Hedgemaker Baptist Podcast

Trials are not strange to this Christian life. They are common in our lives because we are living in a sinful world. The reason for many trials is our sanctification. The important thing is how we live through the trials.

Serving Christ is of utmost urgency in the Christian life because the end is near. The rapture is imminent. Our time is short, therefore we must serve Him now. One of the utmost ways we serve God is through stewarding what He has given us to glorify him.

In order to serve God appropriately, we must think right, decide right, and walk right. It will not happen by accident. Such service to God requires great effort, but the reward is great.

The suffering of Christ is an example for the believer to follow in the sufferings here on this present earth. The struggles that we face can be quite difficult, but we have an example to follow. We also have a great hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our future life in heaven with Him.

Not only should the believer be in submission in the political arena, in the home, and in the marriage, believers are to be in submission one to another in the church. The command is clear--be of one mind.

God created man and woman with a purpose. Though they are spiritually equal, God has given each differing purposes. In His great wisdom, God has given an order of leadership in the home that must be followed if we are to be found acceptable in his eyes.

God has given order throughout his creation. This includes the family. There is a God-ordained order in the home that must be followed if the family is to have God as its top priority. This starts with submission. Both the husband and the wife must both walk in accordance to the commands of God if the home is to operate in God-ordained harmony.

The believer brings glory to God by submitting themselves to those in authority over them. This is not simply when our authorities are kind to us, but it is especially to be done when they are the cause of our suffering.

As Peter, moved by the Holy Spirit, talks of submission, he begins with submission to the government. God has ordained rulers over us for our good. It is God's will that we submit to our rulers and honor them. By so doing, we bring glory to God.

Peter addresses the believers as strangers and pilgrims because the believer is a stranger and a pilgrim in this sinful world. As such, there are certain duties that God has given the saints to perform.

Our duty to the Saviour is to believe on Him. This faith is followed immediately with obedience to Him and His Word. The end result of faith and obedience is praising Him. He truly is worthy.

The believer has a duty to the Saviour. Jesus Christ is our foundation. It is He that we lean on not only for salvation, but also for sanctification. It is our duty to be building on this foundation properly.

Every New Testament believer is a priest unto himself. This doesn't mean that the believer replaced the Old Testament priest. Rather, it means that the believer can stand alone before God. This is made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The desire of every believer should be to taste the Word of God and to grow thereby. The Word of God is authoritative in all areas of our life, and it is the believer's duty to follow it fully.

Love is the manner of obedience. Without it, holiness cannot be reached. What is the true character of love? The true character of love is shown in these passages.

The believer's life is to be marked by an unfeigned love for the brethren. This love is void of hypocrisy, hate, envying, and backbiting. Rather, this love causes the believer to desire the very best for other believers.

Because of God's holiness, we ought to love the brethren. Obedience to God and loving the brethren are the two greatest shows of our love for God.

Holiness is to be the goal of the Christian life because God is holy. Holiness is manifested in several ways. How do we show holiness in our lives? Listen along as Peter shows us in the first chapter of his first epistle.

God is holy and perfect. Because His holiness, we should fear Him. Not only should we fear Him, but we should also be faithful to Him and thankful for all He does.

Peter is exhorting these believers who are suffering persecution to counter this persecution with holy, sanctified living. Why should believers be holy? Because our God is holy.

People love to know what is going to happen. It was the same in Jesus day. Yet, the prophets foretold of Jesus' coming, His ministry, His death, and His resurrection. They had the knowledge in the Scriptures, it just required their faith.

What the prophets wrote in the Old Testament are very much Scripture. What they wrote about has, or will, come to pass completely. This is no more clearly seen than in their prophecies of the coming Messiah.

The believer can be sure that persecutions and trials will come. How we deal with suffering starts with our knowledge of our salvation. There are certain things we must know about our salvation.

Salvation in Jesus Christ is the foundation for every believer's life. Without it, one can do nothing for God. It all starts with believing in Jesus Christ for remission of sins.

As we begin looking at the book of 1 Peter, it is important to know about the man used by God to pen this epistle. The apostle Peter was both prominent as a disciple with Christ and as an apostle for Christ.