Christian Governance-&-Church-2

‘For The LORD’S SAKE’—1Peter 2:13—3:12

A. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Government—1Peter 2:13-17

B. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Work—1Peter 2:18-25

C. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Marriage—1Peter 3:1-7

D. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Church--II—1Peter 3:8-12

So far in our study of 1Peter we have examined the fact that

Christians are...CONSIDERED ALIEN(1:1-2)...

We’ve discovered...WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD—(1:3-12)

Discovered God’s means of...UNLEASHING Your SPIRITUAL VITALITY/Vigor(1:13-21)

We’ve also found the importance of LOVING THE BRETHREN(1:22—2:12).

We have seen how those truths play into the overall scheme of Submission...the give-&-take of relationships within CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE.

We began by examining the relationship of CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE in regard to GOVERNMENT(1Peter 2:13-17).

Followed by the relationship of CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE in regard to WORK(1Peter 2:18-25).

And lastly we looked at the relationship of CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE in regard to MARRIAGE(1Peter 3:1-7).

Today we will continue by looking at the role of CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE within the Body of Christ, AKA--the CHURCH—

D. CHRISTIAN GOVERNANCE-&-Church-II—1Peter 3:8-12

Attention:

It’s Only A Quarter!

Several years ago, a preacher accepted a call to church in a city & state with which he was unfamiliar. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.’ Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.'

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, ‘Here, you gave me too much change.'

The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?'

'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.'

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.’

Addendum: NOW...don’t get too high-&-mighty thinking it would be a good idea to ‘set up’ or ‘test’ the preacher for failure(or anyone else for that matter)! That’s what the devil did during Jesus’ wilderness temptation(Lk. 4:1-13). Also the Pharisees approached Jesus in the same manner & they were acting in the flesh/hypocritically/demonically!

Lk. 4:9-12—“Then he[the devil] brought Him[Jesus] to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, & said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ “&, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” “And Jesus answered & said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”

We like to think that we can ‘have’, with no real commitment to ‘having’s requirements & responsibilities.

Likewise God’s Church cannot be healthy without real commitment to that end.

Peter pressed the importance of Christian submission as it related to the Church or Body of Christ.

Christian submission is directly tied to relationship with the Church.

How is Christian governance addressed regarding the Church(Body of Christ)?

6 undertakings/facets of Christian governance regarding the Church(Body of Christ).

Previously we’ve found that Christian governance regarding the CHURCH(Body of Christ) addresses the Church’s...

1. SINGLENESS Of MIND(:8-9)

2—Christian governance regarding the CHURCH(Body of Christ) addresses...The TONGUE(:10)

Explanation:(:10)

:10—“For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.”

Peter quotes from & applies Ps. 34:12-16 to the church of Christ, which is iterated here in 3:10-12.

Ps. 34:12-16—“Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil & do good; Seek peace & pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.”

“For” informs us that there are biblical reasons behind the Christian’s stance against retaliation/vengeance.

The stance & statement of Scripture is that if a person would have designs on “loving life” & “seeing good days” that he will take it upon himself to purposely keep his “tongue” from that which is “evil” in God’s eyes. Likewise, one’s “lips” would never be party to voicing deception.

FYI—The tongue is a major means of conveying your heart’s desire.