For you were continually straying like sheep…

Peter was not putting anyone down when he likened all of us to sheep; he was merely telling it like it is.

Sheep have very little situational awareness. They have very little self-awareness as well, and as a result, they have been known to wander off into danger.

Sheep can be busy munching on new and unusual grass, entirely unaware that they have wandered far away from the flock and straight toward a lion or a bear—the jaws of death in search of lunch.

Humans can be busy pursuing new and unusual diversions, entirely unaware that they are being wound around and around by webs of steel masquerading as fun, stimulation, pleasure, excitement, escape—the list goes on and on.

For you were continually straying like sheep…

…but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

The Good Shepherd leaves the flock to find the one sheep that has strayed, and finding it, He deals a deathblow to its predator and snatches the sheep from its doom.

The Good Shepherd whispers in your ears throughout your life—no, not that way; go this way. He woos and pursues you, and He prods you patiently as you search for truth down dead-end paths, as you dull your boredom or pain once again, or as you dogmatically deny your need for His kind of help. The Good Shepherd is relentless; He does not give up on you when others do—not even when you’ve given up on yourself—and He quietly works behind the scenes to bring you to the place where you will eventually say yes to Him: I let go of my own way. I am now ready to make You the Shepherd and Guardian of my soul.

And there your journey ends. And there your journey begins.

Dorothy

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me. John 10:14

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

Why did Jesus have to suffer the horrible death of the cross? Couldn’t our salvation have been purchased by a less brutal method? Lest anyone be confused about the matter, Peter clearly laid it out:

• He bore our sins in His body on the cross (not while comfortably unharmed).
• So we might die to sin and live to righteousness (we would not have been able to die to sin and live to righteousness had He not taken our place in an atoning death—bloody by Scriptural definition and decree).
• By His wounds you are healed (He was not a Lord who dodged brutality or who hid from the cross; otherwise, “by His wounds you are healed” could never have been written).

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree…

The intimacy and vulnerability of Someone bearing my personal sin brings tears to my eyes. That which I would want no one to see; that which has stabbed me with shame—that very darkness of soul is what Jesus lifted from me and bore in His own body that day—on purpose. And that’s exactly what He did for you, too.

…that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

Try as you might to prove otherwise, sin is sewn into the very fabric of your being by virtue of your membership in the human race. As a result of our fallen nature, the prospect of you and me dwelling in God’s presence for eternity (the very reason He created us) became an impossibility. You see, He is holy, and sin cannot exist in the presence of His unadulterated, full-blown holiness. For you to dwell forever with God, either He would have to change—or you would. And God wasn’t changing. And you couldn’t …

Therefore, when Jesus bore our sins and died under their load, He reopened the door for you and me to enter into the presence of God. When you, by faith in Him, realize and believe that your own sin was placed on Him that day long ago, you identify with His death. And as a result, you die to sin and are made alive to God…no longer in bondage to sin but made righteous with His own righteousness. This is God’s gift to you for opening up your heart to Him.

By his wounds you have been healed.

To me, the invitation to live forever as His daughter is beyond amazing and sufficient to satisfy the longings of any living person. But He, being the God who is more than enough, included physical healing as well in His atonement. Just as salvation didn’t cease when the apostles passed, so too, healing did not cease to be offered when that generation died. Healing is part and parcel of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, and it is accessed just like salvation is—through faith.

It is evident that God loves health: He created our bodies with immune systems and mechanisms by which to combat sickness and infection and to heal injuries. Indeed, one of His names is Jehovah Rapha, “I am the Lord who heals you” (see Exodus 15:26). Yet because we live in a fallen world, we are, nonetheless, subject to the same diseases and maladies that affect the rest of humanity. Therefore, by His design and because He is the Great Physician, He included sickness as well as sin in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

I want to encourage you to go to Him about any afflictions you may be experiencing in your body. Realize that it is by His wounds that you were healed. In other words, just as surely as you know you are going to Heaven because of your faith in Jesus, you can be assured that healing for any malady you may face was also provided for you in His redemptive work—by His scourging we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

As surely as He bore your sins on Calvary, so too, did He bear your physical afflictions. Go to Him in faith, for by His wounds you have been healed.

Your Redeemer lives!

