Theophilus Ministries

“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.”(1Pe 3:21-22)

Baptism is such a wonderful picture of what God has done for us.  We have been taken as we are, filthy and corrupt, and cleansed in the most perfect way possible.  We who were separated from God have been restored by His sovereign act of love.  The Psalmist wrote “Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin“?” (Pro 20:9).   While they could not in their time - through the work of Jesus WE CAN!

Job, speaking of God, said “For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.” (Job 9:32-33).  While Job did not have a mediator to plead his case, WE DO!  How blessed are we that we have been saved by grace through a simple act of faith in the mighty work He has done. 

Our Baptism, as Peter writes, is not primarily about treating the filth of the flesh but rather a decision to submit our lives to the washing of our consciences by the redemptive work that God has done.  We live because He lives; we are victorious because has triumphed.  And His victory is complete.  Let’s dwell on this fact today and experience the joy of the new life that He has given us.

Devotional Ramblings 1st Peter, baptism, christian living, christianity, holiness, practical living

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “AND DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEIR THREATS, NOR BE TROUBLED.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.”(1Pe 3:14-16)

There are many wonderful promises in the Bible for us as believers. There are also many promises that can be disconcerting if looked at from a worldly point of view. One of these promises is that we will suffer tribulation and persecution as believers. Paul tells Timothy “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2Ti 3:12) It doesn’t get much clearer than that. But if we are to suffer these things than does this mean that we are in for a life of misery and pain? Certainly not!

Peter tells us that if we do suffer we are blessed. I am reminded of Acts chapter 5 when Peter and the other Apostles were beaten for preaching the Word. Their reaction was not to be downcast and afraid but rather to rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. I thank God that they relied on the power of the Holy Spirit to view this suffering through God’s eyes because the y continued to preach the Word in boldness carrying out the work of God. We need to do the same. I often hear verse 3:15 of 1 Peter quoted as an exhortation to know the Word so that we can witness to people who are not saved. While this is good it is not the full understanding of what the verse is saying. Peter is pointing out that it is our conduct that is the most important thing when we are wrongfully treated. If people persecute or mistreat us and we act defeated and angry, will they ever see the hope we have in Jesus? Will they ever ask us for a reason for the hope that is in us? No.

We are called to exhibit the joy of the Lord in these circumstances and stand firm. Whether that means suffering under an unfair boss at work, a biased teacher at school or a sadistic interrogator our calling is the same - endure patiently with joy. Only then will the unbeliever see something in us they do not understand and be inclined to wonder what it is that makes us different. Although it may be tough to understand, we need to realize that God uses the persecution and suffering of the saints as a witness to a lost world. If you doubt this remember example of suffering Jesus performed for you on the cross at Calvary.

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously“(1Pe 2:21-23)

Christian Business, Devotional Ramblings 1st Peter, christian living, christianity, evangelism, holiness, obedience, suffering

“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1Pe 3:7)

The challenge I often face with doing a daily devotional is that God uses it to point out and correct things that He wants to fix in my life.  Yesterday I wrote about acting in love regardless of whether we feel like that love is reciprocated or not.  Of course, yesterday after writing I was challenged with a situation where I needed to put these concepts into action and didn’t do as well as I should have.  The problem was that I tried to be longsuffering when I should have gone to the Lord in prayer when I was beginning to feel frustrated.  The good news in all of this is that God is gracious and has chosen to love us despite the fact that we often blow it.  So I get back up, ask for forgiveness and pray that I would be victorious in these things by His Spirit and not through the flesh.

My challenge yesterday was with my wife and quite simply I failed to love her with the kind of love that Jesus has loved me.  Peter reminds us that we are called to dwell with understanding, giving them honor.  This equates to dwelling in patience and love with our wives affording them all of the honor due to those that God has called to be second only to Him in our lives. The fact is that the Bible states that our wives are more susceptible to our callous behavior than we realize.  I love the Spanish translation of the term “weaker vessel” as the “more fragile vessel”.  Our wives often don’t have the thick skin that we do as men and thus we should not treat them in the same way we might one of our buddies.  If I were carrying a priceless porcelain vase I would walk slowly and cradle the object gently in my arms to ensure that it wouldn’t become damaged in any way; I wouldn’t carry it like a plastic bucket, throwing it over to the other side of the yard to get it out of my way.  Paul was very clear on this issue:  “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.” (Eph 5:28)

Our wives are our partners, heirs together with us in the good things God wants to bless us with.  Let’s submit to Him that he might, through the power of the Holy Spirit, help us to honor them appropriately.

Devotional Ramblings 1st Peter, christian living, christianity, holiness, marriage, obedience, practical living

 “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.” (1Pe 3:1-2)  

How often do we read over these parts of the Word and ignore them because they are directed at women or men as opposed to the whole body. I know that I am guilty of this and have missed much in the way of wisdom because of it. So other than the obvious message to wives, what else does this passage have for us to learn.

As believers our relationships are not always fully mutual when it comes to love, attention and conduct. I can think of many such relationships that I have had with others where there was a disconnect in one of these three areas that led to frustration on my part. My frustration in these cases was a result of not exercising patience and love while trusting that God would work these situations out. In the case of lovehave you ever felt like someone (whether spouse, friend, or acquaintance) simply wasn’t considerate in the way that treated you? Perhaps in the category of attentionyou feel as though your calls go unreturned or conversations are very one sided. Or worse yet, you have people at work or in your family that conduct themselves in a way that is completely outside of the way that you know God has called us to act. 

I have a close business associate who I have given a birthday gift to for many years. This person has never given me anything on my birthday and most often doesn’t even say “thanks” when presented with the gift. I give this person gifts out of love and continue to do so but have to admit that it has been a challenge at times battling with my frustration over the situation. So what should our response be to people in situations like these?

In the case of my business associate I can honestly say that the advice I get from most people, including Christian brothers and sisters, it that I should stop giving this person gifts because they clearly do not appreciate it. But this is not the right thing to do; we are not to be conformed to this world and its ideas of right and wrong, we have a higher calling. The relationships that God has allowed us to experience are not games to be won but rather opportunities to glorify God by showing His love. Solomon writes:

“To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.” Pro 10:23

No, I will continue to give this person the birthday gift despite the counsel of the world because I want him to see the love of Christ in me. It seems like a small and simple thing but it always seems that these are the hardest and most important to walk with Christ in.

Christian Business, Devotional Ramblings 1st Peter, Christian Business, christian living, christianity, holiness, obedience, practical living

“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1Pe 2:13-15)

Do we pray for our leaders diligently?  Do we pray for our President?  How can we claim that we are living spiritual lives when we murmur and rail against the leaders that God has allowed to be placed over us?  I think of Paul’s letter to Philemon regarding Onesimus the slave who had run away.  Paul sends him back to re-submit himself to the authority of his owner.  Think about this for a second, Onesimus was submitting to be returned to a life of slavery.    Peter is very clear on why we must have this attitude - by doing good we will be a witness to a rebellious world.

Now the practical part to this whole concept is the fact that we cannot hope to be good servants to the oppresive leaders over us if we are not wholly given over to being bondservants of God first. “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Jas 4:7)  The path to victory over difficult situations like these that God has called us to is to abide in Him and His power.  Jesus said “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (Joh 15:5)

I pray that God will help us by His Spirit to be submissive to those He has put over us today, whether boss or President. 

Christian Business, Devotional Ramblings 1st Peter, Christian Business, christian living, christianity, holiness, obedience, practical living