Epistles of Peter

But in chapter 3, these early verses are devoted to husbands and wives. Six verses, Peter devoted to wives, and one verse to husbands. And we shouldn't try to read anything into that. I think that the one verse written to men contains so much instruction that we male types will spend the rest of our lives trying to learn and glean from it, and to be better husbands and honor our wives better than we tend to do.

But in chapter 3, verse 1, wives likewise be submissive to your own husbands. Now, he says, wives likewise, because in chapter 2, those latter verses, he ended with the example of Christ and how he set an example of suffering for us. We follow in his steps, and he suffered and didn't deserve a thing that he suffered.

But wives, like Christ, was submissive, be submissive, but notice it says, to your own husbands. Sometimes we have men who have come to the conclusion that women in general are supposed to submit to them. They might get snapped at, if you know what I mean. But the instruction is submission to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word.

Now, there are two different ways of looking at that. You might have a husband on the one hand here who's referred to who's a non-member. He's unconverted. You might secondly have a husband who's in the church, but he doesn't obey the word as he should. So either of those could be a part of what is covered. They, without a word, may be one by the conduct of their wives. So here he continues to stress. It's her conduct. It is her life. It is her example.

That may over time change the mind of her husband. You may think of, there in 1 Corinthians 7. Oh, it's somewhere around verse 15-16. That's where Paul was talking about the believer-unbeliever marriages. And that the husband or wife who is the believer might save, he used the word might essentially save their spouse because of the example that they set. So verse 2, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied with fear or by fear. So again here, the focus is on, let them behold, the old King James says, behold your conduct. Let them observe. It is chiefly the Christian example because there's not much greater way to preach the gospel than by the way we live our life.

So verse 3, do not let your adornment be merely outward. And I think it's good that the translators added that word. It's in italics, but they added merely because what is most important is what is on the inside. That is a far greater value. We've heard the old saying, beauty is as beauty does. And what a wonderful thing it is to have a wife, to have a daughter, to have women in our church, and they are beautiful from within.

And then so many then are beautiful inside and outside. Not merely outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel. It doesn't say anything's wrong with that. You know, Paul wrote once and said a woman's hair is given to her as her glory. And so it should be fixed. Wearing gold, some people have concluded that from Scripture that there's a condemnation of jewelry.

But there's not, because we could go back to Ezekiel 16, where God essentially, in that chapter, He found Judah and He washed her up, and He adorned her. And you go back to Ezekiel 16, you read all the things that He used in dressing up, in adorning Judah. So, the sign of peril, verse 4, rather let it be the hidden person of the heart.

So once again, what is on the inside? The part in the mind, the character. That is what is most important. With the incorruptible beauty, again, I like the way the New King James improves that over the Old King James, but the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

So, you know, a lot of what we're reading here, basically Peter reminded the wives of the beast of missive, and set a right example. And there's not a lot of correction here, not a lot of instruction. Verse 5, for in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves being submissive to their own husbands. And then He goes on to give the example of Sarah. As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. Well, the word Lord refers to the one who rules over the house, the one who is responsible and accountable.

My wife and I always, last night, we had Madison Bible study last night because the week before is when we got snow, and so we had postponed it. But Denise and I always smile when we read this very verse, because years ago, in an assignment on the other end of the country, one time thereafter, church, there were about four or five young, single young ladies, and then there was this one young man.

And they're over there calling Mrs. Dobson over, come over, and what turned out had happened was that he had said, and they're all probably college age, and he had said, well, one day, I hope God will bless me with a wife that I'm supposed to marry, and I think it would be wonderful if she would just call me Lord. Well, that had set off all four or five of those girls, and then when they told Mrs.

Dobson he's getting a lecture from her, too, and it was years and years and years down the line, we finally heard he got married.

Long time. It was a long time. So I'm sure he learned something somewhere along the line. But Sarah calling Lord, whose daughters you are if you do good, again, it's emphasizing your conduct, your example, what you do, what you are, as far as how you live, and are not afraid with any terror. You know, we're not talking about, shouldn't be a fearful respect of a husband. As we'll read the next verse, we're heirs together of the grace of life.

