Notes on Peter

1 Peter Chapter 5 – ‘Trouble with the Sheep’

2007-05-22T22:04:00.001+01:00

Conclusion to 1 Peter - an overview

We saw how all that Peter would say to those who had a care for the Lords people would be drawn from the pattern of the Chief Shepherd (5:4):

The Shepherds Cross - that is Calvary
The Shepherds Crook - cf. John 21
The Shepherds Crown - cf. the Mount of Transfiguration

3 pictures that were left to Peter of His Saviour

I think that it is very lovely that Peter concludes his epistle as John concludes his gospel, that with a picture of the Shepherd

I can't but help feel that Peter has taken me on a great Journey:

Commenced with a 'scattered people' (1:1)
Like the nation of Israel of old we were called out of Egypt (1:13) we were girded up as they were in Ex12:11, ready to move out under the blood of the passover lamb: "redeemed not with corruptible things...." (1:18,19)
Peter has taught us this, that we are a:

Scattered People
Saved People

Saved by His blood, that blood is:

The Blood of my Salvation - out of sin and out of the world
The Blood of my Separation

Girded up and moving out
Lets never forget that. So many today are keen to grasp the first truth and deny the 2nd - our purpose in this world is not to get on, it is to get through, and the reason lies in the blood of the lamb.
Show me a man, show me a woman, a church that appreciates truly the blood of their Salvation, and I will show you a man / a woman who is marked by true separation (1:15-16).
Might I say this for peace of mind and of soul and spirit, His blood is the blood of your:

Salvation
Separation
Security

That blood is precious
Its precious to me - praise the Lord for that, but I don't think that in 1:19 this is the only idea, for when He came and His blood was shed: "we esteemed Him not stricken, smitten of God and afflicted" (Isa 53)
Ever before His blood was precious to man it was precious to God.
Ever before man appreciated His blood, God appreciated His blood.
My mind goes back to Exodus 12 - the the lamb taken and slain and the blood applied, it was precious blood, precious to the first born in the house, that was true, precious to the family, that also was true, but the blood could only be precious to the first born and to the family because the blood was first precious to God, therein lay the power of the blood: "when I see the blood I will passover you" (Ex12:13)
Herein lies the foundation of my security!
There could be a home in Egypt and the blood was applied in faith, such a home had absolute confidence that everything would work out, but the security of that family did not rest on how much they believed in the blood, nor in how confident they might feel but their security lay in this in what God thought of the blood, in Gods estimation of the blood, "when I see the blood I will passover you" (Ex12:13).

Sanctified People (chp2):

Feeding on Christ (2:2)
Founded upon Christ (2:5)
Fragrance of Christ:

Holy Priesthood (2:5) - serving in the house
Royal Priesthood (2:9) - taking a fragrance of Christ out to a lost world.

I will know His power in so far as I know His holiness!

Suffering People:

Redemptive Sufferings marked Christ (3:18)
Retributive Sufferings mark the ungodly
Righteous Sufferings mark the believer (2:20;3:14;4:13) - in so doing we learn the mind of Christ (4:1)

Such sufferings:

Purge and purify the believers faith (1:7)
Mould the believers character - footsteps (2:21) - such a man or woman is now following the path the master went
Judges and purges sin in the believers flesh (4:1-2)

We commenced such studies 1 year ago; in that time some of you have know what it is to go through the 'fiery trial' (4:12)

The most remarkable thing is not that the trial has come your way but that you have come through the trial.

It was hardly surprising that Shadrach, Meschech and Abednego would be cast into the fire, that was inevitable the moment they refused to bow to the idol, what was remarkable was not the fact that they went into the furnace but the fact that the came out the other side!

That was because there was 1 in the furnace with them "like unto the Son of God."

How can a man / woman ever be preserved through the trial only by virtue of this, that there would be one with them, like unto the Son of God!

Shadrach, Meschech and Abednigo, appreciated this that there was only 1 way through the fiery furnace and that was when, "Christ led them through"

There are maybe some today that now, having been led through the fire of affliction they:

Walk a little more like Christ - footsteps
Talk a little more like Christ
Faith has brought us a little closer to Christ
Life is a little more like Christ - flesh

Purged a little more!

How is it that a:

Scattered People has become a Saved People and a Sanctified People

and that by way of being a Suffering People.

Is it not by virtue of this that we are a Shepherded People?

Has He not, "fed his flock like a shepherd, gathered the lambs with his arm, and carried [them] in his bosom, [and] gently led those that are with young." (Isa40:11)

How interesting that the Scattered People of Chp1, the Saved People of Chp1, the Sanctified People of Chp2, The Suffering People of Chps 3+4 become the Shepherded People of Chp5.

"I have a Shepherd one I love so well, that He has loved me tongue can never tell, on the Cross He suffered, shed His blood and died..."

The Shepherd has made of one, out of a scattered people, "one fold and one Shepherd" (Jo10:16)

It would be wise, bearing in mind all that we have learned to pay careful head to the closing admonitions of 1 Peter Chp5:

Pattern of the Shepherd
Problems with the Sheep

The Shepherds Cross (v1)
The Shepherds Crook (v2,3)
The Shepherds Crown (v4)

Purpose of Satan

Problems with the Sheep

The sheep are in danger but they don't realise it!

Self willed Sheep (v5)
Sleeping Sheep (v8)
Straying Sheep (v8)

Self willed Sheep (v5)

Isa 53: "all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way"

Matt 26:33,35: some of us won't be told anything, don't have a teachable spirit, there is a price to pay for that!

The solution to this lies in 1 Peter 5:6.

Sleeping Sheep (v8)

"be vigilant" = "be awake"

A state of spiritual slumber afflicts the sheep

"can ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matt26:40)

Straying Sheep (v8)

Matt26:31 - "smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered"

Matt26:56 - "All the disciples forsook Him and fled"

Matt26:58 - "Peter followed afar off" - does the worlds view of Christ, the unpopularity of Christ, cause us to follow afar off?

Beware: such a self willed sheep (v5), sleeping sheep (v8), straying sheep (v8) can so easily become a swallowed sheep (v8).

It is our "adversary the devil" - "devil" - diabolos - false accuser / slanderer (2:1;3:9)

Wherever the man of God is working the lion won't be afar off: Daniel 6; Ps22; 1Samuel 17.

'Trouble with the Sheep' can be downloaded and listened to on MP3 - Click Here

www.newcumnock.org

1 Peter Chapter5 Vs1 to 4 – ‘The Cross, The Crook, The Crown’

2007-05-15T22:01:00.001+01:00

The Cross (v1)
The Crook (v2,3)
The Crown (v4)

In so many ways the OT scriptures would prepare me for the advent of Christ:

In Prophecy
In Picture (or type)
In Pattern

I don't know what the Jew made of it at times as they saw so many of these patterns emerging: of salvation, something inexplicably to do with a lamb:

A Lamb for an Individual: Genesis 22
A Lamb for a household: Exodus 12
A Lamb for a Nation, in the evening and morning sacrifice: Numbers 28;
A Lamb for many nations: Isaiah chp 52 & 53
A Lamb for the whole world: John1:29
A Lamb for all of history: 1 Peter1:20
A Lamb for a whole Universe, seated on the throne which governs from heaven: Rev5:6
A Lamb for all of eternity: Revelation chp 21 & 22.

Consider also the fascinating Old Testament pattern of the oak tree as we trace it through the scriptures:

The Oak Tree:

Allonbachuth - the place of weeping - Deborah buried there (Gen35)
Jacob would leave his false Gods there (Gen35)
The first King of Israel, Saul would be buried there (1Sam31:13)
It would be the place where Davids first son to be called King (Absalom) would hang
Goliath of Gath would be defeated there (1Samuel 17)
God would appear to Gideon under the oak tree.

Another pattern that could hardly be missed by the observant Jew was the predominance of Shepherds in their midst:

God was a Shepherd God (Isa 40)
When God chose a King He chose a Shepherd King - David
When God chose a prophet He chose a Shepherd prophet - Moses
When God set up / established a priesthood, He consecrated a shepherd priesthood

Shepherd Priesthood:

Ministering in the Tabernacle:

1 - Table of Shewbread - He would in symbol feed his people, 12 loaves for 12 tribes.

2 - The people were upon "His Heart" - the breastplate of judgment (Ex28:29) - the 12 tribes of Israel utterly secure, bound above by chains of gold, below with cords of blue; "that the breastplate be not loosed from the Ephod." Just in case anyone decided to tackle the high priest, sell the breastplate with its 12 stones on ebay - try and rip the breastplate off - the high priest would come with it. The breastplate was 4 square:

4 Items In the Scripture that are 4 Square:

Breastplate - A Heart for everyone
Altar of Incense - Help for everyone
Brazen Altar - Hope for everyone
New Jerusalem - Home for everyone

3 - The high priest would lead his people - in the breastplate you would find the Urim + Thummim (Ezra 2:63) - if there arose a need for guidance or a need for direction in the nation, guidance could be found from this man.

Psalm 78:72 - The Shepherd character of David: the true Shepherd would feed and lead, he would lead from the heart and would lead that he might feed

The Pattern was Clear:

God is a Shepherd God
When God chose a King He chose a Shepherd King
When God chose a prophet He chose a Shepherd prophet
When God consecrated a priesthood, He consecrated a Shepherd priesthood

Such a pattern we find fulfilled in Christ

"These are they which testify of me"

So we find all fulfilled in Christ: A Prophet, A Priest, A King and He is a Shepherd:

Chief Shepherd (1Peter5:4) - think of His Character which is to mark the elders too.
Good Shepherd (John10) - think of His Care for the Sheep:

Brings Salvation (Jo10:11,28)

Brings Sustenance (Jo10:9)

Brings Security (Jo10:27ff)

There is a sad little doctrine that some hold to: that I can be saved one day and lost the another

There are various ways to answer this:

Doctrinally - from election (Eph1)

Simplest way I can answer this, to the satisfaction of my soul is from the character of the Good Shepherd; He is the Good Shepherd who "gave His life for the sheep" He rescued me from the jaws of the lion and the paw of the bear. Do I really think that He who gave Himself for me and who rescued me from the jaw of the lion and the paw of the bear is somehow going to pick me up and feed me back to the lion? (1 Peter5:8) - not for a minute!

The Great Shepherd (Heb13:20)

The completeness of His work:

"through His blood" (v20)

"from the dead" (v20)

"in the believer" (v21)

Christ has begun a good work in me and He will also perform it unto the Day of Jesus Christ.

It is to the same Shepherd that Peter directs me in 1 Peter chp5, he will speak of:

A Cross (v1)
A Crook (v2-3)
A Crown (v4)

It is of course:

A Shepherds Cross (v1)
A Shepherds Crook (v2-3): -

He will feed (v2),
He will care (v2)
He will lead by example (v3)

A Shepherds Crown (v4)

Peter takes us to 3 glimpses, 3 experiences he has had of the Shepherd, an experience of:

The Shepherds Cross (v1)

Peter knows all about that: "sufferings of Christ"

He was with the Lord in the upper room as the Saviour deliberately took bread and brook it: "take eat this is my body" (Matt26:26); "this is my blood" (Matt26:28)

He was with the Shepherd in the garden of Gethsemane: Matt 26:37 "took with Him Peter and the 2 sons of Zebedee and begun to be sorrowfull and very heavy."

"my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death" (Matt26:38)

When all the disciples forsook Him and fled still Peter "followed, afar off" to the Palace of Caiaphas the High Priest.

May be today you are following but "afar off" - saved but at a distance, maybe the Lord would call you close as only a Shepherd can.

I can't shout you closer, but maybe He can call you closer, for you know His voice: "my sheep hear my voice and they follow me..."

Peter certainly witnessed the sufferings of Christ - but are they the sufferings of a Shepherd?

Ringing in his ear, his last words to Christ: "though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended." (Matt26:33)

Why did Peter say that?

In response to the Lords quotation of Zech13:7 "I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered" (Matt26:31)

These are the sufferings of the Shepherd

These were the words Peter could never forget:

The Lord said - Zech 13:7.

Peter said - Matt 26:33

and Luke records Lk22:61; having denied the Lords the 3rd time: "The Lord turned and looked upon Peter," and "Peter went out and wept bitterly" (22:62)

For Peter the sufferings of Christ would always be the sufferings of the smitten Shepherd, sufferings he had said wouldn't happen, that he would stop.

All of 1 Peter will follow the same pattern as that of Zechariah, almost an exposition of Zech 13:7:

Scattered People
Sacred Dwelling
Sanctified Priesthood: A Royal Priesthood, A Holy Priesthood
Suffering Shepherd

The Shepherds Crook (vs2-3)

On resurrection ground the smitten Shepherd would return (John21) with a most interesting commission for Peter

To feed my lambs and feed my sheep

The one who had denied the Shepherd is commissioned to care for the flock, such is the Grace of God! He is “the God of all Grace” (1Peter5:10).

Peter is uniquely qualified, he has learned the greatest lesson in the care of the flock; that care for the flock will and must flow from, devotion to the Shepherd.

That was a painful lesson to learn

I would judge that Peter learned it early that morning as the cock crowed and he went out and wept bitterly.

The Shepherds Crown (v4)

Vision of the coming Christ

Mount of transfiguration (Lk9;Matt17) where he had the experience of / the anticipation of the Glory of Christ.

It will be a Shepherd who will lead us into Glory; He will finish the work He has begun: “from the dead”, “through blood” and “in the believer” – the Great Shepherd (Heb13:20-21).

The chief Shepherd will reward all other Shepherds (5:4) and the Chief Shepherd will return for His flock.

