the home of Cornelius, now denies that very gospel. And he is rebuked by Paul for doing so.

Peter and Paul in 2 Peter 3

Paul’s relationship with Peter was not the same as his relationships with men like Barnabas or Timothy. Even though these two men travelled in different circles, Peter and Paul did encounter one another from time to time. But there were other links between these two men as well. For example, Silvanus was Peter’s amanuensis (1 Peter 5:12), but he was also Paul’s travelling companion (2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; see also Acts 15:22, 40).

From Peter’s words in our text, we may infer that Paul’s writings were already being collected. Peter indicates that he is familiar with Paul’s writings, and his mention of Paul and his epistles is far from casual. Indeed, they have a very clear purpose. We could sum up Peter’s words concerning Paul and his letters with the following statements:

(1) As Peter has been speaking of those who are false teachers, his words here are intended to inform us Paul is not to be considered one of them.

(2) Peter’s words indicate he wants us to regard Paul as more than a mere teacher: Paul is an apostle like he and the other disciples (or apostles) chosen by our Lord.

(3) Since Paul is an apostle, his epistles are the inspired Word of God. They are Scripture, on a par with the Old Testament Scriptures and the New Testament Scriptures as well. If Paul’s epistles are distorted by false teachers, it is not his fault. His words are twisted by false teachers just as the rest of the Scriptures are (verse 16).

(4) All of Paul’s collected epistles are the inspired Word of God. Peter speaks not of one of Paul’s letters, but of “all his letters” (verse 16).

(5) The teachings of Paul do not disagree with those of Peter or the other apostles. Paul writes just as also Peter has written. These men are both in agreement in what they have written on many matters. There is a harmony and a consistency between Paul’s epistles and the rest of Scripture, as there most certainly must be (see also 3:2).

(6) Paul’s writings are inspired and authoritative in matters where he goes beyond that revealed by the other apostles, through whom God also revealed Scripture. While each author of a book in the Bible must be consistent with previous revelation, each one also makes a unique contribution to the Bible as a whole. Because we believe in progressive revelation, we expect later inspired writings to go beyond that revealed by earlier writers. There is a world of difference between going against previous Scripture and going beyond it. Paul’s writings are completely consistent with the Old Testament Scriptures and with the New Testament Scriptures, but Paul was also privileged to reveal things which were not clear until this point in time.

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 [to be specific], that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power (Ephesians 3:1-7).

(7) Paul’s writings are inspired, inerrant, and authoritative, though hard to swallow, even for the other apostles. This principle is derived not only from the history of Peter and Paul outlined previously, but from these words of Peter in our text:

15 Just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction (emphasis mine).

For a long time, I have understood Peter’s phrase, “some things hard to understand,”⁷⁶ to refer to some perplexing texts which are hard to interpret like this one:

29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them (1 Corinthians 15:29, emphasis mine)?

I no longer believe this is what Peter actually meant. Peter also had obscure texts in his writings which cause students of Scripture to scratch their heads (such as 1 Peter 3:18-22). It is true that cultists attempt to build doctrines on their interpretation of such texts. But I am more inclined to think Peter means that false teachers distort the texts they do not like, ones they do not want to understand at face value so they can avoid changing their thinking and their lifestyle.

We often find it impossible to understand those things we do not like or do not want to acknowledge as true. For example, when a husband (like myself) finds it impossible to “understand my wife’s point of view,” it is not really because she has failed to communicate clearly, but because I am not receptive to the message. My wife is completely clear, and I am totally stubborn. Much of the communication gap between opposing viewpoints, between mates, between generations, is simply a refusal to hear the other side for fear we might have to admit it is true or we might have to change.

Some say, “I cannot understand how a God of love would condemn anyone to hell.” What they really mean is: “I don’t want to believe in a literal hell. Its existence would take much of the pleasure out of my sin, because I would know that someday I will have to pay the price. Therefore I refuse to believe in hell, and any passage in Scripture which says there is a hell is too vague, too obscure, or inconsistent with too many other texts.”

What might one find “hard to understand,” or rather, “hard to accept” in Paul’s writings? The answer is simple: the mystery of the union of Jew and Greek, in Christ, without distinction. Here is the truth which God revealed through Paul to the church (including the at least initially reluctant and later forgetful apostles):

11 Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” [which is] performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 [remember] that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both [groups into] one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, [which is] the Law of commandments [contained] in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, [thus] establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner [stone], 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:11-22).

Is this not the truth the “false brethren” (Galatians 2:3-5)—legalists whose salvation is not absolutely clear (Acts 15:1-2)—and even some of the Jerusalem church’s Jewish giants (Acts 10-11; Galatians 2:11-13)—were reticent to receive?

Conclusion

Peter’s words are most significant. The apostles (certainly including Peter) were reluctant to believe that Paul was saved (Acts 9). And certainly they were reluctant to believe that Gentiles should be evangelized (Acts 10-11). They were less than zealous to initiate the preaching of the gospel to Gentiles—even after they acknowledged God’s purpose was to save the Gentiles, and even after the Lord’s commission to do so (see Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).

By his words in 2 Peter 3, Peter indicates that Paul is not one of the “false teachers” described in his second epistle, and that Paul is an apostle, an apostle whom God independently saved and “discipled,” apart from the other apostles the Lord had chosen as His disciples. He is declaring to his readers that Paul’s epistles are the inspired Word of God.

But in addition, Peter is admitting he was wrong, and Paul was right. Paul was right in his teaching in Ephesians 2 and 3. Paul was right in his definition of the gospel and of the relationship between Israel and the church (see all of Romans, especially chapters 9-11). Paul was right to rebuke Peter for his hypocrisy in Galatians 2. Peter learned much from Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and so can his readers.

It is one thing to admit we are wrong and another person is right, which Peter does in effect by his words in our text. But Peter goes even further to say that he and Paul were not enemies. Indeed, Peter looks upon Paul as a brother—and ever further still—Paul is a beloved brother. Paul is regarded as such by Peter, and he should be so regarded by all the saints. Paul is (or should be) our beloved brother.

Paul was God’s chosen instrument to define, proclaim, and protect the gospel. Paul was God’s divine provision to offset the prejudices and even the sins of the other apostles. It was Paul who was ordained to write the clearest definition of the gospel in the Word of God, as found in the Book of Romans. Paul was raised up to offset the legalism not only of the heretics but also of the Jerusalem Jewish church leaders, including the apostles.

Paul was the perfect counterpart to Peter and the other apostles. Peter and the other disciples were Galileans who naturally tended toward provincialism. Paul was a well-travelled man of the world, a man who knew more than one language or culture. Peter and the others were “untrained and ignorant men” (Acts 4:13), while Paul was a man of great learning. So great was his learning that Festus said, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad” (Acts 26:24). Peter and the other Galilean disciples were not a part of the Jewish religious hierarchy; Paul was one of the most devout, the most dedicated, the most prominent and the most promising leaders of the Pharisees. They were outside the religious system; Paul was from within. Who could better critique Judaism than this “Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5)? What a perfect balance Paul was to the other apostles.

Even though we have come this far, we are only just beginning to grasp the point Peter strives to make with its implications. Remember, this is Peter’s closing punch line—words which have much to say to us. Consider the following ways Peter’s reference here to Paul applies to the church and to individual saints. Here, as J. Vernon McGee used to say, the “rubber meets the road.”

(1) The principle of human fallibility. Neither Peter, nor his fellow-disciples, nor Paul, were infallible. All of the Jerusalem disciples seem to be racially biased with respect to the Gentiles and far too tolerant of the errors and even heresies Jewish legalists sought to impose of the church.

Peter’s words in our text should certainly serve as a benchmark for assessing the truth of the doctrines claimed by the Roman Catholic Church regarding the pope. While I am no expert in the study of Catholicism, my understanding is that no Catholic leader would dare say the pope is sinless and his every word inerrant and authoritative. They would, however, say some statements have full divine authority. I do not believe this is true, and our text seems to support my conclusion. The next principle will suggest how God deals with the fallibility of men, including prominent church leaders.

(2) The principle of plurality. Why did our Lord choose twelve men to be his apostles? Why not just one apostle like Peter who could be the spokesman for God and a kind of pope? The answer, in part, is that one man cannot have full authority because he is a sinner like all other men. In the Book of Acts, when the church had to make critical decisions and declarations, it was never done by only one person, no matter who he was. All crucial decisions in Acts were made collectively, by a group.

In chapter 1, the filling of the vacancy of the twelfth apostle (rightly or wrongly) was one made by the whole group of one hundred and twenty (see Acts 1:15). In chapter 2, we are told that the church devoted themselves to “the apostles’ [plural] teaching” (verse 42), not the apostle’s [i.e. Peter’s] teaching. In chapter 5, Peter alone rebuked Ananias and Saphira for their deception, and they died, but there was no pronouncement of doctrine here, no precedent-setting action (so that this kind of sentence continued to be pronounced by an individual). It was, so to speak, an isolated event, rich with implications, but with no new doctrinal revelations. In Acts 6, the problem of the alleged preferential treatment of certain widows was handled by the apostles collectively, and in such as way as to involve the whole church (6:2, 5).

When Peter was divinely directed to the house of Cornelius where he preached the gospel, it would seem the whole church (or at least a good representation from the church) was present when Peter made his defense, accompanied by the six men who went with him and witnessed the salvation of these Gentiles (Acts 11:12, 18). When the church at Antioch was born, the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to minister to these new believers (11:22). When the Holy Spirit designated Barnabas and Paul as missionaries to the Gentile nations, His will was made known to the church leaders who collectively laid hands on them and sent them out (13:1-4).

The salvation of a large number of Gentiles and the birth of predominantly Gentile churches brought a defensive reaction from the Jewish brethren, who were Pharisees and had not yet renounced this as Paul had done (see Philippians 3:1ff.)—they insisted that Gentile converts be circumcised (Acts 15:1, 5).⁷⁷ The process by which the decision of the so-called “Jerusalem Council” was reached included the entire congregation (15:22). The advice given to Paul in Acts 21 was that of James and all the elders (21:18).

The principle of plurality is necessary because individuals are fallible. Plurality is also necessary because of what we might call God’s spiritual “separation of power.” Our government recognizes that the concentration of power in any one institution or in any one individual is dangerous, given the sinfulness of men. God has practiced this separation of powers in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, there were prophets, priests, and kings. In the New Testament, spiritual gifts are spiritual abilities (powers) to accomplish vital spiritual tasks in the body of Christ. No one possesses all the gifts. No one is given all the power.

The church is not a mere collection of individuals. It is the body of Christ. There is “wholeness” only as all of the individual members of the body of Christ are a functional part of the church:

14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both [groups into] one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, [which is] the Law of commandments [contained] in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, [thus] establishing peace (Ephesians 2:14-15, emphasis mine).

Even those who possess the same gifts and similar callings are not given “full power,” but power to perform a portion of the task our Lord gave to His entire church. No one member of the church should dare think of himself independently of the rest of the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-21). Even those with the same spiritual gift each have a unique calling and role to play (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

The principle of plurality applies not only within a local church but also outside the local church. No one local church is likely to have all the spiritual gifts necessary for the on-going of its ministry or for the spread of the gospel. God may well intend to edify our church through the ministry of someone from outside our flock. We need to be on guard against isolationism and unnecessary fear of those outside our local congregation.

The principle of plurality can be seen at work in the ministry of the twelve apostles. Jesus did not choose just one apostle, but twelve. He did not send them out to do solo ministries, but sent them out in pairs. Even in Acts this principle of plurality is evident in the partnered ministry of Peter and John, and later in the ministries of Paul and Barnabas and their missionary teams. It is not surprising that the churches that were founded were led by a plurality of elders.

Jesus instructed His disciples that they would continue the work He had begun. He indicated to them that they would remember and record His words. Just how many of the twelve actually authored a New Testament book? Matthew and John authored the Gospels bearing their names. Two of the disciples -- Peter and John -- authored a total of 6 books beyond the Gospels (1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, and Revelation). Mark, Luke, James, Jude, and Paul (and the unnamed author of Hebrews) wrote the remaining New Testament books. The non-writing disciples not doubt supplied information for those who did write, and they also bore witness to the truth of what their colleagues wrote (see 1 Corinthians 15:5-7). Each book has its own unique approach and emphasis, just as each Gospel does. And together, we have one gospel message, articulated by a multi-faceted New Testament. The same thing could be said for the Old Testament.

Even those men whom God chose to author Scripture are inter-dependent on the other authors of Scripture. Any Scripture must be consistent with the prophets and with the teachings of our Lord and His apostles (2 Peter 3:2). Those who were chosen to write Scripture reveal not only what is consistent with earlier texts of Scripture, and the writings of their inspired contemporaries (e.g. Daniel and Jeremiah, Daniel 9:2; Peter and Paul, 2 Peter 3:15-16), but they were also privileged to reveal that which goes beyond the writings of the others and yet remains fully consistent with Scripture. Paul was given the privilege of revealing the mystery of Christ and His church (Ephesians 2 and 3; 5:32). Paul’s writings are inspired, inerrant, and authoritative, but they must be considered in the context of the whole Bible. Biblical revelation is both progressive (sequentially revealed over a long period of time) and plural (multiple authors).

The principle of plurality applies not only to the origination of Scripture (authorship) but also to its recognition and interpretation. The author of Scripture claims or implies his epistle is divinely inspired and authoritative (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 14:37-38). But recognition of the inspiration and authority of any book of the Bible requires more than just the author’s claim. (Many cultists claim their works are the inspired “word from God.”) The inspiration and authority of Scripture is a process that involves plurality. Surely the fact that Peter endorsed Paul’s epistles as Scripture lends weight to their recognition as such by the church.

Not only is the recognition of a certain work of Scripture a matter for a plurality, but its interpretation also calls for plurality. Having already stated that no Scripture is a matter of private interpretation, he indicates it should carry the weight of the collective study and contemplation of the church (1 Peter 1:20-21). The church collectively embracing an interpretation gives much more weight to that interpretation.

(3) Closely related to the principle of plurality is the principle of accountability. We see the principle of plurality applied to leadership in the Scriptures, having already shown that God used a plurality of leaders in both the Old Testament and the New. In the New Testament, when but one leader is dominant, and exclusively followed, this is rebuked (1 Corinthians 1). Following but one leader leads to trouble. Often a leader who has been given singular power will fall into error and sin, for he is also often considered above and beyond rebuke. But even Peter was not above rebuke, and his words concerning Paul reflect the impact of Paul’s words of admonition and correction.

Occasionally, a Christian leader loses sight of the principles of plurality and accountability and may say, “I get my orders from God.” This very pious sounding statement flies in the very face of Scripture. Ultimately, we are accountable to God, and there are times when we must obey God rather than men. But God has so structured His church that He also speaks to a saint through other saints. Those who claim to get direct orders only from God may find the source of their “guidance” other than divine.

(4) Putting the principle of submission in perspective. Just as the principle of plurality means no one individual’s authority is absolute, no one’s submission is absolute either. How often I have seen a Christian wife fail to rebuke her husband for sin, as the Scriptures instruct her, because her husband is in authority over her. When the Scriptures instruct us to correct a brother or sister overtaken by a fault (see Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 15:14; Galatians 6:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:14), this does not mean only our peers. It means anyone. Our final authority is the Word of God. We dare not ignore sin in the name of submission. Paul sought to submit himself to the church leaders in Jerusalem, but he did not hesitate to rebuke Peter when his actions were a denial of the gospel.

Here Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:1-3 come into focus, and here Paul’s obedience to the council given him in Acts 21 makes sense. We are all to obey our leaders, to be in submission to those in authority, so long as there is no contradiction to a clear biblical imperative or truth. But we are not told to accept everything a leader says or does simply because they are a leader. They should be biblically and doctrinally right. When they are, we should obey them if at all possible. But when they are biblically wrong, we should speak out against the error as we refuse to go along.

Some differences among Christians, especially in regard to their understanding of the Scriptures, are not matters of great eternal importance. Where the gospel or other fundamental doctrines are not compromised and Christian morality is not adversely affected, differences over minor areas of truth should not be allowed to divide or undermine Christian unity (see Romans 14; Philippians 3:15; Titus 3:9). May God give us a repentant heart when we are corrected and a gracious spirit toward those He uses to point out our sin, just as He gave Peter toward Paul.

75 We understand the “rock” on which the church is built to be the “Rock” of Peter’s confession, the fact that the Lord Jesus is God’s promised Messiah. But this was surely not clear to Peter or to the disciples at the time Jesus revealed it to them in Matthew 16. Thus, Peter no doubt understood the Lord’s words in a way which gave him hope of a prominent role in the kingdom of God. Did this in any way prompt James and John to seek the place of prominence at our Lord’s right and left hand (see Matthew 20:20-28)?

76 The NEB renders this expression, “though they contain some obscure passages.”

77 I am tempted to think these legalistic brethren were a bit hypocritical as they seem to have strongly insisted that the Gentile converts be circumcised in order to be saved when they were in Antioch. But when they stood before the church in Jerusalem, they toned down their demands, insisting only that it was necessary to be circumcised and to observe the Law of Moses. But it was not said that this was necessary for salvation, as had been previously demanded.

11. Scripture Twisters (2 Peter 3:14-18)

13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Introduction

Peter believes the Scriptures play a vital role in the life of the Christian (see 1 Peter 1:22–2:3; 2:8; 3:1; 2 Peter 1:3-4, 12-21; 2:21; 3:1-7, 14-18). And he does not cease challenging us to turn our attention to the Scriptures. Even while Peter points us to the Word, he warns that some will seek to turn us from the truths of the Scriptures by perverting the teaching of Scripture. He does not look for false prophets to arise, apparently because prophets are no longer necessary. After all, God has spoken fully and finally in Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3; 2:1-4). But he does warn us false teachers will arise. They may not claim to reveal new truth from God on the level of Scripture, but they will seek to distort the Scriptures, twisting them to teach something vastly different from the intended meaning of the Bible.

In these closing verses of his second epistle, Peter draws our attention one final time to the Scriptures and the crucial role they play in our lives. He wants us to know that Paul’s letters are part of the inspired Word of God and that Paul is not one of the false teachers, although some distort his words to mean something far from what he intended. If Paul is blamed for teaching error, Peter wants his readers to know Paul is not the one at fault. Paul’s teaching is in agreement with the revelation God gave through the Old Testament prophets, with the teaching of our Lord, and with the writings of the other apostles.

We sometimes hear someone say, “Your interpretation of Scripture is but one of many interpretations.” If we want to convince someone our interpretation of the Scriptures is correct, they might respond that the Bible is capable of meaning whatever one wants it to mean. This, of course, could be said of any writing.

We must not wrongly conclude that men’s failure to interpret Scripture accurately proves God did not clearly reveal Himself and His message to men in the Bible. Neither is it true that the meaning of Scripture is so obscure it is virtually impossible to discern.⁷⁸ There is one correct interpretation of Scripture, and the rest is often the result of Scripture twisting, whether intentional or not.

Our purpose in this concluding lesson of Second Peter is to note the characteristics of Scripture twisters so we may be alert to their presence among us. Further, we will identify the most common ways men twist the meaning of Scripture to help us avoid those errors in our study and interpretation of the Bible. In this way, we will be able to sharpen our interpretive skills and “accurately handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

What We Should
Know About Scripture Twisters

From Peter’s warnings in his epistles and what we are told elsewhere in Scripture, we can summarize what we should know about Scripture twisters:

(1) We should expect Scripture twisters to arise within the church. We can expect to arise from within the church those who will twist the meaning of Scriptures as they interpret, apply, and teach the Bible. Peter warns us concerning false teachers in chapter 2, verse 1. Paul warns of the same danger in Acts 20:30. False teachers will arise from among the saints, twisting the truths of God’s Word and thus leading some astray.

(2) We should also know the most likely areas for error to be introduced. Peter informs us that Scripture twisters deny a coming day of judgment (3:1-4), even though their judgment is sure (2:1, 3, 9, 12, 17). It would seem from 2 Peter 2:1 that Scripture twisters twist the Scriptures concerning the person and the work of Jesus Christ in that they “deny the Master who bought them.” In addition, Scripture twisters undermine the Biblical teaching on holy living (2 Peter 2:2; contrast 3:11, 14).

(3) Those who twist Scripture will twist any or all of the Bible, but they will often base their teachings on an obscure or problematic text. Peter acknowledges that some of Paul’s writings are “difficult to understand” (verse 16). These seem to be the starting point for the truth twisters. They begin with a problematic passage, developing their unorthodox doctrines, and then turn to the clear, emphatic texts, denying what they dogmatically teach.

False teachers do not stop with Paul’s writings but distort the Scriptures as a whole. Problem passages written by Paul are only the tip of the iceberg. These perverters of Scripture do not stop here; they are not content unless they have twisted “the rest of the Scriptures” as well. Since the Scriptures agree, then one who sets aside the teaching of one author must, to be consistent, set aside other texts as well.

(4) Those who twist Scripture are described by Peter as “untaught and unstable.” The term “untaught” is rendered “ignorant” by the translators of the King James Version. The two terms “untaught” and “unstable” are introduced by a common article. This seems to indicate these two terms are to be viewed as interrelated. Like “love and marriage,” these terms go together “like a horse and carriage.” In other words, those who are “untaught” are “unstable,” and those who are “unstable” are also “untaught.”