We're a team. God bound Adam and Eve together from the beginning and set that pattern that continues to this day. Verse 7, husbands likewise dwell with them with understanding. Ouch. Now that's the problem. Because we men don't have that understanding by the fact that we were born and we lived 20 or 30 or 40 or 70 years and walked this earth. It's something we do have to learn over time. I think that this would speak to just understanding hormonal, emotional ups and downs.

There are cycles of a woman's life a man doesn't have. There are monthly cycles and there are ups and downs of hormones. And then there's a phase of life when menopause comes along. Of course, a man goes through andropause and things happen. We generally kind of slow down, chill out, mellow out, and we're a little easier to get along with. But it takes a lot of understanding and learning these things. When I listened to Mr. Antion's classes on this that he covered in the ABC, he mentioned back the old book by James Dobson on what wives wished their husbands knew about women.

And in that book, he covered certain things that you've got self-esteem, you've got just fatigue that goes along with children. When we had three children at home in the house, I did not understand then how exhausted, worn out Denise was. I'd get in the car and go drive off and be gone for a long day. And she was there with it minute after minute after minute all day long. And so there are pressures of time, there are money pressures, all of these things that a man has to...

A man goes through it too, but he has to realize how it affects and impacts his wife and then his marriage. Then he says, giving honor unto the wife, giving honor unto the wife. And then he gives some reasons as to the weaker vessel. For the most part, man and woman marry, the man generally is going to be physically a lot stronger. We're not talking about spiritual potential before God.

We're equal. There's neither male nor female. Christ's were Abraham's seed. But generally, a man's going to be a lot stronger and she's weaker. A man has to be in control of himself. Sometimes we have men who aren't and don't have the self-control. And if their temper gets out of hand and they start acting a certain way, we've got people weaker than them.

Not only his wife, but often times children. And great damage can be done without self-control. Well, another reason Peter says you need to remember as being ears together of the grace of life. And I think especially when God calls both of us together as a married couple calls us to his body. He expects a lot out of us. And we need to realize we're in this together.

We're going to the kingdom of God locked arm in arm. And we're going to eternal life, walking the same path together. And then he also throws in the idea at the end of the verse that your prayers may not be hindered. So that's kind of sobering to realize if we're not showing honor to our wife at home, then let us not assume that God's hearing our prayers. We could hinder our prayers from going any further than the ceiling if we're treating our wife with disrespect, dishonoring her.

All right. Let's go on. He shifts here and basically husbands and wives first seven verses. And then he shifts to some points, general points of Christian living toward everyone in his audience. Verse 8, finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another. Sounds like Romans 12 and some of the things that Paul wrote about being members one of another and preferring one another and deferring to one another.

Love as brothers, and that's the Greek Philadelphos, have this brotherly love for your brethren. Be tender hearted. Be courteous. Margin says, be humble, what that word means. Verse 9, not returning evil for evil. Now, again, remember just the end of chapter 2 is when he was showing us or mentioning Christ and all that he went through when he was reviled, he didn't revile back.

When they treated him the way they spat on him, he didn't return in kind. They shoved a crown of thorns on him, he didn't return in kind. We don't return evil for evil, we're reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, blessing. Knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. So we're not to be giving people what they might deserve, frankly. We're not to respond, you know, do unto others as you would have them do to you, we're told.

That you may inherit a blessing, it says, because that ultimate blessing is the promise of life eternal. 4, and now verses the rest of verses 10 through 12, he's actually quoting from Psalm 34. It's interesting, you go back there, that is the Psalm of David. It was after the occasion when he had to flee from Saul's army, and he ended up over with the Philistines, and he faked insanity.

But in that Psalm, he's contrasting God's watching over those who are righteous, who are obedient. And God's also, his face is against those who do evil. So verse 10, 4, He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. Now, we, not long ago, went through James, and in James 3, you've got verses 3 through 10, where he talks about the tongue, and the words that come from the tongue, and the great fire that that little member can kindle.

