1 Peter Chapters 3 through 5

1 Peter Chapter 3 - Christogenea on Talkshoe 03-16-2012

Last week we saw that in 1 Peter chapter 2 the apostle admonishes his readers: “13 You must be obedient to every authority created by mankind on account of the Prince, whether to kings as if being superior, 14 or to governors as if being sent by Him for the punishment of evil-doers but for the praise of those doing good. 15 Because thusly is the will of Yahweh: doing good to muzzle the ignorance of foolish men, 16 as free men yet not as if having freedom for a cover for evil, but as servants of Yahweh.” These words are very much like those of Paul of Tarsus in his letter to the Romans, in chapter 13.

Yahweh raised up the Pharaoh of Egypt during the Exodus, knowing that the Pharaoh was evil, so that Yahweh could destroy him and demonstrate His glory and majesty to the children of Israel. Yahweh had Moses announce to the Pharaoh, which is recorded at Exodus 9:15-16, the following words: “15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. 16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” Yahweh appointed Nebuchadnezzar, whom the world saw as a tyrant, to rule wheresoever the children of Adam dwell, and he did. Yahweh established the Persian, Greek and Roman empires which followed, knowing that they would tyrannize men, knowing that they most often rule unrighteously, and they did. We know that Yahweh established these empires: their rise and their fall are clearly prophesied in Daniel chapters 2, 4, and 7, in rather amazing ways. It was within Yahweh's permissive will that the dragon – which represents His Own enemies - was able to give its power to these beasts, and He foresaw what would result. Again, it was all so that His people would see His majesty, and learn to put their trust in Him. They rejected Him as their king over three thousand years ago, and therefore this lesson has been necessary. This is all part of the seven times of punishment foretold in Leviticus 26:18: “And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.” Because these times were decreed by our God for our punishment, we must suffer through them, as also He does.

Also in chapter 2 of 1 Peter, the apostle calls his intended readers “an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people” a direct reference to Leviticus 19:5-6. Then Peter makes references to Hosea 1:9-10, clearly indicating that the people of the ancient dispersions of Israel are the only intended audience for his epistle. These are the “lost sheep” of Israel whom Peter by this time knew well, that the gospel should be taken to them so that they may be reconciled with Yahweh their God, as he points out at the end of chapter 2 concerning Christ that He “Himself carried your errors [or sins] on His body upon the cross, that the errors [sins] being taken away we should live in righteousness; by whose wounds you are healed. 25 For you were as sheep wandering astray, but you must return now to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls!”

III 1 Likewise the wives being subject to their own husbands, in order that if some then disobey the Word, through the conduct of the wives they shall have advantage without the Word, 2 observing in fear your pure conduct,

Paul also explains at 1 Corinthians 7:14 “The unbelieving husband has been sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified in the brother; otherwise then your children are unclean, while now they are holy.” The children would be holy – separated from the evil practices which are in the world – by the good conduct of the Christian mother, which would affect them since it would be the controlling influence in their lives.

3 of which the dress must not be outward with braids of hair and applications of gold or putting on of garments, 4 but the hidden man of the heart with the incorruptibility of the gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious before Yahweh.

A lot of modern women despise Paul of Tarsus for his attitudes towards women. However Paul's attitudes were very classical, and very Christian. Here Peter fully vindicates Paul, corroborating the instructions Paul left in his epistles concerning women. To this we may compare 1 Corinthians 11, Ephesians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:18 and 1 Timothy 2:9-10. A lot of modern women – and men – have minds ingrained so deeply with jewish communist propaganda that they no longer even view feminism for what it is, and think that feminist views are normal. Jewish ideals have permeated and poisoned western society since the French Revolution, and often we do not even detect them. Feminism is the judaization of women, and there is no room in Christianity for feminism. Women have an important place in Christian society, and an invaluable place in Christian households, which feminism has now practically destroyed.

Ephesians 5:21-27: “21 Subject yourselves to one another in fear of Christ: 22 wives, to their own husbands, as if to the Prince, 23 because the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the assembly: He is deliverer of the body. 24 But as the assembly is subject to Christ, in that manner also wives in everything to the husbands. 25 Husbands, love the wives, just as Christ has also loved the assembly, and had surrendered Himself for it, 26 in order that He would consecrate it, cleansing it in the bath of the water in the word, 27 that He may present it to Himself in honor, the assembly not having a blemish or a wrinkle or any of such things, but that it would be holy and blameless.”

