From the Text: 1:1-2 The NT does not teach a specific doctrine of the Trinity; the ecumenical consensus was a development that took centuries to reach. Nonetheless, the foundation of Trinitarian theology is embedded in the language and thought of the NT. This is clearly illustrated in the opening verses of 1 Peter. Peter reflects upon his readers’ salvation, assured by the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and by the atoning death of Jesus Christ. Hunter writes, This is as yet “the trinity of experience,” out of which sprang the later dogma. The early Christians found by experience that they could not express all that they meant by the word “God” till they had said, “Father, Son, and Spirit.” Christians were then, as they still are, people who are seeking, finding, and doing the Father’s will with the companionship of his Son by the strength and guidance of the Spirit. (1957, 90) There are certainly other passages in the NT which anticipate the later doctrine of the Trinity (e.g., Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14; Eph 4:4-6; Jude 20-21). But 1 Peter 1:2 is unique in that the three persons of the Godhead are not only mentioned, but each one is recognized as playing an equally important role in the salvation of believers. Peter freely applies terms and descriptions to Gentile Christians that were typically reserved for the people of Israel alone. Not only does he describe them as God’s elect and scattered (diasporas) people, but he also borrows language and imagery from God’s covenant in Exodus to describe the reality of Christians’ relationship with God (sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ). NonethelessYet, if Peter perceives Gentile Christians as replacing Israel as God’s chosen people, he gives no indication of it. Rather, without any explanation or reserve, he simply equates the experience of the Christian believers with their Jewish counterparts “as if they were a strange new kind of Jew” (Michaels 1988, 13). For disenfranchised and pressured Christians of every ethnic group in any era, this is an inspiring message of encouragement. The history of God’s saving activities on behalf of his chosen people is the heritage of every Christian believer through faith in Jesus Christ. Peter writes to Christian believers who are scattered strangers in the world. The reality of this kind of existence seems to go back to Jesus’ prayer that his followers would not be of the world even though they are in the world. But what does it really mean to be “resident aliens” in the world? There are many forms of application that this concept can take within different cultural, social, and chronological eras. For believers who enjoy a greater amount of religious freedom, Peter’s words call believers to live in a uniquely Christian way. Thus, Hauerwas and Willimon urge American Christians to live as “resident aliens” who “make a difference because they see something that cannot otherwise be seen without Christ” (1989, 24). While this type of “countercultural” guidance is certainly commendable, the intention of Peter and his letter lies in a rather different arena of Christian experience. For the original readers of this epistle, tPeter’s words were not prescriptive, but descriptive. Their faith in Jesus Christ had already resulted in an estrangement from the society and culture in which they lived, an estrangement which too often led to public and programmatic persecution. For embattled and oppressed believers of every era, Peter’s letter does not carry so much a challenge to “make a difference” in their world as it carries a message of encouragement and hope in the face of persistent opposition. Peter refers specifically to the sanctifying work of the Spirit in the lives of all believers. Too many believers imagine that sanctification is reserved for an elite minority of Christian disciples, the so-called exceptional “saint.” But Peter does not see it this way. He considers sanctification a normal part of believers’ experience, which goes hand in hand with God’s eternal plan for their salvation and the atoning death of Jesus Christ for sinners. The word that Peter uses for sanctification (hagiasmos) “refers not only to the activity of the Holy Spirit in setting man apart unto salvation and transferring him into the ranks of the redeemed, but also to enabling him to be holy even as God is holy” (Zodhiates 1992, 70). It has always been God’s purpose, through Jesus Christ, not only to redeem sinful humanity, but also to transform the lives of sinful people into his image. This is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, both the result and the process of its activity. The Spirit sets believers apart for God and also cleanses and purifies their lives into conformity to God’s purpose and will. This sanctification is both the result and the process of the Holy Spirit’s activity. “It is not an absolute perfection which precludes the possibility of improvement, but it is the restoration of the divine image to the soul of man so that both his character and service are acceptable to God” (Nicholson 1967, 265). Thus, believers are set apart by the work of the Holy Spirit and believers are also made holy by the work of the Spirit. The moral cleansing and ethical character of believers’ lives are twoThe inherent elements of thishe same sanctifying work of the Spirit are twofold. Sanctification is a work the Spirit does in the lives of believers, cleansing them from moral evil. But