Betty

If Jesus died to set us free from sin's power, why does sin have such power over us still? We are still in the flesh. When we are angry, mean-spirited, malicious, envious, jealous, critical, etc., we give Satan an opportunity to divide us and give Christianity a bad name. According to 2:24b, how must we deal with sin? In practical terms, how can we "die to sin"? We must take Christ at His Word, that He will never leave us nor forsake us and draw on His strength to get us through the situation. Just keep repeating, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." The Bible says we "have not because we ask not." So, it's there for the asking: Christ will give us the strength to put down sin. Of course, we have to do our part to avoid temptation, to walk close to God, to pray for victory when tempted to sin, and keep our eyes on Jesus rather than the world. In everyday language, what does "live for righteousness" mean? To live a life that is so committed to Christ that those who may be tempted to lead us into sin will just give up and go away.

What is the significance to you personally that Jesus bore your sins in his own body on thecross? It hurts me deeply that Jesus had to bear the suffering he did just because of His love for me, but I know that it was all part of God's plan. I can't even begin to comprehend all that He went through, but it inspires me to love Him and tell His story to others, especially during times of despair. We can never know the extent of all that He did for us, but we can certainly be a vessel through which His love can flow to those around us. I am forever in His debt because without His willingness to suffer and die for me, I would never be able to have eternal security.

Q2. Why is Jesus' sinlessness important to understanding your salvation? Because that was the only acceptable way that we could obtain salvation. II Cor. 5:21 tells us that God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins, and then He poured God's goodness into us. What a wonderful exchange for us! In what way do you think Jesus suffered when your sins were poured into his soul? He suffered because He had never been separated from His Father; but at the time our sins were poured into His soul, God had to turn His back on our loving Saviour, since He could not look upon sin. Christ was completely alone, hanging there on the cross for our sin. How could a sinless Man stand this kind of corruption? Only through obedience to His Father and unconditional love for us. He knew that God was in complete control of the situation, and that this was the plan devised by God for us to obtain salvation. As the song goes, "It wasn't nails that held Jesus to the cross; it was His love for us that made Him pay the cost." Only His kind of love could make such a willing sacrifice!

According to 1 Peter 2:21, in what sense did Jesus suffer for you personally? I think it's a very personal matter that Jesus suffered for me because He loved me so much more than I can ever imagine. I cannot conceive of anyone loving me that much, to suffer the agony of the cross and the separation from His Father just so that I and countless others could be set free from sin. When someone loves you and suffers for you that much in spite of the fact that He had done no wrong, we should praise Him with all that is within us every day!!

Q4. (2:21-23) How does Christ's example speak to your situation? How is your behavior going to be different because of what you see in Jesus' character in this passage? Christ's example speaks to me in a way that sometimes makes me ashamed of myself. I have been hurt many times over the years, and I have not always reacted in a Christ-like manner; however, as I get older, I realize how much I need the patience and strength of Christ to overcome these situations. My behavior is definitely different now that I have come to recognize that with the Holy Spirit living in me, I am able to respond to hurtful situations so much better than before. When I read in this passage about how my Lord and Saviour was so meek and humble in the face of persecution and suffering, especially when He had done no wrong and was just being obedient to His Father out of love for me and everyone else, it convinced me that God is in control of the matter. Because of this, I must strive daily to deal with people in the same loving manner that Christ did. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:18 that what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory that God will give us later. That's what I am looking forward to -- It will be worth it all when we see Christ!!

Q3. (2:18-20) How does being an employee "conscious of God" affect the way we act and react to injustice in the workplace? Can a conscientious Christian be a complainer? Why or why not? How do you usually react to prolonged, unfair treatment at your work? When there is obvious injustice in the workplace, a Christian should take a stand and discuss the matter with the supervisor, but only after much prayer and thought as to how to approach the situation. We need to exhibit a forgiving spirit, but also gently point out that the injustice needs to be worked out; and, if possible, offer a solution. We should never react in a hostile manner, because that can only lead to more hostility on both sides. A conscientious Christian should not be a "complainer" in the sense of constantly running down the job situation; but if a time comes when we do need to make our feelings known about any injustice at the workplace, we should not hesitate. It's been some time since I have been in the workplace, but I would certainly pray about the unfair treatment. If it happened to me, I would ask to discuss it with the one responsible to see exactly why this was happening; and if it should continue, then I would probably look for another job. If it happened to one of my co-workers, I would let them know I was praying for their situation (and ask if they would like for me to pray with them) and offer to do anything that I could that might be of help. Just keep in mind -- God is well aware of the situation, and He will be pleased with our good example. Who knows? It might even cause someone to realize their need of a loving, personal Saviour in their life!