Colossians 3:18-19: “18 Wives, subject yourselves to the husbands, as is proper with the Prince. 19 Husbands, love the wives and have no bitter feelings towards them.”

1 Timothy 2:9-10: “9 Likewise women in moderate attire are to adorn themselves with modesty and discretion, not in braids and in gold or pearls or in very expensive garments, 10 but that which is fitting with women professing fear of God, through good works.”

The admonishments to women concerning their clothing were not without reason. We usually think of the ancients as prudish dressers, but that was certainly not the case in ancient Greece. Aristophanes, who was at the peak of his career around 400 BC, wrote about short skirts, facial make-up, and see-through dresses in ancient Greece. While first-century dress in the Roman empire was usually a bit more modest, it was not always, and women could go to lengths to make the simple toga or stola which they wore to be sexier or more attractive. Exotic fabrics such as silk were expensive, but frequently seen. Women of the period also very often wore ornate gold and silver jewelry, and it was common for women to go to great lengths arranging their hair in elaborate braids. These are the things which Peter, and Paul also, advised Christian women against, since they were considered to be immodest and vain. Christian women should indeed have those attitudes today.

5 For thusly at one time also the holy women who have hope in Yahweh had dressed themselves being subject to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah had obeyed Abraham calling him master, whose children you have been born to do good and not fearing any terror.

“Abraham and Sarah, whose children you have been born to do good”. One cannot spiritualize seed, the Greek word sperma: in people it only comes from one's reproductive organs. Yet because the organized religions are universalist, and they insist that the seed of Abraham is not literal, their agenda leads them to other errors as well, and here we have an obviously blatant one. The King James Version has an “as long as”, where it says “whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well”. The words are not in italics, as the King James usually marks added words, yet there is no conditional word or phrase in the Greek anywhere in this passage, in any manuscript. The New American Standard translation is far worse, where it says “and you have become her children if you do what is right”. The KJV translation here is dishonest, and the NAS translation is criminal! The King James reads the Greek verb γίνομαι as if it were εἰμί, which is simply to be, when in fact γίνομαι means to become, to come into being, and of people,that means to be born. The KJV and the NAS both also attempt to cover for their errors here by translating the participle verb, to do or doing, as if it were a second person active verb instead, after they each supply a conditional clause that is not anywhere in the text! You have to be born one of Abraham’s children, just as Eliezer was rejected from being made heir in favor of a child from Abraham's own loins! And it is certain that Eliezer was a member of Abraham's wider ethnic community. There is no word in the Bible about somehow becoming one of Abraham’s children otherwise! While the word γεννάω, which is related to γίνομαι, and not γίνομαι itself, is the usual New Testament word used to describe the act of being born, that alone does not change the basic meaning of γίνομαι, which Liddell and Scott define as “Radical sense (this sense is the most basic literal sense of the word), to come into being, Latin gigni: 1. of persons, to be born, Odyssey...2. Of things, to be produced, Plato, Xenophon...3. Of events, to take place, come to pass, come on, happen, and in past tenses to be, Homer, etc...” Peter's intended readers were born the seed of Abraham, and they were born for the purpose of doing good, and not to fear. That is the fault of the Catholic religion, it is based on the premise that if one does good, then he might become something other than what he was born: the Catholic religion is contrary to the Creation of God, and it keeps people in fear, which here Peter tells us that we should not have.

7 The men likewise, living together in accordance with the knowledge that with the feminine is the weaker vessel, imparting honor as they are also fellow-heirs of the favor of life, for your prayers not to be hindered.

Husbands should love their wives. They are honored partners, “fellow-heirs of the favor of life” and not human chattel. However the wife can only rightfully anticipate that honor if she in turn submits herself to her husband. As Paul said in Ephesians, “Husbands, love the wives, just as Christ has also loved the assembly”, keep in mind that the men of the assembly – if they expect their wives to honor them – must in turn submit themselves to Christ. Paul said in Colossians, “Wives, subject yourselves to the husbands, as is proper with the Prince. Husbands, love the wives and have no bitter feelings towards them.” Peter corroborates those things here.

Live righteously “for your prayers not to be hindered”: Isaiah 1:15-17: “15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” Ezekiel 20:1: “And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2 Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, 3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.” Sinful people have no recourse in prayer to God, and as Yahweh said at Isaiah 1:17, we must seek judgement against sinners. It is not enough that we ourselves keep free from lawlessness, we must also pray that God judges sinners, and we must not accept those sinners into our company. Paul says of sinners at Romans 1:32 that “not only they who cause them, but also they approving of those committing them” are worthy of the judgement of God. If we accept the wicked practices of those around us, how can we expect the blessings of our God?