it is also a work the Spirit does through human lives, whereby believers are made holy and obedient to the will of God in their daily walk. Believers should resist a reading of the Bible or a theology that insinuates that a person is “saved in principle but not in fact” (Wynkoop 1972, 56). This is why John Wesley insisted that sanctification is found in the intersection of being “renewed in the image of God ‘in righteousness and holiness’” as well as “loving God with all our heart, and mind, and soul” (1966, 41). The economy of God’s plan of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ is realized not only through the Spirit’s work of setting believers apart for heaven, but also through the Spirit’s work of making believers holy here on earth, which is demonstrated by their obedience to God here and now.
From the Text: 1:3-12 SThere are several poignant truths are enmeshed in the thanksgiving section of 1 Peter 1:3-12. First, Peter reiterates the notion that believers have been “reborn” into the Christian faith. The life of faith in Jesus Christ marks an entirely new existence for the believer. It is a new beginning, a new dawn, a new era in the life of the believer. Believers today can identify with the notion that initiation into the Christian faith is an experience that can be likened to a rebirth. “Born again” believers readily recognize the radical change that faith and obedience to Jesus Christ implies. In 1 \Peter adds, though, there are two important concepts that are added to the normal perception of what Christian rebirth entails. First, for hiPeter’s original readers as “scattered strangers” in the world, this rebirth by faith in Jesus Christ was painful. Their faith resulted in their existence as “scattered strangers” in the world. It was a costly faith, and it marked them socially and religiously as outcasts and outsiders in their world. Regardless of the the joy and peaceconnotations that believers today might associate with the experience of regeneration their rebirth into the Christian faith, they it should never forget be forgotten that itthe joy and peace of rebirth can also be accompanied with difficulty and even pain. Second, Peter reminds believers of the marvelous blessings into which they have been inaugurated through their new birth. By the great mercy of God, believers have been given new birth into a living hope, an eternal inheritance, and a prepared salvation. For believers who might be tempted to think that conversion is the final stage of the Christian life, Peter reminds them that born again believers are endowed with victory over past sins, a living and sustaining hope for the present, and a glorious future of inheritance and salvation through Jesus Christ. Accordingly, conversion is not the end of one’s spiritual journey; indeed, it is only the beginning..
From the Text: 1:13-2:3—Approved Some Christians today question the fairness of the injunction to be holy even as God is holy within the midst of the troubles and pressures of modern society (see Perkins 1995, 37). Peter’s clarion call to be holy in all you do targeted an audience that knew more than its fair share of “trials and tribulations,.” Yand yet Peter urged them to be holy anyway. In the face of such a daunting command, some try to interpret the repeated calls to holiness within the NT as describing a future ideal that the believer will “inherit” in heaven or at the Day of Christ’s Return (see Erdman 1919, 77-78). Others attempt to relegate the injunction to be holy to merely an inner attitude of the heart. As the holy One who cannot tolerate sin or impurity, God calls us into his presence as his children. Just as a child imitates and follows the example of its earthly father, so believers are called to imitate and follow the holy example of their heavenly Father: Be holy because I am holy. Earle writes, “We realize that we cannot live a holy life without a holy heart; but . . . an inward holiness which does not manifest itself outwardly will stand the test of neither God nor man” (1955, 401). The salvation of Christians is based squarely upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The power of God to raise Jesus from the dead is the foundation for the hope of believers to experience redemption, forgiveness, and power for holy living (1:21). The death of Jesus Christ signifies the lengths to which God in Christ will go for the salvation of believers. It both demonstrates the seriousness and destruction of sin and illustrates the sacrificial love Christ possesses for all people by identifying himself with our fallen and weakened nature. But it is God’s resurrection of Christ from the dead that demonstrates God’s determination to enable his people to overcome the power of sin and death: “The Crucifixion cannot be interpreted and understood save in the light of the Resurrection” (Rogers 1959, 10-11). Likewise, the call to holiness within the daily life and conduct of the believer cannot be understood on the basis of the death of Christ alone (see Powers 2001, 231-236). It is only through the transforming power of the resurrection in the life of believers that God’s seemingly impossible command to be holy as I am holy is made possible: “The One who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thess 5:24). Peter proclaims that the new birth of believers is founded upon the word of God. In 1:23-25, it is apparent that the word of God includes for us both the proclamation of the gospel and the written