Monthly Archive for July, 1997

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1 Peter 2:21

Published on July 21, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:”
 
 
When someone acts with cunning toward you, how do you react? How do you endure harassment? This verse shows how Jesus suffered for well-doing. 
 
For to this you were called
 
The antecedent of “this” is undeserved suffering. “To this” means that it is God’s purpose that we suffer unjustly.  Peter has just exhorted the believers to whom he is writing to be the kind of employees who suffer patiently even when the suffering is unjust. Now he turns to the example found in Christ.
 
“Called” (cf. 1:15; 2:9) — in eternity past God called us to suffer unjustly. God did not call us to slavery but to patient suffering of unjust wrongs. God called us into the sphere of undeserved suffering. Phil 1: 29,  “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” God calls us into the same unjust suffering that Christ suffered. 
 
PRINCIPLE: Suffering is no mistake, it is in God’s eternal plan.
 
APPLICATION: Do you expect trouble to come your way? God called you for this. 
 
Why should we submit to unjust suffering? It is God’s plan for us. When we determined to receive Christ, unjust suffering became our calling (I Cor. 1:9; I Th 3:3). God ordained us to affliction. We often do not manifest the grace of God at work in unjust suffering. 
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1 Peter 2:20c

Published on July 20, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”
 
 
this is commendable before God
 
The word “commendable” is the word grace — “This is grace.”  The Christian who utilizes God’s provision for both salvation and the Christian life operates under the grace principle. 
 
“Before God” means grace that comes from the immediate presence of God.  The Christian who operates under grace will bring delight and praise from the heart of God. God knows all about us. He thinks about us. He designed us to operate under his provisions when we face pressure at work. 
 
Both “if” clauses of this verse modify the phrase “this is grace before God.” When we are in fellowship with God, he allows undeserved suffering to come into our lives to show how he provides for us in grace.  
 
If we stay under undeserved suffering with grace, we get “credit” for it in our employer’s eyes. This is also grace from the immediate source of God. Only grace can convert cursing into blessing. The plan of God is greater than any suffering or pressure in this life. God will provide grace for any situation.
 
PRINCIPLE: God will provide for whatever we face at our job or place of employment.
 
APPLICATION:  God has good will toward undeserved suffering. It takes the grace of God to endure undeserved blame without complaining. If we receive sever rebuke for something that we did not do from our employer, how do we take it? Do we endure? Anyone can endure reproof when he knows he deserves it.   [This does not imply that God does not want us to speak up for ourselves.]
 
It is something else to endure rebuke and reproof if you do not deserve it. It takes grace to receive undeserved blame without complaining. It is hard to accept blame for what we did not do. This passage later challenges us to take our blessed Lord for an example. People falsely accused and harassed him for things he never did. He left these things in the Father’s hands. [He also stood up for himself in a mature way.]
 
God expects a new relationship between employee and employer when an employee or employer accepts Christ as their Savior. When we accept Christ, our standards change. There is a bond between those at work that transcends the necessary differences between us. God introduces a new attitude toward work under the grace principle. 
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1 Peter 2:20b

Published on July 19, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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 “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”
 
 
But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently,
 
The word “but” is a strong conjunction of contrast. This is a contrast between deserved and undeserved suffering. If we take our lumps because of our personal problems that is one thing. This should not disturb us. To take lumps for something that we do not deserve, that is something else. 
 
The second “if” clause shows us how God wants us to suffer – “when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently.” God wants us to patiently endure suffering even when we do good. This is a completely different matter than suffering for our own problems. We can suffer for our own mistakes or we can suffer for doing “good.” Those are the two options of this verse.
 
In both “if” clauses the word “patiently” occurs. Patience means endurance. It comes from two words (to stay and under) and carries the idea of staying under the pressure. In this passage it means to stay under pressure with grace. We stay under without squawking, crying or complaining. If we do right and someone wrongs us in the face of it, this is glory to God if we handle it with character. If we endure suffering in the context of the good that we do, this is grace from God.
 
There are immature Christians who wait around for the roof to fall in. If things are going well in their lives, they constantly look for trouble. This is morbidity. The Christian life is made up of both difficult times and times of blessing. The more we know about the plan of God and the grace of God, the more we will avoid such goofy ideas. 
 
PRINCIPLE: God wants us to develop tenacity of soul (character) at work.
 
APPLICATION: God wants us to make his life manifest in difficult circumstances at our place of employment. God designs all undeserved suffering for blessing. The only opportunity for God to demonstrate his love in suffering is in time. There will be no suffering in eternity (Rev. 21:4).   Undeserved suffering is a manifestation of God’s love and is an occasion to demonstrate his perfect mercy and grace. God has special blessing for those who demonstrate character at work.
 