Dorothy

And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” Matthew 8:15-17, ESV

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

For you have been called for this purpose… leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…

The calling to which you and I have been called is not to merely accomplish a particular goal or hold a specific position. The call of Jesus Christ is that you be His disciple and follow Him wherever He leads—every minute, every day—for the rest of your life.

And as you follow Him, you are not groping in the darkness—He Himself is your Light. When you follow Him, you won’t walk in darkness, but you will have the Light of life.

You are His sheep, so you hear His voice, and the voice of a stranger you will not follow.

He has also poured out His Spirit upon you; this Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance all that He has said, and He will show you things to come.

And of course, He has left His example for you to emulate. A man or woman asking, “What would Jesus do?” can access the Book and view all that was written about His behavior, attitudes, and choices.

… since Christ also suffered for you…

The bottom line of Christianity is this: Jesus suffered for you. He bore your sins and the punishment that you deserved—and He did it completely of His own free will. A profession of faith which minimizes the suffering that the Lord endured in an attempt to “humanize” Christianity or to make it more “palatable”, has virtually humanized the power of God right out of their religion! This “cleaned-up” version of Christianity is as palatable as a piece of cold, day-old toast.

…who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth…

Central to Christianity is that Jesus was sinless in His earth walk. He was tempted as we all are, but He never yielded; He never once sinned. To paint Him any other way (as some do who seek to justify their favorite lifestyle sin) reveals ignorance at best, and more likely exposes a blatant contempt for the Holy One who died for them.

… and while being reviled, He did not revile in return…

Jesus embodied what He taught. Early in His ministry, when He enjoyed popularity and physical safety, He preached, “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28). When those who hated Him finally had their way with Him, He practiced what He preached: He did not revile in return but prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

… while suffering, He uttered no threats…

Isaiah prophesied of this One, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7, emphasis added). What a contrast this is to the mindset which characterizes many in our time: “I don’t get mad; I get even.”

Jesus had the power, authority, and rank to call upon the hosts of Heaven to rally to His aid. He declared to Peter when He was first arrested in Gethsemane, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) Jesus had the whereabouts to deal a deathblow to those who wrongfully abused Him—but instead, He uttered no threats; He let them do their worst. And by so doing, they played right into the plan of God established before the foundation of the earth.

… but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

Entrusting Himself to God and submitting to His will was more important to Jesus throughout His earth walk than even food: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34).

He lived with this conviction: “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just, for I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me” (John 5:30).

He lived this creed: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).

Therefore, at the end of His  earth life, it is not surprising to know that He accomplished this final grim act—death on the cross—by entrusting Himself to the One who judges righteously. Every torturous step of the way.

He despised every bit of the shame He experienced, but He endured it all for the joy that was set before Him—you and me, delivered from darkness, born again as sons and daughters of God, bearing His name, and carrying His healing presence into the world.

This is the example He has left for us to follow—and for this purpose we have been called.

Dorothy

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?

As a child of the 20th century now alive in the 21st, this statement of Peter’s seems alien—like a concept recently unearthed from an obscure civilization entirely unfamiliar to modern society.

This is our current reality: When anyone is caught in a sin or a crime, they rarely feel any remorse. And if they are harshly treated as a result of their wrongdoing, they become the victim and are celebrated for it—and woe to the one who doled out the rough treatment, however well-deserved; he is now the criminal.

Cities have burned and members of law enforcement have been crippled in carrying out their task by our present reality. But this reality is not the will of God. It’s time to speak truth about what is right and what is wrong, about sin and remorse, about crime and consequence.

Until recently, most people caught in a sin or crime generally admitted that what they had done was wrong. Some felt genuine remorse and attempted to live a better life. Others, as they hit rock-bottom, cried out to God for His forgiveness and entered into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Most recognized that the consequence of their sin, wrongdoing, or crime would very likely result in harsh treatment at the hands of those who were wronged or who enforced the law; this was understood by most of society—including the seedy underbelly of the culture.

When a wrongdoer or criminal ran head-on into rough treatment as a result of his own lawlessness, more often than not, he endured it with patience. He didn’t like it, but he understood instinctively the law of sowing and reaping (what the secular world often calls karma).

In the eyes of God, if you are harshly treated for wrongdoing, you are to endure it with patience, not with cries of vengeance upon those who seek to stop you. And even then—when you do endure this roughness with patience, you don’t earn points with God. You have merely reaped what you have sown—no matter how our ethically “evolved”, socially “just” civilization looks at it.

