Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 16

 We as Children of God are Called to be Holy Part 7

1 Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter now reminds us of our frailty, feebleness, and frailness that make up our human bodies because of original sin committed by Adam in the Garden of Eden and passed down to every human being that came from him. These decaying, decrepit, and dying human bodies that we live inside will never endure forever as Peter declares with these words, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you." (1 Peter 1:24-25) (KJV). Just like dying grass or flowers, so is the corrupted body of man 👨 and woman 👩. The Apostle Peter is quoting from these words of the Prophet Isaiah, "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever." (Isaiah 40:6-8) (KJV). God the Father speaking through the Prophet Isaiah way back then wanted the children of Israel to know and understand clearly that their time here on the earth 🌎 is short like fading grass or flowers, but in contrast that His counsel, His plans, found in His Eternal Words are forever. It is God who gives each and every person still alive on the earth 🌎 (those of us born again and those still dead in trespasses and sins) by His counsel every breath needed to live another second, minute, hour, day, week, month, or year on this spinning planet 🌏. The Apostle Peter (by the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit) is exhorting, exalting, and encouraging us to surrender to God the Holy Spirit inspite of any of our outward circumstances of pesecution to walk and live in holiness of life, for Paul the Apostle wrote these words to the Church ⛪ @ Corinth speaking of the life we live now in our bodies, "So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences." (2 Corinthians 5:6-11) (NKJV). Paul just like Peter wants to remind believers and warn unbelievers that God/Jesus sees all and knows all about every living human being. "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:3 (NKJV). It is only God's Word that endures forever and we are His true born again/begotten again sons and daughters, then we must live our lives while we are still in our bodies being governed by His Holy Word.

Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 1:24-25, "All flesh - Every human creature is transient and withering as grass. And all the glory of it - His wisdom, strength, wealth, righteousness. As the flower - The most short - lived part of it. The grass - That is, man. The flower - That is, his glory. Is fallen off." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 1:24-25, "The Apostle having given an account of the excellency of the renewed spiritual man as born again, not of corruptible but incorruptible seed, he now sets before us the vanity of the natural man, taking him with all his ornaments and advantages about him: For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass; and nothing can make him a solid substantial being, but the being born again of the incorruptible seed, the word of God, which will transform him into a most excellent creature, whose glory will not fade like a flower, but shine like an angel; and this word is daily set before you in the preaching of the gospel. Learn, 1. Man, in his utmost flourish and glory, is still a withering, fading, dying creature. Take him singly, all flesh is grass. In his entrance into the world, in his life and in his fall, he is similar to grass. Take him in all his glory, even this is as the flower of grass; his wit, beauty, strength, vigour, wealth, honour - these are but as the flower of grass, which soon withers and dies away. 2. The only way to render this perishing creature solid and incorruptible is for him to entertain and receive the word of God; for this remains everlasting truth, and, if received, will preserve him to everlasting life, and abide with him for ever. 3. The Prophets and Apostles preached the same doctrine. This word which Isaiah and others delivered in the Old Testament is the same which the Apostles preached in the New.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 15

 We as Children of God are Called to be Holy Part 6

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter goes on from our steadfast and fervent love for all of our true brothers and sisters 'in Christ' to the origin of this love for people we never knew in this life (as the Apostle Paul went from one day chasing down Christians to kill them to the day after being saved by Christ Jesus our Lord to pursuing them to be with them and love them with a holy love 😍) and that would be the new life imparted to us and now abides in us through our hearing the Gospel of Christ and receiving salvation from Christ, that is, receiving Christ Himself. The Apostle Peter declares it to us with these words, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 James 1:23) (KJV). The entire theme of this first (1st) Chapter of Peter's epistle is the reminding those scattered Jewish believers in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as well as we true believers today and all true believers of every era and generation since the Cross ➕ of Christ that our salvation our new life is a result of the Supernatural work of God the Holy Spirit in our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 that has made us new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) on the earth 🌎. The Apostle James said the same thing writing to the same scattered and persecuted Jewish believers 'in Christ' with these words, "Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:16-18) (NKJV). What we see then, is that true salvation 'in Christ' is not some mere decision that some person makes in a service or ceremony or any other man made event, but instead of this it is the miraculous work of God that brings down heaven into man 👨 and woman 👩 and causes us to have new thoughts which brings about new desires which produces a new life that now can please God the Father because we have become His adopted sons and daughters, let us remember continually these words written to the believers in Rome by the Apostle Paul, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin." (Romans 6:1-7) (NKJV). Our new life 'in Christ' is lived in us and through us by the Power of the Holy Spirit, but He will not live out this incorruptible seed as the Apostle Peter says above without our free cooperation and when we are unwilling to cooperate with God the Holy Spirit and with the Word of Truth, then we allow our old man 👨 or old woman 👩 to live out the only thing that it produces and that is corruption. We must stay in the Word of God and stay away from people (whether spiritual or religious) who have no personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ no matter their former affiliation to us i.e. relatives, childhood friends, church members, former work associates, club members, neighbors, or any such persons who would be an influence upon us for evil 😈 and not for good, as the Apostle Paul warned the Corinthian believers with these words, "Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.' Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:33-34) (NKJV). As the Apostle James stated above, we are now 'a kind of firstfruits of His creatures' and because we are new creatures 'in Christ' we must work out this new life that  Christ has worked in us through the Gospel by virtue of our surrender to Him, as our Lord Jesus said to us with these words, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5) (NKJV). Let us remember these words written by the Apostle Paul which attest to every word declared above by our Lord Jesus Christ first (1st), "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) (NKJV) and second (2nd) these words, "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27) (NKJV). To be a Christian means simply but supernaturally that Jesus Christ has come into any sinner and given each one of us a new nature (being born again of incorruptible seed) by which we can now love 😍 Him and obey Him when we yield and surrender to Him and His working in us through God the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Here is what Albert Barnes said of 1 Peter 1:23, "'Not by virtue of any descent from human parents' - Doddridge. The result of such a birth, or of being begotten in this way - for so the word rendered 'born again' more properly signifies - is only corruption and decay. We are begotten only to die. There is no permanent, enduring life produced by that. It is in this sense that this is spoken of as, 'corruptible seed,' because it results in decay and death. The word here rendered 'seed' - σπορά spora - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. By truth, communicating a living principle to the soul which can never decay. Compare 1 John 3:9; 'His seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' 'Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures.' It is the uniform doctrine of the Scriptures that divine truth is made the instrument of quickening the soul into spiritual life. This expression may either refer to God, as living forever, or to the Word of God, as being forever true. Critics are about equally divided in the interpretation. The Greek will bear either construction. Most of the recent critics incline to the latter opinion - that it refers to the Word of God, or to His doctrine. So Rosenmuller, Doddridge, Bloomfield, Wolf, Macknight, Clarke. It seems to me, however, that the more natural construction of the Greek is to refer it to God, as ever-living or enduring; and this interpretation agrees well with the connection. The idea then is, that as God is ever-living, that which is produced directly by Him in the human soul, by the instrumentality of truth, may be expected also to endure forever. It will not be like the offspring of human parents, themselves mortal, liable to early and certain decay, but may be expected to be as enduring as its ever-living Creator." Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of 1 Peter 1:23, "As they were of God, according to his abundant mercy, by the resurrection of Christ, to a lively hope of a glorious inheritance; as in 1 Peter 1:3 and therefore seeing they were brethren in a spiritual relation, they ought to love as brethren; being children of the same Father, belonging to the same family and household, having the same spirit, and the same nature and disposition, and being members one of another, and heirs of the same grace and glory; and not only so, but were taught of God their Father, in regeneration, to love one another: it became them highly, therefore, to exercise that grace, and particularly since they were born, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible; referring not to seed cast into the earth, which first corrupts and dies, and then is quickened, and rises, and brings forth fruit; but to human seed, and which the Jews call טפה סרוחה, 'the filthy drop' (k); which is in itself corrupt, and is corrupted, and whereby the corruption of human nature is propagated; for whatsoever is born of the flesh is carnal and corrupt; and so the Apostle has reference to the first birth, or natural generation of men, in which they are polluted and depraved, and confirms what the evangelist says, John 1:13 that regenerate persons are not 'born of blood'; or become new creatures, and holy men, by their natural descent, or first birth, be it from whom it will; for all men are of one blood originally, and that is tainted with sin; nor by the will of fallen creatures, of corruptible men, themselves or others; but of water, and of the Spirit, of the grace of the Spirit of God, which is seed pure and incorruptible, having no mixture or taint of sin, nor any degree of pollution in it, and which remains so; nor can it be corrupted by all the wickedness there is in man's heart; nor by all the pollutions of the world, or temptations of Satan; and this seed is conveyed into the heart by the Spirit of God, in regeneration, and it contains all grace in it, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever; for the incorruptible seed, and the ever living and abiding word, are two distinct things; though interpreters generally confound them: and by 'the Word of God" is either meant the essential Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; who is concerned in regeneration as well as the Father and the Spirit; by whose resurrection, and in consequence of it, the elect of God are begotten again; and who, as the Word, is able to build up all the sanctified ones, and give them the inheritance they are born heirs unto: or the Gospel, the Word of Truth, which is made use of as a means of begetting souls again; and the rather, since it seems to be so interpreted, 1 Peter 1:25 the phrases, 'which liveth and abideth forever', may be either read in connection only with 'God', and as descriptive of Him, who is the living God, is from everlasting to everlasting, in distinction from idols; and here added, to show that He can give power and efficacy to His word, to regenerate and quicken, and will continue to preserve and make it useful to all His saving purposes; so Jarchi explains the passage in Isaiah 40:8 after referred to, 'the Word of our God shall stand for ever', 'because He lives and abides, and it is in His power to confirm it therefore it follows, 'O Zion, that bringeth good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain'; for because He lives forever, this promise is published. Or else with the Word of God, and is true both of Christ, and of the Gospel. Christ is the Word which lives; in Him, as such, is life; He has life in Himself as God, as man, and as Mediator; and is the author of life, natural, spiritual, and, eternal; and abides for ever in His person, without any change; and in His offices and grace, and righteousness; He abides a priest continually, has an unchangeable priesthood, and ever lives to make intercession, and of His kingdom there is no end: the same is said of the 'Memra', or Word of God, in the Chaldee paraphrase on Hosea 11:9 'I am God', מימרי, 'My Word abideth for ever': compare John 12:34. The Gospel also may be said to live, in opposition to the law, which is the killing letter; and because it points out the way of life and salvation to sinners; and is a means of quickening dead sinners, and of ingenerating that faith by which men live on Christ; and of revealing to them that righteousness which is unto justification of life; and of supporting and maintaining spiritual life in them; and of reviving drooping saints; the Syriac version renders it, 'the living Word of God': and it remains, and will abide; all its promises, blessings, doctrines, and ordinances, are lasting; it will continue in the world until all the elect of God are gathered in, until the second coming of Christ, and to the end of the world; notwithstanding all the persecutions of men, and cunning, craft of false teachers, and all the ridicule and contempt it is treated with by mockers and scoffers: and will abide in the effects of it, in the hearts of the saints, to all eternity."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 14

