Unity

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Introduction

Why did Peter write 1 Pete
What is the context of the entire letterWhat is the time period of the letter?
What is the context of the entire letterWhat is the time period of the letter?
Why did Peter write 1 Pete
What is the time period of the letter?
***
Some of you may know that I was in the Army National Guard and that I retired as a Captain. In order to become an officer you have to go through Officer Candidate School (OCS for short). OCS is much like boot camp but for officers. On the first day of OCS, the instructors, in an effort to welcome us into the school, give us a taste of corrective training. This corrective training consists of yelling at us at the top of their lungs, making us do push-ups until we can’t push-up anymore, then switch to sit-ups and when we can’t do any more sit-ups, they switch to jumping jacks etc. They do this until THEY become tired. Every command is to be returned with Sir Candidate Dulin Yes Sir! at the top of our lungs. Before they begin this “welcome”, the instructors stand off at a far distance but not far enough where we can’t see them. We all stand there in formation with our eyes on them knowing what is coming. As they creep towards us, we shout words of encouragement and strengthening to each other to prepare each other for the fury…the persecution that is about to come.
Like my fellow classmates, Peter, writing from Rome is witnessing the beginning of Christian persecution. He writes this letter to warn, to strengthen and to encourage the brethren in the Asia Minor Roman provinces. The readers are encouraged to remain faithful to Christ in the midst of difficulties and sufferings.
Like the creeping instructors on the first day of OCS…and THEIR approaching fury, the sifting period of

The sifting period of believers had partly come already, and was partly approaching; the roaring of the lion that threatened to devour the faithful, was already heard.

The readers are encouraged to remain faithful to their Lord in the midst of difficulties and sufferings.
Emperor Nero’s state enforced persecution the sifting period of believers had partly come already and was approaching.
Even though the state sponsored persecutions by Nero’s government had not yet begun, Believers were experiencing persecution from pagan elements of society, perhaps from the leaders of pagan mystery cults whose authority has been undermined by Christian teaching against adultery and lust.
And most important of all, the letter lifts up Jesus Christ as the example par excellence of one who suffered innocently; Christians under persecution should follow his example (2:21–23; 3:13–18).
It is this awareness that they are the new people of God that leads them to holy and righteous living, even in the midst of persecution and suffering.
Even though the state sponsored persecutions by Nero’s government had not yet begun, persecution from pagan elements of society, perhaps from the leaders of pagan mystery cults whose authority has been undermined by Christian teaching against adultery and lust.
the roaring of the lion that threatened to devour the faithful, was already heard.
John Peter Lange et al., A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: 1 Peter (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008), 5.
The sifting period of believers had partly come already, and was partly approaching; the roaring of the lion that threatened to devour the faithful, was already heard.
John Peter Lange et al., A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: 1 Peter (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008), 5.

The sifting period of believers had partly come already, and was partly approaching; the roaring of the lion that threatened to devour the faithful, was already heard.

the roaring of the lion that threatened to devour the faithful, was already heard.

It’s possible persecution even came from members of a their own family because they cannot understand why a son or a daughter would leave home and become a follower of a movement that is facing persecution.
It is possible that it comes from former friends who now insult, despise, ridicule, and humiliate those who no longer indulge in paganism’s foolish practices.
This is why Peter wrote this epistle
Perhaps some of you have felt persecution in similar forms. I know I have. I became a believer at the age of 37…when my son was only 14. Our relationship suffered because he could not understand why his father suddenly would turn the other cheek instead of fighting over words; refusing to use vulgar words; refusing to watch certain movies; diligently following the rules of the land.
it had begun in the form of verbal slander and social pressure from the local populace (4:14-15). They were being ridiculed for their separated lives (4:4-5) and were being accused of being traitors (2:13-17). Mostly from ****The local Cults because their holy way of living was beginning to effect their ritualistic headinism***The church was even experiencing internal problems like worldliness (2:11-16) and greedy elders (5:2-3)
It is more probable that the
So Peter writes this letter to lift up Jesus as their example of one who suffered innocently and with Christ’s example Peter aims to provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony no matter their circumstances (1:13–2:12).
To provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony (1:13–2:12).
In the first half of chapter 1 Peter explains the relationship of trials to God’s purposes in salvation (1:1–12).
To provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony (1:13–2:12).
Or perhaps it comes from former friends who now insult, despise, ridicule, and humiliate those who no longer indulge in paganism’s foolish practices
The whole of the letter of 1 Peter can be summed up in Chapter 5 verse 12.
1 Peter 5:12 NASB95
12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!
Peter is exhorting the believers to testify to God’s grace by living lives of holiness, love and growth despite their circumstances (1:13–2:12).

