LOVING THE BRETHREN-III—1Peter 1:22—2:12
Attention:
It’s Contagious!
Two young brothers called the pastor of a local "corner" church to ask the pastor to come by to pray for his mother who had been very ill with the flu.
The pastor knew the family & was aware they had been attending another church down the road.
So the pastor asked, "Shouldn't you be asking Brother Simon at your church to come by to pray with your mom?"
The young boy replied, "Yeah, but we didn't want to take the chance that he might catch whatever it is that Mom has."
When siblings act for their own ends it may be difficult to love them!
So far in our study of 1Peter we have examined the fact that
Christians are...CONSIDERED ALIEN(:1-2)...
We’ve examined...WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD—(:3-12)
And discovered God’s means of...UNLEASHING Your SPIRITUAL VITALITY/Vigor—(:13-21)
Today we will continue applying the above truths toward LOVING THE BRETHREN(1:22—2:12).
Peter exhorted the aliens to love their brothers & sisters in Christ as they were also loved by God.
Christians are to love as they are loved by God.
How are Christians to live out God’s love?
13 encounters thru which Christians are to live-out God’s love.
We had previously found that
God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...
1. CLEANSING(:22a)“Purified”
2. OBEDIENCE(:22b)“Obeying”
3. SINCERITY(:22c)“Sincere”
4. EFFORT / INTENTION & DEPTH(:22d)“Fervently with a pure heart”
Purity—Begins with obedience
Obedience—begins with the truth(word & voice)
Sincerity—begins with purity
Fervency—Begins with sincerity
5—God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...
REBIRTH(:23a)
Explanation:(:23a)
:23—“having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives & abides forever,”
We have encountered this term & concept previously in 1Pet. 1:3
1Pet. 1:3—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
Christians have begun again with a clean slate & new life. They are new creatures in Christ Jesus. They are very different from who they were before being “born again.”
“Born again”—anagennaw—To produce again, be born again, born anew.
Argumentation:
Jn. 3:3, 5-7—“Jesus answered & said to him[Nicodemus], “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.””....“Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water & the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, & that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ “The wind blows where it wishes & you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from & where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.””
2Cor. 5:17—“Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
1Jn. 3:2—“Beloved, now we are children of God, & it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.”
Gal. 3:1-3—“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”
Illustration:
At ‘Native Nurseries’ in Tallahassee, they sell & have on display a Monarch Caterpillar ‘cage’/Customers can observe caterpillars in various stages of development/The caterpillars are ‘ground bound’—Slow— circumscribed with alternating white, black, & yellow stripes/After about 2 wks from hatching, the caterpillars are fully grown—about 2” long— & eventually undergo a change/They attach themselves by ‘silk’ they secrete at their rear-end to a leaf or twig on or near milkweed plants(their only food)/Soon, the caterpillar skin splits & is shed to reveal a light green pupa-looking thing, the outside of which will eventually become tough & translucent(a chrysalis—similar to a cocoon)/Inside the chrysalis they totally transform, emerging 10 days later as a seemingly foreign & unrecognizable Butterfly!/These butterflies live for about 6-8 wks in the mean time mating & laying eggs/There are 3 generations but the 4th is special!/These butterflies came about just like the first 3 previous generations, However... these live up to 8 mths by migrating thousands of miles to the south in Mexico, where they ‘hibernate’(~Sept-April)/Then they re-migrate north in spring to mate & lay eggs!—reaching heights that would make your head spin/REBIRTH
Application:
?You encountered REBIRTH?
?You Live Out God’s love?
6—God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...
GROWTH POTENTIAL/Enhancement(:23b)
Explanation:(:23b) Seed
:23—“having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives & abides forever,”
*Seed signifies growth— the promise & potential of production of something more significant & more grand.
Jn. 12:24—“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth & dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
The believer loves his brethren fervently(:22) because he has been “born again” of “incorruptible” “seed” which has been planted thru the presence of God’s “living & abiding word.”