8 But at last, all be like-minded, sympathetic, lovers of brethren, compassionate, humble-minded, 9 not returning evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but on the contrary blessing, because for this you have been called, in order that you shall inherit a blessing.

Romans 12:16-18 carries the same message: “16 [Be] of the same mind towards one another, not thinking of lofty things, but accommodating oneself to those that are humble: do not be wise on account of yourselves; 17 to no one returning evil in place of evil: having noble intentions in the presence of all men; 18 if possible from yourselves, being at peace with all men”. Both Peter and Paul carried on the instruction which Christ transmitted in the famous Sermon on the Mount.

10 For he desiring to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil, and lips for which not to speak guile, 11 but he must turn away from evil and do good, he must seek peace and pursue it, 12 because the eyes of Yahweh are upon the righteous and His ears to their entreaty, but the face of Yahweh upon [or against] those doing evil.

Psalm 34:11-17: “11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

Proverbs 3:1-4: “1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.”

Romans 14:19: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”

Yet the things which make for real peace are the commandments of God. The “peacemakers” are not the world's compromisers. The peacemakers are those who seek to uphold the Word of God, as the Proverb says: “He that winks with his eyes deceitfully, procures griefs for men; but he that reproves boldly is a peacemaker” (Proverbs 10:10, from the Septuagint).

13 And who is he who shall be doing you evil if you are emulators of good?

This thought is also in agreement with Paul's words in Romans chapter 13 and with the statements concerning the governments of men. Even evil rulers fear righteous people and good works. Such is evident, for instance, at Mark 6:20: “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” Even the wicked Herod did not want to kill John, until he backed himself into a corner and his wickedness overcame him for the sake of his pride, when he only relented to kill John because of an oath he made to his even more wicked step-daughter, at the beckoning of her still more wicked mother.

14 But if then you should suffer on account of righteousness, you are blessed. So you should not fear their fear nor be troubled.

As Christians, we should never fear what unrighteous men or what a tyrannical government may do to us. This is the message of the gospel where Christ says at Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell”. This is why Paul warns us to “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” at Ephesians 6:11. Those who fear what men may do to them have no true Christian faith.

[One of my detractors recently wrote the following about me on his website, and I quote: “When I was at Bill Finck’s home in the fall of 2010, I asked him, 'Do you think it’s wise to publish your home address on your website?' He was not concerned. I thought he was recklessly endangering his mother and grandmother, with whom he lives.” Quite the contrary, I believe that whatever happens to myself or my family is not within my own control, but is within the control of Yahweh my God. I live my faith every day. The man who wrote that is not a Christian, he is a fraud, and his own attitudes prove it to anyone with eyes to see. If we as Christians seek to please Yahweh, we should have no fear of men.]

15 Now sanctify the Prince Christ in your hearts, always ready with an answer to each asking you for an account concerning the hope which is among you, 16 but with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, in order that while you are slandered those who despise your good conduct in Christ would be ashamed.

Compare Colossians 4:5-6: “5 In reference to those outside, you walk in wisdom, buying the time, 6 your speech always with goodwill, seasoned with salt. It is necessary for you to know in what manner to answer every single one.”

Peter says in chapter 4 of this letter: “3 For enough of the time has passed perpetuating the will of the heathens, having walked in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revelries and lawless idolatries. 4 While they are astonished, they blaspheme at your not running together in the same excess profligacy.”

The ancient Roman historian Tacitus claimed that Christians were “notoriously depraved”, had “anti-social tendencies” and were persecuted for being “incendiary” (Annals, 14, 15). The later Christian bishop Tertullian tells us that the jews fashioned all sorts of false allegations against Christians, so far even as ritual infanticide (Apology, 8). The Christian apologist Minucius Felix said that Christians were accused of worshipping monsters, devouring infants, and holding incestuous feasts, and, referring to those enemies of Christ, he said that “the demons were for ever setting fables afloat without either investigation or proof” (Octavius, 28). So Peter's talk of the slander and blasphemy aimed at Christians was indeed very real, and happening at the very time in which he wrote. Yet while Christians were being slandered, it was the pagans who were depraved. Both Paul of Tarsus, in Romans chapter 1, and Tacitus himself, in his Germania, had written at this time of the sexual immorality which had become popular in Rome. Today we see this same situation, where sexual immorality and perversity are trumpeted everywhere, and those who reject such things are blasphemed.