These notes are taken from a message preached on 1 Peter by Dr J Stewart Gillespie, at the Gospel Hall, New Cumnock, Ayrshire. The messages can be downloaded in MP3 format from :

www.newcumnock.org

1 Peter Chp4 Vs1-11; Luke4:1-30 – ‘Death in the Flesh and Life in the Spirit’

2007-04-10T21:24:00.001+01:00

Notes on 1 Peter from a message preached by Dr J Stewart Gillespie

Vs1-6 – Deal with Death

Vs7-11 – Deal with Life

Vs12-19 – Deal with Suffering

More Particularly:

Vs 1-6 – We see Death in the Flesh

Vs 7-11 – We see Life in the Spirit

Vs 12-19 – We see Suffering in Christ

It is of course quite inevitable that if I come to know what it is to experience:

Death in the Flesh:

I give up the old sins (v1)
I give up the old desires (v2)
I give up the old relationships (v3)

& Life in the Spirit

Then it will not be long before I learn what it is to know suffering in Christ.

Death in the Flesh (4:1-6)

End to the old sin (v1)

End to the old desires (v2)

End to the old friendships (v3-4)

There are 3 things that bring about the death in the flesh:

The Cross of Christ (v1)
The Court of God (v5)
The Crown of Life (v6)

The Cross of Christ (v1)

From common human experience there are perhaps 4 reasons why I might stop sinning:

The Condemnation of Law: “The soul that sinneth it shall die” (Ezek18:20)
The Removal of Opportunity – incarceration
The Conviction of Conscience – by the Holy Spirit as a believer
The Suffering of Consequences

This is where Peter has brought us to in 4:1 – The Suffering of Consequences

Christ has done the suffering – now you do the ceasing.

Can I see the consequences of my sin?

These sins put my Lord on the tree, they put Gods Son through the suffering of Calvary!

Can I not see the seriousness of them? Can I not taste the bitterness of these sins?

Can I not taste the anguish of a father as he leads a son up Mt. Moriah?
Of the cry of David for Absalom: “And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2Sam18:33).
Of the cry of the Son in Psalm22:1.
Of the sorrow of Christ in Lamentations (Lam1:12-13)

Why? “Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh”

Sin is a serious thing

Sin, lusts, the world is a doomed thing – can God permit it to continue? Calvary is an end of sin, the world and the lusts of the flesh.

The Court of God (v5)

“ready” to judge – just waiting – how much longer?

The Crown of Life (v6)

Life in the Spirit (4:7-11)

3 Features of life in the Spirit:

Man Communicating with God – Prayer (v7)
Man Communicating with Man – Love (v8-10)
God Communicating with Man – Preaching (v11)

The life of the Spirit in the Life of the believer

Be careful not to cut off any one of these 3

All 3 needed for life in the Spirit

Man Communicating with God – Prayer (v7)

The necessity of prayer, dependance upon God

Consider evangelism – men “dead in trespasses in sin” (Eph2:1), “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day,” (Jo6:44)

Without a movement of the Spirit of God nothing will happen

Man Communicating with Man – Love (v8-10)

God Communicating with Man – Preaching (v11)

God communicating with man – not man with man! Be very careful here!!

Have you notice how Christ spoke at the Synogogue in Nazareth in Luke 4?

On each of these 3 occasions Christ brings the message of God

There is a difference between the message of God and the truth of God

When Christ brings a message He brings it in the power of the Spirit: 4:1,14,18.

There would have been no point in bringing the acceptable year of the Lord to the Devil!

Lk4:1-13: Christ speaks from Deuteronomy
Lk4:16-22: Christ speaks from Isaiah
Lk4:25-27: Christ speaks concerning Elijah + Elisha

Is this the truth of God? But each is also the message of God!

Isaiah 61 had been the truth of God for 700 years but now: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21)– Gods message for right now, today, right here!

Notice when Christ speaks as the oracles of God He:

Rebukes the Enemy of God (4:13)

Engages in a spiritual battle with the enemy – this is more than a nice wee meeting with a few nice wee thoughts – this is engaging Satan in a spiritual battle to spiritual victory!

Wins against a spiritual foe

Reveals the Mind of God

“This day is this scripture…”

Isaiah 61 had been the truth of God for 700 years but now: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” – Gods message for right now, today, right here!

“They wondered” (4:22) – this message was relevant – ‘living’ and ‘powerful’ and ‘penetrating’.

Provokes a Reaction in the House of God

Any reaction is better than none!

They take Him to the brow of the hill! This is often the reaction!

The Lord would Glorify His Son (4:15):

By Gods Means – not by Satans (4:1-13)
In Gods Time (4:19-22)
In a place of Gods choosing (4:25-27)

God chooses how, when, who and where!

These notes are taken from a message preached on 1 Peter by Dr J Stewart Gillespie, at the Gospel Hall, New Cumnock, Ayrshire. The messages can be downloaded in MP3 format from:

www.newcumnock.org

‘Gods Verdict is Final’ 1 Peter 3:15-22; Gen5:32-6:9; 7:12,13,16; Col1:15-17; Eph1:20-21; Jude1:6

2007-04-03T21:22:00.002+01:00

From a message preached on 1 Peter Chapter 3 Verses 15 to 22 by Dr J Stewart Gillespie

A difficult section but 3 threads of truth we will follow through the section which will help us to understand it.

There is present in this section 3 principles, by which God administers the universe.

The Principle of:

The Power of Christs Resurrection
The Patience of Gods Judgement
The Pre-eminence of Gods Son

The Power of Christs Resurrection
1. Power to Sanctify (v15)

“Sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts”

The resurrected Christ is the sole object of affection and reason for the hope

The reality of resurrection that allows relationship (2:1-2) and brings hope (3:15)

Power to Subdue (v19)
Power to Save (v21)

The Patience of Gods Judgement

Very important principle, what do I mean? God doesn’t judge today, what I do today!

God waits patiently – He may judge tomorrow what I do today, it may take 3 days for Gods verdict to be passed (v18), it may take 100 yrs for God to judge what I do (v20), it may take 2000 yrs (v19) – but God judges. He is not in a rush.

When God judges, His judgement is final!

In every sphere His judgement is final:

Over Christ (v18)
Over the world (v20)
Over the angels (v19)
Over me (v16) – I await Gods Judgement, I await Gods verdict.

It is a thought Peter will take up later on in 4:17.

The Pre-eminence of Gods Son

To my heart (v15)
Over a lost world (v18) – mans verdict and Gods verdict
Over rebellious angles (v19)
Over all things (v22)

These 3 principles we must always bear in mind, in dealing with the difficulties of the Christian path.

We might forget for example:

The principle of the Patience of Gods Judgement

When we are up against evil (v9), railing (v9), suffering (v13), false accusation (v16)

There we are living for God, yet things go against us!

We despair! But we have forgotten that God does not always judge today what is done today?

As they nailed the Saviour to the cross at Calvary it seemed as though man had the upper hand and that all was lost, but as Christ suffered for sins (v18) a work was being finished, a work that was: expiatory, substitutionary, reconciliatory, sacrificial, victorious!

With God it was not over till it was over and then God gave His verdict!

It is not the first time that this principle had been forgotten.

It had been forgotten in the days of Noah, “longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah” (v20).

Interesting word “waited” = expectant waiting, cf. Jo5:3 “waiting for the moving of the water” – same word, the people were not sitting back on a deck chair by the pool of Bethesda, on the off chance something might happen but awaiting with real anticipation, waiting with expectancy.

God was waiting in the days of Noah, on what?

On a man finishing an ark – a man building, on a man gathering a people, and then God finally closing the door. Once the ark was built and the people gathered, the door was shut! The wrath of God was poured out on this world.

Not often that God waited upon a man – but He did in the days of Noah, He did too in the days of Joshua (Joshua 10:14), God waits too in this day of Grace.

Upon what does God wait? He is waiting on a man:

Building – Peter has already told us this (2:4-5), as the Saviour told Peter; “I will build my church…”
Gathering – a people for Himself, “a peculiar people” (2:9), a people “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,” (Rev5:9).
Shutting a Door – the one whose words we love to remember, and whose words I love to preach: “I will open a door and no man will shut it” and who also said words which we very rarely preach: “and shutteth, and no man openeth.” Peter will perhaps touch upon that in 4:17.

God waits you see , waits with anticipation, waits with expectation, “for the ark that was preparing.”

As God waited in those days, instead of men taking it as an opportunity for repentance they took it as time for license (Gen6:5) – they forgot that principle, what principle:

The principle of the Patience of Gods Judgement

Not only did man forget the principle but the angels forgot it too, in the midst of all of that sin, the angels looked down, not only did they look down, but according to Gen 6 some of them came down.

They entertained that little suspicion that perhaps God had lost control! Maybe God had gone soft on sin! Maybe God could not or would not judge the man whom He had uniquely created in His image, I don’t know what the argument went like, but you can imagine it! They took the attitude, if you can’t beat them join them! So they did. Joined them in sin, joined them in judgement!

The one who is pre-eminent above and over all angels, He suffered rebellion in heaven (Col1:15-16) from angels, some who decided to leave their first estate (Jude1:6), they forgot:

The principle of the Patience of Gods Judgement.

God had not forgotten His principles upon which He administers the universe:

The Power of Christs Resurrection
The Patience of Gods Judgement
The Pre-eminence of Gods Son

So it is to these angels now held in bondage to whom Christ appears having been raised again from the dead (v19).

This is the one whose headship they had rebelled against but God has raised Him from the dead far above all principality and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named (Eph1:21).

v21 – Noahs passage in the ark is “the like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us”

Whatever we might take from this verse, note Peter is careful to point out where the power does not lie; namely in the water, “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,” and where the power does lie: “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

The “like figure” – in other words, the ark is to Noahs salvation what baptism is to mine.

When was Noah saved? When he got into the ark?

Let me ask why did God wait for 100 years on Noah finishing the ark? Just a coincidence the ark was finished and the last soul was in and the door was shut when the floods came? Not at all!

Gen5:32; 6:8-9 – at least 100 years before Noah got in the ark, Noah was saved, that’s why God waited in Noah finishing the ark!

It wasn’t the ark that saved Noah, anymore than it was the ark that brought the flood

It would have been a very strange thing if he hadn’t have got into the ark!

The ark was the evidence of his salvation, the outward demonstration of Gods protection, the power of salvation was Gods!

These notes are taken from a message preached on 1 Peter by Dr J Stewart Gillespie, at the Gospel Hall, New Cumnock, Ayrshire. The messages can be downloaded in MP3 format from:

www.newcumnock.org

1Peter 3:8-15; Gen26 – ‘3 Wells of Water’

2007-03-27T21:18:00.000+01:00

Isaac in Genesis Chp 26:

The Lessons that he learned
The Wells that he dug
The battles that he fought

The Lessons that he learned

First notice that the whole chapter takes me back to Abraham in Genesis chp 12 compare Genesis 26:1.

The Spirit of God is at pains to draw a parallel between the life of Abraham in Genesis 12 and of Isaac in Genesis 26.

Parallel with Abraham in Genesis 12:

Same conditions prevail – famine (v1)
Same covenant given (v3) – all of Abrahamic covenant promises now given to Isaac.
Same wells and the same names (v18)
Same lack of confidence (v7) – “she is my sister”

Some could make a whole meeting out of that but just take 1 simple point: here is a man who is retreading the path his father took.

During a visit sometime ago to South Africa I came across a 2^nd hand shop and there amongst all the usual things you might expect to find was a coffin propped up against the wall! Some things are quite acceptable second hand but some things are no use at all: a second hand faith!

A second hand faith is no use to anybody, 2^nd hand experience of God no use to anybody.

Doesn’y matter how great an experience our fathers had of Christ, not sufficient for me, I’ll need to get to know God for myself, me personally!

Isaac had a great teacher mind you: Abraham! The father of the faithful, the friend of God, he of the covenant, but that wasn’t enough!

I think today too much second hand faith!

We know the facts, know how to do things, but that vital inspiration for all true service is missing!

The reality of that relationship with Him is absent!

Paul – “that I might know Him”
Christ – “That they might know thee” (Jo17:2-3)

You know all about Christ! All about the promises of God! All about the prophets and the types, but what about that vital link?

When was the last time He spoke to you and when was the last time you spoke to Him?

2^nd hand experiences of God are no good to anyone!

The lessons Isaac learned – no shortcuts, he had to learn them himself!

Abraham couldn’t say – just you take this in board!

I know there are many difficulties amongst us:

evangelism
declining numbers
carnality
materialism
poor quality of ministry

but these are merely symptomatic of the disease rather than the disease itself!

The disease – disrupted communion with Christ!

How we need to relearn the lessons learned by Abraham:

Obedience (v2) – He obeys

Simple lesson, but a great lesson

Lord gives you a simple thing to do – you do it!

You’ll get nothing greater to do till you are obedient in the simple thing:

Saul: 1Sam15 – given to destroy Amalek and Agag, “hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord” (15:22).

Trust (v3) – To take God at His word (v3)

“I will bless thee” (v3) cf. v13 – He did bless Isaac

Recall such simple statements as: “Let us go over” (Lk8:22) and “They arrived” (Lk8:26)

Simple lesson!

Matt 14:29 – 1 word the Lord utters “come” – Peter has total trust in that 1 word, and he comes and he walks on the water!

Simple lesson but what power there is in it!

To Continue (v22)

Despite discouragement!

Greatness of Joshua and Caleb (Num14:24) “he hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land which he went and his seed shall possess it!”

Having learned these lessons the Lord will move him on.

God instructs him in the days of famine (v1) to “sojourn in this land” (v3)

He gets comfortable, only meant to be there to see the famine out, begins to feel at home there!

The Spirit comments “when he had been there a long time” (v8). He had been there too long! God moves him out of his comfort zone!

Are we in by-pass meadow, sheltering out of the road of the traffic? God has greater things for Isaac; for sowing and reaping, for digging and drinking. Not to be settled with the ungodly, all of a sudden God moves and takes him out of his comfort zone, God has better things than this for Isaac!