Evidenced in Paul’s descriptions of the new creature & new man/self. Given that the “seed” is incapable of corruption/decay, the ‘new creature’ born of it likewise remains eternally. Such a ‘new creation’ cannot revert back to the old creation again!
“Through the word of God which lives & abides forever”—
The word of God —“Lives”—The word is life...& offers life.
Jn. 1:1, 4—“In the beginning was the Word, & the Word was with God, & the Word was God.”....“In Him was life, & the life was the light of men.”
Heb. 4:12-13—“For the word of God is living & active & sharper than any two-edged sword, & piercing as far as the division of soul & spirit, of both joints & marrow, & able to judge the thoughts & intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open & laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
The word of God—“Abides”—God’s word always stands apart for you!...thru all circumstances local, global & universal, it remains untainted by time & the world.
Mat. 24:35—“Heaven & earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
2Jn. 1:1-2—“THE ELDER, To the elect lady & her children, whom I love in truth, & not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, because of the truth which abides in us & will be with us forever:”
“Corruptible/Perishable”—fyartov—Adj.—1)Corruptible, perishing. Strong—from fyeirw[properly--To shrivel or wither, spoil(by any process) or generally--To ruin(especially figuratively, by moral influences--To deprave)]; Decayed, i.e. by implication--Perishable. Used 6X.
“Seed”—spora—Seed.
“Incorruptible/Imperishable”—afyartov—1)Uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable; 2)Immortal—of the risen dead. Afyartov is properly incorruptible, unaffected by corruption & decay. It is applied to God, & to that which is connected with him. Strong—from A(as a negative particle) & a derivative of fyeirw[properly--To shrivel or wither, spoil(by any process) or generally--To ruin(especially figuratively, by moral influences--To deprave)];Undecaying(in essence or continuance).
“Through”—dia—Preposition—1) Through—1a) Of place—1a1) With, 1a2) In, 1b) Of time—1b1) Throughout, 1b2) During, 1c) Of means—1c1) By, 1c2) By the means of; 2) Through—2a) The ground or reason by which something is or is not done. Strong—a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through(in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional).
“Lives”—zaw—1) To live, breathe, be among the living(not lifeless, not dead); 2) To enjoy real life—2a) To have true life & worthy of the name, 2b) Active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God; 3) To live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living & acting—3a) Of mortals or character; 4) Living water, having vital power in itself & exerting the same upon the soul; 5) metaph.--To be in full vigor—5a) To be fresh, strong, efficient,, 5b) as adj.--Active, powerful, efficacious. Strong—a primary verb; To live(literally or figuratively).
“Abides/Abiding/Enduring”—menw—To remain, abide; To wait for, await one. Strong—a primary verb; To stay(in a given place, state, relation or expectancy).
“Forever”[TR & Byz]—eiv ton aiwna—= ‘Into the ages’—1) For ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity; 2) The worlds, universe; 3) Period of time, age. Strong—properly--An age; by extension--Perpetuity(also past); by implication--The world; specially(Jewish)--A Messianic period(present or future).
Argumentation:
Eph. 4:14-16—“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here & there by waves, & carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted & held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
Eph. 4:20-24—“But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him & have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, & that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, & put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness & holiness of the truth.”
Rom. 6:6-11—“knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
1Cor. 3:6-9—“I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants & he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
Mat. 13:3-9—Mk. 4:3-9—Lk. 8:5-8—“And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; & as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, & the birds came & ate them up. And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; & immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; & because they had no root, they withered away. And others fell among the thorns, & the thorns came up & choked them out. “And others fell on the good soil, & yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, & some thirty. “He who has ears, let him hear.”
Col. 3:9-11—“Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, & have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him --a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek & Jew, circumcised & uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave & freeman, but Christ is all, & in all.”
Jn. 12:23-25—“And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth & dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life loses it; & he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.”
