Before we examine the meat of Peter’s instruction to slaves in verses 18-25, let’s first deal with the question many have about this passage and others like it such as Ephesians 6:5-8, Colossians 3:22-25, 1 Timothy 6:1-2, Titus 2:9-10, and the numerous passages about slavery in the Old Testament. The question, of course, is whether the Bible condones slavery.… Read More 1 Peter: The Bible and Slavery
These commands are hard for Christians to follow today as well. For American Christians, they’re hard to obey even though – let’s be honest – we do not face nearly as severe persecution from our government due to the First Amendment as the early church did from Rome. In fact, it is because of the First Amendment and the freedom of speech it gives us that we find it very hard to do what God wants us to do in this passage. Because we have freedom of speech, we might think it an obligation to not just vocalize our disagreement with those in power, but to do so in ways that lie, slander, mock and insult both them and their families. Sin is breaking the laws of God (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15b). God never said not to disagree with governing authorities, but He has commanded to never dishonor them and to submit to them. The only exception He gave is if they specifically and directly order us to do the opposite of what God commanded us to do (cf. Acts 5:27-29). Therefore, we can “live as people who are free”…but let’s make sure to never “use (our) freedom as a cover-up for evil” (2:16).… Read More 1 Peter: Honor WHO, Peter? Are You Kidding Me?!?!
Christians, we might read verse 11’s “abstain from the passions of the flesh” and think of nothing more than sins some of us might have never committed like adultery or fornication, and thus sincerely say to ourselves, “Well, that’s not something that I have to worry about.” We might read verse 12’s “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable” and automatically think, “You know, I’m generally a good person and, while I’m not perfect, my conduct is certainly better than a lot of people’s! So I think it’s pretty clear that I am doing exactly what this verse wants me to do.” However, is that always the case?… Read More 1 Peter: Keeping Our Conduct Honorable
It’s easy for us to forget that we are soldiers fighting a spiritual war every single day (2 Cor. 10:3-5). If we let our guard down, if we get distracted by “the world or the things in the world,” then we will lose the war. Let us never forget that. … Read More 1 Peter: The Passions of the Flesh
Basically, we are Christians to tell others about how and why we are Christians. Going to heaven and being saved from hell by the grace and love of God and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross? Yes, one could say those are also reasons we are Christians, although in the context of what Peter is saying here I would say they are more the wonderful benefits of being Christians than anything else. But our purpose for being “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession”? Never forget, Christians. Our purpose for being Christians is to evangelize. … Read More 1 Peter: The Reason We Are Christians
Pre-Denominational Christianity 
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