A Revolutionary Marriage

Read: 1 Peter 3:1-7

*Because of the difficult nature of this text, this study guide will be lengthier than normal.

This is a difficult passage for modern ears. It is full of landmines for a culture that celebrates equality, freedom and rights. How do we even begin to decipher whether we can gain anything from what seems like such outdated teaching? Perhaps the best place to start is to recognize how Peter is applying the main theme of his whole letter to marriage. His main theme could be stated like this - the road to suffering is the path to glory. This is the message of the gospel and the pattern for the Christian life. In this text, Peter describes how all spouses who follow Jesus are called to a revolutionary role in their marriages. When spouses live in these roles, what feels like suffering and loss is what, in fact, brings resurrection life to our spouses and to the world (which is the main purpose of marriage according to the bible).

1) The Revolutionary Background

To understand what Peter is saying to wives and husbands here, first we need to understand why he felt he had to address/instruct spouses in these churches in the first place. This teaching on marriage is a part of a larger section that begins in 2:11 and extends to 3:22.  This is the heart of the letter, where Peter is teaching Christians how they should live within the social structure and order of their culture (as citizens, household slaves, husbands/wives). It was necessary for him to directly address these things because the gospel was so different, so revolutionary, to their social structure that there was great potential for Christians to misunderstand how to live it out and even greater potential for Non-Christians to misunderstand and malign it as evil and harmful.

If we miss how revolutionary the message of the gospel was (and is today), we will read this as Peter simply endorsing traditional marital roles, when in fact he’s revolutionizing marriage in his day (and ours). The gospel Peter has been reminding them of (in 1:1-2:9) declares that by faith in Christ a person has a new position and status that is more real and true than any position or status they have in this world. No matter a person’s gender, marital status, race, citizenship, social status (slave or free), every Christian is chosen royalty, holy, chosen for an inheritance equal to all in the kingdom of Christ. There is only one true Lord and Authority - Jesus. This means a Christian is bound to no one and is not bound to any human authority or social order. This was an unheard-of revolutionary idea in the 1st century.

When it came to marriage at this time, wives were expected to obey their husband, were required to follow the religion of their husband and were expected to only be in social situations with their husband or with husband’s approval. For wives who became Christians, this meant these expectations had to be disobeyed as they were called to obey Jesus and his word, leave behind all other idols and religions and be baptized into a new family (the church). Imagine the tension this caused in marriages.

This is where the teaching of this text comes in. Peter needed to show both spouses that there are two “sides” to the revolutionary message of the gospel. Side 1 is “You are free people!”; Side 2 is “Use your freedom as a slave of God”. Side 1 is “You are equal to all in Christ”; Side 2 is “You are servant to all in Christ”. Can you see how the gospel is a revolutionary message to all social structures and orders?

• To traditional cultures that emphasize order, roles – the gospel is a revolutionary message of freedom, equality. It challenges all inequalities & oppressive structures.

• To modern cultures that emphasize freedom, equality – the gospel is a revolutionary message of service, submission. It challenges our demand for our rights, our personal freedom/choice, individualism.

2) The Radical Instructions

Now we are in a better position to understand a text that sounds so strange to us. Peter is not endorsing any specific cultural model for roles in a marriage, he’s describing how to live out the roles of wife and husband in light of the gospel. In these roles: 1) There is equality and freedom. Wives are addressed here in a way that was unheard of at the time. They are told to freely choose to submit (not to accept being passively subjugated). Husbands are told to honor their wives as a coheirs. 2) There is difference and harmony – The roles are not identical but harmonious. Husbands and wives are given a different set of instructions here and in all other in the NT when marriage roles are addressed.  What are these different roles?

For Wives:

1) Choose to freely defer your needs and desires to uphold the needs and desires of your spouse. To submit is to choose to arrange oneself under another. This is a radical thing to ask someone to freely choose to do! Yet, Peter repeats this instruction for wives (3:1, 5). It’s important to remember that every Christian is called to submit in some way (see Eph. 5:20). In 1 Corinthians 15:28, we learn that Jesus, the Son of God, submits to the Father. This does not diminish his equality nor is it a sign of weakness. It is a part of his glory and strength.