Illustration:
I was given permission from a home-owner & church member(Bro. Frank) to remove two small Mimosa Trees which I wanted to re-plant at the pastorium/We planted them on either side of the driveway & cared for them/Such care gave them opportunity to grow & reproduce!/GROWTH POTENTIAL
Farmers used to( & still do to some extent) store seed up from their current crop for use in planting next years crop/But in order to do that, the farmer needs to coat the seed with fungicides to keep it from succumbing to fungi which will destroy the seed/Farmers will also protect their seed by placing them in large industrial-sized sealed containers(silos & the like) in order to keep rodents from eating the seed/GROWTH POTENTIAL
Application:
?You encountered GROWTH POTENTIAL?
?You Live Out God’s love?
7—God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...
The INVINCIBLE WORD(:24-25a)
Explanation:(:24-25a) Indomitable/Eternal
:24—“because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,”
—From Isa. 40:6-8
God’s lasting/remaining word is vital to Peter’s argument(:25). Thus he gives a Scriptural proof/argument from:
Isa. 40:6-9—“A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, & all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!””
Everything created will ultimately fail & disappear. We have this pictured in flowers. Their glory, though beautiful, is fleeting.
1Jn. 2:15-17—“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh & the lust of the eyes & the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, & also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”
1Pet. 4:7—“The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment & sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”
The quote here is “partly like the LXX, partly like the Hebrew”—RWP
The love for the brethren is born out of being born again for the simple reason that that which is flesh is only short-lived & its glory is likewise short-lived—In contrast to God’s word which is everlasting. God’s glory & His transforming word being eternal, are what has been “preached” to the Church.
God’s word is ultimately trustworthy for it is destined to remain. It is not created therefore it remains.
In fact, God’s word is the same word which was “preached to” those who are aliens in this world.
Because God’s word is abiding/enduring, & we are called thru its everlasting power, we are compelled to love the brethren sincerely & fervently(:22).
“All the glory of man”—Man’s wisdom, strength, wealth, righteousness, etc...
“Like the flower of the grass”
“The grass withers, And its flower falls away”—
Background:—The withering & falling occurs as a result of God’s breath blowing upon it(Isa. 40:7), i.e., it is God’s decision, choice & determination. His word is sovereign & irresistible in the sense that its result cannot be thwarted.
:25—“But the word of the LORD endures forever...”
—From Isa. 40:8
‘Invincible’—‘Incapable of being conquered, overcome or subdued.’
“Abides forever”—menei eiv ton aiwna—‘Remains into the age(s).’
“All”—pav—Adj.—1) individually—1a) Each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; 2) collectively—2a) Some of all types. Strong—including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; All, any, every, the whole.
“Flesh”—sarx—1) Flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones & is permeated with blood) of both man & beasts; 2) The body—2a) The body of a man, 2b) Used of natural or physical origin, generation or relationship, 2c) The sensuous nature of man, "the animal nature”; 3) A living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh) whether man or beast; 4) The flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, & therefore prone to sin & opposed to God. Strong—Flesh(as stripped of the skin), i.e. strictly--The meat of an animal(as food), or by extension--The body(as opposed to the soul [or spirit], or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or by implication--Human nature (with its frailties [physically or morally] & passions), or specifically--A human being(as such).
“Grass”3X—cortov—1) The place where grass grows & animals graze;2) Grass, herbage, hay, provender—2a) Of green grass, 2b) Of growing crops. Strong—apparently a primary word; A “court" or “garden”, i.e. by implication(of pasture)--Herbage or vegetation.
“Glory”—doxa—1) Opinion, judgment, view; 2) Opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone; 3) Splendor, brightness; 4) A most glorious condition, most exalted state. Strong—Glory(as very apparent), in a wide application(literal or figurative, objective or subjective).
“Man”—anyrwpov—1) a human being, whether male or female—1a) generically--To include all human individuals, 1b) To distinguish man from beings of a different order, 1c) With the added notion of weakness, by which man is led into a mistake or prompted to sin, 1d) With the adjunct notion of contempt or disdainful pity, 1e) With reference to two fold nature of man, body & soul, 1f) With reference to the two fold nature of man, the corrupt & the truly Christian man, conformed to the nature of God, 1g) With reference to sex, a male; 2) indefinitely--Someone, a man, one; 3) in the plural--People; 4) joined with other words--“Merchantman.” Strong—from anhr[A man(properly as an individual male)]) & wq (the countenance; from optanomai[To gaze (i.e. with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable]; Man-faced, i.e. A human being.