 We as Children of God are Called to be Holy Part 5

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter now speaks to those scattered Jewish believers 'in Christ' back then and all we true believers who are alive today and those from every era and generation since the Cross of Christ of the extraordinary, exceptional, and extreme results of the miracle of our regeneration, redemption, and resurrection from spiritual death has and is continually molding or forming us into new creatures (that is, a new race of humanity) as we continue down here on the earth as sojourners and pilgrims on our way home to Heaven. The Apostle Peter first declares that we have obeyed the truth and been purified by the truth to be able to love one another 'in truth', as it is written here, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:" (1 Peter 1:22) (KJV). The English phrase 'Seeing ye have purified your souls' that begins this verse of Scripture is translated by the Greek word hagnizō meaning to make clean, that is, (figuratively) sanctify (ceremonially or morally). The hearing of the Gospel of Grace and the subsequent repenting of one's own personal sin and believing in the finish work of Christ on the Cross for your own personal sin is the purifying/sanctifying work of God the Holy Spirit in the inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 of every redeemed soul. This purifying work of God gives an immediate love 😍 to the reconciled sinner, as it is written with these words by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Rome, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) (NKJV). We now love what God loves and we hate what God hates. Our love for other brothers and sisters 'in Christ' flows from the love that God has for them that has been shed abroad in our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 and to be honest our love for fellow true believers 'in Christ' is far greater than our love for blood related relatives who do not know Christ through repentance and faith. The English word 'unfeigned' is translated by the Greek word anupokritos meaning undissembled, that is, sincere: - without dissimulation (hypocrisy), unfeigned. The English phrase 'love of the brethren' that follows unfeigned is translated by the Greek word philadelphia meaning fraternal affection: - brotherly love (kindness), love of the brethren.

In other words, the love that the True God sheds abroad in our hearts 💕 does not lead us to want to fleece or swindle or con our brothers and sisters (whom Christ loves dearly) out of their money in order to enrich ourselves that we may build for ourselves a kingdom down here on the earth 🌎 as the so-called christian prosperity gospel hucksters do to many well meaning people promising them prosperity for their money sent to them, when in actuality the  only one's who prosper materially are the false prophets/profits who spew this false gopsel throughout the world 🗺. The love that Jesus gives is the love that never intentionally does harm (Romans 13:10) to those whom He loves such as sleeping with a brother 'in Christ' wife or spreading lies or gossiping about a brother or sister 'in Christ' to put them down and elevate yourself or vandalizing anything that is in their stewardship or any other thing through words or deeds that will cause them harm, remember what the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers @ Corinth in his second (2) letter, "We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by PURITY, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by SINCERE LOVE," (2 Corinthians 6:3-6) (NKJV). Those who in actuality who have not this 'love of God' shed abroad in their hearts pervert the meaning of true love 😍 with or by turning it into sensuality by always seeking to gratify the flesh and lead others into this false, fraudulent, and fake love to their own eternal doom and to the same for those who follow after their exceedingly harmful teachings and ways, remember beloved brethren and sisteren what the Apostle Jude said of these people, "These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Holy Spirit." (Jude 1:16-19) (NKJV). Likewise let all of us who are truly Christ' redeemed ones recount, recall, and remember these words written too by the Apostle Jude to us and about us, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 1:20-21) (NKJV).

