Love One Another

 1 Peter 1: 22-25. "Love One Another" Safe Haven Community Church. Sunday March 7th, 2021. 1 Peter 1:22-25. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (ESV) In Canada, as Christians have faced fines arrests and imprisonment recently for seeking to gather in worship, there has been an outpouring of solidarity from other believers in other provinces. Although there are concerns about governments having overly harsh penalties and not honoring constitutional requirements, the main aim of the solidarity is to show Christian love for other believers. Basic to an understanding of what God has called us to be and do, is to consider the welfare of other believers. In 1 Peter, as the Apostle Peter has explained the nature of God's love shown to us in salvation, he now explains how that love should impact our lives. Not only are we to be thankful to the Lord for His love to us in sending His son, as the Spirit shows us the wonderful impact of His love to us, He spurs us on to extend that love to others. In essence, to "Love One Another" is to extend to others, the love the God has shown to us. We are to forgive as God has forgiven us. We are to be patient, kind, understanding, encouraging and peaceful with others as God has and continues to be with us. The Christian life cannot be lived authentically in isolation. Peter shifts his exhortation from how to live rightly in relationship with God to how to live rightly with one another in Christian community.( Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 123). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.) The more we understand the motive and richness of God's ongoing outpouring love for us, the more that understanding should translate to worship and service. Godly worship is an expression of thanks to God for His love. Our ministry to others, is the best way to show that we are thankful for God's love. How to show that love to others is the question and the best way to determine how we can "Love One Another" is to ask a series of questions of what has been shown to us and how we can show that to others. In 1 Peter 1:22-25 the Apostle Peter presents a series of four questions for us to consider to understand and properly respond to God's love in "Loving One Another". He calls us to consider: 1) When were believers enabled to love? (1 Peter 1:22a), 2) Who are believers to love? (1 Peter 1:22b),3) How are believers to love?, (1 Peter 1:22c) and finally, 4) Why are believers to love? (1 Peter 1:23-25) Believers can "Love One Another" as we understand: 1) When Were Believers Enabled to Love? (1 Peter 1:22a) 1 Peter 1:22a. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth (for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart), (ESV) Please tun to Ezekiel 36 It was at salvation that believers received the capacity to demonstrate supernatural love (Rom. 5:5). When they evidenced obedience to the truth (were saved), they also purified their souls. Purified (hāgnikotes) is a perfect participle that describes a past action with continuing results. Not only did God cleanse Christians' impure past (cf. 4:1-3; Heb. 9:22-23), He also gave them new capabilities for the present and future (2 Cor. 5:17; cf. Rom. 6:3-14; Col. 3:8-10; 2 Peter 1:4-9). The image of purification is that of OT washings that made one ready to participate in the cult (Exod. 19:10; Josh. 3:5; John 11:55; Acts 21:24, 26; 24:18). This figure was taken over in the NT and stood for both inward purification through repentance from sin (Jas. 4:8; 1 John 3:3) and Christian initiation, which included repentance, commitment to Christ, and baptism, (cf. 1 Cor. 6:11) (Davids, P. H. (1990). The First Epistle of Peter (p. 76). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) Ezekiel looked forward to the spiritual reality of inward change when he prophesied of what God would do for believers under the new covenant: Ezekiel 36:22-28 22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (ESV) (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Matt. 26:28; John 3:5; Eph. 5:26; Titus 3:5) * On the surface, purified may seem to refer to a human work; on the contrary, it refers to a fully divine work. The prophet Ezekiel made that clear in the passage just cited, and in his letters the apostle Paul also lucidly affirmed that salvation's purifying work is God's: "For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.... But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Cor. 1:26, 30-31; cf. Ps. 37:39; Prov. 20:9; Rom. 11:6; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:25-26; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 2:14; 3:5; Heb. 5:9) In 1 Peter 1:22, Peter assumed but did not refer to faith, which the New Testament so necessarily associates with salvation (1:9; Acts 14:27; 15:9; 20:21; 26:18; Rom. 3:22, 25-28; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:11, 24, 26; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 3:9; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:15). But, along with the purging from sin that comes through saving faith (Acts 15:8-9), he did refer to the obedience to the truth, an inherent element of the faith that saves (cf. John 3:36; Rom. 10:10; Eph. 2:8-10; Heb. 5:9; 11:1-34). So, Peter did not overlook faith in relation to salvation; he merely defined faith. He reiterated for his readers the truth of 1 Peter 1:2, where he affirmed that they were saved "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood". Clearly obedience can be a New Testament synonym for faith. Other passages affirm this fact. To the Romans Paul wrote, "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16; cf. 1:5; 6:17; 15:18; 16:19, 26; 2 Cor. 9:13). Faith is not a human-initiated work of obedience (Eph. 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God"), but if genuinely given by God it will result in believers' regularly obeying the truth (cf. James 1:22-25; 2:14-26; 1 John 2:3-6; 3:7-9, 24) and manifesting God's love to others (cf. 1 John 2:10-11; 3:10-11, 14-17; 4:7-8, 16, 20). Obeying the gospel (as also in Rom. 10:16; Gal. 5:7; 2 Thess. 1:8) indicates that conversion is not simply a matter of intellectual change, but of a transformation of behavior (Davids, P. H. (1990). The First Epistle of Peter (p. 76). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) Illustration: "Love Constraining to Obedience" William Cowper wrote a poem entitled "Love Constraining to Obedience" that reflects on Obedience as a sign of love: " No strength of nature can suffice To serve the Lord aright: And what she has she misapplies, For want of clearer light. How long beneath the law I lay In bondage and distress; I toil'd the precept to obey, But toil'd without success. Then, to abstain from outward sin Was more than I could do; Now, if I feel its power within, I feel I hate it too. Then all my servile works were done A righteousness to raise; Now, freely chosen in the Son, I freely choose His ways. "What shall I do," was then the word, "That I may worthier grow?" "What shall I render to the Lord?" Is my inquiry now. To see the law by Christ fulfill'd And hear His pardoning voice, Changes a slave into a child, And duty into choice". (Olney Hymns, William Cowper, from Cowper's Poems, Sheldon & Company, New York) Believers can "Love One Another" as we understand: 2) Who Are Believers to Love? (1 Peter 1:22b) 1 Peter 1:22b. 22(Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth) for a sincere brotherly love, (love one another earnestly from a pure heart), (ESV) At salvation, believers become members of Christ's body, the church, which then becomes the target for their new, Spirit-empowered capacity for love (Rom. 5:5; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 John 3:14, 23; cf. John 15:12; Phil. 1:9; 1 John 3:18; 4:7-8; 5:1-2). This "brotherly love/love of the brethren (philadelphia) is to be sincere (anupokriton, "unhypocritical"). Remember the context of 1 Peter. These were people under persecution. The danger under such a situation is that we will fail to function as God has designed us and have our witness witness short-circuited if we snipe at each other in times of stress. The concept of sincerity is an interesting one. The word literally means: "without wax". When potters made pottery, if there was a mistake in the process, the vessel would be useless. Unscrupulous potters would cover their mistakes with wax. But when put under stress, the vessel would fall apart. Genuine love does not fall apart under stress. This kind of love is something that a person must work at, even when life is difficult. The love we extend to one another must be constant and enduring, unshaken by adversity or painful circumstances (Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, p. 15). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.). Please turn to Romans 12 There is nothing that turns people away from Christians faster than hypocrisy. We lose all credibility to proclaim the message of truth when our lives do not match our message. People look at who you are before they listen to what you say. Who you are speaks louder than what you say. Knowing how we are naturally self-centered, Paul instructs the believers at Rome, and us, what sincere brotherly loves looks like: Romans 12:3-13 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. (ESV) * Being naturally self-centered we tend to begin and end with our own needs. But God's love causes us to look beyond ourselves. Far from a life of private spirituality, Paul here gives membership as the picture of our joint responsibility for each other. From God's grace, He has equipped every believer for service. The challenge is to use those gifts for others and not just ourselves. Sloth, or laziness is the enemy of love. But if we are