The Newness In Resurrection

Rev. 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

A New Life — 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Jesus’ resurrection brought new life with assurance to believers. It guarantees that this new life will be sustained by the Spirit of God, and his promises will be fulfilled completely unto our eternal abode with Jesus Christ.

A New Day — The new day of worship, Sunday, was practiced in New Testament days because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This new day depicts the wonder of Jesus’ resurrection and celebrates the new life, the new beginning, in every new believer. It is to be observed as the Lord’s day, and it is not to be forsaken. Heb. 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

A New Covenant — Jer. 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: — Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel. — Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Keeping The Foundations

Psalm 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Three of the foundations that we should not allow to be destroyed are (1) the Bible, (2) the church, and (3) the family. These have been found in scripture and in society to be the building blocks of a righteous society. Without these solid foundations any nation is doomed to the rule of the wicked. Prov. 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

The Bible As A Foundation

When I speak of the Bible, I speak of the lineage of manuscripts upon which the King James Version of the Bible was translated. The Tyndale Bible, the Geneva Bible (which our founding fathers used), and several other editions came from the same good manuscripts, a line that has been preserved down through the centuries. In the mid to late 1800's new manuscripts were found, and new versions of the Bible have been produced from these discarded manuscripts. The King James Version was translated and published in 1611, and it brought many revivals and spiritual growth for over 270 years until a version came out in 1880, which was based upon the newly found Greek manuscripts. Many of the people who use the new versions of the Bible develop a disrespect and even a hatred for the King James Version. Show me the revivals and the spiritual growth that has come from these new versions. God has preserved his word, and it is the same word that was written by the prophets of old (2 Peter 1:21), the same scriptures that were being written in Timothy's day (2 Tim. 3:16), the same scriptures that were to have a completeness (1 Cor. 13:10), and the same scriptures that are not to be appended (Rev. 22:18).

The Church

Christ's kind of church is a local assemble of baptized believers in Christ who are covenanted to a dedication of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). The writer of Hebrews says that we are not to forsake assembling in that local church (Heb. 10:25). Jesus Christ receives glory in his churches (Eph. 3:21), and the church of Jesus Christ is the pillar and ground (foundation) of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15).

The Family

God instituted the family in the Garden of Eden, bringing together one man and one woman to be one flesh. They were later commanded to replenish (fill) the earth with their offspring (Gen. 1:28; 9:1). The importance of the family is taught all through the scriptures. The Bible teaches us that we are to train up our children in the way of the Lord (Deut. 6:7; Eph. 6:4). Our children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). They are as arrows (Psalm 127:4-5), and the quiver should be full (remember, some quivers are larger than others).

If these foundations be kept up and supported, we can live in righteousness. These foundations crumble with age, and they are fragile to many opposing blows; and that is the reason that we need to constantly keep them repaired. Once they have been damaged, it is very difficult to repair them.

Prayer, scripture reading, church attendance, righteous living, and witnessing the Gospel of Jesus Christ are things that will help keep these foundations in repair; for, if the foundations be destroyed, what will the righteous do? We have nowhere else to turn.

Perfect Peace

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3.

What is perfect peace? It is a peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). It is the peace of God (Phil. 4:7; Col. 3:15). It is peace with God (Rom. 5:1).

There is no peace in the earth except that peace which rests in the hearts of believers in God and his Son, Jesus Christ. This peace resides deep in the recesses of the inner being of the believer. It is difficult to understand and to explain. Like the calm which Jesus manifested as he slept on the boat in the midst of a vehement storm (Matt. 8:24), like the calm on the sea just after the Lord said "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39), we can have this same peace in our hearts, though the world give us grief, trouble, and sorrow.

There is no break in perfection: it is constant and continuous. This perfect peace rises above our trials and our worries. It settles arguments and brings friendships. It edifies saints and enhances fellowship among believers. That is because it is God's peace. There is a song that says so correctly, "There's a deep settled peace in my soul."

If you do not have that spiritual peace with God, you can through faith in Jesus Christ, his Son, believing that he died to pay for sin, that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Bring your heart and soul into that permanent peace with God through justification by faith (Romans 5:1).

The Purpose of Proverbs

The wisdom of Solomon is manifested to us at its best in the book of Proverbs. These terse and touching maxims from the Holy Spirit are comfort to the soul and correction for the body and mind. Solomon wrote these proverbs for several reasons.

(1) To know wisdom, which all of us need. James tells us that, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God. We all do lack it to a perfect degree, and the wisdom of God's word is paramount in our lives as a result.

(2) To know instruction, which without we would be blundering anarchists of the worst sort. God has given his word for "correction in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16).

(3) To perceive the words of understanding, of which the Bible teaches us that we have none (Rom. 3:11).

(4) To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity. We are all ready to hear instruction, but we are not so ready to receive it in our hearts and minds to obey it. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22; cf Prov 21:3).

(5) To give subtilty to the simple. The Hebrew word for "subtilty" means "shrewd, crafty, or prudent." That is, the proverbs give to the simple the wisdom that the learned world tries to grasp but falls so much short of.