17 For it is better doing good, if one should desire the will of Yahweh, to suffer than doing evil. 18 Because Christ also suffered once for all errors, the just on behalf of the unjust, in order that He may lead you to Yahweh, indeed dying in the flesh but being made to live by the Spirit.

Paul, from Romans chapter 5: “6 Indeed when we were feeble, Christ at the appointed time died for the impious. 7 Though scarcely for the benefit of the upright will one die: for the benefit of the noble perhaps one then dares to die; 8 but Yahweh introduces His own love to us, because we, yet being wrongdoers, Christ had died for our benefit. 9 Still more then, being deemed worthy now by His blood, will we be preserved by Him from wrath.”

To repeat 1 Peter 3:17: “For it is better doing good, if one should desire the will of Yahweh, to suffer than doing evil.”

Matthew 5:9-13: “9 Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called sons of Yahweh. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted on account of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they would reproach and persecute you and being liars they would speak any evil against you on account of Me. 12 Rejoice and exult, because great is your reward in the heavens. For thusly had they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its savor, with what shall it be salted? It avails for nothing more than it is cast outside to be trampled by men!”

A “peacemaker” would be persecuted on account of righteousness because, as the Proverb says, “He that winks with his eyes deceitfully, procures griefs for men; but he that reproves boldly is a peacemaker” (Proverbs 10:10, from the Septuagint). Therefore a “peacemaker” is one who seeks to uphold the laws of Yahweh.

Luke 6:22: “Blessed are you when men hate you and when they separate from you and they reproach and they cast out your name as evil because of the Son of Man: 23 Rejoice in that day and leap, for behold, your reward is great in heaven! For in accordance with these same things did their fathers do to the prophets.”

19 At which also going He proclaimed to those spirits in prison, 20 who at one time had been disobedient – when the forbearance of Yahweh awaited in the days of Noah’s preparing the vessel in which a few, that is eight souls, had been preserved through the water.

In reference to the “spirits in prison”, Paul states at Ephesians 4:8-10, part of which quotes Psalm 68: “8 On which account it says, 'Having ascended to the summit He has taken captivity captive, He has given gifts to men.' 9 Now He that ascended, what is it if not that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also He who ascended above all of the heavens, in order that He would fulfill all things.”

Separation and alienation from Yahweh our God are comparable to a prison for our spirits, and therefore I believe that the ancient beliefs in an underworld, a hell, as an abode for the dead is an allegory for that separation. That is why Paul said, at Ephesians 2:18, that “Because of Him [Christ] we both [remnant Israel and cast-off Israel] have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Practically every branch of our race believed in an underworld abode of the dead, where the spirits of the dead awaited judgement. For instance, in the ancient Sumerian texts there is the story of Inanna’s Descent to the The Netherworld – which told the tale of the Annunaki who were 7 unnamed “great gods” of the Sumerian pantheon who sat as judges of the dead. Inanna was the Sumerian “Queen of Heaven”. Her sister Ereshkilgal ruled over the netherworld. The Assyrians later had a similar story, called Ishtar’s Descent to the Netherworld. In the Greek texts, Tartaros was the word for the underworld abode of the spirits of the dead, and it was ruled over by the god Hades, whose name later became synonymous with the place. In Book 11 of the Odyssey, Homer portrays the hero Odysseus as having descended to Hades in order to consult the blind (and dead) Theban prophet Teiresias (the Thebans were Phoenicians). In the tragic poet Aeschylus’ play, Alcestis, the famous Heracles descends into Hades and brings the heroine back up from the dead, restoring her to the husband, whom she had given her life for. In the Germanic Edda, Niflheim is the underworld abode of the dead, and it is ruled over by a goddess named Hela, who like Hades for the Greeks, gave us our English word for Hell. The ancient Egyptian mortuary texts saw the underworld as the abode for the punishment of the rebellious (Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, J. Pritchard, editor, Princeton University Press, 1969, pp. 8 and 16). So we see that practically every branch of our race believed in this underworld abode of the dead, which we also find in the Hebrew word Sheol, equivalent to Hades and Niflheim. Another similarity between Greek and Assyrian beliefs, the Greeks thought the dead crossed the river Styx to find the way to Tartaros, and the Assyrians that they crossed the river Khubur (or Hubur) [ANET, p. 602].

To repeat 1 Peter 3:19-20: “19 At which also going He proclaimed to those spirits in prison, 20 who at one time had been disobedient – when the forbearance of Yahweh awaited in the days of Noah’s preparing the vessel in which a few, that is eight souls, had been preserved through the water.”

