LOVING THE BRETHREN-VIII—1Peter 1:22—2:12
Attention:
Hurricane Matthew(Oct. 4-10, 2016)—Haiti & the Bahamas were on the north-eastern side of Matthew as it traveled between themselves & Cuba.
The residents of Haiti experienced a loss ~900+/- lives. They had already been devastated by an earthquake in Jan. 2010 which had killed ~200,000.
Many need assistance but could not get into the area.
There was a threat of Cholera, which usually takes place 2-5 days after exposure to unsafe bacteria-laden drinking water...
Meanwhile, in the midst of this disaster both in Haiti & the United States, as we experienced losses too, the church bickers over miniscule trivia. Thus they hog-tie themselves as they are seemingly unable to extricate themselves from personal feelings in order to help others such as the Haitians or those of their own nation.
Loving The Brethren is a very practical application of the Good News of Jesus.
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?
14 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. INTENTION & DEPTH(:22d)“Fervently with a pure heart”
5. REBIRTH(:23a)
6. GROWTH POTENTIAL(:23b)
7. THE INVINCIBLE WORD(24-25a)
8. THE INESCAPABLE / AVAILABLE WORD(:25b)
9. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION(2:1a)
10. UNADULTERATED SUITABLE SUSTENANCE(2:2)
11. The FLAVOR Of GRACE(2:3)
12. APPROACHING(2:4-5)
13. CONSTRUCTION(2:6-8)
14a. PROCLAMATION(2:9a)...
*14b—God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...
PROCLAMATION(2:9b-12—CONT...)
2:9—“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
Last time we found encouragement thru :9a, in that Christians, the family of God & brothers & sisters in Christ are...“a chosen generation,” “a royal priesthood,” & “a holy nation.”
It also states in :9 that These are also...
“His own special people”
God’s people are “His own special people.”
The King James’ “Peculiar” here is intended in a good light & never in a bad one. To a very real extent, believers are oddly out of place regarding the majority of humanity.
Through God’s “own” being “special” &/or “peculiar,” every man is confronted with God’s Divine wisdom regarding His overall design for man’s place/manner. The thoroughness(See peripoihsiv below) of the believer’s “specialness”/“peculiarity” is a tool supplying all men with the potential had in belonging to God.
“Special/Peculiar/For His own possession/Belonging to God”—peripoihsiv—Noun Accusative Sing. Fem.—1) A preserving, a preservation; 2) Possession, one's own property; 3) An obtaining. Strong—Acquisition(the act or the thing); by extension--Preservation. Used 5X.
*Thus=‘To be made or done throughly or throughout.’(see below)
From—peri—1) About, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near. Strong—from the base of peran[(pierce)through]; properly--Through(all over), i.e. Around; figuratively--With respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case--denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case--the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period).—&—poiew—1) To make; 2) To do. Strong—apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; To make or do(in a very wide application, more or less direct).
“People”—laov—Noun Masc.—1) A people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock & language; 2) Of a great part of the population gathered together anywhere. In classical Greek—?An unorganized people at large. Whereas in Biblical Greek—The people of a heathen city.? ?Laov is a word which is usually limited in use to the chosen people, Israel.? Strong—apparently a primary word; A people(in general; thus differing from dhmov[The public], which denotes one's own populace).
2:9c—“That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”
Believers are all the previous things for a strict purpose...The purpose being that they “may proclaim the praises” of the very One who “called” them from “out of” a prior existence in “darkness,” & by means of that extraction, “into His marvelous light.”
It is not just any “light” that believers are “called” “into.” God’s “light” is one in which we have cause to “marvel”, wonder at, or be amazed at! Being undeserving, the saved sinner is utterly flabbergasted at the permanence of being declared a citizen of heaven!
That “calling” is by God’s grace, & is answered by personal faith! Thus God’s “calling” enables all believers to be able & willing proclaimers of God’s goodness, mercies, & grace!
Truly saved ‘children’ will & should progress in & expand their understanding of Christ & their world.
“Proclaim”—exaggellw—1)To tell out or forth; 2)To declare abroad, divulge, publish; 3)To make known by praising or proclaiming, to celebrate. Strong—To publish, i.e. Celebrate. Used 1X.
From—ek/ex—1) Out of, from, by, away from. Strong—a primary preposition denoting origin(the point whence action or motion proceeds), From, out(of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote).—&—aggelov—1) A messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. Strong—from aggellw[probably derived from agw[to lead; bring, drive, go, pass(time), or induce]; compare agelh[a drove]](to bring tidings); A messenger; especially--An "angel"; by implication--A pastor.
