Peter had personal challenges to his faith and even denied Christ three times yet still became a pillar in the church. It is the grace of God that protects us and strengthens us and he has given us his Holy Spirit, as Peter says, “the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience”. So when Peter says, “the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold” we know that Peter is speaking from personal experience and he is speaking by the unction of the Holy Spirit who is cleansing us and leading us. But the point of all of this is not just our eternal hope, but that in 1 Peter 2:5 And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. We are living with grace and love before the world.
1 Peter Introduction
Peter, also called Simon and Cephas, is a well known disciple and apostle of Jesus mentioned often in the four gospels and also in the book of Acts. Peter walked on water toward Jesus, Peter recognized Jesus as the Son of God, Peter denied Jesus three times, and after the resurrection, Peter said “I am going fishing” and the other disciples followed him back to their old way of life. But Peter became a great leader, a great preacher of the gospel to “Cornelius” and God worked miracles by his hand.
His Great Mercy Has Caused Us to be Born Again
1 Peter 1:1–12
Peter is reaching out to the region where the Christians under persecution in Jerusalem would have fled, but he doesn’t mention Macedonia where Paul had a vision of a man asking him to come and help. These “in the dispersion” in 1 Peter 1:1 would have understood Peter’s history and experience not only with Jesus but also in building the early church after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Peter opens in 1 Peter 1:2 with “the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ” which are reconciliation through the blood and “sanctification”, the power to live for God. Then in 1 Peter 1:3 he focuses their attention on being “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” and in 1 Peter 1:4 the “inheritance imperishable” and that now we “are being protected by the power of God through faith” in 1 Peter 1:5. But all of this is to get to the overcoming power, the strength being developed in us, the one thing most precious to God, our faith in
1 Peter 1:6–7 in which you rejoice greatly, although now for a short time, if necessary, you are distressed by various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
The One Who Called You is Holy
1 Peter 1:13–25
This is not an idle statement in
1 Peter 1:15 but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct,
We have been given the Holy Spirit, the teacher, the comforter, the guide, and in 1 Peter 1:13 he says “when you have prepared your minds for action by being self-controlled” which tells us that it is not only up to the Holy Spirit for us to live the sanctified life. There is a “washing with the water of the word” as it says, not just about husbands and wives, but about Christ and us as the church in
Ephesians 5:25–26 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for her; 26 in order that he might sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word;
The way we think, what we know about God, what it means to be holy, these are not just thoughts for philosophers to debate. These things we learn are actions as we just read, “when you have prepared your minds for action”, then we in 1 Peter 1:18 “know that you were redeemed from your futile way of life”. We then begin to walk in 1 Peter 1:22 “by your obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love”.
You Yourselves, as Living Stones, are Being Built Up
1 Peter 2:1–12
God is, and has been, revealing himself to mankind through the ages. Now, it is not a type and shadow as it was with Israel and the tabernacle. Now, through the church, in
1 Peter 2:5 And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
We are his witness to those in the earth. We, sealed with his Holy Spirit, with the veil of the heavenly temple torn, have free access “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”.
By Doing Good to Silence the Ignorance of Foolish People
1 Peter 2:13–25
They May be Won Over Without a Word
1 Peter 3:1–7
Study Verses
- 1 Peter 1:1–12 His Great Mercy Has Caused Us to be Born Again
- 1 Peter 1:13–25 The One Who Called You is Holy
- 1 Peter 2:1–12 You Yourselves, as Living Stones, are Being Built Up
Today’s Reading
- 1 Peter 1:1-25
- 1 Peter 2:1-25
- 1 Peter 3:1-7