And it's like a rudder on a great ship. And so at any rate, Peter as well stresses that. And of course, Christ told us, from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, and yet by the words that we speak, we're going to be judged. Verse 11, Let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it.

We've got one of Dwight Armstrong's hymns that was built around that Psalm 34. Beautiful old hymn. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. That's the end of the quotation from Psalm 34.

Verse 13, And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? You know, if you're followers, if you're striving with God's help to do what is right, you're not going to bring as much grief on yourself as you certainly would if you're following after what is not good.

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. Now, that's, you know, when it comes, falls on us like a ton of bricks, though, it's sometimes hard to deal with. But he makes the same point James has already made, that if we're going to suffer, let it be because we're following Christ. Let it not be because of walking an ungodly path. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. Now, we've got scriptural examples. Think of Daniel. Daniel, you know, there with the image and, of course, the lion's den.

And you read through that story, and he didn't show fear. No need to. His life was in God's hands. We all love that story of Daniel's friends and the story of the fiery furnace and what was said by those men, that, you know, our God is able to deliver us, but if he doesn't, we're still not going to bow down to this image.

And so, let's see, Daniel, actually, his was with prayer. That's right. And then they were with the image. Verse 15, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. And to sanctify is to set apart and to fear Him, as Isaiah said, to tremble at His word. And, you know, that as we have God sanctified in our hearts, you know, that freezes from fear. We can walk in faith and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.

And so, to be able to give an answer, we can't give what's not there. And that speaks of the importance of pouring over the Scriptures and knowing whereof we stand and understanding, comprehending the basic fundamental beliefs of the Bible. And just, you know, you go back and what greater answer of the hope within Him can we find in the Bible than Stephen's defense? Boy, they brought that man in before the council and they gave him the floor. And man, did they get a mouthful. He went back to Abraham and he started coming forward and he talked to Moses.

I mean, the Bible, the Word of God, He didn't have time to, you know, He didn't have His notes there in front of Him. He started speaking and when it was over, He had nailed them to the wall. So much so that, well, you know how that story ended up. But it says at the end of that verse, with meekness and fear, with meekness, you know, be selfless, be humble in attitude and let God lead us.

And Christ promised the comforter, the teacher that would come, the Holy Spirit that would come and it would give you, teach you what you should speak at those times. Verse 16, having a good conscience, a good conscience, you know, and a conscience is something we need to train. I think we could say it's a part of the spirit of man that combines with the brain, gives us the power of intellect above and beyond anything the animal world has. God sends His Spirit, but there is this conscience that we train, that it becomes a tool to help us in obedience, that if there's something we ought to do and we don't do, then it hopefully snipes us when it's trained in the right way.

But too many times we have those who do not train it. Or Satan uses that and a person carries a lot of guilt around. I think of Paul one time when he spoke up. He said, I stand here in all good conscience, clear conscience, before God and man to this day.

And yet we understand His past and yet in His mind it was washed clean. That's a wonderful example for us. Having a good conscience that when they defame you as evil doers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. Verse 17 kind of reiterates a thought that he has mentioned before, for it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

In verse 18, we're going to shift into these, well, especially verse 18 and 19 and 20. We've got a passage here that is among one of the most misunderstood areas of the Bible. If you will go and read commentaries, they've got Christ when His bodily remains were in the grave, Christ went and preached. Well, I mean, if we just read what's here, and let the Bible explain itself, we can see what's going on.

But verse 18, for Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Well, John 3, 16, God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, and He ought to lead us to eternal life, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit. Now, here we come to the tough part.

Verse 19, by whom, speaking of the Spirit, God called Him back to life as a Spirit being, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison. Well, if that's as far as anybody reads, they say, aha! You know, He was in the grave of the tomb, and His Spirit went off and preached to some other spirits somewhere.