Here is what John Wesley says of 1 Peter 1:22, "Having purified your souls by obeying the truth through the Spirit, who bestows upon you freely, both obedience and purity of heart, and unfeigned love of the brethren, go on to still higher degrees of love. Love one another fervently - With the most strong and tender affection; and yet with a pure heart - Pure from any spot of unholy desire or inordinate passion." Here is what Adam Clarke says of 1 Peter 1:22, "Having purified your souls, in obeying the truth - by believing in Christ Jesus, through the influence and teaching of the Spirit; and giving full proof of it by unfeigned love to the brethren; ye love one another, or ye will love each other, with a pure heart fervently. These persons, First, heard the truth, that is, the Gospel; thus called in a great variety of places in the New Testament, because it contains The truth without mixture of error, and is the truth and substance of all the preceding dispensations by which it was typified. Secondly, they obeyed that truth, by believing on Him who came into the world to save sinners. Thirdly, through this believing on the Son of God, their hearts were purified by the word of truth applied to them by the Holy Spirit. Fourthly, the love of God being shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, they loved the brethren with pure hearts fervently, intensely or continually; the full proof that their brotherly love was unfeigned, a fraternal affection without hypocrisy. Here is what Matthew Henry says of 1 Peter 1:22, "It is not to be doubted but that every sincere Christian purifies his soul. The apostle takes this for granted: Seeing you have, etc. To purify the soul supposes some great uncleanness and defilement which had polluted it, and that this defilement is removed. Neither the Levitical purifications under the law, nor the hypocritical purifications of the outward man, can effect this. (2.) The word of God is the great instrument of a sinner's purification: Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth. The gospel is called truth, in opposition to types and shadows, to error and falsehood. This truth is effectual to purify the soul, if it be obeyed, John 17:17. Many hear the truth, but are never purified by it, because they will not submit to it nor obey it. (3.) The Spirit of God is the great agent in the purification of man's soul. The Spirit convinces the soul of its impurities, furnishes those virtues and graces that both adorn and purify, such as faith (Acts 15:9), hope (1 John 3:3), the fear of God (Psalms 34:9), and the love of Jesus Christ. The Spirit excites our endeavours, and makes them successful. The aid of the Spirit does not supersede our own industry; these people purified their own souls, but it was through the Spirit. (4.) The souls of Christians must be purified before they can so much as love one another unfeignedly. There are such lusts and partialities in man's nature that without divine grace we can neither love God nor one another as we ought to do; there is no charity but out of a pure heart. (5.) It is the duty of all Christians sincerely and fervently to love one another. Our affection to one another must be sincere and real, and it must be fervent, constant, and extensive.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 13

We as Children of God are Called to be Holy Part 4

1 Peter 1:20-21 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ was not a knee jerk reaction by God the Father that took place after Adams sin in the Garden of Eden. The Apostle Peter next reminded those persecuted Jewish believers back then who were scattered into many other nations from their home in Jerusalem that Christ coming to the earth 🌎 and living a perfect life of obedience to God the Father and then allowing His Blood to be spilled and dying for their/our sins was always the plan of God before He ever created the world 🗺 or we humans, as Peter says with these words, "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." (1 Peter 1:20-21) (KJV). The English word 'foreordained' is translated by the Greek word proginōskō meaning to know beforehand, that is, foresee: - foreknow (ordain), know (before). God the Father knew Adam would sin and disobey before He was ever created, however, God the Father had likewise already devised the perfect redemption plan to bring man back to Himself, that is, reconcile us back into personal relationship with Him through the 'Blood of Christ'. Some may ask, Why did not God create man (Adam) that he would not ever disobey? Answer: If He had done that, then He would have created an android or robot that is devoid of 'free will' and that was never the plan or intention of our Creator. God has made man in His own image (Genesis 1:26), yes, and God is One God in three (3) persons, God the Father & God the Son (Jesus) & God the Holy Spirit; likewise man 👨 and woman 👩 is one person represented in three (3) man has a spirit which gives him/her life & every human being has a unique soul that makes them like no other human being & man/woman lives inside a physical flesh and blood body. The angels, seraphim, and the ark angels are not like we are represented in three (3), for they are just one being. God has made human beings uniquely different than any other of His created beings and this is why the holy angels are so fascinated to look into our redemption through Christ (1 Peter 1:12). Christ place in the Holy Trinity is the cornerstone of all things in Heaven and on the earth 🌎 and in the seen realm and the unseen realm (Colossians 1:20). The fallen angels hatred for us stems from Christ love for human beings and His desire that anyone who recognizes that they are a sinner would come to Him in repentance and faith and be reconciled by His Blood, as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church with these words, "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) (NKJV).

Let us then understand that just as Christ was 'foreordained' before the foundation of the world 🗺 to become the incarnate God/Man, so were everyone of us redeemed, reconciled, resurrected sinners known by God the Father before He ever created Adam and Eve. It is not that God made or created some to live with Him in Heaven for all eternity and some He made to die in their sins and spend eternity in hell, but it is that God is Omniscient (meaning all knowing or He knows everything). God knew every single individual soul who would truly repent/change their/our mind/turn from sin to Him through Christ sacrifice for sin and be born again or begotten again or born from above, for being 'born again' (John 3:3) is what makes us children of God and it is the wedding garment that allows us entrance into Heaven (the Wedding Feast or Marriage Supper of the Lamb), as told to us in this parable from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, "Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:9-14) (NKJV). God also knew every single human soul who would reject, refuse, or resist His offer of reconciliation and by so doing spend eternity in hell and the lake of fire, as documented for us by the Apostle John with these words, "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hell delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15) (NKJV). Those of us who are redeemed only die once, while every sinner without reconciliation to God will die twice and the second death is any eternity in the lake of fire that the Apostle John  detailed for us above.

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 1:20-21, "Having mentioned the price of redemption, the Apostle goes on to speak of some things relating both to the Redeemer and the redeemed, 1 Peter 1:20-21. The Redeemer is further described, not only as a Lamb without spot, but as one, That was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, fore-ordained or foreknown. When prescience is ascribed to God, it implies more than bare prospect or speculation. It imports an act of the will, a resolution that the thing shall be, Acts 2:23. God did not only foreknow, but determine and decree, that His Son should die for man, and this decree was before the foundation of the world. Time and the world began together; before the commencement of time there was nothing but eternity. That was manifested in these last days for them. He was manifested or demonstrated to be that Redeemer whom God had fore-ordained. He was manifested by His birth, by His Father's testimony, and by His own works, especially by His resurrection from the dead, Romans 1:4. 'This was done in these last times of the New Testament and of the Gospel, for you, you Jews, you sinners, you afflicted ones; you have the comfort of the manifestation and appearance of Christ, if you believe on Him.' That was raised from the dead by the Father, who gave Him glory. The resurrection of Christ, considered as an act of power, is common to all the three persons, but as an act of judgment it is peculiar to the Father, who as a Judge released Christ, raised Him from the grave, and gave Him glory, proclaimed Him to all the world to be His Son by His resurrection from the dead, advanced Him to heaven, crowned Him with glory and honour, invested Him with all power in heaven and earth, and glorified Him with that glory which He had with God before the world was. The redeemed are also described here by their faith and hope, the cause of which is Jesus Christ: 'You do by Him believe in God - by Him as the author, encourager, support, and finisher of your faith; your faith and hope now may be in God, as reconciled to you by Christ the Mediator.' From all this we learn, The decree of God to send Christ to be a Mediator was from everlasting, and was a just and merciful decree, which yet does not at all excuse man's sin in crucifying Him, Acts 2:23. God had purposes of special favour towards His people long before He made any manifestations of such grace to them. Great is the happiness of the last times in comparison with what the former ages of the world enjoyed. The clearness of light, the supports of faith, the efficacy of ordinances, and the proportion of comforts - these are all much greater since the manifestation of Christ than they were before. Our gratitude and services should be suitable to such favours. The redemption of Christ belongs to none but true believers. A general impetration is asserted by some and denied by others, but none pretend to a general application of Christ's death for the salvation of all. Hypocrites and unbelievers will be ruined for ever, notwithstanding the death of Christ. God in Christ is the ultimate object of a Christian's faith, which is strongly supported by the resurrection of Christ, and the glory that did follow."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 12

