Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 26

 Christ Suffered for our Sins that We (by His Grace) can now Die to Sins & live unto Righteousness

1 Peter 2:23-25 Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

As the Apostle Peter concludes his discourse on our submitting to the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, he once again reminds us of the conduct and behavior of our Lord Jesus Christ with these words, "Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously:" (1 Peter 2:23) (KJV). The desire to see these people redeemed by Him was His overriding ambition, therefore, He exemplified power over anger. For us this is impossible without the grace of God working mightily within us, for in our humanity we will to and want to and wait to strike back at the reviling and to even complain bitterly because of it. We are to hand ourselves and our cause over to our Father in Heaven who sees all and knows all and will render just judgement against any who come against us with malicious intent. Here is what the JFB Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 2:23, "Servants are apt to 'answer again' (Titus 2:9). Threats of divine judgment against oppressors are often used by those who have no other arms, as for instance, slaves. Christ, who as Lord could have threatened with truth, never did so." As we see Jesus Christ our Lord and know Him, we know that He knows all of the truth and sees all that are lies that come against any of us His brethern and sisteren and will give to us tranquillity and comfort in the midst of every attack from the enemy (the devil 👿) through the two-legged devils he uses against us. Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of 1 Peter 2:23, "Though He could have inflicted any kind of punishment on His persecutors, yet to give us, in this respect also, an example that we should follow His steps, He committed His cause to Him who is the righteous Judge. To avoid evil tempers, and the uneasiness and danger of avenging ourselves, it is a great advantage in all such cases to be able to refer our cause to God, and to be assured that the Judge of all the earth will do right."

The Apostle Peter now turns our attention to the very end of Christ patience in afflictions and His not reviling back at the weak human men who believed themselves to have power over Him, remember these words spoken to Pilot, "Jesus answered, 'You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.'" (John 19:11) (NKJV), for Christ alone had the Power to give up His life or lay it down and also to take His life back up again, as it is written, "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." (John 10:17-18) (NKJV). Therefore, we can more clearly see what the Apostle Peter saw 'in Christ' all those years walking/living with Him during His earthly ministry (even though during much or all  of those three (3) years Peter did not understand and even allowed Satan to speak through him wanting to stop 🛑 our Lord Jesus from going to the Cross ➕ (remember), "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 'Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!' But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.'" (Matthew 16:21-23)(NKJV), but now a post Pentecost Peter/Holy Spirit filled and controlled Peter writes to those other born again Jews who have been scattered from Jerusalem do to persecution these words to them and to us today (who still receive the same persecution because the source of it comes from the same devil 👿 then and now), "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." (1 Peter 2:24-25) (KJV). The end goal or the ultimate aim was for Jesus Christ our Lord to 'bare' our sins in His own Body and this little English word is translated by the Greek word anapherō meaning to take up (literally or figuratively): or to carry or to offer up or to take away. In other words, Christ has offered up and carried away all of my sin (and everyone who has come to His Cross ➕ in repentance and faith) into heaven and presented them at the Mercy seat in Heaven as 'paid in full by His Blood', so then when my Father in Heaven sees me, He sees me as sinless like My Brother the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written, "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:17) (NKJV) (one named Clifford DeWayne Tate, Sr.), for as it is also written, "As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalms 103:12) (NKJV). With this being THE Truth, why would I or any truly born again son or daughter of our King compromise for some temporary comfort or pleasure on the earth 🌎 when we will have all of eternity to bask, that is, derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in Him and His love forever and all the vast riches in Him and in Heaven and all of His creation, for we are back home from our wondering to the Creator of our souls and the sustainer of our earthly lives and our eternal lives. Amen!!!

Here is what the Expositors' Bible Commentary has to say of 1 Peter 2:24-25, "The Bible recognizes everywhere the analogy between sin and sickness. May we not trace some analogy between the Lord’s works of healing and that mightier deliverance from sin won by Christ upon the cross, an analogy which may help, if but a little, to give meaning to the bearing by Christ of human sins? A power went forth when the sick were healed; and through that imparted power they were restored to health, faith being the pathway which brought the Divine virtue to their aid. Thus Jesus bore their diseases and took them away. Look through this figure on the work of our redemption. Christ has borne the burden of sin. He has died for sin that men may die from sin, that sin may be slain in us, the fell disease healed by the power of His suffering. We cannot comprehend what was done for the’ sick when Christ was on earth, nor what is wrought for sinners by His grace in heaven. Those alone who reap the blessing know its certainty; and they can but say, as the blind man whose sight was restored, 'One thing I know: that, whereas I was blind, now I see.' (John 9:25). To this teaching, that Christ’s suffering wrought man’s rescue, St. Peter adds emphasis by another quotation from that chapter of Isaiah which he has so much in mind: 'by whose stripes ye were healed.' Christ was stricken, and God grants to His sufferings a power to heal the souls of those whom He loves because they strive to love Him. Healing through wounds! Soundness through that which speaks only of injury! Mysterious dispensation! But long ago it had been foreshadowed, and shown also how little connection there was to be, except through faith, between the remedy and the disease. Those who were bitten of the serpents in the wilderness gazed on the brazen serpent, and were healed. In the dead brass was no virtue, but God was pleased to make of it a speaking sacrament; so has it pleased Him to give healing of sins to those who by faith appropriate the sacrifice on Calvary. Christ has claimed the type for Himself: 'I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself.' (John 12:32). And now, as is so often his wont, St. Peter varies the figure. The wounded sinner finding cure becomes the wandering sheep that has been brought back into the fold: 'for ye were going astray like sheep, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.' But the message, the teaching, the love, is all the same. He who before was the great Exemplar, whose footsteps we should follow, is now the Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, who goes before His sheep. This Shepherd has been a Sufferer, too. He has given Himself up as prey to the wolves that His flock might be saved. Now, with a voice of love, He calls His sheep by name; and hearing, they follow Him. But He is more than this. Brought within the fold, the sheep still need His care; and it is freely given. He is the Bishop, the Overseer, the Watchman for His people’s safety, who, having gathered them within the ‘fold, tends them with constant watchfulness. The figure passes over thus into the reality in the Apostle’s closing words. The cure which the great Healer desires to accomplish is in the souls of men. For them His care is bestowed, first to bring them safe out of the way of evil, then forever to keep them under the sheltering care of His abundant love."