In the Book of Ephesians, Paul emphasizes the other side of Peter’s words. Paul indicates the one who is stable is the one well-taught in the Scriptures. Both James and Peter make closely related statements:

11 And He gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets, and some [as] evangelists, and some [as] pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him, who is the head, [even] Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, (Ephesians 4:11-17).

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 [being] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8).

8 For if these [qualities] are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these [qualities] is blind [or] short-sighted, having forgotten [his] purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. (2 Peter 1:8-11).

(5) Scripture twisters have ulterior motives which are far from pure. The teachings of the Scripture twisters is self-serving and often rooted in greed and the desire for monetary gain (Titus 1:11; Jude 11, 16; contrast Acts 20:33; 1 Thessalonians 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 3:3; 6:3-5). For some, their twisted teaching is rooted in the ambition to have a personal following (Acts 20:30). Then there are those who twist Scripture to indulge their fleshly lusts (Titus 1:10-16; 2 Peter 2:10-22; Jude 18). Their approach to Scripture is not at all like that of David:

17 Deal bountifully with Thy servant, That I may live and keep Thy word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Thy law (Psalms 119:17-18).

Instead, they are “following after their own lusts” (2:3). They exploit their victims out of greed (2:3) and not out of a genuine love and concern (see 2 Peter 1:12-15; 1 Thessalonians 2:3-12).

(6) The appeal of Scripture twisters is in providing a pretext for self-indulgence and sin for their followers, as well as themselves. They entice those who are immature and vulnerable (2 Peter 2:14, 18; see 2 Timothy 3:6-7). While teachers of biblical truth call for the saints to “abstain from fleshly lusts” (Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:16, 24; 1 Peter 2:11), Scripture twisters assure men Christians can indulge the flesh (Jude 4) with no consequences.

(7) Those who twist Scripture may include both teachers (Romans 1:18-32; 2 Timothy 3:8, 13) and their pupils (verse 16; 2 Timothy 3:6-7; 2 Peter 2:14). While the context of chapters 2 and 3 is false teachers, Peter’s words in verse 16 should not be restricted only to false teachers but to any who are “untaught” and “unstable,” who wish to justify their ungodly conduct.

(8) Those who twist Scripture do so to their own destruction (verse 16; see also John 5:39; Acts 5:20; Romans 2:7-8; Philippians 2:16; contrast 1 Timothy 4:16). It is little wonder that Scripture twisters deny the second coming of our Lord and the judgment to come. After all, His coming is a day of judgment for them. But Peter’s teaching is clear. Those who distort the truth of God’s Word do so to their own destruction (3:16; see also 2:1, 3, 9-13, 20-22; 3:7).

Sharpening our
Sensitivity to Scripture Twisters

Peter’s words are written so Christians will be on their guard, alert to those who twist the Scriptures. He expects the saints not only can, but should, be able to discern those who pervert God’s Word. Peter is not speaking only to church leaders or Bible teachers here; he is speaking to all the saints. Every Christian should be able to recognize those about whom Peter warns us. Peter indicates how Christians can be prepared to spot false teachers and turn from them:

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (2 Peter 3:17-18).

The first thing necessary is for us to realize we have been forewarned that Scripture twisters are going to arise. They will arise not only from without but from within. Peter warns of the false teachers “among you” (2:1, see also 2:3, 13). Paul warns the Ephesian elders that some of them will depart from the truth, twisting the Scriptures:

28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build [you] up and to give [you] the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:28-32).

We must therefore be like the Bereans, always putting the teaching of others (even those whom we respect) to the test. Does the teaching we receive square with the truths of God’s Word (see Acts 17:11)? Bible teaching must never be a substitute for our own personal study of the Word of God; it is an enhancement to our own study. Good teaching should only encourage and facilitate the personal study of God’s Word, never discourage it.

Second, the best preventative for false teaching by others is to actively pursue godliness and personal spiritual growth:

17b Be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:17b-18).

These words sound very much like the words Peter began his teaching with in chapter 1:

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in [your] moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in [your] knowledge, self-control, and in [your] self-control, perseverance, and in [your] perseverance, godliness; 7 and in [your] godliness, brotherly kindness, and in [your] brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these [qualities] are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these [qualities] is blind [or] short-sighted, having forgotten [his] purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble (2 Peter 1:5-10).

Those who do not know God personally through faith in Jesus Christ are not able to comprehend the truths of God’s Word:

43 “Why do you not understand what I am saying? [It is] because you cannot hear My word. 44 “You are of [your] father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [nature;] for he is a liar, and the father of lies. 45 “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me” (John 8:43-45; see also 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:14).

Those who know God, and who desire to do His will, will be enabled to understand divine truth:

16 Jesus therefore answered them, and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or [whether] I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (John 7:16-18).

Those whose walk with the Lord is stagnant are most vulnerable to false teaching. The teaching of God’s Word should cause the slothful saint to be uneasy. The twisting of Scripture is what the wayward saint will feel comfortable hearing. Spiritual health is the best preventative for the disease of Scripture twisting.

12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (Hebrews 4:12-14).

Very closely related to what we are learning here is the personal pursuit of holiness, for pursuing holiness greatly contributes to our ability to discern and avoid Scripture twisters. It is precisely when we are “following our own lusts” that we will seek to distort the truth of the Word of God (2:3) to fit out desires. Those who are dominated by their lusts are the false teachers (2:10-22). Those who pursue holiness will discern those who lead unholy lives who encourage others to follow them. And so it is that Peter urges his readers to pursue godliness in the same text he warns us of Scripture twisters:

14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless (2 Peter 3:14).

Levels of Error

Not all errors are alike. Some errors are more dangerous and even more culpable than others. Some errors stem from ignorance. We simply do not know the Scriptures well enough. It may be that we speculate where we should simply acknowledge our ignorance (see Deuteronomy 29:29) and study the Word to determine the truth. Some errors are errors of personal opinion or belief. For example, Christians may differ over the interpretation of a particular passage, especially a problematic passage. Everyone cannot be right. Perhaps no one is right. So long as we identify our interpretation as our opinion, I do not think we are in trouble. But when we teach our opinion as absolute truth, we are venturing into dangerous waters.

We need to distinguish between our convictions, which we should not impose on others, and the teaching of God’s principles and commands which all are to accept and practice. Paul is very careful to indicate to his readers those matters which are his personal conviction and those which are not. We see this in 1 Corinthians 7. His conviction and practice is that he can better serve the Lord unmarried than married (1 Corinthians 7:8-9, 25-28). He does not, however, like some false teachers, condemn marriage altogether (see 1 Timothy 4:3). He simply points out that marriage can be a distraction and challenges us to consider the single life as an option. We should learn to recognize the difference between our own personal convictions (which we are told to keep to ourselves [Romans 14:22] and those truths which all Christians must embrace to be orthodox. The virgin birth of our Lord, for example, should not be considered a personal conviction but a doctrinal fundamental of the faith. Those doctrinal truths which are an essential part of the gospel are crucial to the gospel. When these truths are twisted, incalculable damage can be done, not only to ourselves but to others.

I believe we should distinguish between those errors we sincerely hold as personal opinion or conviction and those we teach and advocate to others as God’s truth. Once we take on the role of teacher, we assume responsibility not only for ourselves, but for others, which is an awesome thing. No wonder James admonishes us that not many should become teachers (James 4:1). Those things we teach others as the command of Christ become matters of great importance, and if we err on this level, we err seriously, to our own shipwreck and that of any who follow us in our error. We should also beware of teaching in such a way us to set aside or undermine what God has given to His people as a clear command. We are told by our Lord to teach believers all that He has commanded us (Matthew 28:18-20), so let us see that the commands of Christ are the curriculum of discipleship. To fail to teach these, or to teach them in error, is very serious business.

Ways We Twist Scripture

It is very clear in Peter’s epistles (and also Paul’s) that the Scriptures are of primary importance to the Christian. Nothing is more dangerous than twisting the truth of God’s Word. I would like to suggest some ways Peter’s words relate to us and how the Scriptures are being perverted in our time, even within evangelicalism.

(1) We err greatly in our interpretation and application of God’s Word when we subordinate the revelation of God’s truth to our own reason. When God’s command is clear, it does not matter nearly so much that we understand why the command is given as that we obey it. Too many Christians refuse to believe or obey Scripture until it makes sense to them. Some think Christians should understand the “full depth of injury” that others have brought upon them before they forgive them. I understand the Bible teaches us to forgive to whatever degree we perceive someone has offended us at that moment and grant further forgiveness if and when it is required.

Adam and Eve did not understand why God forbade them to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They did not need to know this. In fact, eating of the tree is what would give them this knowledge. All they needed to know was that God had given this command and then to obey it. More faith is required to obey God when we don’t understand why than to obey when the reasons are glaring us in the face. All too often I hear Christians refusing to believe or obey God’s Word at a point where they fail to grasp the reasons for it. I would remind you that many of the distinctions between “clean” and “unclean” in the Old Testament seem to have no reason, except that God declared them to be such. The question is whether we will accept God’s distinction between good and evil, clean and unclean, truth and error. In the armed forces, boot camp is intended to teach recruits to obey their leaders, without question, and without the need to first know why. It is not we who have been called to pass judgment on the Word of God, but the Word of God which is to judge and to guide us.

(2) We are on very dangerous ground when we seek to “integrate” God’s truth, as revealed in Scripture, with “man’s truth,” as currently understood and taught from outside the Scriptures. “All truth is God’s truth,” we are told. That statement has a dangerous tendency, as currently applied. It tends to put all “truth” on the same level. It suggests that what is currently believed to be “true” through science, for example, is just as surely true as the truths of the Bible. It suggests that such scientific truth is just as certainly true as biblical truth. It suggests that secular “truth,” as currently understood, is just as important and as necessary to apply as God’s truth.

I do not believe this to be true. Only God’s truth—the truth God has revealed in His Word—is true truth, that which we can be assured is truth. Scientific truths continue to change. Biblical truth never changes. How sad to see Christians rushing back to the Scriptures to reinterpret them because modern science has apparently exposed some new truth which challenges God’s truth as taught in his Word. How sad to hear Christians who are alleged experts in some secular field proclaim these “truths” on the same level as the truth of God’s Word. Now the Bible is often not the primary text, the primary source of truth, but a secondary source. The Bible is used to illustrate or proof text what the secular sciences have identified as truth.

The Bible is the only revelation of truth which is inspired, inerrant, and infallible. The Bible reveals every truth essential for life and godliness. It is not God’s truth (as revealed in Scripture), plus other “truth,” which we need to live godly lives; it is God’s truth alone. Any truth not found in God’s truth is subordinate to God’s truth, and it is secondary to God’s truth, if indeed it is true at all. No wonder Christians are reading so many books beside (and often in place of) the Bible. They think they will find truth which is more necessary and important there. They are wrong. If any book is of great value to the Christian, it will be one which turns our attention and allegiance back to the Book.

(3) We twist the Scriptures when we “strain gnats and swallow camels.” This error was practiced by the scribes and Pharisees. They made much of the little details of the Scriptures, but they missed the main point. They put much emphasis on the specific commands of the Law but failed to grasp the major principles like justice and mercy, matters about which the prophets spoke. And so it was that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus interpreted the Law in such a way as to get to the heart of the Law. The Law not only prohibits murder, it requires us to deal with hatred by granting or seeking forgiveness. The Law not only prohibits immorality, it teaches us to deal with impure thoughts as sin. This is the reason David loved the Law of God and meditated upon it (see Psalm 119). The Law teaches us the principles of life and reveals to us the character and the heart of God. When we spiritualize the Scriptures, causing them to teach what they do not, we are beginning to twist the Scriptures.

(4) We twist the Scriptures when we take them farther than they were intended to be interpreted or applied. The Judaizers of Paul’s day took the command to be circumcised and imposed it upon the Gentiles, insisting they must do so to be saved (cf. Acts 15:1-2). When we teach our own ideas and doctrines (which are not in Scripture) as though they were Scriptural truth, we go too far, twisting Scripture. Paul warned us about this very thing, for it was the cause of division and destruction in Corinth:

6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to exceed what is written, in order that no one of you might become arrogant in behalf of one against the other (1 Corinthians 4:6).

Sometimes we twist the Scriptures by over-spiritualizing the text, interpreting its message to be something far beyond what the text itself teaches or requires. Whether in the interpretation or in the application of God’s Word, we must not go beyond what is written.

(5) We twist the Scriptures when we accommodate our own culture in the interpretation and application of God’s Word. In its most blatant form, we find the Scriptures to be in error or invalid when our cultural values differ from what they teach. And so it is that some have set aside Paul’s teaching on the role women are to play in the church. Now, we ordain women as pastors and as overseers. We look down upon Paul for being a chauvinist. And in matters which are sensitive, we either play down or remain silent if the Scriptures collide with culture. And so the sin of homosexuality is no longer called sin and condemned as such. To do so would require that we exercise discipline on those who practice what God condemns. In order to have large, “successful,” happy churches, we do not hold to the same standards of marriage and divorce our Lord did. To do so would be to alienate and offend some and reduce church roles and budgets.

(6) We twist the Scriptures when we isolate the teaching of one part of the Bible from the teaching of the rest of the Bible. We will distort the message of the Bible when we fail to harmonize a particular Scripture with other Scripture. The cults selectively use the Scriptures. Paul tells the Ephesian elders that he taught the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:20, 27), and not just selected portions or truths. For example, some will distort the biblical teaching on prayer by making this promise their theme:

19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).

The fact that this promise is contained in a context dealing with church discipline is ignored. And the fact that other criteria and requirements also apply to prayer is also nicely avoided, texts such as this one:

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend [it] on your pleasures (James 4:3).

A husband and wife may agree they would like to own a mansion in Hawaii, but just because they agree in prayer does not obligate God to give them one. If we would pray as we ought, then we will pray in accordance with all the Bible teaches on prayer, not just on the basis of one isolated text, true though it is.

Quite frankly, this is the way most Christians read and study their Bibles, in tiny segments, often in random sequence. Most daily devotional books are written in this manner. But this fails to incline us to read a whole book at a time and attempt to ingest large doses of Scripture. Let us seek to read God’s Word more often, in greater portions, and in sequence.

(7) We twist the Scriptures when we fail to hold seemingly contradictory truths in tension. We like to have our truth in neat little packages, all nicely labeled and easy to keep separated. And so we, like the Pharisees of old, want truth to be one way or the other, but not both:

16 And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. 17 Tell us therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:16-17).

They wanted Jesus to tell them they should pay their taxes or they should not. They were trying to press Jesus into saying men should either obey Caesar or obey God. Either way, they could get Jesus in trouble. Jesus told them they should submit to God and to Caesar. They couldn’t have it all one way.

Truths must be held in tension. God is sovereign. Nothing happens that is not a part of His sovereign decree. Yet we have been commanded to do certain things. We are humanly responsible for our decisions and actions. These two truths, the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man, are both true and must be held in tension. Those who would seek to hold one truth and deny the other will distort the Scriptures.

Some of the teachings of Scripture which appeared contradictory were also held in tension by the saints of old and now can be seen in a clearer light. The truth of the deity of Christ was taught in the Old Testament, and now in the New, as is also the truth of His humanity. These truths appeared contradictory, but in the incarnation we see they were not. Even now we do not fully understand this union of humanity and deity, but we believe it, by faith. Still there are those who cling to one and reject the other.

The Old Testament prophets spoke of the suffering of Christ, and they also foretold of His glorious reign. The prophets themselves agonized as to how they might harmonize these two truths in tension (1 Peter 1:10-12), but they held to both. Now, in the light of the two comings of Christ, we understand there is no contradiction. Let us not reject one biblical truth (often the one we like the least) in a futile effort to remove the tension it creates with another truth.

(8) We twist the Scriptures by privately interpreting them (2 Peter 1:20-21). Over the years I have observed many of these “independent” Bible students. In truth, they are arrogant and unteachable. The irony is they often are eager to teach others, and they often can be found attempting to straighten out the church. Peter teaches us that the Scriptures were not only inspired by the Holy Spirit, they are to be interpreted by the illumination of the Spirit. Why is it that the church at Antioch (and, in my opinion, most healthy churches) have more than one gifted teacher?

The truth of God is for the people of God. If my understanding of a passage fails to fall within the mainline of conservative, evangelical teaching over the history of the church, then my view is suspect:

36 Was it from you that the word of God [first] went forth? Or has it come to you only? (1 Corinthians 14:36).

Those who have suffered and died for their faith and for the purity of biblical doctrine should not be ignored. Other gifted teachers should not be ignored. There is no place for individual autonomy in the Christian life. Those who think they can interpret the Scriptures on their own, disregarding all others, are highly suspect in their interpretation and clearly wrong in their attitude.

Often, such people will (ab)use this verse as a pretext for their independence:

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1 John 2:26-27).

Notice first of all that the context here is false teachers. These teachers are those, like many cultists today, who come to your door and try to confuse you about what you believe. They represent themselves as “experts” (who think they know the “original Greek” or whatever). They offer to teach a Bible study in your home. They are those who raise doubts about your ability to read the Word of God and understand its message. Let no teacher keep you from a personal study of the Word. And do not give an ear to any false teacher. A true teacher of the Word is one who stimulates you to study the Word of God and to find out if what he teaches is indeed from God. Such teachers do not use clever or manipulative techniques but rely upon the Spirit of God to convince you of what is true—from the Scriptures:

11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, [to see] whether these things were so (Acts 17:11 emphasis mine).

4 And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

True teachers of the Word of God do not create a reliance on themselves but a reliance on the Word of God:

32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build [you] up and to give [you] the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).

(9) We twist the Scriptures by the misappropriation of truth. Grace is now distorted to sanctify sin. Grace is our excuse for sin, rather than an escape from sin. Sovereignty is an excuse for inactivity and passivity, etc. The Scriptures are twisted to excuse sin rather than expose and eradicate it.

(10) We twist the Scriptures when we selectively deny biblical teachings or commands. Sometimes this is a bold, outright denial of the truth of God’s Word. Satan did this in relation to God’s warning that if Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit they would die (see Genesis 3:4). The false teachers of Peter’s day did this in relation to the second coming of Christ (2 Peter 3:3-4). We do it by setting certain Scriptures aside, not by denying their truth, but by denying their application to us. Some try to set aside the teaching of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount by dispensationalizing it, telling us this is truth for the kingdom and thus not directly applicable to us. Some set aside Paul’s teachings (not to mention Peter’s) on the conduct of women by telling us these teachings were for a different time and a different culture. In His Great Commission, Jesus instructed the church to make disciples by “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). How many of our Lord’s commandments, as recorded in the Gospels, are taken seriously today, by evangelical, conservative Christians? By you?

Many of the teachings and commands of the Bible are set aside by default—we simply are ignorant of them because we have not read or studied God’s Word. Ignorance is not bliss, and we will be held accountable for knowing and doing what God has commanded in His Word.

Conclusion

Peter knows he is soon to die. Knowing this, he is intent on calling his readers to continually remember and apply the truths of God’s Word (2 Peter 1:13-15). In this Peter is in agreement with the other apostles, like Paul (see Acts 20:17-35; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; 6:1-5, 20-21; 2 Timothy 3:1–4:8). No wonder Peter wishes his readers to know he endorses Paul’s writings as the inspired Word of God! How much nearer we are to the day of our Lord’s return. And how many are those who seek to twist the Scriptures to their destruction and, if possible, ours. Let us be men and women of the Word.

Let us be on guard against error and be reminded that false teachers will not only arise from without but from within the church. It is the task of leaders to protect the flock from error, but it is also true that error may come from within the leaders (see Matthew 23; Acts 20:28-32). When we look only to our leaders to discern the truth and tell us what is biblical, what is right and wrong, when our leaders go astray, we are in trouble because we blindly follow them. This is what has and is taking place in many denominations. We are individually responsible to discern error and to respond to it biblically.

As the last days approach, let us fix our hope on the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us seek to live holy lives, so that we practice and proclaim the excellencies of God before a godless world. May we be men and women of the Word, encouraged in our study of the Bible by faithful teachers and turning from those who are false. May we not be guilty of twisting the Scriptures in our own study, but, like David, turning to the Word of God to know God and to live lives which are pleasing in His sight.

78 I am speaking with regard to the meaning of Scripture in areas of major Bible doctrines and truths and not with regard to the problematic areas where the Scriptures are either silent or unclear (see Deuteronomy 29:29).

Related Topics: Scripture Twisting, False Teachers

1. The Preparation of Peter

Introduction

A number of years ago we celebrated Thanksgiving with my wife’s aunt and uncle. At the dinner table, Aunt Doris, a very creative woman, confessed to having added a mystery ingredient to the dressing and offered five dollars to the first person who could identify it. After a number of incorrect attempts, my wife’s father solved the mystery. To her delight, Aunt Doris had disposed of some stale potato chips by adding them to the dressing.

The saints of Jesus Christ likewise find a “mystery” ingredient in living the Christian life—the ingredient of suffering. To some, suffering comes as a complete surprise. While others may not be surprised, they surely find suffering a mystery. The Scriptures inform us that the God who loves us and sent His Son to die for our sins has ordained that we suffer as saints. This truth is neither easy to understand nor to accept. Because of this, false teachers easily convince their audiences they can escape from suffering, and in its place, experience “success” in life. Peter addresses this error in his second epistle, warning that those who indulge the flesh and urge others to do likewise, with no fear of divine judgment, are false teachers who, along with their doctrine, must be avoided.

