0:00

How firm a foundation, ye

0:02

saints, of the Lord is

0:04

lay for your faith in

0:07

his excellent work. We've all

0:09

heard complaints about Christians who

0:12

are hypocrites. And you know,

0:14

a lot of the time,

0:17

that criticism hits closer to

0:19

home than most of us

0:21

would like to admit. It's

0:23

tough to live the Christian

0:25

life in a world that

0:27

has really lost its way.

0:29

And it's easy to compromise

0:31

on the things that we

0:33

know we shouldn't do or say. Well,

0:35

needless to say, the Lord has much

0:37

more mercy and forgiveness on the repentant

0:39

soul than our unsafe neighbor or co-worker.

0:42

But you know, that doesn't mean we

0:44

give up trying, does it? As our offering

0:46

to the Lord, we can work at

0:48

living blameless lives before the world. Welcome

0:50

to Through the Bible with our teacher

0:53

Dr. Jay Verna McKee. I'm your host

0:55

Steve Schwets and we're on a five-year

0:57

never-ending journey through the whole word of

0:59

God and we stop in the New

1:01

Testament Book of First Peter for some

1:03

practical health in living a Christian life.

1:06

Our focus isn't necessarily on what you

1:08

don't do as a Christian, which is

1:10

often how we define separation, but primarily

1:12

on the positive actions like living and

1:14

working honestly and consistently doing good works.

1:17

We'll learn that by doing this we

1:19

show the world God's grace and goodness.

1:21

This is a great study. It's one that

1:23

I know you're going to love. So

1:25

hang on just a minute because first

1:27

I got a couple of letters from

1:29

our fellow Bible bus passengers that I

1:32

want to share. First is Stephanie in

1:34

the US writes this. This book is

1:36

possibly my favorite book in the entire

1:38

word of God. I get excited every

1:40

time I hear Dr. McGee give a

1:42

lesson on Daniel. Each chapter is better

1:44

than the last and each prophecy and

1:46

history lesson is more profound than the

1:48

next. Thank you mom for leading me

1:50

to this great ministry. I didn't realize

1:52

it at the time that you were sowing

1:55

seeds that would come to fruition after your

1:57

death. Yet I am so very thankful that

1:59

God... had his almighty hands on me when

2:01

I didn't even realize it. We're so

2:03

glad to have you aboard, Stephanie, and we

2:06

too are grateful for your mom's legacy.

2:08

Next we've got an email. This is from

2:10

a listener in Zimbabwe. Thank you, pastor.

2:12

Coming back to Jesus is the best decision

2:14

one can make. I am one of

2:16

those people who are growing in Christ through

2:18

these teachings. Thank you for the learning

2:21

that you provide. I am able to discern

2:23

the truth of what is being taught

2:25

in our churches and share it with others

2:27

I meet. Next we've got an email.

2:29

This is from France. Thanks

2:31

to you, I am a child

2:34

of God now, following you all the

2:36

time. When you are there, I'm

2:38

in front of the TV listening. I'm

2:40

starting to read a bit of

2:42

the Bible too. I never studied the

2:44

Bible and I don't know anything

2:46

at all, but I know God will

2:48

teach me because I have faith

2:51

by listening. When you give verses, I

2:53

read them again and again and

2:55

begin to understand. Thank you very much.

2:57

Your God is the best friend

2:59

I could find. He is now my

3:01

God too. Our final email comes

3:03

from a listener in Malawi who's excited

3:06

to share. I have learned a

3:08

lot from these studies in God's word,

3:10

including, one, we need to return

3:12

to the Lord after we have realized

3:14

that we have sinned. Next, God

3:16

is able to transform even those we

3:18

consider not worthy. And then we're

3:21

not supposed to give up, even if

3:23

things turn upside down, for God

3:25

may allow such things to work for

3:27

our good. I will continue to

3:29

listen as long as you teach, so

3:31

please continue. Isn't that an encouragement?