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 25

We True Believers will Suffer Reproach for Christ Sake

1 Peter2:21-22 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: KJV Note: ESV=English Standard Version

The life of our Lord Jesus Christ was like a light tower 🗼used by boats during days of old to guide ships on the sea in the right direction. So, have we believers been left the human life of Christ Jesus our Lord to guide us through this pilgrimage and sojourn of ours home to Heaven. The Apostle Peter writing back then directly to born again Jewish brothers and sisters 'in Christ' who were being brutally persecuted for their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, even tortured and murdered for being in union with our Lord Jesus. (Note: How much do we see in the Word of God that completely destroys this false narrative, that is, this false prosperity gospel which is no gospel at all.) Some of those Jewish converts were able to escape physical death during that time, but the pursuing of the devil 👿 after them never ceased throughout their lives and such is the case for we true believers today and those of every era and generation since the Cross ➕ of Christ Jesus our Lord. The Apsotle Peter declared to them and declares to us what our response should be with these words, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth:" (1 Peter 2:21-22) (KJV). Peter's first statement to them and to us is that 'For even hereunto were ye called', that is, the moment of our awakening/resurrection in the new birth we were called or bid into the family of God to suffer on this earth for Christ sake in bearing His Name and His reproach in this world that hates Him above all. Questions: Is Buddha's name used as a cuss word? Is Muhammed's name used as a cuss word? You know the answer, of course not. The world system set up and run by Satan is geared to make unregenerate, unredeemed, and unbelieving humanity hate everything that makes mention of Jesus Christ and His Word the Bible. However, we must look to our light tower 🗼 our Lord Jesus Christ and the way He responded to the hatred of Himself by Jews and Gentiles when He walked on the earth in His humanity. The Apostle John documented for us the hatred that many of the Jews had for Him right after He had declared Himself to be the Bread of Life to all sinners who would come and feast upon Him (John 6:22-71), "After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. So His brothers said to Him, 'Leave here and go to Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works You are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.' For not even His brothers believed in Him. Jesus said to them, 'My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.' After saying this, He remained in Galilee." (John 7:1-9) (ESV). However, His half brothers from His Mother Mary and Joseph's sexual union did come to believe in Him later and know the same hatred as He (Christ) did and when we declare this same truth we will be hated for His sake as well. Our Lord Jesus was always found without deceit or deceitfulnes, that is, He never used tricks to deceive someone (in order to extract money from them) at any point of His earthly ministry. On the contrary, He gave of Himself freely to whomever wanted to know Him personally. Yes, He had followers who provided for their daily necessities of food, shelter, and clothing, as it is documented for us by Luke with these words, "Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means." (Luke 8:1-3)(ESV). Our Lord Jesus Christ never in His earthly ministry displayed the building of an earthly kingdom that consisted of great cathedrals made with the finest building materials or the finest feast days or any other such temporary things, but as is written by the Apostle Paul with these words, "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17) (ESV) and also these words, "For the Kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power." (1 Corinthians 4:20) (ESV). The Kingdom of God is not made manifest or visible to the unbelieving world by who has built the biggest and most elaborate structure or structures or who has the most followers online or who has the largest attendance each week or month, but Paul declares to us that written above is what the Kingdom of God is and looks like here on the earth 🌎, remember what our Lord Jesus said, "Jesus answered, 'My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But My kingdom is not from the world.'" (John 18:36) (ESV). Instead of building an earthly material kingdom, our Lord Jesus Christ is building a spiritual Kingdom comprised of born again souls that have been made by Him into 'new creations' (2 Corinthians 5:17) being prepared and sanctified for habitation in the new heaven and new earth 🌎, as it is written, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." (Isaiah 65:17) (ESV).

