DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT

 ALIVE IN THE SPIRIT
I Peter 4:6
 
"For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."
 
This verse is a little difficult to understand, but I think it is concluding the passage that began in chapter 3:18-19 where, after His resurrection, Christ preached to those Old Testament saints who died and were in Paradise, and He took them to Heaven. They had died in a physical sense and were judged in the flesh according to the sin of Adam. Everyone dies because of the judgement on Adam's sin. But physical deaTH is not the end. There is spiritual life even after death. In a figurative sense, I was dead in my sin but by faith in Gospel I have been made alive (Ephesians 2:1-2), and I now live according to God in the spirit. And even though I may die as all people in the flesh do, I have eternal life through Jesus Christ my Lord. Hallelujah.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: There is life in the spirit even though the flesh may be judged.
 
[end]
 
Have a lively day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HERE COMES THE JUDGE

 HERE COMES THE JUDGE
I Peter 4:5
 
"They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead."
 
God is love. But He is also holy, righteous, and just. It seems our society has focused on the love of God and neglected the judgement of God. It may seem that evil goes unpunished in this world. But God will judge the evil people and deeds of this world and it won't be pretty. That's why I need a Savior. I will not face the judgement of God because the Lord Jesus has already taken that judgment for me on the cross, and I do not fear.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God is just and He will judge evil.
 
[end]
 
Have a forgiven day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE

 SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE
I Peter 4:3-4
 
"For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles – when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you."
 
Nobody like to be considered strange, odd, different, peculiar, or weird. I like to fit in and be accepted as normal. Peculiar people are the focus of pity at best and jokes, derision, and ridicule at worst. But if I do God's will (verse 2), I will be different because the will of the Gentiles (in this context, heathen) is contrary to the will of God. If my goal is to please God, I will be a square peg in a round hole. I just won't fit in. I am indeed a "peculiar people" (I Peter 2:9 KJV).
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: When a person lives according to the will of God rather than will of the world, he will be considered "strange."
 
[end]

Have a "strange" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE MIND OF CHRIST AND THE WILL OF GOD

 THE MIND OF CHRIST AND THE WILL OF GOD
I Peter 4:1-2
 
"Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."
 
Having the mind of Christ means to forsake my own fleshly desire, ambitions and rights to submit myself to the will of God. Jesus did it. He set aside his own position in heaven to come to earth as a man in the flesh, knowing that he would suffer horrible treatment at the hands of sinful men. The Apostle Paul echoes this same thought: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8). I am called to have the mind of Christ which is in obedient and humble submission to God's will, even if it means suffering and depriving myself of my own pleasures.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The mind of Christ is humble submission to the will of God.
 
[end]
 
Have a "mind of Christ" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- NEWNESS OF LIFE

 NEWNESS OF LIFE
I Peter 3:21-22
 
"There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right had of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."
 
Baptism is a beautiful picture of death and resurrection. Noah went through a water baptism (vs. 20), when the earth was cleansed of its wickedness by water. The old world with all its sin was dead and he came out of the ark to live a new life in a brand new world. Noah's baptism was a type of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus who died for the sins of this world so that through His death and resurrection we can live a new life in the spirit. Water baptism cannot save me; only the blood of Christ can cleanse from sin. But my baptism was a public witness that I have a good conscience toward God because my sins are cleansed by Christ's blood, and I live a new life in Christ. Water baptism is a picture of my death with Christ and my new life in Him.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE – Water baptism does not cleanse from sin, but it is a picture of dying to sin and being raised to newness of life.
 
[end]
 
Have a "good conscience" day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S CLOCK

 GOD'S CLOCK
I Peter 3:19-20
 
"...by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water."
 
Noah was a just man who walked with God and found grace in the eyes of the Lord in the midst of a corrupt and wicked culture (Genesis 6:9-10). God, in His longsuffering grace, waited 120 years until the ark was completed before sending judgment on the earth by the great flood. Noah was saved from the destruction of the flood, but he was still a sinner who needed a Savior to pay the penalty for his sin. When he died, he could not go to heaven because of his sin. So he went to Paradise until Jesus died and was resurrected and led those Old Testament saints who were captive in Abraham's Bosom in victorious procession to heaven (see Ephesians 4:8-10). All of this speaks of God's longsuffering patience. He is not in a hurry. His clock may seem to move slowly, but it moves surely. Whether it was Noah's salvation, or the first coming of Jesus (see Galatians 4:4 – the fulness of time), or His the second coming, what God said will happen will certainly happen. God does things in His time, and not according to my schedule. I just need to be like Noah – obedient to do what He has asked me to do.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God is infinitely longsuffering and patient, but what He said will happen will happen when everything is prepared.
 
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Have a patient and trusting day. Love you.

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- JESUS, THE CENTERPOINT

JESUS, THE CENTERPOINT
I Peter 3:17-18
  
"For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sinners, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit."
 
The suffering, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus seem to be the center-point of Peter's letter to a people going through unjust suffering (see 1:18-21; 2:21-24; 4:1, 13). Jesus "went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38). Yet, in spite of His good life, by the will of God, He was beaten and crucified. When, in God's will, I go through unjust treatment by others, I should remember Jesus's suffering for me. It makes my small afflictions seem insignificant. After all, I have not been killed. "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your soul. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed (death), striving against sin" (Hebrews 12:3-4). I need to keep Jesus and the cross of Calvary as the center-point of my life.
 
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The unjust suffering of the Lord Jesus makes my suffering seem trivial.
 
[end]
 
Have a "Jesus-centered" day. Love you.