3:33

You know, we love to hear what

3:36

God is teaching those who study

3:38

His word with us. And what's He

3:40

teaching you? Well, you can leave

3:42

a note quickly in our app by

3:44

just using the feedback option. You

3:46

can also email us at BibleBus at

3:48

ttb .org. And you can always write

3:51

to box 7100, Pasadena, California 9 -1

3:53

-1 -0 -9. In Canada Box 25325, London,

3:55

Ontario, N6C 6B1. Or call and

3:57

leave a message at 1 -800 -65 -BIBLE.

3:59

And if you'd like to join us

4:01

as we pray for listeners like

4:03

these, here is. home and all over the world, join our

4:06

world prayer team. You'll find it in the menu of our app or

4:08

at ttb.org forward slash pray. Now

4:10

let's pray together for our

4:12

study. Heavenly Father, thank you

4:15

that your mercy and forgiveness are

4:17

ours when we need it. Teach

4:19

us how we can be

4:21

living witnesses of your grace

4:24

to all those around us in

4:26

the name of Jesus we pray.

4:28

Amen. Now friends, we

4:30

come back today to the

4:33

second chapter of First

4:35

Peter, and we begin

4:37

actually with verse 11

4:39

today, and I'd like

4:41

to mention that again.

4:43

It says, dearly beloved,

4:46

I beseech you as

4:48

sojourners and pilgrims of

4:51

Spain from fleshly lust

4:53

which war against the

4:55

soul. Now this is

4:58

the great section on

5:00

Christian separation, what it

5:02

really is. And it's actually

5:04

not so much

5:07

restraining yourself from doing

5:09

certain things, as it

5:11

is positive of doing

5:13

certain things, and that's

5:15

what we're going to

5:17

see as we move

5:19

on now. And worldiness,

5:21

actually, today, is doing the

5:24

things of the flesh. And

5:26

true separation is a separation

5:28

from the flesh. Someone has

5:31

put it like this. The

5:33

flesh is a good servant,

5:36

but a bad master. And

5:38

that is something that the

5:40

child of God should remember.

5:43

And not only is

5:45

he to restrain from

5:47

that because he's going

5:49

to come into judgment

5:51

someday, but actually

5:53

for the very fact... that

5:55

these things will

5:57

destroy his testimony.

5:59

as far as the world

6:01

is concerned. This is something

6:04

that is very important for

6:06

believers. Paul had said to

6:08

the Gentiles and Ephesians, practically

6:10

the same thing, and now

6:12

Peter says to his people,

6:15

the diaspora, the Jews scattered

6:17

abroad, he says in time

6:19

past you were not a

6:21

people. That is, they had

6:23

rejected God and God had

6:25

rejected them. And now God's

6:28

doing something new, but you're

6:30

now the people of God

6:32

who had not obtained mercy.

6:34

But now I've attained mercy.

6:36

That's verse 10, by the

6:38

way. Now, as we move

6:41

on here, verse 12, having

6:43

your behavior honest among the

6:45

Gentiles... Whereas they speak against

6:47

you as evil doers, they

6:49

may by your good works

6:51

which they shall behold glorify

6:54

God in the day of

6:56

visitation. Now this is what

6:58

we mean when we say

7:00

that true separation today is

7:02

not some little pious position

7:04

that you assume and that

7:07

you refrain from doing certain

7:09

worldly things. Believers who are

7:11

in the business world and

7:13

most of us today have

7:15

contact with the business world.

7:17

We are to show forth

7:20

the praises of God by

7:22

honesty and that is a

7:24

witness to the world. Now

7:26

13 he says submit yourselves

7:28

to every ordinance of man

7:30

for the Lord's sake whether

7:33

it be to the king

7:35

as supreme or under governors

7:37

as under them that are

7:39

sent by him. for the

7:41

punishment of evil doers and

7:43

for the praise of them

7:46

that do well now at

7:48

this time Nero was just

7:50

coming to the throne in

7:52

Rome he was the new

7:54

emperor and yet He says

7:56

here that you're to bay

7:59

those that are the supreme

8:01

ruler and you're to bay

8:03

the ordinances of man. The

8:05

Roman Empire boasted itself that

8:07

it gave justice to man.