Consider too a Lot taken out of Sodom, the disciples casting their nets and mending their nets, called by Christ – Christ has better things than this for them!

Suddenly everything in life changes and he is thrust out, an experience undesired and unexpected but God has something better for Isaac.

The Wells that he dug

God has seed for him to sow (v12) and God has wells for Isaac to dig!

Its not being thrust out of the land that gets him digging wells, something else!

Necessity (v14) – Isaac had flocks, herds and servants - he needed to dig wells!

Isaac is burdened with a desire to dig deep because he now sees that the need is greater than anything he can provide in himself.

Do you ever feel your need for something deeper? A desire to dig deep? Are you overwhelmed by the demands placed upon you? That is not a bad place to be!

Perhaps the Lord has asked you to do a work, you’ve made the discovery that there is not enough in you, sufficient for that work, the Lord is drawing you to dig deep wells and drink deep of the person of Christ.

A crisis that promotes growth! Lord I can’t do this by myself, Lord I need help!

Crises has often been used in the life of the people of God to promote growth:

Samson: Judges 16 – The first time Samson's name is linked with the word 'pray'! Was it the first time he prayed? Surely a Nazarite would pray often? Maybe the first prayer the Lord heard?? What brings Samson to this point? A deep sense of his need: “Lord strengthen me only this once” – his eyes taken out and his hair shaved off, shekels of brass about his ankles, he knows his need, maybe for the very first time he feels his need, turning in faith and dependence to his God he draws deeper from that well than he has ever done before!

Isaac sees the need outstrips what he can supply!

Here is a poverty that brings power! “When I am weak then am I strong” (2Co12:10).

He turns to dig wells again.

Why does he have to dig them? Why does he not just take the flocks to them?

They have been stopped (v15), notice how, not with wood, not stone and not brick – “filled with earth”

Demas: Fellow labourer Philemon (v24); faithful with Paul in the prison (Col4:14); where is he in 2Tim4:10 – “loved this present world” – the well is stopped with earth!
Rich Young Ruler: Luke 18 ‘what shall I do to inherit eternal life’ – “sell all that thou hast and distribute to the poor” – “he was very sorrowful for he was very rich” – the earth has just stopped the well, and that before it has even been opened!
Samson: So often stopped with earth? A woman in Timnath, harlot in Gaza and Delilah the Philistine?

The battles that he fought:

A word of encouragement, if you’re determined to go digging wells for God what will I encounter?

Floods and floods of blessing?

No – “strife” (v20)

If you decide to keep digging wells for God what will I find?

Loads and loads and loads of blessing?

No! More strife (v21) – in fact the situation got worse “hatred.”

Ah but listen, if you keep going (v22) ‘Rehoboth’ – that means ‘room’ – blessing!

One thing puzzled me – why did he keep going? You say he was a great man of God. He was, but great men of God can get discouraged too!

He kept going because of what he found: a well of “springing water” (v19) – that’s an interpretation of the Hebrew rather than a direct translation, the Heb. word “springing” is actually the word “living.”

He kept going because he found living water!

You see once you have a taste of that living water you have to keep going! There’s nothing else like it! So the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 having found the living water and goes back to the town, “come see a man that told me all things that ever I did.”

There was a time when there were those who left the Lord (Jo6:66) “will ye also go away?”, “to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

So precious is this water that the place of the will becomes the place of the altar and the place of the tent (v25).

In Gen 26 – we have a picture of the truth

In 1Peter3 – we see the reality of the truth

But the same pilgrims seeking the same well, they’re wanting to take the caps off the well! This section is the conclusion to a theme begun in 2:1, chp 2 began with a quotation from Ps34:8 (1Peter2:3) and this section now finishes with the rest of Psalm 34:

3:10 – Ps34:12,13

3:11 – Ps34:14

3:12 – Ps34:15,16

Peter takes our minds back to how he begun this section (2:3) these believers want to taste and see that the Lord is Gracious, they want to go deeper into spiritual things, they want the cap off of the wells, what will they find?

Opposition (v10)

But if they persevere, they will find:

Peace (v11)

Blessing (v10)

Life (v10)

Place of the Altar (v12) – communion with heaven

Was that not just the same character as Isaacs well?

A Well of Blessing (v24)

A Well of Life (v19)

A Well of Communion (v25) – the place of the altar

The climax to Gen 26 and the climax to 1 Peter 3:8-15 is the same – the setting up of the altar, communion between heaven and earth.

Click here to listen online to: '3 Wells of Water'

www.newcumnock.org

1 Peter Chp3 Vs1to7; Gen23:1-4,19-20 – ‘Bringing Christ into your Marriage’

2007-02-13T21:16:00.000Z

In the book of Genesis:

For every great man of God there is the name of a great woman of God who stands out with them!

For Adam there’s an Eve
For Abraham there’s a Sarah
For Isaac there’s a Rebekah
For Jacob there’s a Rachael and a Leah

It is a remarkable feature of the first book of the Bible that there is for each Godly man a Godly woman. The one encouraging the other and both working in harmony together!

Who could forget the faith of Rebekah (Gen24) going out in faith from Mesopotamia to meet a man she had never met before; one of the great love stories of the scripture.

Peter in 1 Peter3 reminds us of the dignity, the Holiness and the subjection of Sarah.

It must be said too of course that where we find failure in the life of a great man of God we often find failure in the life of the woman of God:

Eve is deceived and Adam falls
Sarah loses faith in the promises of God and so follows that whole sorrowful episode with Hagar and Ishmael (Gen16)
Rebekah has a soft spot for Jacob and so the deceived Isaac blesses the wrong son!

Genesis is marked by tremendous fellowship between husband and wife.

We chose 1 episode to illustrate that fellowship (Gen23):

First funeral in scripture
The first burial in scripture
First mention of tears in scripture
Tears of a husband for his bride

There was a deep and rich bond between Abraham and Sarah.

Some of the things we might say will seem a little Archaic, a tad old fashioned, strange by modern thinking but these features of 1 Peter 3 will:

Firstly bring Christ into our marriage
Secondly bring our marriage into Christ “in the Lord”

With that will come these: a deep and an abiding affection, a bond unbreakable on earth, broken only by death, because it will be a bond which does not depend upon the things of time, the things of the flesh, it goes deeper than that as deep as any bond can go, it lies in Christ!

‘The couple who prays together stays together!’

It is the end of that union in death that brings the first patriarch to tears!

This is a rich and an enduring bond through all of the highs and lows, all of the joys and sorrows of the patriarchs life.

It is when Abraham buries Sarah his wife that we have the first burial, first funeral, the first tears and the first pledge of Gods inheritance!

This is the first portion of the promised land that Abraham owns, it is the grave of Sarah his bride, both died in faith.

There Abraham was buried, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah!

These relationships were not only great relationships, they were enduring relationships, standing the test of time.

It is interesting that in the pages of scripture that follow we never really see the like of it again.

Not long into Exodus when we are faced with friction / animosity between Moses and Zipporah (Ex4:25); the Polygamy of David with the trouble surrounding David and Michel and David and Bathsheba. David sows a seed into his family that perhaps is not a huge hindrance to him but it is the end of his son Solomon; if David could have 7 wifes (2Sam3 + Bathsheba + /- Michel), more followed later (2Sam5:13) I can have 700 and his heart is taken away after the false Gods of his wifes! Be careful the seeds we sow for a future generation. David introduced something that the next geneation took a stage further!

It is not till the advent of Christ that the marital relationship becomes what it ought to be again; there we begin to see the great couples of scripture again:

Mary and Joseph
Elisabeth and Zacharias (Luke1)
Aquila and Priscilla – a remarkable couple:
1. In their home the church finds true fellowship (1Co16:19)
2. In their home Paul found true friendship (Rom16:4)
3. In their home Apollos found the true faith (Acts18:26)

What is it that restores the sanctity of the marriage and that elevates once again the dignity of fellowship between a man and a woman?

It is surely this – the presence of Christ in that marriage!

In 1 Peter3 we have this – Christ brought into the marriage bond, that the marriage might be brought into Christ!

A woman saved out of the world, her husband is still an unbeliever, so what will she do:

Have a chaste conversation (3:2)
Marked by a meek and quite spirit (3:4)
Like the Holy women of old (3:5)
Marked by subjection (3:5)

Maybe you won’t be too surprised, bearing in mind all we’ve said in the previous Tuesdays to learn this:

“chaste” is used of Christ: “Even as He is pure” (1John3:3)
“meek” the same word is used of Christ: “thy king cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass…” (Matt21:5)
“Holy” is the very person of Christ:
1. “The Holy one of God” (Mk1:24)
2. “Thine Holy One” (Ps16; Acts2:27; 13:35)
3. “Ye denied the Holy One and the Just” (Acts3:14)
4. “That Holy thing” (Luke1:35) – ‘thing’ not in the Greek lit. “That Holy” – used as a noun here.
5. “He that is Holy” (Rev3:7)
6. “Holy, Holy, Holy” (Rev4:8)

What is happening in this home? This woman has been saved, and she’s bringing Christ into this home! In purity (v2), in meekness (v4) and quietness (v4), in holiness (v5) and in subjection (v5).

In so doing she is so different from what is found in the world (v3) – the outward, the external and the corruptible!

This can only be done in the power of the sanctuary!

Carrying a fragrance of Christ from feeding on Christ and being founded upon Christ and now displaying the features of Christ!

This is a battle won without a word being spoken (v1).

Remarkable for in 1 Peter we are brought to the power of the word (1:23) – revealed to the prophets (1:10); preached to the world (1:25) and believed on to salvation (1:23).

Here is a woman and she is in a home with a husband who doesn’t read his bible he reads her!

Marked by purity of life (v2)

It is this change in life that will make the biggest impact in the life of her husband!

One verse for the husbands (v7):

“Heirs together” – the word in the NT always anticipates a heavenly or spiritual inheritance – where we began our epistle with the believers inheritance.
“Grace of life” – The Grace which is life.

Where our section begins so too it ends: with the woman bringing Christ into the marriage and a marriage now brought into Christ.

Here we have a man and a woman together anticipating their inheritance together and ensuring that nothing spoils their enjoyment of Christ together!

Click here to listen online to: 'bringing Chrst into your marriage'

www.newcumnock.org

1 Peter 2:18-25; Isa53:5-9; Judges16:27-30; 2Sam12:26-28 – ‘The Secret of Power’

2007-02-06T21:02:00.000Z

4 Spheres of Testimony / Responsibility:

Before Sinner (2:12)
Before Sovereign (2:13-17)
Servants before Masters (2:18-25)
Spouses before husband / wife (3:1-7)

4 Features of the believer:

Subjection (2:13;3:1)
Service (2:16,18)
Suffering (2:19-21)
Sanctification (2:11,12,22;3:2)

None of this is possible to the natural man, all must be lived out in the power of the sanctuary (2:1-11).

The path to power with me is by power with God: Jacob.

Why should it be that a believer marked by subjection, suffering, service and sanctification should have power?

Following the Pattern of Christ (2:21)
Depend upon the Power of Christ (2:23)
Draw men to the Person of Christ (2:25)

This is a testimony that God delights to bless!

Following the Pattern of Christ (2:21)

As the believer is marked by subjection, suffering, service and sanctification he is marked by the very features of Christ! Features brought out especially in Isaiah 53, the chapter which provides the backdrop to our section here in 1Peter2! By the features of the one who:

Became ‘subject’ to His earthly parents (Lk2:51)
Was Gods perfect servant: “By His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many…” (Isa53:11)
Was marked by suffering (Isa53:4-6)
Sanctification (Isa53:7) – He opened not His mouth (1Peter2:22).

Whilst there was that which was totally unique about Calvary; the redemptive sufferings of Christ there was also that which was set a pattern of service to follow; Mark 8:34.

Here is a believer doing the work of Christ, he is only going to do it in the power of Christ! This will mean nothing of himself: nothing of his own power, intelligence, ingenuity, ability, cunning, oratory, in fact every feature that the believer will display in the work of Christ will be a denial of self: suffering, sacrifice, service and sanctification!

Then we will be where Paul was in 2Co4:10: “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our life.”

For in the dying of the Lord Jesus there is the death of myself in sacrifice, service, suffering and sanctification, in the death of myself in these ways Christ becomes free to work in my life.

These are just the conditions in my life that God will bless!

What do you mean by that?

God is interested in 1 thing, interested in bringing Glory to Christ (Eph1:12; 2Thess1:10; Gal1:5; 6:14).

Let’s just say there’s a believer following the pattern of Christ in sacrifice, service, subjection and suffering and let’s just say a soul gets saved! To whose glory will that be?

If I come up with a great method of getting folks saved and into heaven, and if I managed to get a few folk into heaven by my method, that would be to my Glory!

Gods method is the life of Christ lived out in the life of the believer.

This is why it is so powerful, every soul reached by this method is reached by the life of Christ! Every soul reached is to the glory of Christ!

This is the kind of testimony that God loved to bless!

God cannot but help to bless it! Nothing can hold back the blessing!

“If God be glorified in Him, God shall also be glorify Him in Himself.” (John13:32).

We’re placing ourselves into the hands of God for the Glory of Christ!

Depend upon the Power of Christ (2:23)

As we relinquish our own power we cast ourselves upon Divine power.