Christ preached the gospel to the spirits of those who had died before and during the flood, to those who were disobedient in the days of Noah, and therefore they also are reunited with Yahweh. These prisoners were not Israelites, but Adamic people who nevertheless fell under the earlier promises of restoration to our race. The first of these is at Genesis 3:22: “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.” In the assembly hall in Nazareth, as recorded in Luke chapter 4, Christ quoted from Isaiah chapter 61: “1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Therefore it is evident, that His words applied to both the Adamic spirits being reconciled to God, and the children of Israel in this world also being reconciled.

One other aspect of this must be noted, where Peter informs us that the spirits of men who died before the passion of Christ had received the gospel from Him, which Paul corroborated. From this we can also tell that those spirits had existed and been conscious in death for all of that time – thousands of years – and that the Greek, Roman, Sumerian, Akkadian and Germanic views of life and the continued existence of the spirit after death were indeed grounded in truth. All of those beliefs of the Aryan nations, while elaborated by them, were certainly from the Hebrew or from the same source as the Hebrew, and were always with our Aryan race wherever we went.

21 Which also now a representation saves you: immersion. Not a putting away of the filth of the flesh but a demand of a good conscience for Yahweh, through the resurrection of Yahshua Christ, 22 who is walking in heaven at the right hand of Yahweh, messengers and authorities and powers being made subject to Him.

While it is true that the apostles were baptizing people in water for quite some time after the resurrection and ascension of Christ, the Book of Acts is a book of transition, from the Old Covenant to the New, and from the service of rituals to the service of kinship in our reconciliation to God. That is what the New Covenant is really about: rather than a service of rituals for our own sake we are to turn to serving each other with real works for the sake of building the real temple: the Body of Christ found in our race. Therefore Paul said in Galatians 5:13: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

Here we see Peter profess that baptism, or immersion, is the cleansing of the conscience, not the body, and that does not require water and a ritual and the hands of another man. Peter realizes this and makes the admission recorded at Acts chapter 11: “15 And with my beginning to speak the Holy Spirit fell upon them, even as also upon us in the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the saying of the Prince as He spoke: ‘Indeed Iohannes immersed in water, but you shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit.’”

In the days of John the Baptist, John was sent to perform what he did as a representation of cleansing the consciences of those whom he baptized. This was a fulfillment of the prophecy of John the Baptist found at Malachi 3:3 where it says that “he shall purify the sons of Levi”, and indeed he did. John the Baptist fulfilled the necessary washing of the priests and the sacrifice – Yahshua Christ Himself – which were required by the law in Leviticus, so that Christ could be a perfect sacrifice unto God. Paul wrote in Hebrews 9:26: “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Therefore confirming what Peter said earlier in this epistle about the relationship of a man and wife, and also corroborating what Peter says here about baptism, Paul said at Ephesians chapter 5: “24 But as the assembly is subject to Christ, in that manner also wives in everything to the husbands. 25 Husbands, love the wives, just as Christ has also loved the assembly, and had surrendered Himself for it, 26 in order that He would consecrate it, cleansing it in the bath of the water in the word, 27 that He may present it to Himself in honor, the assembly not having a blemish or a wrinkle or any of such things, but that it would be holy and blameless.” Immerse yourselves in the Word of God, and there is no need for the rituals of men. John 15:3, the words of Christ to the apostles: “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

IV 1 Therefore with Christ suffering in the flesh, you also be equipped with the same mind, because he who suffers in the flesh ceases from wrongdoing, 2 for which no longer in the desires of men, but in the will of Yahweh should he live the remaining time in the flesh.

Peter already told his readers, at 3:8-9: “8 But at last, all be like-minded, sympathetic, lovers of brethren, compassionate, humble-minded, 9 not returning evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but on the contrary blessing, because for this you have been called, in order that you shall inherit a blessing.” Likewise Paul told the Romans, at 8:17, “And if children, then heirs: heirs indeed of Yahweh, and joint heirs of Christ; if indeed we suffer together, that also we will be honored together.” Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” 2 Corinthians 13:11: “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”

3 For enough of the time has passed perpetuating the will of the heathens, having walked in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revelries and lawless idolatries. 4 While they are astonished, they blaspheme at your not running together in the same excess profligacy.

Life is not party-time. Christians should be sober-minded. Upon worshipping the golden calf in the desert, it is written in Exodus chapter 32 that “the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” Yahweh responded by telling Moses that “thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves”. Paul quotes this same thing in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, where he says “7 Neither become idolaters, just as some of them; as it is written, 'the people were seated to eat and to drink, then rose up to play.'” There is more to idolatry than merely the worship of other gods.