8:09

But of course it's been

8:12

like every other government, including

8:14

our own. We talked today

8:16

about that the little man,

8:18

he has a fair chance.

8:20

Well he doesn't. I mean,

8:22

let's face up to it.

8:25

If you have money enough

8:27

to buy a lawyer that

8:29

is smart enough to evade

8:31

the law, you can pretty

8:33

much evade it. It's the

8:35

poor man today that's having

8:38

the problem with the law,

8:40

you see. But what about

8:42

the believer today? Well, we

8:44

are to obey the law,

8:46

Roman tended, their law to

8:48

be just. It was not.

8:51

They crucified Christ, you must

8:53

remember. They are the ones

8:55

that persecuted the early Christians,

8:57

and they boasted loudly about

8:59

justice. And today we hear

9:01

so much about the sacred

9:04

cal, the freedom of the

9:06

press, very little about freedom

9:08

of religion. But my friend

9:10

today, religion is very politely

9:12

being suppressed. When I say

9:14

religion, I mean the preaching

9:17

of the word of God.

9:19

Now, what are we to

9:21

do? Rebell against the government?

9:23

No. We're to bay. We're

9:25

to submit ourselves. Now, he

9:27

says, verse 15, for so

9:30

is the will of God,

9:32

that with well doing ye

9:34

may put to silence the

9:36

ignorance of foolish man. So

9:38

that the life that you

9:40

live, and when you submit

9:43

to governments, and those in

9:45

a party, again, you are

9:47

revealing the praises of God

9:49

in your life. You may

9:51

not want to take that

9:53

traffic ticket. I've never taken

9:56

one joyfully, and so far,

9:58

always pled my innocence. Sometimes

10:01

there was some question

10:03

about that, but we are

10:05

to be obedient unto the

10:08

law. And for that reason,

10:10

we are giving a testimony.

10:12

Now will you notice here,

10:15

he's going to talk here

10:17

in verse 16 and 17,

10:20

about our relationships to others.

10:22

Now notice this as free.

10:25

and not using your liberty

10:27

for a cloak of

10:29

maliciousness, but as the

10:31

servants of God. Now you and

10:34

I today have a liberty

10:36

in Christ that the man

10:38

outside does not really have.

10:40

There's a marvelous liberty in

10:42

Christ. But what about the

10:44

man on the outside? Now

10:46

I personally believe that I can

10:48

go places and I can see

10:51

things that the average person...

10:53

cannot. I really mean that.

10:55

I don't think I would be

10:57

hurt by it at all. But

10:59

you see, I don't want

11:01

to use it as a

11:03

quote to hurt somebody else.

11:05

I'd be malicious if I

11:07

did something like that. We

11:09

must remember we are free,

11:11

yet we are the servants

11:13

of God. Now listen to

11:15

this. Honor all man. We are

11:18

to respect other human

11:20

beings. So Christians

11:22

should remember that, love

11:24

the brotherhood. Now we're to

11:26

love and honor all men, not

11:28

told to love them, some

11:30

of them just too unlovely,

11:33

but we're to love the

11:35

brotherhood and what's the

11:37

brother of believers and

11:39

fair God. And we should

11:41

reveal that in our lives and

11:43

honor the king. Now I don't

11:46

care who's president.

11:48

And I speak very

11:50

frankly here, I can

11:52

truthfully say that I have

11:54

never voted for a

11:57

president that I really

11:59

wanted. I was always voting

12:01

against the other fellow, but even

12:03

when the other fellow got in

12:06

and they did most of the

12:08

time, why, I must confess that

12:11

I've never known a president, frankly,

12:13

that I felt was really capable

12:15

and a man of ability. Now

12:18

I know you Democrats are going

12:20

to get after me and you

12:22

Republicans are going to get after

12:25

me, but I don't mind it.