Q2. (2:18) If we are to submit to our employers and respect them, what is that saying about God's expectation that we do a good job? In what sense do we dishonor God when we don't give our full effort to our jobs? As His children, God expects us to be on our best behaviour, whether on the job, in the home, in church, or anywhere else. We honor God when we give our employer an honest day's work and treat him or her with respect. Can our boss trust us to do our best even when he or she is not around? If Jesus Christ was our supervisor, would our work ethics be any different? No matter what our job is or who we work for, the One we ultimately want to please is our Heavenly Father; and being submissive and respectful to our employer is a small part of pleasing God with our behaviour. We dishonor God when we don't give our full effort to our jobs because our supervisor and fellow workers get mixed signals about how a Christian should behave. We should show responsibility and integrity on the job, and this will let others know that you can trust a Christian to take their work seriously and get the job done.

In what way is God's glory dependent upon us living submissive lives? How is God hurt when we get rebellious? As Christians, we should always show respect for authority, from the home to the government and all places in between. When we live submissive lives, we are following the example of our Lord and Saviour. Even though we may go through some difficult times, we know who is in control and who is on our side. If we fear God and honor the government or those in authority, we are doing as commanded. We should always be ready to give an answer to those who might ask about our faith and our lifestyle, and how we have hope in Christ no matter what may come. When they realize how serious we are about trusting God in all circumstances, and how we live to the best of our ability in accordance with His Will, then I believe God will get the glory. Then, perhaps others who have been critical of Christians will begin to think about how Christ can give them the same assurance that we have in God. God loves His children so much, and He is hurt when we get rebellious because our actions indicate that we don't care about God. He set us free, not to turn our back on Him and go back to a lifestyle of sin, but to honor Him and glorify Him with every fiber of our being! It is very much a privilege to do things that are pleasing to God, and we should never think of the things we do as something we "have" to do, but something we "want" to do for the One who loves us more than anyone else ever could!! Also, when we become rebellious, this hurts our testimony and decreases any chances we might have of reaching an unsaved person for Christ; and this, of course, hurts God, because we are not doing what a Christian should do.

How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise? If we live a life committed to Christ and do the things He has commanded us to do, love one another, pray for one another, assist those in need, witness to the lost, encourage those who are saved, then the world should be able to see Christ in us. When people spread lies about Christians, and the Christian lives above reproach, sooner or later they will recognize the truth by the Christian's behavior. If a worldly person can see consistent Christian behavior in a child of God, this should lead him to know (in a very small way) what God is like, and I feel that someday he will fall to his knees to praise our Heavenly Father when he realizes that what the world offers him is absolutely nothing compared to what God can do for him. If we blend in with the world, we might as well turn in our Bibles. God's Word tells us we are to be in the world, but not of the world. One of the saddest things to see is a Christian who has apparently forgotten what Christ has done for him, and turn his back on his Lord and Saviour to go out and enjoy the things of this evil world; or a "Sunday Christian" who appears to live for the Lord on Sunday, but lives with the devil the rest of the week. This will destroy his testimony more than anything else. As I heard once, "You can't live with God and run with the devil." This is so true!!

Q4. (2:11) Read 1 Peter 2:11 carefully. The world tells us (1) to conform and (2) that sin won't hurt us. What does Peter tell us to combat these lies? How can this reminder help us? Peter tells us that we are just visitors here; this world is not our home, and we had better not get caught up in it. Satan sets all kinds of traps for us, but if we depend on the strength of our Heavenly Father and stay faithful to Him, those traps won't hold us! God is on our side, and I am so thankful for that. What Peter tells us reminds me that I can put all my trust in God to defeat Satan, because "greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world." Those words give me so much comfort as I look forward to the day when I will leave this world full of evil to meet my Saviour face to face. What a day that will be!!

Q2. (2:5) If your praise is primarily for God's benefit, not your own, how should you be offering praise? I simply praise God in all that I do and all that happens in my life. I strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him and be of service to others. I especially enjoy our quiet times together, just God and me, when I can pour my heart out to Him and feel His presence. God is so good! When we think about all that He is and all that He has done, how can we help but praise Him? The world, the unsaved, can heap all the praises they want to upon the celebrities of this day, but God is the only one worthy to be praised!

Christians often look to God as consumers, delighting in what god does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? Wht actions does this mindset inspire in you? Of course, I delight in what God has done for me; I am so grateful that His Son shed His precious blood so that I can be free and experience eternal life with Him. And I admit, I do enjoy God's blessings because He loves me like no one else can. However, this is not the reason I love Him. I love Him because of Who He is, the Almighty God, and I do have the mindset of a priest towards Him. I love Him, and I serve Him to the best of my ability, as a priest should serve God. I seek His will daily for my life, and I pray that He will use me as a vessel to let His love flow through me to others, so they can know what Christ can do for them. This mindset of a priest inspires me to continue spreading God's love wherever I go, and to strive to do the things that are pleasing to Him.