hopeful, patient and in prayer, the Spirit will direct our action. From financial assistance to hospitality, we move from polite acknowledgement to sincere love through action. Sincere love is the prevailing standard for believers (Rom. 12:10; 2 Cor. 6:6; 8:8; Phil. 2:1-2; Heb. 13:1; 1 John 3:11, 18), superseding all earthly limitations and considerations (cf. 1 Cor. 10:23-30). God can use the loving unity of believers to attract a lost world and awaken it to its need for salvation (cf. John 13:34-35; 1 Cor. 10:31-33). Sincere love expresses the extent and the seriousness of love. When such love is present, it erases tension, abolishes (hostility), and banishes hatred. ( Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude (Vol. 16, p. 72). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.) Illustration: Sincere Love William Tyndale was arrested in Antwerp Belgium in May 1535 and consigned to the castle of Vilvorde, the government state prison of the Low Countries. John Foxe writes: "Such was the power of his doctrine and the sincerity of his life that ... he converted his keeper, the keeper's daughter, and others of his household; also the rest that were with Tyndale conversant in the Castle reported of him that if he were not a good Christian man, they could not tell whom to trust." (SOURCE: Marcus Loane, Masters of the English Reformation (Church Book Room, 1954), 81). * Our sincere love for others is the most powerful testimony to the truth of the Gospel. This love opens doors that we may be welcomed in sharing the truth. The Holy Spirit takes our loving testimony as illustrative of the truth of the Gospel, and changes hearts. The only question is then who are we loving so dearly that they can see the transformative truth of Christ in us? Believers can "Love One Another" as we understand: 3) How Are Believers to Love? (1 Peter 1:22c) 1 Peter 1:22c. 22(Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth) for a sincere brotherly love,) love one another earnestly from a pure heart, (ESV) The well-known New Testament verb agapaō expresses the ideal kind of love, that which is exercised by the will rather than emotion, not determined by the beauty or desirability of the object, but by the noble intention of the one who loves. This love is to be shown earnestly/fervently/deeply (ektenōs) which is a physiological term meaning to stretch to the furthest limit of a muscle's capacity. Metaphorically, the word means to go all out, to reach the furthest extent of something (Luke 22:44; Acts 12:5; cf. Acts 26:7). God wants believers' love to stretch way out so it graciously forgives and covers sin among believers (cf. 1 Pt. 4:8). This kind of love is something that a person must work at, even when life is difficult. The love we extend to one another must be constant and enduring, unshaken by adversity or painful circumstances.( Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, p. 15). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.) * It's easy to keep going on the path of polite friendliness when we are coasting in our Christian walk. The true test of love is when things get difficult. The common reaction to difficulty is to walk away instead of dealing with a problem. True Christian love stretches and grows when challenged. Like a muscle where the fibers tear and strengthen, so we need to actively train our spiritual muscles to strive earnestly in Christian love. Please turn to Galatians 5 Such strong love, however, does not derive from some external, legalistic requirement (cf. Ps. 40:8; Rom. 8:2; Gal. 5:1). On the contrary, Peter told his readers that this love is an attitude compelled from within, from a pure heart (Prov. 4:23; Matt. 22:37-39; Eph. 4:32; 1 Tim. 1:5; cf. Rom. 12:10; 1 Cor. 13:8, 13; Gal. 5:14; 1 Thess. 1:3; Heb. 6:10), because it is a fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Slander and infighting not only destroy Christian fellowship, but they discourage seekers from ever wanting to come back. But when people who are hungry for God and for God's love find people who love one another, genuinely, from the heart, that kind of fellowship is a powerful attraction. The world that many unchurched people live in is cold, heartless, cruel, impersonal, and uncaring. As they find love and acceptance from loving Christians, they will also find love and acceptance from a loving Father. (Jeske, M. A. (2002). James, Peter, John, Jude (p. 82). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.) Paul told the Galatians that if they lived by that Spirit, they would see His fruit in their lives: Galatians 5:16-25 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (ESV) (cf. Eph. 5:15-21) * The only way to conquer the flesh is to yield to the Spirit. To "walk" in Scripture regularly represents the pattern of conduct of all of one's life. To "Walk by the Spirit" implies both direction and empowerment; that is, making decisions and choices according to the Holy Spirit's guidance, and acting with the spiritual power that the Spirit supplies. (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2254). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.) Poem: "Love For Others" by Anonymous What might such an earnest love for others look like? One writer expressed it like this: "Lord, let me live from day to day In such a self-forgetful way, That, even when I kneel to pray, My prayer shall be for others. Help me, in all the work I do, Ever to be sincere and true, And know that all I'd do for Thee, Must needs be done for Others. Let "self" be crucified and slain, And buried deep, nor rise again, And may all efforts be in vain, Unless they be for Others. And when my work on earth is done, And my new work in heaven begun May I forget the crown I've won, While thinking still of Others. Yes, Others, Lord, yes, Others. Let this motto be, Help me to live for Others, That I may live with Thee". (Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.) Finally, believers can "Love One Another" as we understand: 4) Why Should Believers Love? (1 Peter 1:23-25) 1 Peter 1:23-25 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (ESV) Here, it is almost as if Peter anticipated his readers' asking why they should love the way he had commanded them. He therefore tells them they should be expected to love that way because they had been born again. The perfect tense of the participle anagegennēmenoi (have been born again) emphasizes that the new birth occurs in the past, with ongoing results in the present. One of those results is that believers will show love for one another. In the process of rebirth, the believers are passive ("you have been"). That is, God brings them through spiritual birth into this world. Once they are born again, the believers are active in the process of purifying themselves (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude (Vol. 16, p. 72). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.). Please turn to 1 John 5 The new birth entails a complete, radical, decisive transformation that has to be described in the extreme terms of death and new birth (2 Cor. 5:17). Believers "put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth" (Eph. 4:24; cf. Rom. 6:6; Col. 3:10). Those who are born again go from being godless, lawless, and selfish (Rom. 3:9-18; 8:7-8) to manifesting genuine repentance, trust, and love. The Holy Spirit enlightens them to discern spiritual truth (1 Cor. 2:14-15; 2 Cor. 4:6) and empowers them to serve the law of God (truth contained in His Word) rather than the law of sin (Rom. 6:17-18). The new birth is monergistic; it is a work solely of the Holy Spirit. Sinners do not cooperate in their spiritual births (cf. Eph. 2:1-10) any more than infants cooperate in their natural births (John 3:8; cf. John 1:12-13; Eph. 2:4-5; Phil. 2:13). Because we have all received new life in Christ, we should be motivated to live to please God, obey the truth, keep ourselves pure, and love our Christian brothers and sisters. The change that took place in our lives is eternal. As we move toward purity and holiness, we will eventually reach the end goal (Barton, B. B. (1995). 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude (pp. 46-47). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Pub.). Believers are to love one another to the fullest extent because it is consistent with new life in Christ. The apostle John wrote: 1 John 5:1-5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (ESV) * The road to love-such a great concern of John's-is paved with faith in Christ. God's commandments show believers the true way to do good for others (cf. Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14). Love and law are complementary. God's love in his people gives them the desire to love and please him. So, with eagerness they keep his commandments. Rightly understood and followed, God's commandments bring believers great joy and freedom, not a sense of oppression (cf. Matt. 11:28-30). (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2436). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.) Back in 1 Peter 1:23, Peter talks about being born again using the imagery of a seed. The seed represents the source of life. Everything that comes to life in the created order begins with a seed, the basic life source that initiates plant and animal existence. But nothing in the material world has the capacity to produce spiritual and eternal life. Thus, God did not effect the new birth using seed which is perishable. In contrast to how an earthly father initiates human birth with his corruptible seed, God initiates the spiritual birth with an imperishable seed. Everything that grows from natural seeds is a sovereign creation of God (Gen. 1:11-12), but it all eventually dies (Isa. 40:8; James 1:10-11). However, sinners born again of God's Spirit gain eternal life. That is because He uses the imperishable seed of the living and abiding/enduring word of God. Peter's words echoed what James earlier wrote to his readers about the new birth, "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures" (James 1:18; cf. Rom. 10:17). Peter's logic here is that the new birth given by God to those who enter the new covenant of Christ's blood in faith is conceived from the imperishable seed of God's word, which generates eternal life. (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 125). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.) To strengthen his point, in verse 24, Peter quotes from Isaiah 40:6, 8, which contains a familiar biblical principle about life's transience (cf. Job 14:1-2; Pss. 39:4; 103:15; Matt. 6:27, 30; James 4:14). All flesh here refers to all humans and animals, and grass refers to the wild grass of the typical Middle Eastern countryside. The phrase glory like the flower of grass denotes the beauty of that scenery in which colorful flowers (cf. Matt. 6:28-29) occasionally rise above the grass. So, Peter noted that whether something is as common as grass or as uniquely lovely as a flower, it eventually withers or falls-it dies. Human life is brief in this world. People pass away like dry grass under a withering east wind. In their graves, the poor and illiterate of no influence are equal to the wealthy and highly educated of great influence (cf. Job 3:17-19). Apart from Christ, whatever glory human beings achieve will inevitably perish (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 125). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.) Finally, in Christ, in verse 25, we see that whether people are common or uncommon, they will never deteriorate or die spiritually. Instead, they are like the word of the Lord which remains/endures forever. That saving word is the gospel, as Peter's choice of words indicates. He used rhēma for word (rather than the usual logos, the more broad reference to Scripture), which denotes specific statements. Preached is euangelisthen, from the same root word that means "good news," or "the gospel." He is referring, then, to the particular message of the gospel, that scriptural truth which, when believed, is the imperishable seed producing new life that also remains/endures forever. It is an unchanging, vital, ever-present word of truth. It meets people's needs, providing them with a sense of direction and wholeness. This is of crucial importance when everything around us seems to be coming apart. The Word of God stands forever because the God who speaks it is the eternal, faithful, powerful one who always keeps His promises. This Word stands as the foundation for Christian preaching. Through it you may come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and receive the eternal, living hope. (Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, pp. 15-16). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.) Though believers possess new life in Jesus Christ and the capacity to love in a transcendent, godly manner, the continued presence of their unredeemed flesh (cf. Rom. 7:14-25) causes them to fail to love as they should. Thus, as in all matters of obedience, the New Testament contains a number of other exhortations for believers to genuinely love (John 13:34; 15:12; Rom. 12:10; Phil. 1:9; 1 Thess. 3:12; 4:9; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2 Peter 1:7; 1 John 3:23; 4:7, 21). Those are admonitions for the church to do what it, by God's grace and power, is already capable of doing. The call in this text is for saints to manifest an undying love for fellow believers, which is consistent with an imperishable new life in Jesus Christ by the power of the gospel word which is itself imperishable. (Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2004). 1 Peter (pp. 91-93). Chicago: Moody Publishers.) PRAYER Lord, allow us the ability to view our suffering in light of our salvation. May our outlook on life here on earth not be so clouded by our pain that we lose sight of you and your mercy. Allow our difficulties to draw us closer to you in obedience and holiness, recognizing that your character is being formed in us all the time. May we find strength in our future hope and in your present and enduring word to us. Amen. (Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, p. 19). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.) Closing Hymn: "Blest Be the Tie that Binds" (3 verses) 012 Benediction Now may God grant you such that you may say like the psalmist, You are my hiding place; you protect me from all trouble And surround me with songs of deliverance. So that your work is produced by faith, Your labor is prompted by love, and your endurance is inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. In His name we Pray. AMEN. (cf. Ps. 32:7; 1 Thes. 1:3) 10