12:27

I'm not discussing politics. What I'm

12:30

trying to say is this. regardless

12:32

of who he is. And we've

12:34

had some, well, we haven't had

12:37

the best, because of the office

12:39

that he has. And I'm not

12:41

impressed by these scripture spouting pious

12:44

individuals who attacked the president of

12:46

the United States, regardless of who

12:49

he is. And we've had some,

12:51

well, we haven't had the best,

12:53

but the office is a marvelous

12:56

office. Now, will you notice, verse

12:58

18, servants be subject to your

13:00

masters with all fear, not only

13:03

to the good and gentle, but

13:05

also to the perverse. Now, he's

13:07

saying here that if you have

13:10

a boss that's a Christian and

13:12

you and him have fellowship, I

13:15

have quite a few letters from

13:17

men who are in business, and

13:19

I get letters from their employees

13:22

of how wonderful it is to

13:24

work for a Christian. But what

13:26

about that godless fellow you're working

13:29

for? Well, again, you should be

13:31

subject to him if you're going

13:34

to work for him. And as

13:36

long as he's asking you to

13:38

do that which is legitimate, that

13:41

which is right, why you're to

13:43

be subject to him. And this

13:45

word subject, and we're going to

13:48

come to it in the next

13:50

chapter and another connection. It has

13:53

in it a freedom of choice.

13:55

It's more like subject yourself. You

13:57

do this voluntarily, not because you

14:00

feel like that he's a great

14:02

individual, but you're doing it for

14:04

your testimony for Christ. Now, verse

14:07

19, for this is thank worthy.

14:09

If a man for conscience toward

14:11

God and do a grief, suffering

14:14

wrongfully, for what glory is it,

14:16

if when you're buffeted for your

14:19

faults, you shall take it patiently.

14:21

That is, if you are

14:23

having problems and difficulties because

14:25

you played the fool, and

14:27

businessman said to me, says,

14:29

I played the fool. He played

14:31

the stock market to tell the

14:34

truth and he lost all of

14:36

his capital. He went bankrupt and

14:38

he was suffering for his own

14:40

faults. He says, but if when

14:43

you do well and suffer for

14:45

it, you take it patiently, this

14:47

is acceptable with God. You know,

14:49

great many people when they

14:51

make a fool of themselves, they

14:53

become very humble all of a

14:55

sudden. God knows that that's not

14:58

honest. The Lord knows your heart.

15:00

But if you have done the best

15:02

you can, and trouble has

15:04

come to you, and you

15:06

take it patiently, God recognizes

15:08

that. Now, verse 21, Peter doesn't

15:11

get very far without, he

15:13

tells you about the Lord

15:15

Jesus again. And here we have

15:17

the sufferings of Christ. And they

15:19

are an incentive to the believer

15:22

today. And fact of the

15:24

matter is, they are an

15:26

example. And that's exactly what

15:28

Simon Peter says. for even

15:31

hereon to where ye call,

15:33

because Christ also suffered

15:35

for us, leaving us an

15:37

example that ye should follow

15:40

his steps, who did no

15:42

sin, neither was guile found

15:44

in his mouth. Now, the Lord

15:47

Jesus, you have to

15:49

divide his sufferings, sufferings

15:51

which he suffered as a...

15:53

human being down here when

15:56

he became a man and

15:58

suffering for righteousness say And

16:00

then his suffering for the

16:02

sin of the world. Now

16:04

when he suffered for the

16:07

sin of the world, that's

16:09

no example to us today.

16:11

That is our redemption. That's

16:13

what we accept and believe.

16:16

But when he walked down

16:18

here, here he was down

16:20

here 30 years, absolutely unknown.

16:22

I have an ocean, no

16:25

one, but those in his

16:27

neighborhood, Nazareth knew anything about

16:29

him. Then at 30, he

16:31

began to move out. He

16:33

suffered, I'm sure, in Nazareth.

16:36

I think the Psalmis makes

16:38

that clear. Then he suffered

16:40

when he began his ministry.

16:42

Standing for righteousness, say, well,

16:45

you and I are going

16:47

to suffer. And he left

16:49

us an example in that

16:51

connection. But notice, verse 23,

16:54

who, when he was reviled,

16:56

revile not again? When he

16:58

suffered, he threatened not, but

17:00

committed himself to him that

17:03

judged it, that judged it,

17:05

that judged it Righteously. He

17:07

let the Lord settle the

17:09

account. You know, Paul said

17:12

in Romans, he says, that

17:14

vengeance not yourself, my beloved.

