1, 2 Peter; Jude: Living Through Tough Times

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1 An In-Depth Book-by-Book Study of the Bible 1, 2 Peter; Jude: Living Through Tough Times PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE LARGE PRINT FALL 2012

2 Meet the Writer PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE This periodical is designed for adults using the Explore the Bible Series. VOLUME 6, NUMBER 1 Fall 2012 PRODUCTION AND MINISTRY TEAM David Briscoe Content Editor Pat Phillips Production Editor Dawn Rodgers Wyse Graphic Designer Darin Clark Graphic Design Specialist David Apple, Alan Raughton Adult Ministry Specialists Dwayne McCrary Team Leader, Ongoing Bible Studies Send questions/comments to Editor, Explore the Bible: Personal Study Guide One LifeWay Plaza Nashville, TN Or make comments on the Web at MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL Bill Craig, Director Adult Ministry Publishing Ken Braddy, Debbie Johnson, Managers Adult Ministry Publishing David Francis, Director Sunday School Faith Whatley, Director Adult Ministry Lifeway Church Resources Printed in the United States of America PHOTO CREDITS: Cover Photo: istock Photo.com/amygdala_imagery Inside Cover: istock Photo.com/Sarah Cates ARGILE SMITH wrote these lessons that are based on the Books of 1, 2 Peter and Jude. He serves as Associate Dean of Christian Ministry for the Caskey School of Divinity at Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana. He is a member of First Baptist Church in Pineville. Saved at age 17, Argile has devoted his entire adult life and ministry to preaching and teaching God s Word. He is an experienced church leader, having served four years recently as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Biloxi (MS) prior to his current ministry position at Louisiana College. He holds degrees from William Carey University (B.A.) and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.; Ph.D.). He is a popular speaker and Bible conference leader, and he has served as a trustee of LifeWay Christian Resources. Argile and his wife, Connie, have three grown sons. The couple also delights in to quote Argile one fairly perfect granddaughter. Explore the Bible: Adult Learner Guide (Large Print) (ISSN ) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. Copyright 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. For ordering or inquiries visit or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN For subscriptions or subscription address changes, subscribe@lifeway.com, fax , or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, orderentry@lifeway.com, fax , or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. The 2000 statement of The Baptist Faith and Message is our doctrinal guideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Standard Christian Bible, Holman CSB, and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. The suggestions for pronouncing Bible names are from That s Easy for You to Say: Your Quick Guide to Pronouncing Bible Names by W. Murray Severance, Copyright 1997 by Broadman & Holman Publishers. Used by permission. 4

3 table of contents FALL 2012 Features: How to Become a Christian 2 Word Wise 6 Daily Bible Readings 7 Introduction to 1, 2 Peter; Jude: Living Through Tough Times 8 Unit Overviews 10 That s Part of Your Problem 75 UNIT 1: WHERE DO YOU LIVE: (1 PET. 1:1 2:10) Sept. 2 Living with Hope 1 Peter 1:1-12 * 12 Sept. 9 Living in Holiness 1 Peter 1: Sept. 16 Living in a New Household 1 Peter 2: UNIT 2: HOW WELL DO YOU LIVE? (1 PET. 2:11 5:14) Sept. 23 Living as Strangers 1 Peter 2: Sept. 30 Living Under Stress 1 Peter 2: Oct. 7 Living at Home 1 Peter 3: Oct. 14 Living Without Fear 1 Peter 3: Oct. 21 Living in Community 1 Peter 4: Oct. 28 Living in Faith 1 Peter 4: Nov. 4 Living in Humility 1 Peter 5: UNIT 3: WHAT DO YOU LIVE WITH? (2 PET. 1:1 3:18; JUDE 1-25) Nov. 11 Living with Truth 2 Peter 1: Nov. 18 Living with Troublemakers 2 Peter 2:1-22; Jude Nov. 25 Living with Assurance 2 Peter 3: * Evangelistic Lesson 5