A big problem with many Christians is that they cannot take pressure. To do well and to do an honest, reliable job, and receive hassle, is in their mind totally intolerable. “After all, people can count on me, why should they attack me?” To “take it patiently” means to take it without griping or complaining. However, God expects the Christian to address the issue in a mature way and not just lie down like a whipped dog.
 
How much abuse can you take? Some of us cannot take much. We have more opportunity to apply this kind of grace at home than anywhere else. If  someone blames us for something that we did not do, anger surges quickly into our soul. The blood rushes to our face. Our first reaction is to vindicate ourselves. That is the natural reaction. 
 
God expects us to live a supernatural life. God the Holy Spirit now indwells us. The Lord said that we are to love our enemies. It is not enough to love our friends or the people who love us (Mt. 5:43,44,46). Most of us cannot even love our friends must less our enemies. To love those who love us, the worst people can do that. To love those who do not love us in return is supernatural. A Christian who works for an employer who is considerate and pays well takes no grace. If your boss is disagreeable, unappreciative, that takes grace. That kind of life will impact non-Christians. 
 
What is your boiling point? Does it take very little heat to make you boil over? Are you explosive? Do you get a full head of steam quickly? Do you blow your stack? If we do, we ruin our testimony. As we grow in grace our boiling point rises. We do not blow up as quickly as we once did. There should be some evidence of spiritual growth the longer we have known the Lord. You do not pop off as quickly as you used to do. Is it now easier for people to get along with you? 
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1 Peter 2:20

Published on July 18, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”
 
 
For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently?
 
This verse gives us two ways we may suffer on our job. The first way we can suffer on our job is to suffer for our own faults. 
 
The word “credit” means reputation, fame or good report. The issue here is our reputation.
 
“Beaten” means to strike with the fist, pummel.  Masters often beat house-servants in the Roman Empire.  Matthew 26:67 uses this term of Christ when the frenzied mob struck him (Isa. 52:14).
 
Matthew 26: 67 “Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
 
“Faults” is literally “sinning.” We sin on the job when we are lazy or do our job sloppily. We sin when we spend too much time talking to other employees or talking about the boss behind his back. There is no glory in suffering for such sins as these. If we blow it and the boss demotes us, there is no value to that kind of suffering. That is not suffering for the Lord Jesus. That is suffering for our own mistakes. 
 
 “Take it patiently” means to endure or stand it. The lot of many slaves was physical abuse. In our day this would not preclude effort to change our job situation, working conditions or even the job itself. It does rule out sharp retort or getting even. Seething or sulking is not the biblical way of solving the problem. 
 
The point is this: “What good is it if people pummel us for our sinning and take this patiently?” What credit is it to us if our employer disciplines us for doing wrong? 
 
There is no credit to the house-slave if the master beats him for stealing. He has it coming. The credit comes only in undeserved suffering. Deserved suffering is divine discipline. Under grace no believer ever really gets what he deserves even when God disciplines us. There is no credit to the house-slave if the master beats him for stealing. He has it coming. The credit comes only in undeserved suffering. Deserved suffering is divine discipline. Under grace no believer ever really gets what he deserves even when God disciplines us.
 
PRINCIPLE: To be reprimanded for our mistakes or sins is no honor.
 
APPLICATION: If we blow it at work, we have no ground to complain about the consequences that may come. We should not cast blame on our employer. Why should we become surly or refuse to work? We had it coming to us. We asked for it. That is not grace.  Our employer has every reason to demote or fire us. 
 
Some Christians have a persecution complex. They look for reasons in their employer’s attitude that are not there. Many people think that they are suffering for the Lord Jesus on the job when in reality they suffer because they blew it.  If they had been a better worker they would not get into that mess. There is no glory in that kind of suffering. 
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1 Peter 2:19d

Published on July 17, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.”
 
 
suffering wrongfully
 
“Suffering” denotes whatever one suffers in any way. It means to undergo difficult experiences. 
 
“Wrongfully” indicates undeserved suffering. 
 
PRINCIPLE: God gives us the grace to suffer wrongfully.
 
APPLICATION: God designs most suffering for blessing. The one exception is suffering because of sin. When a Christian confesses his sin (I Jn. 1:9) God removes that exception. God then turns the cursing into blessing even though the suffering may continue (Heb. 12:6) but its purpose changes. The unbeliever will suffer in eternity. The believer will not suffer in eternity (Rev. 21:4). There is no suffering too great for God to handle.
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1 Peter 2:19c

Published on July 16, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.”
 
 
one endures grief
 
“Endures” means to hang in there. Literally, it means to bear under. The principle is that we are able to get under a heavy load and carry it. This is a person who is strong. This means that we are able to handle disaster without breathing hard. 
 
