1 Peter 2 - Shut 'Em Up
There's no shortage of ignorant fools in this world. Find out the best way to silence them.
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1 Peter 2 (ESV)
1 So put away
all malice
and all deceit
and hypocrisy
and envy
and all slander.
2 Like newborn infants,
long for the pure spiritual milk,
that by it you may grow up
into salvation—
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him,
a living stone
rejected by men
but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
5 you yourselves
like living stones
are being built up as a spiritual house,
to be a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable
to God
through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So
the honor is for you who believe,
but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”
They stumble
because they disobey the word,
as they were destined to do.
9 But you are
a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
a people
for his own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellencies of him
who called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved,
I urge you
as sojourners and exiles
to abstain
from the passions of the flesh,
which wage war against your soul.
12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable,
so that when they speak against you as evildoers,
they may
see your good deeds
and glorify God on the day of visitation.
13 Be subject
for the Lord’s sake
to every human institution,
whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
14 or to governors as sent by him
to punish those who do evil
and to praise those who do good.
15 For this is the will of God,
that by doing good
you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free,
not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,
but living as servants of God.
17 Honor everyone.
Love the brotherhood.
Fear God.
Honor the emperor.
18 Servants,
be subject to your masters with all respect,
not only to
the good and gentle
but also to the unjust.
19 For this is a gracious thing,
when, mindful of God,
one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
20 For what credit is it if,
when you sin and are beaten for it,
you endure?
But if
when you do good and suffer for it
you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
21 For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example,
so that you might follow in his steps.
22 He committed no sin,
neither was deceit found in his mouth.
23 When he was reviled,
he did not revile in return;
when he suffered,
he did not threaten,
but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
24 He himself
bore our sins in his body on the tree,
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
25 For you were straying like sheep,
but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
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Previous DIG DEEPER posts on 1 Peter
1 Peter 2 Summary
Chapter 2 continues unpacking one of the key commands of the Christian life that we read yesterday in 1:13:
Prepare your mind for action.
Today Peter reminds you that once you've made this mental adjustment, those same words fall into a new order:
Match your actions with your mind.
In other words, since the Holy Spirit has enlightened the eyes of your heart (Ephesians 1:18) to see and understand reality from a Godly perspective, stop stumbling around like those who are still in the dark (v8).
Peter continues the analogy that he opened the letter with: Christians are sojourners and exiles in this world (v11). Properly understanding this allows you to submit to the governing authorities and to those you work for, when it doesn't conflict with God's commands.
Dig Deeper
In this season of political debates and endless talking heads arguing over each other and trying to shut their opponent up with a one line zinger, Peter gives the best advice possible for quieting your adversaries:
For it's God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people (v15).
The best way for you to heed this advice is to know who you are in Christ. Having the confidence of knowing that you are part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, [and] a people for God's own possession (v9) gives you the solid confidence you need to resist the temptation to reply to the ignorant things foolish people are saying. Instead by your words and deeds, you are able to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of the darkness and into His marvelous light (v9).
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sent His Son to suffer for you (v21)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God to cause you to long for pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation (v2)
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