Word of God in the Bible. The implications for evangelism are noteworthy. Christians should certainly live exemplary lives as a witness to unbelievers. Likewise, they should study and practice persuasive techniques for presenting the gospel message to unbelievers. Nonetheless, Peter reminds believers that it is neither our well-rehearsed arguments nor our exemplary lifestyle that will bring new life to unbelievers. Rather, it is the powerful Word of God himself that brings new life to seekers as the Holy Spirit empowers and applies the promises of God’s Word to their lives. More than ever before, people do not need to hear the new ideas or opinions that might be offered by a persuasive preacher or speaker. Instead, people need to hear the life-giving and life-transforming words of God through preachers and believers alike who will proclaim through the Spirit, “Thus saith the Lord!” The call to holiness and to Christlikeness is a call to community. The sanctification of God’s people is not centered in God alone (be holy as I am holy; 1:15) nor in the purification of one’s own life alone (now that you have purified yourselves; 1:22). Holiness is to be demonstrated in the building of the community of believers (love one another deeply from the heart; 1:22). In an increasingly individualistic society, it is easy to think that Christianity and even holiness are individual pursuit. But this is not so. “Love for God, purity of self, love for the brother and sister in Christ are all essential ingredients of the community of living hope that 1 Peter seeks to build” (Bartlett 1998, 261). The love of other believers is the defining trait of the people of God, the great mark of true holiness. Too many people in their pursuit of holiness stop at the point of love for God and the purity of self. But Peter calls believers to take the final, crucial step towards holiness and Christlikeness: love one another deeply. Love is commanded and if we are going to talk about love, we have to move out of the level of liking and emotion and feeling and warmth to the level of the will—a posture, a stance, an attitude, a frame of mind, a life’s direction toward others that is conditioned by our understanding of God’s self-giving in Jesus. (Welch 1973, 103) Only when believers recognize the call to be members of the people of God can they become the persons of God that he intended. The importance of the Christian community for spiritual life and growth is reinforced by the specific vices that Peter commands his readers to strip away. Spiritual maturity is only possible when believers allow relationally fatal attitudes and habits like malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander to be eliminated. Peter cites these attitudes because they are especially detrimental to the unity of the community of God as a whole. But they are equally destructive to the individual believer’s own salvation and spiritual maturity. Such vices must be stripped away for the sake of both the Christian community and the individual believer. One of the essential characteristics of vital and growing Christians is their attraction to the Word of God. Peter asserts that it is only natural that a believer who has tasted the goodness of the salvation and redemption of Christ should crave after the pure spiritual milk of Christ that is found in the Bible (2:1-3). As important as Christian fellowship or public worship are, they never take the place of the study of God’s Word. The teachings of Scripture are the necessary nourishment for believers who want to grow. According to Wesley, the nourishment of God’s Word is the spiritual nutrition that enables one to grow “in faith, love, holiness, unto the full stature of Christ” (1981, n.p.). Any hope to spark a revival of spiritual growth and Christlikeness in our churches and society today will begin with a renewed hunger for the Word of God. John Wesley sparked a revival of holiness of heart and life in 18th century England by devoting himself to the Word of God. In the Preface to his Standard Sermons, Wesley wrote, “God himself has condescended to teach the way: For this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! ...Let me be homo unius libri [a man of one book]” (1979a, 3). From the Text: 2:4-10 Peter describes the new people of God in collective terms instead of individual terms. The spiritual house of God is not constructed like a mosaic consisting of individual and isolated stones that are oblivious to the existence of other stones. Instead, Peter describes the new “temple” of God as being constructed from the collective unity of believers as a single entity of living stones. With this depiction Peter’s true interest is in the corporate identity and unity of the believers. Cranfield rightfully observes, The free lance Christian, who wishes to be a Christian but is too superior to belong to the visible Church on earth in one of its forms, is simply a contradiction in terms. Everywhere the Bible presupposes a people of God. That is every bit as true of the New Testament as of the Old. The Scriptures know nothing of an individual piety that is out of touch with the living body of God’s people. (1960, 63) Peter’s description of the people of God in 2:5 implies that God’s spiritual house will be constructed from the collective unity of believers as living stones, or not at all. Peter clearly establishes the background for the doctrine of the priesthood of believers. All believers are depicted as a holy