 “Grief” means to cause pain, to distress, grieve. This is pain of the mind here. It is anything that causes sorrow. Grief is a state of unhappiness marked by regret – unhappiness, sadness (Lk. 22:45; II Cor 9:7). It means to become so overcome with grief as to despair – grieve to the point of giving up (II Cor. 2:7). 
 
PRINCIPLE: God gives us the ability to carry grief over a long period of time by the norms he gives us.
 
APPLICAITON: Where do we get the ability to carry grief? The standards (principles) of the Bible. The Bible sets up standards in our conscience so whenever heartache comes along we have norms to handle them. We know what God is like. We can appropriate his promises. Therefore, we do not fall apart and move into panic palace.
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1 Peter 2:19b

Published on July 15, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.”
 
 
if because of conscience toward God
 
“If” means that this statement is assumed true. This is our lot in life. If we suffer for the Lord Jesus, our love for him must endure grief. It is grace to suffer wrongfully for your convictions. The boss does not promote you simply because you are a Christian. “You are too religious. What will our customers say?” 
 
We have two choices: 1) to resent our suffering or 2) to suffer for the glory of God. 
 
“Because of conscience toward God” means that we have God’s norms and standards in our lives from the Word of God. If we recognize God’s blessing we will have inner stability in suffering. The more of that we know of the Word of God the more norms we have for facing life. If we know a lot of biblical principles about a lot of subjects we will be able to apply those principles to life. 
 
The word “conscience” comes from two words know and with.  Once we know something to be true from the Word of God it sets up a base of knowledge in our mind. We know that the Word works with our experience. This base of knowledge becomes our standard for living life. Our conscience makes us aware of information about something.? “I am aware of nothing against myself” (I Cor 4.4). 
 
Unbelievers set up their norms of right and wrong from strictly from the conscience. The conscience is their sole basis for evaluating values. Their conscience usually develops from their background. That is, what they learn from their parents, childhood experiences and experiences as an adult. Some of it comes from training such as how to be a gentleman. We obtain some of our conscience from culture. We live out our responsibilities of life based on these norms.
 
We have all heard of the “guilt complex.” This is the guilty conscience. Our conscience is a complex of many norms and standards. Since they are firmly inculcated into our conscience, when we violate one of its standards this sets up vibrations that go into the emotions. The guilt complex simply means that we have violated our own norms over a period of time. They may simply be the norms and standards of society but we have accepted them to our view of the world. Non-Christians have inner conflicts because they violate their norms and standards derived from culture. 
 
The Christian develops norms from his culture as well but he has a set of norms that go beyond culture. He is now regenerated. He has new life in Christ. This new life in Christ can now receive the Word of God.   God now introduces a whole new set of standards into his life. Now we have conflict with the old standards from culture. 
 
Before we accepted Christ as our Savior we had certain ideas as to what was right or wrong.  Usually this has to do with overt morality. The Bible goes far beyond morality as its way of life. It deals with negative attitudes of anger, jealousy, bitterness and gossip. The Bible changes our views of right and wrong. It changes our evaluation of people.
 
The Word of God goes beyond simple right and wrong. It moves into the promises, rapport with God. So the Christian’s conscience undergoes some very radical changes as we learn principles and apply them to our lives from the Bible. When we do this we come into conformity with God’s thinking. This is necessary to become an ambassador for Christ. Since every Christian is in full time Christian service as per the previous verse, we must have a conscience toward God. 
 
PRINICPLE: God does not want us to suffer from simply a sense of duty but from a conviction about God’s purpose for us. 
 
APPLICATION: The employee who has norms set up by God will suffer because of those norms. Someone says, “Well everyone else is doing it.” He replies, “Not me. I cannot honestly do that before God. Fire me. So penalize me. So sue me. My conscience will not bend that far. I can’t stretch my conscience like a rubber band like everyone else.” You might be fired. You might be penalized. 
 
You may be passed over for a promotion but you take your stand. This is grace. You know that you were in line for that job but someone else got it. Someone else less qualified than you were promoted. You refused to lower your standards. You stood firm and were true to the Lord. 
 
However, if we suffer because we are peculiar or eccentric that is a different matter. In that case we simply suffer because we are an oddball. That is our fault. If we suffer because we are disagreeable, don’t blame that on the Lord. 
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1 Peter 2:19

Published on July 14, 1997 in 1 Peter. 2 Comments
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“For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.”
 
 
For this is commendable 
 
The word “commendable” is the Greek word for grace. God gives grace in suffering that he might bless us in the suffering. We could translate “commendable” as “favor.”
 