“Praises”—areth—Noun Fem.—From airw[raise, bear, carry away]—1)A virtuous course of thought, feeling & action; 2)Any particular moral excellence. Strong—properly--Manliness(valor), i.e. Excellence(intrinsic or attributed). Used 5X.
“Marvelous”—yaumastov—1)Wonderful, marvelous—1a) Worthy of pious admiration, admirable, excellent, 1b) Passing human comprehension, 1c) Causing amazement joined with terror, 1d) Marvelous—1d1) Extraordinary, striking, surprising. Strong—Wondered at, i.e. by implication--Wonderful. Used 7X.
2:10—“who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
This present chosen generation(by grace thru faith) was at one point in time, “not a people.” They were formerly not recognized by God as His. As such these were not recipients of His “mercy.”
However, the formerly unrecognized people are “now the people of God” & “have obtained mercy” from the Lord.
As receivers of “mercy” we do not receive what we really deserve!
“Once/In Time Past”—pote—Particle—1) Once i.e. Formerly, aforetime, at some time. Strong—from the base of pou[ as adverb of place--Somewhere, i.e. Nearly] & te[ a primary particle(enclitic) of connection or addition; Both or also(properly, as correlation of kai)]; indefinite adverb--At some time, ever.
“Now”—nun—Adverb—1) At this time, the present, now. “Now”, marks a definite point or period of time, the (objective)immediate present. Strong—a primary particle of present time; “Now”(as adverb of date, a transition or emphasis); also as noun or adjective present or immediate.
“People”—laov—1) A people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock & language; 2) Of a great part of the population gathered together anywhere. In Classical Greek--An unorganized people at large...In Biblical Greek--The people of a heathen city. Laov is a word which is usually limited in use to the chosen people, Israel. Strong—apparently a primary word; a people (in general; thus differing from dhmov[The public(as bound together socially)], which denotes one's own populace).
“Obtained Mercy/Received Mercy”2X—eleew—Verb—1)To have mercy on; 2)To help one afflicted or seeking aid; 3)To help the afflicted, to bring help to the wretched; 4)To experience mercy. Eleew is to feel sympathy with the misery of another, esp. such sympathy as manifests itself in act, less frequently in word. Strong—from eleov[Compassion]; To compassionate(by word or deed, specially, by divine grace). 2:11—“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,”
Peter addresses his audience as “beloved.” They are truly loved by this fellow elder(5:1) & apostle of Christ. Thus the following directives are offered in the most sincere & highest aspect of love. The directives are offered in a loving attempt to provide the betterment of those addressed.
Peter literally “begs”the addressees as “sojourners” & as “pilgrims”. They are Christians, & as such are to live as those who are foreigners & lacking citizenship with the world.
Because of their status as those who are, in a real sense, separated from this world, they are to live apart from “fleshly lusts”, which are faced by everyone. This is because these “lusts” actually “war against the soul”. Lusts of the flesh are not only against/opposed to the work of the Spirit of God in the “soul” of the saved, but are actively & continually vying for His possession of it. The battle for the “soul” of man is a continual protracted warring battle(campaign) against & with the desires of the flesh.
The “soul” is the essence of what a person is aside from the flesh.
“Soul” here is the whole person.—NAC/NICNT
Therefore the “war against” it is not to be taken as being of no consequence.
The “soul” of man is effected by the flesh as well as by the Spirit of God. It is effected negatively by “fleshly lusts.” And positively by the Spirit of God. It is up to the individual as to which they will allow to have a lasting & eternal effect.
The “soul” is that which defines us as living beings...or that by which we have breath & thereby live.
The “soul” is that which upon death, has potential to either go to heaven or hell.
“Beloved”—agaphtov—1)Beloved, esteemed, dear, favorite, worthy of love.
“Beg/Beseesch/Urge”—parakalew—1)To call to one’s side, call for, summon; 2)To address, speak to, call to, call upon in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc. Strong—To call near, i.e. Invite, invoke(by imploration, hortation or consolation).
*This word is the verbal form used by the apostle John to describe the Holy Spirit(paraklhtov).
“Sojourners/Strangers/Aliens”—paroikov—Adj.—1) Dwelling near, neighboring; 2) in the NT--A stranger, a foreigner, one who lives in a place without the right of citizenship; 3) metaph.—3a) Without citizenship in God's kingdom, 3b) One who lives on earth as a stranger, a sojourner on the earth, 3c) Of Christians whose home is in heaven. Strong—Having a home near, i.e. as noun--A by-dweller(alien resident). Used 4X.
