1Peter Lesson #05

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RETURN TO THE LIST OF LESSONS

1PETER 3
Lesson #05
SANCTIFICATION DEMONSTRATED IN THE HOME AND IN THE CHURCH

• Memory Verse: 1Pet 3:12

 

• Review:
• Peter’s theme is that of suffering. We have already learned:
  • …that the believer in Jesus Christ can rejoice in suffering because he can have an eternal perspective knowing that suffering is for a short time.
  • ….that the believer in Jesus Christ can be encouraged knowing he does not run the Christian race in vain for it produces change in the Christian character.
  • …that the believer in Jesus Christ is changed by this process of sanctification, whether he suffers because of the consequences of his own sins or because he is identified with Christ.
  • …that the believer who suffers because of his identity with Christ will reap an eternal reward.
• The Christian character that is produced by suffering and sanctification is lived out in the home and in the church.

• It is the home and the church where our personalities rub up against other people. It is where we live what we believe. It is the laboratory where character is not just words or thoughts but where character becomes actions.
• Read 1Pet 3:1-7 Sanctification in the Home:

• “Likewise” (1)
  • In the same way that the believer is separated from the world and under the authority of God, wives are to be under the authority of their own husbands.
• Peter gives counsel to women who are believers in Jesus Christ but have unbelieving husbands or whose husbands are not living according to the Word of God.
  • The purpose of Peter’s counsel is to win that husband to Christ.
  • The key by which the rebellious husband is won is very simple to say, but very difficult to do.

 

• “…be in subjection to your own husbands…”

 

(1)
• Subjection or submission, what is it and what does it mean?
  • The word subjection or submission means = to put yourself under the authority of another.
  • Why does the Bible talk so much about the submission of women when Eph 5:21 tells us that we are all to be in submission to others?
    • In reality, the Bible does not talk overly much about submission of women. Submission goes through all relationships in the Bible.
      • All people are to submit to God (Psa 18:44 Rom 10:3)
      • Children are to submit to their parents (Eph 6:1)
      • Slaves (employees) are to submit to their masters (employers). (Eph 6:6)
      • Citizens are to submit to those in authority. (Rom 13:1)
      • Wives are to submit to their own husbands.(Eph 5:22)
• Like many characteristics of life, these characteristics function in a way that is opposite in the world as in God’s kingdom. For example, the world says grasp as much wealth of the world as you can accumulate, but God’s Word says, give and it shall be given to you. The world says to dominate people and rule over them with power, but the Bible says to be a servant of man and God will raise you to power and give you authority.
  • In the same way is the characteristic of submission. A woman that submits her will to that of another person, places herself under the authority and the protection of the other person. This is done by a purposeful decision in an action of the will.
  • Therefore, submission is a position of power:
    • …. because it takes more determination to submit the will than it does to rule over another person.
    • …because it is a protected position under the authority of another.
    • …because one must surrender his pride to submit to another.
• In what way is this passage in 1Pet 3 different from Eph 5:25?
  • The passage in Eph 5 refers to Christian women married to Christian men while 1Pet 3 refers to Christian women married to non-believers.
    • How does submission win a rebellious husband?
      • When a non-believing husband sees God change the character and attitudes of his wife, he will see the power of God a work.
        • The word “conversation” in verse 1 refers to the wife’s total conduct.
          • The submitted wife will not nag her husband or bully him. The husband will realize that his wife is looking for God to guide her life through her husband’s direction.
            • Notice Peter talks about a wordless testimony (1). The believer’s actions speak louder than words.
          • What happens spiritually is that if a wife is looking to her husband for spiritual guidance, God will put pressure on the husband to make sure that the wife receives proper spiritual direction, and in this way he will come to trust in the Lord.
      • It is not the outward beauty of a woman that will win a man to Christ. (3) Therefore, she should spend more time developing her spiritual character than she does on her sex appeal.
        • The character of a meek and quiet spirit.(4)
          • The word meek means to be under the control of God.
          • The word quiet means peaceful.
            • If a Christian woman is arguing with her husband constantly about coming to the Lord, that is not a peaceful spirit in the home.
• The example that Peter uses of a woman with Christian character is Sarah when she was in obedience to her husband, Abraham.