But here in his first epistle, Peter addresses suffering head-on. Peter writes that suffering is much more than just a necessary evil; suffering actually paves the way to glory. He even asserts that certain forms of suffering are glory, when that innocent suffering results from living righteously in an unrighteous world. Though suffering will never be a popular subject or an experience one seeks, Paul’s first epistle explains the necessity of suffering and the joy and peace of heart and soul possible in the midst of suffering.

Our introductory lesson concentrates on Peter, the author of this great epistle. After surveying briefly the Old Testament saint’s struggle with innocent suffering, we will turn to the teaching of our Lord in the Gospels concerning suffering and glory, especially considering this teaching in relationship to Peter. The “old Peter’s” actions and reactions to suffering and glory provide a dramatic contrast to the attitudes, actions, and inspired writings of the “new Peter” of Acts and 1 and 2 Peter. We shall see the process by which God brought Peter from being a disciple who strongly resisted suffering to an apostle who defends suffering, one who encourages the saints not only to endure, but to consider their trials a blessing in the integral plan and purpose of God for His people.

The Mystery of
Suffering in the Old Testament

10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look (1 Peter 1:10-12).

Suffering for Sin

The Old Testament saint had little difficulty with suffering as a consequence of sin. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, suffering has been the result of sin (Genesis 3:14-19). God promised the nation Israel He would bless them if they kept His commandments (Deuteronomy 28:1-14), but He also warned of severe consequences for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Suffering for sin may not have been a delightful thought, but it was no surprise. Indeed, the saints even prayed that God would bring suffering upon their enemies because of their sin (see Psalms 58, 69, 94, 109).

Innocent Suffering

But the Old Testament saint had great difficulty with the innocent suffering of the righteous. Passages like Deuteronomy 28:1-15 and Psalm 91 could be understood as an assurance that those who live righteously will never suffer. The Book of Job dramatically illustrates that this simply is not the case. Joseph was one of the few Old Testament saints who understood that God could use his suffering at the hands of his brothers’ evil deeds to bring about good:

And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive (Genesis 50:20).

Though his brothers intended to kill Joseph, God used their actions to bring about the salvation of many.

Job’s wife had a very different response to innocent suffering. She urged her husband to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). Satan could not understand innocent suffering either. He believed that if he could persuade God to take away the blessings Job had received and replace them with suffering, Job would indeed curse God and give up his faith (see Job 1 and 2, especially 1:9).

The psalmists struggled greatly over innocent suffering. David urges his fellow-Israelites in Psalm 37 not to agonize over the momentary prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, for in the long run God will bless the righteous and punish the wicked. Asaph confesses in Psalm 73 his own personal struggle with the prosperity of the wicked and suffering of the righteous, before realizing that his suffering brought him nearer to God while the prosperity of the wicked caused them to turn from God. In the end, Asaph confesses that being near to God through suffering is far better than being far from Him through prosperity.

The psalmist is perplexed by Israel’s suffering in Psalm 44. Had the people of God sinned, their suffering would not be a dilemma, but the psalmist is convinced their innocent suffering has come from the hand of God, and he does not know how to handle it:

8 In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Thy name forever. Selah. 9 Yet Thou hast rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And dost not go out with our armies. 10 Thou dost cause us to turn back from the adversary; And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. 11 Thou dost give us as sheep to be eaten, And hast scattered us among the nations. 12 Thou dost sell Thy people cheaply, And hast not profited by their sale. 13 Thou dost make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. 14 Thou dost make us a byword among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. 15 All day long my dishonor is before me, And my humiliation has overwhelmed me, 16 Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger. 17 All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten Thee, And we have not dealt falsely with Thy covenant. 18 Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Thy way, 19 Yet Thou hast crushed us in a place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, Or extended our hands to a strange god; 21 Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. 22 But for Thy sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.¹ 23 Arouse Thyself, why dost Thou sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not reject us forever. 24 Why dost Thou hide Thy face, And forget our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul has sunk down into the dust; Our body cleaves to the earth. 26 Rise up, be our help, And redeem us for the sake of Thy lovingkindness (Psalm 44:8-26).

In 1 Peter 1:10-12, Peter writes of the Old Testament prophets’ struggles with innocent suffering. They simply could not comprehend how the Messiah could be described as both the glorious and victorious Ruler of Israel and as the suffering Savior:

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee. 8 Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware” (Psalm 2:7-9).

1 The LORD says to my Lord; “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.” 2 The LORD will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Thine enemies” (Psalm 110:1-2).

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him (Isaiah 53:4-6, see verses 7-12).

Peter’s Reaction to Suffering in the Gospels

Peter’s Calling: John 1:35-42

Peter’s brother Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:40), who had heard John speak of sin and the need for repentance. He had also heard John announce that the Messiah was soon to appear. Andrew must have shared much with Peter about the ministry and message of John the Baptist. Surely this intensified Peter’s interest and anticipation of Messiah’s coming. Who would not be eager for Messiah to come? Who would not give thought to what His arrival would mean?

When Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, the Savior did something He did for no other disciple—He changed Peter’s name:

He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which translated means Peter) (John 1:42).

Like Abram (Abraham) and Jacob (Israel) of old, Jesus was indicating to Peter that this meeting would lead to a relationship which would forever change Peter.

The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:1-12

1 And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying, 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. 12 Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:1-12).

We should begin by observing that while Jesus taught the multitudes, His words were particularly addressed to His disciples, “who came to Him” (verse 1). These words, recorded by Matthew, seem to be some of the first of our Lord’s public teaching given at the outset of His ministry. How radically Jesus’ teaching contrasted with that of the scribes and Pharisees (see Matthew 5:17, 21-22, 27-28, etc.; 7:28-29).

The disciples, like the rest, must have been amazed by Jesus’ words spoken on that mountain. Those things Judaism viewed as blessed were not those Jesus called a blessing. Jesus taught that those who suffered would be blessed in the kingdom of God. He taught that the righteous who suffered innocently were blessed, (verses 10-12), and assured those who lived righteously and suffered persecution that they would come to glory. Incredibly, Jesus’ ministry and His kingdom were for sufferers. Certainly we would not expect to hear teaching such as this from someone who has just presented Himself to Israel as her Messiah. Nor would we expect His message to attract a crowd. How many would you expect to come were we to advertise this 1 Peter series on suffering?

The Disciples are Chosen and Sent Out: Matthew 10

Sometime later, Jesus summoned twelve men to be His disciples. Peter was the first disciple named (Matthew 12:2). With the other eleven, Peter was given authority over unclean spirits and the power to heal every kind of disease (10:1). Jesus then gave Peter and the others instructions as He sent them out (10:5-15). Immediately after this, Jesus foretold the suffering which would come as a result of identifying with Him:

16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak. 20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. 23 But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. 34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it (Matthew 10:16-39).

In this text, we find no response on the part of Peter or any of the other disciples. In the euphoria of the moment, Jesus’ words simply went in one ear and out the other. They were His disciples! They were given authority over demons and power to heal every disease! How could suffering and rejection possibly come their way? Time would make this all too clear, and Jesus would not allow them to think otherwise. He would continue to speak of His suffering, and theirs, even though they did not understand at the time.

Peter’s Great Confession and Correction: Matthew 16:13-28

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

21 From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. 22 And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. 26 For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds. 28 Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:13-28).

Over the time they had followed Jesus, Peter and the other disciples came to recognize that Jesus was far more than an ordinary man. When, at Jesus’ instructions, Peter and his friends caught a great harvest of fish, he declared, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8). From that time on, Peter ceased fishing for fish and followed Jesus constantly (5:11). When Jesus stilled the storm, the disciples were amazed and said to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him? (Luke 8:25). Peter and the others heard the demons declare that Jesus was the “Son of God” (see Matthew 8:29). First we read of 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21) and then 4,000 (Matthew 15:29-39) being fed.

Now was the time for the disciples to declare their faith, and Peter, in his usual fashion, was their spokesman. Jesus began by asking His disciples who men thought He was. They responded with the views most commonly held by the people: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets (Matthew 16:14). Pressing further, Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” (16:15).

Jesus had not specifically asked Peter, but typically, Peter was the one who blurted out the conviction of his heart and that of his peers: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:16). There it was, out in the open. Jesus was the promised Messiah, just as the Old Testament prophets had foretold and just as John the Baptist had indicated. All evidence pointed in the same direction.

Jesus commended Peter for his decision, not because of his human wisdom, but because God Himself had revealed this truth to him (16:17). Then He reaffirmed the name He had given Peter the first time they met and promised him a prominent place in the kingdom of heaven. He also instructed the disciples not to reveal this truth to others. They were to arrive at their conclusions as Peter had done, based upon the testimony of the Scriptures, John the Baptist, and Jesus’ words and deeds.

The disciples were not prepared to hear Jesus’ next words. It was not that He had not told them of His suffering and death. It was just that suffering and death seemed totally incompatible with the confession He had just made—that this same Jesus really was the promised Messiah, the King of the Jews.

Indeed, Jesus was very specific about His suffering and death on this occasion. He informed them not only of His rejection and suffering in general, but that His rejection would come from none other than Israel’s leaders. He also told them He would be killed and raised from the dead on the third day (16:21). Matthew tells us Jesus not only revealed His coming death and resurrection, but that from this time on Jesus continually spoke to His disciples about it. His rejection, crucifixion and resurrection were the natural outcome of His identity as Messiah. It was His calling, His destiny, as had been foretold by the prophets.

Peter saw things in a very different light; Jesus told Peter he saw things from a merely human point of view rather than from a divine perspective (16:23). Peter had ceased to think of Jesus as his Messiah, taking Him aside and speaking to Him as though He were misguided and incompetent. He would straighten Jesus out, no doubt even looking to his fellow disciples for support. But Jesus strongly rebuked Peter (Mark 8:33), even telling him he was serving as Satan’s spokesman by his response.

At this point, Jesus pressed the matter of suffering beyond Himself to all who would faithfully follow Him (16:24-27). Soon He would “take up His cross,” and every true disciple must follow Him by taking up his own cross. Just as Messiah must suffer, so must those who trust in Him and become His followers.

The principle Jesus laid down transformed the thinking of His followers, including Peter, when it was finally understood and acted upon. In effect, He told them that one must follow Him by faith. If one tries to save His life and avoid suffering and death, he will lose it. One’s life could only be saved by giving up his life. The taking up of one’s cross is the way to one’s crown. Both for Messiah, and His followers, suffering is the way to glory.

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and WILL THEN RECOMPENSE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS (Matthew 16:27).

The Transfiguration of Jesus: Luke 9:28-36

28 And some eight days after these sayings, it came about that He took along Peter and John and James, and went up to the mountain to pray. 29 And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. 33 And it came about, as these were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not realizing what he was saying. 34 And while he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen (Luke 9:28-36).

At Peter’s reaction to His suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus responded with a promise of His transfiguration. He promised that some of those with Him would soon behold His glory and witness a foretaste of the kingdom which Jesus was yet to establish on the earth:

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:28).

Eight days after Peter’s great confession, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him to the mountain to pray. While Jesus was praying, He was transformed before them. The word “glory” best describes what they saw (see Luke 9:31, 32). Jesus, Moses, and Elijah all appeared in a glorious radiance, a foretaste of the glory yet to come.

This glory was not inconsistent with the suffering of which the Lord Jesus had spoken earlier. Indeed, this glory was intertwined with His suffering. Notice the subject of the conversation which took place between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah:

Who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31).

They were speaking of Jesus’ exodus, of Jesus’ glorious death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. The suffering of which Jesus spoke not only led to glory, it was glorious. In Jesus Christ, suffering and glory meet.

Peter’s Declaration and Denial: Luke 22:31-34, 35-38, 47-53, 54-62

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 And he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” 34 And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the cock will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

35 And He said to them, “When I sent you out without purse and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” And they said, “No, nothing.” 36 And He said to them, “But now, let him who has a purse take it along, likewise also a bag, and let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one. 37 “For I tell you, that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

47 While He was still speaking, behold, a multitude came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 And when those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And a certain one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. 52 And Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as against a robber? 53 While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”

54 And having arrested Him, they led Him away, and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. 55 And after they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. 56 And a certain servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight, and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” 58 And a little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 And after about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, a cock crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a cock crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly (Luke 22:31-34, 35-38, 47-53, 54-62).

Jesus observed the Passover quietly with His disciples shortly before His death. At the table, He told them many confusing and distressing things, even that He was eager to eat this Passover with them before He suffered (22:15). He instructed them to partake of the bread as His body and to drink the cup as His blood (22:17-20). He spoke of separation from them and of not partaking of the cup again until He came again (22:16-18). Even more troubling, He told them one of them would betray Him (22:21-22). Their discussion of who might betray Jesus degenerated into a debate over who among them was the greatest (22:23-24).

Jesus assured His disciples that their suffering with Him would result in a share in the glory of the kingdom which was to come:

28 “And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; 29 and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:28-30).

With these words, Jesus again linked suffering with glory.

Elation over the promise of the kingdom of God and their prominent role was quickly swept away by our Lord’s strong words of warning to Peter. Satan had demanded to “sift” the disciples² like wheat, Jesus said. But He also told Peter He had prayed for him, that his faith would not fail. Though he would deny his Lord, he would repent and be restored, and become a source of strength to his brethren.

Peter refused to even consider the possibility of his failure under pressure, insisting he would remain faithful and at the Lord’s side, even though it meant prison or even death. But the Lord knew better and told Peter he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed that very day (22:34).

Now that the kind of kingdom He had come to establish was clear, Jesus contrasts in verses 35-38 the beginning of His earthly ministry with the way things would be. When He first sent out the disciples, they were to take nothing with them as they would be welcomed by some and their physical needs met. Now Jesus was about to be rejected as a criminal, and they too would be viewed with contempt. From now on, they must plan to provide for their own needs and prepare for hostility and opposition. Failing to grasp the full implications of Jesus’ words, the disciples responded as best they could at the time. They produced two swords. They could protect themselves! They could handle opposition!

One of those swords seems to have belonged to Peter, for he will shortly put it to use. In a short time, the disciples were in the Garden of Gethsemene, where Jesus prayed and where Judas betrayed his Lord. After Judas identified the Savior with a kiss, the soldiers moved in to arrest him. Peter would have none of this. While the others were asking if Jesus wished them to put up a fight, Peter drew his sword and put it to use. Peter was a fisherman, not a fighter. All he managed to do was to cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest (John 18:10). Jesus rebuked Peter, telling him it was His will to drink the cup which the Father had given Him (John 18:11). Jesus then healed the servant’s ear (Luke 22:51).

A word must be said in defense of Peter. Peter was no coward. He was not afraid to fight. He surely was willing to die. How could he expect to take on the large, heavily armed crowd which had gathered to arrest Jesus (Mark 14:43)? While the others were asking whether to resist, Peter was already wielding his sword. He was unable to grasp that he was to passively suffer, committing himself to God rather than taking up his own defense. Whatever Peter’s failure on this matter, he seems to have stood head and shoulders above his peers, until his denial.

From that point on, Peter followed Jesus from a distance (Luke 22:54). As Peter stood around waiting to see what would become of Jesus, he warmed himself by the fire kindled by others. Peter was easily recognized as a Galilean by his appearance and his accent. When those who stood about realized Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples, they asked him if this was so. Three times Peter denied knowing his Lord, and then the cock crowed just as Jesus had said. At the moment of his last denial, Jesus looked toward Peter, catching his eye (Luke 22:61). Peter went out and wept bitterly, realizing he had done exactly what Jesus had said—and what he had insisted he would not do.

Peter’s Restoration: Mark 16:7; Luke 24:24-26, 34, 44-49; 1 Cor. 15:3-5; John 21

Jesus took personal interest in Peter’s restoration of which He had spoken earlier (Luke 22:32). When the angel appeared to the women who came to the Lord’s tomb, he specifically instructed them to tell Peter of the Savior’s resurrection. Did Peter wonder if Jesus still considered him a disciple? Let him hear these words spoken by the angel:

“But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you’” (Mark 16:7).

The Scriptures also tell us that Jesus made a personal appearance to Peter:

“… The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34).

“… and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:5).

After His resurrection, Jesus explained the relationship of suffering and glory in His ministry:

25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27; see also verses 44-48).

Peter is particularly prominent in John 21, where Peter and some of the disciples went fishing, and Jesus virtually repeated the miracle of Luke 5 by catching a great harvest of fish by simply obeying the command of Christ. It may well be that Peter’s conversion took place in Luke 5, for there he acknowledged his sin and left his career to follow Jesus. Did Peter wonder how he stood with Jesus? Peter was as secure as he was the first day he believed.

Later in John 21, Jesus questioned Peter concerning his love for Him. Three times He told Peter that if he loved Him he should tend His sheep. Peter was not only saved, he was given a ministry. The verses immediately following catch my attention:

18 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”

20 Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter therefore seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” (John 21:18-22).

Peter may have been willing to accept the concept of suffering, but he did not yet have a biblical perspective on suffering. He did not yet understand the sovereignty of God in suffering. He may have been willing to suffer, but he seems to have felt that John needed to suffer to the same degree. Jesus told Peter that was not his business. He must leave such matters to God.

Little did Peter know what the passage of time would bring. Peter, James, and John, the three men in the inner circle of our Lord, each had a different lot to suffer. James and John were brothers. All shared a similar experience with Jesus. And yet James would die first, without writing any books, seemingly with no great achievements (see Acts 12:1-2). Peter, on the other hand, was arrested by the same cruel despot and slated for the same kind of death. Peter was delivered from this sentence of death, but James was not spared. James wrote no books; Peter wrote 2; John wrote 5. Peter did die some time after James; John seems to have died last of all. God is sovereign in the suffering of His saints.

The Transformation of Peter: Acts 1-12; 1 and 2 Peter

At the end of the Gospels, we find Peter forgiven and restored, but the evidence of his transformation is not found in the Gospels. Peter’s transformation becomes quite evident in his preaching and practice in the Book of Acts and his profound writings in 1 and 2 Peter.

Imagine Peter now, standing at Pentecost declaring with great power that Jesus is the Messiah and Israel’s leaders have rejected Him. Peter declares that Jesus not only fulfilled the purpose of God in His death, burial, and resurrection, but that He also fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning His first coming.

Now drop the eyes of your imagination from Peter’s face to his side. Can you imagine him standing with his sword strapped to his side or conspicuously bulging from under his garments? What has happened to the sword? I would venture Peter may have never carried it again. His trust now is in a sovereign God. He no longer dreads opposition or even death. He no longer feels the need to defend himself. When Peter was first arrested for preaching in the name of Jesus, he boldly proclaimed that Jesus had been raised from the dead, proof that He was the Messiah. He accused his persecutors of resisting God. They took note of his confidence, along with that of John, and remembered they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). When commanded to no longer preach in the name of Jesus, they politely refused. When threatened and released, they joined their brethren and rejoiced at the privilege of suffering on behalf of the Savior. Their prayers were not for safety, but for boldness:

27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur. 29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Thy bond-servants may speak Thy word with all confidence, 30 while Thou dost extend Thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Thy holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:27-30).

When they were arrested the second time, God released them from prison in a miraculous way. They did not go off to hide, but at His instruction went back to the temple to preach about Jesus (Acts 5:19-20). Standing confidently before the Sanhedrin, they reiterated the message they had previously spoken. They refused to be silenced, and when threatened and beaten, they went on their way rejoicing:

40 And they took his [Gamaliel’s] advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them to speak no more in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ (Acts 5:40-42).

Acts 12 records that Herod had put James to death, arrested Peter, and was soon to execute him. There we also see the account of Peter’s divine deliverance. Of interest and amusement is the condition in which the angel of the Lord found Peter when he came to rescue him; Peter was sleeping (Acts 12:6)! The “old Peter” would have been trying to saw through the cell bars or pick the locks of his chains, even tunnel his way out of that prison. Instead, the “new Peter” was sound asleep. This Peter is not the same man we knew in the Gospels.

Peter’s conduct in Acts is completely consistent with his teaching in his first epistle. Consider what he has to say about suffering in each of his five chapters:

Chapter 1: Suffering is the will of God, which purifies our faith, to the glory of God (verses 6-9).

Chapter 2: Suffering for sin is condemned (verse 20), but innocent suffering is commended and commanded (verse 19). Our Lord Himself is the example set before us (verses 21-25).

Chapter 3: Suffering is a blessing (verse 14), which may open the door for bearing witness to our faith (verse 15) and lead to the salvation of others, even as our Lord’s suffering brought about salvation. Suffering was the path to glory for our Lord, as it will be for us (verses 18-22).

Chapter 4: Suffering is an encouragement to us, because it occurs when godless men are threatened by the change God produces in our lives (verses 1-4). Suffering should not be a surprise but a cause for rejoicing (verses 12-14).

Chapter 5: Suffering is the experience shared by believers in the whole body of Christ around the world (verse 9). After we have suffered, we shall enter into His eternal glory, knowing that God Himself will confirm, strengthen, and establish us (verse 10).

Conclusion

How great was the change in Peter’s attitude toward suffering from the Gospels to his attitude in Acts and his two epistles. During the years Peter followed Jesus, he resisted suffering and rebuked Jesus for speaking about His own suffering. Now, in his first epistle, Peter selects suffering as the topic of his book. No longer is there avoidance of suffering, but rather a rejoicing in the midst of suffering and enduring to the glory of God.

