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  • WE Have Been Here Before – in Awe of JESUS

    WE Have Been Here Before – in Awe of JESUS

    We show no awe of Jesus in our no-salt ‘christian’ lives. Oh, perhaps in a stanza of singing, a sentence of sermon or a moment of compassion in our encounter with another; but for the most part we Christians fail to show any awe of Jesus in our worship or daily lives.

    Our church and yours will most likely witness the “aahhh” of a baby born in Bethlehem directed for our children. Ah, not awe — the small sprinkling of Christ for the community, rather than Spirit led worship of the Christ who still lives.

    AWE!

    The forgotten awe of the Lord God witnessed in the past becomes the superstition of today’s disbelief.

    When we read of the awe of Jesus we quickly overlook it. How easily we miss a personal awe of the Lord.

    So just for a moment put yourself in the sandals of some witnesses we missed in Jesus’ introduction. (For the Gospel shows us much more than the ‘ah’ of a babe in a manger.)

    The Gospel of Matthew

    1:20b … an angel of the Lord appeared to him [Joseph] in a dream… 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him.

    Note: Maji: Matthew 2:1 A caste of wise men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science

    2:2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

    13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.

    19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.

    The Gospel Mark

    The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

    9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

    The Good News (εὐαγγέλιον) of Luke

    1:8 … he was serving as priest before God… 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah…

    26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David…

    2:9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid…

    13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

    “Glory to God in the highest,
    And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

    Luke 2:14 NASB – Strong’s G2107 – eudokia Blueletterbible.org

    33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.

    Does Jesus still amaze you after hearing HIS STORY each year?

    Do you hear the awe in these witnesses of Christ? And like them do hold HIM in awe as well?

    34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—

    Prophecy – Simeon recalls and applies prophecy of the Messiah to Jesus, the Son of Man born in a manger in Bethlehem.

    The Gospel of John

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    The same was in the beginning with God.

    John 1:2 KJV of Christ Jesus ‘this one, visibly present here
    manger with shadow of cross falling across
    The Lamb of God in a manger

    The Lamb of God

    29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

    30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’

    John the Baptist was in awe of Jesus. Are you?

    51 And He said to him [Nathanael], “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

    Awesome! Truly, the Gospel records many instances of awe connected to Christ Jesus.

    What is Awe?

    φόβος – phobos

    You know the greek root and its connection to fear, dread, terror and that which strikes terror.

    Yet we marginalize our phobias even of miracles. And awe in this sense startles our sense of the natural. For our human understanding must be finite and understanding of the infinite baffles us.

    We mention the fear of the shepherds who witnessed the awe of angels at Jesus’ birth. Yet seldom will we note the supernatural motivations for the multitudes of followers who subsequently had to see and hear the Messiah Jesus.

    In just one scene here in Nain, imagine yourself as part of the crowd gathered for the funeral of this man. Jesus, of whom you have heard, walks up and touches the coffin.

    “Young man, I say to you, arise!”

    The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

    Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying,

    “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and,

    “God has visited His people!”

    Luke 7:14-16

    Luke further records witness of the first century church.

    Everyone kept feeling a sense G5401 of awe; G5401 and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

    Acts of the Apostles 2:43 – awe = Literally: fear was occurring to every soul

    Fear as Consequence of Awe

    We frequently live in fear during this brief mortal journey of our life.

    Do we fear man and circumstance or the Lord?

    Therefore here this one example of awe from the Hebrew Bible [Old Testament] as wisdom for our fear.

    33:8 יִֽירְאוּ מֵיְהוָה כָּל־הָאָרֶץ מִמֶּנּוּ יָגוּרוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵֽל׃

    Let all the earth fear the LORD;
    Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

    Psalm 33:8 Masoretic Text; NASB
    To be continued...
  • The Tongue is a Fire! – Religion

    The Tongue is a Fire! – Religion

    The Fire of the Tongue, the Rhetoric of Politics and Religion

    In our previous look at public controversy in the media we began with the clash of politics, mentioning the trial of Socrates in 399 B.C. Today we begin coverage of the clashes of religion and the church with everyday culture.

    For, “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
    MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.

    First Letter of Peter to the Church 3:10 NASB

    Without digging a hole into some serious divisions of the church in our brief look at this opening quote of the Apostle Peter to the church, let me just remind us:

    Political parties and the church are all gatherings of disagreeable people more or less united in one thing.

    Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com

    Can you think of an application for followers of Christ in current election rhetoric for the (U.S.) election year to come?

    The church (saints or people) of this day and the past are all like you, like me and just like every candidate of every party in every country on earth. We are ALL SINNERS.

    Therefore, regardless of our politics of the moment or religion of the past, we all speak and do evil.

    The Tongue of the ‘Christian’

    But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

    Caution of Christ – Matthew 5:22 NASB

    Jesus Christ asks the crowds to examine our own hearts. So before we get to the controversy of Christ, let’s work back from Peter’s last point in this one verse [1 Peter 3:10] instructing “Christians.”

    Peter asks or suggests to followers of Jesus:

    1. If you desire LIFE, what is life?
    2. Do you desire LOVE, what kind of love?
    3. So you want to SEE GOOD DAYS, what path do you seek?
    4. Do you KEEP YOUR TONGUE FROM EVIL?
    5. Would others find you guilty of SPEAKING DECEIT because you have fooled yourself?

    Do you speak foolishness in angry answers to others – your loved ones, those you work or worship with, a politician inciting opposition?

    How can you judge their speech when you do not even judge your own?

    The root meaning of deceit here is to decoy. In other words, deceive another by your words. Of course no politician would do that!

    But Jesus speaks to those who want to speak truth. When we do not, like the politicians and leaders of cultural religion we also become hypocrites, as are our accusers.

    Hypocrites

    Their audience is US.

    ὑποκριτής, ὑποκριτου, ὁ (ὑποκρίνομαι, which see);

    1. one who answers, an interpreter (Plato, Lucian).
    2. an actor, stage-player (Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato, Aelian, Herodian).
    3. in Biblical Greek, a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite:

    Followers of Christ must look in the mirror first.

    If you catch yourself speaking deceit you had best shut your mouth and seal your lips. (Nevermind the hypocrisy of your opponent, just find the beam in your own eye and fire of your own tongue.)

    The tongue of Evil

    The tongue of evil could be our own!

    Paul writes to church of the Romans:

    as it is written,
    “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;

    Romans 3:13

    He continues in speaking of Jews and Hellenistic culturists (Greeks):

    THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
    THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.

    “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
    WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,”
    “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;

    “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”…

    “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

    Could this be a political treatise against Christians, Jews, Muslims, and ANY claiming God without love on their lips even in this day?

    Like Peter, Paul also shows why politics and religion mix in a murky cloud of hypocrisy.

    How do you seek GOOD DAYS?

    What is the platform of your faith? Your religion? Traditions? Good deeds?

    Your works of goodness certainly can not sway the politics of a fallen world or misled nation.

    Do you seek an honest path to righteousness? It would be a religion of works and false morality, a religion of philanthropic leading in your own ideals.

    … and I’m NOT going to take it anymore!

    Do any recall our ‘must elect my candidate’ arguments of religion for the 2016 election?

    How will you, being evil, do good for anyone?

    My fellow Christians, is your witness for the Gospel of Christ?

    Or is your shout to the crowds that you’re mad as hell as if Christ would be swayed by the fire of your tongue?

    Perhaps your opponents think that you feign madness before the media.

    What good is your shouting into the whirlwind? For the fire of your words fails to witness the compassion of our Lord Christ Jesus.

    Mere religion and righteousness never equate.

    Love of words or love of the Word?

    Here’s a question for so-called ‘christians’ embroiled in the politics of the day: Do you have a love of words or love of the Word?

    Surely the politician loves the stage of the world. Certainly the media twists words meant to incite supporters into indictments of political opponents.

    Satan works no differently than the internet in spreading false accusation of the believer; for Christ is the only Word of love who can save the sinner.

    The Apostle John instructs the church:

    Do not love G25 the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves G25 the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

    1 John 2:15 NASB – Strong’s G25 ἀγαπάω agapaō

    Life – ζωή – zōē

    Life’s meaning described by Peter is:

    1. life
      1. the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate
      2. every living soul
    2. life
      1. of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic “logos” and to Christ in whom the “logos” put on human nature
      2. life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever.

    Peter points not only forward to Christ, but by scripture back to David, a man after God’s own heart.

    Religion questions God.

    May I add that the politics of the world deny God’s saving grace. By our knowledge of good and evil we lost the fruit of the tree of life in Eden. Mankind spoiled God’s paradise by disobedient sin.

    Psalm 34: A Psalm of David

    when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

    David looks back at these dark days and praises the LORD.