This is no new truth! This has always been the path to victory:

How were 3,000,000 brought out of Egypt? By a shepherd taken from the backside of the desert, and under the blood of a lamb! How are you going to get us out of slavery? Away from the hands of Pharaoh? ‘Take a little lamb on the 10^th January, put him in your back garden till the 14^th January, kill him, roast him, eat him, take the blood and splatter it on the door’! Eh?You can just hear them – ‘Is this guy for real?’
And once they were out of Egypt and into the promised land and they came up against Jericho, Joshua tells them: 7 days walk in circles around the city, on the 7^th day blow trumpets, the walls will fall down, you can here the sceptics, the cynics: ‘Aye very good,’ aye and those walls fell down, for the power lay in God! The ark was in the midst!
Come to riding the nation of the Midianites (Judges7:2), from an army of an initial 32,000 God whittles it down to just 300 with Gideon. Out they go against the Midianites, a lamp, a pitcher and a tute-ta-tute trumpet!

We need to learn that God doesn’t need me, O need Him!

So too does Christ rest upon the power of His God! Christ commits Himself to Him that judges righteously (2:23).

We have a great example of that in the days of Samson:

The end of his own strength
At his weakest
Finally learns that true power lies with God, he commits his life and the judgement of the case into the hands of God (Judges16:28-30).
This is his greatest victory (16:30) for a man who all of his life relied upon himself!
This is the first tim ein his life we come across the word pray! A real sense of dependence upon his God!

Draw men to the Person of Christ (2:25)

As we live out the Pattern of Christ and in the Power of Christ, and as a man or woman is drawn by the Spirit, really they are drawn to the Person of Christ!

“I must decrease, He must increase” we simply point to Christ as John the Baptist did: “behold the lamb of God….”

Where were these lessons learned?

Following the Pattern of Christ – learned in the sanctuary feeding upon Christ (2:1-4)
Depend upon the Power of Christ – learned in the sanctuary resting on the stone (2:4-8)
Draw men to the Person of Christ – learned in the sanctuary as we carry a fragrance of Christ!

Click here to listen online to: 'The Secret of Power'

www.newcumnock.org

Isa55:11; 2Co2:15-16;1Peter Chp2 Vs 11-17 – ‘The Beautiful Life’

2007-01-30T20:58:00.000Z

The Power behind the Beautiful Life (2:1-10):

Revival comes, Gods blessing comes when God has His rightful place amongst His people, when there is a putting away of all false Gods, all distractions, and a whole hearted turning to Christ in faith. Communion is re-established between heaven and earth, between man and God. Such was the case in 1 Samuel Chps6 & 7 and 1 Kings chp18:31.

Gods rightful place today amongst His people is not in a field (1Sam6), nor in a tent nor in a temple but it is in our hearts (Eph3).

In this section we are confronted with the tremendous opportunities which come to us everyday in testimony for Christ.

We notice that these opportunities to testify to Christ are not specially constructed for the purpose, not some special event for evangelism but these are the every day events of ordinary lives, opportunities to testify before:

The Sinner (2:12)
The Sovereign (2:13-17)
as Servants before masters (2:18-20)
as Spouses before husband or wife (3:1-7)

One of the great practical errors of the past 30 years is that we have come to regard evangelism in particular and testimony in general as being somehow distinct form everyday life, we now suffer the consequences of that!

So if you think that evangelism / testimony is all about meetings – 1 Peter 2 ought to cause us to think again!

These opportunities for testimony are the opportunities of every day life!

You say: ‘I’m not so sure that I see anything in this section about testimony. Is it not just all about how to live a Christian life in the society in which we are?’

Notice the:

The Purpose in living out Christ is to bear testimony to Christ (v12)
The Prayerful desire for living out Christ is to see souls saved (3:1-2)

This section on practical Christian living is all about testimony.

My manner of life must in every sphere and in every place and throughout all of my life, it must commend the gospel of Christ.

The real opportunities for sharing Christ aren’t the ones created for the purpose but for the most part they are the every day opportunities God gives!

If we are not feeding upon Christ, not founded upon Christ and not carrying a fragrance of Christ then we will miss every opportunity that every day brings for Him, we will be unprepared with nothing of Christ to bring to the unsaved.

The most effective testimony and evangelism that we read of in any NT assembly after Pentecost is surely that of the Thessalonians.

There we saw that evangelism consisted of 2 things:

What we say and preach about Christ (1Thess1:8)
How we live out Christ (1Thess1:9-10)

The gospel may consist of the preaching of Christ but testimony and evangelism consists of both life and lip being together in harmony.

There is no way of circumventing this, of believing that I can be one thing in every day life and another in the assembly, on the platform, the reality of Christ must over arch every aspect of my Living for God.

These 4 features of Christ: submission, service, sacrifice and sanctification will be utterly impossible to live out in these 4 spheres of service except it be for the power of the indwelling presence of Christ in my life.

The out living of these 4 features of Christ will be utterly impossible for the unregenerate man and will hardly be fulfilled in the life of the believer at a distance from God!

These 4 features of Christ will only be fulfilled when Christ is given His rightful place deep within the inner recesses of my being, when He dwells within my heart by faith (Eph3:17), with Christ deeply “rooted” and “grounded” within my soul.

These 4 features of submission, sacrifice, service and sanctification are only possible for the man or woman living in the power of 2:1-10: feeding upon Christ, founded upon Christ and carrying a fragrance of Christ!

The power for testimony lies in the inner relationship with Christ, Christ deep within my heart.

Do you desire power with men? Power in testimony? Well you can’t have it, you’ll never have it till you have power with God. This was the great discovery Jacob made in Gen32. A man who had schemed and connived all of his live to get what he wanted. Now he was having to face up to the past. Surely God forgives the past? So he does but a man who is saved is a man who will face up to the past and put it right where he can and acknowledge his faults where he can’t – that is the Zaccheus principle!

There he is in Gen 32 having to face up to Esau! He wants power with men (Gen32:11)! At the brook Jabbok he will gain power with men but he will learn this that power with men only comes after power with God!

At Peniel he will gain a deep experience of God in his life, marked by:

A New Honesty in the Presence of God (32:27)

“What is thy name?” – honesty about the past; (Gen27:18,24), God takes him back to his sin, an echo from the bed of Isaac, wher he had a 50/50 chance of getting the answer right and all of those years ago he got it wrong!

He worked on the premise that if you want a blessing then you steal it and if your old father happens to be blind then all the better it makes it even easier!

Here’s a blessing but he will not obtain it on the basis of dishonesty but rather only on the foundation of complete and utter honesty with God!

There are no short cuts here to blessing, no round about routes, blessing from God will only be upon the basis of what he actually is before God.

There are no short cuts to blessing from God, charismatic nor otherwise! Absolute honesty before God about my past failure and my present sin and my absolute need of Him, no pretending.

There will be no power with God before there is utter honesty about our sin. No deception and no detours.

A New Earnestness in Laying Hold of God (32:26)

He had met God before at Bethel

Raised a pillar, anointed it and then walked away from the Divine presence with these words: “If God will be with me…” (28:20)

God gives him here a second opportunity to lay hold upon Him and this time there is no: “if God will be with me…” no conditions and no departure.

This is now “I will not let thee go…” (Gen32:26), he will not leave without the blessing of God. Through the trial and the testing he lays hold on God and refuses to walk away in the opposite direction.

A New Power with God (32:28)

Jacob had prayed for power with men (32:11), facing up to the past.

There is no power with men till there is power with God (32:28)

I will only be before men spiritually what I am before God

A New Walk with God (32:31)

This experience affected the rest of his life and his whole walk before God and men thereafter. Couldn’t have that kind of experience of God and just live the same as everyone else!

The Purpose of the Beautiful Life (2:12):

Any testimony, lived out in the power of Christ will never prove ineffective (1Peter2:12), “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isa55:11).

We notice that vs12 gives us the reason for the beautiful life: “conversation” = behaviour, “honest” = beautiful

I emphasise this at the beginning for however we interpret this verse the interpretation must make sense as a reason for the beautiful life, for that is precisely what the Spirit of God sets before us in this verse: “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas….”

I emphasise this because over the years some have come to this verse and interpreted it in a way which does not do justice to the verse, they end up with an interpretation which really does not provide a reason for the beautiful life at all!

Some would say you are to have your life beautiful amongst the gentiles so that some will get saved!

Now apart from there being no mention of anyone getting saved in verse 12, if this were the sole and real reason for the beautiful life then most of the beautiful life would be for no reason at all!

For I have to face up to this that most of my testimony for Christ in this world, in submission, service, sacrifice and sanctification will not result in anyone coming to Christ as their Saviour! Some of it will but most of the sinners I come in contact with and who see the beautiful life will reject it! You recall how many saw the beautiful life of Christ in His ministry, on one occasion a crowd of over 20,000 – 5,000 men and women and children and yet how many did he leave in the upper room – 12! Says Isaiah of the response to His beautiful life, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not,” (Isa53:3). Such is as a whole the fate of the beautiful life.

Sadly most testimony will not result in someone being saved!

If we see the reason for the beautiful life as seeing someone saved then we will have to conclude that most testimony has no real reason at all!

If in this verse we have a reason for the beautiful life then that reason cannot be dependant upon mans acceptance or rejection of it!

The reason given for the beautiful life is: “they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Some say that we can only glorify God if we are saved. It is certainly true that the salvation of souls is ultimately for the Glory of God: 1Thess1:10,12; Eph1:12; 3:21. Gods purpose in salvation is indeed to glorify Christ!

We must also acknowledge that God is not only glorified in the exercise of His saving Grace but God is also glorified in the exercise of His righteous judgment: 1Sam6:5; Joshua 7:19, on these occasions we find sinners compelled to acknowledge that Gods condemnation and judgment upon them is righteous – thus bringing Glory to God. In other words if my testimony is used by God to the salvation of a soul this brings Glory to God – a souls is saved by Gods Grace in Christ for eternity and Christ is glorified! If however testimony is faithfully born to Christ and it is witnessed and rejected by a sinner this too is to the Glory of God.

How does that work? There’s a soul at the Judgment of the Great White throne, the books are opened and the sinner is judged according to his works, amongst those works will be the rejection of Christ, ah you say he never met Christ, he never witnessed Christ, he never rejected Christ, never in a gospel meeting, you say God can judge him for his sin but surely not for his rejection of Christ? That sinner worked beside you, lived next door to you, lived in your home, spoke with you in the streets of New Cumnock! You see what I’m getting at? That sinner rejected Christ in you! Every time you spoke of Christ there was something that repelled him, made him turn away! As he observed the Christian life he wasn’t attracted to it he saw it as something foreign, strange and undesirable!

You see testimony either brings Glory to Christ in the salvation of a soul or it brings Glory to Christ in proving the fairness and the righteousness of Gods condemnation of the sinner!

That of course only applies to faithful testimony, lived out in the power of Christ before men.

The testimony of the believer has a two fold and solemn purpose: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: ¹⁶To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2Co2:15-16).

All of this will come to pass “in the day of visitation” (2:12).

Peter seems here to be looking forward to one great future day which will enfold all men, or at least all sinners.

That day of “visitation” is only used twice in the NT: Luke 19:44; 1:68 of the visitation of God in salvation, but the Greek word appears frequently in the LXX: Job10:12; Isa10:3; Jer11:23; 51:18, where it is used frequently of judgment. Why the difference? The idea of visitation is that of the intervention of God, and it will depend on wither or not God is intervening for salvation or for judgment as to precisely what sense the idea of visitation takes.

Here in 1Peter2:12 men await “the day of visitation,” not an individual day of visitation but this appears to be a single collective day of visitation, I would suggest that since God has already visited in the past with salvation in the advent of Christ: Luke 19:44; 1:68 that this visitation of God looks forward to the next advent of Christ, to His coming in power and Glory to judge the world (2Thess1:5-10).

For in all testimony we are: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: ¹⁶To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2Co2:15-16) – our testimony you will notice is unto God and it is effective both in those who are saved as well as in those who perish.

Faithful testimony to Christ has a 2 fold purpose: that God might be righteous in saving the sinner and that Gods righteousness may be seen in condemning the sinner, that Gods judgment might be seen to be just.

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1 Sam6:13-18; Eph3:14-18; 1Peter2:11-25 – ‘Christ Within Christ Without’

2007-01-23T20:57:00.000Z

In every day and generation God has desired His proper place amongst His people:

Days of Moses He dwelt in the Holiest of Holies, over the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant in the midst of His people, the tribes camped around the tent of His Presence.

At the beginning of a period in the history of the nation of Israel marked by revival, days which marked the end of departure and decline and which heralded victory for the people of God under the guidance of a godly Samuel, the event which marked the revival in the fortunes of Gods people was the return of the Ark, of the presence of God, there linked with 2 names: Joshua (1Sam6:18) and Bethshemesh (House of the Sun). There the presence of God linked with those names heralded a mighty revival amongst Gods people (1Sam7), here was a foretaste of heaven (Rev21:22,23) for heaven indeed is the place of the presence of God, the presence of Christ, of the Lamb in the House of the Sun! It is when God has His rightful place amongst His people that revival comes!

In this present day the place that God desires is not in a tabernacle, nor in a field but in the lives and in the hearts of the believer!

This is the apostles prayer in Eph3: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.”

You may think that a strange prayer for you may recall that the same apostle in Roms 8:9 wrote: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his… if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Why indeed does Paul pray for what we already have? In Rom 8:9 when Paul tells us that the Spirit of Christ ‘dwells’ in us he uses the word: “oikeō” but in Eph 3:17 he uses the word ‘katoikeō’ – a deeper word. Perhaps we get a hint of the difference in meaning between the 2 when we notice that in Eph3:17 this is a dwelling rooted and grounded deep in the “heart” whereas in Rom 8 that dwelling is linked not so much with our heart but with our body “quicken your mortal bodies.” Paul prays not simply that Christ may be present in our bodies – which He is but rather that He may dwell deeply in our heart.

I would like us to notice this, that it is always the power of the presence of Christ in our life that brings the testimony of Christ with power to the world,

My testimony of Christ will only be as effective as my experience of Christ in my life!

Miss this and we miss any opportunity to be truly effective in testimony for Christ.