What a great encouragement Peter’s epistles are to us, for they bear witness to the power of God to change lives. It was not that Peter’s personality changed all that much, but his thinking and actions changed radically, based on his understanding of God. Jesus had told him after His transfiguration that his thinking was man-centered. His thinking was also self-centered. Peter did not want Jesus to talk about suffering and death because it would mean suffering and perhaps death for Peter. He did not want for Jesus what might also be for him. But by the time we reach Peter’s epistles, we find Peter defending the very suffering he had avoided. Indeed, we find him declaring suffering for Christ’s sake not only to be the will of God but the cause for rejoicing:

6 “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” (1 Peter 1:6,7).

Peter changed, from a man who sought Jesus for power, prestige, and prosperity to a man who counted rejection, suffering, and death for Christ’s sake a great privilege and a blessing. If there was hope for Peter to change, there is hope for anyone. God could change Peter, and He can, and will, change those who belong to Him.

How desperately needed today is the lesson Peter learned. The Peter found in the Gospels epitomizes the church and Christians today. We look to Jesus for the relief of our pain and our ticket to success in life. Contemporary American Christians are wimpy. We whine and fuss over conditions most of the people of the world would find beyond their highest hopes. The smallest pain or inconvenience sends us reeling into introspection and therapy. Suffering greatly for Christ and His gospel moved the early church to prayer and to praise:

41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ (Acts 5:41-42, see also 4:23-30).

Peter’s second epistle addresses those things many professing Christians desire. There we find that which is not a part of the true gospel—the self-indulgent fleshly seductions of the false teachers who themselves are slaves of the flesh. The epistles of Peter are needed as much or more today than in the first century.

The “old Peter” graphically illustrates the way we selectively “hear.” Old Testament prophets, as Peter confesses in his first epistle (1:10-12), spoke of the suffering and glory of Messiah even though they could not reconcile these two themes. Our Lord Himself spoke often of His suffering and glory, as well as that of His disciples. Peter heard what Jesus had to say about suffering, but he simply laid it aside as inconsistent with his own selfish desires. We may learn some important truth as though for the first time, when it is actually the same truth we have heard over and over again. Discovering the key to Peter’s change of heart and mind may help to change our lives as well.

What changed Peter from the man in the Gospels to the Peter of his epistles? A clue is found in observing that the “old Peter” is described in the Gospels, while the “new Peter” is found in Acts and his two epistles. The “old Peter” was the man we find before Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, and before the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The “new Peter” is post-Pentecost. The “new Peter” not only has witnessed the gospel, he has experienced it. The “new Peter” preached these words:

38 “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself” (Acts 2:38-39).

The “old Peter” became the “new Peter” in the same way we are transformed from the “old us” to the “new us:”

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).

When one has experienced the new birth through saving faith in Jesus Christ, suffering as a Christian is seen in a totally different light. Listen to these words of the apostle Paul:

19 For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:19-21).

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:7-11).

Only when we experience the gospel by faith in Christ does suffering make any sense at all, and only then do we willingly accept the suffering God brings into our lives. The suffering of Jesus Christ is precious to us because we know we have been saved by His suffering, and suffering is transformed from gory to glory.

Jesus put it this way:

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:44-46).

Have you found your treasure in Christ? Have you trusted in His suffering, death and resurrection for your salvation? If you have, then and only then, will you be able to understand the glory of suffering for righteousness sake. Then, and only then, will you grasp the beauty and wonder in these words from the lips of our Lord:

10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. 12 Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

Peter’s great change also came after His denial of his Lord. Peter had trusted in himself rather than in Jesus. After his failure, Peter came to distrust himself and his faithfulness, and trust in the One who had died for Him, who is altogether faithful. Only when we cease to trust in ourselves and trust in Him who suffered for our sins will we be saved and understand the glory of innocent suffering.

Each week our church celebrates the Lord’s Supper. Every week we remember His incarnation, His suffering, His death, and His resurrection and ascension. We do this in obedience to our Lord’s command and in conformity to the practice of the early church (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; Acts 20:7). Some may wonder why our Lord would have His church continually focus on His suffering. I suggest it is to put our suffering into proper perspective. For the Christian, suffering should be measured in comparison to Christ’s suffering; the degree to which we suffer is the measure of the difference between our righteousness and the sin of a fallen world.

Innocent suffering will always be a mystery to the unsaved, to those outside of Christ. More than this, innocent suffering is repulsive to the unbeliever and avoided at all cost. Innocent suffering for the sake of Christ can only be understood from within the faith by those who are in Christ. For those who belong to Christ, suffering is a privilege God has granted to us, which we gratefully accept:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions (Colossians 1:24).

May God grant to us the perspective He gave Peter in Acts and 1 and 2 Peter. May we say with Peter:

3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:3-8).

1 The reader will take note that this text is quoted in Romans 8:36, with reference to the (innocent) suffering of the saints for the cause of Christ.

2 The “you” is plural in the statement, “sift you like wheat.” The “you” in “I have prayed for you” is singular. Satan wanted, indeed demanded, to destroy all of the disciples. Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith, that it would not fail, so that after his restoration he could be a source of strength to his brethren.

Related Topics: Suffering, Trials, Persecution

2. Suffering: Victim or Victor? (1 Peter 1:1-6a)

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice …

Introduction

Years ago, radio Bible teacher and preacher Dr. J. Vernon McGee spoke at a Dallas Theological Seminary chapel service while I was a student. Dr. McGee told us he had been diagnosed with a very serious form of lung cancer with a very low cure rate. Having often visited those about to undergo surgery, Dr. McGee confessed that his being rolled into surgery felt quite a lot different than his accompanying someone to surgery. God granted Dr. McGee a most unusual cure, prolonging his ministry a number of years.

Our perspective changes considerably when we become the participant rather than the observer. To some degree, circumstances do shape our perspective. But our perspective has everything to do with the way we respond to our circumstances. In recent years, our culture has taken a very unhealthy turn, embracing a perspective which predisposes our collapse under life’s adverse circumstances rather than causing us to persevere through them. The essence of this new perspective may be summed up in the word “victim.” No longer are we responsible for our attitudes and actions when we have been wronged or abused—we are now “victims.” Whatever happened is no longer our fault nor are we responsible for the way we choose to respond.

The Scriptures make it very clear that Christians will be the recipients of unjust treatment because of our faith in Jesus Christ and the godly lives we are to live in a sinful world. While the Bible promises that we will experience innocent suffering for the cause of Christ, it nowhere speaks of our being “victims” in the contemporary sense of the word. Rather, the Bible forthrightly speaks of us as “victors.”

Peter introduces the subject of innocent suffering for Christ’s sake in verse 6 of chapter 1. But he will not mention the trials and testing of our faith until he has first set down the essential truths which should shape our perspective on suffering. These truths are set down by Peter in verses 1-5 of chapter 1.

Our study begins by determining the recipients of Peter’s epistle as indicated in verse 1. We will then explore the source of our salvation in verse 2. Verses 3-4 focus on our future hope of which we are assured, due to the salvation God accomplished through the person and work of Jesus Christ. From verse 5, we will be reassured of our security in Christ and the certainty of experiencing those things awaiting us at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Close attention to our text will help us learn from Peter why we who trust in Christ can never be considered victims; we are victors.

The Recipients of Peter’s First Epistle
(1:1)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

One could quickly conclude Peter wrote this epistle to Jewish believers who had been scattered abroad. James’ introductory greeting in his book is similar to Peter’s introduction:

James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings (James 1:1).

Peter, after all, was the “apostle to the Jews,” while Paul was the “apostle to the Gentiles:”

But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter with the gospel to the circumcised (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles) (Galatians 2:7-8).

Other verses in 1 Peter also strongly indicate a broader readership than only Jewish believers. These statements seem difficult to apply directly to Jewish believers:

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1:14-16).

10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God (2:10).

3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you; 5 but they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead (4:3-5).

While Peter’s words are addressed to individual saints, they also give instruction concerning the conduct of members of the church. Specifically, Peter provides instructions to the elders and younger men in the church (5:1-7). We find in the Scriptures no such thing as a “Jewish” or a “Gentile” church. The church of Jesus Christ is one body, made up of Jews and Gentiles, without any distinction or dividing wall between them (see Ephesians 2:11-22).

Peter writes not to one church or even to the saints in a small geographical area. He writes to those saints in five Roman provinces. While specific cities are unnamed, Peter’s epistle would surely include the churches in the “seven cities of Asia” to whom the Book of Revelation is written (see Revelation 1:11, chapters 2 and 3). These churches were neither Jewish nor Gentile. A clear Jewish presence and influence did exist in all the churches, just as there was a Gentile presence (the Gentile proselytes or “God-fearers”) in the synagogues.

Peter writes then to the saints scattered throughout the Roman world, clearly reflecting the change in Peter concerning Jews and Gentiles. This change was dramatically brought home to him in the events of Acts 10 and 11. Later, they are reinforced by Paul in Galatians 2:11-21 after Peter fell back into his old ways under pressure from Jewish saints. Clearly his epistle is written not just to Jewish saints or Gentile saints, but to all saints who make up the one church of Jesus Christ.

Peter writes in obedience to the command given him by the Lord Jesus:

“… when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32).

Just as Peter stumbled when faced with suffering for Christ’s sake at the time of His arrest and trial and then was strengthened, so he now writes to those facing suffering who need to be strengthened. He can offer strength and comfort from his own experiences. Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians well express Peter’s ministry:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

The Source of Our Salvation
(1:1c-2)

… who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.

Those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity have difficulty with this and a number of other texts, for they clearly speak of three members of the Godhead, all of whom are involved in the work of salvation. The Holy Spirit is strategically placed between God the Father and God the Son. Each member of the Trinity plays a distinct role in the salvation of the saint.

The Father chooses those who will be saved. We find Peter’s words consistent with the teaching of Paul:

Christians differ not so much on whether God chose us, but over the basis of that choice. Some fail to understand the significance of the word “foreknow,” supposing it means only to know (about) in advance. The word does have this meaning, as seen in Acts 26:5 and 2 Peter 3:17. But when Peter uses the word “foreknowledge” here, he speaks of God’s choice of us apart from anything we would or could do, based solely on His sovereign grace (see Romans 9:10-18). In 1 Peter 1:20, Peter speaks of Christ, Who was “foreknown before the foundation of the world.” Peter is not saying God knew about Jesus, but rather that God chose our Lord to die on the cross of Calvary before the foundation of the world, before Adam and Eve were created, before the first sin was committed. Peter made a similar statement in his sermon at Pentecost:

“This Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23).

To “know” can mean to “know about,” but it can also mean to choose. God “knew” Abraham; that is, He chose Him:

“For I have chosen [literally, “known” him (Abraham)], in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about Him” (Genesis 18:19).

To “foreknow” is to choose ahead of time. Thus, Paul uses “foreknow” to speak of God’s sovereign choice in eternity past (Romans 8:29; 11:2).³

The Father chose those whom He would save in eternity past, and it is the Holy Spirit who “sanctifies” the elect, drawing them to faith in Christ:

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

When Nicodemus sought out the Lord Jesus, the Savior told him he must be “born again,” and that this was the unseen work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-8). Before our Lord’s crucifixion, He told the disciples it was necessary (and better) for Him to depart and for the Holy Spirit to come, for it was the Spirit who would convict men of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11). The Holy Spirit sets the saints apart to God by drawing them to faith in Christ:

And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11; see also Titus 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:5).

While the Holy Spirit is also involved in our sanctification, the emphasis here is on the role of the Spirit in bringing men to Christ. If the sanctification of the believer were in view, this ministry of the Holy Spirit would more logically have been introduced after, rather than before, the saving work of Christ.

Peter then moves from the choice of the Father and the sanctifying of the Holy Spirit to the contribution of Christ’s shed blood, by which we are cleansed and forgiven. Peter’s wording indicates the Holy Spirit’s sanctification has particular effects. The Spirit’s work brings about obedience which results in being sprinkled with Christ’s blood.

The sprinkling of blood is definitely an Old Testament image referred to by the author of Hebrews:

18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him (Hebrews 9:18-28).

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the first-born might not touch them (Hebrews 11:28).

And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24).

If I understand Peter’s words correctly, he is describing our salvation as the work of the Trinity, spelled out sequentially in the order actually achieved in time. The Father chose us in eternity past for salvation. The Holy Spirit drew us to faith in Christ, regenerating us, illuminating our minds so as to make the gospel clear, convicting us of sin, and baptizing us into the body of Christ. The result of the Spirit’s ministry is obedience to the gospel call, trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, and thus being cleansed by His shed blood. The obedience in view here is not so much the obedience which follows salvation as an evidence that we have a living faith, but the obedience of faith (see Romans 1:5) which results in salvation.

When Jesus was asked what men must do, He gave a very simple answer:

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal.” 28 They said therefore to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:27-29).

Simply put, Peter is telling us that salvation is the work of God. It is a work in which we are involved. It is a work in which we participate. But in the final analysis, salvation is God’s work. Whatever role we play, we do so because He has quickened and enabled us. As Paul writes,

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:36).

The Hope of our Salvation
(1:3-4)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

Peter’s words in verse 3 indicate that he is writing more here than simple instruction to give comfort and assurance in times of suffering; he is also indicating the basis for praise toward God. “Blessed be” in the New American Standard Bible is rendered “Praise be” in the New International Version. One cannot help but recall the words of Job when he was told of the catastrophe which had struck him, especially the death of his children:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

Peter first praises God for the cause and the motivation for our salvation. God Himself is the cause of our salvation. He “caused us to be born again” (verse 3). This He did out of “His great mercy.” It is not our worthiness nor our desirability, but His mercy which is the reason for our salvation. Mercy is not an ego-inflating word, for it conveys that the object of mercy is pitiable, while the one showing mercy is praiseworthy.

Secondly, Peter further praises God because of what we have been saved to. God has caused us to be “born again.” We have been born again “to a living hope.” Our hope is a living hope because Christ not only died for our sins but rose from the grave so that we too are assured of rising with Him. Christ’s resurrection is the assurance that we have a future, and that future is our hope. As Christians, this should be our desire and our expectation.

Christ’s death and resurrection accomplished an inheritance for which every saint waits. Christ’s resurrection from the dead assures us God was well-pleased with Christ’s atoning work. Since His resurrection is the basis for, and assurance of, our own resurrection, we know we will enter into God’s eternal blessings. All Old Testament saints died without entering into the promised blessings, but they were assured they would experience them after their death:

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13).

All Old Testament saints, like Abraham, had a resurrection faith which enabled them to hope for blessings after death:

He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him [Isaac] back as a type (Hebrews 11:19, see also verses 20-22).

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have a future inheritance. This inheritance will be ours because Christ died. But it will be ours after we have died (unless, of course, we are alive at the second coming of Christ). Because our hope of future blessings rests in the finished work of our Lord, it is a certain hope. Peter gives a three-fold description of this hope: it is imperishable, it is undefiled, and it will not fade away. William MacDonald says it is death-proof, sin-proof, and time-proof.⁴

Our inheritance will not deteriorate over time. Perishable fruit tucked away in the back of our refrigerator may be forgotten until a pungent odor brings it to our attention. But our inheritance is unlike perishable food. Neither is our inheritance subject to defilement. Someone may try to reserve a piece of cake by defiling it so no one else wants it. But even sin and impurity can never defile our future inheritance.

Thirdly, our inheritance will not “fade away.” Time will not diminish its existence, like things that wear out, nor cause its desirability to diminish. With anything new, time causes its glory to fade. But our inheritance, unlike the glow on Moses’ face in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, never fades.

What an assurance! The blessings which constitute our future hope are absolutely certain for they do not diminish over time. They are also being kept for us. We need not worry about any contingency which might nullify our hope. Our blessings are sure.

The Security of our Salvation
(1:5)

… who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

What could possibly keep us from enjoying the blessings of our future hope? It could not be the loss or devaluation of these blessings, for they are imperishable, undefiled, and they will not fade away. It is possible that our blessings will not fail, but we will. If verses 3 and 4 assure us that the blessings of our salvation are secure, verse 5 assures us that we are secure. Our blessings are reserved for us in heaven, and we are preserved for them on earth.

We are protected by the power of God. God is our refuge and strength. He is our strong tower. His power protects us. Because He is all-powerful, nothing can cause us to lose that which God has provided, promised, and preserved. As Paul has written,

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).

We are protected by the power of God. We are also protected through faith. The power of God is provided for our protection, but God provides and requires faith as the means through which God’s power is appropriated. While Peter was going to fail, as Jesus warned, the Savior had prayed for him that his faith would not fail. Peter could fail and fall, but he could not fall completely. Like us, he was protected by the power of God for a salvation yet to be revealed.

Conclusion

Peter’s introductory words we have considered in this lesson serve as a message from God to us. We may sum up the essence of his introduction with these observations.

(1) We may praise God and rejoice because our salvation is secure. The first words of verse 3 are words of praise: “Blessed be … ” Our praise and rejoicing is directed toward God. The words of this epistle, and of these verses, should be the basis and motivation for our worship and our rejoicing in the Lord.

(2) Our salvation is secure because, from start to finish, it is the work of a sovereign God, a work of mercy and grace, and not of human merit. When Jesus warned Peter of his upcoming denial, he adamantly protested. He assured the Lord that though all others might deny Him, he would not. Peter trusted in himself when he assured the Lord Jesus he would not fail Him. We know the extent of Peter’s failure. But out of his failure, Peter came to understand that it was not his faithfulness, but God’s, that assured him of entering into the blessings of the kingdom of God.

Peter’s words in our text underscore the basis for our security. Our salvation is the work of God, and not the work of men. God’s salvation involves the work of the Trinity. The Father chose us in eternity past. The Spirit set us apart to salvation by causing us to trust in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. And the shed blood of Jesus is God’s means for cleansing us from the guilt of our sins. He is the “author and finisher” of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). God’s salvation is not based upon our merit and good works, but it was motivated by His mercy, directed toward us in our pitiable estate.

(3) Our salvation is from sin and to a future inheritance in heaven that is certain. The salvation of which Peter speaks encompasses both time and eternity. God chose us before the creation of the world (1:2; see Ephesians 1:4). We now experience some of the benefits of our salvation. The full benefits and blessings await us at the second coming of Christ and will last for all eternity. Peter especially focuses our attention on the future dimensions of our salvation which are a “living hope” (1:3), upon which we must completely fix our hearts and minds (1:13).

The hope of our full, future salvation is based upon the work of God (1:2), and it rests upon the finished work of Jesus Christ. Particularly in view is the resurrection of Christ, which not only provides God’s seal of approval on His work, but assures us that we shall rise from the dead, and that the blessings which lie before us are “imperishable, undefiled and will not fade away” (1:4).

Many of the benefits and blessings of our salvation are yet to be experienced in the future. It is important to note that Peter very clearly states we have not obtained all of the benefits and blessings accomplished through the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Many of the blessings of our salvation are still a matter of hope and not a present experience. These blessings are “ready to be revealed at the last time” (verse 5). Some Christians believe all of the blessings are ours to experience now, and our failure to enjoy them is due to our lack of faith in claiming them. This is not what Peter teaches. He tells us they are future, and while they are certain, we must wait until the coming of our Lord to enjoy them.

This future dimension of our salvation is not something we are naturally inclined to believe or welcome. Partly, this is because the present is to have its share of suffering (1:6ff.). Those who did not believe in Jesus challenged Him to “come down now” (Matthew 27:42-43) to prove He was the Messiah. Even to the end of His presence on earth, our Lord’s disciples were eager for His kingdom to come immediately (see Acts 1:6).

(4) Our salvation is secure, for we are kept by the power of God. Not only is our inheritance certain, “reserved in heaven for us” (1:4), but we are being kept securely for it. Our future inheritance will not fail us, and we shall not fail to enter into it and its blessings. We are “protected by the power of God through faith” (1:5). Our eyes can be fixed upon our future hope because our enjoyment of its blessings is absolutely certain.

(5) Salvation is the vantage point from which we must view suffering. One cannot mistake the unity of verses 3-12. The emphasis of verses 3-5 is upon the certainty of our salvation and our security in Christ. The emphasis of verses 6-12 is upon suffering, the suffering we can expect to experience as a result of being saved. It is no accident that Paul speaks first of our salvation, of its certainty and our security, and then of our suffering. Salvation is the vantage point from which our sufferings are to be viewed. To be certain of the future hope of the believer is to be equipped to endure the present sufferings to which we have been called.

How unfortunate that many Christians look at their salvation from their circumstances, rather than looking at their circumstances through their salvation. When some saints suffer, they begin to doubt their salvation and the certainty of their future hope. Other Christians may even encourage such doubts. Some may blame suffering on sin, as Job’s friends counseled him. It was not his sin, but his righteousness which was the occasion for his sin. It was not his downfall, but his growth which God had in view. Neither Job’s friends nor his wife were of any real comfort to him, for they did not point him God-ward, as does Peter. Peter wants us to view our suffering from the standpoint of our security as saints, based upon God’s mercy, grace and power.

(6) Peter teaches us that saints are not “victims” but “victors” in their suffering. The “victim” mindset has become a dominant note in our society. We look to our past, and to the abuse of others, or to the “genes” passed on to us from our parents as the cause of our sin and suffering. Peter turns our eyes toward God and toward the shed blood of His Son, in whom we have not only forgiveness of sins, but victory in Christ. We were not saved merely to cope with life; we were called to be conquerors in Christ. We are overcomers, especially in the trials and tribulations of life. Let us believe and behave accordingly.

The mindset Peter calls for from every saint is demonstrated by his fellow-apostle, Paul. Paul expresses the security of the saint in the midst of suffering, based upon his confidence in the Savior:

For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day (2 Timothy 1:12).