 We as Children of God are Called to be Holy Part 3

1 Peter 1:17-19 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

We saw in the previous study/commentary that it is by the 'Blood of Christ' (Ephesians 2:13) that we sinners have been brought near to God the Father by being washed and cleansed from our sin and now there is nothing that separates us from our Heavenly Father, nor can there ever be anything seen or unseen that can separate us from the love of God by virtue of the 'Blood of Christ', as it is so eloquently written for us by that former insolent man (1 Timothy 1:13) Paul the Apostle with these words, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39) (NKJV). With this as our introduction, we now find the Apostle Peter reminding those Jewish converts to Christ back then (who were being violently, voraciously, and viciously persecuted by their own countrymen still spiritually dead) of why their/our call into holiness is vital to our soundness of mind and our peace of mind when we remember and think on and meditate on how we were reconciled to God, as Peter writes to them and to us these words, "And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1:17-19) (KJV). The Apostle Peter reminded them and us in verse 17 that we have been made foreigners/strangers now on the earth 🌎, for we are citizens of another world, that being in Heaven with God the Father who has adopted us as His very own children, therefore this being the case we should walk/live in loving and holy fear, that is reverence for our Heavenly Father that through Christ we have been reconciled to Him. Remember these words of exhortation and warning from the Apostle Paul to the Philippian believers, "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:17-21) (NKJV). God is our Father at the very same time also our Judge, therefore, we must not approach Him flippantly or causually instead always with loving referential fear of His Holiness with the admission always of our sinfulness.

Here is what Alexander MacLaren said of 1 Peter 1:17, "Don’t you think that Peter had had a pretty rough experience in his life that had taught him the wisdom of such an exhortation? And does it not strike you as very beautiful that it should come, of all people in the world, from his lips? The man that had said, ‘Though all should forsake Thee, yet will not I.’ ‘Why cannot I follow Thee now?’ ‘Bid me come to Thee on the water.’ ‘This be far from Thee, Lord, it shall not be unto Thee’—the man that had whipped out his sword in the garden, in a spasm of foolish affection, now, in his quiet old age, when he has learnt the lesson of failures and follies and sins and repentance, says in effect: ‘Remember me, and do not you be presumptuous.’ ‘Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.’ ‘If I had known myself a little better, and been a little more afraid of myself, I should not have made such a fool of myself or such shipwreck of my faithfulness.’ Dear friends, no mature Christian is so advanced as that he does not need this reminder, and no Christian novice is so feeble as that, keeping obedient to this precept, he will not be victorious over all his evils. The strongest needs to fear; the weakest, fearing, is safe. For such fearfulness is indispensable to safety. It is all very well to go along with sail extended and a careless look-out. But if, for instance, a captain keeps such when he is making the mouth of the Red Sea where there are a narrow channel and jagged rocks and a strong current, if he has not every man at his quarters and everything ready to let go and stop in a moment, he will be sure to be on the reefs before he has tried the experiment often. And the only safety for any of us is ever to be on the watch, and to dread our own weakness. ‘Blessed is the man that feareth always.’ Such carefulness over conduct and heart is fully compatible with all the blessed emotions to which it seems at first antagonistic. There is no discord between the phrase that I have quoted about ‘joy unspeakable and full of glory,’ and this temper, but rather the two help one another. And such blended confidence and fear are the parents of courage. The man that is afraid that he will do wrong and so hurt himself and grieve his Saviour, is the man that will never be afraid of anything else. Martyrs have gone to the stake ‘fearing not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do,’ because they were so afraid to sin against God that they were not afraid to die rather than to do it. And that is the temper that you and I should have. Let that one fear, like Moses’ rod, swallow up all the other serpents and make our hearts impervious to any other dread."

Some of us like the Apostle Peter and myself  know the decay in the soul/inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩 that occurs when we allow the  the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) more space in our lives than the Word of God, then we have the perfect time for unfaithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ to manifest. The Apostle Peter who denied our Lord Jesus Christ three (3) times is now reminding those Jewish converts back then and we converts to Christ today and of every era and generation that our salvation or deliverance from our foolish, sinful way of life (as stated by John Wesley) did not come to us by earthly things such as silver or gold, but the 'Blood of Christ' has washed us clean spiritually in our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 making us new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) on the earth 🌎, therefore, it is now our responsibility to daily put off the old man 👨 or old woman 👩, as it is written with these words by the Apostle Paul to the Ephesian believers, "That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24) (NKJV). Just like in the natural, we daily take off our old clothes and put on new clean clothes, we are to do this daily in the spiritual by way of walking daily in repentance and faith and complete surrender and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ and depending on His Blood to wash us clean (spiritually) daily. Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 1:18-19, "The Apostle having extorted them to pass the time of their sojourning in the fear of God from this consideration, that they called on the Father, he adds (1 Peter 1:18) a second argument: Because or forasmuch as you were not redeemed with corruptible things, etc. Herein he puts them in mind, (1.) That they were redeemed, or bought back again, by a ransom paid to the Father. (2.) What the price paid for their redemption was: Not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. (3.) From what they were redeemed: From a vain conversation received by tradition. (4.) They knew this: Forasmuch as you know, and cannot pretend ignorance of this great affair. Learn, [1.] The consideration of our redemption ought to be a constant and powerful inducement to holiness, and the fear of God. [2.] God expects that a Christian should live answerably to what he knows, and therefore we have great need to be put in mind of what we already know, Psalm 39:4. [3.] Neither silver nor gold, nor any of the corruptible things of this world, can redeem so much as one soul. They are often snares, temptations, and hindrances to man's salvation, but they can by no means purchase or procure it; they are corruptible, and therefore cannot redeem an incorruptible and immortal soul. [4.] The Blood of Jesus Christ is the only price of man's redemption. The redemption of man is real, not metaphorical. We are bought with a price, and the price is equal to the purchase, for it is the precious blood of Christ; it is the blood of an innocent person, a lamb without blemish and without spot, whom the paschal lamb represented, and of an infinite person, being the Son of God, and therefore it is called the blood of God, Acts 20:28. [5.] The design of Christ in shedding His most precious blood was to redeem us, not only from eternal misery hereafter, but from a vain conversation in this world. That conversation is vain which is empty, frivolous, trifling, and unserviceable to the honour of God, the credit of religion, the conviction of unbelievers, and the comfort and satisfaction of a man's own conscience. Not only the open wickedness, but the vanity and unprofitableness of our conversation are highly dangerous. [6.] A man's conversation may carry an appearance of devotion, and may plead antiquity, custom, and tradition, in its defence, and yet after all be a most vain conversation. The Jews had a deal to say from these heads, for all their formalities; and yet their conversation was so vain that only the Blood of Christ could redeem them from it."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 11

 We as Children of God are Called to be Holy Part 2

1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter having first exhorted the new Jewish converts to Christ (and we today and all of every era and generation) not long after His resurrection from the dead and His ascension back to Heaven to fortify their minds and be sober, serious, and like a person in the natural who goes hours upon hours without sleep in order to guard their property, but in this case the Apostle Peter wanted them and wants us to remain wide awake spiritually to guard our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 from going back into our old life since we have now been resurrected from spiritual death by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:5), so Peter now declares these words to us, "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16) (KJV). The English word 'obedient' is translated by the Greek word hupakoe meaning attentive hearkening, i.e. (by implication) compliance or submission:--obedience (Strongs.pdf). When we observe an earthly parent discipline their child or children 🧒 for an obvious act of defiance, disrespect, and disobedience we think to ourselves that there stands a loving parent, because when we see a parent who lets their child or children 🧒 go about doing whatever wild, wilful, wrong thing that comes into their minds we see a non-caring parent who cares not for their childrens 👶 welfare or the people in the community where they live. Good earthly parents are themselves flawed, yet they know how to reel in their children 🧒 when they go wrong for the child's sake and for the sake of other people in the community, remember what our Lord Jesus said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11) (NKJV). Our desires before Ephesians 2:5 were due to our seperation from God because of our sin and we were completely ignorant of the ways of God, the worship of God, and the will of God. Therefore, we had no capacity to please Him because we did not know Him, however, now the Word of God tells us this truth, "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the Blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13) (NKJV).