17:16

Vengeance is mine. I will

17:18

repay Seth the law. Let

17:20

God handle those accounts. And

17:23

he'll handle them, by the

17:25

way. Now he says here,

17:27

his suffering now for the

17:29

sins of the world. Who

17:32

his own self? bore our

17:34

sins and his own body

17:36

on the tree. Now, he's

17:38

no example to us here.

17:41

You and I can't suffer

17:43

for our own sins, let

17:45

alone the sins of the

17:47

world. But he now is

17:50

talking about redemption. You say,

17:52

how do you know? Well,

17:54

let's keep reading here. In

17:56

his own body on the

17:58

tree, that we being dead

18:01

the sins. That was our

18:03

condition. Should live under righteousness

18:05

by whose stripes we are

18:07

healed, not healed of what.

18:10

And I've noticed that the

18:12

five healers never use this

18:14

verse. rightly so because by

18:16

who stripes you're healed it's

18:19

evident here what he's talking

18:21

about he says we were

18:23

dead in sins we were

18:25

absolutely dead and we should

18:28

live now under righteousness by

18:30

who stripes we're healed, healed,

18:32

or what, of sin friends.

18:34

He's the great healer I'll

18:36

agree with that but the

18:39

great healer heals of sin.

18:41

and no human physician can

18:43

handle that problem. Now he

18:45

says, for ye were a

18:48

sheep going astray, but are

18:50

now returned to the shepherd

18:52

and bishop of your souls.

18:54

Now the suffering of Christ

18:57

is actually the theme of

18:59

this last of this chapter,

19:01

as you can see. He

19:03

suffered vicariously, the set us

19:06

an example. And he also

19:08

suffered... for our sins. He

19:10

suffered a vicarious substitutionary death

19:12

for our sins. By whose

19:14

stripes you're healed. Now that's

19:17

a quotation from Isaiah 53

19:19

and it reveals that Isaiah

19:21

is not speaking primarily of

19:23

physical healing but that which

19:26

is more important and more

19:28

profound healing from sin. Now,

19:30

humanity here, as he closes

19:32

this, both lost and saved,

19:35

they're called sheep. Will you

19:37

notice that, for ye were

19:39

sheep going astray? You see,

19:41

all we like sheep have

19:44

gone astray, all of us.

19:46

Everyone is turned to his

19:48

own way, and the Lord

19:50

hath laid on him the

19:53

iniquity of us all. Now

19:55

we come to Chapter 3.

19:57

And here we find out

19:59

that suffering also... produces conduct.

20:01

We saw that it produces

20:04

separation. Now it produces

20:07

conduct, the conduct

20:09

of believers. Now that conduct

20:12

is manifested in

20:14

two different places for

20:16

the believer. And it

20:18

says conduct in the home

20:21

and is conduct in

20:23

the church. In the first

20:25

seven verses, while we

20:27

have the conduct in

20:29

the home. And verse

20:31

one actually ties us

20:33

right back into chapter

20:35

two where we were

20:37

talking about separation there

20:39

and separation and conduct

20:42

are blended and

20:44

molded together here

20:46

because he opens this

20:48

chapter this way in the

20:50

same manner are likewise,

20:52

likewise. Ye wives, be

20:55

in subjection to your

20:57

own husbands. that if

20:59

any obey not the word,

21:01

they also may without the

21:04

word be won by the

21:06

behavior of the wives. Now

21:08

we had back in

21:10

Ephesians this same theme

21:12

of the position of

21:14

the woman or the wife

21:17

in the home. But there

21:19

it was a Christian home,

21:21

not only a Christian home.

21:24

But where they were spirit-filled

21:26

believers, because you see this

21:28

entire section back in the

21:30

Fifth of Ephesians, began with

21:33

be filled with the spirit.