(6) To give to the young man knowledge and discretion. The Hebrew word for "discretion" can also be translated "purpose." A man (person) needs a purpose in life, and the word of God will give that to him.

We should give ourselves to reasoning which is developed from God's word. These proverbs will give us opportunity for much deep thought and contemplation. We should read a little every day and be wise servants of Jesus Christ.

Baptist History Vindicated - J. T. Christian

Peter's Conclusion

1 Peter 5:12-14

Silvanus the Brother, 12

Being, no doubt, delivered by the hands of Silvanus (Silas) to the church or churches to whom Peter is writing is a faithful brother to those written to as well as to Peter. We have many brothers just like this in our day, who are instantly willing to do whatever they are able to do in order that the Kingdom of Christ may be continued and exalted and that the Gospel be preached throughout the world.

Peter sent with his concluding remarks the idea that the true grace of God is existent and confessed among those to whom Peter is writing. The true grace of God is his electing grace (1 Peter 1:2), and it is a grace wherein we are to stand continually and not to forsake, which some have done in our day, becoming lackadaisical and unconcerned about the work of the Lord. We should always stand in the grace of God, always busy about the Father's business. This is our life-long vocation.

The Church At Babylon, 13

This church was, no doubt, made up of pure-blooded Jews who did not return to Judah from Babylon when they were taken away in the captivity. The Gospel had got to them, and they were saved by the true grace of God. Peter is here acknowledging them; otherwise, we would have no knowledge today of their existence. It is believed that this letter was written from Babylon.

It is miraculously by grace that God would find and save people who seem to have been forgotten by God at the time when he was sending Jewish people back into their land after the 70-year captivity. But God has not forgotten his people nor forsaken them. He will save all his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).

From Babylon, that deceitfully beautiful city with all of its idolatry, its prostitution, its wantonness and greed has in it a remnant who have been touched by the true grace of God; and these lovely people, who have been saved amidst all of this degradation, are now saluting the people to whom Peter is writing as fellow saints of God with Christian love and generosity.

The Holy Kiss, 14

Peter wishes them cordiality and love among themselves, for without love the grace of God is squandered and misrepresented (See 1 Cor. 13 for the more excellent way). Love among brethren is paramount in our ministries today. We must "love the brethren," for this is a genuine testimony of the grace of God that has been worked in our souls (1 John 3:14).

Peter wishes them peace, not world peace, but the peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7), that peace with God (Rom. 5:1) that is greater than world peace, and the peace of God (Col. 3:15) which rules in our hearts and pushes us on toward the prize of the high calling of God (Phil. 3:14). The only way we can have this peace, Peter explains, is through Christ Jesus. He is the only way, truth and life (John 14:6). Neither is there any other name whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

So ends the book of 1 Peter with many instructions on how to live the new life that we have in Christ Jesus. He has mentioned many things that affect our individual lives and also church life. This book should be read often and heeded. May God be our guide to follow this instruction for the duration of this short life. Amen.

Humility Among Church Members

1 Peter 5:5-11

Humility In The Church, 5

The younger are the common members of the church, since in Biblical days pastors were usually the "elder" of the membership. These younger are to submit unto the elder, or the pastor(s) of the church. This humility is a genuine character of a true believer. It is warranted among the young of any church. The elders, or pastors, are to be respected highly. The younger are also to submit themselves to other elder ones who are not pastors. In this they can learn the true Christian graces and the practical work of serving in the Lord's church.

There is also to be a general submission or humility among all the members of a church. We are all to be clothed with humility. God gives us the reason we are to be clothed with humility: God resists the proud. This is a quote taken from Proverbs 3:34. In this passage, Solomon puts it this way Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. God scorns the scorners; therefore, we do not need to scorn the scorners. Our job is to be humble, and God will take care of the scorners. He will give grace unto the lowly. James 4:6 tells us that he giveth more grace.

Humility To Be Done, 6

We are to humble ourselves. This is not something that God does without our surrender. Our proud hearts and arrogant character must be subdued, and that submission must be done by our own hearts. If our hearts are humbled, God will exalt us in due time but not until that time.

How To Be Humble, 7-9

The first step to humility is to cast all our care upon him (God). We can trust him, because he cares for us.

The second step to humility is to be sober, that is, sober-minded and vigilant (watchful); because the devil is seeking whom he may devour. He would love to ruin our reputation and cause us to fall into temptation.

The third step to humility is to resist the devil and to remember that our brethren who are serving Christ also have the same temptations and the same testings from the devil, who would love to make us a castaway and ruin our testimony for Christ.

What Will God Do? 10-11

Peter prays that God will bring each believer through the sufferings of this life and into that glorious entrance into the eternal heavens where every believer will be perfect, established, strengthened, and settled. This will be done, and it will be done to the glory of God, who has glory and dominion forever and ever.

This life is a path of genuine suffering and service. It is a path of genuine humility before God, and God will reward each believer in his own good time. We are looking forward to a grand entrance into that eternity that God has promised everyone who loves him and trusts him as Savior.