1 Peter

Recently, I have heard people using a seaman's expression, "It happened on my watch".  It refers to a time when it was their duty to notice what was going on and take the appropriate action.  In these summary verses at the end of Peter’s letter, he addresses church leaders and their apprentices.  It is all about watching out.  In 1 Peter 5:1-5 he teaches how to serve others, humbly like Jesus.  In 1 Peter 5:6-7 he teaches how to monitor our hearts in humility and without fear.  In 1 Peter 5:8-9 he commands us to watch out for the devil’s activities and handle o

Bullies can be found everywhere, from the school playground to the workplace.  They achieve their wicked purposes by inducing fear, expecting people to submit to their domination.  Facing up to a bully is the best way to make him or her back down.  The threats and whispers which surround these people, and their sycophantic entourage, demand that people of courage should expose them.  It is the same problem with the devil.  The more that people bow to his spiritual terrorism, with its lies and threats, the more trapped they become as they wrongly believe that their s

Human nature loves to feel in command.  It is the fleshly delusion that we can determine the security and prosperity of our future by controlling today's circumstances.  Of course, we are responsible to make wise decisions each day, and they will affect what happens tomorrow: but the future is never in our hands, but God's (Psalm 31:14-15).  When believers were facing persecution, Peter’s letter was written to encourage readers to submit to God and to each other in loving service, and to resist the devil (1 Peter 5:8-9).  But suffering is not the end: God, who has called

Why are some Christians stable and productive, but others are uncertain and confused?  Those who base their lives on lies, fleshly energy and human wisdom end up in confusion (James 3:14-16).  Those whose hearts are stabilised on God’s truth and grace in Christ experience confidence (1 Peter 1:13).  Peter now summarises the purpose of his letter: to encourage stability based on truth, freedom based on God's grace through Christ, and perseverance encouraged by the Scriptures (Romans 15:4).
 

Peter now concludes his first letter writing from Rome, which he calls Babylon.  The Bible identifies Babylon as both a real place, and as a symbol of evil (Revelation 17:1-6).  Historical Babylon (in what is now Iraq) had a proud and powerful reputation for oppressing and secularising the people of God; its society allowed all that God forbids.  Rome's culture had also degenerated to celebrate what God had condemned (Romans 1:18-32).  Yet, people in Rome first trusted in Jesus after hearing the gospel from travelling believers - and that is still happening wherever peop