Christ Church

That He Might Bring Us to God

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Introduction

In Christ, every aspect of our lives is woven together. The demeanor that receives the salvation offered to us is a demeanor that relates to husbands, wives, and everyone else in that same way. The spirit you have toward God is not turned off when you face your fellow man. Your spirit in dealing with your husband and wife does not switch off when you kneel in prayer. If you think it does, you are just pretending.

The Text

“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price . . .” (1 Peter 3:1–22).

Summary of the Text

Remember that word likewise. Likewise, you wives be in subjection to your husbands. Some of them are not obedient, and this is the most effective way to win them (vv. 1-2). Without a word. Adorn yourself, but not with all the carnal tricks (v. 3). Adorn yourself in the heart, using the jewelry of a meek and quiet spirit (v. 4). This is what the holy women in older times did, trusting in God (v. 5). This is how Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord (v. 6; Gen. 18:12). You are her daughters if you follow in her footsteps, and stay clear of fear (v. 6).

Likewise, you husbands, honor your wives, just as they are, and protect your prayers (v. 7).

All of you together, share the Spirit of Christ in your midst. Be of one mind, be compassionate, be loving, kind and courteous (v. 8). Do not pay people back in their own coin (v. 9). The blessings you inherit will be the unmerited blessings you render back to other people. You want a good life, good days? Then stop lying (v. 10). Turn away from evil and do what is good (v. 11). Remember the omniscience and omnipresence of the God who answers prayers (v. 12). Who can touch you if you are doing right (v. 13)? And if someone seems like they can “touch” you, don’t worry about it (v. 14). Set apart the Lord in your hearts, and always have an apology for your hope ready (v. 15), in meekness and fear. Keep a good conscience, so that their lies about you embarrass them (v. 16). If you have to suffer, do it for righteousness’ sake (v. 17).

Christ suffered in that way, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God (v. 18). He was crucified, and then in the Spirit He went and preached to the spirits in prison (v. 19). These were those who were disobedient during the times of Noah, prior to the Flood, when eight souls were saved through water (v. 20). Baptism is the antitype of the ark, and you are saved through baptism as an appeal of a good conscience to God, empowered by the resurrection (v. 21). This risen Lord is in Heaven now, with angelic powers and authorities all in subjection to Him (v. 22).

Wives

We may all acknowledge that there are extreme cases when a wife with a disobedient husband needs to call the cops, or call the elders. That does happen. But let us also acknowledge that an apostle of Jesus is talking about a real kind of situation here, one that he believed to be common enough that it needed to be included in Scripture. Notice that Peter assumes that the wife in his scenario is in the right, and that her husband is disobedient and in the wrong. His counsel surely applies some time.

His counsel amounts to this. Adorn yourself with a necklace that is priceless in the sight of God, who sees all. Women, a meek and quiet spirit is something that God considers to be altogether lovely. And if God thinks you are lovely, then at some point your chump of a husband might catch on. Generally speaking, women have no idea how alluring and winsome this gentle and quiet spirit is. Is this counterintuitive? You bet. Deep in your heart, you believe that the Holy Spirit is encouraging you to itemize his many deficiencies. But He is not.

Husbands

Husbands are to live in a counterintuitive way as well. Likewise, husbands are to dwell with their wives “according to knowledge.” That knowledge includes the fact that she is weaker than you are. But men, naturally competitive, do what with weakness. Whenever they see it, they want to use it, exploit it, and compete with it. What does Peter say to do. Honor it. When you refuse to do so, your prayers get all gummed up. And why? Because God is treating your weakness the way you treat hers.

Keep Your Lips from Guile

Peter does not say that we should refrain from speaking lies unless we have first deceived ourselves. Lying to yourself is where all lying begins. Do you want to love your life? Stop lying. Do you want to love good days? Stop kidding yourself. Do you want to know why your prayers are hindered? Cease from guile. Do you want to understand your husband accurately? Stop weaving stories for yourself.

You lie to yourself when you go along with the way of the world. “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise” (1 Cor. 3:18–20). You lie to yourself when you fail to put your knowledge of Scripture into action. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Jas. 1:22). You deceive yourself when you suppress knowledge of your own sins and failings. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8, 10).

That He Might Bring Us to God

The fundamental message of good news is a message of exchange. Peter says it plainly here—the just for the unjust (v. 18). The reason He did this is because He had a mission assigned to Him by His Father. He came to earth, and went to the cross “that He might bring us to God.” But we cannot be brought to God without being made like Him. And we are made like Him because we are being made like the one who is bringing us to Him. And follow the Word closely here, because an understanding of this principle will suffuse all the exhortations in this epistle. Remember that Christians are being exhorted to holiness under pressure. And the principle is this: we cannot be made like Him without being made like Him. And when we are made like Him, we are like Him in every place, and in every relation.