May we be able to say “Amen” to these words because we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our Savior, and also because we view our suffering from the standpoint of the salvation God has provided, and now protects and preserves, in His Son, Jesus Christ.

3 In Romans 11:2, it is almost impossible to understand the term “foreknew” in any other way than “to choose ahead of time.” In effect, to “foreknow” is to “elect” (or select) someone. God has not rejected Israel, Paul argues, because God chose them long before time began. What God starts, God finishes (see Philippians 1:6). He is the “author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

4 William Mac Donald, I Peter: Faith Tested, Future Triumphant, p. 16, as cited by D. Edmond Hiebert, 1 Peter (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992), p. 61.

Related Topics: Suffering, Trials, Persecution

3. What You See Isn’t What You Get (1 Peter 1:6-9)

6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Introduction

Life for the Christian, or the non-Christian, is not a WYSIWYG! Those familiar with computers may understand this term, an acronym for “What you see is what you get.” In the early days of word processing, you could not see on the computer screen exactly what your printed document would look like. Underlining, bold-facing, italics were created by inserting control codes—but only the codes appeared on the screen rather than the actual underlining, bold-facing, or italics. You could not see on the screen what you would get.

Our Lord Jesus Christ told the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, the text I used for a recent memorial service. The rich young man, like the money-loving Pharisees (Luke 16:14), thought life was a WYSIWYG; that is, he assumed life in eternity would be like life on earth. The rich young man expected to continue to live in perpetual comfort and ease just as he had on earth. Like the Pharisees, he wrongly assumed men like his servant Lazarus would spend eternity in eternal misery. Jesus shocked His audience by telling them these two men actually changed places after death. In eternity, the servant Lazarus enjoyed the bliss of heaven, while the rich man suffered the torments of hell.

Peter introduces the problem of suffering in his epistle for the first time in the sixth verse of the first chapter. Suffering proves to be the theme of his epistle. Peter informs us that suffering is indeed a part of the normal Christian experience. He also encourages us by telling us the trials and tribulations of this life will be left behind for all eternity. The suffering we endure on earth does not indicate our future estate in the kingdom of God. Because of this, we must live by faith and believe that what we now see is not what we will get in eternity.

Peter gives good reasons to rejoice in adversity in our text. Verse 6 explains the nature and necessity of suffering, while verse 7 focuses on the intended result of suffering—a proven faith which brings glory to God. Verse 8 further describes faith, with Christ as its object and the fruits of love and joy. The final and glorious outcome of our faith is found in verse 9—the salvation of our souls.

May the careful study of this text of Scripture, which introduces the theme of suffering, be used of the Spirit of God to eternally change our perspective on this often misunderstood subject of suffering.

Peter’s Premise: Saints will Suffer

In beginning our study of 1 Peter 1:6-9, note the underlying assumption Peter passes along to his reader: the saints will suffer in this life. The Scriptures are forthright, and Peter has no hesitation in saying Christians should expect to suffer. Verse 6 speaks of suffering in very general terms. James also tells us that adversity comes our way in many different forms when he writes:

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).

Others also share Peter and James’ view of suffering. Jesus clearly indicated suffering would come our way as did Paul and other New Testament writers:

“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me” (John 15:20-21).

And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22).

But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me! And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:10-12).

The writer to the Hebrews likewise speaks of the suffering of the saints:

But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly, by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward (Hebrews 10:32-35).

Like other New Testament writers, Peter wants us to understand that suffering is a normal part of the Christian life. He tells us not to be surprised “at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). The Scriptures clearly attest to suffering as an unpleasant experience. The NIV uses the term “suffering grief;” the New English Bible employs the word “smart.” The NASB says we are “distressed” by various trials, while the KJV speaks of “heaviness.” The term generally carries the sense of “grief” or “sorrow.” The Christian should not expect life to be a warm fuzzy. Since we live in a fallen world (Romans 8:18-25) among men who hate the Son of God in whom we have put our trust (John 15:20-21), we should expect suffering.

Even though we suffer, we are to rejoice that our salvation is secure, the work of a sovereign God (1 Peter 1-6a). We are even to rejoice “with inexpressible joy and full of glory” in the midst of our sorrow (1:8). How can this be? Peter answers in verses 6-9.

Reasons to Rejoice in Suffering
(1:6)

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.

Peter puts forward two good reasons to rejoice in the midst of our suffering and sorrow in verse 6.

(1) Suffering is necessary

The NIV’s overly-paraphrased rendering of this verse obscures the point Peter is making: “Though now for a little while you may have suffered grief in all kinds of trials.” The NIV’s rendering does damage to the text in two ways. It first implies that suffering is only a possibility rather than a certainty. It secondly glosses over Peter’s point that suffering is necessary.

It is essential that we grasp the necessity of suffering. Suppose, while driving to a friend’s house for Bible study, you are involved in a very serious accident which leaves you permanently injured. While in the hospital, you learn that you had not gotten word the Bible study had been canceled. How easy to immediately respond, “My suffering was completely unnecessary! It could have been avoided.” Circumstantially, it would seem your suffering should never have occurred. But in the sovereign will of God, it was purposed and, therefore, a necessity—a divine necessity. God’s plan includes no accidents or mistakes. Even the sins others commit against us are a part of God’s plan for our lives (see Genesis 50:20).

God is sovereign both in our salvation (1:1-5) and in our suffering. No suffering occurs without purpose. God is aware of every tear we shed in sorrow (Psalm 56:8), and every affliction ultimately comes from Him (see Job 1 and 2; Psalm 119:75). Peter tells us suffering only comes to us when the sovereign God of the universe deems it necessary—a sovereign and merciful God who causes “all things to work together for our good” (Romans 8:28). Though difficult, we may rest assured there is no senseless suffering for any saint.

(2) Suffering exists for only a little while, but glory lasts forever

Our earthly suffering is temporary, while heavenly glory is eternal, as seen in the phrase “now for a little while.” For the elect, suffering occurs only in this life. Glory lasts forever, and there will be no sorrow or suffering then. Listen to the glorious future that awaits us:

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:2-4).

The unsaved find a very sad and different story. While they appear to prosper in this life (even though they suffer here too), they will suffer for all eternity away from the presence of God (see Luke 16:19-31; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:27).

The apostle Paul emphatically contrasts the present trials of life with the future glory which we await:

16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Paul tells us our suffering is momentary, but glory is eternal. Suffering is “light,” but glory is “weighty.” We do not trade suffering for glory. Our suffering in no way compares with the glory we will receive. Our future glory is better, compared to the suffering which Christ endured on our behalf.

The Ultimate Objective of Suffering
(1:7)

That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

No one naturally wishes to hear what the Scriptures repeatedly say: The ultimate purpose of man is not to be happy, to be fulfilled, or even to be saved. Man’s ultimate purpose is to glorify God (see 1 Peter 4:11). Listen to these words of Paul:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love, 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6; see also verses 7-14).

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH” (Romans 9:17).

All suffering is ultimately for the glory of God, but in the context of 1 Peter we must say that the innocent suffering of the saints is to the glory of God. This is a truth many Christians find hard to accept. It is a truth Satan and unbelievers are unable to believe or accept at all. In the early chapters of the Book of Job, we learn that Satan could not imagine a man like Job could continue to trust in God if God caused him to suffer rather than to prosper. Satan found it easy to believe Job would worship God for blessing him. But he found it impossible to believe that Job could bless God if he suffered (Job 1:9-11; 2:5).

We should learn from Scripture that God is glorified by faith, by the faith of those who trust in Him because of who He is, not because of His blessings. That is the message of verse 7: the faith of the saints will “result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

According to Peter, suffering is closely related to faith. It is a test which exposes false faith and reveals the genuineness of true faith. Our Lord spoke of this in the parable of the soils:

“And other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil … And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away” (Mark 4:5, 16-17).

Many were the Lord’s followers when they thought it meant “happy days are here again.” But when they heard the hard sayings of Jesus, they fell away never to follow Him again (John 6:60-66). Did they want success? By all means! Suffering? Never!

In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites who are about to enter the promised land how God tested them by adversity:

“And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Testing proves the preciousness of our faith. When a semiconductor company produces microprocessors such as the Intel 486, they are manufactured in batches. All go through the same testing process, but some chips come through better than others. The level of each test’s difficulty determines its speed and cost. The testing process sets the best chips apart from the rest.

The trials and tribulations of life prove not only the genuineness of our faith, but they strengthen and purify our faith as well (see also James 1:2-4; Hebrews 12:1-13). God wants our faith to grow, and suffering is one of the best stimulants to that growth.

Peter likens the purification process by which God purifies and strengthens our faith to the process by which gold is purified and made precious. He first compares the gold purification process to the purification of our faith which suffering produces. He then contrasts the preciousness of our faith with the lesser value of highly refined gold. Gold is the asphalt, the pavement of heaven; purified faith is the basis for our praise in heaven.

Gold is purified by fire. The hotter the fire, the more impurities are burned off, and the more precious the gold becomes. So it is with our faith. The “fiery trials” (see 1 Peter 4:12) through which God puts His saints purifies our faith, so that when we stand in His presence in His kingdom, our faith will be found to be genuine and precious, resulting in praise, glory, and honor to Him.⁵

Thus we see that suffering serves a very beneficial function in the life of the Christian. It tests our faith and proves it to be genuine. Beyond this, it purifies and strengthens our faith, making it more precious than fine gold. And in the final analysis, our proven faith glorifies God.

Exploring Faith
(1:8)

And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

It is easy to see why suffering righteously requires faith on the part of the saint. Our hope is to be completely fixed on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13). We look forward to the glory to be revealed at the coming of our Lord. And yet our present experience is one of suffering, an apparent contradiction to our future hope. Faith is required because our hope must be based upon Scripture and not upon sight. Our hope is based upon the promises of God, while at the moment we experience the painful reality of suffering.

Faith deals in the unseen, even as the writer to the Hebrews tells us:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

I cannot help but think this theme of the “unseen” is fresh in Peter’s mind because he heard our Lord speak these words to His disciples before He ascended to the Father:

Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:28-29).

In verse 8, Peter does not attempt to minimize dealing with the unseen. But his emphasis is on who is unseen and how our faith enables us to relate to Him. The object of our faith is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the preeminent One in this verse.⁶

Peter has been speaking of the proving and purifying of our faith. In verse 8 he gives us three specific ways a genuine and precious faith will be evident:

(1) In our love for Christ (“Though you⁷ have not seen Him, you love Him”)

(2) In our trust in Him (“Though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him”)

(3) In our rejoicing, because of Him (“You greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory”)

By faith, we trust in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. We recognize His work as the expression of God’s love to us, and in response to His love, we love Him in return (Romans 5:3-8; 1 John 4:16-19). We not only live by faith, we love by faith. Love is rooted in and closely related to faith:

17 So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Faith is necessary in order to believe in Him. We must believe both that He is, and that He is good—the rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is the basis for belief.

Faith is also necessary in order for us to rejoice. Peter not only expects us to rejoice in our salvation (1:6) but to rejoice in the midst of our sufferings (1:8). And he does not mean a second-class rejoicing. He means rejoicing with “inexpressible joy,” a rejoicing which is “full of glory.” Only a masochist would rejoice in suffering for suffering’s sake. We are to rejoice because suffering proves and purifies our faith, thereby bringing glory to God. We are also to rejoice because suffering is a part of a divine process which results in the salvation of our souls, as Peter will show in verse 9.

The Outcome of Our Faith—The Salvation of our Souls
(1:9)

Obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

In the early verses of this first chapter, we were told by Peter that salvation is the basis for our confidence and rejoicing. Now Peter will tell us that salvation is also the outcome of our faith and our suffering.

Because salvation is a process, Peter can speak of salvation in terms of a past event, accomplished by God in Christ, a present experience for the believer and a future hope. The birth of a child is a process. A child is conceived in the womb and over a period of months continues to develop. The mother (not to mention others) becomes more and more aware of the child and its approaching birth. The hours before the infant’s birth are the most painful. They are endured not only because they cannot be avoided, but also because of the joy they bring at the birth of the child.

Suffering is an inescapable part of the process by which God has ordained our salvation. Suffering strengthens and purifies our faith, and the outcome of our faith is our full and final salvation at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Suffering does not save us; faith does, but suffering proves and strengthens our faith. We now have Peter’s answer of how we can rejoice in the midst of suffering.

Conclusion

Peter wants us to think of suffering in a completely different way than before we trusted in Christ. Now we should view suffering as a cause for rejoicing. To begrudgingly concede that suffering is inevitable and unavoidable for the Christian is not enough. Nor is a stoic acceptance enough when suffering comes our way. We are to rejoice in suffering, knowing it is a normal part of the Christian’s experience which produces good for us and brings glory to God. It is a part of the process which leads to the glory of God and to our full and final salvation at the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We dare not view suffering as our culture sees it. Do “bad things really happen to good people,” as most people believe? At the top of the list of “bad things” would be suffering, especially innocent suffering. The Scriptures challenge the belief that “bad things happen to good people” on several levels. Consider just two.

First, we wrongly assume that anyone is really “good.” The Old Testament Law was not given as a standard that we could keep and therefore be called good. The Law was given to demonstrate our sin:

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” 13 THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING, THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS; 14 WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS; 15 THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, 16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, 17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN. 18 THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:9-20).

Only Jesus can claim to be good, without hesitation or reservation. We are not “good.” We are sinners, deserving of divine wrath and in need of divine mercy. That mercy has been provided in the person of Jesus Christ, who bore the penalty of our sins and who offers us His righteousness in the place of that wrath. To be saved, we must acknowledge that we are not “good” and that Jesus Christ is. We must trust in His death, His burial, and His resurrection on our behalf, knowing that in Him we are not only forgiven but declared righteous before God on the basis of what Jesus Christ has done.

Secondly, suffering is not a “bad” thing when God uses it in our lives to bring us to faith, to prove the genuineness of our faith, and to purify our faith so that it becomes precious to the glory of God.

I want to challenge and exhort you to apply this passage in 1 Peter by meditating upon the psalm of Asaph in Psalm 73. In this psalm, through a painful process Asaph comes to view suffering as Peter does. Asaph could not understand why the wicked seemed to prosper while the righteous suffered. The wicked were arrogant and boastful about their sin and even seemed to dare God to act.

Asaph confesses he was tempted to throw in the towel before he realized this would be detrimental both to him and to the congregation who knew him. Not until he began to look at life from God’s perspective did his thinking became conformed to the truths Peter has taught in his first epistle. From a temporal point of view, the wicked did sin and were prospering. But from an eternal perspective, they would soon experience divine judgment, forever.

Asaph gradually realized that the prosperity of the wicked had turned their hearts from God, but his suffering had turned him to God, even though he initially protested. Not only did Asaph have all eternity to enjoy God’s presence, he also had the presence of God with him in his trials and troubles. When Asaph realized the “nearness of God was his good,” suffering became a blessing and prosperity a curse. Suffering draws us to God, and that is our good.

This is Peter’s message to us. He inspired words challenge us to rethink our value system so that we see suffering as a blessing and prosperity and ease as a curse. With this perspective, we can rejoice with “joy inexpressible and full of glory.” And only with this perspective can we understand what Peter has yet to say to us on the glory of godly suffering.

5 Some of the results of our testing may not be evident until glory. Note the “may be found” in verse 7. The preciousness of our faith which is demonstrated through suffering and trials, is referred to as being found at the revelation of Jesus Christ. This suggests that the immediate proof may not be evident. Is this not parallel with the teaching of 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and 5:10; see also 1 Corinthians 4:1-5?

6 The pronoun “he” has Jesus Christ as its antecedent in the last words of verse 7.

7 Peter says “you” here, rather than “we” because he has seen Him, both before and after His resurrection.

Related Topics: Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Comfort

4. When the Prophets Were at a Loss (1 Peter 1:10-12)

Introduction

When I completed my first year of seminary, our family returned to Washington State for the summer where I worked as a school teacher in a state prison. The prison facilities, known as the “Sheraton Hilton,” were the finest in which I have ever taught. Even the food was good—at least it was better than the cafeteria food I had in college. My wife used to warn me not to tell her what I had for lunch because it would probably be something more expensive than we would eat for dinner.

One particular day, we had just come back to class after a steak lunch. I will never forget one of the inmates complaining about the way his steak was cooked. My wife and I hardly ever ate steak, and here was an inmate complaining about the way his steak had been prepared, as though he were eating in a gourmet restaurant and paying for his high-priced meal. When things are bad, some people do not know just how good they do have it.

When Christians encounter suffering, they often lose their perspective and begin to complain about things which are really not as bad as they appear. Tears in our eyes distort our perspective. Asaph, in Psalm 73, starts looking on his world with myopia. He supposes all the wicked prosper and suffer no pain, while the righteous always suffer unbearably. It simply is not that simple.

The writer to the Hebrews addresses a group of professing Christians who are beginning to suffer persecution for their faith:

32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly, by being made a spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one (Hebrews 10:32-34).

And yet, despite all these saints endured, they had not suffered as badly as many who had gone before them. Contrast the sufferings of some in the Hebrews 11 “Hall of Faith” with the statement concerning his readers in chapter 12:

35b … others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (Hebrews 11:35b-37).

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin (Hebrews 12:4).

Those to whom Peter writes are undergoing suffering for their faith. Peter does not offer them pity or sympathy. How can one be pitied in circumstances in which they should rejoice? But often we do pity ourselves when we suffer. We become absorbed in the “pain” of our lives and lose perspective that God is using our suffering for His glory and our good.

Peter puts suffering into its proper perspective in verses 1-12. He has already caused us to look God-ward to see that our salvation, and our suffering, come from the hand of a sovereign God who chose us in eternity past, who has drawn us to Himself through His Spirit, and who has cleansed us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (1:1-3a). Through Him, we have been born again to a living hope. Now, Peter turns our attention to the future, the hope we have in Christ of a salvation which is absolutely sure (1:3b-5).

As we live our lives in this sinful, fallen world among those who hate God, we do suffer for the time being, but our suffering has been sent our way by God to produce a very positive effect. On the one hand, it demonstrates the reality of a genuine faith, and on the other it strengthens our faith—all to the glory of God. In this we are to rejoice as we await the outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls (1:6-9).

When we think of success or suffering, we often think in terms of comparison. Asaph compared his suffering to the success of the wicked in Psalm 73. Peter and the other disciples compared their faithfulness and their greatness with one another (Matthew 26:33; Luke 9:46; 22:24). When Jesus spoke to Peter about the suffering he would experience, Peter immediately wanted to compare it to John’s suffering (John 21:18-23).

In verses 10-12, Peter helps his fellow-believers keep their suffering in perspective by making two comparisons. He first compares the Old Testament prophets to New Testament saints. Secondly, Peter compares New Testament saints to angels. What he concludes from this comparison might surprise you.

How often we look back to the Old Testament saints to whom God spoke directly and wish we could have lived in their times. “Ah, for the good old days,” we reason. “If only I could have lived then and walked in such intimacy with God. If only I could have had God tell me personally what to do and what He was going to do.” Peter takes the nostalgia out of this kind of thinking and brings us to a very different view of our present circumstances.

Our study will therefore focus on the two comparisons of: (1) the New Testament suffering saint and the Old Testament prophets (verses 10-12a); and (2) the New Testament suffering saint and the angels (verse 12b).

Profiting From the Prophets
(1:10-12a)

The Contribution of the Prophets

The Old Testament prophets contributed far more to us than they realized at the time of their prophecies. As Peter calls our attention to these prophets, he points out the ways in which their ministry touched our lives. Consider the following:

(1) The Old Testament prophets suffered greatly due to their calling, and as such, they provide us with an example of perseverance in persecution.

Like our Lord in the text above, when Peter calls our attention to the prophets he seems to be reminding us that we must also suffer like the prophets for the sake of Christ and His kingdom. The blessings we have received through these prophets, which Peter summarizes in our text, came at great cost to them.

(2) God spoke to us through the prophets because they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. It was the “Spirit of Christ” who moved these men to speak. I understand Peter to mean the Holy Spirit, whose task it was to speak of Christ’s coming just as He would later bear witness to His presence among the saints after His death, burial, and resurrection (see John 16:7-15).⁸ It was He who would guide the apostles as they went forth with the good news of the Gospel (see Acts 16:7). Likewise, the Holy Spirit would empower the preaching of the Gospel so that men might be saved (John 16:7-15; 1 Peter 1:12).

(3) The prophets of old were speaking (prophesying) of a future day. The prophets spoke to the men and women of their own time, but they also spoke of things yet to come to pass. They spoke to men of God’s program for the future, so they might live in the light of the promises of divine blessing and divine judgment.

(4) The Old Testament prophets spoke of the salvation to be accomplished in the future, a salvation by grace. The Old Testament prophets, unlike the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, did not believe men could be saved by law-keeping. They spoke of God’s salvation by grace and not by works. Here, Peter sums up all of God’s future blessings in one word: grace (1:10).

(5) Specifically, the prophets of old spoke of the coming of Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ, the Messiah, so that the things they foretold are those which are now proclaimed by those who herald the good news of the Gospel.

(6) The prophets spoke of salvation in terms of sufferings, followed by glories. The use of the plural in reference to both suffering and glory is noteworthy, for just as the sufferings of our Lord were many (see Hebrews 5:7-10), so the glories will be many which flow from His death, resurrection, and ascension.