We will only be to men what we ought to be if Christ is to me what He ought to be.

So it is in 1 Peter 2, the background to this section on practical Christian living and testimony lies in our 3 fold relationship to Christ in 2:1-11, the power of testimony flows from the sanctuary! It is only as I am:

Feeding On Christ (2:2-3)
Founded Upon Christ (2:4-8)
Carrying a Fragrance of Christ (2:9)

That we can be truly effective for Christ.

For if you examine the consistent features of this testimony a very interesting pattern begins to emerge: wether it be our testimony amongst:

Sinners (2:12)
Sovereign (2:13-17)
As Servants before our masters (2:18-21)
As Spouses before husband or wife (3:1-7)

The features of effective testimony are the same:

Submission (v13, 18, 3:1)
Suffering (2:19-21)
Service (2:18)
Sanctification (Holiness) – (2:11,12,15,20-22,3:4)

These are strange features of effective testimony! What about power evangelism? What about organisation? What about methods? What about music? What about numbers? What about literature? Surely there is no power in submission, in suffering, in service and in sanctification? If there is no power in these things then there is no power in Calvary! For these are the features of Christ (Phil 2)! These are the very marks of Calvary!

You see the believer who is: feeding On Christ (2:2-3), founded Upon Christ (2:4-8), who is Carrying a fragrance of Christ (2:9) is now marked by the features of Christ!

With the features of the one who became ‘subject’ to His earthly parents (Luke2:51) – same word used, the one to whom all things were made ‘subject’ (1Co15:27,28; Heb2:8; 1Peter3:22), the one whose life and death were a path of ‘suffering’ (2:21) and of ‘sacrifice’ and marked in all things by total holiness and sanctification (2:21,22).

Power does not lie in routines, nor regulations, nor rules nor meetings power lies in Christ! Those who live out this life in 1 Peter 2 are those fresh from the sanctuary: feeding on Christ, founded on Christ and carrying a fragrance of Christ!

Is there power in that? Let the ungodly answer! “These that have turned the world upside down.” (Acts17:6). Not human power – that’s not sufficient for my need – this is Divine Power!

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1 Peter Chp2 Vs18 to 25 – ‘The Problem of Suffering’

2006-12-20T21:05:00.000Z

The Call to Suffering (2:21)

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (1Peter2:21).
In what sense are we called to suffer? This is hardly the final purpose of the Christian life! The purpose of the Christian life lies in:

Relationship with Christ (Eph1:5)
Resemblance to Christ (Rom8:29)

In what sense can my ‘calling’ be seen as a calling to suffer? Surely not that suffering is the end of my election and calling, rather suffering patiently is our calling in so far as it conforms us to the character and person of Christ, our character becomes that of His character and the good of our calling is fulfilled, conformed to the image of Christ: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: ²²Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” (1Peter2:21-23), patience and dependence upon God are 2 Christ like features that come from sharing with Christ in His sufferings.
Patience - can only be learned within the context of imperfection, it is the perfect response of the soul to disappointment, failure and suffering.
Dependance – is only possible after the surrender of independence when self finally relinquishes sovereignty of the soul to God. The pride of human nature is such that this will only happen when finally the resources of personality and intellect are finally overwhelmed by the mounting up of uncopeable problems.
Patience and dependence upon God were exhibited by Christ in His sufferings (1Pet2:23), for as they are taught to us and given to us by the Holy Spirit during suffering.

The Consequence of Suffering (2:25)

Gods Purpose in Suffering:

Amongst Gods works in suffering we could recognise:

Christs unique expiatory sufferings (1Peter3:18): “for sin”

Christs unique substitutionary sufferings (1Peter4:1): “for us”

Judicial Sufferings – Gods condemnatory judgement brings in suffering in the form of punishment directly because of sin (Gen3:8; 18:20-23; 19; Acts5; Rom1:24, 26, 28). Such suffering is really punishment, it is the outpouring of Divine wrath.

Disciplinary Sufferings – chastening, designed to bring about a change, a transformation in the character by Gods disciplining Grace (Heb12:11).

This differs from Gods Judicial sufferings which are purely retributive and are not designed to bring about change in character.
These sufferings are in a sense permitted by God in His sovereign counsels as a ‘cure’ for sin; cf. Israel and their Babylonian captivity – cured of idolatry, 1Peter4:1; Heb 12:11.
They may show us the true nature and consequence of sin and act to stop us from further sin (1Peter4:1). To suffer in the flesh as a result of sin ‘cures’ us, ‘immunises’ us from the desire to participate in that sin.
Such disciplinary sufferings develop in us spiritual character, such as:

Righteousness (1Pet 2:20)
Faith (2Thess 1:3; 1Peter1:7)
Love (2Thess1:3; 1Pet1:8, 2:20)
Endurance (2Thess1:4) – endurance through tribulation is, “a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God.”

Consider also: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; ⁴And patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Rom5:3-5).
They may reveal to us the true character and nature of sin and the world around us and so bring about and confirm separation and consecration from the world, cf. Abraham as he looks upon the desolation of Sodom (Gen19:28).
Gods righteousness demands such sufferings! Take for example: a woman suffering with Tennis elbow, she is experiencing pain up and down the arm, keeping her awake at night, but there is a cure – a steroid injection into the elbow - the injection will be painful – ‘whatever it takes, I just want rid of this pain.’ It would have been unfair and unkind to withhold the treatment just because it was temporarily unpleasant!
God is compelled by His Righteousness and by His Love to act in this way because:

“no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” (Ps84:11)

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. ⁷If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” (Heb12:6,7)

Can God righteously withhold the treatment for our sin, for a fatal illness simply because that treatment is unpleasant? If this is the means by which sin might be removed from our character, then no matter how unpleasant Gods righteousness and Gods love must require that the treatment be administered.

Consecratory Sufferings - sufferings designed to separate us from the world and separate us to Christ.
1. Consier the example of a child who comes close to and touches a hot cooker / fire, he burns his finger, then he experiences pain and suffering, this is obviously a bad thing, yet within a day or so it becomes clear that the burn is only superficial, no permenant damage had been done. As soon as the pain came, the child withdrew from the fire and the damage stopped! It was the pain that saved his hand! Not only that but never again will he touch the hot fire deliberately:

The pain preserved his limb

The pain changed his behaviour.

In a world in which we so often draw close to that which would harm us, suffering ministers to us:

Preservation – we withdraw from the suffering and the sin.

Separation – we keep away from that which brings suffering.

Such a ministry of suffering is permitted by the grace of God as He permits us to taste of the bitterness of sin and the world lest we eat the poisoned fruits of it which would destroy us.

Consider the persecution of the believers at Thessalonica which resulted in their separation from the synagogue (Acts17).
Gods righteousness is again revealed in this, for would God be righteous to leave us still dabbling in sin and still compromised with the sinner, knowing that there was a cure.
We can see here too how God ‘respects’ the autonomy of the believer, he respects the will he gave man and the likeness to Himself in man. In demonstrating to us what the world is we are empowered to keep away from it (Heb13:12ff).
Suffering often prompts a battle in the life of the believer against external sin; against Satan, against persecution, against the flesh, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” (Heb12:4). Such a war begun by suffering and persecution is really a war against the cause of suffering, which is sin, such a battle if it gets a grip in the life of the Christian will begin to judge and purge out that sin within which is causing suffering so clearly without. Suffering at the hands of the gentiles separates or immunises us from the way of the gentiles, “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.” (1Peter4:3). Consider also the way that Israel was purged of the sin of idolatry.

Reconciliatory Sufferings – ie. sufferings designed to win our hearts and draw us back to God
1. “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses” (Ps107:6, 13, 19, 28).
2. Consider Peter walking on the water, he did well for so long but then when his faith wavered the Lord allowed him to sink that he might cry “Lord save me” (Matt14:30)

Restraining sufferings – Sufferings which God decrees for the limitation or curtailment of sin (Gen3:16, 17-19; 3:22) – toil and pain and death.

Preparatory sufferings – Sufferings which God allows into our lives as preparation for His Power to be seen:

John 9:3 “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”
John11:4 “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”
Psalm113:7 “⁷He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; ⁸That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. ⁹He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.”

Such sufferings are ultimately for our blessing and for His Glory.

These are sufferings which have a purpose in mind, that of His Glory and of our good!

The Cause of Suffering (2:21-24)

The Presence of Good in an Evil World

Of this we can be sure:

Suffering came in with sin in Genesis Chp 3.
When sin is removed, suffering will be removed (Rev21:4).
The whole history of fallen humanity between Gen 3 and Rev 21 is marked by suffering

Little surprise then that in John 9, the disciples turned to the Lord, looking at the blind man asked: “Who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind?” (Jo9:2).

The link between sin and suffering is not simple or straight forward however.

For most of our lives that link is broken by the intervention of Divine Grace and by Divine longsuffering:

“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities,” (Ps103:10).

That becomes apparent when for example we consider:

The first commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3).
The Divine expectation which flows from this commandment is verbalised in Psalm 113:3: “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.”
Consider Gods righteous verdict on those who fall short of such standards: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezek18:20).

Suffering only breaks into our lives in a carefully controlled and deliberate fashion, controlled by the sovereign will of God.

In Gods time and for Gods reasons and in Gods plan our lives approach down towards that level of contact with the consequences of our fallen state which we call suffering.

For most of the time by grace and by mercy we live above that level:

“For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts17:28)
“Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?” (Job1:10)
Consider the restraining work of the Holy Spirit (2Thess2:6-8) in restraining evil and holding back the fullness of sin and iniquity.
“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” (Ps103:10)
“That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. ²⁹Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. ³⁰Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. “ (Ps104:28)
“⁸Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! ⁹For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” (Ps107:8)
“²³Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. ²⁴Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” (Ps73:23).
Like Peter we are in reality walking on the water, an unnatural position maintained by the grace of God, by the ministry of Christ, at times when given over to ourselves we begin to sink.

The question asked by the disciples is very interesting, sometimes it is regarded as having come from naïve and unlearned men, but if we take it as coming form the mouths of sincere believers, from intelligent and not from ignorant men, not of carnal but of spiritual men, then perhaps we get the true sense of that question.

This question is not really a question coming from the lips of naïve believers at all but rather it is a genuine expression of their perplexity, it is a question that hits at the very heart of the problem of suffering, it hits at the heart of the greatest issue which faces the believer confronted with the issue of suffering:

‘How can God be righteous and yet permit suffering?’

For if we try and answer this question as it was asked in John9:2 (the Lord of course doesn’t), we reveal the state of confusion and perplexity in the minds of the disciples as they considered the problem of suffering:

If suffering is due to sin, and this man is suffering then it is because he sinned, yet his suffering has been since birth before he could do either good or evil, so if he is suffering is for his sin then does that make God unrighteous?
If his suffering is from birth and is due to sin could it then be due to the sin of his parents, since he had committed no acts of sin? If this is the case then the child is suffering for the sins of another. Does this make God unrighteous?

The problem then facing the believer dealing with this problem of sin is one of heads I win, tails you lose.

The means by which Christ deals with this apparently unsolvable problem is to introduce a completely new perspective to suffering.

This is of course a very important lesson, in dealing with suffering and with many other deep and difficult questions of the Gods Word and Gods Providence, always bear in mind, when you can’t make any sense out of the facts that you may not be in possession of all of the facts!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa55:8)

There is in much of Gods dealings with us through suffering an inscrutability in Divine purpose.

Concerning His own act of humility and service the Saviour could say: “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” (Jo13:7), a truth which we can perhaps apply during times when we ourselves have been humbled.

The greatest challenge we meet when we examine the subject of suffering is that challenge we encounter to the righteousness of God.

Paradoxically we shall see that the solution to many of the problems which we encounter when we examine the great subject of suffering will also be found by an appeal to the righteousness of God.

The righteousness of God demands that for a fallen humanity suffering continues to be part and parcel of the experience of Saint and Sinner alike.

Suffering is the means and not the end of Gods dealings with His creature in this present Day of Grace, in a future Day, in the Day of His Wrath, ushering in the final judgment of the Great White Throne, suffering will no longer be a means but it will become an end in itself!

In the present Day, suffering has many ends and causes but in the life of the believer it is always the backdrop against which God works, it is the setting for the outworking of Divine Purpose.

So often the words of the Lord in John 9 could be applied to our own experience of suffering: “That the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John9:2).

Gods Activity in Suffering:

Does God Cause Suffering?

When suffering is absent it is because God actively intervenes in a fallen world to prevent and stop suffering:

“Hast thou made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side?” (Job1:10)

Gods Spirit is active in the world in restraining grace:

“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2Thess2:6,7).

Man went into league with Satan in Genesis 3, man put his trust in Satan rather than God, the consequences of this await their fulfilment in the future, currently they are restrained by Gods Spirit.

Gods restraining grace prevents sin and prevents suffering, when it is withdrawn the natural, inevitable consequences of sin ensue:

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:” (Rom1:24)

^“²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.” (Rom1:26)

^“²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” (Rom1:28)

Note the suffering that ensues because of the sins of Romans chapter 1, these are sufferings which transpire not because God caused them but rather they come about because of sin, subsequent to the withdrawal of Divine restraint:

Illicit sexual activity (1:27)
Unrighteousness (1:29)
Fornication (1:29)– broken relationships and broken homes
Wickedness (1:29)
Covetousness (1:29)
Maliciousness (1:29)
Murder (1:29)
Deceit (1:29)

Consider also Ps104:29, “thou hidest thy face, they are troubled.”

Consider also Gen 6:3, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.” – God is under no obligation to continually strive with man.

Is Suffering Caused by Evil?

Ultimately suffering only exists because of sin:

Suffering came in with sin in Genesis Chp 3.
When sin is removed, suffering will be removed (Rev21:4).
The whole history of fallen humanity between Gen 3 and Rev 21 is marked by suffering

But suffering paradoxically has as much to do with good as it does with evil!