Q4. (1:18-19) Have you ever felt you were of no worth or of no value? As a young person, I had very little self-esteem or self-worth until I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and realized what it means to be one of God's children. However, even after becoming a Christian, I have allowed people to make me feel that I was not as "good" as them, but then I would remind myself that God loves me more than anyone else possibly could, so that gives me a great deal of self-confidence. What does 1 Peter 1:18-19 say about your worth? That I am worth more than silver or gold, and God was willing to ransom me from sin because I was helpless to escape from sin on my own. What does it say about God's love for you? God loved me so much that He was willing for His precious Son to shed His blood in order to save me from my sin. What does it indicate about the long-term value of your balance sheet and financial assets? Our financial assets will one day be worthless to us, and only what we have done for Christ will matter. We should be good stewards of His money while we are here, but not to make it our primary focus. What are your true long-term investments? Why? Living a life that is pleasing to God because He is all the world to me. And I hope that I will be able to have a part in winning more souls to Christ. Why? Because He tells us to go and make disciples, so that His Word can be spread everywhere and more souls will be won for Him.

Q3. (1:17) Why are people in our culture so upset when they sense they are being judged by someone else? Well, first of all, the Bible warns us against judging others (Luke 6:37), then Christ goes on to say that we should not be so worried about other people's sins that we overlook our own. I think people should not be so quick to judge when they remember their own flaws, but should have a forgiving spirit and pray for the one on whom they are tempted to pass judgment. When people see the daily lifestyle that some "Christians" live, I'm sure they get upset because they can see sinful behavior and harsh attitudes in the life of the one doing the judging, so who are we to judge? How do you reconcile final judgment with God's love for the world? God loves us so much, but He is a Holy God, a just God. He sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and teach us how to live holy lives, seeking to do God's will, once we become His child. If we ignore these teachings and live a life that is pleasing to God, then we will certainly face the judgment. For those who simply refuse to accept Christ as their Savior, they will face an even harsher judgment, because God loves them and sent His son to die for them, but they wanted no part of it. Therefore, God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, will give them what they wanted - no part of Him. Why must final judgment be at the core of the Good News of Jesus Christ? Because John 3:16 tells us that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for our sins. If there is no judgment, then the cross would have been unnecessary, but the Christians would have no hope of eternal life. As Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:19, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." What happens to the Gospel when final judgment is left out or ignored? It just becomes another fairy tale. You must believe all of the Bible or none of the Bible. Judgment will come, pure and simple, and those who choose to ignore it will suffer the consequences.

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness? "Holiness" is closely related to "wholeness" as being made whole in Christ Jesus when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour; and we are to be set apart for His purpose, to glorify His name and lead others to do the same. I think we are holy because we have the Holy Spirit living in us, directing our paths when we allow Him to do so. We must be obedient to the Lord in living the way we know pleases Him, seeking to do His will, and always giving God the glory and praise for what He has done for us. My biggest struggle with holiness is not taking the time that I should to stay in the Word and having daily devotionals. When I read in the Bible about all the old saints who were so devoted to the Lord and walked in holiness, it inspires me to walk closer with my Father; but, sometimes, I allow myself to get off track and get back in focus.

Q1. (1:13) What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? Why should it inspire hope? Why should it inspire self-control and soberness? What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon? The anticipation of seeing our beloved Saviour who died for our sins and knowing that He has come back for his own to live with Him forever; and not knowing when He is coming, we must be vigilant and ready at all times. The coming of Christ should inspire hope because that is the fulfillment of what we have been looking forward to ever since becoming a Christian. His coming should inspire self-control and soberness because if we claim to be a Christian, then our actions and life-style should be Christ-like, so that we should not have anything to be ashamed of when He returns. When we don't really expect Christ to come soon, we tend to lose our focus and become involved in less important things, even worldly things of temporary value. We must take Christ at His word when He said He is preparing a better place for us and will return again to receive us unto Himself, that where He is, we may be also. It may be many, many years until this happens, but it WILL happen, so we must be in a state of readiness. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!!!

