Pastor Jim’s Personal Notes – Lesson 11

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I Peter Chapter 2

Chapter Two Outline

Since Salvation v 1-3

Stones that are Alive v. 4-10

Strangers in an Alien Land v. 11-12

Submit to Civil Authority v. 13-17

Servants to the Silently Suffering and Sinless Shepherd or Our Soul v 18-25

Daily Reading

Monday – I Peter 1

Tuesday – 1 Peter 2

Wednesday – Eph. 1

Thursday – Eph 2

Friday -- Eph 3

Peter 2:11 – 17

Occasionally we do just like the proverbial saying, “You’re so close to the tree that you can’t see the forest.” We often look at each verse and even each phase so closely that we often miss the “big picture’, the central message. Indeed the details in verses 11 thru 17 are rich with insight but we must not forget to see the central truth they are trying to reveal.

As believers in Christ, we often need to be reminded that we are indeed strangers in this current world* controlled by Satan. Our citizenship is in heaven and we are strangers to the current system, standards, desires and values that are indorsed by sinful men. We have been transformed – made new in Christ.

But! We are nonetheless in this world and our duty is to be lights to the unbelievers. The directive in these verses is be the best possible example through self-control and good behavior. We are to obey the laws of the land* and do what is right.

Doing what’s right! This is a concept has greatly been lost even in the family of God. What is right is what the Bible says is right and not what society or the “situation” says is right. We have been so silently indoctrinated with “situation ethics” that even with in the community of believers, we forget that doing the right thing is doing what God’s word says.

By doing what is right we silence our opposition. No one – not even in our society – can question someone that does what is right.

Here we will digress for a moment and ask a few relevant questions the first of which is a summary of all the questions. Does our treatment of the law and of none believers reflect what is right?

For example, what would be the right approach to the abortion issue? Would we be sending the wrong message concerning what the Bible has to say about life and abortion if we offered classes and counseling to women that have had abortions? If not, then why is there so little being done in that area? If so, then how do we claim to love sinners and better yet -- do we really believe sinners, even women that have had abortions, can be forgiven?

Few would question the need to address the problem and sin of sex before marriage and of women giving birth to children out of wedlock. Would the church be condoning sin and this kind of behavior if she offered a ministry of day care for young high school mothers at the church and worked with the local high school to help these young women finish school? Or, is the proper approach “you made you bed, now lay in it”?

Would the church be wrong in offering “Free – NO Questions Asked” rides to teens that get drunk so as to keep them off the road or would that be encouraging them to do wrong? What is right?

These are just a few questions that many churches either don’t know the answers too or refuses to let them be asked. Doing what right has always been risky. Peter says that we will silence our opposition by do the right thing. Sometimes the real opposition to doing what is right comes from within the church. This is something we should really pray about.

Allow me to stray for a moment back to the truth found in these verses telling us that men should obey the laws of the land. Do you find it disturbing to see a car with a bumper sticker declaring the owner and operate to be a Christ speeding down the road breaking the law? I once read of a case study done by some university comparing Christians with none Christians and the law. They used the bumper stickers to see how many cars parked illegally. The finding was disgraceful. Apparently many believers believe that laws are for the other guy and not for them.

*Often when the New Testament speaks about the world, it is speaking about the planet earth as a sphere but rather about the current sinful system and values that are embraced every area of thoughts and desires because of the sin nature of man. When the Bible tells us not to love the world it is speaking about system, desire, and values that are contrary to a Holy God.

*Christians are to obey the laws of the land as long as they are not in direct contradiction to the word of God. Great care should be given to discerning when the law of the land is contrary God’s law. The command is “live peacefully as much as is possible.”

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