4 UNIT 1 WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Week of September 2 istockphoto.com Living with Hope Who doesn t want to live with hope, but how can I do so? Background Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-12 Lesson Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-12 Biblical Truth: The living hope we have through faith in Jesus Christ helps us live through difficult times. Life Goal: To help you tell others about the hope you have as a Christian 12 E X P LO R E T H E B I B L E P E R S O N A L S T U DY G U I D E

5 Chuck and Nick left the factory together at the end of their shift. Both of them had received the bad news earlier in the day that they would be laid off by the end of the week. The sluggish economy had slowed down production, and several employees would have to be sent home. Chuck and Nick had held on to their jobs for a long time. Understandably, they felt sad over the looming loss of employment. The two men talked as they shuffled through the parking lot toward their cars. Chuck lamented the harsh reality that he wouldn t have an income after a few more days. He said, I had hoped that something like this would never happen to me. But it did. Now my hope has died. I won t say I m not hurt or concerned, Nick replied, but my hope is intact. He went on to tell Chuck about the living hope he had because he had received Christ years earlier. The Bible passage we will study in the session gives us insight into the kind of hope that doesn t dim, sputter, or vanish even when we face tough times. It s the hope that comes from receiving God s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. FAITH IN ACTION For further study, read Life s Toughest Questions by Erwin Raphael McManus. This resource is available from Life- Way. See more information at com. Study Questions 1. Why did Peter refer to his readers as temporary residents? In what sense are all Christians temporary residents? (1:1) 2. What will be one of the results, made evident at Jesus second coming, of a Christian s genuine faith amid trials? (1:7) 3. In what sense did Old Testament prophets serve future generations even more than their own generation when they searched for God-given understanding about the Messiah? (1:10) BACKGROUND PASSAGE OVERVIEW Hope: Recognize Its Basis (1 Pet. 1:1-5) Peter addressed his first letter to Christians facing persecution for their faith. These believers currently were living in several Roman provinces across a wide region that today is northern Turkey. Peter invited the believers to join him in praising God for the living hope they enjoyed in Christ. Hope: Rejoice in Response (1 Pet. 1:6-9) Peter encouraged his readers to rejoice even though they faced persecution. Their trying experiences would give them an opportunity for their faith to grow stronger. In turn, the genuineness of Wherever a diamond ( ) appears before a word, see page 6 for pronunciation help and quick definitions. SEPTEMBER 2 Living with Hope 13

6 their faith would enable them to rejoice all the more when Jesus Christ returned. Hope: Recall God s Grace (1 Pet. 1:10-12) Peter explained that the Old Testament prophets as well as heaven s angels longed to fully understand God s plan of salvation. However, God gave them only limited insight into the salvation He would offer. In His grace, God revealed the complete picture to people who would hear the good news about Christ. Hope: Recognize Its Basis (1 Pet. 1:1-5) HCSB 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being protected by God s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. KJV 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Peter began his letter to his Christian friends by laying a solid foundation for what he would say about hope. He made the bedrock affirmation that living hope comes from knowing the living Lord, Jesus Christ. Verse 1. When Peter introduced himself, he didn t mention that he followed Jesus as one of His 12 disciples. Instead, Peter simply referred to himself as an apostle, a messenger sent by the Lord. In that role, Peter devoted himself to preaching the gospel everywhere the Lord sent him. That s how he had come to know the 14 EXPLORE THE BIBLE PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE

7 people to whom he wrote his letter. He referred to them as temporary residents in order to remind them of their eternal citizenship in heaven no matter where on earth they happened to live at the moment. (See Study Question 1.) He declared further that the Lord had chosen these believers. They were citizens of the kingdom of heaven because God had taken the initiative by offering salvation to them through Jesus Christ. They had responded to God in obedient faith.? Verse 2. In God s foreknowledge, He took the initiative in believers salvation. Before we ever knew about Him, God chose to provide a way for sinners to be saved by receiving Christ as Savior and Lord. God s Spirit then moved on us, and we responded to God with obedience. We placed our faith in Christ, whose blood was shed for us. In the covenant worship of the Old Testament, once a year an unblemished lamb s blood would be sprinkled on the mercy seat of the ark in the temple s holy of holies. That image helped Peter affirm to his readers that Jesus blood had brought them complete forgiveness from their sins. Instead of living in fear of sin s condemnation, now they experienced the multiplied blessings of God s grace and peace. Verse 3. After reminding his readers of the way they had come to Christ, Peter then praised the Lord for His mercy to them. Because of what God had given believers in Christ, now they could enjoy the living hope that He alone could provide. If we belong to Christ, we too have the same living hope. When we place our hope in something other than the Lord, sooner or later that sense of hope will prove false and will disappoint. However, our hope in Christ lives forever, and the reason is simple. Our hope in Him lives because He lives. His resurrection from the dead guarantees that our hope in Him will live on and outlast any and all troubling circumstances we may encounter. Verse 4. Our hope in Christ makes us confident about our inheritance in Him. What we inherit in this life eventually will fade away. We can count on it to perish. However, our inheritance in heaven will be imperishable. It will never die because our Savior lives forever. Verse 5. Not only do we as Christians have the promise of a lasting inheritance in heaven, we also have the assurance that God is protecting us as we serve Him in the world. We can depend on? Have you ever lived somewhere as a temporary resident? If so, what were the circumstances? (1:1)? How can believers embrace the fact they are temporary residents in this life? (1:1) KEY DOCTRINE: GOD S PURPOSE OF GRACE Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and is the glorious display of God s sovereign goodness. (See also Gen. 12:1-3; John 1:12-14; Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:3-6.) SEPTEMBER 2 Living with Hope 15

8 ? As a Christian, how would you complete this sentence? The best is yet to come because. (1:5) Him to exert His power on our behalf so that we will inherit what He has promised us. For this reason, we can place our lives in the Lord s hands through simple faith in Him. We can trust Him to be with us as we face the challenges ahead. Our salvation reminds us that the best is yet to come.? Therefore, we don t live in fear of the last time or of any uncertainties that go along with it. Instead, we face the future and all of its trials with a powerful, undying hope. Hope: Rejoice in Response (1 Pet. 1:6-9) HCSB 6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials 7 so that the genuineness of your faith more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. KJV 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Verse 6. Peter affirmed that he was sure the initial readers of his letter already had a firm grasp of God s promises to them. They rejoiced over what they had received for eternity even though now they had to face some trying times because of their devotion to Christ. Various trials had come their way, placing pressure on them and putting their living hope in Christ to the test. The trials that Peter mentioned likely stemmed from persecution these believers already were experiencing. At about that time, the Romans had begun to persecute Christians throughout the empire. Peter was in Rome at the time of writing, and he had no doubt witnessed some of the persecution as it erupted there. In time, such persecution would come also to other parts of the empire. Peter wanted his readers to stay true to Jesus as they struggled with persecution in the difficult days ahead. 16 EXPLORE THE BIBLE PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE

9 Verse 7. The trying times these Christians faced could have a positive effect on their walk with the Lord. Peter assured them that their faith in Christ would be honed and strengthened as a result of their endurance. To help his readers understand this positive effect, he compared and contrasted their genuine faith to the value of gold. From the earliest times of human history, gold has been considered extremely valuable. For this reason, gold ore from the mines was put through a refining process that included the use of fire to burn away impurities. The purer the gold, the greater its value was. The Lord considers His followers genuine faith to be even more precious and enduring than the finest gold. The value of gold perishes over time. God intends our faith to be resilient. In fact, He wants our faith to be stronger than the most difficult trial we would ever face. When it s been refined through the flames of tough times, our faith becomes more durable and valuable. Peter wanted his readers to keep in mind a transforming truth: one day they would see Jesus Christ face to face. He would return for them. At His revelation that is, at His second coming their faith in Him amid persecution would bear witness to their loyalty to Him.? When He returned, they would worship Him, giving Him praise for being the Lord of their lives, glory for the victories they would experience, and honor for the way He enabled them to overcome tough times. (See Study Question 2.) Verse 8. Peter s readers already had made giant steps in the way they trusted the Lord. The apostle affirmed their deep and abiding love for Jesus even though they had never seen Him face to face. Furthermore, they showed their confidence that Christ was present with them, walking by their side even in times of persecution. Even more impressive, they registered sheer joy over the happy reality that they belonged to the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 9. Like Christians in Peter s day, believers today can embrace the living hope that comes through trusting Christ. We can remain confident about the future that our salvation gives us. Of course, our salvation involves something that happened to us the moment we received Christ. Yet it also includes what happens to us presently as we grow in faith. Finally, our salvation takes into account what will happen to us in the future when we see Jesus. What will happen to us then constitutes the ultimate goal of our salvation.? What hardships or trials have you encountered on account of your faith in Christ? (1:7)? On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being always faithful, how well have you endured any such hardships and trials? (1:7)? How does it encourage you today to know that your genuine faith amid trials will result in praise, glory, and honor to Jesus upon His return? (1:7) SEPTEMBER 2 Living with Hope 17