Since we have been brought near to our Father in Heaven through Christ Blood, we must be as He is and that is Holy. In the Word of God the greatest of all the attributes of God is not His love, His mercy, His grace, but it is His Holiness. Throughout the Old Testament YAHWEH stressed to the children of Israel His Holiness must never be taken lightly, loosely, or lazily, therefore, we must desire above all else to fashion or conform ourselves (not to our old man 👨 or old woman 👩 who walked/lived according to the course of this world and the prince of the power of the air) to the will of God for us and His will for us is to be holy as He is Holy. Here is what was said and written by the Prophet Isaiah, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!'" (Isaiah 6:1-3) (NKJV). The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Thessalonian believers, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness." (1 Thessalonians 4:7) (NKJV). The English word 'conversation' in 1 Peter 1:15 is translated by the Greek word anastrophe meaning conduct and behavior. Our lifestyle before Christ was wrought in these words as written to us by the Apostle John and we are now called out of and away from these things that are not a part of our Father in Heaven, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17) (NKJV). This is why there is no such thing as a Christian this or a Christian that, whatever this or that might refer to, for we are Christians period made anew by the Gospel of Grace and indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians these words speaking of everyone of us who have been truly begotten again or born again or born from above, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:8-10) (NKJV). How do we find out what is acceptable to the Lord? We read and listen to what His word says and the Author of the Word of God (God the Holy Spirit) within us will teach us in the way of truth and righteousness. If someone says, 'I know God' or 'I belong to God' and then accepts, approves, and affirms what God says in His word is evil 😈, then they lie and the truth is not in them.

Here is what the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary says about Holy, "Biblical use of the term 'holy' has to do primarily with God's separating from the world that which He chooses to devote to Himself. As God's redemptive plan unfolded through the OT, the 'holy' became associated with the character of God's separated people conforming to His revealed law. When the time became ripe for the saving work of Jesus Christ, His redeemed people came to be known as saints (literally, 'holy ones'). The Cross made this possible by inaugurating the fulfillment of the preparatory OT teachings on the holy, opening the way for God's Holy Spirit to indwell His people.  God's chosen people, in separation from the world, are called to an ethical life in conformity to His revealed word. The command to His people is to 'be holy; for I am holy' (Lev. 11:44-45; cp. 19:2; 20:26). This demand is not abrogated with the coming of Christ but is to find its fulfillment in the Christian community (1 Cor. 7:34; Eph. 1:4; Col. 1:22; 1 Pet. 1:16). Christians are to perfect 'holiness in the fear of God' (2 Cor. 7:1NASB). If necessary, God will discipline the followers of Christ for their own good so they 'can share His holiness' (Heb. 12:10 HCSB). John the Baptist, however, predicts that Jesus would inaugurate a new era for God's people by baptizing them with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11). The atoning death of Jesus, by meeting the just demands of God's righteousness (Rom. 3:21-26), makes possible this intimate relationship of God and His people. Jesus, as the true Holy One, does not see decay in His death as the prophetic Scriptures foretold (Ps. 16:10; Acts 13:35). Thus His resurrection signifies the accomplishment of salvation and the inauguration of the age of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 1:4) in which the followers of Jesus are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). This enduring promise for believers in every generation (Acts 2:38-39) is the empowerment to make them holy: the Holy Spirit makes them so (Rom. 15:16)." Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say of be ye holy for I am Holy, "Peter would stir his hearers to the emulation of the Divine holiness by that thought of the bond that unites Him and them. ‘He hath called you.’ In which word, I suppose, he includes the whole sum of the Divine operations which have resulted in the placing of each of his auditors within the circle of the Christian community as the subjects of Christ’s grace, and not only the one definite act to which the theologians attach the name of ‘calling.’ In the briefest possible way we may put the motive thus—the inspiration of imitation is to be found in the contemplation of the gifts of God. What He has said and done to me, calling me out of my darkness and alienation and lavishing the tokens of His love, the voice of His beseechings, the monitions of His Spirit, the message of His Son, the Incarnate Word, and invitation of God—all these things are included in His call. And all of them are the reasons why, bound by thankfulness, overcome by his forbearance, responding to His entreaties, and glued to Him by the strength of the hand that holds us, and the tenacity of His love, we should strive to ‘walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.’"

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 10

 We as Children of God are Called to be Holy Part 1

1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version & ASV=American Standard Version

Now the Apostle Peter begins to reaffirm, reiterate, and remind those begotten again or born again Jewish believers in our Lord Jesus Christ what was their primary calling 'in Christ' and our primary calling 'in Christ' is to be and that is to be holy as He our Father in Heaven is Holy. The Apostle Peter first tells them and we true believers today and of every era and generation since the Cross ➕ of Christ to take action, that is, be proactive in our walk with God with these words, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" (1 Peter 1:13) (KJV). We see Peter first tell them and us to 'gird up the loins of your mind, be sober', and here Peter is emphasizing that we must brace up or fasten up the thoughts in our minds to stay focused, fixed, and firm on Christ and His Holy Word the Bible, and to be sober is to be vigilant, watchful, and self-controlled in our conduct and behavior. This echoes the Words spoken by our Lord Jesus Himself speaking of those who would be faithful servants of Him when He said, "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Luke 12:35-40)(NKJV). Here is the great Word Picture, for we do not know the hour or time of the 2nd Coming of Christ, likewise, no man 👨 or woman 👩 saved or lost knows the exact hour or time of their death, therefore, the Apostle Peter exhorts us to be found by our Lord Jesus Christ walking in true repentance and faith and seeking after holiness, just as the writer of Hebrews declares is so important with these words, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears." (Hebrews 12:14-17) (NKJV). The time is coming and I believe that it is already here, when our Lord Jesus Christ is moving by His Spirit in the earth realm to clearly draw a line of demarcation between those of us who are His true adopted sons and daughters, that is, the wheat 🌾, and those who are tares (false believers), the tares being those whom the Apostle Jude refers to with these words, "Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 1:3-5) (ASV). Remember the tare/false believer Korah and those other tares who followed after him, read Numbers Chapter 16. The judgement of God upon false converts today in our time is not instant death always, but in some cases still today it may be, but for the most part it is turning them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28; 2 Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:16), that is, a mind or way of thinking that is completely opposite of what the Word of God declares to be truth and in so doing they seek out teachers who will affirm the lie to them (2 Timothy 4:3-4). This is why the Apostle Peter tells we true begotten again believers to gird up our minds with the truth of the Word of God and hope, expect, confide, and trust until the end of our sojourn that the true grace of God that we have received by faith which is making us new now and will makes all things new at the revelation of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, because the grace of God is not only what we don't deserve, but it is also the power we need to live a new life of holines 'in Christ' that is impossible to live without His grace. Amen!

