Bible Study 1 & 2 Peter
The Apostle Peter wrote his letter to Christians facing a "pre-Christian, pagan world." We are facing and increasingly "post-Christian, pagan world." They are similar in some ways but different in others. Nevertheless, Peter helps us with His two-fold theme: Our Riches in Christ and Our Responsibilities in the World.
Important Questions
1. How is our world similar to the world at the time of Peter?
Peter encouraged the church not to turn away from the riches God has given us in Jesus because of persecution. Just as Peter said the first Christians were like "pilgrims and strangers," so we see that happening to us as more and more people turn away from and against the Christian faith.
2. How is our world different than the world at the time of Peter?
One of the big differences is that the first Christians were preaching the message of Christ to people who had never heard it before. Today, we face a world that has heard about Christ. Those who are opposed to the Christian faith have a lot of ammunition to undermine the Gospel by those who love to twist the Scriptures. We are also burdened with the past bad behavior of the church.
3. What things does Peter emphasize for Christians who are living as pilgrims and strangers is this world?
- Remember your calling in Christ. You have been redeemed from sin and set apart from this sinful world by the precious blood of Jesus (1 Peter 1.3ff).
- Live according to your calling by resisting the sinful desires of the flesh (1 Peter 1.11-12) and the pressure of the world (1 Peter 4.3ff).
- Fulfill your earthly vocations as citizens, workers, spouses, etc. (1 Peter 2-3).
- Be ready to explain your faith to others (1 Peter 3.15).
- Be ready to suffer for the Christian faith and look to Jesus to endure (1 Peter 4.12ff).
- Recognize the truth of God's word and avoid false teachings (2 Peter 1-2).
- Remember the promises of God's divine judgment and remain steadfast in faith and good works until the end (2 Peter 3).
1. 1 Peter 1.1-12 (Walther)
2. 1 Peter 1.13-25 (Adle)
3. 1 Peter 2.1-12 (Walther)
4. 1 Peter 2.13-25 (Adle)
Handout Audio
5. 1 Peter 3.1-12 (Walther)
6. 1 Peter 3.13-22 (Adle)
Handout Audio
7. 1 Peter 4.1-11 (Walther)
8. 1 Peter 4.12-19 (Walther)
9. 1 Peter 5.1-11 (Adle)
10. 1 Peter 5.12-13 (Walther)
Special Discussion: The Benedict Option
Review of the Benedict Option by Michael P.Walther
11. 2 Peter 1.1-11 (Adle)
12. 2 Peter 1.12-21 (Adle)
Resources
The Letter to Diognetus, This interesting letter was written about A.D. 130. We don't know the author, but the letter describes how the first Christians coped with life in a pagan world.
The Church in Exile, by James W. Thompson (2010) This short book draws practical advice from the first letter of Peter for Christians living in today's world.
Faith for Exiles, by David Kinnaman, Mark Matlock, et al. Faith for Exiles provides guidance as we try to navigate through a "digital Babylon." This can be ordered from Barna Research or Amazon.
The Benedict Option, by Rod Dreher (2017). Using Scripture and the Rule of St. Benedict, Dreher describes how Christians can form a community within a community in order to survive and thrive in a world that his often hostile to Christians. You can check out this book from the Mississippi Valley Library District either in paper or electronic versions.
Review of the Benedict Option by Michael P.Walther