5 They shall give an account to Him who holds ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 Indeed for this also to the dead the good message has been announced, that they may indeed be judged like men in the flesh, but live like Yahweh in the Spirit.

We shall all indeed give an account to our Creator, however that does not mean that any of the children of God are destined for the lake of fire, as the Roman Catholics and all those professional priests who seel to rule over the minds and lives of men insist. All the seed of Israel shall be preserved, just as it is written in Isaiah chapter 45 and Romans chapter 11. Paul says at 1 Timothy 5:24: “24 The errors of some men are manifest beforehand, going ahead to judgment, but others then follow after. 25 In like manner also are the good works manifest, and those being otherwise are not able to be concealed.” Sin cannot be hidden from the eyes of God. The spirits in prison, even those who sinned in the days of Noah - and there are not many worse sinners than them mentioned in Scripture - received the Gospel for their release, not for their destruction. However Paul says at Romans 8:17 “...if indeed we suffer together, that also we will be honored together”. Paul taught in Philippians that – in spite of the fact of the promises to the fathers – we should not trust in the flesh, and that we should strive to attain a better salvation. Therefore he said in Philippians chapter 3: “13 Brethren, I myself do not reckon to have obtained but one thing: forgetting the things past and reaching out to the things ahead. 14 In quest of a goal I give chase for the prize of the calling of Yahweh above, in Christ Yahshua.” As it is written in Daniel 12:2-3: “2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 3: “10 In accordance with the favor of Yahweh that has been given to me, as a skilled architect I have laid a foundation, whereas another builds it up. But each must look at how he builds it up. 11 For another foundation no one is able to place besides that which is established, which is Yahshua Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds upon that foundation gold, silver, precious stones, timber, fodder, straw, 13 the work of each will become evident; indeed the day will disclose it, because in fire it is revealed; and of what quality the work of each is, the fire will scrutinize. 14 If the work of anyone who has built remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If the work of anyone burns completely, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be preserved, although consequently through fire.” So there will be, figuratively speaking, hell to pay for a life of profligacy and licentiousness - however those of us who choose to live such lives will nevertheless be preserved. But for those who turn to righteousness in this life, they seek after and may very well find a greater reward in the next.

7 But the consummation of all things has approached. Therefore be discreet and sober in prayers, 8 before all things having zealous love for one another, because “love covers a multitude of errors”.

Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Ephesians 4:2: “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” If your brother does you wrong, your love for him will help you overcome that.

Just like Paul did, Peter also taught that the return of Christ is imminent. Romans 13:11: “Likewise, seeing the time, that hour we already are to be aroused out of sleep; for now it is nearer to our deliverance than when we had believed.” Again, at 1 Corinthians 7:29, Paul said “Now I say this, brethren, the time is shortening...” Revelation 3:3, the words of Christ: “Therefore remember how you have received and have heard and keep and repent. Then if you should not be alert, I shall come as a thief, and you may not know what hour I shall come upon you.” And at Matthew 24:42: “Therefore you must be alert, because you do not know in what day your Prince comes.” Since we know not when that time shall be, we must always act as if it were imminent, and for that reason the apostles spoke as if it were.

9 Be hospitable to one another without murmuring. 10 Each just as he has received a gift for themselves, administering that same thing as good stewards of the manifold favor of Yahweh. 11 If one speaks, as the sayings of Yahweh; if one serves, as from of the power which Yahweh provides, in order that in all things Yahweh is honored through Yahshua Christ, for whom is the honor and sovereignty for the eternal ages, truly.

Paul said at 1 Corinthians 7:7: “ That I wish all men to be even as myself, but each has his own gift from Yahweh, in this manner one, in that manner another. ” As Peter teaches here that we must be hospitable to one another without complaint, Paul told us in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 that all of the gifts we have are of no use unless we - we meaning the children of Israel - love one another.

12 Beloved, do not be astonished by the burning among you taking place for a trial for you, as if a strange thing is happening to you, 13 but just as you partake in the sufferings of Christ you rejoice, in order that also in the revelation of His honor, exulting you would rejoice.

In 1 Peter chapter 1, at verses 6-7 we read: “6 In which you must rejoice, if for a short time now it is necessary being pained by various trials, 7 in order that the test of your faith, much more valuable than gold which is destroyed even being tested by fire, would be found in praise and honor and dignity at the revelation of Yahshua Christ.”