PRINCIPLE: We find favor with God when we endure suffering with God’s grace.
 
APPLICATION: We find favor with God when we endure suffering graciously. This is life on a higher plane than those without Christ. This delights the heart of God for this is grace.
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1 Peter 2:18c

Published on July 13, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.”
 
 
not only to the good and gentle
 
Many of the masters of the first century were “good and gentle.” 
 
The word “gentle” means seemly, fitting, hence, equitable, fair, moderate, forbearing, not insisting on the letter of the law. There were masters who were equitable and fair. Some were considerate of their servants. They were gracious and forbearing. 
 
“Gentle” here does not mean gentle in our 20th century sense of the word. If a manager or supervisor were gentle the herd would trample him to death. The idea is more “fair” or “reasonable.” 
 
All born again bosses should be both good and fair. Anyone who is in charge of any number of people always finds employees he likes and some he dislikes. However, personal feelings should have nothing to do with how we treat them. Often the nice people do the worst job and the sorriest do the best job. The responsibility of the employer is to treat employees fairly regardless how we feel about them. We should never allow our personal feelings to enter into the role of employer at all. God wants us to treat all people the same. 
 
but also to the harsh
 
The word “harsh” means bent, curved, not straight. We get our medical term “scoliosis” (curvature of the spine) from this word. Ancient Greek used this word for rivers and roads that wound and twisted through the terrain. It comes to mean perverse. These masters were unscrupulous and dishonest. They were unfair in their treatment of those under them. No doubt they were cooked. Peter asks these servants to submit themselves to perverse masters! Peter here challenges the house servants to a new plane of commitment. 
 
All of us face authority all of the time. Regardless of what kind of boss we might have, we do our job as unto the Lord. It makes no difference if he is unkind or grumpy, we do our jobs as unto the Lord. What kind of personality our boss has is not the issue. The issue is we are in full time Christian service. 
 
Having an unfair boss does not give us the right to loaf on the job. It does not give us an excuse for going behind his back and complaining. We represent the Lord Jesus at our job. We might lead that grumpy, surly boss to Christ one day. We will not do it by complaining but by doing our job as unto the Lord. 
 
The fact that our employer sins does not justify the employee sinning. It is normal to “get back at” an unfair employer by whatever means possible – careless work, loafing, pilfering. This attitude is so widespread today that even when the employer is a good employer, employees tend to get away with everything they can or, by doing as little as possible or resorting to petty thievery. 
 
The boss may not always be right but he is always the boss. He may try to give the impression that he is omniscient but he does not know it! His wife knows it. Everyone else knows it but he does not know it. The Christian nevertheless gives him an honest day’s work for an honest day’s wage. 
 
PRINICPLE: Our place of employment is full time Christian service.
 
APPLICATION: God expects us to do our job not primarily for our employer but for God himself. What is your attitude toward your job? What is your state of mind toward your boss? “Well, my boss is about the most unreasonable, unrelenting, implacable and merciless man you have ever seen. He makes demands that are not just. It is impossible to please him. No matter how much I extend myself he still isn’t pleased.” 
 
The believer is to give his employer a full day’s work. This does not make any difference whether the boss is fair or has a miserable personality.
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1 Peter 2:18b

Published on July 12, 1997 in 1 Peter. 3 Comments
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“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.”
 
 
be submissive to your masters
 
The word “submissive” means to be obedient to constituted authority. Industry has authority like any other facet of life. 
 
Some of these servants no doubt thought that their conversion would free them from subjugation. They might have thought that they should be free from their cruel masters. “Submissive” means to do their job honestly and devotedly.  Peter asks them to submit to austerity and inconvenience. 
 
with all fear
 
The phrase “with all fear” does not mean in dread of punishment from our employers. God’s desire is that these servants submit with a sense of “all respect” for their masters. God wants us to have respect for the system of authority we call employer/employee relations.
 
PRINCIPLE: God wants us to respect the constituted authority of our employment.
 
APPLICATION: All of us have had disagreeable bosses. No doubt all of us wanted to buck the tiger at times. There are many ways of doing this. We can sit around and do a sloppy job. We can go to the human resource department and complain. The Word of God advocates none of these.   
 
As a born again believer, our job is full time Christian service. If we disagree with management God wants us to do it “with all fear.” To respect authority does not mean that we respect the person. It does mean that we respect the authority that they represent. 
 
Like everything else in life business runs on authority. Without authority, business would collapse. Without authority the business would end in chaos. This is true of the military. This is true of family life. When there are two people, there must be some organization. Who has respect for institutions and people in institutions today? We are on a toboggan slide toward anarchy. Every man does what his right in his own eyes.
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