21:35

Then what are you to

21:37

do? Well, one of the

21:39

things is wives submit yourselves

21:41

under your own husbands as

21:44

unto the Lord. Now here

21:46

the husband is to love

21:48

the wife, even as Christ

21:50

loved the church, and gave

21:52

himself for it. Now you're talking

21:54

here about a Christian home in

21:56

which the wife and the husband

21:59

are both... believers and their

22:01

spirit-filled believers and now the

22:03

relationship is one on the

22:05

part of the man that

22:07

he loves his wife willing

22:10

to die for now for

22:12

the sake of order in

22:14

any place there must be

22:16

leadership there must be headship

22:18

and that has been given

22:20

to the husband now when

22:22

the wife is told to

22:24

submit here it's not like

22:26

the obedience of a child.

22:28

A great many men think

22:30

that when they get married

22:32

the wife becomes sort of

22:34

their first child. She is

22:36

to obey him like a

22:38

child is to obey. And

22:41

may I say that's not

22:43

true at all? And as

22:45

we suggested before submission actually

22:47

has to do with that

22:49

which is voluntary. Submit yourself.

22:51

This man loves you. You

22:53

are to submit to him.

22:55

But... The better word, and

22:57

I like it, better because

22:59

it means more. Respond to

23:01

this man. If he comes

23:03

to you, he's a Christian

23:05

husband, puts his arms around

23:07

you and says, I love

23:10

you. I love you more

23:12

than anything else. Well, there's

23:14

nothing wrong with the wife

23:16

looking up and saying, I

23:18

love you. Now suppose, though,

23:20

that the wife is married

23:22

to a man that's not

23:24

a Christian. To begin with,

23:26

she shouldn't have married him

23:28

if that was the case.

23:30

Any woman or any man's

23:32

in trouble that marries a

23:34

non-Christian. The scripture says an

23:36

oxen and ass are never

23:38

to be yoked together. And

23:41

there are a lot of

23:43

them yoked together today. But

23:45

sometimes the wife gets converted.

23:47

Sometimes it's the husband after

23:49

they've been married. Now what

23:51

is to be the position

23:53

of the wife in a

23:55

case like that? Is it

23:57

to be the same as

23:59

it was when a woman

24:01

is married to a wonderful

24:03

Christian husband? We're going to

24:05

see that next time and

24:07

you may want to call

24:10

somebody that has some different

24:12

ideas than I do on

24:14

this to hear what this

24:16

passage really says. So until

24:18

then, may God richly bless

24:20

you, my beloved. So what

24:22

should a believer do if

24:24

they're married to an unbeliever?

24:26

Is faith grounds for divorce

24:28

or an opportunity to be

24:30

a witness? Well, that's what

24:32

we're going to talk about

24:34

when the Bible Bus returns

24:36

to First Peter for our

24:38

next study. In the meantime,

24:41

for more great teaching by

24:43

Dr. McGee, join me on

24:45

ttb.org for a Sunday sermon,

24:47

Sparks Fly Upward. And if

24:49

you need some help locating

24:51

a particular Bible study resource,

24:53

including our Bible companion for

24:55

First Peter, call us at

24:57

1, 865 Bible, or visit

24:59

ttb.org or email us at

25:01

Bible Bus at TTB. Again,

25:03

that's ttb.org or one eight

25:05

hundred sixty-five Bible. Now when

25:07

you're in touch, why don't

25:09

you tell us how you

25:12

listen to through the Bible?

25:14

That helps us a lot.

25:16

If you listen by app

25:18

or online or on our

25:20

Bible bus flash drive or

25:22

maybe your favorite Christian radio

25:24

station, it really helps us

25:26

to know that information. So

25:28

thanks in advance for helping

25:30

us be good stewards of

25:32

the resources that God has

25:34

so faithfully provided through friends

25:36

like you. Now as we

25:38

go, I'm Steve Schwets praising

25:41

God for the difference this

25:43

word makes in all of

25:45

our lives. I'll meet you

25:47

back here soon. Through

25:50

the Bible exists to take God's whole

25:52

word to the whole world, and we

25:54

invite you to stand with us with

25:56

your faithful prayer and financial support. Where

25:58

will God's word go today?