2) Cultivate Inner Beauty. With so much pressure on women to find their value and worth in external appearance it is radical to call women to focus their best energy on cultivating inner beauty. The inner, hidden beauty of a spirit not ruled by fear or insecurity; not out to control or get one’s way is the kind of spirit (3:6) that can win someone over without even a word. This beauty compels and attracts people to find this kind of inner peace and strength in Jesus.

3) Cast off all fear. Peter tells wives not to be intimated, controlled or ruled by their husbands. This was radical for wives. They weren’t to be motivated by fear or by what anyone would think of them but were to follow these instructions by faith in Jesus.

What’s the goal of all this? The goal is to win their husbands to gospel obedience (3:2). This applies to husbands who are not Christians (Peter’s primary concern, see 3:1) and husbands who are Christians but who are not living in gospel obedience. This is the kind of influence a wife is called to have - to win their husbands to obedience to Christ.

For Husbands:

1) Live to know your wife. Peter’s instructions here could be translated, “live with your wife according to knowledge.” He is calling husbands to live in such as way that they know, understand and care for their wives’ needs and desires. He calls husbands to recognize the greater vulnerability of their wives (as physically and socially more vulnerable than their husbands).  

2) Lift up your wife. A husband is called to use his strength to lift up his wife as his eternal coheir in the kingdom of Christ. This prohibits all domineering and control. Peter is saying, “Treat her as she truly is – your equal in Christ and the most valuable person in your world”.

What’s the goal of all this? The goal is an unhindered prayer life. This is more than private prayer. The husband’s goal is to move his marriage toward intimate communion with his wife so that together they can enjoy unhindered communion with God in prayer.

3) The Resources To Do This

Following such radical instructions takes more than instructions alone. We need to know where we can find the resources to do this. The bible spends very little time on marriage instructions. Instead, the bible spends most of its time on the resources to love – which must be accessed in order for a spouse to follow the instructions that are given. The resources to love like this are found in knowing and experiencing the gospel reality that we are loved like this to a far greater degree. As Peter says at the heart of this teaching on living in our roles (2:21-25), Jesus became weak and vulnerable so that he could be wounded for our healing. Jesus set aside his power, strength and rightful glory to became like a lamb to die, so he could bring back sheep who go astray. However low Jesus calls you to go as husband or as a wife, he went lower for you. Whatever Jesus asks of you in your role to serve, he has taken on this role, to win you to Him so nothing would hinder your loving communion with God. When husbands and wives know Jesus did this for them, they can find the resources to live the “Jesus role” given to them in marriage.

*IMPORTANT NOTE:  This text - and others passages that speak of the submission of wives - have been used to condone domineering, controlling, demeaning treatment of women/wives. Even worse, these texts have been used to counsel women to remain in abusive relationships. To use these texts for any of these things is to twist and corrupt Scripture in the worst possible way. Nothing in this text should be seen or can be used to say that any woman is called to remain in an abusive marriage or relationship. In fact, everything in this text says the exact opposite - an abusive relationship is a violation of everything this passage says a marriage should be. IF that is where a woman finds herself,  the bible says a woman should remove herself from the relationship and seek the help and protection from a safe and trusted community.

Discuss

1.        What about the sermon impacted you most? What left you with questions? What concerns do you have when it comes to discussion of roles in marriage?

2.       Why is it important for us to remember the revolutionary character of the gospel in order to understand Peter’s teaching on marriage here? Why is important that we remember there are two “sides” to this revolutionary message? Which “side” most challenges your thinking? How does this help you understand why it was so important for Peter to address roles in marriage? How does it help us apply this teaching today?

3.        Is it hard for you to accept the bible’s teaching that relationship roles can have equality/freedom and difference/harmony at the same time? If so, why?