Alexander MacLaren had this to say of Christ suffering for us 1 Peter 2:21, "So far as the language of my text is concerned there can be nothing more expressive, more outspoken, or more intelligible, ‘Christ also suffered for us,’ for our realm. But that is not all that Peter would have us learn. If you want to know the nature of the work, and what the Saviour suffered on the cross for our behalf, advantage, and benefit, here is the definition in the following verse, ‘Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness.’ ‘For us,’ not merely as an example; ‘for us,’ not merely for His purity, His beautiful life and calm death; no, better than all that, though a glorious example it is. He has taken away our sins, we are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ; ‘for us’ in the sense of the words in another part of the Epistle, ‘Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot,’ and if so, we are living examples of what Christ our Saviour has done for the whole world. There is only one way of carrying the cross of Christ, which God lays on us all, and that is bowing our back. If we resist, it will crush us, and if we yield we have something to endure; and there is but one thing which enables a man to patiently bear the sorrows and griefs which come to us all, and that is the simple secret, ‘Father, not as I will, but Thy will be done.’ Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His footsteps, and when we patiently do this the rod becomes a guiding staff, and the crown of thorns a crown of glory. You will not have to go on trying to make a bungling imitation; you will get it photographed on your spirit, and on your character more distinctly and more clearly down to the very minutest shade of resemblance to the Master, and with simple loving trust you will go on from strength to strength glorifying God in your life. They that begin with the cross of Christ, and make the sacrifice their all in all, will advance heavenward joyously; the cross and the sacrifice will be the pattern of your pilgrimage here, and the perfectness of your characters unto the likeness of the Son. The cross is the agency of sanctification as well as the means of forgiveness—saving grace to save us from the world, saving grace to help us everywhere and in everything for our salvation, and saving grace to help us to conquer our self-will, and saving grace to bind us to Him, whose abundant goodness and gratitude no man can tell. If we love Him we shall keep His commandments; if we love them we shall grow in grace, and not else. None else, my brother, my sister, but the Eternal Exemplar stands there as our refuge; and if you want to be filled with this all-saving grace, deep down to the bottom of His tender heart, if you want to be good, and of pure mind, then you have to begin with that Saviour who died for you, and trust to the cross for your forgiveness. Then listen to Him saying, ‘Any man who comes after Me, let him take up My cross’—take it up, mark—’and follow Me.’"
Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of 1 Peter 2:22, "He was in the likeness of sinful flesh; He looked like a sinful man, being born of a sinful woman, and keeping company with sinful men, being Himself a man of sorrows, greatly afflicted, and at last put to death. He was traduced as a sinner by His enemies, and had all the sins of His people on Him, which He bore, and made satisfaction for, and were the reason of His sufferings; but He had no sin in His nature, nor did He commit any in His life: neither was guile found in His mouth; though it was diligently sought for, by the Scribes and Pharisees; there was no deceit in His lips, no falsehood in His doctrine, any more than there was immorality in His conversation; He was an Israelite indeed on all accounts, and in the fullest sense of that phrase; reference is had to Isaiah 53:9 and this is observed, partly to show that Christ suffered not for Himself, or for any sins of His own, but for the sins of others, for which He was very fit, since He had none of His own; and partly as an argument for patience in suffering; for since Christ suffered, who had no sin, nor did any, nor could any be found in Him, charged upon Him, and proved against Him; and which sufferings of His He bore with patience; then how much must it become sinful men to bear their sufferings patiently, though they may not be criminal with respect to the things for which they suffer, but yet are so in other things, whereas Christ was not criminal, nor blameworthy in anything?

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 24

 We Believers are to show Respect to all People for Christ Sake

1 Peter 2:17-20 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. KJV Note: ESV=English Standard Version

The idea of any person honoring or paying respect to men 🚹 or women 🚺 who desire to hurt or even kill them goes against the sinful nature that every one of us human beings are born with. However, the Kingdom of Christ and God is different, for God calls His adopted sons and daughters to respect all of humanity, even those who hate Him and His children 🧒. The Apostle Peter just finished telling those scattered Jewish converts to our Lord Jesus Christ and it is likewise written to we converts to Christ today and those of every era to submit to human rulers for the Lord's Sake alone, so now he continues on to declare to them and to us these words, "Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." (1 Peter 2:17-20) (KJV). Some might ask, Why is this God's command to us? The answer is because God is the Creator of all human beings and He sees all human motives and actions down to every detail and He is the avenger of that which is done with evil motive and intent against we His children as He writes to us through Paul the Apostle with these words, "Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:17-21) (ESV). I must say that this is a hard teaching for me and it has been so ever since my Lord Jesus Christ saved me over 19 years ago, however, I have submitted myself to this truth and continue to do so by the grace that I pray for from my Father in Heaven that I may be enabled by Him and His grace to do His will.

