Saturday, July 15, 2017

Promises from the Book 1 Peter - 2nd study

We learned from the last study that it is God's grace that is brought to us  when Christ is revealed to us.  And we are born again when we spend time in His word which lives and abides forever.  I am sure that Peter has some more to add to these verses in this study.  Let's see what they are.

1 Peter 2:9,10  "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 our of darkness into His marvelous light: who once were not a people but are "now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

Mercy means that when Christ died on the cross that He paid the price for our sins and when we repent of our sins, He pours out His mercy on our behalf and covers our sins and we are justified, just as if we had never sinned.  I think that is a marvelous thing that happens when we repent of our sins sincerely, don't you?  What more could He have done to save sinners like me?  I believe He paid it all.

1 Peter 2:24,25  "Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed."  Self explained.

1 Peter 3:14  "But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed.  And do not be afraid of their threats, not be troubled."  Another self explained verse.

1 Peter 4:1,2  "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

A beautiful promise that if we arm ourselves with the mind of Christ and suffer in the flesh as Christ did, we have ceased from sin and are living for the will of God to be done in our lives.  That doesn't mean that we go around bragging that we no longer can sin, even that is sin, but we are living for God to do His will.

1 Peter 4:14  "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.  On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified."  Another self explained verse.

1 Peter 5:10  "But may the God of all grace, who called us to this eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you."

Would you like to be perfected, established, strengthened and settled in Christ?  I would it would be so wonderful to have the closest possible relationship with Him that it is possible to have.  I am not sure that I even know what that could be and I doubt that we would know it even if we did.  The reason being that the closer we come to Christ, the worse we appear to our own selves.  We see the beauty of His character and His sinless life and we know that without Him there is no possible way for us to be like Him. No possible way without a close connection to Him.  So let's draw near to God and resist the devil so he will flee from us and draw near to God who loves us with an everlasting love.  Grandma Joan


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