None of us likes the feeling that we have failed at something, but, sooner or later, all of us seem to fail--and sometimes we feel like we have failed the really big test: life itself.Peter certainly could understand the feeling that one is a failure: it was a feeling he sometimes shared. In I Peter, however, he provides us with a recipe for true success in life.
Please read through all of I Peter. Cite below a verse or two that seem to you to be particularly good examples of Peter's advice for success in life. Explain why you chose these particular verses.
"For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil." (I Peter 3:17)
ReplyDelete"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (I Peter 5:6-8)
Both of these verses give really good advice for having success in life. I chose the first verse because based on what it is saying, I take it as even though you may have to do something that will make you lose friends/get on your managers bad side as long as you are doing it for the betterment and safety of your coworkers or yourself as long as you are doing it for good and not evil or self gain.
I chose the second verse because I feel like if more people prayed and casted their worries and anxieties onto God, they would be able to do more without worrying that they would get in trouble or become anxious about things.
(1 Peter 4:8) "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.") I chose this verse because I think its great life advice from Peter. Through love you can help cover up many sins by loving and forgiving people who have wronged you. This verse also shows the ultimate love God had for the world by sending his son Jesus to die on the cross to cover up the sins of the whole world.
ReplyDelete(1 Peter 4:7) "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers." I chose this verse because Peter is letting all Christians know the way they should live. I also chose this verse because I think this piece of advice still applies for Christians today. I also think practicing this type of behavior could be helpful in building your relationship with God.
- Eathen Erck
1. Peter 5:5 " Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud,
ReplyDeleteBut gives grace to the humble.” This is a very interesting take on how God views Pride. Here he isn't just going after young people. He had already gone after the elders earlier. Which that is Important context to know. Young people are kinda known for being the rebellious bunch. So they need to hear this. I would also say Humility is putting away your own desires/pride for Gods.
2. Peter 4:13 " but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy" As Humans we want the Glory but not hardships. This is not what this is saying though. We should take joy when we suffer for christ knowing that we are doing it for his kingdom. -Austin Dreyer
"Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart." (1 Peter 1:22)
ReplyDelete"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander." (1 Peter 2:1)
I think these two verses can be put together as a recipe for success in life. If your life is full of hate empty of love, then how will you ever find genuine joy and success? In order to obtain the gifts that life has, you must love one another and rid your life of all things negative. The more you strive to be like Jesus by purifying your heart, mind, and soul, the easier it is to be successful and find true joy in this temporary life.
-Lauren Bland
1st peter 2:6-7 NIV
ReplyDelete6 The Holy Writings say, "See, I lay down in Jerusalem a Stone of great worth, worth far more than any amount of money. Anyone who puts his trust in Him will not be ashamed." 7 This Stone is of great worth to you who have your trust in Him. But to those who have not put their trust in Him, the Holy Writings say, "The Stone which the workmen put aside has become the most important part of the building."
1st Peter 3:13-15 NIV
13 Who will hurt you if you do what is right? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, you will be happy. Do not be afraid or troubled by what they may do to make it hard for you. 15 Your heart should be holy and set apart for the Lord God. Always be ready to tell everyone who asks you why you believe as you do. Be gentle as you speak and show respect.
I chose these verses because when I think about Peter's life as a whole, these verses show his journey as a Christian. Peter was a strong Christain but often very brash in his speech and how he lived. This can be seen to be accurate multiple times in the writings of the bible. He would often act very quickly without thinking, and it would sometimes lead to his downfall or his failures. For example, his failure would be when Peter drew his sword in defense of Jesus in the book of John and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. For this, Jesus called out Peter on his incorrectness and healed the servant's ear. This is not the only example in scripture, but one I thought to share.
While these things can be seen as Peter's failure, it is incredible what God chooses to do through peters weakness following these moments. Remember, Peter was the one whom Jesus gave the church keys. With that responsibility, God took peters weakness and made it a strength. Paul says God does this with our human weaknesses in the book of 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. How this weakness, as I have described, turned into a strength can be seen in the early chapters of Acts. Readers can see many examples of how God used Peter's brash speech, passion, and powerful words to move many people to christ, such as when Peter gave the speech to the Jews and converted thousands in a single day.