• Peter uses Sarah because Abraham is the father of faith on which the New Testament church age is based. Therefore, as New Testament wives of faith, he calls our attention to Sarah.
• Counsel to men: (7)

• In the same way as women live their sanctification through their character in the home, Christian men are to do the same thing.
  • Husbands are to live with their wives according to knowledge.
    • Men are to learn as much as they can about what things please their wives. Even if a wife is not a Christian, he should learn who she is and what is important to her.
    • Men are to give honor to their wives. This means that he places her interests above his own for she weaker than he is.
      • What does that mean?
        • It does not mean that every woman is physically or emotionally weaker than every man. However, it means that generally speaking women need protection physically and emotionally.
    • A man who lives his testimony of sanctification before his wife, God will honor his prayers as the two live in peace under the grace of God.
• Read 1Pet 3:8-17 Sanctification in the Church

 

• “…be ye all of one mind…”

 

(8)
• The most needed attitude in the church is unity. This attitude comes from having the Holy Spirit change the hearts and lives of believers to bring unity of the Spirit.
• Believers are to have sympathy, love, and a tender heart for other believers. This is the essence of humility.
• If believers have these characteristics, there will not be arguments, fighting, and thinking evil of others. (9)
  • The key to putting a stop to these arguments and fighting is the tongue.
    • The tongue is the last part of the human body that the Lord gains control over because it seems to be the most resistant to the control of the Holy Spirit.
      • The Lord Jesus Christ wants to control every area of our lives. However, He is a gentleman. He waits until we surrender each area of our life to Him.
        • Read Jam 1:26
        • Read Jam 3:2-13
    • The believer that loves life will understand that life is to be lived in peace with others without evil and hatred. (11)

 

• “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

 

(12)
• Peter quotes from Psa 34:15-16 for this thought goes through all the Bible.
• God promises to hear the prayers of believers, but there is only one prayer that God hears from a non-believer. That is the prayer of repentance.
  • God has not promised to hear the prayers of non-believers. This is the difference He makes between those people that are a part of His family and those who are not.
    • This idea is best understood on a human level. If a stranger’s child comes to you and asks you for something, you have no responsibility to respond to that child’s request. He is not part of your family. There is no family commitment between you and that child. There is no familial love relationship. This is the way it is with God and those who believe in Jesus Christ. Believers are part of God’s family. God takes responsibility for our lives and out of love He makes a commitment for those who belong to Him.
• The result of a sanctified life lived in the characteristics perfected by the Holy Spirit:

 

• “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake…” (13-14)

 

• The believer that lives a sanctified life will live in peace with others. However, there is one exception.
  • The righteous believer will at times suffer simply because he is a Christian identified with Jesus Christ. Because He suffered, we will also suffer. Because the world did not understand Him, the world will not understand us. Because the world rejected Him, they will reject us.

 

• “…sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…”

 

(15)
• This means to make a holy place in your heart for the Lord Jesus from which He will live and reign very personally and intimately.
  • This is the believer that has a living relationship with the Lord on a daily basis.

 

• “…be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

 

(15)
• This is the believer that has the Word of God planted in his heart. He has allowed the Holy Spirit to teach him God’s Word.
  • Notice that the Holy Spirit also guides him as to when and how to answer those who ask about his faith.
    • Meekness is the characteristic of being under control of the Holy Spirit and having the fear of God in him.

