You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard
me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified
to teach others. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does
not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:1-2, 15
INTRODUCTION
In 1 Peter chapters 1&2, Peter wrote to encourage his readers to persevere in their faith and to
prepare for future attacks. These teachings have implications on our lives as Christ followers
today. The basis for Christian hope is Jesus’s resurrection and the promise of eternal life. In light
of eternity, our trials are temporary and serve to refine our faith.
As we await Jesus’s return, we are to live holy lives. In obedience to God, we are to seek to
reflect His holiness in our behavior, which is possible because we have been redeemed from
our old, sinful way of life. We have been given the Holy Spirit as our Helper as we read in
Philippians 2:13 – For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what
pleases Him.
In Chapter 2, Peter uses several images to help us understand how we have been changed by
Christ. We have been given a new diet (“pure milk of the word” that helps us grow
Christlikeness), a new house (the church), and a new family (God’s children). God made us
such in order that we will tell the world about who He is and what He has done.
Please enjoy and share with others.
1 PETER 1:1-25
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to
Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new
birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an
inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who
through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be
revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may
have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of
your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result
in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of
your souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you,
searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to
which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah
and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving
themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who
have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look
into these things.
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought
to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the
evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be
holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as
foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as
silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from
your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was
chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your
faith and hope are in God.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for
each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of
perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,“ All
people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the
flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached
to you.
1 PETER 2:1-25
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to
him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See,
I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will
never be put to shame.”
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the
builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is
also what they were destined for.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that
you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received
mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war
against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing
wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as
the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong
and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence
the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-
up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,
fear God, honour the emperor.
Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are
good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears
up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your
credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good
and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ
suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” When they hurled their insults
at Him, he did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted
Himself to him who judges justly.
“He Himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,”
but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Stay blessed!
For further inquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0243588467 or 0268130615
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