(7) The salvation of which the Old Testament prophets spoke was a salvation for the Gentiles, as well as the Jews. For a long time, Peter, like his Jewish brethren, resisted this reality. So firmly is this truth now embedded in Peter’s heart and mind that he speaks of the Old Testament prophets as having ministered so as to serve the Gentiles.

Paul heartily concurs as we read his exhortation in Romans:

7 Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the father, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO THEE AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO THY NAME.” 10 And again he says, “REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.” 11 And again, “PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.” 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:7-13).

How great a debt of gratitude we should have toward these Old Testament prophets who spoke of our salvation and who ministered to us, suffering greatly as they did.

The Confusion of the Prophets

The Old Testament prophets contributed greatly to the cause of Christianity, and the cost to them was great. But the prophets did not fully grasp the meaning of their ministry at the time. It is a very different thing for us to look back on their ministry from the vantage point of the gospel than for them to look forward, without knowing all that their words meant.

It may be difficult to grasp that Peter is contrasting our understanding of the gospel with the “ignorance” of the Old Testament prophets. Consider with me the reasons for this “ignorance” of which Peter speaks.

(1) First, we must realize that being a prophet means you have a message, not that you understand its meaning. Peter’s words indicate the prophets had the message of salvation, by grace, through Jesus Christ, for Jews and Gentiles. But he also indicates they did not fully comprehend all of this. They conveyed the message of God’s coming salvation, but the meaning of their message was not known until Christ actually came.

Consider, for instance, Agabas in the New Testament, who informed Paul that the Jews would arrest him when he reached Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-14). This revelation produced an immediate reaction, and unanimously, Paul was urged not to go to Jerusalem. Gently rebuking them, Paul conveyed his firm resolve to go to Jerusalem even though death might await him there. The group reluctantly gave in, saying, “The will of the Lord be done!”

Interestingly in this prophecy, it seems clear Agabas did not urge Paul to go to Jerusalem; he either says nothing at all, or he joins with the rest in begging Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. Agabas had a message from God, a message which others had confirmed (Acts 20:22-23). Agabas does not seem to have been told the meaning—that Paul was being prepared for his suffering and arrest, rather than being prevented from experiencing it. Prophets do not know everything, and neither do they necessarily even understand what they have said.

(2) Many prophecies were not even recognized as prophecies. Few of the prophecies fulfilled in the first coming of our Lord were recognized as such at the time they were given or even later on. When we come to the Gospels, we frequently find an expression like this: “that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled … ” (Matthew 1:23). The prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ in Isaiah 7:14 was not regarded as a prophecy until after its fulfillment. So it was also with the prophecies that Jesus would come up from Egypt (Matthew 2:15, citing Hosea 11:1) and that He would be called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23). Jesus having come from Nazareth was viewed as a problem rather than as a prophecy (John 1:44-46).

Until after the fact, Psalm 22 was not recognized as a prediction of the circumstances of our Lord’s crucifixion nor was Psalm 16 understood to foretell His resurrection. Unless Paul had told us, who would have imagined that our Lord was the Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7) or that He was the “rock” which followed Israel in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:4)? At least one prophecy which Israel understood as Messianic was Micah 5:2 (see Matthew 2:4-6).

(3) Old Testament prophecies were often perplexing, because of unclear distinctions, or apparent contradictions, which would not be harmonized until Christ’s coming. This confusion is evident in the answer given to our Lord’s question:

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; some Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:13-14).

The people were unclear about which prophecies were truly Messianic and which were not. They were not clear even about just who the Messiah would be.

Jesus capitalized on this ignorance by asking this question of His opponents:

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT THINE ENEMIES BENEATH THEY FEET?”’ If David then calls Him ‘Lord’, how is He his son?” (Matthew 22:41-44).

They had been asking Him questions seeking to embarrass and discredit Him publicly. Let them answer His question. How could the Messiah be David’s Lord and David’s Son at the same time? Here was another mystery, solved only in the coming of our Lord as God incarnate.

When the Old Testament prophets spoke of “suffering” and “glory,” it was often in a somewhat different context than the “sufferings” and “glories” of Messiah. They spoke of Israel’s suffering and of her glory. The term “servant” in Isaiah was puzzling, because it often referred to different individuals. It was used of Isaiah (20:3), of Eliakim (22:20), of David (37:35), and often of Israel (see 41:8-9; 44:1; 45:4; 49:13). But it was also used of Messiah (see 42:1; 49:5-6; 52;13; 53:11). Is it any wonder there was confusion about the identity of the “Suffering Servant”?

(4) The prophets were given only one small piece of a much larger puzzle. The prophets had trouble understanding the meaning of their “piece” of the puzzle, let alone being able to see the entire picture of God’s prophetic plan and purpose.

When Jesus explained His sufferings and glories to His followers, He did not do so from a single Old Testament text but from all the texts together. Only then do the pieces fit together to produce a picture:

25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27, emphasis mine).

44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:44-47, emphasis mine).

Peter said the same thing as he declared that Jesus was the Messiah to those in Jerusalem:

18 “But the things which God announced before hand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time” (Acts 3:18-21).

When Paul explains the marvelous plan of God to save both Jews and Gentiles in Romans 9-11, he cites nearly two dozen Old Testament texts from at least nine Old Testament books. One cannot expound the Old Testament’s teaching concerning Messiah without including all the pieces of prophecy found there. No one passage, and certainly no one prophet, had the picture which was later seen in the light of our Lord’s first coming and in light of all those prophecies fulfilled by Him.

The Prophets’ Private Revelation

While the Old Testament prophets made a monumental contribution to the cause of the gospel, they were confused. They were confused because they could not understand how the events they predicted would take place. Our text tells us they carefully searched and studied their own prophecies, “seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” (1:11).

There are differences of opinion concerning how the words of verse 11 should be translated. The NASB translates the words of the original text to inform us that the prophets not only struggled to learn the circumstances surrounding the time of the fulfillment of their prophecies, but they also were perplexed as to who would fulfill them. They sought to know both the “person” and the “time” of which they were speaking.

Until now, I have failed to understand the degree to which Peter indicates the prophets were ignorant and confused. I thought the prophets understood they were writing of Messiah, of His sufferings, and of His glories. To me, the mystery was how these two seemingly incompatible elements (suffering and glory) could harmonize in one person. I see now that Peter is telling us that they were speaking both of Christ’s sufferings and of His glories, but that they did not know these were both applied to the same person or the same sequence of events. The prophets did not puzzle over the intertwining of suffering and glory; they were totally befuddled by the details of their prophecies. They just couldn’t put it together.

The words of the disciples to our Lord must be a reflection of the desire of the prophets of old:

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).

The answer to the prophet’s question was not as they would have preferred. They were not told how their prophecies would culminate in the coming of Messiah. They were, however, given revelation in response to their inquiry. This response differed from prophet to prophet. Some, like Daniel in the Old Testament and John in the New, were given quite specific information about the future and then told to “seal it up,” and not to make it public:

10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words (Daniel 10:10-12).

1 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase (Daniel 12:1-4).

8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” 9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. 10 Many will be purged, purified, and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and some of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. 11 And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 But as for you, go you way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age” (Daniel 12:8-13).

1 And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; 2 and he had in his hand a little book which was open. And he placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; 3 and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. 4 And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, and do not write them” (Revelation 10:1-4).

All of the prophets were informed concerning one thing: at least a portion of their prophecies were not given for their own benefit or edification or even for those who lived in their times. The details of the prophecies pertaining to the distant future were not revealed to them. Their ministry in these matters was not for themselves but for those who would live centuries after them. Thus, they were informed of the link which God had purposed between them and the New Testament saints. This we also see in the Book of Hebrews:

39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:39-40).

They would have to wait to learn the answers to all their questions. But let these prophets know this: they were a link in the chain of God’s eternal purpose to save a people for Himself, a people that would include both Jews and Gentiles. Theirs was the privilege of playing a part in this plan. They, like every saint throughout history, would have to live by faith, suffering now while assured of the glory of God, their future hope.

The Saints’ Advantage Over Angels
(1:12b)

… things into which angels long to look.

The prophets of old shared one thing in common—suffering. If “suffering” is associated with being a prophet, I suggest to you that “glory” is associated with being an angel:

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened (Luke 2:9).

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory (Revelation 18:1).

Amazingly, with all the glory we find associated with angels, Peter tells us their eyes are fixed on the earth. There is a greater glory yet to be fulfilled, and the angels cannot wait to witness it. They, like the prophets of old, do not seem to understand in advance just how these things will come to pass. Peter informs us of their intense interest in the things presently taking place on earth in light of what is yet to come.⁹

If the writer to the Hebrews points to the Old Testament saints in general as the great “cloud of witnesses” (12:1), Peter’s “crowd” is that of the Old Testament prophets and the angels who currently look on with great interest.

Conclusion

Do we feel overwhelmed by our suffering? Our troubles are no match for the Old Testament prophets. Do we wish we could live in the “good old days” when God spoke directly to men? No one has ever had it as good as we do now. Why? Because Christ has come, and the mysteries concerning His first coming are now openly proclaimed in the preaching of the gospel. What the prophets, who were “insiders”¹⁰ in days gone by, yearned to know, we now know.

And consider the angels, who always seemed to be about either proclaiming God’s plans and purposes or at least witnessing His hand in history. These very angels would seemingly be happy to change places with us. Their eyes are fixed upon the earth, eager to see the unfolding of the glory of God as He fulfills His promise of an eternal kingdom.

The first 12 verses of 1 Peter 1 are all about our perspective. Suffering can certainly warp our perspective. It distorted the thinking of Asaph, as seen in the early verses of Psalm 73. It seems to have adversely affected Elijah, who wanted to bring on the kingdom of God rather than prophesy that it was still yet to come (see 1 Kings 17-19). It even appears to have temporarily shaken John the Baptist, who writes from the vantage point of a prison cell and the possibility of martyrdom (see Luke 7:18-23).

Peter’s teaching in verses 1-12 sets the stage for what follows. Before he calls upon us to practice our faith, Peter first fixes our eyes on the perspective our faith gives us, allowing us to view present suffering from the vantage point of a sure salvation while culminates in the coming of our Lord. We have been chosen by God the Father, set apart to salvation through the Spirit, and cleansed from our sins through the shed blood of the Son (1:1-2). We have been born again unto a living hope, based upon the resurrection of our Lord and bringing forth the glory of His kingdom yet to come. That kingdom is our inheritance, kept for us, just as we are kept for it (1:3-5). Our suffering is divinely purposed to demonstrate and strengthen our faith to our own good and to the glory of God, and thus we rejoice with unspeakable joy, filled with glory, a mere foreshadowing of the glory yet to come (1:6-9).

Before us have gone the prophets, who ministered to us by speaking of the things we now enjoy in Christ. We now understand those things which were a mystery to them. While we may suffer, few will ever experience the persecution that was theirs. And yet they were faithful to their calling, fulfilling their mission and ministry to us. The angels too are a part of the divine plan, and they also eagerly look on to see how God’s plans and promises will be fulfilled. No one has ever been more privileged than we. With this firm foundation, we can go about our lives unshaken by persecution and tribulation, with our hope fixed on the grace that is yet to come.

In addition to this primary message, several other lessons can be learned from our text by implication.

First, this text should indicate the deep and fundamental unity which exists between the Old and New Testaments, and also between the Old Testament and New Testament saints. The prophets spoke of our salvation; they ministered to us. Let us beware of compartmentalizing our salvation so that it stands apart from that salvation promised in the Old Testament, which was received then just as it is today, by faith.

Second, let this text instruct us about the limitations we must accept concerning prophecies yet unfulfilled. Just as the Old Testament prophets pondered their prophecies, so New Testament saints agonize over the details of the fulfillment of yet future events. Let us beware of trying to learn more than God has given us to know. Let us not “fill in the blanks” which God intends to remain blank until those events occur. Let us realize some prophecies are more for those who will live after us than they are for us. We must deal with these mysteries by trusting God, knowing that the future is in His hands, that glory does await us, and that suffering may be our present lot.

Third, in light of the fulfillment of many prophecies, let us be reminded of the privileges and responsibilities which come with receiving divine revelation. As Jesus told those who heard Him,

“For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:17)

Those to whom He spoke were those who had rejected His teaching, and who were, from that point on, to hear parables rather than clear proclamation. To receive divine revelation and reject it is most serious, as we see in the writer to the Hebrews’ solemn warning:

1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will (Hebrews 2:1-4).

Let us take heed to the word which we have received as saints, not only unto salvation, but also unto obedience to His glory and to our good.

8 “Normally the prophets are simply said to have the Spirit of God or a Holy Spirit (1 Sam. 10:6; Ezra 2:2; Hos. 9:7; Joel 2:28; 2 Pet. 2:21), but Peter here, like Paul in Rom. 8:9 (the only other place in the NT where the phrase ‘Spirit of Christ’ is used), wishes to underline that the Spirit is not only from Christ but witnesses to Christ, whom he represents . . . .” J. Ramsey Michaels, 1 Peter (Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1988), p. 62).

9 “Peter seems to imply that angels stand outside the redemptive realm and cannot understand it in terms of their own experience (cf. Heb. 2:16). First Corinthians 4:9; Ephesians 3;10; and 1 Timothy 3:16 likewise picture the supernatural world eagerly observing God’s program of human redemption. The concept seems grounded in Jesus’ words in Luke 15:7, 10 where angels are said to rejoice over one repentant sinner.” D. Edmond Hiebert, First Peter (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), p. 71.

10 “The effect of Peter’s substance and style is to encourage his readers and strengthen their sense of identity. They are the ‘insiders’ while the great prophets of the Jewish past and even the angels in heaven are in some sense ‘outsiders’--friendly ‘outsiders’ who help bring the plan of God to realization, but ‘outsiders’ nonetheless.” J. Ramsey Michaels, I Peter (Waco: Word Books, 1988), p. 50.

5. Fixing Our Hope (1 Peter 1:13)

13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Introduction

Perhaps you have seen “The Dead Poet’s Society,” a movie my wife and I saw some time ago. As I recall, a translated Latin phrase, “Seize the moment!” became the philosophy of a group of college students. “Seize the moment!” aptly characterizes the spirit of our age; it also betrays the absence of the most vital element of hope. Sadly, our “now generation” has become the “hopeless generation.”

If ever there was an age without hope, it is our own—nuclear war, environmental pollution, racism, drugs, crime, corruption, AIDS. No wonder children live as though there were no tomorrow, and some even choose suicide to avoid facing today. If Hebrews is the book of faith, and 1 Corinthians or 1 John the books of love, 1 Peter is the book of hope. While suffering is the dominant theme of this epistle, hope is the prominent emphasis. Hope gives the Christian encouragement in the midst of the trials and tribulations of this life because it focuses our affection on the blessings which await us for all eternity.

Like faith, hope is a response to the goodness and grace of God. But we shall see in our text that hope is also a responsibility we have toward God’s grace. For the first time in his epistle, Peter issues a command which we must carefully consider, so that, by God’s grace and for His glory, we might be obedient to it.

The Context

Verse 13 begins with a very significant “therefore.” In the New Testament, “therefore” often introduces Christian obligations and responsibilities just as it often follows a doctrinal foundation the author has laid beforehand. The “therefore” of our text does exactly this.

Verses 1 and 2 of this chapter are introductory, identifying the author and the recipients of the epistle. Peter’s argument begins at verse 3. Verses 3-12 form the first major segment of Peter’s argument. This section lays the foundation for the instructions which follow in verses 13 and following.

Verses 3-12 are about the future or the Christian’s hope. Notice the emphasis Peter places on the future dimension of our salvation expressed by Peter as praise (“blessed be” verse 2). This is the basis for our hope and good reason for rejoicing:

(1) God’s great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope (verse 3).

(2) We have been born again to obtain an inheritance … reserved in heaven for us (verse 4).

(3) We are being protected … for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (verse 5).

(4) We presently suffer trials and testings so that our faith may be tested and proven, to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (verse 7).

(5) We are obtaining as the outcome of our faith the salvation of our souls (verse 9).

Verses 10-12 point not to the future but to the past—to the ministry of the Old Testament prophets. But even here the future aspects of our salvation are the focus. Peter argues that the Old Testament prophets ministered in the past, but they foretold a future salvation, the salvation presently being proclaimed among men. Like us, they learned they must live their lives (which included much suffering) in light of the final outcome of their faith—the salvation God would bring about in Christ. This salvation is so wonderful that even the angels are fascinated as they observe with keen interest and even awe, waiting to see this salvation come to pass.

Verse 13 serves as the transition verse. Building upon the splendor and the security of the salvation yet to be revealed, Peter will call upon us to think and to conduct ourselves in a way that befits our calling. First Peter 1:14—2:10 spells out the impact our future hope should have on our conduct, specifically, our relationships:

(1) Our relationship to our culture: Holiness—1:14-16

(2) Our relationship to our heavenly Father: Fear—1:17-21

(3) Our relationship to the Word and to one another: Love—1:22–2:3

(4) Our relationship to Jesus Christ, the Rock—2:4-10

In verse 11 of chapter 2, Peter begins the next section of his argument. He describes in much greater detail our relationship to our culture and our responsibility to submit to human authorities (2:11-3:7).

The Relationship
Between Doctrine and Conduct

Before moving on to the three imperatives of verse 13, let us pause to reflect on the significance of the “therefore” which introduces our text. This term reminds us that in the New Testament, imperatives always follow instruction.

“The imperatives of Christian living always begin with ‘therefore.’ Peter does not begin to exhort Christian pilgrims until he has celebrated the wonders of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ.”¹¹

In the New Testament, doctrine and practice are inseparably intertwined. The following statements sum up the essence of this relationship:

Doctrine defines:

(1) the standard for our conduct

(2) the means of our conduct

(3) the outcome of our conduct

(4) the basis for our conduct

(5) and the motivation for our conduct.

How encouraging is this “therefore” in 1 Peter 1:13 in light of our Lord’s words to His disciples:

“No longer do I call you slaves; for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

The fact that Christian conduct is called for only after Christian doctrine has been taught reminds us we are “friends” of our Lord and not just slaves. Christian doctrine tells us what God is doing and explains why we should follow the divine imperatives for our conduct.

Three Commands

In virtually any translation of verse 13, the verse can be broken down into three commands:

(1) Gird up the loins of your mind.

(2) Keep sober.

(3) Fix your hope.

One would normally suppose these three commands are of equal importance with none subordinate to another. But this is not the case.

I normally am most reluctant to make statements about the subtleties of the Greek language for several reasons. First, very few scholars are really qualified to make such statements dogmatically. Second, most often these subtleties do not significantly add anything to the meaning found in a good English translation. And third, non-scholars may wrongly conclude they are not competent to study the Word of God for themselves. But, keeping these factors in mind, I do want to call your attention to a subtlety not reflected in the English translations but recognized by a number of scholars.

Very often, probably most often, commands are conveyed in the Bible through the use of the imperative mood. The form of the verb, if it is imperative, indicates we are commanded to act. But quite often a participle may also be used with imperatival force. When several commands are given at one time, the difference between a participle and an imperative may be significant. Those actions called for, or commanded, by a participle may be represented as subordinate to that conveyed through an imperative.

Allow me to illustrate by turning to a text with which you may be familiar:

19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

At first, there seems to be four imperatives of equal force:

(1) Go.

(2) Make disciples.

(3) Baptizing.

(4) Teaching.

The translation of “baptizing” and “teaching” reveals that these are participles and not imperatives. Only the command, “Make disciples” is an imperative, and so we might best gain the force of our Lord’s commands by viewing them in this fashion:

(1) Make disciples:

(2) As you go

(3) And baptize

(4) And teach.

This is the same situation we find here in 1 Peter 1:13. Though there are three commands indicated in the English translations of the text, there is but one imperative while there are two participles. The sense of these three commands should be understood in this fashion:

Fix your hope completely on the grace that is to be brought …

(1) Having girded up the loins of your mind

(2) And having come to a sober spirit.

The primary thrust of verse 13 then is a command for Christians to fix their hope completely on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹² With this in mind, let us consider each command separately.

Girding Up The Loins of Our Minds

The imagery of girding up one’s loins is unfamiliar to our culture, but it would be readily understood by those whose culture parallels the Old Testament saint:

“In Israel an ordinary person wore as the basic garment a long, sleeveless shirt of linen or wool that reached to the knees or ankles. Over this a mantle something like a poncho might be worn, although the mantle was laid aside for work. The shirt was worn long for ceremonial occasions or when at relative rest, such as talking in the market, but for active service, such as work or war, it was tucked up into a belt at the waist to leave the legs free (1 Kings 18:46; Jer. 1:17; Luke 17:8; John 21:18; Acts 12:8). Thus Peter’s allusion pictures a mind prepared for active work.”¹³

The expression first occurs just prior to the exodus of Israel from the land of Egypt:

“‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the LORD’s Passover’” (Exodus 12:11).

Nine plagues have already come upon the Egyptians because of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart. The tenth and final plague will be the smiting of every firstborn in Egypt. The Israelites were to prepare for this final plague and the resulting exodus by eating the first Passover meal. This meal must be eaten in a very unusual way to emphasize that God’s people were about to leave the land of their bondage.

Normally, the meal would be eaten in a leisurely manner. I can imagine one’s sandals would have been left at the door as is often so until this day. Surely one’s staff would be left there as well. But this meal was to be eaten hastily with sandals on their feet and staff in hand. In addition, their garments were to be tucked into their girdle or belt so their feet would be exposed. All of this was to remind and assure the people of God that they were soon to depart. They were to be mentally and physically ready to move out.