“Pilgrims/Strangers”—parepidhmov—1) One who comes from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives; 2) A stranger; 3) Sojourning in a strange place, a foreigner; 4) in the NT metaph.--In reference to heaven as the native country, one who sojourns on earth.
“Abstain”—apecomai—1)To hold one’s self off, refrain, abstain. Strong—To hold oneself off, i.e. Refrain. Used 6X.
“Fleshly”—sarkikov—Adj.—1) Fleshly, carnal—1a) Having the nature of flesh, i.e. Under the control of the animal appetites, 1b) Pertaining to the flesh; Governed by mere human nature rather than the Spirit of God. It denotes that which is distinctly opposed to the Spirit of God, anti-spiritual. Strong—Pertaining to flesh, i.e. by extension--Bodily, temporal, or by implication--Animal, unregenerate. Used 11X.
“Lusts”—epiyumia—1)Desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden. Epiyumia denotes any natural desire or appetite, usually with the implication that it is a depraved desire. Payov represents the passive, epiyumia the active side of vice; epiyumia is more comprehensive in meaning than payov; epiyumia is (evil)desire, payov is ungovernable desire. Strong—A longing(especially for what is forbidden).
“War”—strateuomai—1)To make a military expedition, To lead soldiers to war or to battle, (spoken of a commander); 2)To do military duty, be on active service, be a soldier; 3)To fight. Strong—To serve in a military campaign; figuratively--To execute the apostolate(with its arduous duties & functions), to contend with carnal inclinations. Used 7X.
“Soul”(See :1:22)—“Life”—quch—Noun Fem.—1) Breath—1a) The breath of life—1a1) The vital force which animates the body & shows itself in breathing—1a1a) Of animals, 1a1b) Of men, 1b) Life, 1c) That in which there is life—1c1) A living being, a living soul; 2) The soul—2a) The seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions(our heart, soul etc.), 2b) The (human)soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life, 2c) The soul as an essence which differs from the body(distinguished from other parts of the body). Strong—from qucw[meaning ‘to breathe.’]; Breath, i.e. by implication--spirit, abstractly or concretely--The animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from pneuma, which is the rational & immortal soul; & on the other from zwh, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew vpn, xwr & yx).
Quch corresponds to Hebrew—vpn. A)quch—Breath, i.e. by implication--Spirit, abstractly or concretely--The animal sentient principle only, which is distinguished from B) pneuma—The rational & immortal soul, & C)zwh—Mere vitality, even of plants. These terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew...A)vpn, B)xwr & C)yx.
2:12—“having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
The basis for abstaining(:11) from fleshly lusts is that one’s “conduct” may be seen as “honorable” among those who have no viable knowledge of God, ie., “the Gentiles”. These Gentiles, who are observing the conduct of believers, may speak against them as if they are “evildoers.”
However, the righteous actions of Christians are a testimony to the grace & goodness of God in Christ, which have power to bring actual “evildoers” to Christ.
The focus of our “good works” lived out among opposers, is that these may “glorify God in the day of visitation.” When God visits those of earth with finality, those of earth will answer for their response to the “good works” of God’s people.
“Conduct/Conversation/Behavior”—anastrofh—1)Manner of life, conduct, behavior, deportment. Strong—Behavior. Used 13X.
From—anastrefw—To overturn; also--To return; by implication--To busy oneself, i.e. Remain, live. From—ana—a primary preposition & adverb; properly--Up; but (by extension)used distributively--Severally, or locally--At(etc.)—&—strefw—To twist, i.e. Turn quite around or reverse(literally or figuratively).
Describing the upward twists & turns of life
“Honorable/Honest/Excellent”(See “Good”)—kalov—Beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable. It means beautiful, physically or morally. It is, however, distinctly the beauty which comes from harmony, the beauty which arises from a symmetrical adjustment in right proportion, in other words, from the harmonious completeness of the object concerned. Strong—of uncertain affinity; properly--Beautiful, but chiefly figuratively--Good(literally or morally), i.e. Valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, & thus distinguished from agayov[Good], which is properly intrinsic).
“Speak against/Slander”—katalalew—1)To speak against one, to criminate, traduce. Strong—To be a traducer, i.e. To slander. Used 5X.
“Evildoers”—kakopoiov—Adj.—1)An evil doer, malefactor. Strong—A bad-doer; specifically--A criminal. Used 5X.