4.       For wives/women: What about Peter’s instructions do you resonate with? What is hardest for you to embrace? What would change if the goal of your marriage was to win your husband to gospel obedience in the way Peter describes here? For husbands/men: What about Peter’s instructions to wives here would most win you over to deeper gospel obedience?

5.       For husbands/men: What about Peter’s instructions do you resonate with? What is hardest for you to embrace? What would change if an “unhindered life of prayer” were the goal of your marriage? For wives/women: What about Peter’s instructions to husbands here would most lead you closer to God and to a life of prayer with your husband?

6.       Though the bible differentiates the roles husbands and wives play, it never practically spells out “who does what”. Why is this? It was said in the sermon that this is a part of God’s wisdom since every culture and couple handles this differently. The idea is that if both spouses embrace their roles/instructions (and not focus their energy on demanding the other fulfill their role!), the details will work themselves out. How does this sit with you? If married, how do you work the practical details out?

7.        How does knowing Jesus laid aside his right and strength to embrace roles of submissive servant and sacrificial lover give us the inner resources to take on our roles? How are these roles impossible without this?

Stranger Things

Read: 1 Peter 2:16-25

The Apostle Peter is writing to a community that’s been misunderstood, marginalized, unfairly criticized, and abused. They were going through something that was unbearably hard, impossible. In the midst of that reality, Peter encourages them that they are strangers and exiles, and they are called to strange things to the glory of our God and the good of their neighbors.  

1) the Strange Command

In 1520, a former German monk named Martin Luther wrote what’s become a classic work on the Christian life; calling it “On the Freedom of a Christian.” Luther arrives at one of the great paradoxes of following Jesus: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” It’s hard to imagine a more freeing and humbling expression of what our calling (1 Pet 2:9, 21; 3:9) in Jesus is.

Reflect for a moment on the command of Peter to slaves (and by extension all Christians) in 1 Peter 2:18. He tells Christian slaves to endure unjust suffering.

First, it’s an unparalleled command. In this imperative, Peter is neither upholding the status quo of his culture, nor is he starting a social revolution. Peter isn’t intending to give us the fullest Scriptural teaching on slavery (for that go to the book of Exodus: long story short, it doesn’t end well for oppressors). But Peter does some remarkable things in this command. He addresses slaves as free, moral persons (something not recognized in his culture). Peter provides slaves with the moral category of justice and wrongdoing, which their culture would not have afforded them. Even more powerfully, Peter draws an comparison between the life of a slave and the incarnation of God into the lowest and harshest circumstances in order to rescue the world.

Second, it’s a commendable command. Peter says that obedience to this command “brings favor” or “it’s a gracious thing” (ESV). In short, it’s pleasing to God. Why? The context for this passage is 1 Peter 2:11-12. Here Christians are commanded to do good so that God would be glorified. So how does enduring unjust suffering glorify God? For one, it demonstrates an awareness, or a “mindfulness” of God. Normally, it’s hard to see anything else but our problems in the midst of suffering. But Peter tells us to fill our minds with the sovereign, omnipotent, wise, compassionate, and merciful God. This command is good for our culture because just like Peter’s context where Christians were being publicly pilloried and ruthlessly ostracized, we live in a self-assertive social media culture that produces vengeance not forgiveness. Peter provides a radical command that offers people real forgiveness, not cycles of retaliation and moral one-upmanship.

Third, it’s an impossible command. There’s an old hymn that says “When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, My grace all sufficient shall be your supply.” If you think you can even come close to obeying this command, you’re wrong. As we’ll see, the example that’s set before us is one who “committed no sin,” but Peter says we are sinners (v. 24) who are like straying and wandering sheep (v. 25), either pitying ourselves and our wounds or lashing out at others because of them. God alone commands. God alone fulfills.

