VIRTUES FOR THE LAST DAYS (1 PETER 1)
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There is a story about a pastor who was building a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he pounded away, he saw that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn't say a word, so the pastor kept on working, thinking the lad would just leave. But he didn't.
Finally the pastor asked, "Well, son, are you trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?" "No," he replied, "I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer."
At least three congregations in our church is currently preaching through 1 Peter, including site church in Ma On Shan, Build Green and one adult worship, none of which is in English. It started with the former president of Alliance Bible Seminary Rev. Leung Ka Lun’s wonderful exposition online. 1 Peter is a brilliant letter and a magnificent message extolling encouragement and endurance in troubled times. The Teacher's Commentary noted that “no fewer than seven different Greek words for suffering (1:6 grief, 1:7 refined by fire, 3:13 harm, 3:14 suffer, 4:12 painful trial, 4:13 sufferings, 5:9 sufferings/afflictions) in this letter suggest the intensity of the persecution. Like James in his epistle (James 1:1), Peter the apostle wrote to the exiles (v 1), also called pilgrims (Heb 11:13) and strangers (1 Peter 1:1) elsewhere, referring to the diaspora residing in five of Asia Minor's Roman provinces, in northern Turkey today. The recipients were Christians in the diaspora of Asia Minor.
What preparations are you making for the last days? How are you organzing yourself for the persecution ahead? Why is our readiness not merely a physical matter but more importantly, a spiritual, emotional and psychological battle as well?
Be Steadfast in Suffering
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
A man goes to his pastor and tells him how much he needs more patience and asks that the pastor pray for him in this matter. The pastor agrees and suggests they have prayer right there. The man prayed, “Dear Lord, we know you want the very best for us. If it is necessary for my friend here, would you please bring challenges, hardships and difficulties into my brother's life that will help him grow more patient"?
As the pastor prays for the man to have more trials and struggles, the man stops his pastor right in the middle of the prayer and said, “Wait a minute, pastor, that’s not what I asked for.”
“Sure it is,” his pastor replied, “The way to patience is through just such trials. Paul himself told us in Romans 5:3 that tribulation worketh patience.”
If that’s the case,” the man answered, “I’ll be glad to wait a little longer to get it.”
According to tradition, Peter wrote this epistle shortly before the beginning of Nero's reign and persecution of the church in A.D. 64 that killed thousands of believers. Peter himself was martyred in Rome about A.D. 67, so he had a window of three to five years to make his life and writings count with Nero’s impending rise.
It might surprise readers to know that the terms “obedience” (vv 2, 14, 22), “faith” (vv 5, 9, 10) and the “revelation/appearing” of Jesus Christ (vv 7, 13) are mentioned more times in this chapter than any chapter in the Bible. They “suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (v 6) and are “refined by fire” (v 7) is contrasted with and sandwiched in verse 5 by “shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (v 5) and verse 7 - “when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Here is a contrast chart for a clearer understanding of verses 3-7:
Contrast Chart
3 he has given us new birth “into” (eis) a living hope
4 and “into” (eis) an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade Provision
5 shielded by God's power Plan
6 you greatly rejoice Passion
6 suffer grief in all kinds of trials
7 the trial of your faith Process/Price
may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Purpose
It is a triumph protected (v 5) by the Father, proven (v 7) by the Son and predicted (v 12) by the Spirit:
Father Son Spirit
Resurrection
“resurrection of Jesus Christ” v 3 Revelation
“when Jesus Christ is revealed” v 7 Refinement
“sanctifying work of Christ” v 11
The treasure in heaven
“inheritance… kept in heaven” v 4 The test of faith
“trial of your faith” v 7 (KJV) The testimony to others
“Spirit of Christ pointing … predicted the sufferings” v 11
Time:
5 through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Time:
6 now for a season
VS 7 at the appearing of Jesus
8 now ye see him not
VS 10 the grace that should come unto you: Time:
11 the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
Salvation v 5
“coming of the salvation” Splendor v 10
“glories that would follow” Service v 12 (prophets)
“not serving themselves but you”
Treasure v 4
“inheritance” Test v 6
“all kinds of trials” Triumph v 12
“not serving themselves but you”
The persecution - past, present and future – in any generation would be intense, imminent and inescapable, but the focus and crux of Peter’s message is in verse 6 – that their suffering grief in all kinds of trials (v 7) has a purpose, to result (found) in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Find (v 7) means revealed, resulted or reshaped. Two results at his coming: Rom 2:5
Praise v7 Glory Honor
Esteemed Exalted Endorsed
Voiced Viewed Valued
Rejoicing Radiance Respect
Spoken Splendor Status
Be Sanctified in Conduct
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. Martin Luther King Jr
Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Desmond Tutu
The darkest hours are just before dawn. English proverb
Hope never abandons you, you abandon it. George Weinberg
Where there’s life, there’s hope. Stephen Hawking
Where there is no vision, there is no hope. George Washington Carver
Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate. G.K. Chesterton
I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. Nelson Mandela
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Winston Churchill
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. Albert Einstein
Verse 13 in other versions:
“Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (NIV)
“Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (KJV)
“Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (NASU
The instruction “set your hope/hope” to the end (v 13) is an imperative, the only imperative for the verb “hope” that occurs 31 times in the Bible, translated more as “trust” (18x) in the Bible than “hope” itself. Hope is to wait for salvation with joy and full confidence. Moping, moaning and murmuring are not hope. It is in confidence, comfort and courage. Hope can be revisited, revived or resurgent because of the appearing or revelation of Christ (vv 7, 13). True hope is active, abiding and applicable. It braved the storms, the struggle and setbacks of life. It helps you through the windstorm, the weather, the wreckage.