But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Throughout history, stories abound of good men and women who suffered for doing what was right. In fact, even in your own life, you can probably remember a time or two when you did the right thing and were ridiculed, rejected, or worse.

As we enter the days when good is called evil and evil good, don’t be surprised if obeying your Scripture-based convictions results in some form of retribution. What should you do if that happens? According to Peter, you patiently endure it. This will direct the favor of God your way.

Not only should you endure the harsh treatment with patience, but you are also called to bless those who curse you and to pray for those who spitefully use you (see Luke 6:28).

Those who don’t know God scoff at this advice; but they beat you over the head with it as well. They mock your very human anger they intentionally provoke and laugh at you as they tell you to turn the other cheek.

But there’s something they haven’t counted on—the principles they despise are sober truth and the God they mock is very real—and He will personally defend the righteous. Because of your confidence in Him, you are able to endure their attack, and His favor upon you will be openly displayed.

You will see the salvation of your God—and so will they.

Dorothy

Let all those that put their trust in you rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because you defend them: let them also that love your name be joyful in you. For you, LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor will you surround him with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect…

Servants who are born again are free men in Christ. They may hold a position of subservience to someone else, but they are free in Christ nevertheless.

When Peter addressed servants, he used a Greek word oiketēs which simply means “a servant, a domestic” (see Blue Letter Bible. com 1), and not “slave” which is signified by the Greek word doulos (Blue letter Bible. com, 2). This is an important distinction because many in our generation indict the Bible because “it advocates slavery.” Perhaps I will write about this misguided argument sometime in the future.

In verses 18 and 19, everything that Peter writes about servants can be broadly applied to anyone who works for an employer. And Peter’s admonition is wise advice, indeed.

Servants and all employees are urged to be submissive to their masters—employers—with all respect. Is Peter advocating for all workers to become doormats? Unfortunately, many read it this way—some for the purpose of dismissing the Word altogether, and others to enable and justify abusive practices.

But what is Peter really advocating? He tells employees to subject themselves to their employers in this way: to carry out their job in accordance with the direction and desire of the boss. If the employee sees a better way to accomplish a task, he is to follow his employer’s instructions, nonetheless—without grumbling. With this kind of attitude, the boss may increase the employee’s leeway to do things his own way. Peter also admonishes employees to follow through on their assigned tasks with a mindset of respect toward their employer—not with a snarky, resentful attitude.

… not only to those who are good and gentle…

It’s easy to “whistle while you work” when employed by a good, kind-hearted boss. Unfortunately, some employees view such kindness as an excuse to cut corners and take unfair advantage of a nice boss. Such employees are returning evil for good—and they sabotage God’s laws of prosperity from working for them with this attitude.

…but also to those who are unreasonable…

You are not only to submit respectfully to decent bosses, but also to those who are unreasonable. The KJV uses the word “froward” to describe unreasonable employers. That word simply means “difficult to deal with; contrary” (Oxford dictionary. com).

Ever had a boss like that? It’s no small task to keep your attitude and words in check under those circumstances, but it is scriptural. Time and again, believers have testified that when they earnestly endeavored to respectfully submit to an unreasonable employer, sooner or later they found amazing favor…and some actually received an open door to share Jesus with these cantankerous bosses.

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

This concept is true of the workplace; it is also true of life in general for the believer. Often, unreasonable employers and unreasonable people along life’s path have an inkling that they’re a jerk. My theory is that such folks are merely looking for a fight. When—instead of a fight—you respectfully go about your job without complaint or argument, some of the crankiest among them secretly view your forbearing spirit with awe. They wonder what makes you tick; you are kind in the face of abruptness; you are respectful in the face of the most contrary, unreasonable treatment.

At work and in all of life, when you trust God and bear up under unjust treatment or words for the sake of your conscience, you will find favor. Even if the unreasonable one never shows favor to you or repentance, you can be sure of this: God sees and He will reward. And, like Romans 12:20 states, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Your job is to do your job respectfully and according to the will of your boss. And your job is to let God fight your fights and to trust Him with all the froward people along the way.

Dorothy

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. Romans 12:18-19

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

Act as free men…

Jesus said, “If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). When you are in Christ, then you are free, no matter your situation.

