1 Peter 1 Attitudes and actions of Christians:

Obey Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood

born again to a living hope through the resurrection

rejoice under tribulation (results in praise)

Love Jesus without sight (also believe)

Experience salvation of your souls firmly

prepare your minds for action

be sober in spirit

set your hope fully on grace

be holy in all your behavior

spend your time on earth in fear (of Lord)

knowledge you are not redeemed by perishable

non materialistic/generosity/compassion

faith and hope are in God through Christ

obedience to truth through Spirit

love one another

Attributes and actions and attitudes of God:

foreknowledge

sanctification by the spirit

mercy through the resurrection of Jesus (why is mercy assoc w/ resurrection?–not only has forgiven us and removed guilt, but His resurrection life available to me to not leave me a slave to sin is a tremendous gift of mercy!

If Jesus had not been resurrected, why would believers have been denied life and victory? Jesus died as me, and I died in Him, so if He did not resurrect, neither did I.

V. 5 through faith are Shielded by God's power. –to what experience at the human level is this linked? "In this you greatly rejoice . . . [while] suffering trials" Believers can rejoice even in trials because by faith they know they're kept unto salvation by the power of God. Why? Even if I die, you can't take salvation from me, because it's kept by God's power!

God is able to glorify Himself through those who are rejoicing in trials

7, 8 revelation of Jesus Christ. –2nd coming? Love Jesus w/out sight–the expectation that He will come again allows us to love Him w/out seeing Him? What is the relationship between loving Him w/out seeing Him and the revelation of Jesus in the last days? I can only love Him w/out seeing Him because I believe I will see Him. He is going to make it all right someday.

Salvation is healing. I am not all healed now. But by His grace I believe that He is healing me. And though I don't see Him/salvation/perfect healing and wholeness right now, I rest and believe in the promise that this is what He is about.

V. 10-12 God is a self-revealing God. Those who have salvation firmly are those who are willing to see God. Experience salvation of your souls is linked with seeing God.

The prophets wrote about it–thus those who see God see Him through His word!

V. 12 God reveals Himself through His Spirit

V. 13 grace (comes from God) to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

V. 15 God is holy and He calls us. How important is it to us that Jesus live a holy life? Resurrection, and Jesus' holy life being made available to us hinge on that holiness. What kind of a Jesus are you putting on? If you want to be more loving, forgiving, put on Christ–His perfect life is already attributed to you, let God by the spirit impart Jesus' life to you.

V. 16 'be holy' is a creative term. He's promising recreation. Why then is there so much unholiness among professed believers. We're not seeing Christ in His holiness.

V. 17 impartial judge–how does the understanding that God is impartial lead a believer to be quaking in fear during his/her stay on earth? If I am going to be judged impartially, I should be very quick not to pass judgment. If I don't offer others what He has offered me, I am cutting myself off from His mercy toward me. ???

V. 21 Lifegiver. He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him glory. ???

V. 22-23 God gives life through His word, His imperishable, living and abiding word. This is the basis for believers becoming born again and loving. –the Word is both Jesus and the scripture–I get Jesus living in me by hearing and acting on the written, spoken word! You can't expect God to live in You if you continue to ignore what God says is pleasing to Him in His Word. You can't throw your hands in the air and expect to receive the Spirit. The Spirit operates through the Word. As you act on the Word, you have the Spirit operating in You bringing the Living Word.

2 Pet 2:1-5 5 steps in becoming a living stone

1.	Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

a.	Note that all of these attributes have to do w/ interpersonal relationships and spiritual issues. They're not sins of the flesh. These are the ones that do the greater damage in a church, the break down unity and damage whole congregations–especially slander, hypocrisy. These things are very natural for us–those who do these things are living in their natural state, not seeing God and living as regenerated beings.

b.	If you're not a living stone, what greater privilege will you be denied?

1.	Being part of a holy priesthood. –people w/ the sins of the spirit are denied ministry. (Perhaps because these are attempts to control other people rather than letting God love through you. These are all a determination to have your own way.)

2.	The building has only living stones in it. You can sit in a church and do all the externals and not be part of the holy priesthood.

3.	If you're faced w/ people manifesting these sins do not defend yourself. Let God defend you. Kill them w/ love.

2.	2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

a.	Why do some grow in the Christian life and others not? Having access to the milk is not enough, it needs to get inside. W/out the spirit of God indwelling you, you can't lay aside anything. (See ch 1)

3.	Taste the kindness of the Lord

a.	How kind is the Lord? (see ch 1) His mercy led Him to resurrect Jesus and give us new life–Jesus' obedient life. Why does it say taste? It needs to be experienced. When I see habits and patterns in my life changing that I know I didn't change I have tasted. I know what it tastes like to experience the reality of Christ's new life in me.

b.	Many people think Christianity is distasteful. Have you tasted how good God's kindness is?

4.	4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,

a.	What is the connection between coming to Him as to a living stone and becoming a living stone yourself?

1.	You can't become a living stone unless you are willing to let Him be the rejected, but alive one for me. I am the vine and you are the branches. You can't bear fruit unless you come to Him, because the life is in the vine, and the branch only has life by virtue of its connection with the vine.

5.	you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

a.	You can't be a living stone unless you are together with the other living stones and let God build you into something that is able to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Christ Jesus.

b.	Ministry is the responsibility of the entire house, you don't become effective in ministry until you are together with the whole group.