The two “how’s” or the participles, are to gird up the hips/loins of your mind or understanding; and be sober, which is discreet, dutiful and disciplined. Gird up is aorist tense but sober is present tense.
Be holy (v 15) is the next imperative. It is to be sacred, sanctified, set apart for God nobody else, nothing else and no mixed use. It is not to abstain or avoid, a list of “do's” and “don'ts,” but to run from sin and to run to the Savior. Being holy means being with Him, belonging to Him, and becoming like Him.
Be Sincere in Love
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.
The virus rampage has affected many people’s lives and lifestyle, even in small little things. Our neighborhood’s gym and pool are closed. Free newspaper delivery now is 6 am, so only the jies jies (maids) managed to get their hands on the 20-30 copies English paper delivered to the island daily. I am most affected by the closing of the reading clubhouse where I spend most of my writing hours at night until it closes at 10 p.m. Now I go to the supermarket instead before 830 pm after my walking hours.
Mostly I picked up bananas, snacks and yogurts or drinks and started giving one to the receptionist on my block doing the long night shift. After a few days, do you know what I noticed was placed hanging outside my mailbox? A free copy of the English newspaper! Since then I expanded my scope to include the morning receptionist and the trash cleaner – all ladies, no uncles. One day I bought seven bananas and gave three away and the trash cleaner said to me, “You don’t have anything left to eat!” I said, “Got four left!”
Early this month, the receptionist told me the bad news, “Management don’t allow us to save papers for residents,” to which I said, “OK.” When I went home I opened my mailbox to discover the newspaper hanging outside my box now is secretly shuffled into my box to avoid suspicion!
The verb “love” (agapao) occurs 143 times in the Bible, but how many times you think it is in the imperative mood or as a command? Merely nine times, out of which all three times in the gospels refer to “love your enemies” (Matt 5:44, Luke 6:27, 35). Thrice in Paul’s letters as “love your wife” (Eph 5:22, 33, Col 3:19), twice in Peter (1 Pet 1:22, 2:17) and once in 1 John (2:15). Love one another is first of all, an imperative, the only time “love one another” is a pure imperative, not even from the apostle John, while the other 12 times in the Bible are mostly purpose clause.
This adverb “sincere” (v 22) occurs twice in the Bible and is translated in various extensions as without ceasing (KJV, Acts 12:5), earnestly (NIV) and intense (Acts 12:5, CJB). It is serious, single-minded and steadfast. Sincere (an-upokritos) means “not” + “hypocrite,” love that is without falsehood, favoritism or filthy.
From the heart (v 22) means out of goodness, grace and growth, not conditional, coercive and convenient. From the heart means in action, attitude and authenticity, not by emotions, expression or exhibition. It also means without partiality, pretension or payback. One another means not one-sided, two-faced, double-minded but mutual.
So far there are three virtues in the verb form in the imperative mood for the chapter, hope (v 13), holiness (v 15) and finally, love (v 22). Love is the crown, the cap and the crux of the virtues on the last day, for the last days, for every day and every one. Why is love mentioned along with the word of God which lasts forever (v 25)? Because love is the greatest (1 Cor 13:13). Lover never fails (1 Cor 13:8). It will not pass away1 Cor 13:8) and it will not disappear (1 Cor 13:10).
Conclusion: The last days are marked by dangers (2 Tim 3:1), disobedience (vv 8-9) and doubts (2 Peter 3:3). This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Yet on the last days faith, hope (1 Peter 1:21) and love (v 22) will triumph. May God’s mercy (v 3), power (v 5) and grace follow us the rest of our lives. May you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (v 8) and may praise, honor and glory be to you at the appearing of Jesus Christ (v 7).