If there was no grace, no righteousness and no good there would also be no suffering.

Gods grace and longsuffering prevents the immediate destruction of sinful man by Divine judgement and Gods restraining Spirit in the world prevents mans rapid destruction by his own sin, as will partially occur in the Day of Tribulation.

It is the fact that good also exists in the world that gives sin and thus suffering its opportunity to act. It is normally the soft target, the weak, the meek, the innocent and the defenceless that sin and sinners take opportunity to attack. Consider the attacks recently in schools against unarmed school children: the Colombian High School massacre, the 5 girls murdered in the Amish school at Nickel mines, the Dunblane murders, the murders by Chechen terrorists in Georgia Russia. These people don’t pick army bases to shot people, they pick school children. It is the presence of good that gives sin its target for attack.

Before he murdered 5 girls in the Amish school in Nickel Mines, there murderer Charles Roberts wrote this to his wife:

“I am filled with so much hate, hate towards myself, hate towards God and unimaginable emptiness…”

In response to that hate he vented it at that which was closest to good and to virtue.

It is the presence of life that makes death possible

It is the presence of happiness that makes sadness meaningful

It is the presence of joy that renders grief a possibility

It is only because there is still in the world and in the believer something of the goodness and grace of God that suffering has a substrate upon which to work.

Sin and Satan and Suffering attacks the character and nature of God in the world and in the believer, its goal is to overthrow and expel God and the believer form this world:

“Egypt was glad when they departed for the fear of them fell upon them.” (Ps105:38)

Suffering is so often the pain felt by good as it is expelled from a lost and hostile world.

The Consolation to the Christian in Sufferings (2:20-21)

Christ suffered for us (2:21,24) and we suffer for Christ (2:20-21)

Corporate Sufferings (Col1:24) – sufferings which are ours because of our link with Christ.

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” (Col1:24). As part of His Body, such sufferings are on behalf of Christ and in such sufferings Christ suffers with us.
Such sufferings are to some extent spiritually inevitable since we are “in the world and not of the world” and the world vents its hatred of Christ upon us; “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” (Jo15:18-19),
“²⁹But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. ³⁰Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. ³¹So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” (Gal 4:29-31). Such sufferings are in essence persecutory in nature.
“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1Peter4:13) – as a partaker of Christs sufferings, those sufferings directed at Him and thus suffered by His body, we have the privilege (Col1:24) of suffering for Him and the prospect of sharing with Him in Glory as we have shared with Him in His sufferings. Again Gods Righteousness demands no less.
It is these corporate sufferings which Peter envisages as being the main reason for suffering in the life of any spiritual believer (1Peter3:17).

The Fellowship of Suffering

In suffering for Christ there is fellowship with Christ.

This demonstrates Gods sincerity.

Surely the greatest evidence of Gods sincerity in our suffering is His presence with us in that suffering.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isa41:10)

“Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. ²⁴Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” (Ps73:23)

“Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.” (Ps66:12).

Not only is Christ present with us in those sufferings but He participates with us in those sufferings, He Himself shares those sufferings with us.

Consider the present ministry of Christ: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb4:15).

Since Christ is ‘with us’ and ‘in us,’ since Christ is intimately connected with His Saints, then as we suffer, Christ suffers with us.

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” (Col1:24) – the sympathetic sufferings of Christ.

“Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me?” (Acts9:4)

“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Phil1:29)

“For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” (2Co1:5)

“In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” (Isa63:9)

It is surely this truth above all else that brings true eternal and abiding meaning to the sufferings of believers, that as I suffer for Christ, He also suffers with me.

It is surely this above all else that establishes Divine sincerity in suffering, that suffering impacts upon the Lord Himself.

Arthur G Patzia: NIBC p41: ‘The afflictions of the church are also Christs afflictions. Pauls suffering for the Church completes Christs personal suffering.’

Cutis Vaughan: Expositors Bible Commentary: ‘The union is so intimate, Christ the Head, His people the body, that He suffers when they suffer (cf. Isa63:9). His personal sufferings are over, but His sufferings in His people continue (2Co1:5; Phil3:10)…’

Tom Bentley on Col1:24 in ‘What the Bible Teaches’: ‘They are sufferings which Christ experiences because of our union with Him. He suffers in us. It was this that transformed the sufferings which Paul experienced when he viewed them in the light of His union with Christ.’

Consider the practical example of John11:35, “Jesus Wept.”

The Character of God in Suffering (2:23)

Gods Righteousness in Suffering:

God is Righteous because men are Unrighteous:

The greatest challenge that seems to come from considering the subject of human suffering is that which is made to the righteousness of God.

How can a righteous God permit sufferings?

It is wise to examine the reasoning which lie behind such an accusation:

Sufferings are bad
I’m basically good
Therefore I don’t deserve bad things.

Most of the problem which comes when we consider the problem of suffering comes because our reasoning is faulty.

Towards the end of his life Adolf Hitler suffered, mental stress, possibly a nervous breakdown, he required drugs to just keep going, he committed suicide and then his body was burned. I have never heard anyone say, how tragic it was that he suffered. Most of us would say he got off lightly!

Our first and perhaps greatest problem in coming to an understanding of suffering lies in this that suffering is unfair, because it is undeserved, based upon the premise of my own personal righteousness, or upon the premise of the righteousness of another.

You will recall that it was with an appeal to the righteousness of men that Abraham attempted to halt the wrath of God upon Sodom (Gen18:24).

An appeal to the righteousness of men as undeserving of suffering is however a non-starter!

Sodom and Gomorrah were examined for 10 righteous men, in the event 4 were rescued from Sodom, 1 changed there mind and looked back and the other 3, the chosen best out of the 2 great cities of Sodom and Gomorrah promptly committed fornication and incest!

Don’t try and convince God that men are undeserving of suffering, quite frankly He won’t believe you!

To appreciate this truth we must grasp the anger of a righteous God against sin, that Gods revulsion against sins we regard as light or trivial is as great, if not greater than our revulsion against the sins of the flesh:

The retribution we feel is justified for murder (Matt5:21) Gods holiness demands for slander (Matt5:22).
The sin we see in the act of adultery (Matt5:27) God sees in the thoughts of adultery (Matt5:28).
A lustful look justifies the plucking out of the eye (Matt5:29)
A Sinful act justifies the amputation of the hand (Matt5:30)

“And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this.” (Ezra 9:13).

The final and ultimate presentation of Gods wrath and attitude to sin is revealed in hell and the lake of fire, here is the seriousness of sin.

An interesting question arises here, bearing in mind what subsequently happened with those 3 who were rescued, which gave rise to the emergence of 2 nations: the Ammonites and the Moabites, noted for their cruelty, fornication, idolatry and opposition and persecution to the people of God, would God have been righteous in blotting them out, back there in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? Is God obliged to prove His reasons for judgement? Is God obliged to allow men to work out the fullness of their sin in time to demonstrate that He is justified in His dealings?

Were 2 ungodly nations formed because Abraham went soft on sin?:

“And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.” (Gen19:29)

Perhaps there is a lesson here, let us not question Gods righteous dealings with sinful men.

If God intervenes in human history to blot out sin before it happens, God is righteous in so doing.

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. ⁹He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. ¹⁰He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” (Ps103:8-10)

God is Righteous because Suffering must Accompany Sin:

If we agree that man is a sinner then this effectively answers the question as to why there is suffering.

Sin brings suffering and corruption, “the bondage of corruption” (Rom8:21).

But surely God could put a stop to all suffering in the world.

God can put a stop to all suffering and God will put a stop to all suffering but God cannot put a stop to all suffering in a sinful world! Why? Because there are certain things God cannot do!

We are used with the idea that God can do everything and that there is nothing He cannot do:

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke1:37)

Integral to such a statement however is the admission that there is one thing which God cannot do, for if nothing is impossible with God then that means He cannot fail, He can be relied upon under any circumstance and He is dependable in any extreme of life! He cannot fail.

What we have deduced from Luke 1:37 the scriptures state in black and white:

“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” (Deut 31:8)

There are certain things He cannot do, in essence He cannot fail, as a consequence He cannot:

Lie – That would be moral failure and would render Him unreliable and undependable, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” (Titus1:2).
Die – the ultimate in failure, “but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail” (Heb1:12)
Deny – “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2Tim 2:13) – ie. He cannot move against or contra to His own essence.

This is very helpful when it comes to understand the present problem at hand.

Let us suppose God was to remove all suffering in a sinful world. The first and the greatest source of physical suffering that He would have to remove would be death, for that was the first and greatest source of suffering to come in when Adam sinned:

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen2:17)

Having removed death God would require to remove the curse which was placed upon man and the earth subsequent to sin, another great source of suffering:

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Gen3:16).

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen3:19)

Now let’s just look at what we would have if God removed suffering from a sinful world: God would just have produced a perfect breeding ground for a world of immortal sinners living in Edenic conditions, in a world where sustenance and food came with no effort and no difficulties.

That would not be heaven, that would be hell. It would be a world of Satans! Where all sins could be practised with impunity!

That may satisfy the conscience of corrupt and fallen man:

He could have as much lust as he wanted but never the unwanted children, the broken relationships, the diseased bodies.
He could have as much hatred as he wanted but never the ravages of war
He could have as much materialism as he wanted but never the poverty that goes with it.

But it would never satisfy the mind of a righteous God.

One of the first acts of God after the fall of man into sin was to bar access to the tree of life: “lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” (Gen3:22).

God cannot do such a thing for such an action would be to unrighteous, it would support and perpetuate sin for eternity.

Sin causes suffering and this suffering because it is ultimately failure, limits sin.

If sin were to be restricted infinitely in its effects, it could continue infinitely in its conception and activity.

To remove the effects of sin without removing sin itself is to create an infinite evil, but rather God has set bounds upon evil, beyond which “we cannot pass”.

What about that great area of suffering, that spiritual area of anguish and loneliness that came immediately upon Adams sin – separation from God

“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? ¹⁰And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Gen3:9,10)

Is God to overcome that area of suffering too by renewing fellowship with sinful and unregenerate man? Impossible!

There are only 2 ways consistent with Divine Righteousness by which God can put away suffering, that is:

To completely and utterly put a away man and his world in judgement
To redeem man from sin and to remove sin and wit it suffering

In grace God has chosen to do the second.

In a day yet future God will also do the first.

The link between sin and suffering is a link which God cannot break and maintain His rightesousness, He could not even break the link when it came to His Son:

“If it be possible let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not my will but thine be done.”

It was not possible for sin to be dealt without the suffering of Christ

If Christ was going to deal with sin He would have to suffer!

To purge sin without suffering and without Calvary would be to say that sin doesn’t really matter!

God is Righteous because Sin without Suffering would lead men to believe a lie:

For God to perpetuate a world where the connection between sin and suffering were completely removed would be to lead men to believe a lie, namely that they can sin with impunity, that sin isn’t really such a bad thing after all!

Such a teaching is a Satanic delusion.

Furthermore such a belief would ultimately lead men on a path of false security until ultimately entering into a lost eternity they find themselves in hell and finally faced with the terrible consequences of their sin which had been hitherto unrecognised!

To permit a world of sin but without the consequences of sin would be a sin for it would result in:

Infinite evil
Delusion leading to eternal destruction

Sin must bring suffering, it is an unbreakable law (1Peter3:18), which even Christ Himself must obey.

God is Righteous because all men are Condemned in Adam:

What about the suffering of the innocent?

“They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.” (Ps94:21)

We need to be careful though, for whilst we may be innocent of any particular sin yet within us all is a fallen human nature and a propensity to sin even sins which go to the extent of:

“And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.” (Ps106:38)

Even the offspring of sinners is contaminated with the principle of sin: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom5:12). If such corruption is present then death and suffering is a moral consequence.

Such ‘sin that we are’ is sufficient to condemn the whole offspring and the whole of the human race, “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” (Rom5:18).

All of Adams offspring stand condemned, they have within them the propensity to evil.

For a sinner to live requires the active exercise of Divine longsuffering:

“What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” (Rom9:22)

“Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.” (Ps119:17)

“And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!” (Gen17:18)

God is Righteous because Death is not the End:

Consider or example the special circumstance of the death of the ‘innocent’

This is not ignored in scripture: Matt2:16ff, not only a massacre recorded but a massacre prophesied (Jer31:15), children 2 years old and under, note they are linked to Bethlehem, linked to Christ, linked to Rachael.

It is of interest to note that amongst the resurrections of scripture half of them are of children, we have:

Jarius’ daughter (Luke8:41ff), aged 12, raised up by Christ
Widow of Nains son (Luke7:11ff) raised up by Christ, a “young man.”
Widow of Zarephaths son raised up by Elijah (1Kings17:19), he was small enough for the widow woman to hand him over to Elijah.
The Shunammite womans son raised up by Elisha (2Kings4) – small enough to sit on her knees (2Kings4:2).

Following the death of the son of David and Bathsheba, “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (2Sam12:23).

Is there in all of this the anticipation of the resurrection to life of those whose life has innocently been brought to an end?

Notice that of the remaining resurrections in the scripture we have:

Dorcas in Acts 9, she was a disciple, “full of good works and alms deeds” – she was a believer
Eutychus (Acts20:9), he appears to have been a “disciple” (Acts20:7)
Lazarus (John11), he was a believer, “He whom thou lovest is sick” (Jo11:3)

In addition to this there are the unspecified resurrections linked to the death and resurrection of Christ (Matt27:52-53), these were the bodies of , “the saints.”

There is only one other man who was raised from the dead and whose spiritual status is unknown, the man of 2Kings13:21.

It would appear that either only or mainly saved individuals were raised up again from the dead other than the children. Is there a lesson here? Is the resurrection of the innocent dead to be amongst those of the saints?

