Looking at 1 Peter 2 (What in the world is a Christian?)

Here we are in 2010, and I say that if we look around we see everyone doing pretty much what they wanna do. The world doin it naturally and a large amount of Christians doin it and callin it Christianity. So if we could hear from Peter, after he walked with Jesus, denied Jesus, saw the Lord after He rose, was baptized in the Spirit on Pentecost, ministered to the first body of believers, saw the splitting of the original church, and before he himself was crucified upside down... what would he say about the mindset we should have as Christians. I say we could turn to 1 Peter 2 and get a glimpse:

 

1 Peter 2

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,  ²As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

•  Action on our part: laying aside all malice,guile, etc. becoming as a newborn baby, changing our desires, so we can grow!!! We're not growing because we're not laying aside stuff, not becoming babes, not changing our desire to want the Word. Still trying to justifying holding on to the things we know God wants us to let go of.

 ³If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

• And who calls themselves a Christian who has not tasted of His grace??

 ⁴To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

 ⁵Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

 ⁶Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

 ⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

 ⁸And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

•  Peter calls Christ a living stone, who men (the builders, the professionals) threw away, but God chose to use and considered it precious... and then he says we are all living stones too and God is setting us where he wants us to be in his house, but why??? To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to god by Jesus!! There is OUR calling... OUR mission. Our benefit when we believe on Jesus??? That we will NOT be confounded!!! So we know our thinking is wrong somewhere because people are madly confounded nowadays. So easily confused are we... because we haven't grown (see verse 2). When you are a stone set in a building by the builder you dont get confused and jump all over the place. You stay set in place that more building can be built onto you.

⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

 ¹⁰Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

•  I have heard so many people use this, but at the same time, I see the chosen wanting to be like everyone else, people are scared to be seen as peculiar. Wanting the world to understand them when that is a lost cause. If someone is to understand you, it is because they have started to leave the world behind and come towards Christ. Because we should be showing forth our praises to God for what He has done. For changing us, accepting us, showing us mercy. Our praise of Him is exactly what shows us as set apart and peculiar.

 ¹¹Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

 ¹²Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

•  Strangers and Pilgrims lets us know that we do not belong here. Stop trying to fit in, get comfortable, be accepted. You either are not a stranger and a pilgrim and have become a citizen or you are looking like a flake for trying to play both sides. Conversation means life. The way you live, what your life is speaking. Someone is always gonna be there to challenge what your life is saying. We need to grow (verse 2) to be able to be "blameless" so that God can get his glory and win another soul.

 ¹³Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

 ¹⁴Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

 ¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

• If reading vv 13 & 14 your stomach did a little turn onto itself, like mine did upon first getting this, let v15 comfort you. It is God's holy will. If we find ourselves not wanting to submit ourselves to the ordinances of man then we should remember it is the will of God. There us another chapter to be written, in which God moves. Hold your faith till then, or for the rest of your life if necessary.

 ¹⁶As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

• True freedom and liberty is something that the world does not have. Something all Christians do not recognize and cherish. Those that have it and know it have to remember we are servants, ambassadors, and that we are in a Kingdom, and we still have to answer to the King. We remember this so we don't get beside ourselves and use our liberty in a way that harms others. We have a responsibility.

 ¹⁷Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

 ¹⁸Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

 ¹⁹For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

 ²⁰For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

•  Suffering wrongfully is something that very few people I know are willing to do... quietly at least. If fast food people make a mistake with people orders, it's hard for people to keep a lid on. This is our world but God calls us to be more. He says it is a credit to you, GLORY for YOU, if you can endure it because of a God-consciousness... This is "acceptable" to God. Cain killed his brother because His sacrifice was not accepted. That's how deep it was. How many times a day can we endure wrongful suffering patiently and hear God say it is "acceptable"????? Hooo -weeeee I feel like preachin... movin on... 

 ²¹For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

 ²²Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

 ²³Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

 ²⁴Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

• Wait a minute... did v21 just say "even hereunto were ye called"?? Meaning, that's WHY you were called HERE or THIS is WHERE you were called... *falls out of my chair*... And it goes on to say  "because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps". But yet we cry... all the time.. "it just aint right, it's not fair, they not gone do this to me!!!" We gotta stop and think about this. This has to become our nature with God's help. We have to commit ourselves "to Him that judgeth righteously".

 ²⁵For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

•  Lord, I know there are many reasons you laid down your life. And I know one of them was to leave an example of how we should be. Your life, your death, your resurrection and even now your intercession at the Father's side on our behalf are all harmoniously showing us how we should be and who we should become to show whose we are... Thank you Lord for making us lively stones, precious in your sight though cast away by the world. Put us where we need to be Lord, and strengthen us in our purpose.