But we've got to keep reading, because the Bible explains itself. Who formerly were disobedient. Now, that word, spirits, comes from the Greek, numa, which is very common in the New Testament. Sometimes it's air, or wind, or breath, like when Christ breathed on them, or when the sound of the mighty rushing wind, that was numa. But then a lot of times it refers to spirits and angels. And there are times, one from the context, it's angelic spirits, faithful angels, and sometimes it's demonic spirits. But this one it says, who formerly were disobedient.

And that begins to tell us who we're talking about here. We're talking about the demons. When once the divine long-suffering waited in the days of Noah, okay, we're not talking about three days and three nights in the grave. We're talking hundreds and hundreds of years earlier. Two in whatever millennia earlier, the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, well, the Bible tells us he was given 120 years.

So that narrows it down to the time setting, in which a few, that is eight souls were saved through water. Okay, well, let's pause right there. What, when we look at verse 19, especially, 19 and 20, one thing is that it doesn't say that he went and preached to anybody while he was in the grave. It very clearly says it was while he was, I mean it was while Noah was building the ark.

Now, what would have been, who would these spirits in prison be? Wicked angels who had turned to demons. Okay. It has nothing to do with human beings. I don't see how. We'll see one Bible I read that said it did, that people lived during the days of Noah. Yeah. Being a human spirit. And it's probably best we don't rule that out, but we've generally understood it. And I think it makes most sense, like Faris said, the wicked spirits who sinned. Now, the spirits in prison, now the Greek word translated prison is a fylaki, and it means a place of guarding or a place of restraint.

Now, if you put together, we've got Isaiah 14, Satan, you know, I'm going to rise up, and, you know, my throne, essentially he wanted to be the most high. Revelation 12, you know, those early verses, the dragon and his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and Revelation also tells us stars are angels. Ezekiel 28 adds a bit more, but also remember when Christ walked the earth, one time he said, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. And so there was rebellion and war in heaven, and they were cast back down, and for the most part they are restrained.

They are guarded here on the earth, except as God allows Satan, and we don't know, perhaps others, to have access to his throne. Job 1 and Job 2, we know that Satan is allowed that some. They're here on the earth. You know, you look at Genesis 6 and how corrupt the world had become, maybe with the events of the flood and God starting all over through Noah's family, they were restrained a bit more, so that God could start over and then continue his plan.

So we've got a lot of possibilities here, but perhaps at that time, as God was just about to, through the waters of the flood, wash clean everything Satan had done, maybe Christ at that point went to the demons who are here on the earth and pointed out the fact that all you've worked for is just about to be washed away.

It's going to serve you nothing. Maybe it was a testimony to them. But you know, you remember probably from Mystery of the Ages and in the old book, Mr. Armstrong wrote on the incredible human potential, and especially Mystery of the Ages, the Mystery of Angels, which is the righteous angels and the demons. But he said that their beautiful analogy there, that their character was like freshly poured concrete. And you pour concrete. It used to be the old standard was on highways, and it was really thick. 28 days. Pour it, work it, 28 days, stay off of it, because it's hardening, it's setting.

And then it becomes set fully in a certain way. So, anyhow, lots of interesting things there in those two or three verses. But very clear here, we're talking about in the days of Noah, the ark was being prepared, eight souls were saved through water. Verse 21, there is also an antitype, which now saves us. So the ark and being saved through water was the type. And it looks to the antitype, the latter fulfillment, and that is baptism. And then he explains in parentheses, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.

So it's not just as if washing away a certain amount of dirt. In the Old Testament, washing and the Jewish practice of the first century, washing up the elbows, it might have got a little dirt off. But what is important is what is taking place on the inside to cleanse the human heart, leaving behind a good and a clear conscience toward God. Then it says, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because Romans 5 verse 10 tells us we are saved by His life. He died for our sins, but we are saved by the fact that He came out of the grave and was the first of the first to inherit eternity.

Who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God? Angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. So that night before the foot washing, he realized that he was going to receive the glory that he had had with his Father all along. That is where he is. He has always spoken of when Stephen was being martyred in heaven open and there was Jesus standing at the right hand of his Father.