Purposes

Peter, therefore, wrote to explain the relationship of trials to God’s purposes in salvation (1:1–12); to provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony (1:13–2:12); to call for submission of believers to civil authorities (2:13–17), of servants to masters (2:18–25), and of wives to husbands (3:1–8); to discuss the proper attitude of believers in suffering (3:9–4:19); to give guidelines to the elders for the proper performance of their ministry (5:1–4); to call them to humility (5:5–7); to warn them against the tactics of Satan (5:8–11); and to send greetings (5:12–14).

I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is cthe true grace of God. dStand firm in it!
c Acts 11:23; 1 Pet 1:13; 4:10
d 1 Cor 15:1
Peter, therefore, wrote to explain the relationship of trials to God’s purposes in salvation (1:1–12); to provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony (1:13–2:12); to call for submission of believers to civil authorities (2:13–17), of servants to masters (2:18–25), and of wives to husbands (3:1–8); to discuss the proper attitude of believers in suffering (3:9–4:19); to give guidelines to the elders for the proper performance of their ministry (5:1–4); to call them to humility (5:5–7); to warn them against the tactics of Satan (5:8–11); and to send greetings (5:12–14).
Robert G. Gromacki, New Testament Survey (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1974), 352.
Therefore, Peter wrote to explain the relationship of trials to God’s purposes in salvation (1:1–12); to provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony (1:13–2:12); to call for submission of believers to civil authorities (2:13–17), of servants to masters (2:18–25), and of wives to husbands (3:1–8); to discuss the proper attitude of believers in suffering (3:9–4:19); to give guidelines to the elders for the proper performance of their ministry (5:1–4); to call them to humility (5:5–7); to warn them against the tactics of Satan (5:8–11); and to send greetings (5:12–14).
Robert G. Gromacki, New Testament Survey (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1974), 352.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), 1 Pe 5:12.
This is why Peter wrote this epistle

CHAPTER ONE

Contents: Christian’s conduct under suffering in the light of full salvation.

So Peter writes this letter to lift up Jesus as their example of one who suffered innocently and with Christ’s example Peter aims to provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony no matter their circumstances (1:13–2:12).
Contents: Christian’s conduct under suffering in the light of full salvation.

CHAPTER TWO

Contents: Exhortation to holiness and growth in view of Christ’s great sacrifice. Christ’s vicarious sufferings.

CHAPTER THREE

Contents: Duties of husbands and wives toward one another. Exhortations to Christian consistency. Christ’s vicarious sacrifice.

Keith Brooks, Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the New Testament (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 81.

CHAPTER FOUR

Contents: Exhortations to mortification of sin and living unto God. Suffering with Christ.

Peter gives many instructions on what this looks like, but staying within the THEME of Unity that Ben started last week, we are going to focus in on . So if you have your Bible with you, please turn with me there.

CHAPTER FIVE

Contents: Christian service in view of Christ’s soon coming.

Peter gives many instructions
To call for submission of believers to civil authorities (2:13–17), of servants to masters (2:18–25), and of wives to husbands (3:1–6), and the husband’s responsibilities to his wife.
1 Peter 5:12 NASB95
Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!
submission of believers to civil authorities (2:13–17), of servants to masters (2:18–25), and of wives to husbands (3:1–6), and the husband’s responsibilities to his wife.
New Testament Survey Time and Place

The persecutions did not stem from the imperial government, but originated from the local populace in the form of verbal slander and social pressures (4:14–15). Quite possibly, they could have been ridiculed for their separated lives (4:4–5) and/or accused of being traitors (2:13–17). The church was also infected with some internal problems such as worldliness (2:11–16; 4:1–5) and greedy, autocratic elders (5:2–3).

