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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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May 8, 2011
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Contents:
1) 1 Peter 5:5,6 (Tom Edwards)
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-1-
1 Peter 5:5,6
by Tom Edwards
After directing his message to the elders, Peter then gives this
following exhortation in 1 Peter 5:5, "You younger men, likewise, be
subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility
toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO
THE HUMBLE."
Commentators are divided over whether the "elders" in this verse is
still referring to the overseers, as seen in the previous verses, or
simply to the older persons in comparison with the younger. The
term "elders" is from the Greek word "presbuteros," which is not only
used for the office of an "elder," but also for an older person in
general. For instance, in John 8:9, "When they heard it, they
began to go out one by one, beginning with the OLDER ONES
[presbuteros]...."
According to 1 Timothy 5:1,2, the younger should have a special regard
for the older -- whether male or female -- and Christians are to submit
to each other in the fear of Christ (Eph. 5:21). Plus, we are
each to be subject to those men who serve as elders in the congregation
in which we are members. So whether we are talking about these
men who serve as elders or just older people in general, the principle
to be subject to them is also seen elsewhere in the Scriptures.
In the NASB, it speaks of the "younger men" submitting to the
elders. This, however, should not be limited to merely younger
men; for the Greek word for men is not in this phrase. Rather,
both the words "Younger" and "men," in this verse, are from the Greek
word "neos," which is mainly translated as "new" in the NT. Strong
defines it as "young" or "new." In Titus 2:4, it is even rendered
as "young women," in speaking of the role of the older women toward the
young women. Many of the other Bible translations don't use the phrase
"younger men" in 1 Peter 5:5. Some use just "younger," or
"younger people," or "younger ones." Out of 25 versions I looked
it up in, only 5 of them use the term "men."
The context goes on to show that not only is there to be a submission
unto the elders, but also a proper submission toward one another.
This is worded as, "clothe yourselves with humility toward one another"
in the NASB and as "all of you be subject one to another" in the KJV.
Peter also gives two reasons why this is important: "God is opposed to
the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (1 Pet. 5:5). Sinful
pride interferes with one's relationship with God. According to 2
Chronicles 32:24,25, it hindered Hezekiah from being grateful unto the
Lord: "In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill; and he prayed to the
LORD, and the LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah
gave no return for the benefit he received, because his heart was
proud; therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem."
Wisely, Hezekiah soon solved this problem by humbling himself before
the Lord, as verse 26 shows: "However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of
his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath
of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah."
The Bible teaches that "Everyone who is proud in heart is an
abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished" (Prov.
16:5).
Pride sometimes comes when everything seems to be going very well in
one's life. It would seem that the individual is then no longer
leaning as strongly on the Lord or realizing the need for Him.
God speaks of this through Hosea: "As they had their pasture, they
became satisfied, And being satisfied, their heart became proud;
Therefore they forgot Me" (Hos. 13:6). Again we also see the
connection between pride and forgetting God. The former leads to
the latter.
Peter, therefore, gives the needful exhortation in 1 Peter 5:6, by
saying, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that
He may exalt you at the proper time."
Though the Lord never forces us to do anything against our will, we are
made aware in the Scriptures of the choices He wants us to make for our
good. For Peter had just warned that God is opposed to the proud,
but gives grace to the humble; so he then follows through with the next
logical exhortation: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand
of God...." -- which is the Lord's instruction and desire for us,
revealed through Peter.
It is true that sometimes God has intervened in helping one to humble
himself, such as in the case of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4.
Because of his pride (vv. 29,30), Nebuchadnezzar was stricken insane,
lost his sovereignty, and was driven away from mankind, until he would
realize, seven years later, that God "is ruler over the realm of
mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes" (v. 32).
Nebuchadnezzar was also made to realize that all of God's works "...are
true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in
pride" (Dan. 4:37).