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The Christ Stone

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Introduction

Remember the broader context of this epistle, which is the need to cultivate holiness under pressure. And as we begin to see, that pressure is not necessarily insignificant. And whether you will be able to do this will depend entirely on your relationship to the Christ Stone.

The Text

“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ . . . ” (1 Peter 2:1–25).

Summary of the Text

Given the fact of the new birth, it is necessary to live out the ramifications of that new birth. So set aside every form of malice, deceit, two-facedness, envy, and bad talk (v. 1). Desire the Word, and do it the same way newborns desire milk (v. 2). This is so that you might grow, and you are driven by instinct and experience both (v. 3).

You have come to a living stone, one accepted by God and rejected by men (v. 4). Those who come to the living stone are living stones themselves, fashioned into a Temple where their sacrifices will be as acceptable to God as Jesus Himself is (v. 5). Scripture predicted this. God will lay His chief cornerstone in Zion, and the one who believes will not be confounded (v. 6). So believers consider Him precious, and those who treated Him as the rejected stone will see Him established, despite their rejection, as the principal cornerstone (v. 7). To them He is the stone of stumbling, a stumbling that was assigned to them (v. 8). In contrast, you believers are His elect nation, formerly in the darkness but now in the light (v. 9). Once you were not a people, and now you are a people, under the mercy (v. 10).

That being the case, abstain from lust, which is at war with your soul (v. 11). Mark that it is your lust which is at war with your soul. Live honestly among the pagans, such that they will be ashamed when they lie about you (v. 12). Don’t be scofflaws; respect civil authority (v. 13-14). You will be slandered as anarchists, so make it plain through your orderly lives that this is a lie (v. 15). You are slaves of Christ, making you free with regard to them, so don’t abuse your liberty (v.  16). Honor all men; love your brothers; honor the king (v. 17). House slaves (oiketes) are to be subject to their masters, including the harsh ones (v. 18). It is praiseworthy if a man suffers when innocent (v. 19). But where is the glory when you patiently endure what you richly deserved anyway (v. 20)?

All of us as Christians are called to imitate His example (v. 21). He did no wrong, and did not lie (v. 22). When He was reviled, He did not return fire (v. 23). When He suffered, He committed His case to God (v. 23). He bore our sins in his own body on the tree in order that we might be made dead to sin, and live to righteousness (v. 24). By His stripes we were healed—we were like sheep wandering, but have now returned to the shepherd and bishop of our souls (v. 25).

An Internal War

The theme we considered earlier, the fact that we are strangers and pilgrims here, is brought up again (v. 11). You are in a strange land, Peter urges. Don’t drink the water, he says. But then a peculiar aspect of this pilgrimage and exile comes out. You are strangers in a strange land, and yet this alien place has an anchor in you. You are a stranger here now, but this was not always so. You were a native of this place, and you were turned into a pilgrim. Not only so, but you were not turned into a pilgrim instantaneously or all at once.

This is why he says “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” This alien land still has a foothold in you, and you experience that foothold as lust or desire. Peter teaches us that the great spiritual war that is going on all around us has a counterpart within us.

Honor and Submission

I want you to look ahead to the first word of the next chapter. Peter, speaking to the wives, says likewise. They are to be in subjection to their husbands likewise. Likewise to what?

All believers are told to be subject to “every ordinance of man” (v. 13)—to kings and to governors. Domestic slaves are told to be subject to their masters, including the harsh ones (v. 18). And Christ Himself suffered great indignities at the hands of revilers (vv. 21-23). Wives, follow these examples (1 Pet. 3:1). But wait . . . we are not done. Look down at verse 7—husbands, likewise . . . (homoios).

Any Christian anywhere, who has people who ought to be subject to him (father, employer, husband, etc.), therefore has a glorious opportunity to model for all of them how easy it is to subject yourself.

What Stone to You?

We are considering the Christ Stone. Christ is everlastingly the same, yesterday, today, and forever. But the reactions to Him vary wildly, widely. Christ is either the living stone, the cornerstone, upon which other living stones are fitted and placed, or He is rejected as having that role, and He becomes the stone of stumbling.

“Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, A tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: He that believeth shall not make haste” (Is. 28:16).

This is quoted here, and in Romans 9:33 and Romans 10:11.

“And he shall be for a sanctuary; But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Is. 8:14).