1 Peter 3:8–12 NASB95
8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For, The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Purposes

Peter, therefore, wrote to explain the relationship of trials to God’s purposes in salvation (1:1–12); to provoke the readers to lives of holiness, love, growth, and testimony (1:13–2:12); to call for submission of believers to civil authorities (2:13–17), of servants to masters (2:18–25), and of wives to husbands (3:1–8); to discuss the proper attitude of believers in suffering (3:9–4:19); to give guidelines to the elders for the proper performance of their ministry (5:1–4); to call them to humility (5:5–7); to warn them against the tactics of Satan (5:8–11); and to send greetings (5:12–14).

Finally, all of you...
Finally...
Most translations say “Finally”.
Peter is indicating that he is summing up his exhortations that began at 2:11 and ending in 3:7. In 2:13 he commands us to Keep your behavior excellent so that God would be glorified even if we are slandered for our excellent behaviors.
Peter is indicating the summary of his exhortation that began at 2:11 and ends in 3:7. In 2:13 he commands us to Keep your behavior excellent so that God would be glorified even if we are slandered for our excellent behaviors.
Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they bslander you as evildoers, they may 1because of your good deeds, as they observe them, cglorify God din the day of 2visitation.
And then he begins to instruct specific groups of people on how to stay EXCELLENT...slaves, masters, wives and husbands and in the middle of that he reminds us of Christ’s example of the proper response to suffering ().
So Peter is concluding this section of submission with a call to submission of the entire Christian community. The Church. He does this by using 6 attitudes that should be present among believers to preserve Unity.
be harmonious
b
a
More literally this is a call to be like minded. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have differences of opinions. God has given us all different gifts and talents so there’s bound to be differences of opinion. The KEY is....how we respond to the differences. The differences shouldn’t divide the church but enhance the life and the WORK of the church.
It was obvious that this call to harmony was necessary in the first century church because it is quite commonly found in the New Testament (cf. ; ; ; ; )
(cf. ; ; ; ; )
be sympathetic
This is not an unfamiliar concept to any of us. I would say that it is even a common concept among non-believers. How many times have we seen tweets responding to tragedy with “Our hearts and minds go out to _______.” Peter is calling us to have the same feelings as one another. The Greek word is a compound word sun (with) pascho (to suffer). Peter is telling us to suffer with each other.
be brotherly
This can be expressed better as show family love for all believers. When Scripture repeats things, it is an indication that it is important. Peter first introduced this type of love in
1 Peter 1:22 NASB95
22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
show family love for all believers
This concept of brotherly love reflects Jesus’ command in
John 13:34 NASB95
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Jesus commanded this so that everyone would know that we are His disciples and Peter is reiterating that command here.
To get a good sense of the depth of this command, the word used here for love in Koine Greek philos is a synonym for agapē.
In Koine Greek philos and agapē are synonyms
be kindhearted
slaves, masters, wives and husbands and in the middle of that he reminds us of Christ’s example of the proper response to suffering ()
The translation of this is so inadequate in English. In the Greek it is a compound word eu (good) and splaghchnon (viscera, bowels).
1 Or as a result of
The ancients believed that the lower viscera were the seat of the emotions. Luke uses this same word when he recalls the fate of Judas in (cf. ) where his intestines spill out. (cf. ; ; ).
Robert James Dr. Utley, The Gospel according to Peter: Mark and I & II Peter, vol. Volume 2, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International, 2000), 240.
c ; ; ; ,
d ;
2 I.e. Christ’s coming again in judgment
It is the same word that Paul uses in when he says how I long for you all with the affections of Jesus Christ
This isn’t a call to have nice feelings for each other, this is a call to have feelings for each other that reach down into the depths of of our guts.
Peter then begins to instruct specific groups of people on how to stay EXCELLENT...
be humble in spirit
This is another familiar Christian attitude. The New Testament is full of commands to be humble.
Persecution had begun in Rome proper and it wouldn’t be long before it reached the Asia Minor Roman provinces.
Do not do anything for selfish gain…consider others more important than you ().
Do not be wise in your own estimation ().
Show tolerance for one another in love ().
The list goes on.
In the Greco-Roman world, humility was scorned. This very well may account for some of the persecution the saints were experiencing.
not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead;
We are instructed over and over in the NT to not return evil for evil because vengeance does not belong to us.
Deuteronomy 32:35 NASB95
35 ‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’
Deu 32
Romans 12:19 NASB95
19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans
So we are not unaware that it is against our faith to retaliate against those who do evil towards us or abuse us with their insults.
but why does Peter say we should bless them instead of retaliation.
WOW! Is this hard or what??? I myself was convicted by this and you all should be familiar with the incident at the gallery that I asked you to pray about Wednesday night.
I’m so thankful that Peter didn’t leave us hanging there…he gives us an explanation why
for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
At the very beginning I said that Peter is exhorting the believers to testify to God’s grace by living lives of holiness, love and growth despite their circumstances (1:13–2:12).
Peter is exhorting the believers to testify to God’s grace by living lives of holiness, love and growth despite their circumstances (1:13–2:12).
This is our testimony. Blessing others no matter what our circumstances. This is what we’re called to do.
Isn’t it beautiful that we are promised that we will inherit blessing when we bless those who do us wrong.
The New American Commentary: 1, 2 Peter, Jude (5) Conclusion: Live a Godly Life (3:8–12)