2) the Strange Example

Ironically, the disciple (Peter) who seemed to most opposed to suffering is now the one who, more than any other New Testament writer, makes suffering the heartbeat of his picture of Jesus Christ. What happened? Peter saw an extraordinary example of enduring unjust suffering in the Messiah.

First, Jesus did not commit any sin (v. 22). None. Nada. Not one. Here we see the doctrine of Jesus’ impeccability. It’s not that Jesus was a nice guy, or even a really great moral exemplar. Jesus was sinless. Perfect. A spotless and blameless person of whom it could be said he truly endured unjust suffering. Second, Jesus did not retaliate or take revenge (v. 23). Think about being robbed of happiness, reputation, or freedom. How might you respond? Jesus doesn’t start a new cycle of vengeance, but he breaks it by non-retaliatory, morally perfect goodness. But if Jesus is only an example, if he endured unjust suffering for no greater purpose, then he was naïve and his example is worthless. For Jesus’ example to mean anything to us, or be of any use, Jesus must be much more than an example.

Peter tells us that Jesus “entrusted himself to the one who judges justly” (v. 23). The language is not as specific as most translations. Literally, Peter says, “Jesus entrusted to the just judge.” What did Jesus entrust? Everything. His life. His circumstances. His rights. His vindication. All of it. But what sentence did he receive from the judge? Shockingly, he was condemned. He was killed and crucified like a non-person, a punishment reserved for slaves. Why? Because Jesus was absorbing the damage and debt of our sin (v. 24). His suffering was bringing about our healing (v. 24). At the cross, we see both the justice our hearts long for and the forgiveness we are dying for.

Discuss

1.        What about the sermon stuck with you? What left you with questions?

2.       Martin Luther said we are lords of all and servants of all. Peter calls Christians a royal priesthood, that is, kingly servants. How does the gospel make us both lords and servants?

3.         Why do you think it is important to know and believe that Jesus’ suffering is an example and that Jesus suffered for us?

4.       Peter says that Jesus left us an example that we might “follow in his steps.” If Jesus suffered, what path is he calling Christians to? How do you react to that truth?

5.       What are some ways in which Jesus’ wounds have healed your wounds?

When Politics Are Wrong

Read: 1 Peter 2:11-17

The church and politics. It’s hard to imagine a more difficult and divisive topic for Christians today. Christians are accused by non-Christians of being way too political. Christians are leaving branches of the church over what they see as unholy alliances and political agendas. By all accounts, there doesn’t seem to be much hope when it comes to the church and politics. This wasn’t easy in the 1st century either. In this passage, Peter writes to new Christians to show them how they can live with hope no matter who is in charge or how bad things get. His words provide Christians with a framework for living in any political environment… even for 2020 in America.

1) Our Political Authority

The starting point for proper political engagement as a Christian is to be absolutely clear on who our real political authority is. This is the point Peter is making when he says, “Submit to every human authority…”. In the original language, the emphasis is on the humanness and creatureliness of these authorities. This is crucial because a Christian approach to politics begins with the firm conviction that God has always been, is now, will always be in charge and in control over all nations; He is the real king; the One who has power and authority over all things, all nations and all leaders. Even when we don’t understand how this can be or what God could be doing – He remains in authority. God’s authority is the ultimate reason we submit (“because of the Lord”) Though this frees Christians from every human authority, we are God’s slaves, so we use the freedom He gives us how He tells us.

This leads to a crucial point of application for Christians and politics. We are to “Fear God”. We do not have to fear any political authority, action, decision or result. None of our political ideas, actions or words as Christians should come from a place of fear nor should we be manipulated by fear. When everyone around is swirling in storms of fear, Christians should stand firm knowing there is only one real authority to fear.

2) Our Political Allegiance

Peter reminds Christians where their political allegiance should lie by calling them “strangers and exiles” (2:11; he already used this language to describe them in 1:1 and 1:17). He’s saying, “The place you live, wherever it happens to be, is not your true country or nation. You are a chosen race, royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God’s own possession.”  The political implications of this are vast: Christians are citizens of God’s holy nation first and only then secondarily citizens of the nations where God has placed them.  A Christian’s political allegiance is always to their king and nation first – to Jesus and his kingdom. As resident aliens, we live our lives in the world as ambassadors of the gospel and our Authority/Lord.