priesthood for the purpose of offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (2:5). As such, the old boundaries of “priest” and “congregation” are wiped away. Through Jesus Christ, all believers enjoy direct access to God. Thus, the need for a special office of priesthood to represent others to God is rendered obsolete. But the privilege of this special priesthood also comes with a responsibility. Peter clarifies that this is a holy priesthood. Believers are not deemed holy because they belong to the priesthood of believers; rather, believers belong to the priesthood of believers because they are holy. Obedience to the call to holiness underscores Peter’s teaching of the priesthood of all believers. The fourfold description of Christians in 2:9 emphasizes that believers enjoy God’s favor as his chosen people. Borrowing language from the OT, Peter boldly applies Israel’s nomenclature to Christian believers. Peter envisions Christian believers them as God’s chosen and elect people. Some point to 2:9 as evidence that the Church has now replaced Israel as God’s chosen people (see the discussion in Achtemeier 1996, 167). But Peter is noticeably silent regarding the relationship between believers (i.e. the Church) and Israel. Paul’s discussion of Israel in Rom 9-11 should indicates that prompt believers to resist the temptation of dismissing Israel cannot be easily dismissed too quickly from its elect status. Paul clearly proclaims that God has not turned his back on Israel. , rather, for themOn the contrary, in terms of Israel, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29). Nonetheless, both 1 Pet 2:4-10 and Rom 9-11 make it clear that union with Christ is a prerequisite for experiencing the covenant blessings of God, whether . This is true for both Jew ors and Christians. As always, salvation is never gained by virtue of one’s ethnic, national, or denominational identity. Rather, but only assalvation is the reward of an ongoing personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The mercy of God is not often emphasized very strongly within the preaching and thinking of the Church. In denominations that accentuate the doctrine of humanity’s free will, the spotlight of attention is usually focused upon the importance of an individual’s confession of faith. As a result, the reality of God’s mercy is often pushed aside into the shadows. And yet, iIn the midst of his beautiful depiction of believers in 2:4-10, Peter reminds them that salvation and favor are not a result of merit or inherent goodness. They are a result of God’s mercy revealed through Jesus Christ. At the end of the day, when all of our own faith, effort, and striving have been exhausted, it is the exceeding mercy of God, , which is so stunningly revealed to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that brings us Home. From the Text: 2:11-17 Peter calls believers to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. In essence, Peter urges his readers to abstain from any kind of fleshly desire that would war against the kind of person that God has created them to be. Believers must never forget the holy call that God has placed upon their lives. As aliens and strangers in a transient world, believers must remember that they are true citizens in an everlasting kingdom. With this holy perspective, Christians must beware of allowing the finite outlook of the society in which they live to lay claim to their values, ambitions, or activities. Even though these interests may not be inherently sinful or wrong, they are can be “fleshly” in the sense that when they can distract one’s focus of serving God and living a holy lifestyle. In this sense, the interests and values of this world often wage war against the “personhood” (lit., soul) into which a believer has been reborn through Christ. These activities are sinful when , not so much because they are a contradiction against God, but because they are a contradiction against the person that the believer has become in Christ. The essence of holiness is Christlikeness. When believers pursue the values of this world instead of the values of God in Christ,—which are summed up in the command to be holy because I am holy. —their conduct refutes the reality of the person that God created them to be. Peter insists that Christians must avoid sinful desires while maintaining an exemplary pattern of life. The focus of this instruction is guided by two considerations. fFirst, it is guided by God’s command to be holy because I am holy. Holiness is not simply an attitude of the heart; it is also an orientation of one’s life. Second, Peter’s instruction is guided by a decidedly evangelistic concern. Holiness of heart and life is not only pleasing to God, but it can also be compelling and redemptive for unbelievers. One of the implications of these verses is that an exemplary Christian life is one of the best strategies for evangelism. Early in the 8th century, the Venerable Bede wrote, “It often happens that pagans who once reviled the faith of Christians, because they had abandoned their gods, stop doing so after they see what a holy and pure life they lead in Christ” (Bray 2000, 91). In the fourth century, Chrysostom also endorsed the evangelistic power of a truly Christian lifestyle. Chrysostom “held that the most effective means of conversion was the example of Christian living. ‘There would be no more heathen if we would be true Christians,’ he said” (Latourette 1975, 99). There is little