It has been right at 2 weeks since I penned my last commentary/Bible Study and during that time period someone tried to assassinate the former President of the United States Donald Trump. What ever you think of the man 👨, whether he truly belongs to Jesus Christ or not, he has shown remarkable restraint in his verbal commentary since the event of July 13, 2024. I sight this because our Lord Jesus Christ is saying to us through Peter and through Paul above to give these people over to God that His wrath against such evil as this will be done against every human instrument responsible directly or indirectly with carrying out such a blatant act of violent evil against the former President. You can be sure and certain that God/Jesus knows all the details of the plot, purpose, and plan carried out on that day. So, when you see such an act of intentional violence carried out, you know that the person and other people responsible for this act of violence had and have no honor for all men and women, for two other people in that crowd that day were seriously injured by bullets and one man lost his life shielding and protecting his wife and daughter from bullets. The Apostle Peter tells us to honor all men and to even honor the king 👑 and in our case here in the United States that means the current President and even former Presidents. The English word 'honor' Peter uses here is translated by the Greek word timaō meaning to prize, that is, fix a valuation upon; by implication to revere: - honour, value. All men 🚹 and women 🚺 are made in the image of God. If all of humanity would look at one another in this very manner, then there would not be violent conflicts or wars or any such things as these, but we know that this is impossible with man being separated from God by sin. During the time in which the Apostle Peter lived human slavery was a common thing, that is, some human beings owning other human beings was prevalent throughout the land. The Apostle Peter (by inspiration of the Holy Spirit) commands born again slaves or domestic household servants to be subservient to their master's will and commands whether the master is kind or unkind. Why? For the Lord's sake fearing that He would be displeased by their/our conduct, remember what Paul wrote to brother Titus, "Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior." (Titus 2:9-10)(ESV). In so responding in this manner of having a complete desire of  pleasing our Father in Heaven when we suffer unjustly because we are simply obeying His Word which is His will, however, when we ourselves sin against our Father in Heaven, there is no honor for us in patiently persevering in our trials, trouble, and tribulation for our sin, but only a quick response of repentance and turning away from that which is evil and back to the truth of God found in the Word of God and being cleansed by the powerful grace of God, as it is written for us by the Apostle John with these words, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says 'I know Him' but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in Him, but whoever keeps His Word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked." (1 John 1:9 - 2:6) (ESV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 2:17-20, "The Apostle concludes his discourse concerning the duty of subjects with four admirable precepts: - (1.) Honour all men. A due respect is to be given to all men; the poor are not to be despised (Proverbs 17:5); the wicked must be honoured, not for their wickedness, but for any other qualities, such as wit, prudence, courage, eminency of employment, or the hoary head. Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, the prophets, and the apostles, never scrupled to give due honour to bad men. (2.) Love the brotherhood. All Christians are a fraternity, united to Christ the head, alike disposed and qualified, nearly related in the same interest, having communion one with another, and going to the same home; they should therefore love one another with an especial affection. (3.) Fear God with the highest reverence, duty, and submission; if this be wanting, none of the other three duties can be performed as they ought. (4.) Honour the king with that highest honour that is peculiarly due to him above other men. II. The case of servants wanted an apostolical determination as well as that of subjects, for they imagined that their Christian liberty set them free from their unbelieving and cruel masters; to this the apostle answers, Servants, be subject, 1 Peter 2:18. By servants he means those who were strictly such, whether hired, or bought with money, or taken in the wars, or born in the house, or those who served by contract for a limited time, as apprentices. Observe, 1. He orders them to be subject, to do their business faithfully and honestly, to conduct themselves, as inferiors ought, with reverence and affection, and to submit patiently to hardships and inconveniences. This subjection they owe to their masters, who have a right to their service; and that not only to the good and gentle, such as use them well and abate somewhat of their right, but even to the crooked and perverse, who are scarcely to be pleased at all. Learn, (1.) Servants ought to behave themselves to their masters with submission, and fear of displeasing them. (2.) The sinful misconduct of one relation does not justify the sinful behaviour of the other; the servant is bound to do his duty, though the master be sinfully froward and perverse. (3.) Good people are meek and gentle to their servants and inferiors. Our holy apostle shows his love and concern for the souls of poor servants, as well as for higher people. Herein he ought to be imitated by all inferior ministers, who should distinctly apply their counsels to the lower, the meaner, the younger, and the poorer sort of their hearers, as well as others. 2. Having charged them to be subject, he condescends to reason with them about it. (1.) If they were patient under their hardships, while they suffered unjustly, and continued doing their duty to their unbelieving and untoward masters, this would e acceptable to God, and he would reward all that they suffered for conscience towards him; but to be patient when they were justly chastised would deserve no commendation at all; it is only doing well, and suffering patiently for that, which is acceptable with God, 1 Peter 2:19-20. Learn, [1.] There is no condition so mean but a man may live conscientiously in it, and glorify God in it; the meanest servant may do so. [2.] The most conscientious persons are very often the greatest sufferers. For conscience towards God, they suffer wrongfully; they do well, and suffer for it; but sufferers of this sort are praiseworthy, they do honour to God and to religion, and they are accepted of him; and this is their highest support and satisfaction. [3.] Deserved sufferings must be endured with patience: If you are buffeted for your faults, you must take it patiently. Sufferings in this world are not always pledges of our future happiness; if children or servants be rude and undutiful, and suffer for it, this will neither be acceptable with God nor procure the praise of 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 23

 We Believers are to Submit to Human Statutes

1 Peter 2:13-16 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apsotle Peter just finished telling us that we must subdue our old fleshly appetites by submitting and surrendering our entire selves to the leading and guiding of God the Holy Spirit who at all ⌚ times and always leads us into Biblical truth, as it is written, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." (John 16:12-15) (NKJV). Now we find the Apostle Peter declaring to us that we must submit ourselves to all the statutes of man 👨, even those made by evil and wicked rulers, for at the time ⌚ of Peter penning this letter to the scattered Jewish born brothers and sisters 'in Christ', Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus was the Roman Emperor and he was one of the most vile, vicious, and violent haters of God notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64 A.D.). Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus hated all of the children 🧒 of God who had been born again by our Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter wrote these words to those other Jewish converts to our Lord Jesus Christ of whom many did not make it out of Judea and Jerusalem because they were murdered or martyred by Nero and the evil human instruments under his command, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." (1 Peter 2:13-16) (KJV). We must always remember that no ruler or any people are in authority except God has allowed them to be, for He is ultimately the One who allows them into that position of authority and at any time ⌚ can and does remove them from their authoritarian positions. Therefore, when we submit to these human rulers, we are simply doing so for the 'Lord's sake' alone because He and His will is our only authority. The desire to please our Lord Jesus Christ never should cause us to seek the overthrow of human Governments at any level, for Christ did not come the first time to accomplish that, but He came to save sinners from their sin and from the wages of their sin which is eternal seperation from Him in hell and the lake of fire. Because Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus thought himself to be a god, the worship of the Romans during his time ⌚ of ruling was heavy into all of the occult practices and their alliance was clearly with God's enemy the devil 😈. This is why those Jewish Christians were so persecuted back then and why those of us of every era and generation since the Cross of Christ are likewise because everything is always spiritual warfare between those who truly belong to Jesus Christ our Lord and those who do not but are children of satan (1 John 3:8). Those who are still on the side of satan are so because of their ignorance, not their intellectual ignorance, for some are of the highest level of human intelligence on the planet 🌏, but their ignorance is that they don't know God (as we know Him personally through Christ) and that blinds them to all that is right, good, and holy in the site of God, as it is written, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:12-14) (NKJV). There are the men/women who are foolish and ignorant who are the natural ones being spoken of by Paul above and this same Apostle Peter described them in detail in his second letter with these words, "But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children." (2 Peter 2:12-14) (NKJV), but there are spiritual men/women who are taught truth by the Spirit of God.

Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 2:13-16, "The Apostle now turns to one illustration of Christian behavior wherein the converts might be tempted to think themselves absolved from some portion of their duty. They were living under heathen rulers. Did their freedom in Christ release them from obligations to the civil powers? The question was sure to arise. St. Peter supplies both a rule and a reason: 'Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.' Christians, just as other men, hold their place in the commonweal. All that the state requires citizens to do in aid of good government, order, the support of institutions and the like, will fall upon them, as upon others. Whether the demands made upon them in this wise be always for ends of which they would approve; they are not to discuss so long as their rulers provide duly for the social order and welfare. This is the apostolic rule. The reason is men are to submit thus for the Lord’s sake. The powers that be are ordained of God, and He would have obedience yielded to them. The Bible knows nothing about forms of government; these are to be ordered as men at various times and under various conditions deem most helpful. But the Bible doctrine is that God uses all powers of the world for His own purposes and to work out His will. Of Pharaoh, who had deliberately despised God’s messages through Moses, the Divine voice declared that he would long ago have been cut off from the earth, but was made to stand that he might show God’s power, and that His name might be declared throughout all the earth; (Exodus 9:15-16) and of the Assyrian at a later day (Isaiah 10:10; Isaiah 10:12) God tells how he was used as the rod of the Divine anger, but that the fruit of his stout heart and the glory of his high looks would surely be punished. God employs for His ends instruments with which He is not always well pleased. These can inflict His penalties, yea, even may be made to advance His glory. Pilate was assured by Christ Himself that the power which he was about to exercise was only by Divine permission: 'Thou wouldest have no power against Me except it were given thee from above'; (John 19:11) and St. Paul enforces obedience to authorities equally with St. Peter: 'He that resisteth the power withstandeth the ordinance of God." (Romans 13:2) Be subject, therefore, 'whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise for them that do well.' The order under which these converts were living was superintended by some officer appointed by the Roman emperor, and to this the form of the Apostle’s words applies. The king is the Caesar; the governor is the procurator or subordinate official by whom the imperial power was represented in the provinces. When St. Peter wrote, Nero ruled in Rome, and was represented abroad by ministers often of a like character. How extreme must after this be the case of those who would claim freedom to resist the rulers under whom they live. God has allowed them to stand, He is using them for His own purposes, they may be the ministers of His vengeance, and to Him alone does vengeance belong, He intends them also to recognize the merit of the doers of good. It may be that they do not fulfill God’s intent in either wise, yet while He suffers them to keep their power the Christian’s duty is obedience to every civil enactment, for anarchy would be a curse both to him and to others, bringing in its train more hurt than help. When Christians shall be found among those who abide by the law of the lands wherein they dwell, even should their faith not be accepted by their rulers, their good citizenship will hardly fail to disarm hatred and abate persecution. And so they are to range themselves ever on the side of order. 'For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.' For this end believers are to abide in the world, that through them the world may be renewed. The opponents of their faith suffer, says the Apostle, from lack of knowledge. As he says in another place, 'they rail in matters whereof they are ignorant.' (2 Peter 2:12) Had men known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; and did they know, they would not persecute His followers. But knowledge will not come without a preacher. Such preachers of the excellence of their faith shall the law-abiding Christians in each community be made. They shall publish the lessons of their own experience; they shall win favor by their example. The world will recognize that these men have a secret which others do not possess, will find that they yield obedience to earthly rulers because they are above all things servants of God. It was through convicting them of their ignorance that Jesus put the Sadducees to silence. 'Ye do err,' was His argument, 'not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.' (Matthew 22:34) And when men are made sensible of such ignorance, they are silenced forever. (1 Corinthians 15:34) This word 'silenced' is very expressive both in the Gospel and here. It implies that a bridle or muzzle is put upon the mouth of ignorance, so that it may either be guided into a better way, or, if not so, be checked from doing harm. For some there are who not only will be ignorant, but foolish also, whom no teaching will profit. But even these will in the end be silenced. So, as says the brother Apostle, 'be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.' (Rom_12:21) The first part of the Apostle’s exhortation in our verse had in view, it may be more especially the Gentile converts. Their past life had been one of evil-doing in the sight of God; those whom they had left, and who were most likely to be their adversaries, were still walking in the same ways, and were to be won over and conquered for Christ. He now turns more directly to those who had been Jews. These were no longer bound to the observance of the ceremonial law, and we know from the New Testament as well as from Church history that with this release there were exhibited in the lives of many such excesses as made them a disgrace to the Christian name. We find much about these in the Second Epistle. St. Peter would not keep the Jewish converts under the burden of the Law, but he warns them against their besetting danger: 'as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.' There were bad Jews, even as there have been bad Christians. These would welcome a rule which set them at liberty from the Mosaic observances, to which their adherence aforetime had been in outward seeming rather than in earnest zeal. To these St. Peter preaches that to lay aside Judaism is not to embrace Christianity. The Leader of the new faith had ever taught a different lesson. He came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it, and to set forth God’s will in a nobler aspect. Those who would follow Him must take up the Cross. His service is a yoke which restrains from all evil. Those who come to Christ come as bondservants of God, free only because they are bound to the observance of the noblest law. They must lay aside the flesh, with its affections and lusts, and not vindicate their freedom by using it as an occasion to riot and self-indulgence."

