TO READ: 1 Peter 1:13-22

G.o.d Has No Favorites

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when he judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as foreigners here on earth.

1 Peter 1:17

When artists portray Justice, she wears a pure white robe, stands erect and blindfolded, and holds a pair of scales in one hand and a drawn sword in the other. The symbolism is clear. Justice is pure, straight, and impartial, and she only punishes those whom the weight of evidence condemns. She plays no favorites, she tolerates no injustice, she accepts only truth, and her fairness is impeccable.

When many people look at the kind of justice meted out in the modern world, however, they see a different picture. Justice, at times, seems to be able to peer over her blindfold and recognize ethnicity, for there is no doubt that a disproportionately high number of minorities feel Justiceas sword. And her scales do seem weighted in favor of the wealthy, since the best lawyer money can buy is usually much more adept at persuading her than a public defender fresh out of law school. And this is the state of affairs in lands where Justice is revered! In lands where Justice is not admired, little or no attempt to administer true justice is attempted. No wonder, then, that many oppressed and mistreated peoples are crying out for justice.

There is good news about G.o.das justice, though: aRemember,a wrote the apostle Peter, athat the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when he judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you doa (1:17). Peter was not speaking, in this context, about the judgment of G.o.d that will determine whether a sinneras eternal destiny is heaven or h.e.l.l. Rather, Peter was referring to the type of life expected of the one whose sins have been forgiven through G.o.das action. As Peter reminded his readers, aYou know that G.o.d paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. . . . He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of G.o.da (1:18-19). And so Peter a.s.sured them, aYou were cleansed from your sins when you accepted the truth of the Good Newsa (1:22).

G.o.das impartial evaluation here discussed is all about life after we ahave been born againa (1:23). G.o.d rightly expects a life of obedience from his child. The life of G.o.das child should reflect the family likeness! That is why G.o.d tells his children, aYou must be holy because I am holya (1:16).

The believer need not fear that his sins will be judged. They have been dealt with by Christas death. But the believeras redeemed life will be examined by a Judge who has no favoritesa"but who calls those he examines his children, and who loves us without end.

March 15

TO READ: 1 Peter 1:23a"2:8

Born Again Living

You have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of G.o.d.

1 Peter 1:23

Jimmy Carter was relatively unknown outside his native state of Georgia when he announced that he wanted to run for President of the United States. Many people were surprised, not only because they didnat know who he was, but because he also told reporters that he had been aborn again.a Often, when people donat understand something, they ridicule it, and this is precisely what happened in Carteras case. Talk about being aborn againa spread like wildfire, though, and in a very short time everybody was using the term. An athlete returning from injury became a aborn againa athlete, a businessman recovering from bankruptcy was aborn againa when he started up a new business. And so on. The more people talked about being born again, the less they meant by it, and as a result a superlative spiritual truth has been devalued in the popular understanding.

When Peter wrote aYou have been born againa (1 Pet. 1:23), he was referring to something that G.o.d does in a manas life that determines his eternal destiny and changes his daily life. It is a anew lifea both as it transcends death and qualifies the person for heaven, and as it transforms his life on earth on the way to heaven.

In the same way that a ababy cries for milka (2:2), so the born-again man, having ahad a taste of the Lordas kindnessa (2:3), craves spiritual nourishment so that he acan grow into the fullness of [his] salvationa (2:2). One of the evidences that a man is getting the right kind of nourishment is that his behavior changes. This is not a matter of putting on a religious cloak or a spiritual performance, but rather a deep work of the Spirit that changes att.i.tudes and actions. A born-again man does not simply apretend to be good,a because he is adone with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbinga and all kinds of amalicious behavior and deceita (2:1).

Jimmy Carteras presidency was beset with problems, and he was not reelected to a second term, but he is widely regarded as the best ex-president America has ever had because of his G.o.dly approach to people, his gracious concern for those in need, and his humble walk in high places. Men may ridicule a claim to be born againa"but they respect a man who lives it.

March 16

TO READ: 1 Peter 2:9-17

Foreign Travel

Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to G.o.d when he comes to judge the world.

1 Peter 2:12

Traveling overseas can be nerve-racking for those who are inexperienced. Communication is difficult, customs are strange, and currency is confusing. The U.S. State Department regularly publishes bulletins explaining the conditions prevailing in various countries, warning people against traveling in some of them and advising them how to behave in others. Careful attention to what these bulletins say can save the traveler a lot of grief.

The apostle Peter wrote similar instructions to his friends living in the Roman Empire in circ.u.mstances that were less than convivial and, at times, downright dangerous. He said, aDear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very soulsa (1 Pet. 2:11). Peter was aware of very real physical dangers, but his primary concern was to warn his people about spiritual evils to which they would be exposed. He was concerned for the safety of their souls more than the safety of their bodies.

