Study
of First Peter Lesson
20
Review:
Chapter 2 begins a new section 2:1-10
2:1-3 a
brief transitional passage which forms an exhortation to ensure our continued
tenaciousness toward the Word of God.
2:4-10 moves to our relationship as believers with Christ.
2:1 Therefore, putting aside
putting aside avpoti,qhmi aorist middle participle to put off, to put
away from, to lay aside
What is the mechanic for what is being commanded here?
We need to ensure that the Holy Spirit is not quenched or grieved. No sin or rejection of truth.
Passages that describe what's in view here.
- 1 John 1:9 confess, o`mologe,w
- 1 Cor
- Heb 12:1 lay aside every
encumbrance
- Eph
- Eph
Point is
that we need to quickly identify sin in our life, or any rejection of truth and
deal with it, so that we return to fellowship operating on divine viewpoint.
Then he
gives us a list of areas that are especially pertinent in dealing with others
in a local assembly.
1. all
malice kaki,a speaks of every form of evil, it speaks of an
attitude that motivates one;
Its a
more general term that describes any attitude that motivates one away from the
standards of the Word.
Jas
- We must rid ourselves of any and all MA sin
and all conduct that is morally defiling - whatever is inconsistent with expressed +R
Standard found in the Word.
Eph
This context describes the kind of
things that Paul had
in mind when in the previous verse he exhorts us not to grieve the Holy Spirit.
2. all guile
pa/j do,loj deceit;
org. "to catch with bait";
The idea of misleading, deceiving someone to their harm and your own
advantage (con man)
3. and
hypocrisy u`po,krisij pretense, hypocrisy,
- used of the acting of a stage player,
therefore the idea of presenting an appearance that one is not
- It describes a phony front or a façade, a
lack of honesty and integrity while dealing with others.
- This façade of the Pharisees was so well known that in Lk 12:1 the leaven of Pharisees is identified as hypocrisy.
4. and envy fqo,noj ; bitter feeling
that rises from the heart, mind being ruled
sin nature rule that is directed toward one who is perceived to be above
us, who is what we are not; or who possess what we do not have but want
desperately;
5. and
all slander katalalia, lit. to talk down or
against; to rundown or disparage someone verbally; what is often called
backbiting would fall under this one
2:1 Therefore putting aside (ensure
in fellowship) every form of evil and every form of deceit and hypocrisy and
envy and all slander.
Summary 2:1
1. Peter acknowledges here that even believers choose to
operate at times outside the expressed will of God.
2. In order for us as believers in union with Christ to
fulfill the imperatives (mandates) of Scripture (immediate context "become
holy" and "fervently love one another") Peter exhorts us to
ensure we are in fellowship.
3. To be sure we understand what Peter is focused on here he
describes several categories of sins that are often major problem areas in
relationships among believers.
4. The 2 major categories identified here are sins of the
tongue and mental attitude sins.
5. Peter is consistent with the list of the 7 worst sins
from divine viewpoint, a total abomination to the Lord, as defined in Prov
6:16-19.
6. A critical issue for each of us as believers as we live
the Christian life is to be honest with ourselves and quickly identify sin and
deal with it using the grace provision of the forgiveness and cleansing so that
we can continue our objective in life to glorify Him.
7. The alternative of course for failure to ensure that we
are in fellowship a majority of the time is discipline from God and self induced misery.
- We need to remember that when we're not in fellowship the
Holy Spirit is not empowering and therefore not illuminating the truth known
and whatever we know is going to be garbled by the sin nature while its in rulership.