That is not to say of course that there is a means to heaven other than by Christ, but that Christ is able to save those who have never committed a knowing sin and have had no opportunity in time either believe or to repent of sin not worked out.

Note how these children were committed to the hands of Elijah, Elisha and Christ.

Coping with Suffering:

Future:

The key lies in losing site of the suffering and fixing our eyes on the Glory of Christ:

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb12:2)

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom8:18)

“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1Peter4:13)

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:” (2Tim2:12)

“The sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” (1Peter1:11)

It is reckoned even in the wisdom of men that sometimes suffering is worth the end that it brings. If suffering is the cost then what it buys is sometimes worth the cost.

A man with a cancer told the news that his tumour will kill if left alone, but an operation will most likely cure him, but he will have a wound, stitches, 6 months recovery. There would be very few who would turn down the operation!

‘It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.’

These notes are taken from a message preached on 1 Peter
by Dr J Stewart Gillespie,
at the Gospel Hall, New Cumnock, Ayrshire.
The messages can be downloaded in MP3 format from:

www.newcumnock.org

‘The Suffering of the Innocent does God Care’ 1Pet2:20-21; 3:16-18; 4:1,12-16; 2Sam12:23; Job4:7, 9:23; Matt2:16-18; Rev21:4

2006-12-19T21:08:00.000Z

The Cause of Suffering:

Of this we can be sure:

Suffering came in with sin in Genesis Chp 3.
When sin is removed, suffering will be removed (Rev21:4).
The whole history of fallen humanity between Gen 3 and Rev 21 is marked by suffering

Suffering has been caused by sin and is caused by sin but it is not always the case that personal suffering is caused by personal sin.

In 1 Peter we saw 3 separate paths which lead to the same destination of suffering. When we considered these 3 separate paths we have been at pains to stress that only in 1 of those paths which lead to suffering does my own personal sin lead to my own personal suffering, those of:

Retributive Sufferings:

1Peter 2:20 : “For your faults”

1Peter 3:17: “For evil doing”

1Peter 4:15: “let none of you suffer as a murderer…”

Suffering which comes about as a direct result of our own sin:

By Human Law
By Moral Law: “whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap” – a man caught in a net of drugs and addiction: ‘well I suppose I’ve only got myself to blame,’ – he recognised the inevitable consequences of his actions.
By Divine Law: Sometimes in time, eg Sodom and Gomorrah, Ananias and Sapphira, always in eternity.

But we wish to see that in some way all 3 types of suffering are linked to sin:

Redemptive sufferings:

1Peter3:18 – expiatory, substitutionary, reconciliatory and victorious

“Christ hath once suffered for sin…” – not of course His own sin but that of others, in Christs redemptive sufferings He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

This is suffering vicariously and victoriously on behalf of others.

Had there been no sin there would have been no Calvary.

So sin was at the root of the sufferings of Christ at Calvary, although not His own sin.

Righteous Sufferings:

1Peter 2:20 : “If when ye do well and suffer for it”

1Peter 3:17: “Suffer for well doing”

1Peter 4:16: “yet if any man suffer as a Christian…”

Quite clearly this suffering is not a result of my personal sin, we are not suffering as a direct consequence of our own sins but rather because of our moral, personal, spiritual relationship with Christ.

If we are like Him morally then the world must reject us as it did Him

Again as we pause and reflect on this we can clearly see that if there was no sin in the world there would be no righteous sufferings either. Why? Because these sufferings only arise as a result of the rejection by sinners of Christ:

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John15:18)

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John1:5).

We also notice interestingly that suffering also only comes about because there is good!

Christs redemptive sufferings were only possible because of His Love towards us, sin was not sufficient to cause Calvary, in the absence of the love of God our sin would have brought the complete judgement of God upon us! Calvary was where the love and mercy of God met sinful man in his need.
Likewise the righteous sufferings of the believer come about because of any Christ likeness in the life of the believer, “men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.”
Even in retributive sufferings ultimately there cause lies not only in sin but in the nature of a Holy and Righteous God who must judge sin and reject sin and who has built into the universe a set of laws which reflect His character. Hence such suffering is really a reflection of Gods Righteous character, revealed in nature that the consequences of sin might not be hid form man (Eccl7:14) and that man might be brought to repentance (Psalm73 & Job33).

We can see these 3 kinds of suffering in the opening chapters of our Bible:

Righteous sufferings of Abel, referred to as “righteous” in Heb11:4, slain out of envy and wrath by his jealous brother, having done well before God, (Gen4:4-6,8).
Retributive sufferings upon Cain (Gen4:10-13) brought as “punishment” by a righteous God.
Picture of redemptive sufferings (Gen4:4,7).

Having noted all of that, there is a very important principle which I draw your attention to which applies both to sin and to suffering; the principle of defilement or spread.

We have said 2 things which may at first appear contradictory we have asserted over the past few weeks that suffering does not necessarily come about because of my sin: righteous sufferings and redemptive sufferings and yet we have affirmed tonight that all suffering finds its origins in sin! How can this be? This is because of the principle of contamination or defilement. The sin of another can affect me. You cannot keep the effects of your sin to yourself and I cannot keep the effects of my sin to myself. I can suffer as a result of someone elses sin and someone else can suffer as a result of my sin!

This is a principle clearly taught in scripture:

Lev12:1-8 – Woman & Childbirth – unclean for 40 days, not permitted to enter the sanctuary, why? God would teach that her ceremonial uncleanness would affect those around her.
Lev13 – The Leper – “All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled, he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.” (13:46)
Lev 14 – The Leprous House – “And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place. ⁴⁶Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even. ⁴⁷And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.” (14:45-47)
Lev 15 – Bodily Discharge – 15:4-7, 11, 12.

This truth that sin and its effects spread is seen typically in Leviticus but doctrinally elsewhere:

Mans sin spread corruption and permeated defilement throughout the whole of creation (Rom8:20-23; Gen3:14-18)
When it comes to the assembly, “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1Co5:6).
Note also Hag2:13.

Having taught the principle in OT ceremony and in NT Doctrine God cannot run the world on a different basis.

We see that the nature of sin is that it spreads and that it defiles all that is around it.

This leads on to the greatest challenge posed by suffering: the challenge of the suffering of the innocent.

The scriptures acknowledge that there is such a thing as the suffering of the innocent cf. Rom9:11.

The whole of creation has been affected by Adams sin (Rom5:12ff, 8:22).

The suffering of the innocent is not ignored in scripture

It is very interesting that the suffering of the innocent child is linked with:

Linked with Christ:

Matt2:16ff, not only a massacre recorded but a massacre prophesied (Jer31:15), children 2 years old and under, note they are linked to Bethlehem, linked to Christ, linked to Rachael

Linked with Resurrection:

It is of interest to note that amongst the resurrections of scripture about half of them are of children, we have:

Jarius’ daughter (Luke8:41ff), aged 12, raised up by Christ
Widow of Zarephaths son raised up by Elijah (1Kings17:19), he was small enough for the widow woman to hand him over to Elijah.
The Shunammite womans son raised up by Elisha (2Kings4) – small enough to sit on her knees (2Kings4:2).

Note how these children were committed to the hands of Elijah, Elisha and Christ.

Notice that of the remaining resurrections in the scripture we have:

Dorcas in Acts 9, she was a disciple, “full of good works and alms deeds” – she was a believer
Eutychus (Acts20:9), he appears to have been a “disciple” (Acts20:7)
Lazarus (John11), he was a believer, “He whom thou lovest is sick” (Jo11:3)

In addition to this there are the unspecified resurrections linked to the death and resurrection of Christ (Matt27:52-53), these were the bodies of , “the saints.”

The widow of Nain's son (Luke 7)

There is only one other man who was raised from the dead and whose spiritual status is unknown, the man of 2Kings13:21.

Yet again the suffering innocent are linked in, not with the ungodly but with Christ and with believers.

Following the death of the son of David and Bathsheba, “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (2Sam12:23).

Is there in all of this the anticipation of the resurrection to life of those whose life has innocently been brought to an end?

Linked with Heaven:

A further interesting pointer to the destiny of those who suffer and die in innocence is to be found in the scriptural teaching of the ‘book of life.’

Those who are saved have there names written in the ‘lambs book of life’ (Rev20:12,14)
Those who are lost not only do they not have their names in the book of life but their name has been blotted out of the book of life (Ex32:32-33; Ps69:21). From this we would take the following: that every man begins with his name in the book of life, but when he actively rejects God and rebels against Him, ie. when he sins his name is removed from the Book of Life
Those who are saved do not have their names removed from the book of life (Rev3:5), but rather Christ will confess his name before the Father.

We would conclude that a child having never personally and actively sinned against God will not be blotted out of the book of life (Ex32:33; Ps69:28).

Not only that but since the condemnation of the Great White Throne Judgement is according to works, “and they were judged every man according to their works” (Rev20:13) then those who have never committed any works cannot be condemned at that judgement.

Bear in mind the interesting privilege promised to the redeemed in Rev3:5, “but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels,” now compare this to the position afforded already to the child in innocence (Matt18:10), I think that we have a little pointer there of there position before God.

The Consequence of Suffering:

The consequences of sin are seen in suffering

Sin is incompatible with the Divine nature and with the eternal peace and harmony of the universe, sin must be forever put away.

Suffering points to the necessity of the expulsion of sin and suffering forever!

For God to allow sin to continue would mean that God and the redeemed would need to be prepared to tolerate suffering forever.

The presence of suffering in the world necessitates hell

It is this truth that the writer of Ecclesiastes grasped onto (Eccl7:14).

Suffering is evidence that our final hopes and aspirations cannot be fulfilled here, and that our world as we see it cannot continue for it is utterly opposed to Christ.

Click here to listen online to: 'The Suffering of the innocent does God Care?'

www.newcumnock.org

1Peter 2:20; 3:17; 4:15, Job33:16-22; Ps73:3-8,12-19 – ‘Suffering: Learning the Mind of Christ’

2006-12-12T21:06:00.000Z

We saw in 1 Peter 3 types of suffering:

Redemptive sufferings:

1Peter3:18 – expiatory, substitutionary, reconciliatory and victorious

Right at the geometric and doctrinal centre of 1 Peter stands the redemptive sufferings of Christ.

In first Peter we are either leading up to the sufferings of Christ on the cross or we are being lead out from it.

The Cross of Christ and the sufferings of Christ tower above this epistle

The whole of 1Peter derives its flavour and its fragrance from the sufferings of Christ at Calvary.

We could never go away from 1Peter with the idea of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar that suffering only happens to bad people!

Retributive Sufferings:

1Peter 2:20 : “For your faults”

1Peter 3:17: “For evil doing”

1Peter 4:15: “let none of you suffer as a murderer…”

Suffering which comes about as a direct result of our own sin:

By Human Law
By Moral Law: “whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap” – a man caught in a net of drugs and addiction: ‘well I suppose I’ve only got myself to blame,’ – he recognised the inevitable consequences of his actions.
By Divine Law: Sometimes in time, eg Sodom and Gomorrah, Ananias and Sapphira, always in eternity.

Righteous Sufferings:

1Peter 2:20 : “If when ye do well and suffer for it”

1Peter 3:17: “Suffer for well doing”

1Peter 4:16: “yet if any man suffer as a Christian…”

Here we are not suffering as a direct consequence of our own sins but rather because of our moral, personal, spiritual relationship with Christ.

If we are like Him morally then the world must reject us as it did Him

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John15:18)

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John1:5).

When we come to consider Righteous Sufferings in the life of the believer we see that it is the sufferings of Christ which allow us to understand the sufferings of the believer for they are after the pattern of Christ’s suffering.

In Christ we have the Purpose of Suffering (2:21; 1:7; 4:1-2)
In Christ we have the Pattern of Suffering (2:21)
In Christ we have the Prospect of Suffering (4:13)
In Christ we have the Power of Suffering (3:18)

In Christ we have the Purpose of Suffering (2:21; 1:7; 4:1-2)

Suffering is presented as the believers purpose!

Suffering is our calling: “For even hereunto were ye called” (2:21). A strange statement since we have already seen that the purpose of the Christian life is 2 fold:

Relationship with Christ: “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself.” (Eph1:5)
Resemblance to Christ: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom8:29).

It is by a path of suffering that this purpose is brought out practically, suffering brings about changes in my character, changes that bring me into conformity with the character of Christ.

In Christ we have the Pattern of Suffering (2:21)

Suffering comes by the expression of the Divine nature in a fallen world.

To live out the nature of Christ must bring suffering (2:21-23) such were the events leading up to: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter.”

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John1:5).

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John15:18)

Suffering must come as the Divine nature is expressed in a fallen world because evil must hate good, evil is incapable of love for “love is of God.”

This truth of the Righteous Sufferings of the believer leaves us with something of a question: if we are not suffering because of our sin is God being fair? Is God acting righteously? Job didn’t think so! (Job19:6-7; 27:2; 34:5).

Want to share a thought this pm, find it in a number of scriptures: if God did not allow His people to suffer He would not be righteous!

The reason for this is quite simple, the world which you and I live in is a fallen world, men and women around us are sinners, you and I are sinners saved by Grace and still possess a fallen human nature; the ‘flesh’ in such a fallen world we can never find a permanent abiding home, never find satisfaction here, this is a fallen world, it lies under the judgement of God.

The sufferings of Christ define the nature of the spiritual reality of this world: it is a world of sinners, a world of lawlessness, a world of Christ rejecters, a world of God haters, a world in which men love darkness rather than light.

This true nature of the world was fully expressed at Calvary.

The blood of Christ cries for the judgement of God upon this world: “…the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” (Gen4:10)… “O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.” (Job16:18).