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 22

 We Believers are to Abstain from Fleshly Lust

1 Peter 2:11-12 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter reminded those early Jewish converts to Christ back then as he (with these same words) reminds all of we converts to Christ today and of every era and generation that since we are now the people of God's own possession that we have a responsibility to show Him our love and gratitude so he exhorts us to mortify our flesh with these words, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;" (1 Peter 2:11) (KJV). The grace which we have been given comes to us without any merit or in other words without any of us deserving it at all, but this same grace also comes to us with the power or dunimus of our Father in Heaven equipping, energizing, and empowering us to excercise restraint and to refrain from those fleshly appetites that were common ways for us to behave before we were made the people of God (1 Peter 2:10). When the Apostle Peter here (in verse 11) calls us strangers and pilgrims, he is reminding us that we still live in our tent/house/body which is not our permanent home, for it is corruption now and will eventually go back to the dust of the earth from which it was made, but will become incorruption when we are resurrected by our God and Father as the Apostle Paul writes to the Corithian believers with these words, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:42-44) (NKJV). Since, we are still alive on the earth 🌎 as strangers and pilgrims we must be vigilant while still in our natural body to yield to God the Holy Spirit and the powerful grace that we receive from our Lord Jesus Christ sitting now on His Throne of Grace ready always to dispense as much as we need to do as the Apostle Paul declared with these words to the Roman believers and to the Colossian believers, "And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:13) (NKJV) and these words, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5) (NKJV). This is not and cannot ever be done by us in our strength or power (for we have none, if we did we never would have needed our Lord Jesus Christ), but by the power of grace from the Throne of Grace our lives can and will be free of these fleshly appetites that kept us from Christ and that continuously wage war against our souls, that is, our minds or mindset. We must contend against carnal inclinations by the grace of God and fight as a spiritual soldier in the supernatural power of grace just as a human soldier of war fights in the natural with human weapons. Here is what John Wesley said of 1 Peter 2:11, "Here begins the exhortation drawn from the second motive. Sojourners: pilgrims - The first word properly means, those who are in a strange house; the second, those who are in a strange country. You sojourn in the body; you are pilgrims in this world. Abstain from desires of anything in this house, or in this country."

Next the Apostle Peter tells us that his exhortation and imploring of us to abstain from these many fleshly lust that war against us is not only for our spiritual well being, but it is also that we may walk among all those who still are spiritually dead in this newness of life completely contrary to the way we lived before the day of our salvation, as he declares with these words, "Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:12) (KJV). Since, God having saved us, that is, snatching us out of the clutches of the evil one 1⃣ as the Apostle Paul declared He has done with these words to the Colossians we should walk or live worthy of our high calling 'in Christ', "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:9-14) (NKJV). When we live under control of our 'old man', by not putting him off and putting on the new man 👨 (Ephesians 4:22-24), we do this as Paul declared with these words written to the believers in Rome, "For 'the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles/unbelievers because of you,' as it is written." (Romans 2:24) (NKJV). As followers of our Lord Jesus Christ we must repent of our sins and design, desire, and determine to walk or live out our daily lives to please Christ because we love Him and not begrudgingly as if it is only our duty, remember what Paul the Apostle wrote to the Galatians, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1) (NKJV) and also these words, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18) (NKJV). Here is what John Wesley said of 1 Peter 2:12, "Honest - Not barely unblamable, but virtuous in every respect. But our language sinks under the force, beauty, and copiousness of the original expressions. That they by your good works which they shall behold - See with their own eyes. May glorify God - By owning His grace in you, and following your example. In the day of visitation - The time when He shall give them fresh offers of His mercy."

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 21

 We are a Peculiar People/New Creations of God by His Mercy

1 Peter 2:9-10 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle Peter just finished telling or reminding us of how many of those Jews of old rejected Christ as being their Messiah and instead believed that the true Messiah had not come yet. Like those Jews of old, many Jews and Gentiles today continue to reject, refuse, or resist Christ as the only way to Heaven/God. However, the Apostle Peter wants those of us today and of every era and generation who have come to Christ in genuine repentance and faith and been born again by Him of incorruptible seed to know who we are in Him at all times and in any place, so the Apostle Peter declares to us who we are 'in Christ' and how He sees us whom He has redeemed with these next words, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10) (KJV). First, the Apostle Peter calls us a chosen generation and this English word 'chosen' is translated by the Greek word eklektos meaning select; by implication favorite: - chosen, elect. The English word 'generation' is translated by the Greek word meaning figuratively countryman, offspring, kindred, nation. This does not mean that we were and are the good sinners that Jesus Christ looked upon and said, 'They are worthy of My salvation', of course not God forbid, but it simply means we are the chosen of God because we came to Him the one and only way He says sinners must approach Him and that is by repenting and believing the Gospel of Grace which is that Jesus Christ died for our sins in our place and resurrected from death proving that He alone is God and He alone can forgive sin. Second, the Apostle Peter calls us a royal priesthood and the English word 'royal' is translated by the Greek word basileios (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning kingly (in nature). The English word 'priesthood' is translated by the Greek word hierateuma meaning the priestly fraternity, that is, a sacerdotal order (figuratively): - priesthood. The design, desire, and determination of the Apostle Peter to us is that we would see ourselves the way God sees us now, for the Lord Jesus is King 👑 and He was crucified because it was declared that He was 'King of the Jews' (Matthew 27:37) & (Mark 15:2). We are in union with Christ, in fellowship with Christ, in relationship with Christ, therefore, we are Kings and Priest unto Him just as the Apostle John wrote here, "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6) (NKJV). Third, the Apostle Peter calls us collectively a holy nation and the English word 'holy' is translated by the Greek word hagios meaning sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - saint. The English word 'nation' is translated by the Greek word ethnos meaning a race (as of the same habit), that is, a tribe; nation, people. The design for those of us who have been redeemed, regenerated, and resurrected by God the Holy Spirit is to conform us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) and Christ is Holy, therefore, we are always and at all times commanded to be holy as Peter has already reminded us of with these words earlier in this letter/epistle, "Because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:16) (NKJV) and it is from the words written by Moses in the Old Testament with which the Apostle Peter quotes, such as here, "For I am the LORD who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." (Leviticus 11:45) (NKJV). The professing Christians who make light of the holiness of God and walking and living in holiness as believers are a stench (a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant) in the Nostrils of God. Fourth, the Apostle Peter calls us a peculiar people and the English word 'peculiar' is translated by the Greek word peripoiēsis meaning a people of His own possession or a purchased people of His. In other words, we belong to God as His very own adopted sons and daughters having been born again by the incorruptible seed of His very own Word. In so becoming His very own purchased people (by way of the Blood of Jesus Christ) we now are enabled, energized, and empowered by Him to bring forth or shew forth, that is, to published or to put out to Him praises that are honoring to Him and bring Glory to Him alone for the change and transformation He has done and is continuing to do in us and through us to the Glory of God for all the world to see and behold. When a crack addict drops their rocks and are empowered by God to never defile their physical bodies with that substance again or when a heroine addict drops her needles and no longer desires to shoot that poison into her veins or when a pedophile is delivered from his desire to have sex with children 🧒 and is enabled by God to turn completely away from that demeaning, destructive, and damning lifestyle by the Power of the Holy Spirit all praise and honor and glory belongs to our Great God and Savior alone Jesus Christ. For all we sinners were once far off from God because of our sin, but now we are close to God because of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we are now the people of God made by Him into new creatures, as it is written, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) (NKJV). Mercy was shown to us, when we did not deserve it at all. Amen!!!