“Good”(See “Honorable/Honest/Excellent”)—kalov—
“Works”—ergon—1) Business, employment, that which any one is occupied—1a) That which one undertakes to do, enterprise, undertaking; 2) Any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind; 3) An act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasized in opposition to that which is less than work. Strong—from a primary(but obsolete) ergw(to work); Toil(as an effort or occupation); by implication--An act.
“Observe/Behold”—epopteuw—1)To be an overseer; 2)To look upon, view attentively; 3)To watch. Strong—To inspect, i.e. Watch. Used 2X.
From—epi—a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition(of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution [with the genitive case], i.e. Over, upon, etc.; of rest(with the det.)--At, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case)--Towards, upon, etc.—&—optanomai—To gaze(i.e. with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable; & thus differing from blepw, which denotes simply voluntary observation; & from eidw, which expresses merely mechanical, passive or casual vision; while yeaomai, & still more emphatically its intensive yewrew, signifies an earnest but more continued inspection; & skopew--A watching from a distance).
“Glorify”—doxazw—Verb—1)To think, suppose, be of opinion; 2)To praise extol, magnify, celebrate; 3)To honor; 4)To make glorious, adorn with luster, clothe with splendor. Strong—To render(or esteem) glorious(in a wide application).
“Visitation”—episkoph—Noun Fem.—1)Investigation, inspection, visitation—1a) That act by which God looks into & searches out the ways, deeds character, of men, in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad, 1b) Oversight—1b1) Overseership, office, charge, the office of an elder, 1b2) The overseer or presiding officers of a Christian church(Pastorate). Strong—Inspection(for relief); by implication--Superintendence; specially--The Christian “episcopate.” Used 4X.
Argumentation:
Rom. 8:13-14—“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”
Rom. 13:11-14—“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, & let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry & drunkenness, not in lewdness & lust, not in strife & envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, & make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”
2Cor. 6:14—7:1—“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons & daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”” “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh & spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Gal. 5:16-25—“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, & you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, & the Spirit against the flesh; & these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, & the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions & desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
If the fruit of the Spirit is only experienced in a short moment of time, then the Spirit is not the author of the fruit!
Illustration:
No one has to carry a sign with them in order to be a proclaimer of anything.
If you need a sign to declare that you are a Christian, then you are probably not a very dedicated one!
In Crawfordville, FL, the Wakulla County Courthouse sits at the SW corner of Arran Rd. & US 319/On the corner diagonal—the NE corner—is Harrison Bail Bonds— at the confluence of US 319 & Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/On the NE corner there is a yard sign’ declaring ‘Cuban Food’/Near lunch time there may be a man busily holding a sign declaring ‘Cuban Mojos(moho)’ with an arrow pointing down Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/His actions get the attention of drivers-by/PROCLAMATION
That he is the ‘sign-holder’ for Cuban Mojos leads the passer-by to numerous possible questionable conclusions...1)Loves Cuban food. 2)May be indifferent toward Cuban food but Probably needs the money. 3)He may be the restaurant owner or part of the owner’s family. 3)He is either obligated or actually enjoys being outside. 4)Sees the value in telling people about Cuban Mojos. 5)He loves Crawfordville. 6)He hates Crawfordville but can’t afford to leave it., etc./PROCLAMATION can lead to false & limited conclusions!
Backing your boat into the Carrabelle River/Loaded with fishing gear/Your actions & your equipment are a means of PROCLAMATION to others of your intention
Your exit from the church building this morning is a minimal declaration of your love for Jesus/Your life lived both inside & particularly outside the walls of the church building is a decisive declaration of your love for Jesus/PROCLAMATION
Application:
?What has Your encounter with PROCLAMATION yielded?
?You Live Out God’s love?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Hurricane Matthew devastation & certain church's inabilities to aid victims.
Action:
God’s love is lived out thru an encounter with...
14b. PROCLAMATION(2:9b-12)
1. OBEDIENCE(:22a)
2. CLEANSING(:22b)
3. SINCERITY(Sincere)(:22c)
4. INTENTION & DEPTH(:22d)“Fervently with a pure heart”
5. REBIRTH(:23a)
6. GROWTH POTENTIAL(:23b)
7. THE INVINCIBLE WORD(24-25a)
8. THE INESCAPABLE/Available WORD(:25b)
9. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION(2:1a)
10. UNADULTERATED SUITABLE SUSTENANCE(2:2)
11. The FLAVOR Of GRACE(2:3)
12. APPROACHING(2:4-5)
13. CONSTRUCTION(2:6-8)
14a. PROCLAMATION(2:9a)
Pt. 14b presented 10/09/2016am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave.(A Ave. SE)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
Pts. 10-12 Presented 08/15/04pm to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