The enemies Peter identified first were enemies within, not without. Peteras readers would undoubtedly run into people full of evil designs, but he was primarily concerned about the dangers posed by evil desires in their own hearts. No doubt Peter agreed with his friend James, who explained, aG.o.d is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions to death. So donat be misled, my dear brothers and sistersa (James 1:13-16).

But there were outside dangers, too. So Peter added, aBe careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to G.o.d when he comes to judge the worlda (1 Pet. 2:12). Perhaps Peter was being optimistic when he a.s.sured his friends that their unbelieving neighbors would agive honor to G.o.d.a Not all citizens of a country take kindly to foreigners, and not all unbelievers in the world respond positively to the faithful!

The authorities put Peter to death not long after he penned these words. As a result, his statement that state officials exist to apunish all who do wrong and to honor those who do righta (2:14) must have raised questions from the young believers living in perilous times. But it is just another example of the trials about which Peter earlier spoke (1:5-7) and of the aunfair treatmenta that believers sometimes have to face (2:19).

Whether the enemies are within our own hearts, in government offices, or next door, the calling of the Christian is clear: Live agood lives,a ashow respect for alla and exhibit ahonorable behavior.a This will go a long way for G.o.das kingdoma"whether aat homea or aabroad.a

March 17

TO READ: 1 Peter 2:18-25

Suffering for Doing Right

G.o.d is pleased with you when, for the sake of your conscience, you patiently endure unfair treatment.

1 Peter 2:19

Thomas Jefferson, in writing the Declaration of Independence, identified a number of atruths,a namely, athat all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.a Yet Jefferson owned, traded, and even bred slaves all his life! He stated that slavery corrupted the owner even more than it oppressed the slave, but he did nothing to emanc.i.p.ate his own slaves. It is generally believed that he quieted his conscience for purely economic reasonsa"he could not afford to release the slaves! People today find it difficult to balance such inconsistencies.

The New Testamentas att.i.tude toward slavery raises similar problems in modern minds. It needs to be understood, however, that slavery in Roman times was drastically different from that experienced by slaves in Colonial America. Many Roman slaves rose to positions of authority and power; others owned slaves themselves. Many, when they were released, achieved Roman citizenshipa"yet they were still slaves.

In this context, the New Testament writers did not advocate the abolition of slavery. They did, however, elevate the status of slaves as men and women created in the divine image, loved by G.o.d, and redeemable by Christ. Many Roman slaves became ardent believers, and some even rose to positions of leadership in the early church.

It was against this background that Peter wrote, aYou who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters. Do whatever they tell youa"not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are harsha (1 Pet. 2:18). Peter was not advocating a groveling subservience, both demeaning and soul-destroying. He explained, aG.o.d is pleased with you when, for the sake of your conscience, you patiently endure unfair treatmenta (2:19). A slave would have little option but to aendurea unfair treatment. He had little or no recourse, as there was no one looking out for his civil liberties! But to endure patiently as a matter of conscience was unique. A willing, submitting spirit was to spring from a moral conviction that to retaliate, to curse, to aget evena (2:23) was fundamentally wrong. However appealing it might have been to harbor resentment, as a matter of principle the Christian slave would refrain, for no other reason than it was wrong in G.o.das eyes.

Should the slave believe this was an unattainable ideal, he was referred to the example of Jesus, who adid not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of G.o.d, who always judges fairlya (2:23). If the Master suffered mistreatment patiently, how much more should the slave!

There are no slaves in modern business, but there are plenty of opportunities to be mistreated and to respond in a way that is either pleasing or not pleasing to G.o.d. aThe blowsa (2:20) employees experience are not physical, but they do hurt. They bring us paina"but our reaction can bring G.o.d pleasure.

March 18

TO READ: 1 Peter 3:1-12

A Happy Life

The Scriptures say, aIf you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.a 1 Peter 3:10-11

On one occasion strikers on a picket line were asked, aWhy are you on strike? What exactly do you want?a They replied, aWeare not sure, but weare not going back to work until we get it!a They probably wanted what all men wanta"aa happy life and good daysa (1 Pet. 3:10). Peter had some advice for them on the subject.

Some men think that being happy and being G.o.dly are mutually exclusive. Their perceptions of a life lived doing awhat G.o.d wants you to doa (3:9) are negative in the extreme. But since G.o.d created us to live, he is the one who knows how life is to be lived and enjoyed. So a wise man accepts that there are certain things that G.o.d wants us to do, and in doing them true happiness is to be found.

This happiness is related to the fact that athe eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayersa (3:12). Knowing this serves to produce a great sense of peace and well-being. Conversely, should a man choose to go against what G.o.d wants, he finds athe Lord turns his face against those who do evil.a The resultant sense of loss and emptiness is the ant.i.thesis of aa happy life and good days.a G.o.d wants a man to establish moral principles based on his Word, and to awork harda at human relationships. In the modern world, men often think that they alone can determine what is right or wrong for themselves, that what G.o.d has to say is fundamentally irrelevant. This is not the way to a happy life. G.o.d alone is the one who determines what is good and what is evil, and man is expected to know the difference and choose to aturn away from evil and do gooda (3:11).