Notice what the apostle Paul wrote from jail, “… the word of God is not imprisoned (2 Timothy 2:9). Was Paul free? Not physically; he was behind bars. But because of the Word he not only proclaimed but also fully believed, in reality, he was free—a freedom that transcended circumstances.

When I was a camp counselor, a groundhog named Mona lived in a cage in the Nature Lore area. She was created by God to waddle free along the ground and to live life in a natural habitat in the side of a hill, but alas, she could not—she was caged. One day she waddled out of her unlocked cage when no one was around. The camp was in an uproar; we were in the middle of the Ozarks and knew that Mona had found a home in the woods. We would never see her again.

That evening when some of the campers started a game of softball, lo and behold—there was Mona. Cowering in fear and huddled up against the closest thing to a cage she could find—the softball field backstop—she was amazingly easy for us to capture and return to her small cell.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Jesus did not set you free so you could live in dread and anxiety, groping for help and safety in all the wrong places and—like Mona—only to be ensnared again. No. You are free in Christ. Believe it. Act on it.

…and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil…

You are not called to live in cowering fear. By the same token, you are not called to engage in evil deeds. You have not been called by grace into this marvelous freedom just to throw restraint to the wind and do whatever you jolly well please. Paul wrote, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) The freedom you have received in Christ does not negate the need to exercise self-control—your freedom empowers you to have victory over your flesh!

But even more dangerous than flirting with fleshly behaviors due to a misunderstanding of your freedom in Christ is this: to intentionally use your liberty in Christ as a cover for evil. Do you enjoy the trust and confidence of others because of your profession of Jesus or your position in the church? If you use your position to pad your pockets through pilfering (like Judas did), manipulation, or fraud; if you take unfair advantage of others just because your office makes it easy to do so; if you use the trust of others to behave in sexual or seductive ways toward the very ones you before whom you should be modeling purity and truth—then you are doing exactly what Peter warned against. You are using your freedom as a covering for evil—and God sees it all.

… but use it as bondslaves of God.

You were called to freedom—the freedom to serve God as His bondslave in the midst of a perverse and wicked generation. God has a job that He created just for you, but if you choose to live for yourself instead, it will end up constricting the life and joy out of you. However, if you step into the yoke formed for you by the wisdom of God, the freedom to be found in serving Him will only increase and become more satisfying throughout your life.

Honor all people…

One mark of a true believer is the understanding of the importance of honoring others—the saved and unsaved alike. Not only keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles (1 Peter 2:12), but also honor them as individuals worthy of respect. Don’t alienate them with an attitude of smug superiority or disgusted disdain—honor them.

…love the brotherhood…

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” declared Jesus (John 13:35). Real love will show itself in behaviors, words, and attitude. Love does not show itself merely by word or tongue, but in deed and truth (1 John 3:18). We are called to reach out to the world with the love of God; but we are also called to demonstrate our love for fellow believers by how we treat them—not only with honor but also with brotherly affection and love.

… fear God…

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Without the fear of the Lord, your freedom will become a snare; your service to others will become nothing more than self-service; your honor will ring hollow; and your love will be like a clanging bell or a sounding brass. But as you live in the fear of God, His wisdom will permeate your heart and your mind, and He will direct you in all of your ways.

… honor the king…

You are called to honor all people; you are called to honor the king in particular. This means that you recognize the importance of the office held by the leader of your nation, and you show respect to him because of it. You pray for God to grant him the wisdom to lead effectively and the grace to uphold his duties with integrity and justice. Honoring a leader does not require you to agree with him on everything—you have the right to take a stand on issues which differ from the views held by him. You also have the right to discern when the actions of this man deviate from truth, justice, or wisdom.

But despite any disagreement or heightened concern you may have, you must honor the office and show respect for the man. If you find yourself increasing in alarm about the leader of your nation, ramp up your prayer for him and for all who surround and support him. Don’t fall into the dishonor trap—it changes nothing. But the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:16).

As you move through life as a free man or woman in Christ, everything you do will emanate from the Truth by which you were made free.

Dorothy

If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:31-32

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors…

This section of Scripture is an easy one to embrace when leadership is wise and just. However, it is far more difficult to abide by these verses when those in positions of authority violate laws of their choosing, exhibit little respect for God, and express open disdain for those who hold to their faith in Christ.

