INTERNET BIBLE STUDIES I Peter Lesson 2
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I Peter Chapter 2

Memory verses for this week:  Mat 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Introduction:  In Chapter 1, we discussed how that trials are certain in this life.   Peter warned us of the battle, and encouraged us to gird up the loins of our mind and learn the humility that Christ exhibited to us during his life.

 

I.  Things to Put Away for Christian Growth

1 Pet 2:1  Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1 Pet 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

There are two things that are absolutely crucial for a Christian to grow in knowledge and strength in the Lord.  One is we must put away all the evil things of life that are mentioned here in verse 1.  Paul says to lay aside all malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, and evil speakings.   Sounds easy, but it is not.   Do you live perfectly every day?   If not, then we come over to the world as hypocrites, saying to be righteous yet not living what we say.   Can we go week after week without speaking evil of anyone?  These are truly tall orders, and only by the grace of God can we be the kind of people who will really glorify God.   Verse 2 says we need to desire the sincere milk of the word.  

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

 

1 Cor 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

1 Cor 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

1 Cor 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1 Cor 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

A non-christian or lost person can not feed upon the Word of God.

2 Tim 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

2 Tim 2:5  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

2 Tim 2:6  The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

 

1 Cor 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

II.  The Spiritual Temple

1 Pet 2:3  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Pet 2:4  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

1 Pet 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Christianity is different from all other religions, because we worship a risen living Savior.  Verse 4 says that out foundation is based upon a living stone.   We as children of God make up a spiritual house, and it is based upon the chosen and precious cornerstone of Jesus Christ.  We can not be lively stones and make up this spiritual house unless we first know Jesus Christ.   We become the temple of God the day that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of us.

1 Cor 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Cor 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Pet 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1 Pet 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

1 Pet 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

1 Pet 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We know that Jesus was rejected by the Jews when he came the first time.  And God has taken this same stone that the builders rejected and has made Him the head of the corner.   When we become part of Christ’s Spiritual house, it says we are chosen generation and a royal priesthood.  Every member of God’s family (those who are saved and a true lamb of God) is a priest regardless of age or gender.  This is different than the priests of the Old Testament.  The priesthood during this time was special class from the tribe of Levi, and only males could be priests.   All of us who are saved are priests to the Lord today.

Albert Barnes had some excellent comments and references concerning the corner stone.

As unto a living stone—The allusion in this passage is to Isa. 28:16, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”   There may be also possibly an allusion to Ps. 118:22, “The stone which the builders disallowed is become the headstone of the corner.” The reference is to Christ as the foundation on which the church is reared. He occupied the same place in regard to the church which a foundation-stone does to the edifice that is reared upon it.   The phrase “living stone” is however unusual, and is not found, I think, except in this place. There seems to be an incongruity in it, in attributing life to a stone, yet the meaning is not difficult to be understood. The purpose was not to speak of a temple, like that at Jerusalem, made up of gold and costly stones; but of a temple made up of living materials—of redeemed people—in which God now resides. In speaking of that, it was natural to refer to the foundation on which the whole rested, and to speak of that as corresponding to the whole edifice. It was all a living temple—a temple composed of living materials—from the foundation to the top. Compare the expression in John 4:10, “He would have given thee living water;” that is, water which would have imparted life to the soul. So Christ imparts life to the whole spiritual temple that is reared on him as a foundation.

 

1 Pet 2:10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

We now that the nation of Israel in the Old Testament descended through the seed of Abraham.  We as Christians make a new nation to God… a spiritual nation.  And the reason for this is that we might show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Adam Clarke pointed out that his was a fulfillment of prophecy from Hosea.

Which in time past were not a people—This is a quotation from Hosea 1:9, 10; 2:23, where the calling of the Gentiles, by the preaching of the Gospel, is foretold. From this it is evident, that the people to whom the apostle now addresses himself had been Gentiles, covered with ignorance and superstition, and now had obtained mercy by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ.

Hosea 1:9  Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

Hosea 1:10  Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Hosea 2:23  And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

III.  The Conduct of this Spiritual House

1 Pet 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

1 Pet 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

God desires for us to not be comfortable in this old world, but to live as strangers and pilgrims.  No one is really a pilgrim in the biblical sense who has not first become a stranger in this world.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

It is by our good work that we glorify God with our lives.   When those evil men in Daniel’s day sought to find fault with him, only by looking for errors according to his law could they determine any fault.  By our good works we glorify God.

Dan 6:4  Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Dan 6:5  Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

 

Mat 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

1 Pet 2:13  Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

1 Pet 2:14  Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

1 Pet 2:15  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

Peter teaches that we are to be obedient to our government.  This is true as long as the laws of the land do not go against God’s law.  In that case, we are to always follow God’s law.   A good example today is how that it is legal to have an abortion, but according to God’s word, we are not to kill.   Another example is special status given to lesbians and homosexuals.   These people are sinners, and are certainly not a class that we should give special rights to as a minority.

Mat 23:23  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

 

Acts 5:27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

Acts 5:28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Acts 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

 

Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

1 Pet 2:16  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

1 Pet 2:17  Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Jesus has set us free from the burden of sin, but we are not to use it improperly.  We are to be servants of God and use our freedom to honor God with our lives.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

 

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Rom 6:7  For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Rom 6:8  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

Rom 6:9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Rom 6:10  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Verse 17 has four admonitions in it.  We are to ‘honor all men’.   We should not despise anyone.  Secondly, we are to ‘love the brotherhood’.  This speaks of loving our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.   Thirdly, we are to ‘fear God’.  In Ecclesiastes, it speaks of this as being the whole duty of man.

Eccl 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Eccl 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

The fourth thing we are to do is ‘Honor the King’.  We should show due respect to the head of our government as one who was placed there by God.

 

1 Pet 2:18  Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

1 Pet 2:19  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1 Pet 2:20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

It is easy to obey a master who is kindly disposed and considerate to us.  But we are to be subject to even those who might not always be good to us, but may be froward.  Our consistent behavior, despite how we are treated, is one the things that God can use to lead others to Christ.   It talks about us being able to endure suffering, particularly when it is wrongfully given.   When we have done wrong, we expect bad things to befall us.  But when we are doing good, it is much more difficult to endure without complaining.  Verse 20 says we do well if we suffer patiently and endure those things that befall us.  It takes a lot of grace to endure blame when we don’t deserve.  But Christ was our ultimate example, and we need to follow him and pattern our lives after Jesus.  Not only did Jesus suffer wrongfully, but there are dozens of other examples of men who went through trials and did not give up but trusted God.   In my bible reading since Jan. 1st, I’ve covered the book of Genesis.  And the example of Joseph is one that should teach us to now question God.  Joseph had to endure month after month in prison after being sold into slavery by his brothers.  But when Pharaoh had those dreams about the upcoming famine, God used Joseph to interpret them and wound up second in charge in Egypt.  When his brothers came down to buy food, and Joseph ultimately revealed himself as their brother, he pointed out that they might have meant it for evil, but God used it for good to save many lives.  Joseph endured without complaining and see how God greatly blessed him. (and many, many others.)

Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

IV.  The Suffering of Christ

1 Pet 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1 Pet 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

1 Pet 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

1 Pet 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Pet 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

What an example Jesus gave us with his life.  He set us an example by committing himself to God.  He never sought his own will, but that of the Father.  He bore our sins on the tree there on Calvary.

Heb 10:8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Heb 10:9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

 

Luke 22:41  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luke 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

 

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Prov 4:18  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

 

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