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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? God expect us to do a great job. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 We are to always give our work our best effort; because we are truly serving God as we work. Our good work reflects positively on God and brings glory to His name.

Q1. (2:15-16) In what way is God's glory dependent upon us living submissive, obedient lives? How is God hurt when we get rebellious? This is a question that garners many different thoughts and ideas, and has been debated throughout the ages, as believers ask, "How now shall we live." Jesus makes this statement in John 17:4, as He is praying; "I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do." God has given us all work to do on earth, but it doesn't involve fighting with the government He has placed over us. Whatever we do good or bad as believers reflects onto God. He is hurt when we go against the government, because it reflects negatively on Him. We are called to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Go and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:19

Q5. (2:12) 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? In many ways its similar to your employment; your good work, your service, your attitude, your willingness to go the extra mile, often times, just your smile. They all reflect back to your employer. Customers may praise the company for it's good service, and products. Tell their friends the company's name, that their employees are great. Probably even give them your name, saying, "make sure you get him or her when you go in." Your company gets a good name and receives praise because of your good work and dedication to serving the customer. As a Christian, doing good for others and showing them that they matter, reflects praise on God. If you love others the way Jesus has loved you, people will be drawn to Christ and often want to have what you have. Or they might ask you to explain your faith and why you live the way you do. Giving you an opportunity to witness about the greatness of God, what Christ has done for you, how he has saved you. How they can have a radically transformed life as a follower of Christ! If you choose to blend; even if you do good for other and are a great person, if people don't know that your a Christian, they will just think your a nice guy or girl. They will praise you instead of God 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:15-16

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? Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. It helps by encouraging us to live Spirit filled lives with our eyes fixed on Jesus. That this alone will be a powerful witness to those that live around us, who don't know Christ.

Q3. (2:9) What actions and attitudes should this idea of being part of God's own people inspire in us? That we have been set apart by God. We were once slaves to sin, but Jesus redeemed us on by giving His life for us on the cross. We are here for a propose, we have spiritual gifts, given to us by God. As we draw close to God, He will draw close to us. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 He has given us abundant life, a sphere of influence and inspires us to share the love He has shown us with others around us. To change the world. To bring glory to His name.

Q2. (2:5) If your praise is primarily for God's benefit, not your own, how should you be offering praise? When we allow Christ to be on the throne of our life, praise of every type will naturally flow from us to Him. Praise of (to) God is just one of many ways, I think, that we worship Him. I like this John Piper quote: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. It makes me think that as all of our emotional and spiritual needs (the God sized hole in our heart) are met for us by our Creator, our Lord and Savior, and our indwelling Holy Spirit; our response to God is loving Him in a way that involves us becoming the people that He has created us to be. The outpouring from us in response to this awesome loving God is: we praise Him (sing praises to Him, testify to Him), we obey Him, pray to Him, confess our sins to Him, confess our love for Him, seek to be Holy, as He is Holy, have faith in Him and For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 We love God and all the people that he has put in our path to love. A tall order!

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you? To serve others in His name. To teach, preach, inspire and challenge others to fully know Christ, as they are known by Him. To be fully His. To be Holy as He is Holy. To be conformed to His image. To share the love that He has shown me with all I meet. To go and make disciples of all men.

Q4. (1:18-19) Have you ever felt you were of no worth or of no value? Yes, I have. What does 1 Peter 1:18-19 say about your worth? That I was worth God's very best, His own Son, who died and shed His blood for my sins on the cross. What does it say about God's love for you? That His love for me is really beyond my comprehension, my understanding of what love is. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 What does it indicate about the long-term value of your balance sheet and financial assets? They are worthless compared to knowing Christ as Lord and Savior. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord Philippians 3:7-8 What are your true long-term investments? Why? Knowing Christ and knowing His purposes for my life. Because God assures me in His Word that these things, above all others, are worth pursuing; and that all other pursuits take me away from Him.

Q3. (1:17) Why are people in our culture so upset when they sense they are being judged by someone else? I seems we live in a time in America that is similar to the time of the Judges, for the nation of Israel, "where everyone did what was right in their own eyes." A time where right and wrong and moral absolutes are relative terms. Where something that is right or wrong for you is not necessarily right for me. People get upset and angry when someone limits or judges their behavior; saying, who are you to impose your values on me. How do you reconcile final judgment with God's love for the world? I believe the Word of God; I believe that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I believe the nature of God is agape love for mankind, His creation. He is Holy, Righteous and Good; full of Grace and Truth. He is the creator of ALL things, He is the righteous Judge. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:3-5 Why must final judgment be at the core of the Good News of Jesus Christ? 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. 47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. John 12:46-48 What happens to the Gospel when final judgment is left out or ignored? It is unnecessary or irrelevant. God did not have to give His one and only Son to save the world if judgment wasn't coming to the world. Save the world from what?

