Lesson 1 Part 2

So the first week we skipped over these four big topics, my book answer on the purpose of the letter, and the application of the big word topics we studied. The second week we only talked about these four topics, but not in a manner that I can capture here. These are of course very importatnt topics, but I’m just not ready to present them in any detail.

1. God the Father
2. The Spirit
3. Jesus Christ
4. Trinity

 

Lesson 1 Part 3

 5: Chapter 5 verse 12 gives the purpose as “Encouragement/Comfort” and “Assure/Testify”. How are these accomplished by the first two verses?

From the guide I am using (more about it another time):

Encourage/Comfort

1. 1. Make Strong
   2. Make Brave
   3. Make Happy

Assure/Testify

1. 1. Future Glory
   2. Example of Christ
   3. Reward of Suffering

For me, the most encouraging point was that God picked me. I am not worth it, but He did it for me. The most assuring part for me was that God knows me. He knows I sin, and yet while I was (am) a sinner, He sent His Son to die for me.

Peter includes phrases through out the epistle to accomplish his tasks, so I will highlight it often through out the study. The big outcome is that we can reread this letter anytime we need encouragement or assurance and find something to help us in our daily walk.

One of the points from this guide is that the letter refers to Old Testament and to Pauline letters as a indication that the audience should not be divided between the Jews that Peter was to reach and the Gentiles that Paul was to reach, but we are one group aligned with Christ. An important outcome of the interactions between these two leaers as the church grew from Pentecost. 

My guide says to use the Authorized Version and the Revised (Standard) Version (it’s an old guide), I used NIV this week to make sure I could understand it (and avoid going downstairs to find one of the many Revise Standard Versions we have from my growing up in the Methodist Church that used it religiously).

Overall, in these first verses, Peter is giving his own view of himself, his audience, the condition that sets them apart, and makes them who they are; who we are.

 

Lesson 1 Part 4

We added two new people this week and spent most of the time in review, but did get one more question done.

6: How do you identify with the pilgrims?

We live in a land where we are no longer citizens, and we are called to follow God for His purposes and are no longer our own living for comfort here and now. (We actually got to this question in week three of our study, just did not finish.) One idea that came out is that pilgrim can give the idea of a privilege that the traveler can journey on for their own benefit. We are definitely blessed when serving others for Christ.

 

Lesson 1 Part 5

Tying our first week record, we made it through three questions.

7: How do you identify with the Apostle?

My job is to share the gospel. I was challenged to do it this week. We are to chose to live Christlike everyday while living as foreigners in the world. It is a challenge.

8:“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” What does this mean to you?

God picked me based on who He is, and I can rest assured He knew what was happening. We discussed Predestination and tangents like that, but we did not seem to recieve a definitive answer to end all debate.

9: “In sanctification of the Spirit” What does this mean to you?

It means I live with the Spirit inside me protecting me from eternal damnation, but not from sinning. Sanctification is a process only complete upon death or Christ’s return.

 

Lesson 1 Part 6

We finished. On to verse three.

10: “For obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” What does this mean to you?

It means I am to obey and that I am covered, but that I still face the prospect of not doing the right thing automatically. We got off on a long tangent about the difference between temptation and sin. It is a short step.

11: “Grace to You” What does this mean to you?

It reminds me that God gave me salvation that I did not earn. I should not have pride in that, but confidence in the eternal.

12: “Peace be multiplied” What does this mean to you?

To me this is encouragement to follow God, to not fight his direction, and the true conflict of fighting God’s will should not trouble me. Also, something we should share as it is more than enough for us and not something we can give all away.

 

As I thought when I first read these two verses, they are full of the gospel and can be used to discuss almost anything the Christian life brings. It was both encouraging and assuring and I think Peter accomplished his goals and we have just begun to study this first letter.