Consider also Exodus 10:3,4: "Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said
to him, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you
refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may
serve Me. For if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow
I will bring locusts into your territory.'" Here the implication
is that to genuinely submit to the Lord's way is how we can humble
ourselves before God. For in doing that, our actions are saying
to the Lord, "Thy will be done" -- instead of merely our
own. Of course, that humility needs to be coupled with the
proper reverence for God; and Pharaoh was lacking in that. For he
did not truly fear the Lord (cf. Exod. 9:27-30). As a result,
Pharaoh continued to harden his heart against God.
So even when God did intervene in these two cases of Nebuchadnezzar and
Pharaoh, it appears that what made the difference in the reactions of
these men was their hearts.
And even when God does not intervene through His divine providence, we
still have the responsibility to humble ourselves before the mighty
hand of God and to strive to make our hearts and lives right with Him
by conforming to His word.
The phrase "hand of God" is really an interesting
expression. We often find it in the Scriptures. We
realize that because we have been created in God's image, it doesn't
necessarily mean that God also has two eyes, two ears, one mouth, two
hands, two feet, etc. For God is Spirit; so it is the spirit part
of man that is created in God's image. Therefore, in speaking of
God as having hands like us, it is anthropomorphizing. This is
done anytime we ascribe human form to a thing or being that is not
human.
When we think of hands, we think of action. For example, a
painter paints with his hands; a sculptor makes sculptures; a carpenter
makes houses; we also engage in various work and other activities with
our hands.
God, however, does not need hands as a person does. For the Lord
has the abililty to merely speak something into being, and it will be
so. Consider, for instance, these following verses: "For He
spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Psa. 33:9).
"Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were
created" (Psa. 148:5). And how can we ever forget Genesis
1:3? It states, "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there
was light." As we read through that first chapter of Genesis, we
are made aware of that re-occurring phrase, "Then God said." This
phrase is used at the beginning of each of the days in which God made
something during His great work of creation. Though we can easily
imagine horses grazing in a lush, green pasture where the leaves and
branches of shady trees are rustled by a gentle breeze, and while
large, white clouds are slowing drifting by in a light-blue sky, God
can do much more than merely imagine. For, though we don't see
Him using His power in this way today, as He did in the beginning of
creation, He, nevertheless, still has that same ability to speak
whatsoever He desires into a reality -- and even give life to that
which He creates. What an awesome power! And though
God can do all of this without hands, this is not to say that He does
not have some type of superior hands -- for we know not what God in
heaven looks like. But
it appears that the idea of God using His hands, as we would liken to
human hands doing different things,
is accommodative language for our own understanding.
The Bible references of God having "hands," according to Francis
Schaeffer, is so that God can become more personal to us. The
Lord wants to communicate to us in a way in which we can relate
to. Schaeffer points out several ways in which the "hand of God"
is used in the Scriptures. He states that "The hand of God creates,"
"The hand of God preserves," "The hand of God chastises," "The hand of
God cares for His people," "The hand of God provides security," and
"the hand of God invites." Let's look into some Scriptures that
verify this.
For instance, when we think of the Lord in the work of creation,
consider these following verses: "It is I who made the earth, and
created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands And I
ordained all their host" (Isa. 54:12). Psalm 102:25, "Of old You
founded the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands."
And what about the hand of God preserving? After creating the
universe, the Lord did not simply walk away from it, forget about it,
and never have any more to do with it. Rather, we see the hand of God
in preserving it. For instance, Psalm 104:27,28: "They all wait
for You To give them their food in due season You give to them,
they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with
good." Though the Lord doesn't literally hold out His hand to
feed these creatures, we realize that whatever they eat is that which
God has provided -- so He is the source for their food. Corresponding
to this is what Jesus teaches about the Father in Matthew 6:26, "Look
at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you
not worth much more than they?" Consider also Psalm 145:15,16,
"The eyes of all look to You, And You give them their food in due time.
You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing."