Here is what the JFB Commentary said of 1 Peter 1:13, "An image taken from the way in which the Israelites ate the passover with the loose outer robe girded up about the waist with a girdle, as ready for a journey. Workmen, pilgrims, runners, wrestlers, and warriors (all of whom are types of the Christians), so gird themselves up, both to shorten the garment so as not to impede motion, and to gird up the body itself so as to be braced for action. The believer is to have his mind (mental powers) collected and always ready for Christ’s coming. 'Gather in the strength of your spirit' [Hensler]. Sobriety, that is, spiritual self-restraint, lest one be overcome by the allurements of the world and of sense, and patient hopeful waiting for Christ’s revelation, are the true ways of 'girding up the loins of the mind.'" Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 1:13, "Wherefore - Having such encouragement. Gird up the loins of your mind - As persons in the eastern countries were wont, in travelling or running, to gird up their long garments, so gather ye up all your thoughts and affections, and keep your mind always disencumbered and prepared to run the race which is set before you. Be watchful - As servants that wait for their Lord. And hope to the end - Maintain a full expectation of all the grace - The blessings flowing from the free favour of God. Which shall be brought to you at the final revelation of Jesus Christ - And which are now brought to you by the revelation of Christ in you." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of 1 Peter 1:13, "Take courage from this display of God’s love now made known to you; and though you must expect trials, yet fortify your minds with the consideration that He who has given you His Son Jesus will withhold from you no manner of thing that is good. The allusion here is to the long robes of the Asiatics, which, when they were about to perform any active service, they tucked in their girdles: this they did also when they waited on their superiors at meals. Continue to expect all that God has promised, and particularly that utmost salvation, that glorification of body and soul, which ye shall obtain at the revelation of Christ, when He shall come to judge the world." Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of 1 Peter 1:13, "The allusion here is to the manner in which the Orientals were accustomed to dress. They wear loose, flowing robes, so that, when they wish to run, or to fight, or to apply themselves to any business, they are obliged to bind their garments close around them. The meaning here is, that they were to have their minds in constant preparation to discharge the duties, or to endure the trials of life - like those who were prepared for labor, for a race, or for a conflict. The translation in the text is the most correct. It means that they were not to become faint or weary in their trials. They were not to abandon the hopes of the Gospel, but were to cherish those hopes to the end of life, whatever opposition they might meet with, and however much might be done by others to induce them to apostatize. For the favor that shall then be bestowed upon you; to wit, salvation. The word brought here means, that this great favor which they hoped for would be borne to them by the Saviour on His return from heaven. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven in His glory; that is, when He comes to judge the world."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 9

 Being Born Again to a Living Hope Part 7

1 Peter 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

We learned in just the previous two verses that the very Prophets of the Old Testament searched and enquired diligently through the prophecies of one another trying to understand what this grace of God would be like that would come from the Messiah's sufferings for the sins of the people of the world and at what time in human history would this manifest or take place. The Apostle Peter now finishes up his discourse on this subject matter with something even more remarkable and that being that the holy and obedient angels of God are so moved by what Christ Jesus has done for us sinners and more importantly done in us sinners that they desire to look into this matter of salvation by grace through faith offered to fallen human beings, as it is written by the Apostle Peter with these words, "Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into." (1 Peter 1:12) (KJV). The Prophets of old realized that many of the things that were given to them to speak to the people of Israel were actually referring to us in the future who would come to the Cross ➕  of Christ Jesus our Lord in repentance and faith and be begotten again or born again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead as Peter declared earlier in his letter ✉ in 1 Peter 1:3. How awesome and awe inspiring must it have been for those men to realizes that the very words that were coming from their lips were for a people that they themselves would never see on the earth 🌎, remember what our Lord Jesus said to those who walked with Him during His incarnation and earthly ministry, "And the disciples came and said to Him, 'Why do You speak to them in parables?' He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." (Matthew 13:10-17) (NKJV). Although angels are far superior to we human beings in power and strength 💪, yet like us they are not omniscient or infinite, so they did not know of the Triunes God's plan for the restoration, redemption, and resurrection of fallen humanity in the heart and mind of God before the foundations of the world were even laid, as the Apostle Paul wrote of to the brothers and sisters in Ephesus with these words, "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (ANGELS), according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him." (Ephesians 3:8-12) (NKJV). According to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, "The physical appearance of angels varies, based on their categorization. Unlike popular imagery, only cherubim and seraphim have wings. Within biblical texts angels always appear as men and never as women or children. Angels identify with humans on the basis of form, language, and action. Angelic uniqueness is sometimes evidenced in Scripture by their activity or appearing in ways humans do not (Gen. 16:1-11; Exod. 3:2; Num. 22:23; Judg. 6:21; 13:20; John 20:12). The feature of a brilliant white appearance of angels occurs only in the NT (Mark 16:5)." In other words, despite the fact of the awesome power angels have been given by God, they too (like those of us who are redeemed humans) long to know more about our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 1:12, "To whom - So searching. It was revealed, that not for themselves, but for us they ministered - They did not so much by those predictions serve themselves, or that generation, as they did us, who now enjoy what they saw afar off. With the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven - Confirmed by the inward, powerful testimony of the Holy Ghost, as well as the mighty effusion of His miraculous gifts. Which things angels desire to look into - A beautiful gradation; prophets, righteous men, kings, desired to see and hear what Christ did and taught. What the Holy Ghost taught concerning Christ the very angels long to know." Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say of the angels desire to look into Christ and His Cross ➕, "‘Which things the angels desire to look into.’ Now, the word that Peter employs there is an unusual one in Scripture. Its force may, perhaps, be best conveyed by referring to one of the few instances in which it is employed. It is used to describe the attitude of Peter and John when they stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. Perhaps there may be a reference in Peter’s mind to that incident, when he saw the ‘two angels ... sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.’ Perhaps, also, there floats in his mind some kind of reference to the outspread wings and bended heads of the brooding cherubim who sat above the Mercy-seat, gazing down upon the miracle of love that was manifested beneath them there. But be that as it may, the idea conveyed is that of eager desire and fixed attention. Now I am not going to enlarge at all upon the thought that is here conveyed, except just to make the one remark that people have often said, ‘Why should a race of insignificant creatures on this little globe of ours be so dignified in the divine procedure as that there should be the stupendous mystery of the Incarnation, and the Death for their sakes?’ Not for their sakes only, for the New Testament commits itself to the thought that whilst sinful men are the only subjects of the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ, other orders of creatures do benefit thereby, and do learn from it what else they would not have known, of the mystery and the miracle and the majesty of the Divine love. ‘To the principalities and the powers in heavenly places He hath made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God.’ And we can understand how these other orders—what we call higher orders, which they may be or they may not—of being, learn to know God as we learn to know Him, by the manifestation of Himself in His acts, and how the crown of all manifestations consists in this, that He visits the sinful sons of men, and by His own dear Son brings them back again. The elder brethren in the Father’s house do not grudge the ring and the robe given to the prodigals; rather they learn therein more than they knew before of the loving-kindness of God. Now all that is nowadays ignored, and it is not fashionable to speak about the interest of angels in the success of Redemption, and a good many ‘advanced’ Christians do not believe in angels at all, because they ‘cannot verify’ the doctrine. I, for my part, accept the teaching, which seems to me to be a great deal more reasonable than to suppose that the rest of the universe is void of creatures that can praise and love and know God. I accept the teaching, and think that Peter was, perhaps, not a dreamer when he said, ‘The angels desire to look into these things.’ They do not share in the blessings of redemption, but they can behold what they do not themselves experience. The Seer in the Revelation was not mistaken, when he believed that he heard redeemed men leading the chorus to Him that had redeemed them by His blood out of all nations, and then heard the thunderous echo from an innumerable host of angels who could not say ‘Thou hast redeemed us,’ but who could bring praise and glory to Him because He had redeemed men."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 8