Since life is lived out in terms of relationships, the quality of oneas life is directly related to the quality of oneas relationships. Relationships are fragile, and the possibilities for fragmentation and resultant frustration are immense. But aloving one another with tender hearts and humble minds,a refusing to arepay evil for evil,a and aliving in peace with othersa will contribute greatly to a full life (3:8-9, 11).

The man who is not sure what he wants should realize that, deep down, what he wants is to be happy. So he should go about finding happiness G.o.das way. That way heall know what he wants and how to get it. That should make him really happy!

March 19

TO READ: Psalm 138

Donat Abandon Me

The LORD will work out his plans for my lifea"for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Donat abandon me, for you made me.

Psalm 138:8

In 1463, the authorities of the cathedral of Florence, Italy, purchased a huge, sixteen-foot-tall piece of white marble. They commissioned a sculptor from Sienna to carve a figure that would be displayed prominently. The marble was so faulty, though, that the sculptor abandoned the task. Another Florentine artist was commissioned, but he, too, found the task impossible and gave up. The marble was placed in a warehouse, where it remained for almost forty years before a twenty-six-year-old prodigy was asked if he could make the abandoned and mutilated marble into anything significant. He said he could. Four years later, the masterpiece statue aDavida was unveiled. Michelangelo had transformed the aworthlessa marble into something majestic.

The original David, the king of Israel after whom the statue was named, once wrote, aThe Lord will work out his plans for my lifea"for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Donat abandon me, for you made mea (Ps. 138:8). In the same way that Michelangelo had worked on a faulty piece of marble until he completed the task others had abandoned, so the Lord looked at the flawed David and knew what he wanted to make of him.

David knew it, too, so he could say, aThe Lord will work out his plans for my life.a The a.s.surance that the Lord had a plan and that he was capable of bringing it to fulfillment was the bedrock of Davidas life. It came from a solid conviction expressed in the words afor you made me.a David reasoned that his Creator had a purpose in creating hima"the divine artist had a vision of what he could bea"and, accordingly, was not about to give up on him. This was not just wishful thinking, because the Lord had shown his afaithful lovea that aendures forever.a This did not mean that Davidas life was a bed of roses. On the contrary, David testified that he wasasurrounded by troubles.a But his confidence in the Lordas aunfailing love and faithfulnessa (138:2) was such that he continued to count on the Lord finishing what he had started.

In the dark days of life, it is not unusual to feel abandoned, as though one were left in lifeas warehouse unheeded, unfulfilled, and unfinished. At times like this, it is appropriate to cry out like David, aDonat abandon me,a but we must do so with the a.s.surance that David articulated based on his conviction: aYour promises are backed by all the honor of your namea (138:2).

As the statue of David silently testifies to Michelangeloas skill, so the confident, consistent believer speaks loudly of the Masteras faithfulness.

March 20

TO READ: Proverbs 26:1-12

Arguments

When arguing with fools, donat answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are. When arguing with fools, be sure to answer their foolish arguments, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

Proverbs 26:4-5

On June 14, 1643, the English Parliament pa.s.sed a law limiting the publication of books and requiring that all printing presses be licensed. The honorable members of parliament were concerned about the number of ascandalous, seditious, and libelousa books that were being published, including a pamphlet on divorce by the great poet John Milton. He responded to this governmental action by publishinga"unlicenseda"an article called aAreopagitica,a in which he challenged the ruling on the grounds that learning should be encouraged, that the free exchange of ideas is necessary, and that attempts to stop books from being published without a license would be no more successful than attempts to lock up crows by shutting the park gates! Milton said, agive me liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.a The freedom to argue!

But not all arguing is profitable. Proverbs states, aWhen arguing with fools, donat answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are.a If we agree with Milton that we should be free to argue, we must also bear in mind that certain standards of argument must be followed. Otherwise, arguing will be an exercise in futility. Furthermore, thinking and expression might be dragged down to the level of foolish people. Better to pa.s.s by your freedom to argue than to argue and be degraded in the process!

But the next statement in Proverbs apparently contradicts the first statement: aWhen arguing with fools, be sure to answer their foolish arguments, or they will become wise in their own estimation.a So the question now is, aShould you argue with a fool or not argue with a fool?a And the answer is aBoth!a Perhaps the best way of synchronizing the two statements is to say this: In matters of relative unimportance, donat bother getting into a debate that may deteriorate into a shouting match. But in matters of profound significance, you must not allow foolish statements to go unchallenged. A foolish statement uncorrected may bolster the fool in his folly and release dangerous nonsense into the thinking of unsuspectinga"and unthinkinga"people. Not to argue in such cases is to be guilty of encouraging ignorance.