 

• “Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

 

(16)
• The believer must be sure that when people speak bad things about him, that those things have no basis in truth.
  • The value of a clear conscience is essential for the Christian living for the Lord. This is the believer that is constantly permitting the Holy Spirit to convict him of sin and bringing him forgiveness. In this way his life changes and he is sanctified in holiness.
  • If the believer discovers that he is suffering because of his sin, he needs to repent and seek God’s pardon as well as the forgiveness of anyone he has wronged.
• Read 1Pet 3:18-22 Christ’s Suffering

• The basis of our forgiveness is Christ’s suffering on the cross. (18)
  • He is the just and we are the unjust. He suffered for us.
  • How do we know that his suffering was sufficient to take care of our sins?
    • The resurrection from the dead that was performed by the Holy Spirit was God’s validation that we can ask for forgiveness.
• Jesus Christ went and preached to the souls in prison. (19)
  • Who are the souls in prison?
    • These are the souls that died in the great flood of Noah’s day.
      • In the times of the Old Testament, when a person died, his soul went to a place called Sheol or Hades. This place was divided into two parts, the place of torment where non-believers went to wait for the final resurrection, and the place of Abraham’s bosom where believers went to wait for the final resurrection. (Luk 16)
        • At the resurrection of Jesus Christ, He moved Abraham’s bosom with all the believing souls of the Old Testament to Paradise in heaven.
  • When did Jesus Christ go and preach to the non-believing souls in Torment?
    • There is a difference of interpretation over this point.
      • Some believe that this passage indicates that the preaching about Christ occurred through Noah while he was building the ark for 120 years.
        • The meaning of the names of the genealogy in Gen 5 preach the truth of Christ:
          • [1] Seth means = “appointed”
          • [2] Enosh means = “another mortal”
          • [3] Kenan means = “habitation”
          • [4] Mahalalel means = “the blessed God”
          • [5] Jared means = “shall descend”
          • [6] Enoch (the 7th from Adam) means = “dedicated to teach”
          • [7] Methuselah means = “the year that I die, shall come or bring”.
          • [8] Lamech means = “captive”
          • [9] Noah means = “rest”
        • If we put all these meanings together, we discover God’s message “[MAN IS] APPOINTED A MORTAL HABITATION [BUT] THE BLESSED GOD SHALL DESCEND TEACHING [THAT] HIS DEATH SHALL BRING [TO THE] CAPTIVE, REST.”
      • Many believe that in the three days between the crucifixion and the resurrection, Jesus appeared in Torment to preach to the non-believers there and to move the believers from Abraham’s bosom to Paradise.
        • Read Eph 4:7-9
  • Eight souls were saved by water. (20)
    • God’s patience and mercy waited for the ark to be completed before He sent the judgment of the flood.
    • Only eight people in the world believed Noah’s preaching and were saved by entering the ark.

 

• “In like figure…”

 

(21)
• Peter is about to tell us about a prefigure.
  • Noah’s ark is a prefigure of the baptism of repentance.
    • Just as repentance and belief caused eight people to enter into the ark for salvation, repentance and faith causes people today to believe in Jesus Christ and enter into God’s family for salvation.
      • What is the baptism of repentance?
        • This is the spiritual act that occurs in the heart of man when he invites Jesus Christ into his heart. The Holy Spirit takes the soul of man and immerses it into the family of God and giving that soul a new life.
• The difficulty with verse 21:
  • The problems of interpretation and an incorrect doctrine occur when one thinks this verse is talking about water baptism. Man is not saved by water baptism. Man is saved by repentance and faith. Water baptism is the outward physical act of what has already occurred in man’s heart through repentance and faith.
• Notice that the baptism of repentance is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (21)
  • Because of the success of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God accepted Christ’s sacrifice to pay for man’s sin. We are assured of this acceptable sacrifice because today Jesus Christ is in heaven seated at God’s right hand with power and authority over all. (22)

 

HOMEWORK
1PETER 4
This is a self study. Please do not sned homework answers to the teacher for correction.

• Application of 1Pet 3
  • In which areas of your life do you find it more difficult to live a sanctified (holy) life? Why?
    • In the home

 

• In the church

 

• Ask God to help you in this area.
• Preparation for 1Pet 4
  • Read 1Pet 4:1-19
    • How are believers and non-believers compared?

Memory verse: 1Pet 4:8