It is in that world that you and I are tonight

Let’s just suppose for a moment God was willing to keep all suffering from your life! In this world you would never know disappointment, only ever find satisfaction, only ever find peace, never conflict, never argument, never blood shed. In spite of any action you or any other might take there would never be an accident, never a criminal act against you, never a loss of property, never an unkind word, never a disease, never a pain. That’s wonderful – God has made heaven upon earth! God has made a highway to hell: Ps73:3-6, 12, 16-20!

In Psalm 73 the Psalmist is dismayed at the prosperity of the wicked, they don’t suffer like I suffer, every thing goes well for them, don’t have the problems I’ve got! Why have I got all of these problems? So he enters into the sanctuary (v17), drops to his knees and takes it to the Lord. His eyes are opened to their true fate! A cold sweat runs down his back when he realises what is happening, they have found contentment in this world, in its pleasures, its entertainments, its commerce, its business, they’ve found contentment in a world condemned to eternal damnation! They have found sin as the key to success (73:3) and violence as the path to victory (73:6) that means they will never repent of their sin nor of their violence! God has set them on a slippery slope to judgment and hell (Ps73:18)!

In contrast to this we find that by suffering comes:

In Suffering we Hear the Voice of God (Job33:14-21)

God speaks in suffering, to what end?

God speaks and touches mans work (v17), wealth (v17), well being (v18,19), He brings deep disappointment with this world.

Note v17: “purpose” = ‘occupation’ or ‘work’ or ‘possessions’

That we might learn that this place is not where I ought to seek or expect satisfaction and contentment, this is not my abiding place, my hope and my home is not here, this is a fallen world, this is a condemned place!

God frustrates our purpose, God unsettles us, God redirects us through suffering.

Here is a man, Job, enjoyed good success in this world, productive, gained wealth, a family, reputation and prosperity, so he’s quite happy and content, but this world is a fallen place, his occupation must not be his purpose in life!

In suffering God would draw me back from ever trying to find satisfaction in my occupation or possessions, “I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.” (Job16:12).

In Suffering we See the Work of God (Eccl7:13-14)

Almost all English translations translate this verse with a similar, and very strange meaning eg NIV “therefore a man cannot discover anything about his future.” The translation of the RV, RSV, Moffatt, Good News, Spurrell, NKJV, NLT are all similar, and I would suggest wrong! Gods purpose in providence is surely not to simply confuse us.

There are 2 very ancient translations of this verse, going back about 1700 years: the Vulgate and the Syriac versions, and when the verse came to be translated into these 2 languages the translators rendered it thus: “that man may not find anything against God.” In other words a man having lived his life and having ended up in hell or a believer having lived their life and missed out on reward because they have spent their life feeling settled and comfortable in this world, could never look back over their life and blame God! For in all of their lifes history God has always revealed the true nature of reality to them, that satisfaction and peace and joy does not lie on earth, only disappointment and suffering and pain for this is a fallen world, condemned to eternal separation form God.

‘what is meant is much more this, that God causes man to experience good and evil that he may pass through the whole school of life and when he departs hence that nothing may be outstanding (in arrears) which he has not experienced.’ (Keil & Delitzch)

In Suffering we Share the Mind of God (1Peter4:1)

As we suffer we share in the mind of Christ (1Peter4:1; Phil2:5).

In taking us through a path of suffering we share the mind of God on the true nature of a fallen world: disappointing, disintegrating and degrading and passing away!

What was Christs mind on this world? In one word ‘Calvary’!

No where is the truth better seen than in Job!

Right at the heart of Jobs sufferings we read chps 16 & 19, 51 verses which deal with the sufferings of Job.

In about 30 of these 51 verses you will find parallels and perhaps quotations form the book of Job in those passages of scriptures elsewhere which deal with the suffering Messiah: Psalm 22, 69, Isa53, Lam Chp1&3.

10 verses of these 2 chps parallel Ps69, 9 verses parallel Lam 3 and 8 verses parallel Psalm 22, plus there are other parallels to Lam chp1, Isa53 and Gen 4.

What was Job learning in his sufferings? What were the sufferings of Job all about?

Some say the reason for the sufferings of Job remains a mystery! If you grasp this you’ll grasp far more than most believers do about the book of Job!

In all of his sufferings, Job was sharing in the sufferings of Christ!

In all of his sufferings Job was learning the mind of Christ! (1Peter4:1).

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Suffering in 1 Peter: ‘The Key to Suffering’ 1 Peter1:7; 2:20-21; 3:18; 4:1-2; 4:12-16; Job 4:7-8; 8:3; 11:14-18;16:18.

2006-12-05T21:07:00.000Z

Perhaps like me you have tried to make sense of this vast subject of suffering
Perhaps like me you have tried and failed, until you have discovered the key to understand suffering.
Suffering in the life of the believer can only be understood in the light of the sufferings of Christ!
It is that key that Peter gives us: Christ.

1.In Christ we have the Pattern of Suffering (2:21)
2.In Christ we have the Purpose of Suffering (2:21; 1:7; 4:1-2)
3.In Christ we have the Prospect of Suffering (4:13)
4.In Christ we have the Power of Suffering (3:18)

It is the sufferings of Christ which allow us to understand the sufferings of the believer for they are after the pattern of Christ’s suffering.
Recall we have seen that in the past when we considered Daniel – a pattern of the suffering Saviour and a pattern of the suffering Saint, we shall see it again here.
Not only that but it is the suffering of Christ that allows us to understand the suffering of the ungodly!
It was mans rejection of Christ, his actions at Calvary that sealed forever his fate: judgement, condemnation and suffering.
In the eyes of God this world is marked above all else by one great, immeasurable outrage and obscenity against heaven, beyond the horrors of 2 World Wars, the cruelty of the holocaust, the terrors of ethnic cleansing and hatred in Serbia and all other chilling evidences of the depths of mans depravity, above all else this world is the place where Christ suffered, was crucified and was rejected, it is the place where Christ bore the curse of the Cross, do we believe it? Most Christians don’t!
This world has soil stained with the blood of Christ, we cannot come to imagine how deeply offensive that is to God.

We have pictures and pointers to it:

i.In Abel “And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” (Gen4:10). That blood of Abel is linked as a type of the blood of Christ: “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Heb12:24). Christs blood brings salvation, Abels brought only judgement. If the blood of an ordinary man cries to God from the ground how much more the blood of Christs?

ii.In Job: “O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.” (Job16:18).

iii.In Revelation – recall that all of the final sufferings and tribulation poured out upon this world is under the sovereign hand of God. It is contained within 7 seals: “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals?” (Rev5:2) – a Lamb, a Lamb freshly slain! The whole of the tribulation of the book of Revelation is the under sovereign hand the Lamb freshly slain. “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (Rev5:9). Earths final suffering comes because of the rejection of Christ! Had there have been no Lamb freshly slain there would have been no seals unloosed. Amongst all of the truths of that great book I learn this that rejection of Christ can only bring into my life Gods judgement and suffering.

What tremendous truth it is that it is the suffering of Christ which is the key to understanding:

i.Suffering in this world
ii.Suffering in the life of the believer

In other words there are 2 primary causes or reasons for suffering:

i.Rejection of Christ / Rejection of God – hence the suffering of the world and of the sinner.
ii.Receiving Christ – hence the suffering of the believer

I must appreciate this truth, if I fail to I’ll run into some very serious error, that there are 2 separate reasons or sources of suffering, actually there is also a third, come to that later.

There are 2 sources of suffering:

i.Suffering that originated in Eden, seen most fully at Calvary.
ii.Suffering caused by Sin
iii.Suffering that comes from rejecting God / rejecting Christ
iv.Suffering that comes from mans relationship with Satan
v.Suffering linked to the first Adam
vi.This is the suffering that flows from the introduction of sin into Gods creation.
vii.This is the suffering that Jobs comforters understood a little about.
viii.This suffering brings death and dieing to the natural man and victory to Satan – retributive sufferings.
ix.These are the sufferings of the book of Revelation

There is however a second source of suffering:

i.Suffering that originates not in the tree in Eden but in the tree at Calvary
ii.Suffering caused by righteousness not sin
iii.Suffering that comes from mans relationship with Christ not Satan
iv.Suffering linked to the second Adam not the first
v.This is the suffering that flows from the introduction of Gods new creation into the sinner.
vi.This suffering if properly understood will result in the death and in the dieing of the flesh and resounds to the glory of Christ.
vii.Righteous sufferings

We will find these 2 different sources of suffering in 1Peter2:19-20; 4:14-15.

It is important that we recognise this or else we will like Jobs comforters of old become hopelessly confused in our understanding of this subject
Jobs comforters knew only of the first, of retributive sufferings but not of the second: Righteous sufferings – sufferings brought about by a righteous God, in the life of the redeemed for their good and for His Glory!
We will end up drawing such conclusions as:

1.Eliphaz (Job4:7-8) – ‘You’re suffering for your sin,’ – that you only ever suffer for sin and never for righteousness: “Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?” (Job4:7). Manifestly of course millions have perished being innocent but one supreme example from Isaiah will suffice: “for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” (Isa57:8)

2.Bildad (Job8:3) – ‘Your suffering is your punishment’ – that suffering is Gods means of administering His judgment and justice: “Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?” God is indeed just yet we are undoubtedly wrong in regarding suffering as the means by which God administers justice and judgment. Suffering in time is not Gods ordained way of dealing with the sinner, although God is righteous or just when He permits suffering. One example will suffice: “who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” (John9:2-3).

3.Zophar (Job11:14-18) – ‘Repent and your suffering will stop’ – that repentance from sin guarantees protection from suffering; “4If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. 15For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear.” (Job11:14-15). Again one good example that would debunk that myth would be the example of the apostle Paul, having dramatically repented of his sin on the Damascus road Paul was met with this revelation: “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts9:16). Repentance was no means of avoiding suffering for Paul. Pauls repentance from sin was his introduction to suffering!

No wonder could an exasperated Job say of that bunch: “no doubt but ye are the people and wisdom shall die with you.” (Job12:2).
We must appreciate this then, that suffering flows from 2 sources and not 1.
Jobs 3 comforters erred greatly in their ministry because they failed to appreciate this truth!
What Jobs comforters didn’t understand, and I suppose they couldn’t, was that Jobs suffering had very little to do with the first source of suffering and rather had everything to do with the second. God was perfecting His work in a righteous man, which would resound to the Glory of Christ.
There is a 3rd type of suffering intimately linked to the principle of righteous suffering which has occurred only once in the history of the world those are: redemptive sufferings. When Christ suffered as the righteous Son of God His sufferings brought about expiation, substitution, reconciliation and regeneration – those are the great truths of 1 Peter 3:18.
So it is in the book of Job amongst the many interesting things we learn we learn much about the sufferings of Christ and amongst the many things which God does in this book of Job, He turns this man into a type of the suffering Son of God who would come.
You will find in Job chps 16 & 19, which deal with the sufferings of Job, over 30 verses in just 2 chapters which parallel the thoughts, ideas and words of those passages of scriptures elsewhere which deal with the suffering Messiah: Psalm 22, 69, Isa53, Lam Chp1&3.
In just 52 verses in Job chps 16 & 19, you will find at least 10 verses which parallel Ps69, 9 verses which parallel Lamentations chps1-3, 8 verses which parallel Ps22.
Suffering in the life of the redeemed flows out of Calvary!
Suffering in the life of the believer can only be understood in the light of the sufferings of Christ!
It is that key that Peter gives us: Christ.

1.In Christ we have the Pattern of Suffering (2:21)
2.In Christ we have the Purpose of Suffering (2:21; 1:7; 4:1-2)
3.In Christ we have the Prospect of Suffering (4:13)
4.In Christ we have the Power of Suffering (3:18)

In Christ we have the Pattern of Suffering (2:21)

Suffering comes by the expression of the Divine nature in a fallen world.
To live out the nature of Christ must bring suffering (2:21-23) such were the events leading up to: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter.”
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John1:5).
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John15:18)
Suffering must come as the Divine nature is expressed in a fallen world because evil must hate good, evil is incapable of love for “love is of God.”
So long as God permits a fallen humanity to survive there must always be suffering when the nature of god is expressed in this fallen world.

In Christ we have the Purpose of Suffering (2:21; 1:7; 4:1-2)

Suffering is not only inevitable however it also has a purpose
Suffering is our calling: “For even hereunto were ye called” (2:21). A strange statement since we have already seen that the purpose of the Christian life is 2 fold:

1.Relationship with Christ: “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself.” (Eph1:5)

2.Resemblance to Christ: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom8:29).
It is by a path of suffering that this purpose is brought out practically, suffering brings about changes in my character, changes that bring me into conformity with the character of Christ.
Consider for example 4:1, there are 4 reasons I might cease from sin:

1.Condemnation of the Law – ‘the soul that sinneth it shall die.’ (Ezek18:20).
2.Removal of Opportunity – incarceration
3.Conviction of Conscience – work of the Holy Spirit
4.Suffering of consequences – patient with lung cancer, now decided to stop smoking!
In 4:1, Peter takes reason 4 as an established principle and he leads us from what we know to what we don’t know. If we suffer the consequence of sin we cease from it, we learn about the horrors of sin and so we stop sinning. Look at Christ, how He suffered the terrible consequences of your sin – will you not stop it now! The sin and the self life, all of that life caught up with the world and the flesh!

In Christ we have the Prospect of Suffering (4:13)

Glory!
If we have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings we have fellowship with Christ in His Glory!
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Rom8:17).
Consider Job, Chps 16 and 19, did he not enter into the sufferings of Christ as no other has ever done? Does he not share in the prospect, the hope and glory of Christ in 19:25-27?

In Christ we have the Power of Suffering (3:18)

The unique redemptive sufferings of Christ: expiatory, substitutionary, reconciliatory and victorious.

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