The idea of readiness for action is seen in virtually every other instance of the expression. Elijah girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel (1 Kings 18:46). Gehazi was told by Elisha to gird up his loins, take Elisha’s staff and hurry to the Shunammite’s son who had died (2 Kings 4:29).

Jeremiah was commanded to gird up his loins and to prophesy:

“Now, gird up your loins, and arise, and speak to them all which I commanded you. Do not be dismayed before them, lest I dismay you before them” (Jeremiah 1:17).

Here, girding the loins seems to have the added dimension of courage or resolve, for the task he was called to do was not a pleasant one and could very well bring about persecution.

Twice in the Book of Job God challenges Job to gird up his loins. This appears to be related to his mental outlook and not to his physical clothing. We can see that these two occurrences in Job come close to the meaning we find in 1 Peter:

“Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me” (Job 38:3; 40:7).

And so we see that girding up one’s loins is that preparatory action which makes a person ready to take action and move about freely without hindrance. To fail to do so is to invite trouble. My friend Beth Cunningham told me of a missionary in Africa who set out in a long dress to turn on the generator on the mission compound. When she reached out to start the generator, her dress became entangled in the machinery and was immediately torn from her, causing a hasty and embarrassing dash for home.

Peter tells us we are to gird up the loins of our mind. We are to have our thinking in order with no entangling doubts, fears, or reservations. Our mind should be prepared to act without hesitation. We see this mindset characterized in the fireman who is well prepared to respond immediately when a call comes.

I recently watched an illustration of the opposite of the mental readiness we should have when my kind elderly neighbor came by our house on his daily walk with his dog “Belle.” Belle is even older and more feeble than her master, and in years gone by, Belle always trotted alongside him, sometimes even running ahead. But things have changed. Now Belle straggles behind, reluctant to move even one more step. Indeed, it often appears Belle is heading back home, very slowly. She is no longer ready. Her loins are not girded.

Peter’s exhortation may well have come from our Lord’s words recorded in Luke 12:

35 “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight. 36 And be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at table, and will come up and wait on them. 38 Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. 39 And be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect” (Luke 12:35-40).

To keep focused on the hope of our Lord’s return requires a sense of expectancy and readiness so that day does not catch us unaware:

1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-8; see also Matthew 24:32–25:13).

Keeping Sober

Soberness has two major meanings, the first a literal meaning and the second metaphorical. Literally, to “keep sober” is to “stay sober,” that is, to not become drunk. Metaphorically, being sober means to keep a clear head, to be clear minded and straight thinking. If girding one’s loins is the state of mind which causes one to be ready to act, keeping sober is the mental condition which enables one to act prudently and with a clear head. Peter later exhorts his readers to be clear-headed so they can pray effectively (4:7) and be able to stand against the wiles of the devil who is out to destroy us (5:8).

Paul writes to Timothy to encourage him to be sober minded. In the context, he seems to be contrasting sober-mindedness with the muddled thinking of those who reject sound doctrine for teachings which justify an ungodly lifestyle:

1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

When the two expressions “gird up the loins of your mind” and “keep sober” are taken together, we see Peter dealing with two opposite extremes concerning the hope of the kingdom of God. Girding up the loins of the mind corrects a too casual attitude toward the return of our Lord and prevents us from being caught unaware and unprepared at the Lord’s second coming. The second instruction—”keep sober”—prevents the kind of mindless enthusiasm which has characterized too many professing saints over the years. Just a couple of months ago an angry group of professing saints began to beat some of their pastors. The pastors had convinced them the Lord would return on a certain day, and they had sold their possessions and given the money to their leaders. This kind of thoughtless zeal should not characterize our awaiting the coming of our Lord.

Fixing Our Hope On The Grace To Be Brought To Us

Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

We have finally come to the third and primary command of this verse, even perhaps the foremost command of this epistle: “fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We must first understand the unique dimensions of hope, especially in relation to “faith” and “love.”

“Faith,” “hope,” and “love” are often found closely linked to each other (see Romans 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 13:13; Galatians 5:5-6; Ephesians 1:15-21; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 5:8; 1 Timothy 6:11, 17). At numerous other times, two of the three terms are found together (see 2 Corinthians 8:7; Ephesians 3:14-19; 6:23; Colossians 1:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:5, 14; 2:15; 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:22; 3;10; Titus 2:2; 3;15; Philemon 1:5; Hebrews 11:1; Revelation 21:9).

These three terms are interrelated. Paul tells us that love “hopes” (1 Corinthians 13:7). Elsewhere we learn that faith fixes its attention on that for which it hopes (Hebrews 11:1; Galatians 5:5). It seems safe to say that faith, hope, and love are all motivations which lead to further action. God is the source of all three: faith (Hebrews 12:2), hope (2 Thessalonians 2:16; Romans 15:4, 13), and love (1 John 4:10-11, 19).

But how does hope differ from faith and love? How is it unique; what is its distinctive identity and role? Faith is the source or means, hope is the goal, and love is the manifestation of our relationship with God in Christ. With respect to our salvation, we are saved by faith (Ephesians 2:8), unto a living hope (1 Peter 1:3), manifested by love (John 13:35; Galatians 5:22; 1 Peter 1:22).

Hope is what we want but cannot see and what we will not have until sometime in the future. One of my daughters wants me to build her a “hope chest,” a term not commonly used today as it once was. But it certainly illustrates what hope is. A “hope chest” is a physical evidence of my daughter’s desire to be married. She does not yet know who that man will be, and yet she is preparing for the time when they will become husband and wife.

Though hope is what we desire but do not have, yet we trust, by faith, that we shall have it in the future. Love is the evidence of our faith and hope. Indeed, our hope includes those whom we love:

19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? It is not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

What then does Peter mean when he instructs us to “fix our hope … ?” I believe he means we are to fix our affection and desire on heavenly things as opposed to earthly things. This is what Jesus taught His disciples:

When our affection is fixed upon heavenly things, we will gladly endure the trials and difficulties of this life:

When Peter resisted our Lord’s teaching on His coming suffering, our Lord dealt with “heavenly desires” versus “human desires” in Peter’s life:

21 From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. 22 And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s. 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any one wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. 26 For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and WILL THEN RECOMPENSE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. 28 Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:21-28).

It is especially interesting to note our Lord’s analysis of why Peter was so wrong that He could refer to him as “Satan:”

“For you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” (Matthew 16:23b).

I prefer the translation found in the King James Version:

“For thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

The word “savourest” conveys the idea of “appetite” or “desire.” Peter wanted what natural men want, not the things of God. Peter had the wrong hope, for his hope was fixed on the things of this world and not the things of God’s kingdom to be brought to him at the second coming.

This same verb is employed elsewhere by Paul in Romans 8:

5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:5-8, emphasis mine).

Paul teaches in this chapter that the Holy Spirit not only gives a believer the power to live a godly life in an ungodly world, but His Spirit also gives us the desire for spiritual things as opposed to carnal things:

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15).

In the verses which follow, Paul even more clearly describes the ministry of the Holy Spirit in terms of the desire, or longing, He instills in the saint to create a hunger for heaven:

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it (Romans 8:18-25).

The entire creation now groans due to the fallen condition of the universe, longing for the day of its redemption (verses 19-22). We too suffer and groan in this life, but we gladly endure life’s difficulties because we long for, and look forward to, the coming day of redemption—the things for which we hope.

Paul’s expression “to set your mind on” parallels Peter’s term “to fix your hope.” This seems clear in Romans 8 and even more so in Colossians 3. Consider first the New American Standard Bible and then the King James Version:

1 If then ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4 KJV).

Peter’s command to “fix our hope,” and the expression of our Lord and Paul often inadequately rendered “to set your mind,” are synonymous. Look at this passage in Philippians where the same term (“set your mind”) is rendered “to feel” in the NASB:¹⁴

7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:7-8).

Paul has his “mind set on” the Philippian saints, to use the most common rendering of this verb in the NASB. More precisely, and even as the translators now see it, Paul “feels” affectionately toward the Philippians, longing for them with great desire. Thus, when we see the expression in the New Testament “to set one’s mind,” we must understand it in terms of setting one’s affections. To set our hope is to fix our affections, our desires, on the things which are coming in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ at His return to the earth. This attitude, or mindset, precisely characterized our Lord Himself, prompting Him to lay down His life for our salvation (Philippians 2:5).¹⁵

The fixation of our desire must be total, complete, and undivided. The term “completely” is usually rendered “perfect.” Peter wants us to understand that our devotion and desire for heavenly things must not be diluted with desires for earthly things. Jesus put it this way:

19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:19-24).

Peter uses the word “grace” to sum up that on which we are to set our affections. We are commanded to “fix our hope completely on the grace to be brought to us.” Peter is talking about the kingdom of God, or heaven, the word most often used. He is talking about the benefits and blessings for which we wait, a “living hope” (1:3), an imperishable inheritance (1:4) reserved in heaven (1:4) for those of us who are kept by the power of God (1:5) until the revelation of Jesus Christ (1:7), when we obtain the salvation of our souls (1:9).

Why does Peter use the term “grace?” Why not salvation, or inheritance, or blessing, or glory? Because for the believer, grace is the sum total of all the blessings of God. Every single blessing is a gift of God’s grace. None of heaven’s benefits are earned or deserved; all are a gift of His grace. Few words are sweeter to the believer’s ear than this word “grace.”

This grace is being brought to us, to be delivered in full when our Lord Jesus Christ is revealed from heaven. But there is a sense in which this grace is already on its way, which is why Peter uses a present and not a future tense for this process. D. Edmond Hiebert cites Henry Alford (p. 339) who renders it, “… which is even now bearing down on you … ”¹⁶

When our Lord returns, He will bring blessing, and glory, and honor, and power with Him. While it is true that our Lord is the source of all blessings, there is another sense in which He is the blessing. The great joy and blessing of heaven is that we are with Him. The great agony of hell is that sinners spend eternity without Him.

6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire; 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus 9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:1-3).

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them (Revelation 21:1-3).

God is “a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6), but He is also “our exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1, KJV).

Conclusion

How often we are exhorted (and rightly so!) to exercise faith, particularly trusting in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Word. Surely Peter sees faith as absolutely vital. So far, however, Peter has looked upon faith as something which began with God (1:1-3) and which is being proven and promoted by the trials and tests God sovereignly brings our way (1:6-9).

The focus of Peter’s epistle is on suffering; the “hope of glory” is the sustaining reality which enables suffering saints to rejoice with “joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1:8). Those whose faith would be proven and prompted by suffering and trials are those who have fixed their hope completely on the grace to be brought by our Lord Jesus Christ at His second coming. If we have fixed our hope on the grace to come, then our present sufferings pale in light of the glory yet to come:

17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

If we find in our Lord and His salvation the “pearl of great price,” the suffering which comes our way as a part of the process by which we will dwell in His presence is a price gladly paid:

If we are obedient to Peter’s command(s), we will be able to say a hearty “Amen!” to the words written by the apostle Paul:

1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:1-5).

The comfort we gain in the midst of our trials enables us to minister that comfort to others who suffer:

More than this, the manifestation of hope in the life of the Christian, even in the midst of suffering and persecution, provides an occasion for us to bear witness of our faith:

14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:14-15).

As I read these words of Peter, I better understand some of the “hard sayings” of our Lord. When He required the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor, He was not trying to cause this young man agony; He was prescribing the way for him to refocus from earthly to heavenly affections (see Matthew 19:16-30; compare 1 Timothy 6:17-19). Only when our affections are focused on the Savior and the kingdom He brings will we find joy in suffering for His sake.

Whatever draws our desires and affections away from Christ and His kingdom must be set aside so that our devotion is undivided and undiminished. The cares of this world compete strongly for our heavenly hope (see Matthew 13:1-23, especially verses 21-22). If giving our money to further His kingdom inclines our hearts toward heaven, it is a wise and eternal investment. If debt weighs heavy on our hearts and keeps our focus on earthly things, we have acted unwisely; we must refocus our hearts and minds. Let us use our money, and all that we have, in ways that focus our hearts heavenward.

The “health and wealth gospel” of prosperity has no ring of truth when set alongside Peter’s teaching here. We dare not expect or demand prosperity here and now when Peter clearly tells us suffering must come before glory. We must gird up the loins of our minds and keep sober, fixing our hope on the grace to be brought to us when our Lord returns.

I dare not close without reminding you that hope can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ. Without Him, we are without hope. For those who have placed their trust in Him, our hope remains certain and secure:

11 Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-13).

Once we have experienced hope in Christ, that hope should continue to grow as we consider the riches which are ours in Christ Jesus:

1 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come (Ephesians 1:15-21).

Hope Texts For Further Meditation and Study

For what do we hope?

(1) Deliverance from death—Psalm 16:9; 33:18

(2) Deliverance from enemies—Psalm 71:4, 5, 14

(3) For eternal life—Titus 1:2; 3:7

(4) For freedom from oppression—Job 5:15

(5) For fruit from our spiritual labors—1 Corinthians 9:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:18

(6) For God’s abiding presence—Psalm 42:1-11

(7) For God’s unfailing love—Psalm 33:22; 147:11

(8) For the grace to be given—1 Peter 1:13

(9) For the redemption of our bodies—Romans 8:23

(10) For the resurrection of the dead—Acts 23:6; 24:15; 26:6; 1 Corinthians 15:15-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

(11) For the return of Christ—Titus 2:13

(12) For righteousness—Galatians 5:5

(13) For security—Job 11:13-17

(14) For the sharing of God’s glory—Romans 5:1-2

(15) For temporal and spiritual restoration—Ezra 10:2; Psalm 37:9; Jeremiah 14:8; 31:17; Lamentations 3:29; Hosea 2:15; Zechariah 9:12

How does hope benefit the believer?

(1) Hope epitomizes Christian faith—1 Corinthians 13:13; Hebrews 11:1

(2) Hope equips us for spiritual warfare—1 Thessalonians 5:8

(3) Hope gives assurance—Psalm 25:3; Romans 8:25; Hebrews 6:16f.

(4) Hope invokes divine help—Psalm 146:5-10

(5) Hope is alive—1 Peter 1:3-5

(6) Hope is intelligible—Hebrews 10:23; 1 Peter 3:15

(7) Hope leads to rejoicing—Romans 5:1; 12:12

(8) Hope produces boldness—2 Corinthians 3:12

(9) Hope produces godly living—Psalm 25:21; Hebrews 6:10; 1 John 3:2-3

(10) Hope strengthens and encourages—Psalm 31:24; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 49:23; Rom. 5:3; Ephesians 1:18-19; Philippians 1:20.

11 Edmund Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press), 1988. The Bible Speaks Today Series, p. 61.

12 “The original makes hope the central and leading thought of the verse. Two participles precede the controlling imperative and designate the activities that support hope. Those participles are grammatically related to the subject of the imperative and thereby receive an imperatival coloring. But to translate them as imperatives obscures the way they function to support Peter’s remarks about hope.” D. Edmond Hiebert, First Peter (Chicago: Moody Press), 1984, p. 78.

13 Peter H. Davids, The First Epistle of Peter (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), 1990. The New International Commentary on the New Testament Series, p. 66.

14 Ironically, the King James Version suddenly changes places with the NASB, rendering the term “to think:” “Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart . . . ” (emphasis mine).

15 The same verb, phroneo, referred to above is found here and rendered, “Have this attitude.”

16 Hiebert, p. 81.

6. A Call to Holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16)

13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Introduction

The word “holy,” in contemporary thinking, is closely akin to the term “nerd” which our children use. Holiness is not thought of as a virtue but as a vice. How insulting to be thought of as “holy” by your peers. Even in the church, holiness is becoming rare. Only recently I heard a well-known evangelist speak of holiness as something which the church in America has lost.

How comfortable we are to add God to our lives with little or no change necessary on our part. Such is not the message of the true gospel or the teaching of the Scriptures on the spiritual life. The Old Testament prophets, along with John the Baptist and then Jesus, called for a radical change for those who would trust and obey God. “Repent” was an indispensable word to those who proclaimed the Word of God in truth. To repent means to change not only our thinking but our actions. When we are saved, we are saved from our heathen desires and practices and called to live a life of holiness. This call to holiness comes very early in Peter’s first epistle in chapter 1:14-16 and continues to be stressed throughout his epistle.

The belief and behavior of holiness of which Peter speaks comes neither naturally (through our flesh) nor easily. Peter did not find it natural or easy either. While the concept of holiness is frequently taught in the Old Testament, Judaism (especially the scribes and Pharisees) distorted it until it became something entirely different. To many, the scribes and Pharisees, who saw themselves as holy, were the epitome of holiness. How shocking Jesus’ words must have been to those who first heard them:

“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

True holiness was not what the scribes and Pharisees or Peter thought it was. The message Peter shares with us in his first epistle came to him with great difficulty. In fact, only after the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord did Peter understand true holiness.

Our lesson begins by tracing the theme of holiness through the Bible, from the time of Israel’s exodus from Egypt until the time Peter wrote this call to holiness in his first epistle. With this background, we will try to understand what Peter requires of us if we would be holy like the One who called us.

A Basic Definition of Holiness

To be holy is the opposite of being “common” or “profane.” God is holy in that He is utterly different and distinct from His creation. His people must also be distinct, separate from the heathen attitudes and actions which characterized them as unbelievers. The translation of 1 Peter 2:9 by the King James Version conveys this idea of “separateness:”

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9, KJV).

Holiness and the Exodus

When God delivered His people Israel from their bondage in Egypt, He distinguished Himself from the “gods” of Egypt. Pharaoh’s challenge set the scene for a sequence of plagues that would answer his question in a way that would prove the God of Israel was God alone:

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go (Exodus 5:1-2).”

This hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was the work of God so that He might show Pharaoh and the Egyptians that He alone was Lord:

2 “You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 When Pharaoh will not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt, and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst (Exodus 7:2-5).”

25 And the hail struck all that was in the field through all the land of Egypt, both man and beast; the hail also struck every plant of the field and shattered every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail (Exodus 9:13-16).

In addition to distinguishing Himself above Pharaoh and all the “gods” of the Egyptians, God also distinguished the Israelites from the Egyptians by means of the plagues:

20 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 21 For if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of insects on you and your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of insects, and also the ground on which they dwell. 22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of insects will be there, in order that you may know that I, the LORD am in the midst of the land. 23 And I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall occur”’“ (Exodus 8:20-23).

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, ‘Thus says the LORD the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and continue to hold them, 3 behold, the hand of the LORD will come with a very severe pestilence on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks. 4 But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel”’“ (Exodus 9:1-4; see also 9:25-26).

Holiness and the Law of Moses

Once the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, God gave them laws which governed the conduct of every Israelite and of every one who dwelt among them as aliens. What laws, of all those given at Mount Sinai, would you expect to set the Israelites apart from all the nations as a holy people? I would have thought the Ten Commandments were given particularly for this purpose. Surprisingly, we do not find “holiness” directly linked with these commandments. The command, “Be ye holy, for I am holy,” is found several times in the Law of Moses but not in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. Rather, this command is found in the Book of Leviticus. Interestingly enough, it is found in that part of the Law many Christians feel is least relevant and applicable to the New Testament saint. This portion of the Law is often referred to as the “ceremonial law,” as opposed to the “moral law,” of the Ten Commandments. And yet this is the portion of Scripture Peter uses to support his instruction in our text.

Why is this so? Consider this possible explanation. The Ten Commandments do not set the Israelites or contemporary Christians apart because virtually every civilized nation accepts many of the values and commands of these Ten Commandments as a valid standard of conduct. Civilized nations condemn stealing, lying, and murder.¹⁷ Israel was not nearly as distinct by her obedience to the Ten Commandments as she was by her obedience to the laws regarding “clean” and “unclean” set down in Leviticus.

While these distinctions were set out clearly, the reasons for them were not. Why, for instance, was a woman declared “unclean” twice as long for having a girl than for having a boy (see Leviticus 12:1-5)? Why was beef “clean” while pork was declared to be “unclean”? Many of the distinctions between “clean” and “unclean” made in Leviticus appear to be arbitrary without rational or logical explanation.

I believe this is by divine design. That which sets the true child of God apart from all others is their faith and trust in God, evidenced by obedience to His commands even when they do not seem to make sense. Not eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil did not make sense to Adam and Eve, but God required their obedience. Offering up Isaac as a sacrifice to God made no sense to Abraham, but he obeyed God by his willingness to do so. So too obedience to the distinctions God made between the “clean” and the “unclean” set Israel apart from all other peoples. In false religions, men create their own “gods” and their own rules, all according to their own desires. In Christianity, God makes the rules, and they are not according to our preferences or desires. But the Spirit of God enables us to obey them (see Romans 7:7–8:4).

With this in mind, a brief review of the concept of holiness in chapters 11 through 20 of Leviticus might prove helpful. Leviticus 11 distinguished between “clean” and “unclean” foods. The unclean foods defiled the Israelites and made them “unclean” before God, thus restricting their fellowship with Him:

43 “‘Do not render yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean. 44 For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. 45 For I am the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; thus you shall be holy for I am holy.’” (Leviticus 11:43-45).

In Leviticus 12-15, other forms of ceremonial uncleanness were defined. A woman was declared unclean after the birth of a child (Leviticus 12:1-5). Leprous infections made a person unclean, and very precise regulations were given regarding such persons. Clear instructions were given concerning the quarantine and the ceremonial cleansing of those no longer unclean.