Instead of insulting others or responding in kind, believers are called on to bless others.200 By “blessing” Peter means that believers are to ask God to show his favor and grace upon those who have conferred injury upon them.201 The reason believers should bless is now explained (“because, hoti). They have been “called” to bless others. The words “to this” (eis touto) could point forward or backward.202 If they point forward, then the idea is that God has called believers to inherit the blessing of eternal life. More likely, though, as in 2:21, the pronoun “this” when attached to the verb “called” is retrospective.203 Believers have been called by God to bless others, so that they would inherit the blessing of eternal life (cf. also Gal 5:13; Eph 4:1, 4; Col 3:15).

Peter wraps up this conclusion with a quote from
1 Peter 3:10–12 NASB95
10 For, The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:10
Notice the 3 admonitions:
Keep the tongue from evil.
Turn away from evil and do good.
Seek peace and pursue it.
First,
"Seek and Pursue” peace is under-emphasized here. These two words give the idea of diligent and persistent effort. We are required to have peace among each other and if we don’t, you should go after it with all your might until you do.
One translation captures the intensity of this by saying “Peace should be the object of all his endeavor and his search.”
Now…besides the obvious reason...that we are believers in Jesus Christ and living this life is a testimony to God’s grace…Why is it so important that we strive to live in harmony?
Look at verse 12 again.

He must strive for peace with all his heart is literally “let him seek peace and pursue it.” “Seek” and “pursue” give the idea of diligent and persistent effort, not only to have something but to continue having it; the TEV has captured this intensity by its translation (compare Brc “the object of all his endeavor and his search”

“For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
The contrast here tells us:

Living in harmony assures believers of God’s listening ear when they pray (see 3:7). They are God’s righteous people whom he regards with favor.

He must strive for peace with all his heart is literally “let him seek peace and pursue it.” “Seek” and “pursue” give the idea of diligent and persistent effort, not only to have something but to continue having it; the TEV has captured this intensity by its translation (compare Brc “the object of all his endeavor and his search”

In other words, we do not want our
In other words, living in harmony assures believers that our prayers won’t be hindered.
So as we live and serve together as members of the body of Christ let’s commit to:
Work diligently to promote harmony within our body of Christ.
As we continue meeting together for prayer and worship, let’s remempray for God to make disciples, as we pray for God to plant His church in Mitrovica, as we pray for opportunities to share the Gospel, as we pray for God to bring more teachers, as we pray for God to bless our unity, we need to remember this…Let’s work diligently to
Look for ways to demonstrate love, sympathy and compassion for each other.
Be aware of the power of the tongue for good and evil.
Restlessly seek and pursue peace. Like it was a treasure that we might lose.
10 For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
****Steve’s encouragement that we should be praying A LOT ---Verse 12 reminds us that if we are failing in this area, our prayers will be hindered…if we leave these times of fellowship and are not heeding Peter’s words, God will not listen to our prayers. ***
****Steve’s encouragement that we should be praying A LOT ---Verse 12 reminds us that if we are failing in this area, our prayers will be hindered…if we leave these times of fellowship and are not heeding Peter’s words, God will not listen to our prayers. ***
10 For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Peter wrote to them to
Application:

• Work diligently to promote harmony within your church.

• Look for ways to demonstrate love, sympathy, and compassion to members of the body of Christ.

• Be aware of the power of the tongue for good and evil.

• Take advantage of every opportunity to speak to others about Jesus Christ.

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