Q5. (1:8-9) According to 1 Peter 1:8-9, what is the basis of Christian joy that is "inexpressible and glorious"? How does this joy interplay with human emotions? Is it essentially emotional? How does it differ from what is generally regarded as the pursuit of "happiness"? Extra Credit: How can you tell the genuine article of joy from the counterfeit? Psalm 32:1 tells us that we have so much joy in knowing that our sins are forgiven and that God has cleared our record, never to be remembered anymore. If we truly love Christ, we will trust Him, and find joy in this kind of love and trust. After all, look what He has saved us from! This kind of joy is nothing to be compared with the fleeting moments of happiness this world offers. It's sad to see people so caught up in the trappings and glitter of worldly possessions, depending on "things" to make them happy. Christians who are full of joy in their heart should show this joy in their face, knowing that they have the ultimate source of everlasting joy, no matter what the world/Satan throws in their path. Our joy can be emotional, and should be when we are praising and thanking God for Who He is and all that He has done for us, but it's the internal joy and sense of peace in knowing God loves us and protects us that sets us apart from the world. Our joy differs from the non-Christian's "pursuit of happiness" in that we are secure in knowing that God has promised to meet our needs, and we don't have to depend on temporary things to bring us satisfaction. You can tell the genuine joy from the counterfeit by observing how a joy-filled Christian reacts to adversity or tragedy, knowing that the Holy Spirit will be their Comforter in such times, and by just generally watching their lives: how they go about their daily routine, how they treat others, and how they express their joy in Christ to other people, especially the unsaved. Not to say that Christians never have sad or heart-breaking experiences, but we know that "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30:5b)

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus? Yes, there have been many; but one that I remember happened several years ago at, of all places, my church! Now, isn't that unusual? (Just kidding) There was some controversy among our members because of some young boys who had been attending Boy Scout meetings at our church, and I, as the children's choir director, invited all the boys to sing a special song at church one Sunday. WELL, HOW DARE I BRING THOSE BOYS TO OUR CHURCH!!! You see, two of the boys were of a different race than our members. Well, one thing led to another, and I finally felt that I had no choice but to resign my positions in the church and leave. I did so, but I really loved my little church, and even though my husband and I visited other churches in the area, I was so unhappy. After a couple of years and many, many prayers, I felt the Lord leading us back to our church, and I'm so thankful He did! I have received so many blessing from serving Him and fellowshipping with my church family there. (By the way, the "holier than thou Christians" were gone by that time). This experience taught me a great deal; most of all, obedience to Him. I don't think I could have served him with a genuine spirit had I stayed in the church during all the commotion, and it taught me patience. I really needed that!! I believe my tested faith brought glory to Jesus because now everyone in our church knows that we are not to judge anyone who comes into our church. And, we have about 5 racially mixed families in our relatively small church, so we have come a long way in appreciating all of God's children!! As the song goes, "God Can Make This Trial a Blessing!" And, He truly did!!

God offers His protection to His children, and only He has the power to make this offer. Our part is to take His word by faith and know that He keeps His promises! One of my very favorite songs (and scripture) is: "For I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." (!! Timothy 1:12b) My friends, we serve an awesome God, and our God is in control!!

Q2. (1:2) Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) We must trust and obey. If we have found forgiveness in Jesus Christ, then obedience should be a natural result. So many people seem to enjoy the forgiveness from Christ, but they find it difficult to obey. They say they love God, but there is no evidence of that love. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, we are able to show God's love to the world as we strive to walk in obedience to our loving God. It just is not possible to separate forgiveness from obedience and be in close fellowship with our Lord, because that's what He is all about. Christ is the supreme example of love and obedience, and we are to walk in His footsteps. We are not saved by works, but once we are saved by the grace of God, this should result in a desire to please God by doing works to glorify Him.

They are just caught up in the things of this world, forgetting that those things are only temporary. It's difficult to walk so close to Jesus every day when Satan throws everything He can into your path, but with God's help, the Christian who has been led astray by Satan can be gently put back on track if they will seek God's direction and ask His forgiveness for going astray. Yes, unfortunately, I have allowed myself to lose focus of what is really important in this life as a Christian, so I know how easy it is to get distracted. The only thing we can do to get our priorities straight is to stay so close to God that Satan finally gives up! We need to stay in the Word, pray fervently, fellowship with other Christians, keep Christ first in our lives in everything we do. Then, and only then, will the love of Christ show through us so that others may know what He is like. God is Love, and we must love Him first; then love others. It is so wonderful to be in the family of God, and know that He is faithful to all His children!

Hello to all, my name is Betty, and I live in Kernersville, NC, about 10 miles from Winston-Salem. I've been a Sunday School teacher for many, many years and have been active in a Baptist Church since it was a small mission. It's so thrilling to watch your church grow from the very beginning! I have been retired for about 5 years from the banking industry, and I am certainly enjoying my retirement, even with some health problems, but God is so good!!! I am looking forward to this study and also learning about all the new friends who are studying with me. Have a blessed day!!!