Lesson 76
Study of
First Peter Chapter 5
Review:
5:5 Likewise you younger men be submissive to the
elders (your P/T) and all of you fasten on firmly a humble mental attitude
toward one another (other believers); (quote of Prov 3:34) For God keeps on
being opposed to the arrogant but gives grace to the humble.
Summary 5:5!
1. There is a close
link between lack of respect for authority in bonifide areas and a failure to
have a mental attitude of humility.
2. Both are a sign
of arrogance on the part of the individual exhibiting them.
3. The one with
true humility then does not have a problem with authority orientation.
4. Paul warns of a
false humility which has as its source the fleshly mind, the brain computer
under sin nature rulership not from doctrine as is true humility.
5. He also links
this false humility to asceticism which has an appearance of wisdom and
devotion to God but is in reality man derived religion, an attempt to handle
the sin nature by their own efforts.
6. lack of true humility among believers will manifest itself
in rivalries and conceit over real or
imagined spiritual prowess.
- The result is
negative volition to the Word, bad manners, and an unwillingness to make the
necessary decisions related to what is their MPR.
7. God opposes or stands against all proud and
arrogant types who will eventually be cut down to size. Lk.
5:6 Our Duty of
humility before God
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand
of God,
- Grace orientation
indicates that you recognize that you are totally dependent on God in every
area, every aspect of your life.
- By our orienting
to these various situations and doing so positively and not reacting (why me)
it will lead to genuine humility, a mental attitude of G/O but also reward at
the JSC.
Failure to deal with - reacting to tests of life Jas
Orienting to the tests by applying
BD reaps benefits Jas
4:10
This genuine
humility results from being oriented under the
mighty hand of God,
"under
the mighty hand of God" is a familiar Old testament expression of God's actions in human affairs, "whether in
the restraining and subduing of His enemies, or in the defense and chastisement
of His children, and their ultimate deliverance and exaltation.
This phrase mighty hand of God is
used several ways, some examples:
Deliverance from
Also for discipline: Psa 32:4; Jer. 21:5; Ezk
20:33-34
In
Heb 1:10; 2:7 it is used to refer to creation as the works of His hands.
They were delivered because as we
have previously seen they continued to do what is right.
that He may exalt you at the proper time,
- at the proper time, (evn kairw/|() locative of time, idiom for
the proper time.
Prov. 15:33b reminds of the
relationship between humility and promotion
The believer may be severely
tested, but can rest assured that God, who knows the limits of his endurance (1
Cor.
Part
of humility is willingness to patiently wait for things according to God's
timetable.
5:6 Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God (OmPo)
in order that He may promote you at the proper time.
5:7 Gives us the mechanics
for orienting under pressure and being humbled.
casting all your anxiety on Him,
- The aorist participle here is important - it
has antecedent action to the MV; He cares;
For us to
realize the care of God referred to here we must first learn to cast our
anxieties, cares on Him.
Therefore we must learn to faith-rest what ever situation
we might be facing by
prayer which is the means of casting our anxieties and needs on Him before you will realize the care He has for
you!
all
your anxiety on Him describes what we are to
cast (pa/j me,rimna)
- The most familiar verse for
this word's use is Phil 4:6 which presents a clear contradiction of trust in
our life. Worry and trust are
contradictory.
- From the spiritual standpoint
we find that worry is the result of wrong thinking, and wrong feelings
(emotions) about circumstances, about people and about things.
So the cares and anxiety in view refers to legitimate
areas of life that often become areas of distraction because of failure to
apply doctrine while facing and dealing with them; might be health, financial,
people you have relationships with, the circumstances or CHP's of life.
because He
cares for you. Present is gnomic, a truth that is always true, active
indicative (reality) of the impersonal verb (me,lei)
- this
verb describes the reality of the care, concern, or that it matters to Him
concerning you
Verse ends with a very personal promise translated for
you. peri, su , in the
genitive case - concerning you!
5:7 casting every anxiety of yours on Him because it matters to Him
concerning you!
Summary 5:6-7
1.
To humble yourself is a command to recognize that you are totally
dependent on Him in every area of your life.
- because we are the product of
grace we are to be grace oriented in our lives, which also includes being
authority oriented and teachable since we have a desire to know the Word which
gives us the capacity to Know him and to live the Christian life.
2.
The phrase "mighty hand of God" indicates that God has the
power, ability to provide deliverance and will do so for the advancing believer
under any and all situations that you may face.
- Issue then becomes just how we
are orienting daily to the tests of life as they come.
3.
The promise then associated with verse 6 is that deliverance and
vindication is a reality to the one who faith-rests the situation, applying the
Word.
4.
There are 2 aspects related to this vindication:
#1 temporal - from doing what is
right ( as these in context were) handles the tests
and produces DGP.
#2 Eternal - will have
illumination of that DGP at the JSC, rewards
5.
The promotion (exalting) will come in life according to God's timing which is perfect. (phrase at the
proper time)
6.
In the meantime your are to cast every anxiety that you might have upon Him.
7.
Using the faith-rest technique will take the pressure off while the
pressure is on.
8. There is no care or anxiety
that you might have that is too great or too inconsequential for the
"mighty hand of God" to make the provision for.
9. Since UNDSF (major subject of
the context of chapter 4) when oriented to glorifies
Him, He takes a special interest in your situation!
- It matters to Him concerning you!
- That's a very personal promise to each of you!
10. By casting your cares on Him,
you're letting the Lord handle it while you reap the benefits.
11. Other passages that document
this promise. Psa
55:22; 37:5