1 PETER LESSON 3


     We will begin this lesson in  I Peter 2:1 "Wherefore laying aside
all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil
speakings,"

     This is actually a continuation of chapter 1. We see that Peter
is still giving instructions on how to live the Christian life. We
must shed the old self that was worldly, and take on the garment of
righteousness provided for us by Jesus. "Malice" means badness,
depravity, malignity, or trouble. "Guile", in the verse above, means
trick, craft, or deceit. We all know a few hypocrites, and pray that
we will not be among their number. They pretend to be believers, but
have not really given up their worldly ways. All of these things,
spoken of here, including envies and evil speakings, are ways
unbecoming a Christian. Those, who have truly dedicated all of
themselves to Christ, will not have these things in their lives.

     I Peter 2:2 "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the
word, that ye may grow thereby:"

     We all know that new-born babies get their nourishment from milk.
Christians should get their nourishment from the Word of God {Bible}.
It should be the desire of our hearts to fellowship with God in His
Word each day. A baby cannot live long without milk, and a Christian
cannot remain a Christian without studying the Word of God.

     I Peter 2:3 "If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is]
gracious."

     This, again, is speaking of feeding on the Word of God. Just as
the milk for the baby is sweet, so is the Word of God. The study of
the Word of God will bring peace to your soul. The grace of the Lord
is sufficient for me.

     I Peter 2:4 "To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed
indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious,"

     The ever living Stone is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We
know that Peter brings this up, because it was the Jews, who rejected
Jesus. If we build upon the Rock {Jesus Christ}, we shall not be moved
by trials and temptations. It , of course, was not just the Jews that
rejected Jesus, but mankind in general. We know that salvation is
Jesus is the most precious thing we can receive.

     I Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual
house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

     Jesus is the Cornerstone, and we are the building blocks.  The
word translated lively here, could better have been translated living.
He {Jesus} is living, and we are living, as well. Together we build
the house. God will tabernacle with men. We are, in a sense, His
dwelling place. Jesus is the High Priest, and all believers in Christ
are priests unto God. The sacrifice that we offer up unto God is
praise.
There is no more physical sacrifice. Jesus fulfilled all of the
sacrifice for us. This is speaking of the spiritual, and not the
physical sacrifice. This is not a sacrifice of obligation. It is a
sacrifice of love.

     I Peter 2:6 "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he
that believeth on him shall not be confounded."

     You can see from the following Scripture that Sion is Zion, which
is symbolic of the church. Isaiah 28:16 "Therefore thus saith the Lord
GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a
precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall
not make haste."  This is speaking of Jesus as Cornerstone and all
believers in Christ who make up the church. "Confounded", in the verse
above, means that these Christians will not be confused about what
they believe. They will be established in Jesus.

     I Peter 2:7 "Unto you therefore which believe [he is] precious:
but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders
disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,"

     Jesus is the cornerstone that keeps the church together. There is
nothing more precious than knowing you are saved. To know beyond a
shadow of doubt that you will spend eternity with Him, is precious
indeed. To not believe causes you to be left out.

     I Peter 2:8 "And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence,
[even to them] which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto
also they were appointed."

     The same Stone that the Christian leans upon for strength, is the
same stone that those who reject Him stumble over and fall. The verse
above seems to indicate, that even some who profess to know Jesus
become disobedient and fall on the Stone. To stumble at the Word,
means they do not have an understanding of the Word. The Holy Spirit
of God teaches us the meaning of the Scriptures. If we do not receive
help from the Spirit, we will not understand fully the Word. It seems
God had appointed them to be part of His spiritual house, but through
disobedience, they have missed the mark of being lively stones for
Christ.

     I Peter 2:9 "But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew
forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light:"

     This is one of the most encouraging Scriptures in all of the
Bible. God has chosen us to become His sons. This generation of people
upon whom the end has come, are chosen of God to be priests unto Him.
We are His family. Jesus is High Priest, and we are priests. All
believers in Christ are of the house of Israel. Christians are the
spiritual house of Israel. Jews are the physical house of Israel.
Christians are this holy nation. We are a peculiar people as far as
the world is concerned. We are separated unto God. The marvellous
Light is Jesus. Before we come to Christ, we are walking in darkness.
When Jesus takes up habitation inside of us, we are filled with His
Light. He is the Light of the world. When we are filled with Jesus, we
have all Light dwelling within us.

     I Peter 2:10 "Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are]
now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy."

     All Gentiles were thought of as dogs by the Jewish people, before
Christ came and made them a people. This, then, is speaking of
Gentiles who have become spiritual Israel. The law was not given to
Gentiles.  They were not considered God's people. Jesus Christ is
available to all mankind. His mercy, not only endures forever, but
endures to all mankind.

     I Peter 2:11 "Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and
pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"

     The warfare a Christian is in is between the spirit and the
flesh. Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Strangers, in
the verse above, is speaking of people who are not native to the land.
He is probably speaking to Jews about the Gentile believers in this
instance.  Galatians 5:16 "[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and
ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

     I Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles:
that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your]
good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of
visitation.

     We see from this verse, that he is speaking definitely to the
Jews about the Gentile believers. The Jews who are Christians should
set an example for the Gentile believers since they were familiar with
the law of God and had more background in serving God than the
Gentiles had. Peter is telling them to live good wholesome lives with
good works following, so that the Gentiles could see their good work
and praise God for their works. There seemed to be a little feuding
between the Gentile believers and the Jewish believers. Peter was
trying to make them realize how important it was to get along with
each other.







                          1 Peter 3 Questions


1.  What were believers to lay aside in verse 1?
2.  What are these instructions for?
3.  What does "malice" mean?
4.  What does "guile" mean?
5.  What is a hypocrite?
6.  What do new-born babies get their nourishment from?
7.  What do Christians get their nourishment from?
8.  Who is the living Stone in verse 4?
9.  What is the most precious gift we can have?
10. As lively stones, are built up a ___________ house.
11. Who is the priesthood in verse 5?
12. What is the sacrifice the Christian offers God?
13. The sacrifice the Christian makes is not of _____________.
14. What is Sion, in verse 6, speaking of?
15. What does "confounded" mean in verse 6?
16. To the disobedient, what is the Cornerstone?
17. What does verse 8 seem to indicate about Christians who stumble at
    the Word?
18. What helps us understand the meaning of the Scriptures?
19. Quote 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9.
20. All believers in Christ are the house of __________.
21. What is the difference in a believer and a Jew?
22. Who is the marvellous Light?
23. What were all Gentiles thought to be {by the Jews}, before they
    received Jesus?
24. What are two things to remember about the mercy of God?
25. Quote Galatians chapter 5 verse 17?
26. The warfare a Christian is in is between the ________ and the
    ________.
27, Quote Galatians chapter 5 verse 16.
28. Why should the Jews set an example for the Gentile believers?
29. What shall they behold that will cause them to glorify God?