This trial, this burning taking place among the Christians Peter was addressing, was very real. It is evident, as it was discussed here at the opening of this presentation of 1 Peter, that Peter wrote the letter in the time of Nero. Here are the words of Tacitus, from chapter 15 of The Annals of Imperial Rome:

First, Nero had self-acknowledged Christians arrested. Then, on their information, large numbers of others were condemned - not so much for incendiarism as for their anti social tendencies. Their deaths were made farcical. Dressed in wild animals' skins, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or crucified, or made into torches to be ignited after dark as substitutes for daylight. Nero provided his Gardens for the spectacle, and exhibited displays in the Circus, at which he mingled with the crowd - or stood in a chariot, dressed as a charioteer. Despite their guilt as Christians, and the ruthless punishment it deserved, the victims were pitied. For it was felt that they were being sacrificed to one man's brutality rather than to the national interest. - (Tacitus, The Annals of Imperial Rome 15.44, translated by Michael Grant, Penguin Books reprinted 1996, pp. 365-66.)

14 If you are reproached in the Name of Christ, you are blessed, because the honor and the Spirit of Yahweh rest upon you. 15 For not any among you must suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler in the matters of others, 16 but if as a Christian, you must not be ashamed, but you must honor Yahweh by this name, 17 because the time of judgment is to begin for the house of Yahweh. But if first for us, what is the end for those who are disobedient to the good message of Yahweh?

Mark13:9: But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. This life, and all of our past history, is our time of judgement!

1 Timothy 4:10: “For this we toil and we struggle, because we have trusted in Yahweh who lives, who is Savior of all most believing men.”

18 And “if the righteous man is barely saved, where shall the impious and the wrongdoer be seen?” 19 Consequently, even those suffering according to the will of Yahweh, for a trustworthy creator they shall employ their souls with doing good.

As Daniel says, many shall awaken to eternal reproach. Peter is urging men to repentance hoping to save some from that fate. Paul wrote at Romans 5:7-10: “7 Though scarcely for the benefit of the upright will one die: for the benefit of the noble perhaps one then dares to die; 8 but Yahweh introduces His own love to us, because we, yet being wrongdoers, Christ had died for our benefit. 9 Still more then, being deemed worthy now by His blood, will we be preserved by Him from wrath. 10 Therefore if we being odious were reconciled to Yahweh through the death of His Son, still more, being reconciled will we be preserved in His life.”

V 1 Therefore to the elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who also am a partaker of the coming honor to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of Yahweh which is among you, supervising not forcibly but voluntarily in accordance with Yahweh, nor for shameful profit but willingly, 3 nor as gaining dominion over those apportioned but becoming models for the flock, 4 and upon the manifestation of the Chief Shepherd you shall receive the unfading crown of honor.

Bishops are not to rule over the people! Paul said at 2 Corinthians 1:24: “24 Not because we lord over your faith, rather we are colleagues of your joy: for you are established in the faith.” A leader should conduct himself in an exemplary manner, leading by example and not by compulsion. A leader should be a man who has raised a family, as Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 3, so that he knows what it is like to have raised a family. The Word of God is the only real authority.

Philippians 3:13: “13 Brethren, I myself do not reckon to have obtained but one thing: forgetting the things past and reaching out to the things ahead. 14 In quest of a goal I give chase for the prize of the calling of Yahweh above, in Christ Yahshua.”

5 Likewise, youths, subject yourselves to the elders, and all bind on humility towards one another, because Yahweh opposes the arrogant, but He gives favor to the humble.

Peter's Greek here is an almost exact quote of Proverbs 3:34 from the Septuagint, which in Brenton's English says: “The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.”

Job 40:11-12: “11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.”

6 Therefore be humble under the mighty hand of Yahweh, in order that you would be exalted in due season, 7 all of your cares being cast upon Him, because with Him is care for you.

Matthew 10:28-30: “28 And do not fear from those killing the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear He who is able also to slay soul and body in Gehenna! 29 Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion? And one of these does not fall upon the earth without consent of your Father. 30 But of you even the hairs of the head are all counted. 31 Therefore do not fear, you are worthy more than many sparrows.”

8 Be sober. Be alert. Your opponent the False Accuser walks about as a roaring lion seeking someone to consume, 9 whom you must resist being solid in the faith, knowing that you must be subject to the same things from the sufferings of your brotherhood in Society.

James 4:7: “Therefore subject yourselves to Yahweh, but stand against the False Accuser and he shall flee from you.”