Nevertheless, as believers, part of our call is to respect the laws of the land and those who implement them as well as those who enforce them. Christians are to live in such a way that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

You know as well as I that many Christians have been challenged recently for culturally-unpopular stances on various laws and accepted mores of society. Memes circulated in the digital world indict those who take godly stands now considered distasteful…and in some cases, illegal.

I’ve read over and over on Facebook and comment threads scathing indictments against folks who oppose abortion, those who speak out against homosexual marriage, and conscientious objectors on any number of other topics who refuse to accept majority viewpoints.

Does Peter’s admonition mean that you must throw away your conviction and shut up about laws and worldviews embraced by the culture? Does your faith restrict your civic responsibility to going along to get along?

Let’s look at Peter himself to find out.

Not too long after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Peter and John were walking to the temple. On the way, they met a lame man for whom they prayed. He was healed and started jumping around and praising God. As you can imagine, this caused quite a stir among the people. The leadership was offended by all of this and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. The same Peter who wrote about obeying the law said to the rulers, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:18-19).

And guess what? Later that day Peter and his friends prayed about it—not in repentance for breaking the law—but in bold defiance: “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus” (verses 29-30).

Under those circumstances, Peter was absolutely comfortable about defying ungodly rules imposed by men who opposed God’s will. Using Peter’s example, it is safe to say that in our time, Christians are justified when they choose to obey their convictions based on Scripture rather than laws that violate the Word. To insist otherwise—based on verses about obeying the law—is to inaccurately interpret the Bible.

… as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

Those who are in positions of authority hold offices established by God. This does not necessarily mean that the humans in those positions are godly; it simply means that God instituted human authority for the purpose of punishing those who do wrong and shining a positive light on the ones who do what is right. Even if the person in power is demonstrably evil, your job is to obey just laws—laws that ensure safety, well-being, and justice. Just because the man or woman in office has unscriptural views and stances doesn’t mean that every law under their jurisdiction is wrong. You must obey the law—unless it violates the Word of God.

For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Slander—and at times, worse—happens to those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus (see 2 Timothy 3:12). Despite that…and because of that…as you consistently do what is right in your daily life, your very behavior will ultimately silence—and expose—those who rage foolishly against you and your faith. You can count on this: God will back you with His power.

Not many of us are five-fold ministers; but all of us who believe are ambassadors of Christ and epistles read of men. Your very life declares the wisdom and truth of God. Because of this, you and I are accountable to God and to those around us to do right, to obey just laws, and above all, to obey God.

Dorothy

…let God be found true, though every man be found a liar… Romans 3:4b

…And the government will rest on His shoulders… Isaiah 9:6b

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

Beloved…

What a comforting, inclusive name for a man of God to use in addressing believers. This is not a term of aggressive intolerance or religious bigotry. Even when this term of endearment is used in correction or warning, it indicates a depth of affection that desires nothing but the best for those to whom it refers.

I urge you…

Be alert. What is about to be said is of utmost importance. Take heed; prepare to take appropriate action.

… as aliens and strangers…

Remember who you are. You are in the world, but you are not of the world. You have your citizenship in Heaven and ultimately answer to God.

… abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.

Your job is to stay away from and restrain yourself from indulging in fleshly cravings. You’ll recognize them because they arise in a fierce opposition to the stability and purposeful godly devotion of your mind, will, and emotions. Carnal lusts seek to control your thoughts, decisions, and behaviors with a warlike persistence.

Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles…

You never know who’s watching what you’re doing. There’s a good chance that among your acquaintances, co-workers, relatives, neighbors, and friends is someone who will only see the gospel through your life. You are a carrier of the presence of God; you are an ambassador of Jesus Christ; you are a letter from God read by men.

Again. You never know who’s watching. When I was a young believer, not even a year old in the Lord, I was returning to my dorm from the attached men’s dorm right after my first love broke up with me. Heartbroken, I walked across the lobby of the men’s dorm, lost in pain and unaware of any eyes upon me. A year later I ran into a young man who lived in that dorm, now saved and living for Jesus. He told me something that revolutionized the way I viewed the impact of my day-to-day life.