reason to doubt that the same strategy of evangelism is effective today. Perhaps more than ever before, what our world needs is for believers to live holy and exemplary lives that are reflective of Christ himself. What is the correct responsibility and role of Christians within civic and political affairs? While most Christians agree that this is a question of great importance, few Christians agree on the answers. Through the centuries, believers have been represented by a vast array of viewpoints, ranging anywhere within two extreme perspectives. Some Christians hold tenaciously that the government should be controlled and guided by Christians in some form of a theocracy. Others sincerely believe the government should be completely avoided by true Christians. The discussion is complicated by the fact that the NT writers themselves are also rather diverse in their perspective on the government. For instance, in the Book of Acts Luke tacitly affirms the leadership and wisdom of the Roman government. He possesses an underlying confidence that the leaders of the Roman Empire will rule favorably towards the spawning Christian movement. In contrast, the Book of Revelation portrays the Roman Empire as the Babylonian harlot, who drinks the blood of the saints (17:5-6). Within this wide array of perspectives, 1 Peter occupies a mediating position. Civic authorities are not divinely established authorities who must be obeyed, as Paul seems to suggest (Rom 13:1-7), nor are they blood-thirsty adversaries, as the Book of Revelation appears to indicate. Rather, the government and civic authorities are simply a “given” within society, whereby wrongdoers are punished and those who do good are commended. Accordingly, the king should be given proper respect, just as every person should be given due honor. Within the turbulent arena of political discussion, where extreme viewpoints seem to be the rule instead of the exception, Peter’s mediating position is rather refreshing. So often, political discussions and debates (even among fellow believers) are devoid of any sense of courtesy and respect. Into this maelstrom of passionate debate and partisan disagreement, Peter inserts the calming injunction of mutual respect and dignity. From the Text: 2:18-25 The call to holiness and Christian discipleship is often a call to suffering. The teaching of the NT does not promise a carefree life in this world. On the contrary, the unavoidable message of the NT is that those who heed the call of Christ to follow him will often face hardship and suffering (Jn 14:18; Phil 1:29; Heb 13:13; James 1:2). Despite the homespun sentimentality that has often been attached to Jesus’ call to followers to “take up your cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34; Matt 10:38; Luke 14:27), the reality of this call is a forewarning of hardship, suffering, and ultimately death. Perhaps no one captured the essence of this call more vividly than Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die” (1959, 99). Many believers expect the path to Christlikeness and holiness to be paved with social acceptance, prosperity, and ease. But in reality, righteousness and holiness follow a narrow path that encounters difficulty, rejection, and pain. It is not a path created by convenience for oneself, but a path created by devotion to one’s Christ. The path of suffering is not chosen because it is popular, easy, or enjoyable; it is chosen because it is the path Jesus himself walked. The question is not whether our path to Christ will encounter suffering or pain, but ; if we believe the Bible at all, we know it will! The question is whether our love and obedience to Christ is enough to prompt us to follow him anyway. The heart of the gospel is articulated in v 24: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. “Few statements in the NT exceed this in theological import” (Mounce 1982, 37). The Christian teaching of salvation and forgiveness of sins is founded upon the reality of this declaration. Jesus did not just die a tragic death on the Cross. It is the life-transforming conviction of all believers that Jesus bore our sins on the Cross and died as a representative of all sinful humanity. This makes the sacrificial act of Jesus on the Cross different than the countless other sacrificial and noble acts of other individuals who died unjust deaths. When God raised Christ from the dead, He affirmed that the power of sin has been broken once and for all. But this is only true for those who identify themselves with Christ through their faith and obedience. Just as Christ died for our sins and was raised to new life through his resurrection from the dead, believers are also called to die to sin and to live for righteousness. This is the life of holiness to which all believers are called. Jesus did not bear our sins on the Cross only so that believers could be forgiven, as important as this might be. Rather, as Peter reminds us, Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf makes it possible for believers to die to sin and to live for righteousness. This is the promise and the victory that awaits those who heed the call of Christ to the life of holiness and truly follow after him! From the Text: 3:1-12 Peter instructs wives to submit to their husbands. Undergirding these instructions is the radical presupposition that wives (and women in general) have the spiritual capacity and the personal freedom to make important individual decisions about their