We need to remember this in our day because God will not become a means to a political end - even a good political end. When Christians allow themselves to become a means to a political end, allegiance to Jesus is compromised. This has happened in our country on both sides of the political spectrum. We cannot let it happen if we hope to maintain a pure allegiance to Jesus and call others to consider bowing the knee in allegiance to Him as Lord.

3) Our Political Responsibilities

Having laid down the foundation of authority and allegiance, we are ready to see what Peter says about our political responsibilities. There are two main responsibilities we have as Christians in whatever nation or political situation we find ourselves:

1) Submit – Twice Peter says we are to submit (v13, 16). For people in the modern world, submission is probably our least favorite world – especially when it comes to politics. We think, “How weak, dangerous and ineffective!” That’s not how Peter sees it. To choose to place yourself under another is the height of freedom, strength and (as we’ll see below) power. It takes great strength to choose to submit oneself (notice Peter is not talking about being subjugated).

The bible’s definition of submission is the choice to yield or defer my own will to uphold the will of another. When it comes to politics, we could define submission like this - the choice to yield my own will to uphold the common good.

One of the ways we submit according to Peter is by showing honor to those in power and to “everyone”. Politics brings out differences of opinion and values. This often leads to derogatory comments, hateful speech and slander. Peter says Christians must not get caught up in all of this. Instead, we show honor to everyone as God’s image bearers. We acknowledge the difficult burden of leadership. We acknowledge the complexity of the issues at hand. We (of all people!) recognize there are forces at work for evil beyond the human realm. In light of all this, for God’s glory, we commit to always be honorable and show honor – even to those we disagree with.  

2) Do good – Peter says the other main political responsibility Christians have in any nation is to do good. We do the good that we see needs to be done (especially the good that isn’t being done by anyone else).  We do good to show others what the gospel is and how good Jesus is (see 2:3). It’s doing good for God’s glory (not for status or reward) that silences people who object to Christianity. Notice – it’s not words that silence people! It’s works. If anything can be done to tone down the volume and noise surrounding politics – it is a community committed to actually doing the good that needs to be done. What can you say to that!? Peter says this is where Christians should focus their “political” energy.

4) Our Political Power

We think political power is the great force for change in the world. The ultimate power. Peter would say - this is wrong. There is a greater power at work in the world that not even the greatest political power can even compare. It’s a power not found in any political position or in influencing those in political positions. Real political power is found in the gospel of King Jesus and his Kingdom.  This power is found in an authority who yielded His will and his life for a greater good that couldn’t be done by anyone else.  This Lord chose to be crushed by submitting to the full the weight of sin. He chose insults, threats, suffering and death. He submitted to all of this. Why? To uphold all who believe in Him from death and from judgment by bearing their sins on the cross. This is true power.

This is paradoxical power – salvation through submission. To this power every knee will bow down and submit to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:8-10, 3:20-21). It is the power to heal all wounds, the power to bring life out of death, the power to turn people back who have gone far astray to come back to the Shepherd and Overseer of their lives (2:21-25). Peter tells us this power is unleashed into the nations now by those who chose to submit, honor and do good in the name of this King Jesus.

Discuss

1.        What about the sermon impacted you most? What left you with questions? What concerns do you have when it comes to Christianity/the church and politics?

2.       Do you see fear playing a major role in our politics? How so? How does remembering God’s ultimate authority free us from fear in politics?

3.       (Handle with care: potentially sensitive question!) How might Christians compromise our primary allegiance to Jesus by political allegiance to leaders, parities or causes? Why is this so harmful for our witness to Jesus?

4.       What would it look like for Christians to faithfully carry out the two main political responsibilities Peter gives us? What do you think would be hardest about this?