He told me, “A year ago, I was sitting at the front desk of the dorm when you walked across the lobby, heading toward the women’s dorm. The light streamed in from the windows above the door and landed on you. I knew you had recently become a Christian—everyone in the dorm knew when your life changed—and it hit me: I needed what you had—a relationship with God. I prayed, and here I am—serving Jesus!”

…so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers…

Note: Peter did not write “If they slander you”; he said they would slander you. Why? Because they don’t understand the light of Christ that shines from your life and choices. Very likely, your life makes them uncomfortable, therefore they feel compelled to put you down; they feel obligated to find your flaws; they feel driven to search for inconsistencies in your life.

… they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them…

How you live your life and what you choose to do with your day-to-day behaviors is huge. People watch you, especially if they know you are a Christian. Do they see excellence in your moral choices and integrity? Do they observe the fruit of the Spirit manifested in your interactions with others? What do people see and hear emanating from you when you aren’t thinking about your “witness”? Are you consistent in character whether you think someone is watching you or not?

… glorify God in the day of visitation.

Who will glorify God in the day of visitation? Those who, because of your life, got hungry and thirsty enough for Christ. Those who, because of the goodness they observed in your behavior, decided they wanted in on a relationship with God. This is your calling: Live your life for Christ; live every minute as a man or woman of God; live knowing that conviction may be touching someone right now just because of the way you live your life—on purpose and tuned in to the Holy Spirit.

Dorothy

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men…2 Corinthians 3:2

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

This portion of Peter’s letter is one of the most stirring descriptions of the Church found in Scripture. Whenever I read it, I love to savor each phrase, one chunk at a time.

But ye are a chosen generation…

As a teacher, I taught my students that writing conventions frowned upon beginning a sentence with “BUT”. However, here, in this wonderful description of the Church founded on the Rock, “BUT” is aptly placed as a neon sign. It declares, “Some will follow their own conceits all the way to their doom, BUT you, believer in Jesus, will enjoy an entirely different outcome in life.”

You are a chosen generation. Peter wrote to the first generation to trust in Christ. They were chosen out of their generation, and together, they formed their own generation. You and I are likewise members of that chosen generation—the only generation that spans decades, centuries, and even a millennium or two! Together, all of us in Christ present a formidable obstacle to the forces of darkness that have sought to run the show here on earth since the days of Adam and Eve; but even individually, each one of us—chosen by God and made new in Christ—threaten the agenda of the evil one.

… a royal priesthood…

You are part of a royal priesthood. You are a priest because as a Christian you are called to stand before men on behalf of God and to stand before God on behalf of men. You are royal because of your new parentage—you’ve been adopted as a son or daughter by the King of kings and Lord of lords. Hold your head high. Your Father is the King.

Think of that next time you pray. You approach God—not as some distant, uninterested Being—but as your Father—your loving Daddy. If that’s hard to imagine because of an absent, abusive or coldly distant father, picture this:

Among the hundreds of photos from John F. Kennedy’s presidency is a series that captured my heart. Present in the Oval Office were his pre-school children Caroline and John John, happily playing, doing somersaults, and hiding under his desk. As their father worked, conducting the business of the nation, he fondly glanced their way, bending to ruffle their hair and beaming with love and delight at their antics. You go before God not only to conduct Kingdom business, but also to just spend time in His presence as He goes about His task of being God. Your heavenly Father, even more than JFK with his kids, beams with love at you, His royal priest and His precious child. Bask in it!

… a holy nation…

Together, you, I, and all the believers to ever live, comprise a holy nation. We live under the governmental laws of the Kingdom of God and we pledge our love and allegiance to our Sovereign, the Lord God Almighty. The boundaries of our land is the border between Light and darkness. We dwell in the Light; we reach out into the darkness as ambassadors of the Light to rescue those who are snared by its shackles. We no longer live under the laws of that dark land for our Father rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13).

… a peculiar people…

I love that the KJV translates this phrase like this—we are peculiar. We are non-conformists; we are those who resist being manipulated by the whims of culture or the fear of man. In the sea of identity politics, you and I can boldly proclaim, “I identify as peculiar.” Hot diggity dog!

The reason we are peculiar people is revealed in the Greek word peripoiēsis from which “peculiar” was translated. It means, more exactly, “a preserving” and “a possession” (see Blue Letter Bible. com). You and I have been pulled out of darkness to be preserved for God’s own possession. And yes, that does make us peculiar—and I love it!

