For NIV reading click here 1 Peter 1:3-12.
Peter begins the main part of his letter with praise (greek word = "good words"). In other words, Peter is sharing good words about about what God has done.
We'll land on this short section for a couple of days and share some reflections on it.
What in this sections really resonates with you and brings you to a place of praise?
Comments/questions...
Matt
I love v. 4-5!!!
ReplyDeleteI also zeroed in on v4-5, but then comes v6. Fortunately our suffering will only be "for a little while" whatever that means when found in a letter written 2000 yrs ago.
ReplyDeleteI got a little lost in v12. I think all the times he uses "you" refer to us, the readers, or possibly us, the saved. Either way v10-11 are a little confusing as leading up to v12. Here we are told these prophets serve us?
I have to rant a bit on v9: "the goal of your faith [is] the salvation of your souls." I don't disagree with this, but verses like this are (I think) overused by some evangelicals who want to hear you recite the sinners prayer, and then just move on to the next sinner. Do I believe a single prayer - said in complete faith and honesty - can save? Absolutely. Do I think we as believers and servants owe more to the needy (spiritual or otherwise) than a prayer recitation? Absolutely. We can't just walk away and put another notch in our Bibles.
"for a little while" whatever that means when found in a letter written 2000 yrs ago - great line Dave!
ReplyDeleteI'll respond to the v.12 thing later - good question.
And, I'm with you on v. 9. Especially when so many assume 'salvation' simply means, as you imply, a ticket to heaven. But (and here's where you're on to something really, REALLY important) biblical salvation includes not only a 'prayer of salvation,' or even our eternal life, but it also includes our daily living that extends God's grace and love to those in need. In fact, the use of the word 'save' (Grk. sozo) is used in a lot of ways. There's a short link to the right under "Pages" to a helpful greek dictionary that might be worth looking at. Paul says things like 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling,' and 'the only thing that counts is faith expresing itself through love,' etc. Helpful stuff Dave.
Nice to be shielded by God's power !
ReplyDeleteI like all the nuances of meaning in the definition of sozo.
safe and sound , make well , heal , restore (Ps 23:3) ,deliver from the penalties of judgment.
"save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the messianic deliverance " ?
What kind of evils could obstruct deliverance ?
I have always been suspect of the idea that we are saved then can go live as we choose , salvation assured .
ReplyDeleteOnce we are saved , are we saved despite how we live ?
We've also been told that good works won't get us into heaven ( Paul tells us this a lot - that we are saved by faith alone ) . Yet other authors tell us that faith without works is no good either .
Is it a fine line between a " works based salvation " and working out our salvation with fear and trembling ?
What kind of evils could obstruct deliverance? I suspect things like unbelief, false teaching, habitual sin, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on living out our salvation...a very biblical idea that has been neglected by large numbers of fundamentalist Christians.
When Paul pushed for salvation by grace through faith alone, it was in response to Jewish Christians who demanded that Gentile Christians be circumcised and follow certain dietary regulations, etc.
On the other hand, when James said 'faith without works is dead,' he was responding to those who said that how we live doesn't matter.
I am convinced Paul and James would agree.
Even Paul said 'live in a manner worth of your calling.'
Good works may not save us, but they prove that the faith that can save us is real.
Good thoughts Doc!
YOUR THOUGHTS ON 1 PETER 1:10-12...
ReplyDeleteRe: v10-12
ReplyDeleteI think I have established that I am confused. How about as a start, I will take a stab at identifying all the pronouns and to whom they make reference. My guesses are in [brackets]
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you [we believers], searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them [prophets] was pointing when he [Holy Spirit] predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them [prophets] that they [prophets] were not serving themselves but you [Jesus? believers?], when they [prophets] spoke of the things that have now been told you [believers] by those who [prophets?? evangelists??] have preached the gospel to you [believers] by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Good logic Dave! Thanks. The 'you' in verse 12 is plural, so 'believers,' but of course there's no way of knowing that in English. We need a plural 'you' and a singular 'you!'
ReplyDeleteOK, I've applied the logic, but we have yet to converge on the meaning.
ReplyDelete