Lesson 10 – I Peter Chapter 2:20-25
As we close out chapter 2 of First Peter, we see that Peter has shown us so many things when it comes to living a life for Christ. As believers, there should be that inner desire to read God’s Word, so that when we do read it, we hear and learn from it. As Psalm 34 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good;”
We’ve also learned that Jesus is the “cornerstone” of our faith, remembering that He is the firm foundation on which His church is built and the rock on which we place our whole faith. Jesus is the living stone, and all who believe in Him belong to His royal priesthood.
Peter has also reminded us that until we are united with Christ, we should consider ourselves as aliens in this world. Not as aliens from a different planet, but people who aren’t home yet. Being the sojourners we are, we have a personal witness to protect, meaning that everything we do and say can leave an impression on the world around us. Peter said, “Keep your behavior excellent” in verse 12, setting a high bar for all of us.
Finally, we are to honor all authority. God created work, family, and government, all to sustain mankind. God has put in place each person into their respective positions, from the president all the way down to the police officer… and again, how each person conducts themselves in their responsibilities is between them and God. Our duty is to obey authority, unless of course, we are asked to do something sinful.
We know that God established government and authorities to protect and serve people, and with that comes laws and regulations to be obeyed. Some governments have succeeded in this, while others have misused their authority. It’s the job of the people to obey the laws, and when the laws are broken, there are consequences.
Verse 19 left off talking about the Christian’s character staying intact, even when “unjust suffering” has taken place. And we know that Jesus experienced this first hand.
I Peter 2:20
“For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.”
The first part of this verse gives us the scenario where a person has broken some kind of law and is receiving the consequences for their actions.
Peter says, For what credit is there… by him using the word credit suggests some kind of benefit or personal gain. In this, there is no benefit for the person who might be submitting to the authorities in a positive way, after all, they’re getting what they deserve, because of sinful action on their part. Quite frankly, believers who sin deserve what’s coming to them.
Jermiah 5:25
“Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things.” (NLT)
Danial 9:8
“O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.”
When we break the law and sin, we have a tendency to look left and right, then all around to see if anyone is looking, but we often forget to look up. God is always watching every one of us… all the time. We might think we’ve only broken man’s laws, when in fact, when we do this, we sin against God.
The second part of verse 20 is positive, But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God…
As believers, we know that God keeps an account of everything. As children we were told that Santa keeps a list of those who are naughty or nice. Now I’m not saying that God is the great Santa Clause in the sky, but I am saying that nothing gets past God, He knows all that’s going on, good or bad, and we should always be mindful of that.
To keep this in context, when the believing slaves did what was right and suffered for it, meaning they were harshly treated even though they didn’t deserve any punishment, this never got past God, He knew they patiently endured it. A lot of times this meant a harsh treatment for them physically, usually by repeated hard blows with fists or even with whips. Perhaps some of them were punished just because of their Christian beliefs.
Imagine facing torture or death for just five words – “I believe in Jesus Christ.” It always pleases God to see believers faithfully accept and deal with any kind of adversity.
Matt. 5:11
“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.” (NLT)
Don’t think for a second that God enjoys it when His children suffer unjustly, but He is pleased when we are seen as being Christlike in all our behaviors.
I Peter 2:21
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,”
As Christians we’re called to follow Christ, to emulate His character and conduct, after all, Jesus suffered for us.
For you have been called for this purpose…
This refers to the efficacious salvation call. It is the ability of God’s grace to bring about His intended work in the life of a sinner, namely, in His salvation and reconciliation. God’s grace is efficacious, (efficacious is just a fancy word for effective), in saving those whom He calls.
I Cor. 1:9
“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
We’ve talked extensively about what it means to be called, so I won’t cover it again here, but as soon as the Holy Spirit calls us from darkness to light, we become an enemy of the world and a target of unjust and unfair attacks, as we seek to obey Christ.
John 15:18-19
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”
The problem is, so many Christians have become comfortable and complacent when it comes to their faith, that the moment they experience any kind of suffering for Christ, it turns their whole world upside down, and their faith begins to faulter.