…that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light…

What has transpired for you and me is no small thing. We were born into darkness, destined to live there, and die, only to face an eternity of everlasting, ever-deepening darkness. But God had a plan, conceived before the foundation of the earth, to launch a rescue mission on behalf of the doomed human race. Through Jesus, God delivered you from that enslaving darkness and transferred you to the Kingdom of His marvelous light.

For that, I am awed. Because of the rescue mission successfully conducted on my behalf, I will indeed show forth the praises of my Deliverer. Praise You, Jesus! Thank You!

… which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God…

In times past, men and women were scattered throughout the world, indelibly separated from one another by nationality, tribe, race, religion, and most of all, fear. Although this paradigm still exists, for those of us in Christ, such barriers have been abolished. The Bible states, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28). Ephesians 2:14 reads, “For He Himself is our peace…and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall…”

If you’re like me, you experience the following phenomenon as normal: You have far more in common with Christians of different races and backgrounds than you do with those who look just like you but don’t know Christ. Your people are truly the people of God.

…which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

The mercy of God has always been zeroed in on you. However, it was not until you responded to His kindness which leads to repentance that you obtained that mercy as a living reality in your life. Before you received Christ, you groped in darkness for some hint of mercy from the universe; now you have obtained mercy from the One who created the universe.

This is your calling and this is your privilege. Feast on it and let it inform every move you make.

Dorothy

© 2015, Dorothy Frick

This precious value, then, is for you who believe…

You who believe have received an enormously precious value. Because of your faith in Christ, you will not be disappointed—the living Stone is your personal Rock of refuge.

… but for those who disbelieve…

In stark contrast to men and women of faith are those who disbelieve. Disbelievers are not merely those who struggle with unbelief; they are a category of their own. Disbelievers are those who are religiously dogmatic about their disbelief; they pride themselves on their intellectual rejection of the claims of Christ.

“The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,”

Chief among the disbelievers were builders: Leaders of men. Rulers over others. Those in authority. False shepherds.

And those who were entrusted with stewardship over the lives and well-being of hundreds of thousands of souls rejected the living Stone from God. They wanted nothing to do with that Man but to discredit Him, to silence Him, and to snuff Him out.

It seems as if many of those builders are still alive in our day.

Yet this Stone, this Rock of great value, could not be diminished by the deception and ruthlessness of disbelievers. Indeed, the rejected Stone—cast aside as abhorrent by the builders themselves—was chosen before the foundation of the world to be set as Cornerstone of God’s new Construction, the Church.

“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”

The builders were entrusted with this Stone of precious value to cleanse themselves and to empower them to shepherd the sheep with wisdom and humble integrity. Instead, they stumbled over Him in their vehement rejection and were offended by Him due to their unwavering disbelief.

… for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word…

It wasn’t their intellectual acuity or their highly-evolved spirituality that led them to reject the living Stone. No, the bottom line was this: they refused to obey the Word.

… and to this doom they were also appointed.

It is no small thing to “do your own thing” in regard to the Truth, figuring that embracing the Word of God belongs to narrow souls, not to open-minded individuals such as yourself. However, Jesus, the Stone rejected by those who should have known better, noted long ago, “The gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).

So they chose their own path, you may suggest. What could that possibly hurt?  And what is this doom? Why are they appointed to it?

The doom that awaits disbelievers and Stone-rejecters is simply this: They will receive their preference—an eternity without Christ, separated from all that is His—and could have been theirs for the asking.

Why are they appointed to doom? They made the appointment via their disbelief; they secured their appointment by choosing to be offended by the only One who could save them.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary refers to such souls this way: “All those who are disobedient take offense at the Word of God; they are offended with Christ Himself, and with His doctrine and the purity of His precepts…at the meanness [unimpressiveness] of His appearance and the proposal of trusting only to Him for their justification before God” [Note: Mr. Henry passed away in 1714 before he finished his commentary on the epistles and Revelation. The commentary on 1 Peter was written from Mr. Henry’s notes by Mr. Zechariah Merrill.]

What does it profit a man to gain the world only to forfeit his soul? And what precious value awaits the one who forfeits the ways of the world to gain Christ?

Dorothy

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. Hebrews 10:39

© 2015, Dorothy Frick