faith. Peter presupposes that wives possess freedom in Christ, but he urges them not to use their freedom in Christ to feel superior to their husbands. Instead, they should become model wives of virtuous conduct and righteous submission. The motivation for submission is not based on fear of the husband’s disapproval or retribution, but on their reverential fear toward God. And yet, even as Peter directs wives to submit to their husbands, the reference to “reverential fear” means that the wife’s ultimate submission and responsibility is not to her husband, but to Jesus Christ as her Lord. It is not simple social conformity to which Peter calls believers, but a radical Christian stance that marks Jesus Christ as truly Lord. Christian wives (and by implication, every believer) should live out their faith so transparently, even in unsympathetic and threatening situations, that those who observe their righteous and virtuous conduct may be won to the faith. Prayer is mentioned by Peter as a normal and essential element of the Christian life. Peter “does not direct that there should be prayer. He seems to takes it for granted “that there would be; and it may be remarked, that where there is true religion in right exercise, there is prayer as a matter of course” (Barnes 1962, 1417). As important as prayer is, however, this act of worship is useless and invalid unless it is accompanied with proper conduct. The Hebrew prophets and early Christian tradition clearly emphasize the inherent connection between worship and behavior (see Isa 1:10-17; Amos 5:21-24; Matt 5:23-24; 1 Cor 11:20-29; James 4:2-3). First Peter echoes this conviction in his household codes. The idea that one’s relationship to God need not affect one’s relationship to other people is foreign and unacceptable to Peter. Rather, the believers’ relationship with God affects every other relationship, both inside and outside of the family. In 3:7, we discover that the converse is also true. When human relationships are ruptured and inappropriate, our relationship with God is also endangered. From the Text: 3:13-17 Entire sanctification is often described as a believer’s experience of being completely set apart for service and devotion to God. It is a work of grace by which God himself purifies and sanctifies the believer for greater power and service in His Kingdom. Peter assuredly embraces this notion as he describes his readers as experiencing the sanctifying work of the Spirit (1:2), and as he calls them to be holy in all you do (1:15). But sanctification is not only a passive experience. Peter also envisions the believers’ own participation in this sanctifying process, as he calls them not only to be set apart, but also to set apart Christ as Lord in your heart. How many believers have tried with futility to receive God’s inward purity of heart without consciously and deliberately setting apart Christ as Lord within their heart? Peter envisions believers as recipients of God’s sanctification, however, as they are purified and set apart for Christ, but he also sees them as active participants in their Christian victory as they deliberately set apart Christ in their heart. Christians are expected to be able to explain and defend their faith. This does not mean that every Christian must enroll in a course on apologetics in order to learn the formal discipline of defending the faith, but it does imply that believers should give reasonable thought to their faith. “It is, in fact, one of the tragedies of the modern situation that there are so many Church members who, if they were asked what they believe, could not tell anyone, and who, if they were asked why they believe it, would be equally helpless” (Barclay 1960, 273). Christianity is described and characterized as “faith;” but it is not a groundless or irrational faith. There is an inner logic and simplicity to the Christian faith that can be very compelling to unbelievers, but only if it is actually articulated in a thoughtful way by believers. It is important to remember, however, that Peter’s instructions, however, presuppose that the believers’ faith is based in a vibrant, personal experience with Christ the Savior. This personal experience and relationship with the risen Christ is the foundation of the hope that Christians have. While the appeal of the Christian faith can be enhanced by the thoughtful articulation of its witnessesthis faith, this thoughtful articulation is virtually meaningless without the witnesses’ personal experience of the living hope that is professed. From the Text: 3:18-22 1 Peter 3:18-19 is often cited as a proof text that Jesus descended into hell during the three day period between his death and resurrection. But there is no strong evidence that this was on the author’s mind when he penned the words he went and preached to the spirits in prison. Although the phrase “he descended into hell” comes from the Apostles’ Creed, it does not appear in any editions of the Apostles’ Creed until AD 390 and then not again until AD 650 (Schaff 1977, 54). Not only is the history of this Creed’s teaching of Christ’s descent into hell rather spotty, but there are other texts in the NT that would seem to speak against this idea (see Luke 23:43; John 20:17). In terms of its understanding, 1 Peter 3:18-19 contains the greatest amount of controversy and the least amount of certainty than virtually any other single verse in the NT. This Just the uncertainty itself should beis grounds enough to promptfor great caution and reserve from students of this passage. Despite the controversy and disagreement surrounding 3:18-22, some extremely valuable truths can be derived from this text. First, believers are called to be bold in their witness t. Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, of Christ whoe speaks dynamically in and through his followers in a dynamic and powerful way. Second, God will certainly bring salvation and final vindication to believers, even though they might be few in number. Through the believers’ participation in Christ through faith, there might be suffering in this life, but there will certainly be glory in the life to come. Third, judgment is coming to the world. Jjust as certainly as the flood eventually came in the days of Noah, so also final judgment will come to our world, and Christ will ultimately triumph over all evil in the universe. In the light of this unshakeable hope believers should take heart and stand firm. The importance of baptism is strongly emphasized throughout the NT, but it is boldly described in 1 Peter 3:21 as the baptism that now saves you. It cannot be overlooked that Although baptism is used as the supreme analogy of the believers’ experience of salvation,. Peter clearly rejects the notion that baptism by itself contains any inherent saving power. YAnd yet he points to baptism as possessing a unique and powerful role in the establishment and preservation of the believers’ salvation. Ultimately, Peter explains to his readers that baptism now saves you...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In The Book of Common Prayer, the sacrament of baptism is described as consisting of two parts: “the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace.” This balance of the “outward” and “inward” elements corresponds with the divine initiative and the human response that are integral to the salvific experience of baptism. Peter maintains this balance very well. On the one hand, he describes the human response as the believers’ pledge to God to maintain a good conscience. This consists not only of faith in Christ but also the appropriate behavior of such a faith. On the other hand, he describes the divine initiative whereby baptism only saves through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without both the enabling power of Christ’s resurrection and the solemn confessional pledge of the believer, baptism does not designate much more than the removal of dirt from the body. According to Wesley the significance of baptism is “not, indeed, the bare outward sign, but the inward grace; a divine consciousness that both our persons and our actions are accepted through him who died and rose again for us” (1981, n.p.). Through baptism, believers make public their identification and participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the same time, Christ identifies and participates in the life of the believers so that they are enabled to live the kind of righteous life that was pledged to God. BIndeed, baptism is indeed both an outward visible sign and the inward spiritual grace that is characteristic of salvation. From the Text: 4:1-6 Faith in Jesus Christ does not only save a person from judgment and condemnation at the Day of Judgment, but it also enables believers to turn from sin and to live a righteous life. Believers are forgiven by Christ, and they are expected to break away from sin as they follow after Christ. The idea that the behavior of Christians and non-Christians differs only in the fact that Christians are forgiven is an idea foreign to Peter. Indeed, this idea is completely absent in the teaching of the NT. Christlikeness is not merely a slogan in the mind of Peter. It is a reality that begins with one’s faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and it expresses itself in the mind, heart, and behavior of every Christian. According to Peter, true believers do not only confess faith in Jesus Christ, but they also emulate his holiness (1:15), follow in his steps (2:21), set Christ apart as Lord in their hearts (3:15), suffer for his name (3:17), and arm themselves with Christ’s attitude (4:1). This is what it means to live for the will of God. Peter strongly affirms several central teachings of theological importance in this section of his letter. First, all people will be held accountable on the Last Day for the actions of their life (4:5; see Rom 3:19; 14:10-12; 2 Cor 5:10; Heb 4:13). Second, Christ (or God) will judge every creature, living or dead (4:5; see Matt 25:31-46; Luke 21:34-36; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom 2:6; 3:6; 1 Cor 4:4-5; 2 Tim 4:1). Lastly, believers have nothing to fear from death (4:6), for death has been swallowed up in victory (see Isa 25:8; 1 Cor 15:54; also Rom 6:8-11; 8:38-39; Heb 2:14-15). Even though believers might die before the return of Christ, they will be made alive by God through the Spirit (4:6; see 1 Thess 4:13-17; 5:10). Through these and other significant passages, 1 Peter’s letter distinguishes itself as a sourcebook of historic Christian theology. From the Text:4:7-19 First Peter was written with the confident certainty that the End Times were very imminent. TInstead of representing a source of anxiety and dread, the impending arrival of the Last Day was a cause for Peter to encourage and strengthen believers in their faithfulness and perseverance. With the end of times in sight, believers are called to clear mindedness, self-control, and prayer (4:7). Even the suffering of believers is placed within the eschatological context of the imminent end, with the assurance that their own suffering is a refining precursor of the judgment that will come upon all humanity (4:17-18). As difficult as their own suffering is, the fate of unbelievers will be much worse. God’s plan and judgment is approaching its consummation swiftly. These truths have important implications in First Peter. First, believers must remain faithful in their identification with Christ, even if this means suffering. Second, the fiery trials that believers face are intended as purifying refinement. Despite the resultant pain, the severity of this suffering is no comparison to the fire of judgment that will come upon unbelievers. Third, there is an implicit urgency to reach out to unbelievers with the saving message of the gospel. The haunting question of v 17—what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?—signals the impending doom of unbelievers. But it also implicitly urges believers to witness to their faith by doing good and remaining faithful during times of trial. BFirst Peter provides a steady reminder of the compelling effectiveness of believers who remain faithful during times of difficulty and suffering are compelling witnesses(2:12; 3:2). First Peter is a source of helpful encouragement to those who suffer (Bartlett 1988, 313). First, suffering often provides the test by which believers’ faith and convictions are strengthened. It can represent a refining fire that not only cleanses but beautifies believers’ life and commitment. Second, through suffering believers are provided the opportunity to participate in Jesus’ own story. Scripture promises believers not only a share in Christ’s passion, but also a share in his glory. This is their permanent reward at the Last Day. But tThis glory begins now already in the purified (or sanctified) life of believers as they participate fully in the death and resurrection of Jesus. And this glory will become their permanent reward as they are identified with Christ and share in his glory at the Last Day. Third, faithful people are invited to suffer in accordance with God’s will (4:19). This does not mean that God wills for each person to suffer. But when suffering comes it provides the opportunity for believers to live according to God’s will, both in trust and in doing good. Just as suffering came to Christ uninvited, it also comes to many believers in a variety of forms, including illness, persecution, abandonment, or pain. HPeter reminds believers that hope and comfort can be found in the midst of suffering. From the Text: 5:1-11 The vocation of pastor has always been a challenging task. Even in Peter’s day, the office of elder was vulnerable to abuse and worldly temptation, a fact that Peter’s negative prohibitions in 5:2-3 illustrate. “In exhorting pastors to their duty, he points out especially three vices which are found to prevail much, even sloth, desire of gain, and lust of power” (Calvin 1948, 142). Unfortunately, one does not have to look far within the church world to find examples of these vices disgracefully displayed. But for each vice, Peter provides a positive remedy,; namely, a spirit of willingness, service, and exemplary behavior. Much attention is often given to the failings of church leaders and, indeed, their failure is an awful blight upon the Bride of Christ. But for every conspicuous failure of a church leader, there are countless ministers, elders, bishops, and pastors who willingly, sacrificially, and faithfully serve the flock of God. It can only be hoped that the eyes of the laity will not be blinded to the selfless and godly service of the many faithful leaders by the glaring flash of the few selfish and faithless ones. Casting all one’s cares upon God is a habit that believers of every age need to develop. Peter knows that Christians can become sidetracked from their devotion and commitment by anxieties and concerns about the needs of their daily life. “To be overwhelmed with anxiety is to be concerned with self rather than with Him” (Beare 1961, 178). God knows what his followers are facing, he knows our concerns, he is actively involved in the events of our lives, and, most importantly, he cares. The release of anxiety and worry is not a natural or easy step, but it is essential. This is why Peter calls believers to deliberately and decisively cast their anxieties upon God. It might not be easy, but it is essential. The surrender of life’s worries and anxieties into the mighty hand of God is one of the genuine marks of true faith. Believers as engaged in a battle between good and evil, whereby the devil prowls around like a lion searching for prey. Believers must realize that they have an enemy whose incessant desire is to completely annihilate their faith. Satan’s spiritual assault calls for Christians to be alert and watchful, but his powers of deceit are no match for the mighty hand of God. Peter calls believers to resist the devil, and he promises them the empowering strength of God that will enable them to stand firm in their faith against his attacks. While Satan’s power should not be ignored, it need not be a source of panic or despair for Christians, for the God of all grace is on their side. As Hilary of Arles vividly explains, “There is a world of difference between God and the devil. If you resist God, he will destroy you, but if you resist the devil, you will destroy him” (Bray 2000, 125).