Questions or further comments or thoughts there on chapter 3? Just maybe some of the preaching he may have done when he went to those spirits at the second Peter 2. He could have been telling those demons to come to him. What a tragic mistake they had made by following after this. Yes? Would that have been the sole purpose of him going to preach to the demons? Well, I'm not sure we can answer that. But yes, to go and point out what, of course, anything Satan touches, he just ends up in corrupted destruction, wickedness.

I mean, look at what it says there about how corrupt the world was in Noah's day. And, you know, there are probably demons to this day who just know their right, but it was another witness to them. I mean, you would think when they got on that bandwagon and rebelled with Lucifer and got cast back down and realized they didn't have a chance against God, you would have thought that that would have been the ultimate testimony, but maybe God, from time to time, points out a little bit more.

That would be war in heaven again, we read of in Revelation. You guys are going to say there's going to be some loose beginning, remember? Some of them are real loose, but in Revelation? Yeah. And it's like, well, I understand a while ago, perhaps with the flood, God even further restrained them. But some of the, call them the worst of the worst, maybe He really has held back until when we get into Revelation, and it's time to turn them loose and these demons come flowing out.

Yes, tribulation time. Okay, well, let's go on to chapter 4 and see if we can survey this one as well. We've got another challenging verse as we get a little further into this one. Verse 4, chapter 4, verse 1, Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind. So when Paul wrote, he talked about putting on the armor of God, and here Peter says, your greatest armor is going to be put on the same mind of Jesus Christ. For he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. Now, a couple of ways of looking at that. It might be that some have the dead in Christ, they've died. And, you know, they're, like the Psalm says, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of one of his saints. They've got their reward waiting them, just whenever the voice of Jesus Christ calls them. It could refer to the Christian who has symbolically died with Christ or been crucified with Christ. Or, like Paul said, Galatians 2, verse 20, I've been crucified with Christ, yet I live, but not I, but Christ lives in me. So, he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. Verse 2, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men before the will of God. So, in a point out last time, you have this thought of obedience, the law of God. It has to be kept.

Grace doesn't sweep away the law of God. And so, we are not called to just go on living the life of lusts like we used to, but we are to live for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. So, he says we've put in enough time of that. We've all sinned enough in times past. And God has called us to change that and leave those things behind. Verse 4, interesting here how human nature is, it says, in regard to these, they think, in other words, these people we used to run with and do those things with, they think it's strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation speaking evil of you. You know, human nature is a curious thing. You're no longer one of them. There will be people who will say, well, are you too good for us now? Are you too holy to be with us now? And Satan will try to pull us back and pull us down. You know, human nature is like water poured out on ground. It's going to flow down to its lowest level. And so they're going to try to suck us back into that.

Verse 5, they will give an account to Him, God, who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Now, we're going to see this word judge and the thought of judgment coming out more through the rest of this chapter. Verse 6, for this reason, the gospel was preached also to those who are dead. Alright, now there's a puzzling verse. Any ideas on that? Speaking spiritually. Yes, go ahead.