And this is quoted in our text, and in Romans 9:33 also.

“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvellous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22–23).

This is quoted in our text, and also in Acts 4:11; Luke 20:17; Mark 12:10-11; Matt 21:42. This is how the Lord understood Himself, and this is how his apostles understood Him. But this brings us down the essential question before us all right now. How do you understand Him? It is either marvelous in your eyes that God has brought about this great reversal—taking the rejected stone as the principal stone—or your eyes are blinded to the nature of the Christ Stone, resulting in a blindness and a stumbling that was appointed to you as your appointed destiny (1 Pet. 2:8).

“And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matt. 21:44).

There are the alternatives—broken and built or stumbled and crushed. But it is Christ either way.

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1 Peter 3:1-7

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This sermon is really Part 3 of a series on submission or “being subject to” someone.  And, for those of you with chapter subtitles in your Bible you can see that it has to do with husbands and wives.  Here in Chapter 3, we are told to look back to the example set by Christ by:

  1. Putting ourselves under submission to authorities as this is the will of God.
  2. Looking to Jesus as our perfect example to follow/imitate.
  3. Entrusting ourselves completely to Our Heavenly Father, just like Jesus did.

Peter is taking these principles and the example of Jesus, pushing them into the corners of all our relationships — particularly the most thorny ones.  And, the thorniest of our relationships tend to be with the people we spend the most time together.  It makes sense, as we consider that surely these people should know us and know our needs…but somehow they fail too in meeting all our expectations.

Likewise

For both husbands and wives, Peter begins his exhortation with “likewise”, which means that both the wife and husband are under the same authority and are supposed to follow the same example.  Husbands and wives are NOT different from this perspective.  And, as this section, closes in verse 7, Peter emphasizes that the man and woman are joint heirs in Christ.  The glorious inheritance that Peter has talked about earlier is the same for both.  The salvation is the same for both.  As Paul says in his letter to the Galatians 3:28, in Christ there is neither male nor female in this regard.

Differences

At the same time, the “likewise” is followed by two very different sets of commands.  The wife is exhorted to be subject to her husband and the husband is commanded to live with understanding and honor his wife.  Like Paul’s words to husbands and wives in Ephesians 5, the commands are tailored to each based on their role in the marriage.

Promises

To the wives, Peter says that if you submit to your husband you are positioning yourself to expect God to work in your husband’s heart.  Similarly, husbands are exhorted that if they live with their wives with understanding, their prayers will not be hindered.  God’s commands always come with promises.

Wives, be submissive to your husbands

Here Peter’s command for submission is limited by the possessive pronoun “their”.  This means that the wife is only commanded to be submissive to her husband not men in general.  When you married, you did so complete with public vows.  And, if it was a Christian wedding, those vows would have included a promise to obey.  Now for those young ladies considering marriage, this should be an admonition to choose wisely a man who you respect (better yet, one your parents also respect!).  It will make obeying this command a joy.

Let not yours be the outward adorning with braiding of hair, decoration of gold, and wearing of fine clothing but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

The emphasis on the heart over external adornment is strengthened as Peter continues with this verse.  There is an aspect of our obedience that can be partially hidden.  I say partially, because it is hardly possible to disguise ‘feelings’ of antipathy from getting onto the surface somehow.   Nothing looks worse than a forced smile covering a heart full of hatred.   This is where we get terms like “giving lip service” instead of heart obedience.  We don’t want this in our kids, and God doesn’t want it in us.

So once the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves and were submissive to their husbands,  as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord.

The Scriptures point out several narrative interactions that we can look at.  We see in these excerpts, Sarah obeying Abraham in his a simple and foolish commands.  At the same time we see Sarah making her mind known to Abraham.  My point here is not to draw specific commands for the wives of our generation, but to highlight what Peter exhorts — namely to consider Sarah and women like her as models to imitate.  This is more of an orientation an allegiance than something that can be bottled up in a specific list of “do’s” and “don’ts”. If you are “aiming” to model Christ, and are seeking to walk as Jesus walked.  The pattern to trace, to follow, is to call your husband “Lord” like Sarah.   And, the heart attitude covering this pattern is joy.

Likewise you husbands, live considerately with your wives.

The term “considerately”, means that the husband should live with ‘understanding’ with his wife.  He must learn what her needs are and then provide for those needs.  Given the differences and complexity of the sexes, he will a lifetime of learning, but that doesn’t mean he has time to fritter away.  He can get a lot done early by working at it.  Think of the 80/20 rule.  This message is not to point to every detail but to say — get after it.  Many good books are out there.  You’re the man.  Take the initiative to pick one up and read it together with her — don’t wait to stumble over the books she leaves in your way hoping to get your attention.