“Flower”—anyov—1) A flower. Strong—a primary word; A blossom. Used 4X.
“Withers”—xhrainw—1) To make dry, dry up, wither; 2) To become dry, to be dry, be withered; 3) To waste away, pine away, i.e. A withered hand. Strong—To desiccate; by implication--To shrivel, to mature.
“Falls away”—ekpiptw—1) To fall out of, to fall down from, to fall off; 2) metaph.—2a) To fall from a thing, to lose it, 2b) To perish, to fall. Strong—To drop away; specially--Be driven out of one's course; figuratively--To lose, become inefficient. Used 14X.
“Word”2X—rhma—1) That which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word; 2) Subject matter of speech, thing spoken of. Strong—An utterance (individually, collectively or specifically); by implication--A matter or topic (especially of narration, command or dispute); with a negative--Naught, whatever.
“Endures/Abides”—menw—1) To remain, abide—1a) in reference to place—1a1) To sojourn, tarry, 1a2) Not to depart—1a2a) To continue to be present, 1a2b) To be held, kept, continually, 1b) in reference to time—1b1) To continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure—1b1a) of persons--To survive, live, 1c) in reference to state or condition—1c1) To remain as one, not to become another or different; 2) To wait for, await one. Strong—a primary verb; To stay(in a given place, state, relation or expectancy).
“Forever”—eiv ton aiwna—Lit.—’Into the age’—
From—eiv—Prep.—1) Into, unto, to, towards, for, among.—&—o, h, to—The definite article—1) This, that, these, etc.—&—aiwn—1) For ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity; 2) The worlds, universe; 3) Period of time, age. Aiwn means the spirit of the age, often in an unfavorable sense. Strong—properly--An age; by extension--Perpetuity(also past); by implication--The world; specially(Jewish)--A Messianic period(present or future).
Argumentation:
Job 42:1-6—“Then Job answered the LORD & said: “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, & let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, & you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust & ashes.”
Isa. 43:11-13—“I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. I have declared & saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says the LORD, “that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, & who will reverse it?”
Prov. 19:21—“There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’S counsel--that will stand.”
Isa. 55:8-11—“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, & the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth & bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
2Tim. 3:16-17—“All Scripture is inspired by God & profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Ps. 112:1-10—“Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth & riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, & full of compassion, & righteous. A good man deals graciously & lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. The wicked will see it & be grieved; He will gnash his teeth & melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.”
God’s word cannot be defeated!!
Eph. 1:3-14—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy & without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom & prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven & which are on earth--in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Illustration:
Our car is ours by legality—We have in our possession what is called the ‘Title’ for the car/It is unique for that car—the VIN# is on it & our names are on it/That Title is recognized by the State of Florida as evidence of ownership/No one can take it from us unless they go thru the proper legal channels & no one would do that unless we give them permission/But even these fail outside the US!/INVINCIBILITY
Any legal document of possession/
Own many acres of Land/Squatters build on your property/Land Deed stands against them/INVINCIBILITY
Application:
?You encountered the INVINCIBILITY of God’s Word?
?You Live Out God’s love?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...
5. REBIRTH(:23a)
6. GROWTH POTENTIAL(:23b)
7. THE INVINCIBLE WORD(24-25a)
1. CLEANSING(:22a)“Purified”
2. OBEDIENCE(:22b)“Obeying”
3. SINCERITY(:22c)“Sincere”
4. EFFORT / INTENTION & DEPTH(:22d)“Fervently with a pure heart”
Pts. 5-7 presented 11/01/2015pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave.(A Ave. SE)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
Pts. 6-9 Presented 07/18/04pm to
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
Pts. 1-5 Presented 06/13/04pm to
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