Here is what John Wesley had to say of 1 Peter 2:9-10, "But ye - Who believe in Christ Are - In a higher sense than ever the Jews were. A chosen or elect race, a royal priesthood - 'Kings and priests unto God, Rev. 1:6. As princes, ye have power with God, and victory over sin, the world, and the devil: as priests, ye are consecrated to God, for offering spiritual sacrifices. Ye Christians are as one holy nation, under Christ your King. A purchased people - Who are His peculiar property. That ye may show forth - By your whole behaviour, to all mankind. The virtues - The excellent glory, the mercy, wisdom, and power of Him, Christ, who hath called you out of the darkness of ignorance, error, sin, and misery. Who in time past were not a people - Much less the people of God; but scattered individuals of many nations. The former part of the verse particularly respects the Gentiles; the latter, the Jews." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 2:9-10, "Learn, [1.] All true Christians are a chosen generation; they all make one family, a sort and species of people distinct from the common world, of another spirit, principle, and practice, which they could never be if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified by His Spirit. [2.] All the true servants of Christ are a royal priesthood. They are royal in their relation to God and Christ, in their power with God, and over themselves and all their spiritual enemies; they are princely in the improvements and the excellency of their own spirits, and in their hopes and expectations; they are a royal priesthood, separated from sin and sinners, consecrated to God, and offering to God spiritual services and oblations, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [3.] All Christians, wheresoever they be, compose one holy nation. They are one nation, collected under one head, agreeing in the same manners and customs, and governed by the same laws; and they are a holy nation, because consecrated and devoted to God, renewed and sanctified by His Holy Spirit. [4.] It is the honour of the servants of Christ that they are God's peculiar people. They are the people of His acquisition, choice, care, and delight. These four dignities of all genuine Christians are not natural to them; for their first state is a state of horrid darkness, but they are effectually called out of darkness into a state of marvellous light, joy, pleasure, and prosperity, with this intent and view, that they should show forth, by words and actions, the virtues and praises of Him who hath called them. (2.) To make this people content, and thankful for the great mercies and dignities brought unto them by the Gospel, the Apostle advises them to compare their former and their present state. Time was when they were not a people, nor had they obtained mercy, but they were solemnly disclaimed and divorced (Jeremiah 3:8; Hosea 1:6, Hosea 1:9); but now they are taken in again to be the people of God, and have obtained mercy. Learn, [1.] The best people ought frequently to look back upon what they were in time past. [2.] The people of God are the most valuable people in the world; all the rest are not a people, good for little. [3.] To be brought into the number of the people of God is a very great mercy, and it may be obtained."

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 20

 Christ is Precious to True Believers but He is an Offence to Unbelievers

1 Peter 2:7-8 Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

Imagine if I were to go around and go about declaring myself to be perfect and the only man 👨 that knew the truth about everything and that all other men who lived in the past, who are alive in the present, or who will live in the future are all sinful and wrong. Of course people who have known me would laugh 😂 at that bold statement of mine knowing many of my sinful ways as well as my utter ineptitude or unskillfulness in many things. However, there is a man 👨 (the God Man) our Lord Jesus Christ who declares this of Himself when He said and says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)(NKJV). In other words, Jesus Christ declares Himself equal with God and the only way to God and the only truth anywhere and that outside of Him all have no life (no physical life, no spiritual life, and no eternal life). Well, unlike the scenario of me or any other man 👨 or woman 👩 claiming such things above, our Lord Jesus Christ lived a completely sinless perfect life on the earth 🌎 and then went willingly to be executed taking on every human beings rotten sin and filth, but then He destroyed, decimated, and defeated death by rising or resurrecting from death three (3) days later and showing Himself alive from the dead to many people proving that He is the way, the truth, and the life because He is God. When we sinners come into union with Jesus Christ, He takes upon Himself all of our sins (our past sins, our present sins, and our future sins) immediately and He gives to us what we don't have nor could we ever have without Him and that being righteousness which means that we now have right standing with God, but it means even more than that while we remain alive in our bodies on the earth 🌎, for it is a new principle placed in our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 giving us a desire to walk or live in newness of life (Romans 6:4) by virtue of God the Holy Spirit being with us but also in us, as it is written by these words spoken directly from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:15-18) (NKJV). These are some of the reasons why Christ Jesus is so precious to we true born again/begotten again sons and daughters of His. Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of the preciousness of Christ to true believers, "For the name of Christ was in many ways made a reproach; and only men of faith, like Moses and the heroes celebrated with him in Hebrews 11:1-40, could count that reproach greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Other and weaker hearts needed encouragement, needed to be pointed to the privileges and glories which are the inheritance of the followers of Jesus. And in this spirit he applies the prophetic words, 'For you therefore which believe is the preciousness.' Faith makes real all the offers of the Gospel. It opens heaven, as to the vision of St. Stephen, so that while they are still here believers behold the glory of God to which Christ has been exalted, are assured of the victory which has been won for them, and that in His strength they may conquer also. Thus they receive continually the earnest of those precious and exceeding great promises (2 Peter 1:4) whereby they become partakers of the Divine Nature."

