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1 Peter Summary
October 25, 2009
Theme: - How to Live in this World and Bear Up Under Suffering
This is a message to “strangers”/aliens – those who are living in a foreign land.
We too are aliens – as Christians this world is not our home.
I. The Introduction
Peter gives the normal salutation telling who wrote the letter and to whom it is written.
He points out in verse 2 that they are aliens in a broader sense of the word. They are citizens of
heaven – this world is not their home. Beginning with verse 3 Peter discusses…
A. The Nature of Our Inheritance 1:3-6
1. It is a living hope (3) – something that will never be terminated by death. The
implication is this: why do you set your affection on the material things of this world that you
will be robbed of in death. Set your affection on your living hope. When we do that we will
have a different attitude toward the things of this life.
2. It is incorruptible (4) – It will not decay, mildew, rust, rot, spoil, fall apart, or
go bankrupt.
3. It is undefiled (4)– It cannot be corrupted by sin.
4. It will not fade away (4) – it will always be there. If our hearts are set on the
goods of this world, we are going to be constantly disappointed.
5. It is reserved in heaven for you (4) – no one can touch it or harm it.
B. The joy of our inheritance 1:6-12
This inheritance is something we can enjoy right now. We do not have to wait until we
get to heaven. We can enjoy it just because we know it is there and that it belongs to us. Peter is
saying this: Even though we have not seen the inheritance we are going to receive and even
though we have not seen the Christ who has promised it to us, we believe Him and no matter
how dark the circumstances of life might be, our faith in His promises gives us joy. Although we
live in a world that is wicked and sinful with sickness, robbery and murder, someday we are
going home to heaven! That doesn’t change the circumstances, but it enables us to live above
them or through them because we know what lies ahead. We must not allow ourselves to be
overwhelmed with the difficulties of this life because the things that really count are
incorruptible, and undefiled, and will not fade away, and they are reserved in heaven for us.
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II. Exhortations In View of Our Salvation 1:13-2:10
A. How to Behave in Relation to God 1:13-21
1. Sober in Hope 1:13 – Because this world is not our home we should gird up
the loins of our minds. Get ready for action. Be tough-minded. Face life sensibly and
confidently. When we face trials we should not cower in fear, wondering if we can take it. That
is not a life that is characterized by hope. It is a life characterized by doubt and despair. In
periods of hardship and trial, let’s expect to triumph, and determine not to betray the Lord. A
modern day equivalent to girding up the loins might be roll up your sleeves, or take off your
coat and get down to work. We must live as those who mean business. We must take our
calling seriously. We are to be living like men and women who are under complete control as
opposed to being controlled by circumstances.
2. Holy in Conduct 1:14-16 – As He who has called you is Holy – so be you
holy in all manner of life. God really does expect us to live holy lives – holy in all manner of
life. That should be our foremost desire. We must bend every effort to be living in holiness.
3. Reverent in Attitude 1:17-21 – The idea here is this. If you call on Him as
Father, and if He is going to judge every man’s works without respect of persons, then we ought
to spend our time here on earth in reverential fear – a holy reverence for God. Oh, how much
that is missing today! A holy reverence for God will constrain us to delight in God’s ways and
to depart from evil.
B. How to Behave in Relation to the Brethren 1:22-2:3
1. Put on love (1:22) – these believers had purified their souls with the result
that they had come to love their Christian brethren with a genuine love. The word love appears
twice in verse 22. There are two different words in the Greek. But Peter is not concerned so
much with the kind of love these believers had for one another as he is with the way they were
to love one another. He exhorts them to love one another fervently (earnestly, intensely).
2. Put off … (2:1)
a. all malice
b. all guile
c. hypocrisies
d. envies
e. all evil speaking
If we are going to love one another with this kind of love we must put off all these things.
The Word of God is always consistent. We must put off sin as we put on godliness. It is not
enough to put off without putting on or to put on without putting off. The verb translated laying
aside means to strip off, or to throw hastily aside, as you would a garment if it were on fire or
saturated with a powerful acid.
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3. Renew the mind (2:2-3) – We live the Christian life by putting off and putting
on. This comes as a result of the renewing of the mind. It is only as we know God’s Word that
we know how God wants us to live.
C. How to Behave as Living Stones (2:4-10)
1. The believer must see himself as a member of the Church - (2:4-5)
As living stones we are part of a great spiritual building being constructed by God. Every
brick or stone of the structure is needed. Every individual stone in this building is important and
each stone has a responsibility.
2. The believer is a spiritual sacrifice (2:5-8) – Peter is not telling us that we
are to present animal sacrifices. Rather we are to offer ourselves to the Lord in complete
dedication and service.
3. The believer is a voice of praise (2:9-10) – Every time we break a sinful habit
we show forth His praises. Every time we choose to be obedient…every time we show
consideration for others, or react in love to our enemies…faithful attendance at church, honesty
in business…harmony in the home…patience with the children…all of these things bring praise
to God.
III. Exhortations in View of Our Position 2:11-3:12
A. How to Behave Before the Unsaved 2:11-12 - Peter says we should behave as
strangers (aliens, sojourners). We should behave as pilgrims. We should abstain from fleshly
lusts. And we should live honestly among the Gentiles. Peter is continuing to impress upon
these Christians that they are aliens to this world. They are different. Since they are different,
they should live differently.