Pastor John MacArthur writes, “It is more important to God that those who are citizens of heaven display a faithful testimony, marked by spiritual integrity, than that they strive to attain all their perceived rights in this world. It is more important to God for believers to uphold the credibility of gospel power than to obtain a raise or promotion in their vocation.”
Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones, one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century also writes, “We are like the school boy who would like to evade certain things, and run away from problems and tests. But we thank God, that because He has a larger interest in us and knows what is for our good, He puts us through the disciplines of life… He makes us learn the multiplication table; we are made to struggle with the elements of grammar. Many things that are trials to us are essential that one day we may be found without spot or wrinkle.”
Whenever we come across life’s difficulties, whether it’s at home, on the job, or anywhere else, it would be good if we could see them as opportunities for spiritual growth and evangelism as well. The real reason God allows us to remain in this world, is so that He might use us to reach out to the lost, and in doing so, we bring glory to His name.
When it comes to suffering, those who do it with the right attitude will be blessed in this life and honored later in the Lord’s presence.
Christ Is Our Example: WWJD (What would Jesus do)… and in this case it’s what Jesus has done for us.
Since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…
These last five verses that we’re covering can be titled the “Suffering Servant.” Everything that Jesus did on this earth as we see in the four gospels, shows us that Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow.
We’re not done with the subject of suffering, and when we key in on that one word, it’s something many will avoid at all costs. In reference to the Suffering Servant, Isaiah 52;13 says, “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.”
But much would take place before Jesus would be highly exalted!
Isaiah 53:3
“He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”
Since Christ also suffered for you… this phrase creates the complete picture of what Jesus did on the cross for us. There was a sacrifice that was needed to take away the sins of the world. It’s important to note, that Jesus’ redemptive suffering as the one and only sacrifice for sin, has no parallel whatsoever to the suffering of any of His followers, in that Jesus’ suffering was greater.
Heb. 9:28
“So also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” (NLT)
Even though Jesus was the pure spotless Lamb of God (which qualified Him to be the perfect sacrifice), Jesus was crucified as a criminal even though He committed no crime.
Luke 23:32-33
“Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him. When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.”
Leaving you an example…
Bible commentary says, “So Christ’s attitude in His death on the cross provides believers with the ultimate example of how to respond to unmerited persecution and punishment.”
One thing is for sure, believers will never suffer for anyone’s salvation, including their own.
The word example actually means a writing copy, including all the letters of the alphabet, given to beginners as an aid in learning to draw them.
In ancient times, the children would learn to write by tracing over the letters of the alphabet. In this context, Jesus is the example for believers to trace their life. By doing this, they are following in His footsteps (in His steps). Keep in mind, a person can emulate Jesus step for step, but that will never save a person, meaning we can never be good enough.
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We are still in need of a Savior for the forgiveness of sins.
I Peter 2:22
“Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth;”
Jesus never committed any sins in all of His thirty-three years of life… He is perfect in every way. This is what qualified Him to be our sacrifice.
II Cor. 5:21
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
I John 3:5
“You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.”
Yes, Jesus is 100% man, but He is also 100% God, and with that, God never sins, because God is holy, righteous and true, and He can’t do anything inconsistent with Himself. Since holiness, righteousness, and God’s other attributes are who God is, if God were to sin, He would cease to be God. The fact that God is “holy, holy, holy” it prevents Him from doing anything that is unholy, i.e. being sinful.
When Peter says; Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth, he’s referring to Isaiah 53:9b “Because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.”
The way Isaiah uses the word violence here, he’s talking about sin. We’ve seen this word violence before, in the Hebrew it is defined as: wrong, cruelty, and injustice… the actual Hebrew word is “hamas.”
Isn’t it interesting how “hamas” not only means violence, but in this context, it means sin. It kind of reminds us of the actions of Hamas the terrorist group… everything they’ve done is sinful.
Nor was any deceit found in his mouth…
One commentary says, “The heart of man expresses sin most easily and often through the mouth.”
Isaiah 6:5
“Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
The term “unclean lips” is a reference to sin as well. As we’ve seen, Jesus’ mouth could never utter anything sinful.
When the thieves hung on their crosses next to Jesus, one of them said…
Luke 23:41
“And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
I Peter 2:23
“And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”
And while being reviled…
Jesus was reviled… what does it mean to be reviled? It’s defined as, of reproach, to rail at, or to heap abuse upon someone. Again, we go back to Isaiah chapter 53 which describes everything Jesus went through. Most rabbis discourage their people from reading it, because when you read it you see Jesus.
