God's Abundant Mercy: Salvation, Reserved For You

Blessed be the God and Father of our

Lord Jesus Christ, which according to

His abundant mercy hath begotten us

again a lively hope by the resurrection

of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an

inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,

and that fadeth not away, reserved

in heaven for you, who are kept by

the power of God through faith unto

salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I Peter 1: 3 -- 5

 

     I return to these verses from yesterdays blog to aid us in our growth towards our relationship to our Father and of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Peter gives to us that God who is blessed and who is the Father of Jesus Christ and has great mercy.  If it was not for the great mercy of God we would be left in our sins and left to die with no hope for life after our death.  When we were born our life on this earth began and due to sin death was the ultimate in for this life.  Peter reminds us that due to God's great mercy we have been begotten again, that is, we have been given life that supersedes the life that we had when we were born.  God did not create "willy-nilly" rather God had a plan, foreknowledge so that He knows all things before they actually happened and by His providence has determined that those who put their faith in Jesus Christ have a living hope. This hope, this living hope, has its foundation in through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  By the vicarious death and resurrection of Jesus Christ all those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ have an inheritance that cannot be destroyed for it is incorruptible and it is undefiled, that is, send no longer has a hold upon that person who by their faith has a place in heaven reserved for them.  Our faith that this is true is based upon the power of God who throughout Scripture has revealed not only His power but that He will keep his promise.  By means of your day then your faith is guarded and salvation is yours and will be revealed to you when Jesus returns and the last time.

     Take a moment to think upon this, that God not only gives you grace, but He preserves you unto glory.  You are being kept, persecution, trials, and any attack upon your life and faith as a Christian means that you will not be overcome. There is an old hymn "turn your eyes upon Jesus" that means that we are not to turn our eyes upon this world with all of its trappings that seems so good times but only leads you far away from our Lord and Savior Christ.  If you are serious, that is, you have converted to the Lord Jesus Christ even if you have failed Him at times and have repented and turned away from that sin then you not only are forgiven but are reminded of the glorious time, in which you will be admitted to the presence of Jesus Christ and behold his glory.

     We have every reason to be jubilant knowing that our salvation is secure by the power of God according to His foreknowledge. No one can secure this salvation by any works no matter how good they are, how godly they are, and only can be secure that when you hear the word of God and faith comes by that hearing and you have placed your faith upon Jesus Christ then you are saved. Your salvation is simply by means of the mercy and grace of God. Now, there is no reason for a person to live the life that God requires of His children. The question is: will you live that life?

He that followeth after righteousness 

     and mercy findeth life, righteousness,

and honor.

                                Proverbs 21: 21

Follow our blessed God

Richard L. Crumb

Who Wrote Peter And When: Can We Trust The Findings?

Blessed be the God and Father of our

Lord Jesus Christ, which according to

His abundant mercy hath begotten us

again a lively hope by the resurrection

of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an

inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,

and that fadeth not away, reserved

in heaven for you, who are kept by

the power of God through faith unto

salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I Peter 1: 3 -- 5

     Peter addressed to his audience those who were suffering persecution and placed an emphasis upon proper Christian conduct in the face of those anti--- Christian hostilities.  Furthermore, he spoke about the compensatory gift of salvation that they will receive in the completion of these days and the fulfillment on the last day.  There is no question as to who is the author of this book for Peter himself (1:1) identifies who it is who wrote this book.  The phrases in this book are seen to be the same phraseology that can be seen in theaters sermons as recorded in acts and his allusions to the words and sayings and deeds of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels.  We should accept the letter's own claim to have been written by the apostle Peter.

     The date of this letter suggests that Peter wrote this letter around 63 -- 64 A.D.  And shortly before his martyrdom in Rome under Nero about the year 65 A.D. and this letter suggests that Peter wrote this letter not due to the Imperial ban on Christianity as he still speaks of the government as protector (2:13 -- 17; 3:13).  We must remember that the persecution at this time was more local and had yet became an empire -- wide ban so this letter seems to speak more about social ostracism, mob riots, local police action, and the slanderous act fusion thrown against the Christians. Peter more than likely used Silvanus as his amanuensis (5:12).  It is interesting to note  that the name Silvanus in Latin  sounds like the Aramaic"Silas" and probably refers to Silas who is a companion with Paul on his second missionary journey (2 Corinthians 1: 19; 1 Thessalonians 1: 1; 2 Thessalonians 1: 1), and Luke's narrative of the same journey and "Silas" and uses this name nine times in Acts.

     Peter writes from "Babylon" (5:13), but certainly not the city and Mesopotamia, rather in Rome.  Why?  The Mesopotamian Babylon had lost almost all its inhabitants by the beginning of the Christian era, and "Babylon" occurs as a symbolic name for Rome in Revelation (17:4 -- 6, 9, 18) in as much as Rome was the ruling city in the New Testament period. Rome was the world's capital of idolatry a position held by the Mesopotamian Babylon and Rome became the persecutor of the Church furthermore there has never been known to be a Christian church in the ancient city of Babylon.

