Treasuring God's Truth in Your Heart

1 Peter 3:18: Victory

1 Peter 3:18: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. [1]

Peter so concisely depicts Christ as “Victor” [2] that we might miss Jesus’ magnitude. Peter teaches that Christ’s “unique” suffering as the sinless Savior satisfies divine “justice” which “enables us to enter God’s presence.” [3] When our sin, evil, and corruption separated us from God, [4] the Trinity worked redemption for the elect through Christ. [5]

In addition to justification for sins, when Christians suffer for righteousness [6] they have hope and power to face their trials with Christ-like “meekness” and “boldness.” [7] Believers are called to suffer for God’s glory, their good, and because Christ is our example. [8] When people rest in Jesus, their sins are forgiven and they have hope in hardship. If you are not in Christ, know that He can become yours when you see your unrighteousness, and confess your need of His. If you are a believer, continue facing your suffering in the One Who has “suffered once for sins” and gained the victory. [9]

This blog was written by Seth Dunn

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (Wheaton, IL: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Logos Bible Software. All Bible references will be ESV from here on out, unless noted otherwise.

[2] Edmund Clowney. The Message of 1 Peter: The Way of the Cross. Ed. John R.W. Stott. (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 154.

[3] Simon J. Kistemaker. New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Co., 1987), 138-39.

[4] Isaiah 59:2, Romans 1:18-32, Revelation 21:27, etc.

[5] Psalm 130:4-8; John 1:29, 1:36; Acts 4:10, 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 2:8-10, 1 Peter 2:24. See also: Daniel B. Wallace Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament with Scripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 98, and John Murray, Collected Writings of John Murray: The Claims of Truth, Vol. 1. (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2001), 52.

[6] 1 Peter 2:18-25, 3:17, 4:1-13.

[7] Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter, 155.

[8] John 10:7-18; Acts 4:1-22; Romans 8:17, 2 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 1:12-30, 3:12-21; Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 Peter 2:18-25, 3:17, 4:1-13.

[9] 1 Corinthians 15:57-58.

Treasuring God's Truth in Your Heart

1 Peter 2:11-12: Why Sojourners Act:

"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

After Peter explains who believers are, [1] he instructs them on how to act. When Christians or non-Christians read these verses they might be tempted to think this is just another “to do list.” Why does Peter require believers to act like people who do not belong to the world, i.e. act “as sojourners and exiles”? Scripture provides several reasons for Christian character which include: witnessing to the unsaved and saved, [2] following God’s ways combat the sin trying to take believers, [3] and because Christ-like behavior glorifies God. [4]

While there are other reasons, perhaps the most important is because Jesus Christ lived a God glorifying life. [5] The Son lived righteously even when people wronged him, [6] and his righteous life insures salvation and the ability to grow in holiness for those who follow him. [7] So for those of us who are sojourners, we strive for godliness because of Jesus Christ. Living in Christ-likeness is possible for all who trust in Him exclusively. The gift for following Him and living by His Spirit as we grow in holiness is eternal joy in heaven. [8] May we all begin to sojourn better in Him.

This blog was written by Seth Dunn

[1] 1 Peter 2:9-10 (see also blog on the passage).

[2] 1 Peter 3:16; Titus 2:8; Philippians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 9:13.

[3] Romans 7:23, 8:13, Galatians 5:16-17 and 24.

[4] Matthew 5:16, 2 Corinthians 8:21, Colossians 3:17, etc.

[5] Matthew 9:8, John 13:31, the book of Hebrews.

[6] John 18:30, Luke 23:34, Matthew 26-27.

[7] Luke 24:44-49; Hebrews 8-10, John 14:26, etc.

[8] 1 John 2:1-25.

Treasuring God's Truth in Your Hearts

1 Peter 2:9-10: Christian Identity:

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you have not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Peter tells Christians who they are in this passage. In fact there are five elements Peter highlights about Christians which are: “(1) a chosen race, (2) a royal priesthood, (3) a holy nation, (4) God’s special possession, (5) those who have been constituted the people of God by God’s remarkable mercy.” [1]

Because blogs are supposed to be short, we will focus on being “chosen.” Some people do not like the idea of being chosen because they feel God’s choosing implies a loveless forcing on everyone’s will. [2] Nothing could be further from the truth. The Father’s love and grace rescues His elect who were dead in their sin. [3] The LORD’s choosing is the only way to salvation because our wills lead us away from God. [4] Further, the Trinity’s choosing promises an abiding with us for all life’s struggles, [5] help in combating our sins and growing in holiness, [6] and will be with us always, no matter what. [7] Being chosen is an eternal gift for all those called by the Holy Spirit.

This blog was written by Seth Dunn

[1] Carson, D.A. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Edited by G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 1030.

[2] [The following author does not hold this view, but summarizes it] Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics: God and Creation, Vol. 2. General Ed. John Bolt, Trans. John Vriend. Grand Rapids, MI: the Dutch Reformed Translation Society/Baker Academic, 2004), 339.

[3] Psalm 130:7-8, John 3:16; 6:32-40; 10:7-18, 17:1-23, Ephesians 1:3-6, 2:1-10, etc. Also, see blog on Matthew 22:36-40 for discussions on what love is.

[4] Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:9-20; 5:12-14; 8:7-8.

[5] Psalm 34:18; Joshua 1: 5 & 9, Hebrews 13:5-6.

[6] Romans 8:12-14, 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:11; 15:45; Galatians 5:16-17.

[7] Jeremiah 31 (especially vv33), Romans 8:31-39.