 Being Born Again to a Living Hope Part 6

1 Peter 1:10-11 Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

It is an ever increasing crescendo that the Apostle Peter is manifesting in this beginning of his first letter ✉ to the scattered Jewish converts to our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Peter just finished telling them and we true believers today and of every era and generation that we (unlike Peter) have not seen our Lord Jesus in the flesh as he did, yet we love 😍 Him just as much as he does. Knowing that the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ is being answered in every century since His death on the Cross ➕, as He prayed, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (John 17:20-23) (NKJV). The ever increasing crescendo that Peter continues onward and upward 👆 in this first letter ✉ is that the Prophets of old 🧓, such as Jerimiah, Daniel, Isaiah, Zechariah, Amos, Joel, etc. were so in awe and wonder about the prophecies that were given to them to speak to the children of Israel that they prayed and fasted and dug deep into the Scriptures and their very own prophecies like someone would work hard in digging up precious and valuable elements from the earth like diamonds or gold to understand the nature or the cause or the quality of this grace and what it meant for those who would receive it in the future dispensation, as it is written by Peter the Apostle here, "Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:" (1 Peter 1:10) (KJV). The Apostle Peter says here that those Old Testament Prophets searched out and investigated and explored and carfully sought after the meaning of the things which were given to them to speak to the people of Israel. Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 1:10, "So far beyond all that was experienced under the Jewish dispensation. The very Prophets who prophesied long ago of the grace of God toward you - Of His abundant, overflowing grace to be bestowed on believers under the Christian dispensation. Inquired - Were earnestly inquisitive. And searched diligently - Like miners searching after precious ore, after the meaning of the prophecies which they delivered." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of 1 Peter 1:10, "The incarnation and suffering of Jesus Christ, and the redemption procured by Him for mankind, were made known, in a general way, by the Prophets; but they themselves did not know the time when these things were to take place, nor the people among and by whom He was to suffer, etc.; they therefore inquired accurately or earnestly, and searched diligently, inquiring of others who were then under the same inspiration, and carefully searching the writings of those who had, before their time, spoken of these things. The Prophets plainly saw that the grace which was to come under the Messiah’s Kingdom was vastly superior to any thing that had ever been exhibited under the law; and in consequence they made all possible inquiry, and searched as after grains of gold, hidden among sand or compacted with ore, (for such is the meaning of the original word), in order to ascertain the time, and the signs of that time, in which this wondrous display of God’s love and mercy to man was to take place; but all that God thought fit to instruct them in was what is mentioned." Note: Read Jerimiah 31:33-40.

Next the Apostle Peter declares to us that the Spirit of Christ who has regenerated, redeemed, and resurrected each of we true believers from spiritual death was likewise in the Prophets of Old 🧓 (just as He is in me and every born again true believer) declaring to them the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter says this, "Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." (1 Peter 1:11) (KJV). The Apostle Paul also wrote of this reality to the Galatians with these words, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) (NKJV). The majority of the Jewish people had misunderstood the manner of the coming Messiah and thought He would come the first time to the earth 🌎 as an outward conquering King to defeat, decimate, and destroy the enemy of Israel the Romans, however, those Prophets of old prophesied of Christ sufferings for the sin of humanity, as it is written for us with these words by the Apostle John, "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.'" (John 1:29-31) (NKJV) and also these words written by the 📝 writer of Hebrews, "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." (Hebrews 9:24-28) (NKJV). Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 1:11, "Searching what time - What particular period. And what manner of time - By what marks to be distinguished. The glories that were to follow - His sufferings; namely, the glory of His resurrection, ascension, exaltation, and the effusion of His Spirit; the glory of the last judgment, and of His Eternal Kingdom; and also the glories of His grace in the hearts and lives of Christians." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of 1 Peter 1:11, "Not only the glory of His resurrection, ascension, exaltation, and the effusion of His Spirit; but that grand manifestation of God's infinite love to the world in causing the Gospel of His Son to be everywhere preached, and the glorious moral changes which should take place in the world under that preaching, and the final glorification of all them who had here received the report, and continued faithful unto death. And we may add to this the ineffable glorification of the human nature of Jesus Christ, which, throughout eternity, will be the glorious Head of His glorified body, the Church."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 7

Being Born Again to a Living Hope Part 5

1 Peter 1:8-9 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

It is all about the One who has saved us, seperated us, and now shelters us our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love," (Colossians 1:13) (NKJV). When we are persecuted for Him and His sake we can be assurred that He is in complete control and not the enemy who delights in causing us physical and emotional pain. The Apostle Peter just finished writing that the trying of our faith might be found to the praise, honor, and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, it is natural for him to now 📝 write to us that our love for Christ Jesus our Lord keeps us in joy unspeakable and full of glory, as it is written, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9) (KJV). Remember, "We love Him because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19) (NKJV). Despite any of our outward circumstances or being surrounded by evil on every side as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church ⛪ with these words concerning himself and those brothers and sisters 'in Christ' who were with him, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." (2 Corinthians 4:7-11) (NKJV). Yet, all of this never diminished Paul's love 😍 for our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Paul (who suffered great persecution for Christ sake) even wrote these words at the close of his first letter to the Corithian Church ⛪, "If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!" (1 Corinthians 16:22) (NKJV). The Apostle Peter uses the English word 'unspeakable' to define the joy of the Lord Jesus that we believers receive fron Him and that English word is translated by the Greek word aneklaletos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning not spoken out, i.e. (by implication) unutterable:--unspeakable. In other words, the joy of the Lord can so swell up in us that we are speechless and often express that unutterable and unspeakable joy with 😭 tears because our love for Christ at that moment is so strong we cannot speak but only weep.

Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say of 1 Peter 1:8, "The Apostle has just previously been speaking about the great and glorious things which are to come to Christians on the appearing of Jesus Christ, and that naturally suggests to him the thought of the condition of believing souls during the period of the Lord’s absence and comparative concealment. Having lifted his readers’ hopes to that great Future, when they would attain to ‘praise and honour and glory’ at Christ’s appearing, he drops to the present and to earth, and recalls the disadvantages and deprivations of the present Christian experience as well as its privileges and blessings. ‘Whom having not seen, ye love,' that is a very natural thought in the mind of one whose love to Jesus rested on the ever-remembered blessed experience of years of happy companionship, when addressing those who had no such memories. It points to an entirely unique fact. There is nothing else in the world parallel to that strange, deep personal attachment which fills millions of hearts to this Man who died nineteen centuries ago, and which is utterly unlike the feelings that any men have to any other of the great names of the past. To love one unseen is a paradox, which is realised only in the relation of the Christian soul to Jesus Christ. Then the Apostle goes on with what might at first seem a mere repetition of the preceding thought, but really brings to view another strange anomaly. ‘In Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.’ Love longs for the presence of the beloved, and is restless and defrauded of its gladness so long as absence continues. But this strange love, which is kindled by an unseen Man, does not need His visible presence in order to be a fountain of joy unspeakable and full of glory." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 1:9, "The salvation of their souls (the more noble part being put for the whole man), which salvation is here called the end of their faith, the end wherein faith terminates: faith helps to save the soul, then it has done its work, and ceases for ever. He speaks of the present time: You are now actually receiving the end of your faith, etc. The word used alludes to the games at which the conqueror received or bore away from the judge of the contest a crown or reward, which he carried about in triumph; so the salvation of the soul was the prize these Christians sought for, the crown they laboured for, the end they aimed at, which came nearer and more within their reach every day. Learn, First, Every faithful Christian is daily receiving the salvation of his soul; salvation is one permanent thing, begun in this life, not interrupted by death, and continued to all eternity. These believers had the beginnings of heaven in the possession of holiness and a heavenly mind, in their duties and communion with God, in the earnest of the inheritance, and the witness of the Divine Spirit. This was properly urged to these distressed people; they were on the losing side in the world, but the Apostle puts them in the mind of what they were receiving; if they lost an inferior good, they were all the while receiving the salvation of their souls. Secondly, It is lawful for a Christian to make the salvation of his soul his end; the glory of God and our own felicity are so connected that if we regularly seek the one we must attain the other."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…