6.	What are the characteristics in chapter 2:9ff of the priesthood?

a.	Chosen race,

b.	royal priesthood,

c.	holy nation,

d.	people for God's possession

e.	Proclaim the excellencies of Him who has

1.	What are the excellencies of Him?

1.	Holiness, grace, mercy, foreknowledge–ch 1, empowering under tribulation, revealing of Himself,

2.	First command to priest is not to win souls or preach doctrines, but to proclaim what He has done and is doing.

3.	We can even be too concerned that people hear the word rather than see the excellencies of God–but we forget if we don't continue to come to the word to see Him.

4.	How long has it been since you shared w/ someone the beautiful picture of God you have? This is the first command of ministry, proclaim the magnificence of God's character. The focus is not on whether we're behaving appropriately or doing 'the work' instead of focusing on Him. (Rev 15:3,4 song of Moses and the Lamb–the song sung by the Redeemed. (How did Moses get connected w/ the Lamb? Maybe we should study Moses.) "Great and marvelous are my works?"–that's Babylon. "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord, God almighty, just and true are Your ways, oh king of the nations, for all nations will bow down before You for Your judgments have been manifested.!"

f.	called them out of darkness into His marvelous light

1.	The following characteristics are what it means to live in the light. You can't enter the light unless you are willing to receive mercy and those who have received mercy are brought into relationship with each other.

g.	They are a people

1.	Now they're a body

h.	They have received mercy

1.	They are willing to receive from Him. They only people who are part of the priesthood are those who are seeing the mercy of God.

i.	They are aliens and strangers

1.	You aren't from here anymore. You are in the world but not of the world.

j.	Abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul

1.	Fleshly lusts are in conflict against the soul. If you feed the fleshly side of the conflict you strengthen it in the battle against the spiritual side. (Like double-mindedness.)

k.	Keep behavior excellent among the Gentiles

1.	Don't give the world any opportunity to slander God because of our behavior

2.	When we complain about everything at work or fight back what picture of God are we painting? God is not able to take care of me.

l.	Submit to every human institution for the Lord's sake to silence the ignorance of foolish men

1.	This is a voluntary choice, not a codependent, fearful giving in. Before Pharaoh Moses felt a conscious sense of superiority 'cause he'd been w/ God.

2.	This is for the Lord's sake. He set up the governments and we're to live under their authority (unless they demand something against God.)

m.	Act as free men and don't use your freedom as a covering for evil, but as bondslaves of God

1.	Freedom in Christ is not freedom to do evil, but freedom from doing evil, freedom to serve God. We are not naturally free to obey God. You are free like a bondslave is free, one who has voluntarily chosen to bind Himself to His master when He had the right to go free.

n.	Honor all people

o.	Love the brotherhood

1.	You can't have a close relationship w/ everyone

p.	Fear God–associated only w/ God, comes above honoring men or obeying earthly laws

q.	Honor the king

r.	Be submissive to your masters w/ all respect even to the unreasonable–not reviling, but entrusting themselves to God who judges righteously–called for the purpose of being holy–including submission to unjust masters. Even a slave is called to holiness. A part of my purpose is to suffer harsh treatment and not retaliate.

s.	Endure patiently when you suffer injustice

t.	Follow Jesus' example

1.	Committed no sin, nor deceit in His mouth

2.	Being reviled, Not reviling in return

3.	Suffering, no threats

4.	Entrusting Himself to God

u.	Died to sin and live to righteousness

v.	Healed by His wounds

w.	They have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

x.	This is a description of priestly ministry!!!

1.	Jesus has already experienced all these things, so for me to have them I must let Him be my substitute.

7.	Biblical role/attitude of the wife in contrast to the attitude/role of the husband

a.	Vv.1-6

1.	In the same way: (as Christ and slaves are called to live a holy life, when suffering injustice . . . )

2.	Be submissive to your own husbands! (Not all men).

1.	What does submissive mean here? Even in an unjust situation–but it must be freely given submission.

2.	Why? If the husband is an unbeliever he may be converted.

3.	Ch 2? How can a woman choose to be submissive even if he's not a believer?

1.	The basic principle is that God should be glorified in our lives–this comes before any other relationship.

2.	2:21ff Jesus suffered w/out retaliation to show us God

3.	2:12 behave excellently before the Gentiles–even if you're married to one–in order to glorify God

4.	2:15 it is God's will by doing right that you'll silence ignorant men.

5.	2:13 submit yourself to human institutions–honor all men–even those who don't deserve it.

6.	If you are rooted in Christ who loves the unlovely, you are able to love the unlovely.

b.	V. 7

1.	In the same way (everything previous applies to the husbands also!)

c.	Summary 8-9

1.	All of you (how many of you?)

2.	be harmonious, (not dissonant, you've got to listen to their note)

3.	sympathetic, (not unfeeling or cold)

4.	brotherly, (equality??)

5.	kindhearted, (not vindictive)

6.	and humble in spirit; (admit you have a need, be willing to receive. This means you aren't to order your wife around as a superior, telling her to be submissive.)

7.	Not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult

8.	But giving a blessing instead

9.	For you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing

1.	How does giving a blessing relate to inheriting a blessing.

2.	What is the blessing?, something I didn't deserve from God.

3.	When you recognize that you've been called into existence to receive a blessing (undeserved blessing) you recognize that you have no right to withhold blessing from another, even when they are undeserving. Like being called to suffer unjustly.

4.