     I opened this blog with both verses from first Peter and will once again address those verses and tomorrow's blog and felt it important for you to have a background and setting for Peter's writing of this letter to the Christians.  While Peter was writing to the Christians of his day the Holy Spirit inspired him to write this not only for them but for our education and edification.  Therefore, I will begin tomorrow to go verse by verse and address what Peter wrote under inspiration and see how those words apply to us and how some have misused and misinterpreted what Peter wrote. 

    Peter has begun this letter by informing Authentic Christians that they have and are from the Dean by the blood of Jesus Christ and are reserved for the heavenly kingdom on the last day.  So now, prepare yourself to learn what God has instructed Peter to write so that we can enlarge and enjoin in a greater way our relationship with Jesus Christ.

So now, O son of man, I have set thee

      a watchman unto the house of Israel;

therefore thou shalt hear the word and my mouth,

      and warned them from Me.

                             Ezekiel 33:7

You are protected and saved by God 

Richard L. Crumb

Who Is This Man Peter And Why Listen To Him?

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

to the strangers scattered throughout

Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia,

and Bithynia, elect according to the

foreknowledge of God the Father,

through sanctification of the Spirit,

unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood

Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace,

be multiplied.

I Peter 1: 1 -- 2

 

     We now begin a new study of the Bible book I Peter.  It is important that we gather some information about Peter for he is an outstanding character in the Bible.  Pager was a fisherman from the city of Bethsaidia.  Bethsaidia is a city located on the north east side of the Sea of Galilee and the closest city is Capernaum.  The name of this city is called "the House of fish."  After Peter began his sojourn with Jesus Christ  Peter resided in Capernaum the city where Jesus frequently stayed during his Galilean ministry.  Peter had a brother by the name of Andrew and call for fishermen on the lake of Galilee and evidently were in partnership with Zebedee and his sons. Peter met Jesus Christ's at Bethany which lies close to Jerusalem, in fact, just south east of Jerusalem near the Jordan River.  It was there at the river where John the Baptist exercised his ministry so it would, as one interested in religious things apparently, that Peter would travel down there to hear John the Baptist in here first met Jesus Christ.  In fact it was Andrew, his brother, who introduced Peter to Jesus Christ.  Peter's Association with Jesus Christ deepened and strengthened his character by the hearing and seeing the words and works of Jesus Christ.  Peter was called a friend of Jesus Christ and as a disciple and apostle was used by Jesus to spread the gospel.  Peter was a man who had many facets of character and his life can be seen and approached from many different angles.  Peter was an impulsive man (Matthew 26: 75; 14: 28; numeral 17:4; John 20 1:7).  Although impulsive beer was gifted with spiritual insight (John 6:68).  One of Peter's problems was that he was sometimes slow to apprehend the deeper truths (Matthew 15: 15, 16).  Pita though was courageous in his confession of his faith in Jesus Christ and yet was also guilty of the most cowardly denial (Matthew numeral 16:16; John numeral 6:69; Mark 14:67 -- 71); self-sacrificing yet is inclined toward self-seeking (Matthew Chapter 19:27), but was immovable in his convictions (acts 4: 19, 20; numeral 5:28, 29, 40, 42).

     Peter became a leader and spokesman of the Apostolic 12.   Peter was also privileged to witness the raising of Jairus' daughter, was president at the Transfiguration, and President at the Lord's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Peter himself became a miracle worker as can be seen in the record listed by Luke and Acts. Peter did confess of the deity of Jesus Christ which then became the foundation of the Church and was appointed steward with authority of the key, meaning that his was to be the privilege of opening the door of salvation to the Jews.

     Yet, Peter, failed miserably towards his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during the hour of crisis when Jesus was arrested just prior to His crucifixion.Jesus restored Peter and Peter became a leader of the infant Church and never again failed to protest his loyalty to Jesus Christ.

     Peter begins his letter setting forth his apostleship of Jesus Christ and that this letter was first to be sent to the Jews who were dispersed, scattered, throughout the cities that he listed and to the Christians who too were persecued and disperse or scattered. The translators of the Bible use the word "elect" from the Greek word "kata" and not the word "ekkektos" that means to be chosen out or selected whereas "kata" is a primary particle and as a preposition means down but in various relationships to the various cases you can have other meanings which means to be joined to, according to, can even mean against, so it has many applications but frequently denotes opposition, distribution, or intensity.  Peter was called by Jesus Christ to be used as a mouthpiece to spread the gospel and by the providence of God, His sovereignty and foreknowledge, and by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and by the obedience of Peter, and by means of the blood of Jesus Christ that was sprinkled upon his heart Peter was inspired to write.

     I will add more interesting footnotes about Peter as we cover verse by verse this letter.  Your face will be built upon a basis of truth to the mouth and words of Peter.  This faith, Authentic Christian Faith, is yours to be had as you build upon that faith from milk to meat.  This name should be the impetus to be also a mouthpiece to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And Moses said unto God,,

     Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,

and that I should bring forth the children of Israel

     out of Egypt?  And He said, Certainly I will

be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee,

     that I have sent the: when thou hast brought

forth that people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God

     upon this mountain.

                   Exodus 3:11 -- 12

 

The example of Peter: a way to build your faith

 

Richard L. Crumb