 

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 6

 Being Born Again to a Living Hope Part 4

1 Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: KJV

It is with fervency, fierceness, yet in foolishness does the devil 😈 through his demons and the lost human beings constantly and continuously persecute or pursue we true begotten again or born again believers in Christ Jesus our Lord, therefore with these next couple of verses the Apostle Peter wants to reassure those scattered Jewish converts to Christ back then and us today and all true believers of every era and generation since the Cross ➕ (for the reason they were scattered far from their land of Jerusalem was because of the intense attacks upon their lives by those Jews still unconverted to Christ; many were not able to flee and were murdered or martyred for Christ). Remember shortly after Saul's (later known as the Apostle Paul) conversion to Christ on the Damascus road, as it is written, "And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this Name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket." (Acts 9:19-25) (KJV). So then we see that from the very beginning that all those who became true converts to Christ were immediately hated and persecuted and pursued to the point of trying to kill them and the devil 😈 has not changed his tactics today he still designs, desires, and determines to do the very same thing to everyone of us who are truly begotten again or born again by Christ Jesus our Lord, as it is written, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) (KJV). So, the Apostle Peter writes these words of edifying, encouragement, and exaltation, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" (1 Peter 1:6-7) (KJV). The little English phrase 'ye greatly rejoice' is translated by the Greek word agalliao meaning properly, to jump for joy, i.e. exult:--be (exceeding) glad, with exceeding joy, rejoice (greatly). The little English phrase 'for a season' is translated by the Greek word oligos meaning of uncertain affinity; puny (in extent, degree, number, duration or value); plus long, a season, short, small, a while. The little English phrase 'ye are in heaviness' is translated by the Greek word lupeō meaning to distress; reflexively or passively to be sad: - cause grief, grieve, be in heaviness, be sorrowful. The English word 'manifold' is translated by the Greek word poikilos meaning of uncertain derivation; motley, i.e. various in character:-divers, manifold. The English word 'temptations' is translated by the Greek word peirasmos meaning (as used here) a putting to proof (by experience (of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity:--temptation, trying. The English word 'trials' is translated by the Greek word dokimion meaning a testing; by implication, trustworthiness:--trial, trying. In other words, Peter wants us to have joy in the midst of our persecution, even though we will be distressed, grieved, sorrowful and saddened by them, for to lose (in death, some even by murder) those whom you love 😍 very dearly can do nothing but sadden your soul, however, we can rejoice in hope knowing that the testing of our faith and the adversity we encounter through our pilgrimage will discipline us and strengthen us in our walk with Christ and cause us to cling tighter to Him in all divers or different trials.

Here is what Matthew Henry said of 1 Peter 1:6-7, "Every sound Christian has always something wherein he may greatly rejoice. Great rejoicing contains more than an inward placid serenity of mind or sensation of comfort; it will show itself in the countenance and conduct, but especially in praise and gratitude. The chief joy of a good Christian arises from things spiritual and heavenly, from his relation to God and to heaven. In these every sound Christian greatly rejoices; his joy arises from his treasure, which consists of matters of great value, and the title to them is sure. The best Christians, those who have reason greatly to rejoice, may yet be in great heaviness through manifold temptations. All sorts of adversities are temptations, or trials of faith, patience, and constancy. These seldom go singly, but are manifold, and come from different quarters, the effect of all which is great heaviness. As men, we are subject to sorrows, personal and domestic. As Christians, our duty to God obliges us to frequent sorrow: and our compassion towards the miserable, the dishonour done to God, the calamities of His Church, and the destruction of mankind, from their own folly and from divine vengeance, raise, in a generous and pious mind, almost continual sorrow. I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart, Romans 9:2. The afflictions and sorrows of good people are but for a little while, they are but for a season; though they may be smart, they are but short. Life itself is but for a little while, and the sorrows of it cannot survive it; the shortness of any affliction does much abate the heaviness of it. Great heaviness is often necessary to a Christian's good: If need be, you are in heaviness. God does not afflict His people willingly, but acts with judgment, in proportion to our needs. There is a conveniency and fitness, nay, an absolute necessity in the case, for so the expression signifies: it must be; therefore no man should be moved by these afflictions. For yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto, 1 Thessalonians 3:3. These troubles, that lie heavy, never come upon us but when we have need, and never stay any longer than needs must. The afflictions of serious Christians are designed for the trial of their faith. God's design in afflicting His people is their liberation, not their destruction; their advantage, not their ruin: a trial, as the word signifies, is an experiment or search made upon a man, by some affliction, to prove the value and strength of his faith. This trial is made upon faith principally, rather than any other grace, because the trial of this is, in effect, the trial of all that is good in us. Our Christianity depends upon our faith; if this be wanting, there is nothing else that is spiritually good in us. Christ prays for this Apostle, that his faith might not fail; if that be supported, all the rest will stand firm; the faith of good people is tried, that they themselves may have the comfort of it, God the glory of it, and others the benefit of it. A tried faith is much more precious than tried gold. Here is a double comparison of faith and gold, and the trial of the one with the trial of the other. Gold is the most valuable, pure, useful, and durable, of all the metals; so is faith among the Christian virtues; it lasts till it brings the soul to heaven, and then it issues in the glorious fruition of God forever. The trial of faith is much more precious than the trial of gold; in both there is a purification, a separation of the dross, and a discovery of the soundness and goodness of the things. Gold does not increase and multiply by trial in the fire, it rather grows less; but faith is established, improved, and multiplied, by the oppositions and afflictions that it meets with. Gold must perish at last - gold that perisheth; but faith never will. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, Luke 22:32. The trial of faith will be found to praise, and honour, and glory. Honour is properly that esteem and value which one has with another, and so God and man will honour the saints. Praise is the expression or declaration of that esteem; so Christ will commend His people in the great day, Come, you blessed of my Father, etc. Glory is that lustre wherewith a person, so honoured and praised, shines in heaven. Glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, Romans 2:10. If a tried faith be found to praise, honour, and glory, let this recommend faith to you, as much more precious than gold, though it be assaulted and tried by afflictions. If you make your estimate either from present use or the final event of both, this will be found true, however the world may take it for an incredible paradox. Jesus Christ will appear again in glory, and, when He does so, the saints will appear with Him, and their graces will appear illustrious; and the more they have been tried the more bright they will then appear. The trial will soon be over, but the glory, honour, and praise will last to eternity. This should reconcile you to your present afflictions: they work for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…