Ephesians 6: “11 Put on the full armor of Yahweh, for you to be able to stand against the methods of the False Accuser, 12 because for us the struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against realms, against authorities, against the rulers of the order of this darkness, against the spiritual things of wickedness among the heavenly places.”

1 John 2: “18 Little children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that the Antichrist comes, even now many Antichrists have been born, from which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They came out from us but they were not from of us. For if they were from of us, they would have abided with us, but so that they would be made manifest that they are all not from of us.”

The Anti-Christ, the Devil, the False Accuser, Satan: these words do not describe a singular supernatural demon, but an entire race of demons, people who came out of Judaea, but who were not true Judaeans. Examining Romans chapter 9 where Paul compares Jacob and Esau, and Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 which warn of those who claim to be Judah, but who are truly of the assembly of the Adversary (the synagogue of Satan), and Luke chapter 11 where Christ explains that the children of Cain were to be responsible for the blood of all the prophets from Abel to Zechariah, this can only describe the Kenite-Canaanite-Edomite jew and the other kindred races of ancient Canaan. These people are the Devils, anti-Christs, false accusers, and collectively they are Satan - the Adversary. Their actions throughout all of history, the fruits which they have always produced, prove that unto this very day.

To repeat verse 9, concerning these devils: “whom you must resist being solid in the faith, knowing that you must be subject to the same things from the sufferings of your brotherhood in Society”

We must witness against and stand against the evil in Society. Yet as long as this wicked age persists, we must suffer along with our brethren, those caught up in the ways of the world, those who have not acquired the open eyes and the full armor of God in order that they too can resist the devils. As it has often been said here previously, we often suffer along with our national body, those ignorant and sinful men around us who make up the majority of our Israelite nations! All of ancient Israel suffered together under the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian captivities, although certainly not all of them were deserving of such punishment, and so it is today that we all suffer so long as most of us are engaged in the sin of the world.

10 But Yahweh is of all favor, who calls you among the number of Christ Yahshua into His eternal honor, suffering the same for awhile you shall be restored, you shall be fixed firmly, you shall be strengthened, you shall be established.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18: “17 For the present lightness of our tribulation, an exceedingly surpassing eternal abundance of honor is earned by us; 18 we not considering the things being seen, but the things not being seen; the things being seen temporary, but the things not being seen eternal.”

11 For Him is the sovereignty for the ages, truly.

Paul, from 1 Corinthians chapter 16: “25 Indeed it is necessary for Him to reign, until He should place all of the enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy abolished is death, 27 therefore “all are subjected under His feet.” Now until it may be said that it is evident that all things have been subjected, (because outside of the subjecting of all things to Himself 28 and until all things are in subjection to Him,) then also the Son Himself will be subjected in the subjecting of all things to Himself, in order that Yahweh may be all things among all.” He is King of Kings, however all things shall be accomplished at His pleasure, because He is constrained by His Own Word.

12 By Silvanos the faithful brother, as I reckon, I have written to you in brief exhorting and testifying for this to be the true favor of Yahweh in which you should stand. 13 The elect woman in Babylon and Markos my son greet you. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are among the number of Christ.

This Silvanos may indeed be the Silvanos formerly with Paul, mentioned in 2 Corinthians and in each of the epistles to the Thessalonians. He evidently wrote this epistle for Peter, which would indicate why the style is so different from the second of Peter's epistles, which Peter seems to have written himself.

The “elect woman” seems to be Peter's wife. Peter was married, as it is evident at Matthew 8:14-15: “14 Then Yahshua coming into the house of Petros saw his mother-in-law stricken and sick with fever. 15 And He grasped her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and served Him.”

Markos must be that Mark of the Gospel bearing that name. By many accounts given in the writings of the earliest Christians, Mark recorded Peter's gospel as it was related to him, possibly while he was in Rome some time after Peter's death.

In closing, it must be said that this first epistle of Peter is a complete confirmation of the racial covenant truths of the Scripture propounded by Christian Identists. It synthesizes Old Testament prophecy and New Testament fulfillment, and it also fully corroborates the ministry of the apostle Paul, once it is understood that Paul's mission was to bring the gospel to no one but these same “lost sheep” Israelite people, as he himself explained on so many occasions – all of which modern theology, artificially separated from classical history, perverts for their own use. As I had said here last week, the apostles were not quoting these Old Testament passages concerning the children of Israel because they sounded nice. Rather, they were quoting them because the people they were writing to were the very fulfillment of them, the nations which sprung from Abraham's loins!