II Peter 1:1-11

Back to Peter, this time his second letter. Just in reading him again after a three-day break with Jude, I often find it difficult to figure out what he is saying. Part of my comprehension problem is his long (to my mind, convoluted) sentences. His first “content” sentence takes two long verses: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (vv. 3-4) Above I highlighted, “…through the knowledge of Him”, which to me sounded like “…through His knowledge”, which didn’t make sense – “through Jesus’ knowledge…??!!”. Then I wondered, could it mean “…through knowing Him”? And it all made sense. Substitute that yourselves and see if it’s clearer. Just a confusing construction!

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election… (v. 10) Peter calls us to be diligent in confirming our calling. Two summers ago our Creative Arts Camp theme was the Holy Spirit. For my teaching Kelly asked me to cover John 14-16, Jesus’ Last Supper discourse to the apostles. In trying to distill for the kids the essence of Jesus’ teaching on the Holy Spirit, I was surprised at how much I was able to see how the Holy Spirit had been at work in my life. For example the Holy Spirit: (1) will teach us and remind us; (2) will testify about Jesus; (3) will convict us; (4) will guide us into all truth; (5) will disclose the future to us; and (6) will take Jesus’ words and explain them to us. For each one of those attributes of the Holy Spirit, I could point to a specific time when the Holy Spirit had been at work in my life. That later became a sermon in the Czech Republic as to how we can ask ourselves if we have the Holy Spirit in our lives, using my own life applications as examples. Back to the verse cited above – as Peter calls us to be diligent in confirming our calling, we need to also be diligent in seeking the Holy Spirit and in recognizing His work in our lives. We need constant confirmation that Jesus and His Holy Spirit are working in our lives!

Slava Bohu!

Jude 17-25

Finishing Jude today… And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. (vv. 22-23) Jude is listing three groups of people here. My take – the first group is new Christians or older Christians who may be leaning away from the faith, possibly led by those ungodly persons that Jude has been discussing in his entire letter. The second group is those newly saved Christians or those who are hungry to learn and are close to making a decision for Christ, but need to be pulled away from the influence of “the world” or those ungodly persons. Finally, the third group includes those who are “lost”, possibly fully in the clutches of “the world” and/or those ungodly persons. I think that to “show mercy with fear” means to be kind to those lost souls, but to be careful in interactions with them. My thoughts…

Jude draws a contrast in verses 19 and 20, an easy contrast to miss – those who are “devoid of the Spirit” in verse 19 and those who are “praying in the Holy Spirit” in verse 20. A full and clear contrast…! And so we close Jude.

Slava Bohu!

Jude 8-16

We’ve been reading Paul for so long that Peter seemed quite a change and Jude even more so! For example, Jude has two non-Biblical citations in today’s reading: But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses… (v. 9a) and It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied… (v. 14a). Jude is citing Jewish history here for which we have no Biblical account. There were a few occasions where Paul cited external sources of unknown origin, but (as I recall) not with a Biblical connection. So with Jude, since his letter was deemed inspired writing (canonical) by our Christian forefathers many years ago, we don’t dispute the truthfulness of his claims, but we also tend not to cite these two verses in building any theological arguments, as these verses do not stand up to the standard set long ago in the Pentateuch: …on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. (Deuteronomy 19:15, NASB) Journalists and detectives today do not accept a story or a witness unless they can corroborate one person’s testimony with second sources. Jude, alone, makes these two claims.

Small item – I couldn’t help but notice the word “ungodly” used for times in one verse (15). Unusual!

Slava Bohu!

Jude 1-7

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (v. 4) There are a number of items in this one verse. First, …certain people have crept in unnoticed… This item intrigues me – I wonder where it all started. I recall that originally our great universities (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, etc.) were founded as training ground for religious leaders, primarily Anglican (later Episcopal). How did they, over time, become such bastions of liberal religious thinking? Where did it start? Who “crept in unnoticed”? And when we send our kids off to (historically) Christian colleges, are they getting a true Christian education? You would probably be surprised at some of the comments and stories I have heard about our dear neighbors, Asbury University and Asbury Seminary.

A second item in that verse above refers to these people …who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality… We have read Paul’s teachings on this topic, that because of God’s grace we are allowed to sin all the more (Romans 6:1, ff.). Enough said on that…!

What troubles me most in that verse above is that these certain people … deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Religious leaders and educators with large followers today question not only Jesus’ teachings, but also His physical resurrection. As I see it, the whole of our Christian faith is based on Jesus’ resurrection. If He did not rise from the dead, we are, “of all people, the most to be pitied” (I Corinthians 15:19, NASB). How can someone call him/herself a Christian if he/she does not believe that fundamental truth? Jude is rightly troubled!!

Slava Bohu!

I Peter 5:6-14

As we were finishing Paul’s letters a couple of weeks ago, some of Paul’s last written words included a positive affirmation of Barnabas’ cousin, Mark. Now at the end of I Peter, we see Peter sending greetings that included Mark – a reflection of his own affection for Mark. My Study Bible says that early tradition held that Peter and Mark had a close relationship. Many Bible scholars also maintain that Mark’s association with Peter was so close that Mark’s Gospel, in fact, reflected Peter’s accounts of his travels and interactions with Jesus. We’ll never know, but it’s intriguing that Mark gets a mention from both Paul and Peter!

And after you have suffered a little while, … God … will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (v. 10) I love it when I read this list of verbs and then see them all sequentially in order. After their/our suffering they/we will first be restored (from our suffering?), then confirmed as to our true identity, then strengthened (having suffered through these early travails), then finally established – no doubt, established in His kingdom forever and ever, amen!