5.       What would it look like to focus our “political energy” on doing the good that we see needs to be done? Come up with specific examples, if possible.

6.       Why is it important we never lose sight that real political power is found in the gospel of our king and his kingdom? How would this change your thinking and approach to politics?

7.        Close by praying for our leaders and our nation. Pray for the church to faithfully follow as we approach a potentially heated election year.

A Priestly Life

Read: 1 Peter 2:4-12

“Welcome to the priesthood”. This passage teaches us that these are words God speaks to every Christian. Peter encourages Christians who were shaken and surprised by their suffering by reminding them of the priestly life they have been called to by God. This life gives purpose that provides hope when hardship and resistance come. It’s a purpose that is often only discovered and fully embraced in suffering and struggle. It’s a purpose that Christians must remember as they navigate following Jesus in difficult situations. 

1) The Position We Have

Before we can find or live out our true purpose, we first have to know our position. Just like having a position or title precedes doing a job, so a Christian must know their position in the world before fulfilling their purpose in it. In verses 4-9, Peter is saying when you come to Jesus, you have a new position in the world. It’s the most choice and honored position you could ever have! Every person who comes to Jesus by faith has the same positions and titles as Jesus: He’s a living stone, you are living stones in a spiritual house; He’s the perfect priest, you are a priesthood, he’s chosen and honored, the one who believes in him is chosen and honored too (they will never be put to shame, they are chosen, royalty!).

In piling up all these positions and titles (which come from God’s description of Israel in the Old Testament), Peter is saying all the things that we look to in the world for position and identity, no longer define us. He subordinates all these things to the position and identity we have in Christ. Here’s how that plays out:

1.        A chosen race – Your culture and race don’t define your position/identity.

2.       A royal priesthood – Your profession/work and social class in the world don’t define your position/identity.

3.        A holy nation – The country and nation where you live don’t define your position/identity.

4.       A people for his possession –Even your relationships don’t define your position/identity. You belong to God first.

Peter drives all this home to encourage his readers that they are acceptable, valuable and worthy to God no matter what others say about them and do to them. But that’s not all – he’s saying all this so they would also remember the purpose that comes with this position.

2) The Purpose We Are Given

Peter describes the purpose every Christian is given as a “priesthood” (v5 and v9). What did it mean to be a priest in the Old Testament? To have the position of priest meant your whole life was dedicated to bringing people to God and bringing God to people. There are three important aspects to this priestly purpose that Peter emphasizes here:

1) It’s a Purpose Given to Us For Others – To be a priest was to be given a sacred and esteemed position. But a priest was never given access to God for him/herself. They were given this access for others.

2) It’s a Purpose Given to Us in Community with Others – This priesthood is not something that can be carried out alone. All the positions Peter describes here are corporate and communal. This purpose can only be fulfilled in the context of a connected, embodied community.

3) It’s a Purpose Given to Us to Be our Primary Purpose – The priestly life is the Christians’ primary purpose. This means all other positions God gives us in life are carried out as priests first. Glorifying God with what we say and do in community for the sake of others is our chief end in life. It’s what we were made to. It’s what gives purpose to all other (secondary) purposes we have in life.

3) The Power to Live It Out

Being called to the “priesthood” is intimidating. Who feels adequate enough, holy enough or qualified enough to bring God to people and people to God?! No one who really knows themselves. So how do we get the power to live out this great purpose in all we do? Peter says the power has to come from deep deep down inside us. It has to start with the very foundation of our lives.