10 Hope: Recall God s Grace (1 Pet. 1:10-12) HCSB 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when He testified in advance to the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels desire to look into these things. KJV 10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.? How have you responded to God s offer of salvation in Jesus that prophets of old as well as angels longed to understand? (1:12) Verse 10. As Peter continued to write about salvation, he turned his attention to the Old Testament prophets who had preached generations earlier. He recalled their diligence as they preached about God s grace. Although the Lord had revealed some details to them, He didn t give them the whole story about how His grace would come. That s why the prophets devoted themselves to extensive research. They investigated in order to gain insights into how God would express His marvelous grace to people everywhere. Verse 11. The Lord had revealed to the prophets that the Messiah would come, but many facts about Him remained unclear. Peter said that the prophets had inquired about the time and the circumstances surrounding the Messiah s arrival. The Spirit of Christ compelled them to investigate, and He moved them from within to proclaim the good news that the Messiah would come. The prophets trusted God to send the Messiah in due time. With the Spirit of Christ assuring them in advance that the Messiah would come, they continued to look for more insight. However, they only got a glimpse into His messianic sufferings, and they had only a limited understanding of the glories ahead. Peter s reference to the glories that would follow encourages us as believers today too. Primarily, this reference speaks of what 18 EXPLORE THE BIBLE PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE

11 happened to Jesus after His crucifixion and burial. The glories that followed His death includes His resurrection, appearances to His followers, His ascension, and the certain promise of His return. The glories of Christ also may point to what believers can anticipate because of our relationship with Christ. We experience His forgiveness now, and we look forward to heaven in the future. In the meantime, we experience the blessings and privileges that go along with being His children. Because of Christ s glories, we join Peter in celebrating our living hope in Christ. Verse 12. According to Peter, the Old Testament prophets had something significant revealed to them. The Lord showed them that they were not serving themselves. That is, the partial revelation given to them would serve future generations in an even greater way. Peter reminded his readers that they had the privilege of being counted among the people who got to see the complete picture of God s grace in Christ. (See Study Question 3.) The gospel that Peter preached was centered in Jesus Christ as the gift of God s grace to the world. Peter assured believers that the Holy Spirit had been at work in the proclamation of the gospel. The message of salvation through Christ had come from heaven to them so they could be saved. We have the opportunity today to know the full message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Angels desire to know what (or better yet, Who) we know. Salvation in Christ is the basis of an eternal, living hope. Do you have that hope?? STUDY QUESTION ANSWERS 1. Peter s readers were part of a Christian dispersion facing persecution. In addition, they were citizens of the kingdom of heaven. 2. Genuine faith will result in praise, glory, and honor to Jesus upon His return. 3. Through their prophecies, the Old Testament prophets pointed to the full picture of salvation in Jesus. WHAT NOW? MY MISSION How will you put into action this week what you ve learned from God s Word about living with hope? Receive an eternal, living hope by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior. Rejoice that in Christ your salvation is greater and stronger than any trials you are facing or ever will face. Praise God for His grace and patience which sustain you during times of trial. SEPTEMBER 2 Living with Hope 19