Isaiah 53:7
“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.”
Jesus was reviled, He was afflicted, He suffered greatly on the cross. They tried to push Him to the breaking point by mocking Him, torturing Him, but Jesus never did break.
He did not revile in return… as badly beaten and tortured as Jesus was, He did not retaliate against those who were killing Him.
Romans 12:19-21
“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. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Whenever we’re done a great injustice, our first reaction can be to retaliate… there was no greater injustice than what happened to Jesus. Our verse says, He did not revile in return, and He could have in the most powerful way.
Matt. 26:53
“Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (NLT)
It’s no surprise that Jesus’ actions were always perfect.
While suffering, He uttered no threats…
Jesus chose to accept what was happening to Him, He drank the whole cup of suffering for us.
But kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously…
Jesus is our perfect example in how to deal with the trials that come into our lives. Jesus drew His strength from the Father, He put His full trust in the Father, and He was serving the ultimate purpose on our behalf… to defeat sin, death, and satan.
I Peter 2:24
“And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”
This is the reality of what Jesus has done for us, through all the pain and all the suffering… He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross.
When we ask, “Why would Jesus put Himself through all this, for a world that was saturated with sin?”
John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
He Himself…
The theological technical term for “He Himself” is called an emphatic personalization, which means Jesus did all this voluntarily, He wasn’t coerced in any way… He did it out of love for us, and that makes it personal for us.
Jesus bore our sins, this means He took on the whole weight of our sins. The weight of sin was so heavy, that in Romans 8:22 it says, “The whole creation groans and suffers” under it. Perhaps sometimes you groan under the weight of sin, having to deal with your sin nature all the time even though you’re saved.
With Jesus taking on our sin, He suffered the wrath of God against sin. As the hymn goes, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.” I’ve talked about this before but it bares repeating, Christ endured not only death in His body on the cross, but He suffered the greatest pain we will never know, being separated from His Father for a time. This is how deplorable sin is to God, once Jesus became sin on our behalf, the Father could not look at Jesus, and they both felt the pain of that separation. Thankfully, it will never happen again, because the sacrifice Jesus made was accepted by the Father as being absolutely perfect, never to be repeated again.
So that we might die to sin and live to righteousness…
The apostle Paul expounded on what Peter has said in Romans chapter 6.
(3-11) “Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him. When He died, He died once to break the power of sin. But now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” (NLT)
If Jesus doesn’t come before our time on earth is done, we will all die a physical death, but our spirit will live on for all eternity. Then once the resurrection takes place, our spirits will be united with our new glorified bodies which God will give to us.
For by His wounds you were healed…
Isaiah 53:5
“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.”
Wounds is a better word to use than scourging, just so we don’t get the impression that the beating of Jesus produced our salvation… salvation only comes through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus’ wounds were part of the execution process. To be healed by His wounds means we don’t receive a physical healing (that will come at the resurrection) but a spiritual healing. If we were to assume healed by His wounds meant the physical, then every believer would never get sick or die… this won’t happen until we get to heaven.
I Peter 2:25
“For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”
Once more from Isaiah 53…
Isaiah 53:6
“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.
The analogy of believers straying like sheep is a picture of wayward, purposeless, helpless sinners, lost in this world.
But now you have returned to the Shepherd… using the word returned has the implication of repentance for us, meaning a turning from sin… and then by faith turning to Jesus.
Returned to the Shepherd reminds me of John chapter 10.
John 10:11, 27-30
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
The good Shepherd has us in His hand, we are totally safe there. Jesus tells us that no one can ever take us out of His hand, and that includes satan. We are secure in God’s hand and this gives us an assurance of our salvation. All who trust in Jesus are under His perfect care, provision, and protection… He is the Guardian of our souls.
Some of this message tonight was hard to teach, it’s never easy to talk about Jesus having to suffer for us, but as I said before, Jesus did it all voluntarily, nobody forced Him to do it. He did it out of obedience to the Father and He did it for the love that He has for each one of us. What a friend we have in Jesus!