Yes, those who are in the church. Right, who live Christian lives, who are dead. Yeah, they're dead in Christ. Right. Okay. The gospel was preached to those who are dead. Now, it's also, and I know William Barclay's commentary here, he points out, remember back at the end of Luke 9, it ends verse 62, with no man having put his hand in the plow. But about verse 60, Christ calls the one and he says, let me go and bury my father. And Christ, remember what he said? Let the dead bury their dead. And so, there is a biblical precedent that some out there are the ones who are spiritually dead. I mean, they're not called. Their eyes are not opened. They have not received God's Spirit. And so, the gospel would be preached to them who are spiritually dead out there. And, you know, those who have been called to the church who are a part of the body of Christ, who have symbolically died, certainly the gospel was and is being preached to them. Okay. That they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Okay. Now, verse 7. But the end of all things is at hand. Now, remember, when we went through the introduction of Peter's epistles, he had two overriding themes. And the first one, the primary one, was that there is hope in the midst of suffering. But then, his secondary theme, many times, he comes back to this idea that Christ is going to return. And Peter, Paul, James, you know, they all made statements where they fervently believed that Christ was going to return in their time. And so, he says, the end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers. You know, we're not here playing church. This is the way we live. This is our heart. This is our eternal life. And above all things, have fervent love for one another. Now, again, think of Christ's statement there, that Passover night after the foot washing. It's one of the most troubling statements to me, and probably to you and all the Bible, that he said, He said, herein, well, men, know you're my disciples if you have love one for another. And we do, but, oh, a lot of times we don't. And we've got to really shore that up. For love will cover a multitude of sins, quoting from back in the Proverbs. Love covers sins. Human beings want to see people pay for their sins, but love covers it. God's in the business of not giving us what we deserve. He's in the business of forgiving, and we need to be that too. Verse 9, be hospitable to one another without grumbling. Or the old King James says, use hospitality one to another without grudging. So hospitality is something that's spoken of a number of times. In fact, let me look here quickly. Hebrews 13 verse 2, you can make a note of. It says, do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. And you know, a lot of that was a cultural difference. They didn't have email. They didn't have cell phones. They didn't have much, probably not much of a postal service. And people would travel. And it was just when someone came to your city and they had needs, it was just something that was very important. I mean, they didn't have comfort in and sleep in and travel in and all that. It was very important to you have somebody who comes through. They need help. They need shelter. Take them in your home. So, yes. Do you think that that verse there, entertain the angels on the web, do you think that it's very common today, most common, or in our day and age? Well, it's hard to tell. Anybody have thoughts on that? The question, as far as entertaining angels unawares, do you think that's common today? I do. I think it's very common. At the time, the word is the word. They said to say at a certain time, the word is talked at. Right. There are so many stories I've heard of the most. Oh, somewhere at home in my office, I've got this old, it's a binder with some of the old letters written into the church headquarters, you know, back in the 70s or the 80s, probably. And some of them were about miraculous intervention. And I remember that story from down in South America, where I think the family went to the bank and got their money to go to the feast, came out, and from an alley came four guys, took all their money, ran back down that alley, and in just seconds, they came running back out, and they had been roughed up, scratched up, beat up, and gave them back that money, and more besides. And took off, took off, well, who knows what they ran into when they turned down that alley.

But I agree with Ferris there. I bet it happens many more times than we dream that somebody's there and God's intervening for us through an angel, and we don't see them. We don't see them. If we did, it would come as good day like seven. Yes, probably. Yes. Yes. Then we'd be like John and different ones, where there's an angel that intervenes and gives you, or Daniel, and you want to fall down and worship them, and they'd say, get up on your feet. I'm just a fellow worker with you. Okay, verse 10 here. As each of us has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. So here he's also going to shift a little bit into spiritual gifts. The parable of the talents tells us, God, we've all got natural abilities. Remember, each one was given some, five or two or one. And whatever we have, some have more talent in certain areas than others do, but whatever we have, it's our challenge, our calling to find it and use it, share it with others. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God, utterances of God. So if anyone has a teaching role, that would include anyone who writes for our magazines, the fellows on the telecast, all of this. Let them share that gift that God gives. If anyone ministers, or sometimes that word is translated, serves, some have a marvelous gift of serving. You turn around and, boy, they're out there quietly just doing, serving, doing things for people. Let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. And I think that's good to remember. Whatever gift God gives us, it's all about God. It's not about us. And sometimes Satan can have success in getting in there, and we might have talent, the person might have a certain speaking eloquence, and Satan will keep trying that door to see if he can find a little pride and start driving a wedge in there. Alright, verse 12. We're getting down here to the last section of this chapter. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you. You know, we're a curious bunch, we human beings. God has called us, and there are so many statements. All who live godly will suffer persecution. Christ said, if they persecuted me, they'll persecute you. It's very much tribulation we enter the kingdom. I mean, all those statements. And then sometimes we have a trial and we think, oh, what was me? Like, where in the world did this come from? It's just that we've been redeemed from the curse of the law, but I've never found where it says we've been redeemed from persecution. That's what I've never found it. Peter, Paul, John, they all had those persecutions until the end. And I think we'd all say that. Those of us that remember Mr. Armstrong very fondly, all the way to the end. I mean, that poor man passed 90 years old and he was taking all kinds of flak.

