Lesson 49
Study of
First Peter Chapter 3
Review:
Peter
confirms his exhortation with a quote from Ps 34:12-16a in the LXX
First
the dominating desire (v 10a).
For,
"THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
- This is not speaking of length of life but quality of
life - to participate in life with full intelligence and purpose, having a zest
for life because of their relationship with God.
- He has recognized and deliberately accepted the
realization that life is not a playground of indulgence but rather an arena of
opportunity for fellowship with God.
But
the contrast what Peter is pointing out here is the believer who has some
doctrine and therefore a zest for life and a grasp on his position in Christ
and therefore his inheritance, a grasp on his heritage.
For
this one their happiness in time is not tied to the overt circumstances of
life.
AND SEE GOOD DAYS word for see is (o`ra,w) to see; to observe; speaks of an extended look not just
a glimpse that would be blepw
They
are good because of the moral quality of his life. Because of his relationship
with God, even persecution cannot make good days bad.
As always with good must ask by what standard? This good
is not measured from
the human viewpoint standards of the day, ie.
by wealth, material goods, status/position in
society.
This will have impact in
life 2 ways, first by handling the circumstances of life your
facing and secondly provide reward at the JSC.
Blessing in time and eternity.
Next Peter presents some more imperatives to be applied
for this first statement to become a reality.
Peter follows the Hebrew parallelism of Psa 34 and so we find poetic parallelism here MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING
DECEIT.
The
parallel line narrows and intensifies that evil: AND HIS
LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
- "Deceitful speech" is the evil of
saying one thing and meaning something else to lead another astray.
3:6 The nature of the uncontrolled tongue
And the
tongue is a fire, the very world
of iniquity;
- kosmos
- is used to denote the vast orderly system under the control and influence of
Satan - the master counterfeiter
- his
world is one of avdiki,a - iniquity
(ok); unrighteousness maladjustment to
the thinking of LJC.
PRIN: No other part
of our body has comparable power/range of influence for evil as the tongue, it
is able to give utterance to every evil thought - motive, and put this
evil into words, communication.
the tongue is set among our members as that which
defiles the entire body,
- The uncontrolled
tongue results in spiritual decay/degeneracy - moral leprosy (very destructive)
and sets on fire the course of our life
- just
as a forest fire rages, the Believer who habitually operates under S/O/T only
produces self-induced misery
and is set on fire by hell
- During the days of
King Ahaz and Manasseh, human sacrifices were offered
in Ge-hinom to the pagan god Molech. 2 Chrn. 28:3; 33:6; Jer
7:31
Summary 3:6
1. The tongue is a
fire, is a metaphor depicting the destructive nature of the tongue. Ps 57:4; 120:1-4; Prov 16:27-28; 26:20-21
2. The tongue then
not controlled by the indwelling Holy Spirit empowering and illuminating BD is
potentially very dangerous.
3. So much so that if
the tongue is not controlled ones whole person and life will be defiled by its
actions.
- Mt
4. There are few sins
that we can commit in which the tongue is not involved to some degree.
5. The phrase sets on fire
the course of our life indicates the
tongues capacity to incite sin nature activity.
6. The corrupting
influence of the tongue unchecked spreads to ever increasing areas of one's
life - affecting the relationships one has with others. (family - friends -
co-workers)
7. James uses the
term "hell" - gehenna
to indicate that demonic influences are behind verbal sinning and evil.
8. Our speech as
believers should link us to the N&S of the Royal law, the law of
liberty. [2:8; 12]
9. Speech is a gift
which demands that we exercise great care and responsibility in its use.