The reasoning goes like this - ultimately, we all must build our identity and purpose on something. It’s the thing that – if it is removed – our sense of identity crumbles. We feel like we have no purpose. It’s the thing that if it is taken or shaken – we no longer know who we are or what to do. Peter says this foundation, this cornerstone, must be Jesus himself. There’s no other way. When He’s our cornerstone – our lives are fitted onto his so that the very power and presence of God is with us (this is the point of the temple imagery in verses 4-5). His power is active in every life built on him. It comes down to this - our priestly life is only possible because of his priestly life. Jesus came to bring us to God and bring God to us despite our sin and resistance (see 1 Pt. 3:18). How did he do this? Through rejection, suffering and death. Why? The gospel says – the only answer is because he chose to out of love. We are chosen, honored and precious to Him. Knowing what Jesus did to bring us to God, we can do what he calls us to to bring others closer to Him.

Discuss

1.        What about the sermon impacted you the most? What left you with questions?

2.       How do we look to positions and titles to give us a sense of purpose in life?

3.        What are some implications for an individual Christian that our primary position/identity in life is no longer defined by our race, culture, profession, social status, country or even our relationships?

4.       What would v9 look like in action as a community, as a church (where race, culture, political persuasions, and different professions/social classes subordinated to a primary identity in Christ)? Why would this be so hard to live out? Why might this kind of community offend some people? How might it attract others?

Use the following definition of priesthood in answers questions 5-7 - The purpose of the priesthood is to bring God to others and to bring others to God.

5.       Why is it important that we remember our purpose in life is for others and not just ourselves?

6.       The image of living stones built together in v4-5, and the plural titles given in v9-10 clearly teach us that we’ve been given a purpose that cannot be found or fulfilled on our own. Has this proven true for you?

7.        If our priestly purpose is the primary purpose given to us by God, how does this impact our secondary purposes in the following areas:

·         I am called to be a… Priest-student

·         I am called to be a… Priest-friend

·         I am called to be a… Priest-citizen

·         I am called to be a… Priest-wife, Priest-husband

·         I am called to be a… Priest-mother, Priest-father

·         I am called to be a… Priest - (fill in your job)

·         I am called to be a… Priest-neighbor

·         I am called to be a… Priest-volunteer (PTA parent, Coach or Room Parent)

8.       Using section 3 above – what would you say is currently your “functional” cornerstone (the thing you are really building your identity and purpose on)? Why is Jesus the only cornerstone that can give us a stable identity and purpose that can withstand any suffering and struggle?

A Loving Life

Read: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

In this passage, Peter returns to the idea of the new birth. We may need to set aside our religious and/or cultural baggage concerning the idea of being “born again” to really hear what Peter is saying. When Peter talks about “new birth”, he’s saying that becoming a Christian is to be reborn (ie to die and to be recreated) into a whole new life that will last forever. This new life is the resurrection life of Jesus given to us. This is the life we grow into now and will grow further up and into forever in the new creation!  To people who were suffering, this gives reason for hope. Peter teaches that this new life grows stronger and deeper through suffering. In all our ups and downs; trials and suffering; in persecution, loss and grief - there is something invincible, eternal, glorious and beautiful that God can and will grow in us. What is it? It’s a loving life.

1) Why It’s Impossible to Live

The first thing we need to see about the kind of loving life Peter is calling us to is that it’s impossible to live. If we think we can do it, we need to take a closer look at the exact kind of love Peter is calling us to:

·         It’s “Sincere” - Never hypocritical or pretending; it’s not fake or forced. 100% genuine.

·         It’s “Constant” - It’s fervent. It doesn’t take a day off. Never half-hearted.

·         It’s “Brotherly” –In the ancient world, brotherly-love was the strongest of all ties and bonds. It never gives up because it can’t.

·         It’s “Pure” –It’s not mixed with any selfishness or any bit of what we can get or what we expect in return.

What is love? While we can never fully wrap all the Bible says about love into one neat definition, here is one way we could try: Love is faithfully giving of ourselves to another’s good even at our own expense. If we’ve ever tried to love like this we know it is impossible! That’s why Peter quotes the prophet Isaiah in verse 24, “All flesh is like grass…” In order to be prepared to hear about what God can do, we first have to be confronted with the truth of what we cannot do. Christianity does NOT say – here is love. Do it. It takes an impossible supernatural act.  All human attempts to love (our flesh) cannot do it. Christianity says our old unloving self that can’t do it has to die, a new us has to be re-born.