The hand of God also chastens. Psalm 32:3-5: "When I kept silent
about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day
long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; My vitality
was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. I
acknowledged my sin to Thee, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, 'I
will confess my transgressions to the LORD'; And Thou didst forgive the
guilt of my sin. Selah." It was the hand of God that led
David into acknowledging his sin in order that he could obtain the
mercy of God and be relieved. Schaeffer points out that this
chastening was not just psychological, but that which was also taking
place in the external world as well. For instance, David lost his
firstborn, due to his sin with Bathsheba. Miriam was made leprous
for speaking against Moses (Num. 12:5-10), and many of the other
children of Israel were also physically afflicted because of their
sins. I like the way the Psalmist expresses this in Psalm 119:67,
"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Thy word."
The implication is obvious: affliction helped the Psalmist to stay on
the right track. When God's hand brought chastisement, it was for
the good of the individual. So chastening was also a means of God
caring for His people (cf. Heb. 12:5-11).
The hand of God also provides security. For those who hear the
word of the Lord and follow, they are depicted as being safe in God's
hand -- and from where no one can pluck them out: "My sheep hear My
voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to
them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of
My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than
all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand" (Jn.
10:27-29). What a stark contrast this is to those who become
rebellious toward the Lord and will find it "a terrifying thing to fall
into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31). But for those who
are striving to faithfully follow God, He is their help; and when they
stumble, He is still there for them, if they will repent and turn to
Him. Notice how the Psalmist expresses this: "When he falls, he
shall not be hurled headlong; Because the LORD is the One who holds his
hand. I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen
the righteous forsaken, Or his descendants begging bread" (Psa.
37:24,25). Also Psalm 73:23-24: "...Thou hast taken hold of my
right hand. With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me, And afterward
receive me to glory."
The hand of God also invites: "I have spread out My hands all day
long to a rebellious people, Who walk in the way which is not good,
following their own thoughts" (Isa. 65:2). God's purpose for
repeatedly sending the prophets to His wayward people was often to draw
them back to Him, that they would not perish. So through that,
the Lord was stretching out His hands to them, in a manner of
speaking. He was imploring through the prophets for His people to
repent and return to Him, so that they could be spared. For He
takes no pleasure in seeing the lost perish, as seen in Ezekiel 33:11:
"Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure
in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his
way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will
you die, O house of Israel?'"
So Peter exhorts the brethren to humble themselves "under the mighty
hand of God," that He might exalt them at the proper time (1 Pet. 5:6;
cf. Jms. 4:6,10). Jesus states, "And whoever exalts himself shall
be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted" (Matt.
23:12). The Lord also spoke of this in Mark 10:42-45: "And
calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, 'You know that those who
are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their
great men exercise authority over them. But it is not so
among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your
servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of
all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give His life a ransom for many.'" So Jesus shows that
true greatness is obtained through humble servitude.
In specifying three important things that the Lord required of His
people during the Mosaical Age, Micah points out that it was to "do
justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Mic.
6:8). And to do these three things are just as needful and important in
our time, for they are also shown in the NT.
The phrase "proper time" (1 Pet. 5:6) comes from just one Greek word,
which is also translated as "right time" in Romans 5:6, where it
declares, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ
died for the ungodly."
When will that "proper time" be for God to exalt His faithful
follower? Ultimately, it will be at the judgment day when all of
God's faithful people will be ushered into their eternal home in
heaven. What exaltation could even come close to that? But
think, too, of how being a humble and loyal servant of the Lord can
lead to other kinds of exaltations during our earth life, as well --
such as being elevated to a more noble character; receiving from God
His favor, honor, and blessings; being His child, instead of the
devil's; and being in God's kingdom, rather than in the kingdom of
darkness. Truly, through humility and obedience, the Christian
has been elevated to a much better state -- and the greatest of all
exaltations is yet to come!
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb.
10:36-39;
Rev.
2:10;
2
Pet.
2:20-22).
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Park Forest
CHURCH OF CHRIST
9923 Sunny Cline Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 6 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go (Gospel Observer website)
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html (audio sermons)