Quote from Forum Archives on September 5, 2012, 2:33 pm

Posted by: info <info@...>

E-pistle

FreeWay Foundation            September 7, 2012

 

Peter's letter to spiritual pilgrims

(I Peter 1:1-25)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

 

I.  Concentration:  on the contents of this chapter

            1.  Peter sent his greeting to the elect pilgrims, vv. 1-2.

            2.  Peter assured them of their heavenly inheritance, vv. 3-12.

            3.  Peter urged them to live holy lives because God is holy; he reminded them that

                 they had been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, vv. 13-21.

            4.  Peter wrote of their being born again through the word of God which lives and

                 abides forever, vv. 22-25.

II.  Observations:  on spiritual pilgrims . . . God's elect, vv. 1-3

            1.  Elect (chosen) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, v. 2.

            2.  Sanctified (growing toward spiritual maturity) by the Holy Spirit, v. 2.

            3.  Sprinkled by the blood of Jesus, for forgiveness and cleansing, v. 2.

            4.  Blessed spiritually according to God's abundant mercy, v.. 3.

III.  Meditation:  on God's bountiful and merciful blessings (vv. 3-7)

            1.  They include a living hope, through the resurrection, v. 3.

            2.  They include an eternal in heritance reserved in heaven, v. 4.

            3.  They include the assurance of security through the power of God, v. 5.

            4.  They include the ability to rejoice through times of temporary suffering (grief in

                 trials), vv. 6-7.

IV.  Revelation:  on a pilgrim's responses to the revelation of Christ, vv. 8-9

            1.  Love the Lord Jesus, although we have not seen Him in the flesh.

            2.  Believe in Him, although we have not physically seen Him.

            3.  Rejoice with inexpressible joy over His majestic glory.

            4.  Receive through faith His full salvation:

                        1)  past – salvation from the penalty of sin;

                        2)  present – salvation from the power of sin;

                        3)  future – salvation from the presence of sin (in heaven)

V.  Applications:  as a Christian (pilgrim), I need to . . .

            1.  Prepare my mind for spiritual action; exercise self-control, v. 13.

            2.  Establish my hope on the grace to be given when Christ is revealed, v. 13.

            3.  Do not conform to evil desires; rather be obedient children, living holy lives because

                 God is holy, vv. 14-16.

            4.  Live on this earth as strangers or foreigners (our citizenship is in heaven, Philippians 3:20)

                 . . . with fear and reverence for God the Father, v. 17.

 

 

 

Sound off!  Put to silence!

(I Peter 2:1-25)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

 

I.  Concentration:  on the contents of this chapter

            1.  Peter urged the believers to desire the pure milk of the word, that they might grow

                 spiritually, vv. 1-3.

            2.  Peter wrote about Christ, the Chief Cornerstone, and about His followers who are

                 "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own special people".

II.  Meditation:  on verses 15-16.

"For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men –

as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God," I Peter 2:15-16.

III.  Observations:  on how to silence the ignorant talk of foolish men

            1.  Abstain from indulging in fleshly lusts, v. 11.

            2.  Exhibit honorable conduct among unbelievers, v. 12.

            3.  Do observable good deeds, v. 12.

            4.  Live in obedience to civil laws, v. 13.

IV.  Revelation:  on why a believer should live this way

            1.  This will cause unbelievers to glorify God, v. 12.

            2.  This is the will of God, v. 15.

            3.  We are bondservants (slaves) of God, v. 16.

            4.  We are to follow the example set for us by Christ, v. 21.

V.  Applications:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

            1.  Live righteously, so that my life makes a positive impact upon this ungodly world in

                 which I live.

            2.  Although I am "free" of the law and under grace, I need to abstain from certain practices

                 for the sake of my Christian influence, v. 16.

            3.  "Practice what I preach" . . . otherwise I may bring dishonor upon all Christian causes.

            4.  Realize that Godly conduct will bring persecution . . . which is commendable before God

                 (v. 29) and redemptive (v. 24) . . . bringing unbelievers to faith in Christ.

 

"I have not failed.  I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

--Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)

--
To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: epistle2equip-unsubscribe@welovegod.org