Winston Churchill said, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”  As Christians, our failures need not remain chains halting our progress.   If you are not doing or have not been doing what Peter exhorts in this passage, you can leave the chains of sin and guilt behind.   You can go on without losing enthusiasm.  Confess your failure and repent (turn) to God for grace.  This act of humility is where God will meet you and lift you up.

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Christ Our Example: Suffering and Salvation

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Freedom in Christ to Submit

Peter has labored for his readers to know their identity as the people of God––his chosen elect, his holy children, his redeemed people, his free servants. So how do you live as God’s people in a world hostile to God and to his people? But Peter says to Christian citizens, “Submit to your government” and to Christian slaves, “Submit to your masters” in order to advance Christ’s mission in the world. Peter begs us to realize that we are all engaged in a war––a war for our souls and a war for the world. And our secret weapon in the fight is godly suffering. God uses our submission to subvert the enemies of the gospel, and even to save them. And if you don’t believe this, Peter points at Jesus Christ who is our example of our suffering Savior.

The Submission on Household Servants (vs. 18)

Peter begins by admonishing “Servants, be submissive to your masters” (vs. 18). The word for “servant” is “oiketes” which means household or domestic servants. Two oiketes make a very important appearance in the story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10. The link between Cornelius’ vision from the angel and Peter’s vision and Peter’s Spirit-anointed sermon was the simple obedience of two household servants, Cornelius’ oiketes. Of course, the providence of God orchestrated the events and outcome, but God used and blessed their submission to their master. Their obedience to Cornelius was used to advance God’s mission in the world that Gentiles may glorify God (2:12).

To the Good and to the Harsh (vs. 18)

Peter, knowing what the Lord has done and plans to do, commands, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh” (vs. 18). To be submissive is to put yourself under the authority of another, to obey. A servant is to treat his master like he would treat God, with all fear. But this is not because of who the master is, but because of who God is.

Already anticipating some “But Peters” he says you are to submit, not only to the good and gentle masters, but also to the harsh, surly, unfair, wicked masters. Even when the master abuses his power, you submit. Even when the master is unworthy of your obedience, you “salute the uniform” and submit.

Do Good and Suffer Patiently (vs. 19-20)

God sees those servants who, even though they do good in their duties, still suffer unjustly. But just because you’re suffering, does not mean you’re innocent. “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently?” (vs. 20). If you broke into your master’s wine cellar and got whipped for it, don’t cry “Persecution.”

“But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (vs. 20). When you are not at fault and still suffer patiently, this pleases God. This should encourage you, especially if you question whether your diligence, faithfulness, obedience is worth it. Be like Peter and John who did good by preaching the gospel, and were arrested, beaten, thrown in jail, delivered from jail by an angel, preached the next day in the Temple, were arrested and beaten again and went away rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. (Acts. 5:41).

Christ our Suffering Example (vs. 21-23)

“For to this you were called because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps.” You are called by God to do good and to suffer patiently just like Jesus Christ who did good and suffered patiently and left us an example. The word for “example” literally means “under-writing.” Hypo-grammos was a training method of copying for children to learn the alphabet. There would be a faint lettering or dashes for the child to trace over and eventually learn to write on their own. Doing good and suffering patiently are the ABCs of Christianity. Jesus has learned them and now He hands all his students a dashed outline of the cross, “Here you go, now you can practice.”

Gospel Suffering (vs. 24-25)

Jesus is not only our example in suffering, He is our Savior because of his suffering. And so His suffering is good news, our Gospel. Jesus “himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, by whose stripes we are healed” (vs. 24).  Jesus Christ suffered, was crucified, and died in order to remove your sin, your foulness, your grossness, your offense to God. This is the Gospel that you are saved by Christ’s suffering. And this Gospel has an effect.

“That we having died to sins, might live for righteousness.” Because Jesus lives, you live like Jesus––for righteousness. And guess what? What does righteousness, goodness, doing right stir up? Suffering and persecution, just like it did for Jesus. And we can get into the same kind of trouble that his righteousness caused. And so submit yourself patiently, humbly, joyfully, just like Jesus. Peter says, “Look what God accomplishes through Jesus, your example!”

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Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory

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Introduction

The point of this epistle is to encourage believers to live lives of personal holiness during a time of persecution—that is, during a time when the challenge of personal holiness is beyond inconvenient. If God had wanted His people to be extraordinarily holy, the argument might go, He would have given us more help—times of unparalleled prosperity, comfortable homes, a recliner to read our Bibles in, and Bible search software. Then we would really be holy. So . . . how’s it going?