So then, I choose these two verses from first Peter as they show what changed in Peter as he grew as a Christian. While also portraying how he learned the true message of his faith even after Jesus Christ's death. Remember, Peter, denied Jesus three times after he had been arrested. However, after many years of following Christ, he died on the cross; many believe that as a follower of Christ, Peter died a martyr death. So the first verses I picked showed how Peter had to learn to trust Jesus and how low he felt about betraying Jesus. Then I feel that in the second set of verses, Peter portrays what has changed in him. He became a faithful follower of Jesus, putting him at peace and easing something an earlier version of Peter likely never even knew of.
Tanner Simon
1 Peter 4 :12-19
ReplyDeleteThis verse talks about suffering for Christ. Peter had suffered a lot in his life both mentally and physically. Realized that, you know it's not worth being bitter over things. It'll chew you up and spit you out. So don't even bother getting upset, or spending your time being angry. A prime example of this is when Peter denies Jesus. What do you think Peter was doing in between that event, and when Jesus is forgives him. Being bitter, and angry.
5:1-11 This verse talks about shepherding a flock. If there's one thing "old age" Peter was good at, was being a firebrand. He was a religious zealot, a rebel. He would start fights, he'd try to call down fire on people, he'd insert himself into the transfiguration. He was constantly putting his foot in his mouth, or doing something stupid. So in this little section he has to mention, "don't do anything I did". He's reminiscing how useless being upset, and compulsive is. A perfect example of this compulsion is when he cuts a guys ear off, and Jesus immediately puts it back on.
1 Peter 4 :12-19
ReplyDeleteThis verse talks about suffering for Christ. Peter had suffered a lot in his life both mentally and physically. Realized that, you know it's not worth being bitter over things. It'll chew you up and spit you out. So don't even bother getting upset, or spending your time being angry. A prime example of this is when Peter denies Jesus. What do you think Peter was doing in between that event, and when Jesus is forgives him. Being bitter, and angry.
5:1-11 This verse talks about shepherding a flock. If there's one thing "old age" Peter was good at, was being a firebrand. He was a religious zealot, a rebel. He would start fights, he'd try to call down fire on people, he'd insert himself into the transfiguration. He was constantly putting his foot in his mouth, or doing something stupid. So in this little section he has to mention, "don't do anything I did". He's reminiscing how useless being upset, and compulsive is. A perfect example of this compulsion is when he cuts a guys ear off, and Jesus immediately puts it back on.
-Walker Larson
Verse 1:
ReplyDelete1 Peter 4:1-2
Since therefore, Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God.
I chose this passage because it is something that I struggle with. It is something that depending on the day I am either proud of or ashamed of but I am one of those people who is often described as spicy or fiery. When I am in a situation where I am being challenged or am to suffer I can get very stubborn and buckle down even when I know I am in the wrong. I wish I had more of a spirit like Christ who knew he had the power to smite all those who hurt and reviled him yet did nothing but love them and turn his cheek. The ability to suffer willingly for something is an ability I admire and pray for.
Verse 2:
1 Peter 5:5-11
In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for
“God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.”
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
I also chose this verse because it is so well known due to its powerful symbolism of the roaring lion. It also speaks to something I struggle with in my life: humility. I struggle with humility in my life in many ways but a prominent one is in the Catholic practice of confession. The Sacrament of confession requires a whole lot of humility because it takes a lot of guts to admit all I have been struggling with to someone I associate power and a lot of respect to, that being priests. To me it is much harder to do this than to just silently admit my sins to myself or a friend because of how I view the sacrament of confession. In the Catholic Church it is seen as confessing sins not to the priest but to God who is actually there in the physical form of the priest. Often times I feel unworthy or undeserving of God’s mercy and forgiveness, but then I remember that that thinking is the opposite of being humble, it is pride. Jesus died for ALL of our sins, why do I think I am the exception and am undeserving? As verse 9 says “know all in the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” Humility is a hard virtue that requires constant discipline and attention.