1 Peter 3:7 Our Social Relationships. I. Marriage is a relationship of mutual sympathy. That comprehensive word "sympathy" is to be understood here in its largest sense. Those who enter into this binding fellowship ought to be one in the completest measure possible of their entire nature; for the... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:8 I. This is one of those texts which are too apt to confuse persons who do not read their Bibles carefully enough. They cannot see what the latter part of these verses has to do with the former. St. Peter writes that we Christians are to inherit a blessing, and hence people would say, spe... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:11 The character of the man to whom these words are addressed is a very singular one. "He that will love life," or, more accurately, "He that wishes to love life, let him seek peace, and ensue it." Does not every one "love life"? What "life" is it of which St. Peter is speaking, the prese... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:15 I. It is the simplest of truisms that God can receive no increase of holiness, least of all from those who must beg Him to forgive their sins; but to sanctify Him, or to hallow His name, is to acknowledge Him, not merely in word, but habitually and practically in thought, in feeling, i... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:16 The Conscience of a Christian. The more consistent a Christian is with his Lord's example, or, which is really the same thing practically, the loftier his ideal of duty, the more he must expect to be treated as Christ was treated. Nominal Christians and the world keep an easy truce of... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:18 Christ Suffering for Sins. I. Observe that St. Peter says, "Christ suffered for sins" not merely suffered, but suffered for us that is, clearly for our sins, for the sins of mankind. These were, in some way, the cause of His sufferings. If the sins had not been, His sufferings had not... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:19 The Spirits in Prison. I. There is one article of the Creed which, strange as it may seem, for some centuries has practically fallen into the background, and lost its hold on the thoughts and affections of mankind. We repeat the words which tell us that Christ descended into hell, but... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:20 The Two Baptisms. I. The salvation of Noah by water. You are familiar with the narrative in Genesis. Peter does not recapitulate the facts, but alludes to them as well known. Eight souls were saved in the Ark and by water. God will have a seed to serve Him while sun and moon endure. F... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:21 A Good Conscience. These words are very wide words, too wide to please most people. They preach a very free grace, too free to please most people. Man preaches his own notions of God's forgiveness, his notions of what he thinks God ought to do; but when God proclaims His own forgivene... [ Continue Reading ]