The Text

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied . . .” (1 Peter 1:1–25).

Summary of the Text

Peter, an apostle of Jesus, is writing to “strangers” throughout Asia Minor (v. 1). He describes them as elect according to the Father, sanctified by the Spirit, and made obedient and cleansed by the blood of Jesus (v. 2). Grace and peace.

A blessing upon the Father is declared, who mercifully regenerated us into a living hope through the resurrection (v. 3), which will usher us into an everlasting inheritance (v. 4). In the meantime, prior to receiving that inheritance, we are kept by the power of God through faith (v. 5). This enables us to rejoice even though we have to slog through various trials (v. 6). This is so our faith might be refined, like gold, through fire (v. 7). The refinement of true faith enables us to love Jesus Christ, and to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (v. 8). This culminates in the salvation of our souls (v. 9). This salvation is something that prophets and angels used to wonder about (vv. 10-12), but which is now openly preached.

So gird up your minds, then, and lean into it (v. 13). Be like obedient children, and don’t conform yourselves to the pattern of lust (v. 14). Because the Father who called you is holy, so you also are to be holy (vv. 15-16). If you call upon the Father, who does not play favorites, walk through your pilgrimage with fear (v. 17). Do this, knowing you were redeemed from the previous vanities, not with silver or gold, but rather with the blood of the spotless Christ (vv. 18-19).

Christ was foreordained to die before the foundation of the world, but was manifested “in these last times” for you (v. 20). He did this for those who believe in Him, so that they might believe in Him (v. 21). Since you have been purified, your duty is to love fervently (v. 22). This is because you were born again through an imperishable seed, which is the Word of God (v. 23). For man as he is now is like browned out meadow grass, fading away (v. 24). But the Word of the Lord—which is the gospel that was preached to us—endures forever (v. 25).

The Nature of Regeneration

Through the comparison of our lives here to grass, meadow grass in a hot August, Peter teaches us that if we are to have hope it must be from outside ourselves. Our lives are grass, but we have been made heirs of an imperishable life. There is no way for this to occur without a complete renovation of our nature. And in order for our nature to be renovated, we must be born over again. Now take careful note. If we are to be born again, with these imperishable results, it is necessary for us to be begotten with a different kind of seed, seed given by a different kind of Father.

Love Fervently

Commenting on this verse, Calvin observes how easy it is for us to shade the circumstances in our own favor. This is why Peter insists that our love for one another must be unfeigned, no fakery, no hypocrisy, no spin. “Nothing is more difficult than to love our neighbours in sincerity. For the love of ourselves rules, which is full of hypocrisy; and besides, every one measures his love, which he shews to others, by his own advantage, and not by the rule of doing good.” We love others, in other words, with one eye always on what we will get out of it. Peter adds that we are to do this fervently. Love one another with unfeigned love, love one another with a pure heart, and love one another fervently—zealously, aggressively, all in, headlong, pell mell. Stop holding back.

Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory

So let us consider for a few moments what the normal Christian life should look like. We may begin by distinguishing the usual Christian life from the normal Christian life. What usually happens does in the absence of teaching, learning, obedience. The normal Christian life is what God expects from us, as set out in His Word. You don’t discover this by looking around at all the Christians you know. You look at how the Christian life is described in the Word.

Now it looks like joy unspeakable and full of glory. It feels like joy ineffable. It weighs you down, like a ship nearly gunwales under because of the bullion it is carrying. Full of glory. Now if you, brown grass that you are in yourself, are given this charge, the last things that will happen to you will be joy or glory. It will be more like despair unspeakable, and full of black doubts.

But the Christian life is not something you concoct in order to bring the filthy rags of your own accomplishments up into the throne room of God. Did we really think that His endless patterns of celestial marble needed us to rally around with our grubby rags? What? Were we going to polish something?

No—the Christian life is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). To be full of glory is to be full of Christ. What is our joy? “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Rom. 5:11). Christ is your unspeakable joy, and Christ is your fullness of glory.

But do not breathe a sigh of relief and say that this joy and glory are things that must be going on in Heaven somewhere. Some sort of spiritual truth? No need to worry about it until we get there? No. Recall that Peter is equipping the saints for hard times here. And the hard times here require holiness here. And the holiness here requires happiness here. And the happiness here means that Christ must be here.

The Christ at the right hand of the Father must be the same Christ who, through His Spirit, is the Christ in you, the hope of glory.

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