Yes, they are. Well, verse 13, but rejoice. That kind of ties in with how James started his. Rejoice in these many trials. Well, that's tough to do sometimes right in the midst of it. Rejoice to the extent that you partake in Christ's sufferings, that when his glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. And I think he too, like James, speaks to the fact that we can be joyful as we look forward knowing God has a perfect work. God is not making a mistake. God is trying to fine-tune something in us for eternity, even though for right now it may hurt terribly. It may be an awesome trial, but he's working out something for eternity. Alright, verse 14, Verse 15, Again, he's writing the church. He'd say the same to us. Let no one suffer because we're being disobedient. Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, a Christian is one who's a follower of. He's trying to pattern his life after Christ's. Let him not be ashamed. There were times when Paul and Silas were thrown in jail there at Philippi. Peter and John, the healing of the man there in Acts 3, they're thrown in prison. Another time thrown in prison. It was not something to be ashamed of. They were suffering. In fact, they would say that. They were excited that they were able to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ. Again, the glory going to God. But let him glorify God in this matter. Verse 17, So here's, we see this word, judge and judgment, quite a bit in the last half of this chapter. To begin at the house of God. So here is a judgment. And judgment is on the church. We have people out in the world who are, we use that term a while ago, spiritually dead. They're not called. They are not being judged. And if their life ends, they'll come up in a resurrection and they'll have a time when they are accountable then. But right now, their eyes aren't open. But now our eyes are open. We do see. We do understand. We do have God's spirit. We do comprehend God's word. And so he says we're being judged. And there are all kinds of criteria by which God judges us. We have parables, like I mentioned a while ago, the parable of the talents. God assesses what we do with what we're given. We have the parable of the pounds, is what the old King James called it, where each one was given one. And then God wants to see by our effort what we're able to do with it. We're judged by the words we speak. We're judged by how we use our money. Just all kinds of criteria for judgment that God's looking and assessing our lives. And with that ongoing judgment, I'm sure there are times when he sees, well, we need to shore it up over here, and therefore that trial comes along. And let us not be surprised when that trial comes along. He says that when his glory shall be revealed, and that too is looking at, that's again Peter's secondary theme of Christ is going to be returning. When he comes in a glorious returning, you may be glad with exceeding joy.

I think I jumped back up verse 13. I shifted my thumb and... It was a good we needed it twice. But we were on verse 17, weren't we?

Okay, so in the middle of it, and if it first began at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? There's that word obey. If we, with God's help, God's grace, by striving for the kingdom, if we're scarcely saved, what about those who are disobedient, who don't obey the gospel of Christ? Because the gospel is not just that story of Christ in his life. It is his message. It is his kingdom. When Christ came, the Sermon on the Mount, he expanded the law. The laws don't go up from Zion, so obeying the law is a part of it too. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God. That's a good phrase to remember. There are times we suffer and we get... Woe is me! Why is this? What did I do? Well, it might be the will of God. Because sometimes by hurting, the eyes open up. Or sometimes the stubborn will becomes pliable so that God can work with us. According to the will of God, commit their souls to him in doing good as to a faithful Creator. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? They're on chapter 4. I think something in verse 8, this may be the way we talk about it and we understand it, but how about love covering most of its sins? If you look at the way the Bible comes from the Bible there, the context seems to say to me that love, power love for other people will cover their sins for those. Is that why we talked about this a few minutes ago? Or, certainly, that we have love will not cover or forgive any of our personal sins. But our love for other people, we won't count their sins. We won't keep score of their sins against us. I think it ties in a lot. Mr. Beame was saying, Sabbath, that part of that reconciliation is letting go. Let it go. Forget it. Well, forget is not the right word. We will remember, but we don't hold it over somebody. Good point. Well, that's it. Thank you very much.