So, we now have the Apostle Peter marking out for us the stark contrast between those early Jewish converts back then who came to Christ as the living stone, the chief cornerstone (just as we true believers today and of every era and generation after them) vs those Jews back then and all unbelieving people since them who remained or remain  unreformable, unrepentant, and unregenerate not wanting to yield themselves to Christ alone for salvation because they see many other ways to be spiritual or religious or simply not believing in God at all. The Apostle Peter makes known the contrast with these words, "Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." (1 Peter 2:7-8) (KJV). To the remaining unbelieving men and women the Name Jesus Christ is nothing more than words or a name to be used in blasphemous 😤 frustration or 🤦‍♂️ exasperation and even more blasphemous as a word or name used in profanity. The unbelieving heart sees no beauty in Christ nor can he or she, for as it is written, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) (NKJV). The devil 😈 is going about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8) that he may keep sinners from hearing and obeying the Gospel of Christ, as it is written by the Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthian Church ⛪, "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age (the devil 👿) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:1-6) (NKJV). When the Apostle Peter uses the phrase 'a stone of stumbling', that little English word 'stumbling' is translated by the Greek word proskomma meaning a stub, that is, (figuratively) occasion of apostasy: - offence, stumbling block. Peter also uses this little phrase 'a rock of offence' and the little English word 'offence' is translated by the Greek word skandalon meaning a 'scandal'; a trap stick (bent sapling), that is, snare (figuratively cause of displeasure or sin): - occasion to fall, thing that offends, stumbling-block. The Lord Jesus Christ is a barrier or a brick wall or a building between the unbelieving sinner and their sin and the love 😍 of their sin, which makes Him an offence to them a displeasure to them because everything they still love 😍, Jesus hates and therefore, He is a stumbling block and a cause for the false, fraudulent, and fake believers apostasy, that is, the state of having rejected your affiliation, religious or political beliefs, or principles (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes).

An apostate was always a fake believer or better put make believer, he or she was never born again by our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, for they never heard His voice they heard the voice of seducing spirits, that is, doctrines of demons as written for us with these words by the Apostle Paul to brother Timothy, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:1-3) (NKJV). Here is what the Expositors Bible Commentary has to say of the disbelieving or unbelieving, "But all men have not faith. The Bible tells us this on every page. God knows what is in man, and in His revelation He has set forth not only invitations and blessings, but warnings and penalties. Life and good, death and evil-these have been continually proclaimed as linked together by God’s law, but ever with the exhortation, 'Choose life.' Of such warning messages St. Peter gives examples from prophecy and psalm: 'But for such as disbelieve, the stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner,' (Psalm 118:22) 'and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense'; (Isaiah 8:14) 'for they stumble at the word, being disobedient.' Here the Apostle touches the root of the evil. The test of faith is obedience. It was so in Eden; it must be ever so. But now, as then, the tempter comes with his insidious questionings, 'Hath God said?' and sowing doubts, he goes his way, leaving them to work; and work they do. Now it is the truth, now the wisdom, of the command, that men stumble at. But in each case they disobey. Those leave it unobserved; these despise and set it at naught. And the penalty is sure. For mark the twofold aspect of God’s dealing which is set forth in the passages chosen by St. Peter to enforce his lesson. Spite of man’s disobedience, God’s purpose is not thwarted. The stone which He laid in Zion has been made the head of the corner. Though rejected by some builders it has lost none of its preciousness, none of its strength. Those who draw near unto it find life thereby; are made fit for their places in the Divine building, in the kingdom of the Lord’s house which He will most surely establish as the latter days draw on. But they who disobey are overthrown. The despised stone, which is the sure word of God, rises up in men’s self-chosen path, and makes them fall, and at the last, if they persist in despising it, will appear for their condemnation. 'Whereunto also they were appointed.' The Apostle has in mind the words of Isaiah, how the Prophet, in that place from which he has just quoted, declares that many shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. This is the lot of the disobedient. These penalties dog that sin. It is the unvarying law of God. The Bible teaches this from first to last, by precepts as well as by examples. The disobedient must stumble. But the Bible does not teach that any were appointed unto disobedience. Such fatalist lessons are alien to God’s infinite love. The two ways are set before all men. God tries us thus because He has gifted us above the rest of creation, that we may render Him a willing service. But neither prophet nor Apostle teaches that to stumble is to be finally cast away. Both picture God’s mercy in as large terms as those in which St. Paul speaks of the Jews: 'Did God cast off His people? God forbid…They, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.' (Romans 11:1-36)"

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…