    I will bless the LORD at all times;
    His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

    Psalm 34:1

    9 O fear the LORD, you His saints;
    For to those who fear Him there is no want.

    13 Keep your tongue from evil
    And your lips from speaking deceit.

    14 Depart from evil and do good;
    Seek peace and pursue it.

    From advice for the saints of the Lord, David proceeds to the justice and redemption of the faithful.

    21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
    And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

    22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
    And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

    The Fire of the Tongue, the Politics of Jesus

    Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

    John 18:14 NKJV

    Jesus against religion

    John 2:

    14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

    John 8:

    42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

    54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him.

    58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

    a Word of witness to followers of false religion

    Jesus answered him,

    “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.

    John 18:20 NASB

    Jesus continues:

    “Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”

    Truth has witnesses; yet how do unrighteous leaders of religion react?

    When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”

    Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

    So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

    Political reaction to Righteousness

    Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.

    Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

    The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

    John 18:38; 19:15b NASB

    Righteous reaction to the Political

    Mark 12:

    Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?”

    coin head of Antiochus IV Epiphanes

    But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them,

    “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.”

    17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

    Is Politics your Religion OR Religion your Politics?

    Psalm 2:

    The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom

    Why do the nations rage,
    And the people plot a vain thing?
    2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    And the rulers take counsel together,
    Against the Lord and against His Anointed saying,
    3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
    And cast away Their cords from us.”

    Christ Jesus, the Messiah of the Lord God, warned of our anger against God.

    7 אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃

    8 שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

    10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
    Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
    11 Serve the Lord with fear,
    And rejoice with trembling.
    12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
    And you perish in the way,
    When His wrath is kindled but a little.
    Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

    To be continued...

  • Suffer for Good – a letter from Peter – 6

    Suffer for Good – a letter from Peter – 6

    To do good or evil?

    Previously, from the background of Psalm 34 Peter urges the church to be like-minded in doing good. The Christian Standard Bible labels these verses, “Do No Evil” and the New King James Version, “Called to Blessing.” Yet just five verses later Peter calls on us to suffer.

    Our action? “Seek peace and pursue it.” [1 Peter 3:11b CSB]

    Peace, from the greek, εἰρήνη – eirēnē, is a trait of witness for followers of Christ, therefore Peter insists that we must pursue it to be Christ-like.

    Depart from evil and do good;
    Seek peace and pursue it.

    The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
    And His ears are open to their cry.

    Psalm 34:14-15 NASB

    This, too, Peter urges from the Psalm; but then he draws an application from this Psalm of David applying it to followers of Christ.

    Pursue Suffering?

    1 Peter 3:

    The CSB calls it, “Undeserved Suffering” and the NKJV heads this section, “Suffering for Right and Wrong.” J.B. Phillips summarizes Peter’s central message of his letter to the church, “Do good, even if you suffer for it.”

    13-16 [PHILLIPS] After all, who in the ordinary way is likely to injure you for being enthusiastic for good?

    It’s a question of fairness, but also one about our motives in what we pursue.

    We may sense some fairness from unbelievers when we do good. Yet those who pursue good (but not Christ) sometimes pursue evil and may turn against Christ-followers.

    The Greek idea of pursuit here, διώκω – diōkō, actually suggests:

    ‘to make to run or flee, but also, to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after or to press on.’ Metaphorically to pursue good, to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavour to acquire.

    Peter reminds from the Psalm that the Lord watches both those who pursue evil and those who pursue good.

    14 CSB But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed.

    Peter quotes the Prophet Isaiah [8:12] urging:

    Do not fear what they fear or be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

    Christ, holiness in your heart

    Patiently endure suffering, for our Lord and Savior also suffered.

    The NKJV states: 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and the NASB urges: 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. What does this mean to a follower of Jesus?

    Who is Lord? Who is supreme in your life?

    Peter’s guidance to the church comes from his own personal witness.

    – excerpt from Mark 8:27-29 CSB

    Jesus had asked Peter and the Twelve, “Who do people say that I am?” He then asked the Disciples, “… who do you say that I am?”

    Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”

    Christ Jesus Lord!

    Χριστός Christos Ἰησοῦς Iēsous κύριος kyrios

    All of the Apostles (not just Peter) witnessed Jesus as the Christ to the church. John, who would have been with Peter here, also writes the Good News of their earlier calling:

    One of the two who heard John [the Baptist] speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He found first his own brother Simon [that is, Peter] and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).