In Leviticus 16, we find a very special event in the annual Day of Atonement. By the sacrifice of one goat and the release of another, a great “cleansing” was anticipated, the cleansing from sin:

29 “And this shall be a permanent statute for you; in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls, and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; 30 for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you shall be clean from all your sins before the LORD (Leviticus 16:29-30).”

This annual Day of Atonement was a temporary cleansing of the sins of the people of God, until that day when our Lord Himself would be sacrificed as an acceptable offering for sins, once for all. This was no mere ceremonial act, but the basis for our justification before God.

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:11-14).

In Leviticus 17, the more mundane matters of ceremonial uncleanness are again taken up. Chapter 17 deals with the offering of sacrifices. In chapter 18, God reveals through Moses that the Laws He is giving His people are given to set them apart from the Egyptians (among whom they formerly lived) and from the Canaanites (with whom they are about to make contact in the promised land):

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘I am the LORD your God. 3 You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. 4 You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the LORD your God. 5 So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD (Leviticus 18:1-5).

The Israelites were not to imitate the sexual practices of the Canaanites (18:6-23) which would make them unclean and also defile the land. It was because the Canaanites defiled the land that they were expelled from it. If the Israelites imitate them, they too would be expelled:

24 “‘Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. 25 For the land has become defiled, therefore I have visited its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants. 26 But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the alien who sojourns among you; 27 (for the men of the land who have been before you have done all these abominations, and the land has become defiled); 28 so that the land may not spew you out, should you defile it, as it has spewed out the nation which has been before you. 29 For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the LORD your God’” (Leviticus 18:24-30).

In Leviticus 19, holiness is not merely symbolized by avoiding that which is declared to be ceremonially unclean. Instead, holiness is defined in terms of respect for one’s parents (19:3), generosity toward the poor (19:9-10), honesty (19:11), justice (19:11-18), and love for one’s neighbor (19:17-18). In chapter 20, holiness encompasses the entire spectrum of human conduct and all the laws God had laid down:

6 “‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. 7 You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. 8 And you shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you (Leviticus 20:6-8).”

The Old Testament prophets continually stressed the principles of holiness, not the minute details of the law. In the words of our Lord, they (unlike the scribes and the Pharisees of His day) emphasized the “camels” of the Law rather than the “gnats” (see Matthew 23:23-24):

6 With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? 7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my first-born for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:6-8).

Holiness According to Jesus

Jesus’ definition of holiness was one of the bones of contention between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders of His day. In His famous “sermon on the mount” (Matthew 5-7), Jesus drew the lines which distinguished His teaching from that of contemporary Judaism. He shocked the smugly self-righteous Jews by calling those “blessed” whom they regarded as accursed (5:3-12). He told the people that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees would never get them to heaven (5:20). He distinguished their teaching of the law from His own, showing that they had a very legalistic view of the law, rather than an appreciation for its underlying principles (5:21-48). He warned of external religion which is big on appearances but lacking in heart (6:1-34). He spoke of wolves and false teachers, who claimed to know and serve Him but whom He had never known (7:13-23).

Mark’s Gospel describes an incident which laid the foundation for a radical change. Although Peter was present, it would not be until after our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection that he understood what it meant:

1 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have been received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. 7 But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”

8 “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” 9 He was also saying to them, “You nicely set aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, anything of mine you might have been helped by is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.” 14 And summoning the multitude again He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand; 15 there is nothing outside the man which going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.” … 17 And when leaving the multitude, He had entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, “Are you too so uncomprehending? Do you not see that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him; 19 because it does not go into his heart but into his stomach, and is eliminated? (Thus He declared all foods clean.) 20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts and fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man” (Mark 7:1-15; 17-23).

The scribes and Pharisees were miffed because Jesus’ disciples did not ceremonially cleanse their hands before eating. Now this was not the kind of hand-washing mothers require of their children before they can eat. Mothers want their children’s hands to be clean in a healthy sense, free of dirt and germs. But the Jews wanted people to eat with ceremonial cleanness. This ceremonial cleanness was not what the Old Testament Law required as described in Leviticus. This was a cleanness defined by a different standard—the traditions of the elders (verse 3). They had added all kinds of cleansings to the Law of God and then came to regard their definition of “clean” more highly than that which God had established in Scripture.

Jesus pointed out that it was even worse than this. To add human standards to those of divine origin was one thing. But it was quite another to use these standards to set aside and even violate the Laws of God. Yet this is exactly what Judaism had done, and Jesus exposed their hypocrisy in so doing. The Law required that one should honor their father and mother. This included caring for them in their times of need. And yet the Jews had devised a way to avoid this financial liability. They “dedicated their money to God” using the term “Corban” to do so and then excused themselves from their obligations to their parents by claiming that this was God’s money. So to speak, it was “holy money,” which they claimed could no longer be used to care for their aging parents. But it could be used to satisfy any of their lusts—for example, a vacation.

Biblical holiness results in the care of one’s parents in their time of need. The hypocritical “holiness” Jesus condemned would allow for self-indulgence and excuse one from clear biblical obligations. To rebel against God’s laws openly is one thing, but to do so in a way defined as holiness is quite another. This is the degree to which much of Judaism had departed from true holiness.

If Jesus rebuked the hypocrisy of the Judaism of His day, He had even more to say to all who would understand. Cleanness was not a matter of externalism but a matter of the heart. It was not food that defiled a man but that which is inside the man that defiles him. A man is not defiled from without but from within (verses 18-19a). Mark then adds this very significant parenthetical comment:

(Thus He declared all foods clean) Mark 7:19b.

Why was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to be avoided? For one reason: because God declared it so. Adam and Eve did not understand why. They were not to understand why. They needed only to know that God had declared the fruit of this tree off limits to them.

Why were some meats “clean” and others “unclean”? Because God declared them to be so to the people of Israel. Why was a woman unclean twice as long for bearing a girl baby than a boy? Because God said so. Why are sinners deemed to be righteous, forgiven, and destined for heaven? Because God declares them to be justified. Why are all foods now clean according to Mark 7:19? Because God declared them to be clean.

The basis for this cleansing is the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. His shed blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness. The basis of all cleansing is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The fact of that cleansing is the declaration of God that it is so. This is the cleansing foreshadowed by the annual Day of Atonement:

“For it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you shall be clean from all your sins before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30).

It is this cleansing for which the Old Testament saints hoped and prayed and the Old Testament prophets promised:

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:2).

Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”? (Proverbs 20:9).

“And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me, and by which they have transgressed against Me” (Jeremiah 33:8).

25 “And they will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. 33 And they will be My people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 37:23; see Ezekiel 36:25, 33).

It is this cleansing which our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished by His death, burial, and resurrection:

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? … 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these (Hebrews 9:13-14, 22-23).

7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7; see also Romans 3:23-26; 1 John 1:9; Hebrews 8-10).

Neither Peter nor any of his fellow-disciples understood what Jesus meant when He “declared all things clean.” This was only grasped after our Lord’s death, burial, and ascension, and after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In Acts 10, Peter was about to be invited to the house of a Gentile—Cornelius. There was no way Peter would have gone apart from the revelation he received from God in a dream:

10 And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky (Acts 10:10-16).

The sheet that descended from heaven contained all sorts of animals, some of which would have been unclean according to Leviticus 11. But God ordered Peter to kill some of them and to eat. Peter was horrified. He had never done so, and he did not plan to start now. The divine response was simply that God had cleansed them, and that Peter was now no longer to consider them unholy. That cleansing had been accomplished in the sacrificial death of our Lord. God had declared all foods clean. Now, Peter must obey this definition of clean and unclean, because it is God alone who can declare something holy or unholy. It is He alone who can cleanse the unclean and make it clean.

Peter was soon to understand the significance and application of his vision. Messengers from Cornelius arrived and asked him to come with them to the home of their master. Peter complied, still puzzled at what God was teaching him. But when the Holy Spirit fell upon these Gentiles, just as He had upon the Jewish believers at Pentecost, he understood that the coming of our Lord was intended to cleanse both Jews and Gentiles from their sins. Those whom God had cleansed, no man should dare consider unclean.

Peter’s Call to Holiness

Years later, Peter calls the readers of his first epistle to a life of holiness.¹⁸ In these three verses, Peter tells us why we should be holy; he also tells us how. Let us begin with the “why” which can be summed up in two statements:

(1) We are to be holy so that we are obedient to the Word of God which commands it. Peter’s call to holiness is but a repetition of a command given long before by God Himself to the nation Israel: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” We should be holy because God commands it. To do otherwise is to be disobedient.

(2) We are to be holy to be like God, our Father, who called us to be holy. Those commanded to be holy are the children of God. Never is it assumed that unbelievers can or will strive for holiness. Only His children are able to do so, by His grace and through His Spirit. The “saints” are God’s children, whom He has called to be holy:¹⁹

7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:7).

2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours (1 Corinthians 1:2).

The people of God are to be a manifestation of the presence of God to the rest of the world. Thus, we are commanded to be like our heavenly Father:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you 45 in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48).

How then are we to be holy? Peter gives us several directives.

(1) We are to be holy in all our conduct. We are to be holy in every aspect of our conduct. Holiness is not to be compartmentalized into certain “religious” areas of our life. Holiness is a way of life that affects everything we do. Holiness is a lifestyle, rather than mere conformity to a list of rules.

(2) We are to be holy by not being conformed to our former lusts. Holiness is a lifestyle which differs dramatically from our manner of life before we were saved. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He called them to live in a way which would set them apart from the Egyptians among whom they had lived and the Canaanites among whom they would live (see Leviticus 18:1-5).

Holiness is the choice to march to the beat of a different drum. Rather than to live as our culture encourages us to, we must live as God requires. If we are not to be conformed to this world (see Romans 12:1-2), neither are we to be conformed²⁰ to our former desires. At first, it may sound strange to think of being conformed by our desires, but this is precisely what happens. Consider the following texts:

21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen (Romans 1:21-25)

16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (Romans 6:16).

17 This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4:17-24).

Although God’s creation bears witness to His eternal power and divine nature (Romans 1:20), men have chosen to worship creation rather than the Creator. Because of this God has given men over to their lusts, and in the pursuit of these lusts, their minds are darkened and distorted. Men are not only mastered by their lusts, they are conformed to them. They become mere creatures of instinct and impulse. Peter speaks more of this in his second epistle:

12 But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed 13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you (2 Peter 2:12-13).

Though the Christian has died to sin and been raised to newness of life in Him, he or she must also choose to serve Him and turn from their former lusts. They must no longer allow sin to master them (Romans 6:1-14). Like Paul, they must gain control over their fleshly desires, rather than be mastered by them:

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

This is one of the lessons we should learn from the Israelites of old (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-13). The alternative is to present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1-2) and the members of our body as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:12-13). Our minds are to be renewed by the Word of God (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:20-24). We are to recognize that sin brings dullness of heart and mind, and that our former lusts are exceedingly deceitful, causing our thinking to become cloudy when we surrender to sin.

Paul lays down a vitally important principle here we dare not fail to grasp. He distinguishes our “former desires” from those we should now possess as children of God. The desires which characterize the fallen world we live in once dominated us. These desires are themselves to be rejected and replaced by new desires. This is what holiness is all about—not just doing what God wants, but desiring those things in which He delights. In the words of the prophet Micah, we are “to do justice” and “to love kindness” (Micah 6:8).

I am beginning to understand Peter’s strong reaction to the vision he received. He was repulsed by the thought of eating anything unclean, just as he was supposed to be so long as God had declared it unclean.

Reading Leviticus 11 teaches me an important lesson about holiness. Those things God declared unclean were unclean. And these “unclean” things were not only to be avoided but to be considered detestable:

10 ‘But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers, that do not have fins and scales among all the teeming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you, 11 and they shall be abhorrent to you; you may not eat of their flesh, and their carcasses you shall detest … 41 Now every swarming thing that swarms on the earth is detestable, not to be eaten (Leviticus 11:10-11, 41, see also verse 13).

It was not enough for the Israelites to avoid eating what God declared to be unclean; they must also loathe what God called unclean. They were to adjust their desires to conform to God’s desires. They were to delight in what God found delightful and to loathe what God found detestable. This command is not just for Old Testament saints but for New Testament saints as well:

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9).

When we understand and apply this truth, we will find a great deal of practical help. We are not nearly as likely to participate in those things we find detestable as those things in which we delight. George Bush was not nearly as tempted to eat broccoli as he was to raid the refrigerator for his favorite dish. Our problem becomes evident when our desires often do not conform to those things in which God delights. Conversely, we often desire the very things which displease God. When we find our delight in God and in the things which delight Him, then we, like David, will search His word to know more of His law rather than avoiding the Law of God and restricting its application to our lives.

11 Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee; 12 Blessed art Thou, O LORD; Teach me Thy statutes. 13 With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Thy precepts, and regard Thy ways. 16 I shall delight in Thy statutes; I shall not forget Thy word. 17 Deal bountifully with Thy servant, That I may live and keep Thy word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Thy law. 19 I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Thy commandments from me. 20 My soul is crushed with longing after Thine ordinances at all times (Psalm 119:11-20).

Contrary to some popular teaching, we do not find in God the satisfaction of our natural thirsts and desires. Our former lusts cause us to be at enmity with God and slaves of sin and of Satan:

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest (Ephesians 2:1-3).

2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led (1 Corinthians 12:2).

False teachers appeal to these lusts and desires:

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved (2 Peter 2:18-19).

Only when we have been born again do we begin to thirst for the things of God:

1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. (1 Peter 2:1-3).

1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries (1 Peter 4:1-3).

4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Peter 1:4).

Those who persist in pursuing their former desires are rebuked:

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures (James 4:1-3).

The most severe warning is given to those who would consider a return to their former pursuit of fleshly passions:

19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire (2 Peter 2:19-22).”

Peter’s admonishes us to shun these former desires and to pursue and promote those desires God implants within us at the time of our conversion.

(3) We are to be holy by imitating God. We are to be holy because God is holy (see above). We are also to be holy as God is holy. As Jesus once put it,

“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

This means we must first come to know God, and then, by His grace, seek to conduct ourselves in a manner that imitates Him. We must love what He loves and hate what He hates. We, like Him, are to be merciful, just, and kind. We become holy as we are conformed to His image. This is what sanctification is all about:

11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13; see 1 John 3:1-12).

(4) We are to be holy by obeying God’s Word. Peter instructs us to be holy “as obedient children” (1 Peter 1:14). The standards of holiness are set down by God in His Word. That is why Peter quotes from the Old Testament Law. We are to be obedient, and that obedience is directed toward His commands and standards as set down in His Word. In the days of our unbelief, we were ignorant, but now God’s Spirit dwells within us to enlighten our minds to understand His Word (1 Corinthians 2:6-16) and to empower us to obey it (Romans 8:1-4). Holiness is accomplished in our lives as the Spirit of God enables us to know God and to obey His commands, through His Word.

Conclusion

The call is a clear one. It is not a popular appeal. It is a call God has made of His people since the exodus. Those who attempt to market the gospel and appeal to the masses would say God has called us to be happy. But those who read the Scriptures more carefully must acknowledge that God has called us to be holy in an ungodly world. It is holiness which sets us apart from the world and to God. It is holiness we are called to pursue and to practice, to the glory of God and for our good:

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing any more, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16).

14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God; just as God said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 17 Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; AND I WILL WELCOME YOU. 18 AND I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE SONS and daughters TO ME,” SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE OF GOD; but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behaviour excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:9-12).

Will you heed the call? If you are a child of God, then act like one.

There is a strong tie between hope and holiness both in the context of our passage in 1 Peter and in the doctrine Peter lays down here. In verse 13, Peter instructed us to “fix our hope completely on the grace that is to be brought to us as the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Peter, along with his colleague John, understands that it is our future hope which promotes holiness in this life:

2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. 3 And every one who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:2-3).

Conversely, Peter teaches us in his second epistle that ungodliness accompanies those whose only hope is in this life and not in the one to come (see 2 Peter 2:12–3:4). It is we who have fixed our hope on the coming of our Lord and His kingdom who should strive for holiness by His grace and to His glory:

Parallel Texts for Your Meditation and Study

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:1-14).

1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him 11—a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all (Colossians 3:1-11).

1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. 8 Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).

10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain. 12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. For this cause reprove them severely that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed (Titus 1:10-16).

1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men (Titus 3:1-8).

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Peter 1:2-4).

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and,

although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them (Romans 1:24-32).

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. 22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:12-23).

9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved. 7 And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.” 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. 16 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? 19 What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we? 23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the meat market, without asking questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains. 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you, and you wish to go, eat anything that is set before you, without asking questions for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone should say to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake; 29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved (1 Corinthians 9:24–10:33).

17 I am sad to say that abortion has now made the United States an uncivilized nation.

18 It should be pointed out that here, as in verse 13, there is but one true imperative to be found (“be holy”), along with a participle which is also translated as an imperative (“do not be conformed”). The primary command is to be holy, while the subordinate command is to not be conformed.

19 The word “saint” is derived from the word “holy.” Thus, the NASB has a marginal note in Romans 1:7 indicating that the word “saints” literally means “holy ones.”

20 The same word is found both in Romans 12:2 and 1 Peter 1:14 and nowhere else in the New Testament.

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8. The Teachers’ Hall of Shame (2 Peter 2:10-22)

Introduction

The Setting

The Profession of the False Teachers

The Personal Morality of the False Teachers

The Doctrinal Beliefs of False Teachers

The Prey of the False Teachers

The Methods of the False Teachers

The Impact of False Teachers

The Fate of False Teachers

Conclusion

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From the series: Standing on the Promises--A Study of 2 Peter PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

9. Scoffers, the Second Coming, and Scripture (2 Peter 3:1-13)

Introduction

Peter’s Ministry of Stirring Up the Saints (3:1-2)

Mockers: Their Lifestyle and Their Logic (3:3-4)

Leaks in the Logic of the Mockers (3:5-7)

The Word of God and the Character of God (3:8-9)

The Day of the Lord as a Day of Destruction (3:10-12)

The Positive Side of the Day of the Lord (3:13)

Conclusion

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From the series: Standing on the Promises--A Study of 2 Peter PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

10. Peter and Paul (2 Peter 3:14-16)

Introduction

The Peter of the Gospels

Peter and Paul in the Book of Acts

Peter and Paul in Galatians

Peter and Paul in 2 Peter 3

Conclusion

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From the series: Standing on the Promises--A Study of 2 Peter PREVIOUS PAGE

11. Scripture Twisters (2 Peter 3:14-18)

Introduction

What We Should Know About Scripture Twisters

Sharpening our Sensitivity to Scripture Twisters

Levels of Error

Ways We Twist Scripture

Conclusion

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From the series: The Glory of Suffering--Studies in 1 Peter PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

1. The Preparation of Peter

Introduction

The Mystery of Suffering in the Old Testament

Suffering for Sin

Innocent Suffering

Peter’s Reaction to Suffering in the Gospels

Peter’s Calling: John 1:35-42

The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:1-12

The Disciples are Chosen and Sent Out: Matthew 10

Peter’s Great Confession and Correction: Matthew 16:13-28

The Transfiguration of Jesus: Luke 9:28-36

Peter’s Declaration and Denial: Luke 22:31-34, 35-38, 47-53, 54-62

Peter’s Restoration: Mark 16:7; Luke 24:24-26, 34, 44-49; 1 Cor. 15:3-5; John 21

The Transformation of Peter: Acts 1-12; 1 and 2 Peter

Conclusion

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From the series: The Glory of Suffering--Studies in 1 Peter PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

2. Suffering: Victim or Victor? (1 Peter 1:1-6a)

Introduction

The Recipients of Peter’s First Epistle(1:1)

The Source of Our Salvation (1:1c-2)

The Hope of our Salvation (1:3-4)

The Security of our Salvation (1:5)

Conclusion

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From the series: The Glory of Suffering--Studies in 1 Peter PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

3. What You See Isn’t What You Get (1 Peter 1:6-9)

Introduction

Peter’s Premise: Saints will Suffer

Reasons to Rejoice in Suffering(1:6)

(1) Suffering is necessary

(2) Suffering exists for only a little while, but glory lasts forever

The Ultimate Objective of Suffering (1:7)

Exploring Faith (1:8)

The Outcome of Our Faith—The Salvation of our Souls (1:9)

Conclusion

The Personal
Morality of the False Teachers

The Methods
of the False Teachers

Peter’s Ministry of Stirring Up the Saints
(3:1-2)

Mockers: Their Lifestyle and Their Logic
(3:3-4)

Leaks in the Logic of the Mockers
(3:5-7)

The Word of God and the Character of God
(3:8-9)

The Day of the Lord as a Day of Destruction
(3:10-12)

The Positive Side of the Day of the Lord
(3:13)

What We Should
Know About Scripture Twisters

Sharpening our
Sensitivity to Scripture Twisters

The Mystery of
Suffering in the Old Testament

The Recipients of Peter’s First Epistle
(1:1)

The Source of Our Salvation
(1:1c-2)

The Hope of our Salvation
(1:3-4)

The Security of our Salvation
(1:5)

Reasons to Rejoice in Suffering
(1:6)

The Ultimate Objective of Suffering
(1:7)

Exploring Faith
(1:8)

The Outcome of Our Faith—The Salvation of our Souls
(1:9)

Profiting From the Prophets
(1:10-12a)

The Saints’ Advantage Over Angels
(1:12b)

The Relationship
Between Doctrine and Conduct