B. How to Behave Toward Civil Authority 2:13-17
Submit
Honor
C. How to Behave toward your boss 2:18-25
1. The exhortation 2:18 – Be subject to your masters will all fear – this means
that we are to recognize His authority and be subject to Him. The servant is to be subject not
only to the boss who is easy to get along with, but also to the wicked and cruel. That doesn’t
seem fair, does it? Why would Peter ever ask such a thing of these servants?
2. The explanation 2:19-20 – This is commendable (thankworthy). There is
nothing outstanding about suffering for something we have done wrong. That is to be expected.
And it is natural to be expected to take it like a man. But when a man suffers for something he
has not done, then this is thankworthy – or acceptable to God.
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3. The example 2:21-25 - The example he gives is the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter
tells us here that Christians are called to endure wrong patiently. This is a part of the Christian
life.
D. How to Behave Toward Your Mate 3:1-7
1. The wife’s responsibilities - 3:1-6 – A basic ingredient of a happy marriage is
the wife’s submission to her husband. This is certainly not the same thing as the pagan
marriages where a wife was regarded as the property of the husband and was treated with little or
no consideration. The subordination spoken of here is one of function. Every family, if it is to
be united and if it is to run happily, must have a head just as a team must have a captain. The
proper head of the family is the man. The responsibility for the final decision rests on his
shoulders.
2. The husband’s responsibilities - 3:7 - Three qualities suggested by this
verse should be part of every christian husband’s relationship with his wife. He should develop:
considerate understanding, unselfish chivalry, and spiritual awareness.
In summary, the wife is to be in subjection to her husband. This subjection is evidenced
by her meek and quiet spirit. The husband is to be gentle and thoughtful with his wife, as one is
with a fragile vessel, and he is to pay her her equal share as his co-heir of God’s blessing on the
home.
E. How to Behave Toward other Christians 3:8-12
1. The Exhortation/Declaration 3:8-9
a. believers are of one mind
b. believers have compassion for one another
c. believers love as brethren
d. believers are tenderhearted
e. believers are humbleminded (lowly in mind)
f. believers do not return evil for evil but blessing for evil
Peter encourages this kind of behavior because right will eventually triumph. We may
have to wait for the Great White Throne Judgment but right will triumph.
2. The Quotation 3:10-12 – Peter quotes from Psalm 34 – Refrain your tongue
from evil.
IV. Exhortations In View of Our Suffering 3:13-5:11
A. How to Behave in the Midst of Trials (Part 1) 3:13-17
1. The Question – Who can do evil against us that God cannot make right? The
answer, of course, is no one. As aliens to this world we have our reward in the new heaven and
the new earth.
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2. The Advice (3:15-17) – Sanctify Christ as Lord. If Christ is seated upon the
throne of our hearts as Lord, then terror will not reign. The result will be a life full of hope that
makes men want to know why we are so sure of the future.
3. The Example of Christ (3:18-22) – Christ suffered as a just person for unjust
people. His suffering and death did not signal a defeat of the good and triumph of evil. Though
He died He was made alive.
4. The Suffering of Christ is our inspiration (4:1-2)
5. The Judgment of Christ is our comfort (4:3-6)
B. How to Behave in General 4:7-11
1. Be Soberminded 4:7 (not too high and not too low – moderate, selfcontrolled)
2. Be fervent in love 4:8 - fervent = stretched out. This kind of love covers a
multitude of sins.
3. Be hospitable 4:9
4. Be a good steward of your gift 4:10-11
C. How to Behave in the Midst of trials (again) 4:12-19 – Stop being alarmed
concerning the fiery trial that is to try you. We have become so soft and accustomed to the ways
of this life that we have forgotten that as aliens we are not called to a life of ease, but to a life of
following Jesus Christ – which is a life of suffering. We have experienced so little of it that
when it comes we are alarmed.
When we see the wicked flourish while the righteous suffer, when we seem to experience
nothing but hard times though we have faithfully followed Christ, we should not be alarmed and
think that we are going through something that Christians should not experience, but we should
commit the keeping of our souls to Him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator.
D. How to Behave in the Church 5:1-11
1. The admonition to the shepherds of the flock 5:1-4
- feed the flock of God
- take the oversight of it
- be an example
2. The admonition to the sheep of the fold – 5:5 – be
clothed with humility – tie on the apron of humility
We get along with other believers by being humble.
To resist Satan we must beware.
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Peter then comforts these believers by telling them that the same sufferings are
experienced by your brotherhood in the world (5:9) Sometimes we think we are the only ones
being called upon to undergo what we are facing. These early believers were reminded not to
think of themselves as special targets of Satan’s wrath or as facing a unique situation for which
God had no remedy. When we face difficult situations we should remind ourselves that
thousands of other believers have experienced the same kind of situation and have come through
it triumphantly.
Having exhorted us to be spiritually alert and to resist the attacks of the enemy, Peter
presents three basic truths to help us live victoriously.
 He first reminds us that God’s grace will strengthen us.
 Then he assures us that our suffering is just for a while.
 Then he tells us that the Lord uses it for our own good.
We may be hated by the world and attacked by the forces of Satan, but through it all God
is preparing us for heaven. Peter uses four verbs to show us what God will do for us.
 He will make us perfect.
 He will establish us. The Greek word that is translated establish means to
support, to set up, to fix firmly. Suffering gives a yielded Christian stability.
Such a person isn’t wild with excitement and joy one moment and falling apart
emotionally the next. He develops a spiritual stability that enables him to stand in
the face of difficulty.
 He will strengthen us.
 He will settle us.
Caution! – Suffering in itself does nothing. Responding properly to suffering does.
The conclusion – This is the true grace of God in which you stand. (5:12)
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