Slava Bohu!

I Peter 5:1-5

Peter gives us a novel triad construction, using the word “not”: …not under compulsion, but willingly, … not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering, … but being examples to the flock… (vv. 2b-3) Peter has addressed these restrictions to “elders”, typically referring to church leaders. That reference notwithstanding, I have always inferred the word literally, to those of us who are older. So, as I have with Paul’s instructions to Timothy, I apply Peter’s instructions to elders to myself in my Christian walk, particularly in areas where I have a leadership role. So I ask myself if I am leading willingly, eagerly, setting an example…? As treasurer? At Avanza? With RTB? We all need to ask ourselves regularly how we are acting in our church roles as elders/leaders. But it’s not only in our church roles. In our “non-church” lives, are we leading willingly, eagerly, setting an example…? That might even be a more important question than how we are behaving “in church”.

The other half of Peter’s instructions above come in verse 5a: Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Again, I see that instruction applied to myself. Am I being subject to those placed in leadership over me? That instruction does not suggest blind obedience. It does, however, (at a minimum) suggest respect. I recall in my military days, in considering the chain of command over me that we were taught to respect the uniform (the rank) if not the man. That command is still with me today. I recall also (later, King) David’s comment that he would not raise his hand against “the Lord’s anointed” (referring to King Saul, in I Samuel 24:6). In applying that verse to myself, I have always tried to keep criticism of our church leaders to a minimum, both my own voice and those with whom I am conversing. Disagreement, yes, but criticism, no.

Some good questions for today…!

I Peter 4:12-19

Although Peter has been talking about suffering all along in this epistle, today’s reading is his strongest message on suffering. He says it all: He ties our sufferings to Jesus’ sufferings (v. 13); he expects that we will be reviled for the sake of the name of Jesus (v. 14); and he acknowledges that God allows or even encourages our suffering (vv. 17, 19; see below). Listen to Peter – November 1, pray for the persecuted church!

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. (v. 15) The NKJV translation had “busybody” instead of “meddler”. That’s what caught my eye in reading today. I even read this verse out loud to Carol and mentioned these four (murderer, thief, evildoer, busybody) as appearing in descending order. She commented that busybodies can be terribly hurtful also – no doubt, I imagine, they can even led to murder!!

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God… (v. 17) and Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (v. 19) As noted above, God clearly allows our suffering. My Study Bible even suggested that “The persecutions that believers were undergoing were divinely sent judgments intended to purify God’s people.” I think “divinely sent” is a bit strong, although God did send enemy forces to bring judgment upon Israel in the Old Testament. But I do believe that God allows our suffering as a means for our purification. But I think the greater meaning for Christian persecution is as an evangelistic witness to the persecutors or the bystanders. I can imagine the lifelong regret that Paul felt when he remembered himself standing by the leaders’ robes as Stephen was being stoned (Acts 7:58).

Slava Bohu!

I Peter 4:1-11

…for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (vv. 1b-2) I think Peter is saying here that someone who has suffered in the flesh (for Jesus) has become a true believer and with that sure commitment is no longer sinful and no longer sinning, desiring to serve God instead of his/her former human passions.

For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. (v. 6) Here we have another confusing verse. (Maybe I’m too used to Paul’s writing!) Let me try to re-phrase it. First, the “this” (second word in this verse) refers back to verse 5, that we will all have to stand before Jesus and give an account of our earthly lives. So, with that “substitution” the verse now reads: The Gospel is preached with a recognition that we will have to give an account to Jesus for our earthly lives. Even the people who are dead had the Gospel preached to them while they were still alive. And having been found “true”, they now live in the spirit with Jesus. In my understanding the end of this verse is spoken in the positive, about those Christians who have been true to Jesus in their earthly lives. The verse does not say anything about non-believers when they die.

With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you… (v. 4) This verse sheds some light on yesterday’s comments. Christians are maligned because they no longer join their former friends in …doing what the Gentiles want to do… (v. 3b), all the sinfulness mentioned in verse 3. That’s where the suffering (yesterday) takes place, in the jeers and taunts of those with whom we no longer associate.

Peter is difficult – I hope I’m not too far off the mark.

Slava Bohu!

I Peter 3:13-22

Somehow I got distracted and completely forgot to post yesterday – really surprisingly, in fact, because I had already put together some comments in my mind. So, a day late…

…having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (v. 16) I was intrigued by people being “put to shame” by a Christian’s good behavior. It’s similar to what I said a few days ago, that “bystanders are … put to silence as they see you doing good”. But I guess I don’t often see good behavior being much honored (certainly, not enough) in our society. And I certainly don’t see people feeling ashamed when they have railed out against someone. They often seem to just pour it on all the more. But maybe it’s more internal than external. Maybe that “reviler” feels shame inside, yet maintains his/her unchanged external behavior.

For Christ … , being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, … went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison… (vv. 18-19) This verse has always confused me. I’ve thought maybe this verse is referring to what we say in the Nicene Creed every Sunday, “He descended to the dead” (or “into hell”). And that might make sense, but then Peter goes on to talk about Noah and the flood and God’s patience. And I am left more confused!

Finally, For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (v. 17) It sounds like Peter is saying that our suffering for doing good is God’s will for us. But we regularly pray, “Your will be done”, and not just in the Lord’s prayer, but in our everyday life and in our decisions. And even when this election is over next week, when either Trump or Biden is declared the winner, half of America will cheer and the other half will mourn. And many Christians in that latter half will say that we/they are trusting that our suffering through this outcome for the next four years must be God’s will for our country. And the Christian “winners” will say the same thing, “God has spoken, His will be done!!”