5 ¶ Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto
the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with
humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty
hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth
for you.
Here, Peter calls for the younger Christian to be respectful
of the older. Then, going on he tells all of them to subject themselves to each
other, in humility. God opposes the proud but gives the humble person grace.
Paul also expresses this command from the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,
to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he
ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith.
Ephesians 5:21 ¶ Submitting yourselves one to another in the
fear of God.
Our submission to each other is therefore voluntary in
submission to Christ, in an orderly fashion that does not violate God’s
restrictions on the proper nature of our relationships with each other. We must
keep in mind that in the church Christ has eliminated all distinctions of
ethnicity or race, social class, and gender regarding whether or not one is
more important than the other to God.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in
Christ Jesus.
So, for those men in the church whose pride will not let
them assist a woman who has been given a task to complete I would ask, would
you humble yourself if Paul asked you directly?
Romans 16:1 ¶ I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is
a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2
That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist
her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer
of many, and of myself also.
We humble ourselves under God’s authority and, in due time,
we will be exalted or lifted up.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and he shall lift you up.
We put our cares and concerns and worries on Him, because He
cares for us. This also allows us to empathize with the sufferings of others.
2Corinthians 1:3
¶ Blessed be God, even the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,
that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort
wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
8 ¶
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing
that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the
world.
It is important that the Christian be alert to Satan’s
presence and not fall into the traps he lays. He, like a lion on the prowl,
seeking his prey, is a real, ever-present threat, although limited by God’s
permission, as we saw in the book of Job. Here is an interesting verse about
where an actual lion receives its prey. In the narrative God is asking
rhetorical questions of Job that teach us a great deal about the reality we
experience. In the following verse it is implicit that God provides a lion’s
prey, and it is not accident.
Job 38:39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill
the appetite of the young lions, 40 When
they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
Satan is like the lion that roars for its prey, but who, as
a careful reading of Job shows, only obtain its prey with God’s permission.
Psalm 104:21 The young lions roar after their prey, and
seek their meat from God.
We are told to beware and to resist Satan in the faith given
to us. God permits Satan to attack and gives us the power to resist. Remember,
the faith given to us is given to us by God and we did not generate it
ourselves. Every person has the capacity to believe and once they believe faith
is a gift from God.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference:
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
We need that faith from God for without the faith God gives
us we cannot please Him.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please
him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Paul tells us how to resist the Devil.
Ephesians 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might. 11 Put on
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. 12 For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your
loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all saints;
Peter tells these Christians that what they are up against
is not something unique to them alone. The troubles they face are problems all Christians,
and indeed, all people face in this world.
1Corinthians
10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are
able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be
able to bear it.
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