2) How It’s Impossible Not to Live

This kind of love is impossible apart from being born again but that’s not the main point Peter is making. In verse 23, he’s giving the grounds for why a loving life is not only possible – he’s giving the reason why it is impossible for a Christian NOT to live a loving life. He uses the language of human reproduction to make this point. He says, since you have been reconceived by an imperishable seed and not normal human perishable seed, you have a whole new nature and life. It is the very life of the God who is love. It’s impossible for anything to stop this living and enduring seed from growing.

This is why love for one another (ie “other Christians”) is the core mark and test of a genuine Christian faith. Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). This should convict even the most mature Christian – love is the goal, the task, the mark. An honest look at our lives reveals so many ways we fail the test. Yet, this should also encourage even the most wavering Christian. It’s impossible not to live a loving life for those who have the very love of God growing within them. Like a newborn baby has a long way to go to become an adult so we all have a long way to go to live a loving life. But if our trust is in the invincible and all powerful word of the gospel – God will grow this life in us.

3) How It’s Possible to Grow Into

In 2:1-3, Peter continues with the metaphor of the new birth. Like a baby growing up into maturity – we need to grow up into our salvation. The mark of a grown up and mature Christian is love but Peter is saying it’s possible to have this loving life yet not be growing up into it. Those who have this new life need to grow up into it. How does this happen?

We grow up into this life, as we drink “the pure milk of the word”. The person who wants to grow into a loving life, needs the constant nourishment of the word. As one commentator said, “For an infant, milk is not a fringe benefit”. That’s the picture here: like a baby needs and craves milk, so a Christian needs constant gospel nourishment to grow.

What’s vital for us to understand about this is that Peter is not saying, “Just read the bible and you’ll grow into a loving person”. It’s only when we taste the central message of the bible  that we will grow and keep coming back for more. What is this taste?

1.        It’s the taste of how his goodness reveals the bad taste of our unloving life. The perfect, pure, genuine, constant love of Jesus reveals how unloving we are. We know we are tasting of his goodness, when we start to see ourselves in the list of unloving vices in 2:1. 

2.       It’s the taste of how his goodness meets us in our worst failures to live a loving life. Though we are more unloving and unlovely than we will ever really “taste”, the gospel is this - there is nothing we can do to make him love us more; there is nothing we can do to make him love us less because Jesus faithfully gave himself for us for our good at great expense to Himself.  

The taste of his love for us in Christ is what grows a loving life in us. It’s not tasting doctrine to know; it’s not tasting rules to follow; it’s tasting the Lord is good. It’s tasting Him. When we taste His love for us at our worst, we say, “That’s SO good! If God can love me like this! I can love people in ways I never thought possible”

Discuss

1.        What about the sermon impacted you the most or left you with questions?

2.       Read over the description of love above from 1 Peter 1:22. Based on what you know about how the Bible defines love, do you think it is an overstatement to say that this kind of love is impossible? Would you define love any differently?

3.        How does it challenge or convict you to know that love is the core mark and test of a genuine Christian faith? How does it encourage you to know that it is impossible not to grow into this life if you have placed your trust in Jesus?

4.       In the sermon, it was said that Christians often avoid the impossibility of a loving life by measuring our spiritual growth in ways other than love (ie how often we pray or read the bible, the sins we commit or avoid)? What’s wrong with this? Have you found yourself doing this?  

5.       How do we know we are tasting “the Lord” when we read, hear the Word? Why is the good taste of doctrine or moral teaching not enough to make us loving people?

6.       How does tasting his goodness reveal our “badness”? Why is tasting this a good thing? Why does this make the taste of his love for us all the more good? How does this give us the power to love?

7.        Where are you finding it most difficult to live a loving life right now? What makes it so hard? How might the taste of God’s love for you enable you to love in ways you never thought possible?