    John 1:40-41 NASB

    Have you found the Messiah?

    That is, do you have Christ [God with us] in your heart, Peter asks those who suffer for Jesus?

    Sanctify Christ as Lord

    If God is with you, then act like Jesus so that unbelievers may see the Lord in the actions of your heart.

    15-16 NKJV But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

    Sanctify Him in your hearts.

    What does that mean, what must I do?

    Understand the holiness of the Lord God!

    The Creator is not like any other man or object of His creation. And the Messiah Jesus must be honored with this same Holiness.

    Sanctify – ἁγιάζω – hagiazō – from hagios, ‘sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated)’ – 1. to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable [commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity] or hallow; 2. to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; 3. to purify

    Some will recall Jesus’ instruction to the Apostles about prayer from the King James Version:

    Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

    Matthew 6:9a KJV

    Hallow the Lord in your heart, Peter tells us. καρδία – kardia, which we recognize as the heart ‘denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life.’

    All tradition from Jewish teaching recognizes the heart not only in the physical sense, but more importantly as ‘the centre and seat of spiritual life.’

    A Model for Suffering

    Gentleness and respect begin Peter’s list here of qualities of a sanctified heart for Jesus.

    He continues with keeping a clear conscience, so that unbelievers who slander you for doing good are put to shame before the Lord.

    Suffer only for doing good, but not for doing evil as the false followers of God will claim.

    For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.

    1 Peter 3:18a CSB

    Do you realize that your suffering for Christ Jesus may lead someone unrighteous to God?

    Peter, having God’s own Spirit in his heart, puts forth Jesus as our example of both suffering and hope.

    He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit…

    1 Peter 3:18b CSB

    He went and preached to the spirits in prison.

    Peter witnessed the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus! And Peter tells us more of the Lord’s victory over sin and death.

    Without Jesus’ death for our sin we would have no victory. Those who died not knowing Jesus had no victory, though they did suffer death.

    Who are these spirits in prison?

    It’s a somewhat secondary debate from the greek of Peter’s letter, but consider the events following Jesus’ death and His appearance three days later.

    The Gospel records that He yielded up His spirit [gk. pneuma].

    Matthew 27: NKJV

    Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints [ hagios or holy ones ] who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

    Peter now proclaims a cleansing of the spirit comparing baptism (permanent change possible only in Christ) to the Lord’s cleansing of the earth at the time of Noah.

    One understanding of prison as a Greek metaphor for waiting illustrates the time of one of the three watches of the night. (See Stongs’ explanation.)

    1 Peter 3:

    NIV 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

    Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

    1 Peter 3:21-22 CSB

    Why Suffer?

    1 Peter 4:

    Therefore since Christ suffered physically, Peter begins, understand why you must suffer for doing good for Him as your Lord. (Remember that these first century believers were already suffering for their faith in Jesus.)

    “Arm yourselves also with the same purpose,” the NASB reads.

    Why?

    “… because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin…

    You, beloved believer are changed permanently in Christ. For you suffer in the flesh as did our Lord AND you have ceased to sin.

    [You are] finished with sin— 2 in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.

    What an uplifting encouragement from Peter to the suffering church. Yet he strengthens their personal resolve further.

    What remaining time did these suffering believers have?

    Perhaps little; some only days or weeks.

    And you, beloved follower of Christ, what little time might you have left to suffer in the flesh?

    Our Former Sin

    3 For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry.

    Judge yourself, fellow sinner. Even if we have not committed some of these godless offenses in the eyes of the Lord, our flesh without Christ has coveted evil. Peter warns suffering believers to hold firm in our faith.

    4 They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you.

    And I remind us where Peter began this contrast between you or me and those who cause us to suffer for Christ.

    2 … live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

    Peter then assures us of God’s fairness and judgement.

    They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.

    1 Peter 4:5 CSB

    Hope in the Gospel

    Peter speaks of Jesus preaching even to the dead. The end is near for some of the believers to whom he writes. What is the hope for those who suffer? Why must we suffer for Christ?

    For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead, so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards.

    1 Peter 4:6 CSB

    We were once dead in our sins. Yet God wants us to live in the spirit according to His will.

    Jesus, our Savior will judge, separating those who follow from those who will receive the justice of their own sin — punishment without the grace of God’s mercy.

    Endure in your suffering for Christ Jesus, in these last days.

    To be continued...