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? Christ likeness. The inward renewing of our spirit through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that produces an outward behavior and thought pattern that is Christ like. In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? The Holy Spirit lives in me, working within me to produce Christ likeness. It's a lifelong process, with ups and downs. We are all God's works in progress. In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? If you are disobedient to the Holy Spirit's inward promptings, and disobedient to God's word, or ignore it completely, you are opposing God and His standard of holiness. “If you love me, keep my commands." John 14:15 What is your biggest struggle with holiness? If you had a dartboard with things that aren't holy written on it, and threw a dart, chances are you would hit something that I struggle with. But if I had to chose one, and its a big one; I would say the thoughts that go on in my mind. Things that I don't do, but think about. Sometimes I don't even know where these thoughts come from (although I have a good idea) 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 One of my favorite verses- helps me with my thought life.

Q1. (1:13) What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? That Christ is coming and we need to remain ready for His return. Why should it inspire hope? Psalm 62:5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. He gives us hope; Hope in the truth of His word, and that everything will be fulfilled. Why should it inspire self-control and soberness? He has called us to be holy as He is holy. Because He could come at any time, we need to be in holy anticipation of His return living right. What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon? We get sloppy and tend to gravitate back to our old way of life. Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.

According to 1 Peter 1:5 what is God's part in securing your salvation? What is your part? I believe God has secured our salvation through the life, death, (on the cross) and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Verse 4 says, "in to an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you." God continues being God, His guarantee of our right relationship to Him continues because He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the Way, the Truth and The Life. He is, and always will be. Our job is to believe; to have faith in what is not seen. To walk by faith and not sight. John 6:28-29 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Q2. (1:2) Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? I think of the scripture the reads: "by His stripes we are healed." an also " you were brought at a price." Christ died on the cross for our sins. He paid the price to redeem us. By what He has done we can be forgiven and have a rightly restore relationship with God. He loves us unconditionally and desires to be in a loving relationship with us. Christ says in John 14:15, " If you love me, keep my commands." Obedience is our loving response to the unfathomable love He showed us on the cross an continues to show us everyday of our life. Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Because for one we are at war against the world, the flesh and the devil. These forces are in in direct opposition to God, His word and His will. I think also because salvation is a free gift from God, it is easy to fall into the mindset that there is nothing we need to do in response, except to receive it. As we grow in faith through prayer and reading God's word; I think God begins to work out in our lives the things He see need work.( big job) Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) Grace is God's unmerited favor towards us. Jesus demonstrated that on the cross as He died for our sins and put us in right relationship with God. Obedience is our expression of love to God who has given us everything. As we obey and show our love to God, our faith increases.

Q1. (1:1) How would you describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his present homeland than his heavenly one? Being in the Christmas season often creates the perfect storm for a believer to identify more with their present homeland than their heavenly one. Getting overly caught up in the giving and receiving of gifts; over spending to keep up with the latest "must have" gadgets and gifts, to the point of going into debt and financial insecurity. Just plain forgetting the reason we celebrate Christmas. All this creates stress and regret. Have you ever caught yourself doing this? Absolutely; the desires of our heart and the world, are always pulling us in this direction. What has to happen to get our spiritual priorities straight? Getting into God's word and having an active prayer life; reading the story of the birth of Jesus. To focus on Christ first and foremost and allow Him to set your priorities for this season an every season. Colossians 2:20 reads: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

Hi my name is Freeman and I live in Wyoming. I have been a part of this Forum before, but it has been a few years. I'm glad to be back. I have enjoyed the depth of previous studies as well as all the comments of others on the Forum. I am married and father of 6. Two grown up sons (34 and 31) two daughters (7 and 9) and two that have gone on to be with the Lord. A son we held briefly and another child we never got to meet. What a glorious reunion that will be! I am employed delivering mail, for 31 years now. A great job that offers many opportunities to build relationships with customers, and to provide quality service to them. Many good witnessing opportunities also, as you get to see people where they live and what they may be going through. My wife, of 10 years, and I are involved in our church. We host a Community Group Bible Study that meets weekly in our house. Currently, we are into an Andy Stanley study called "Right in the Eye." Its a really good study that teaches from the book of Judges; contrasting how the people from that day in Israel and the of people today, often "do what is right in there own eyes." Glad to be a part of this Study and this Forum, Excited to be in the word in 1Peter. God Bless you all; Merry Christmas!