Walking With Christ

Webers.Home · May 20, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:2:1b . . Lay aside all deceit (a.k.a. guile, cunning, and duplicity)

The Greek word for "deceit" is dolos (dol'-os) which basically refers to a
decoy; defined by Webster's as someone or something used to lure or lead
another into a trap.

Decoys can also be used as diversions, e.g. red herrings.

Dolos also refers to trickery; defined by Webster's as the practice of crafty
underhanded ingenuity to deceive or cheat, for example Gen 3:1.

A very common form of deceit is something called dissembling; which
basically means to conceal one's true feelings with pretense. I think it's
pretty safe to say that everybody at one time or another practices
dissembling; it's pretty much a natural propensity.

Peter's instructions don't say to avoid deceit, they say to lay it aside; viz:
stop it.
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Webers.Home · May 21, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:2:1c . . Lay aside all hypocrisy

The Greek word for "hypocrisy" is hupokrisis (hoop-ok'-ree-sis) which is a
mite ambiguous. It basically refers to acting under a feigned part.

Not all hypocrisy is bad; quite a few people earn an honest living by
accepting parts in movies and plays. That we can live with.

But hypocrisy in religion is insufferable; for example Mark 12:13-15, which
reads like this:

"Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him
in his words. They came to him and said: Teacher, we know you are a man
of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who
they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it
right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we? But
Jesus knew their hypocrisy."

Their inquiry was reasonable; but it was based upon a hidden agenda. They
didn't care one whit about the taxes; they were only looking for a legitimate
excuse to have Jesus arrested and put away where he could no longer
influence public opinion.

Hypocrisy is also exemplified in double standards, for example Luke 6:41-42
and Matt 23:2-4

"And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not
notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother:
Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye, when you yourself do
not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out
of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in
your brother's eye."

"The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of
Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do
according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them. And they
tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves
are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger."

To put this in a modern context: A prominent member of the US Congress
recently quoted a passage from the Bible to justify sending aid to Ukraine.
Some time later, the Catholic archbishop in that person's district announced
his intention to deny them Communion because of their pro abortion stance.
In other words: that member of congress attempted to politicize their religion
without taking it serious enough to live it.
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Webers.Home · May 22, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:1d. . Lay aside all envy

Webster's defines envy as painful or resentful awareness of an advantage
enjoyed by another, coupled with a desire to possess the same advantage

There are musicians that I greatly admire for their talent and their creativity.
But I don't hate them for it; no, I truly love their work, i.e. I'm a fan rather
than a rival. For example; famed sessions musician Carol Kaye can lay down
smooth jazz lines with an electric bass using nothing more than a flat guitar
pick. I wish I could do what Carol does; at the same time wish her all the
best and would sincerely like for her to continue playing and teaching
forever.

But when admiration is mixed with pain and resentment, it can become ugly
and extremely dangerous.

For example, it was the ugly kind of envy that motivated Cain to murder his
kid brother, and it was the ugly kind of envy that motivated Joseph's
brothers to sell him into slavery, and it was the ugly kind of envy that
motivated Jesus' opponents to have him arrested and put to death.

People prone to envy share a very common denominator: they simply must
be either equal to, or better than, others. It's that simple. And if they cannot
be equal to, or better than others, then nothing would make them happier
than to see those others failed, maimed, silenced, disfigured, dishonored,
disgraced, humiliated, handicapped for life and/or deceased.
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Webers.Home · May 23, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:1e . . Lay aside all evil speaking

The Greek word for "evil speaking" is katalalia (kat-al-al-ee'-ah) which
basically means defamation; defined by Webster's as the act of deliberately
communicating false statements about a person that injures their reputation.

For example there's a case in the courts even now wherein a notable politician
initiated a Russian collusion hoax in order to question a previous US President's
integrity and undermine the effectiveness of his administration.
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Webers.Home · May 24, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:2 . . As newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, that you
may grow thereby.

The people to whom Peter wrote his epistle probably were not brand new
Christians. I think it best to interpret his remark like this: Yearn for the pure
milk of the word as if you were hungry little babies.

Infants are typically very demanding when they're hungry and refuse
to be put off; which is a good thing because were they never to alert their
mothers that it's feeding time, they'd likely end up deprived of proper
nourishment and at risk of growing up stunted like so many of the children
living under Kim Jong-Un in communist North Korea.
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Webers.Home · May 25, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:11 . . Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from
fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" is normally good advice to tourists
and immigrants; but when your real world is in Heaven rather than on the
earth, then Christians have to be on guard against picking up cultural mores
that conflict with Heaven's.

The words "fleshly lusts" are derived from 1) sarkikos (sar-kee-kos') which
pertains to the base nature, and, 2) from epithumia (ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah)
which means: a longing.

What Peter is talking about there is giving in to whatever comes natural: viz:
doing what's instinctive and reactive as opposed to one's better judgment.

Webster's defines instinct as: 1) a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or
capacity, 2) a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to
make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without
involving reason, and 3) behavior that is mediated by reactions below the
conscious level.

Fleshly lusts are not what you might call "reasonable behavior" because they
are basically gut passions and impulses that require no thinking. When
people fly off the handle, sleep with somebody on the first date, utter an
epithet, make a smart-aleck remark, and/or act on impulse and such; they
are only doing what comes natural to the beast residing within themselves.
People are, in the final analysis, little more than human wildlife; just naked
apes ruled by the drives of an ape.
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Webers.Home · May 26, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:12 . . Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in
the thing in which they slander you as malefactors, they may on account of
your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

The Greek word for "malefactors" is somewhat ambiguous. It can refer to a
criminal or to someone regarded as an all-around bad person or bad
influence; viz: toxic i.e. harmful: hazardous.

Curiously, some of the principles and core values held dear by Christians are
sometimes regarded by non Christians as detrimental to the so-called
greater good; especially in communist and/or totalitarian societies.

The Greek word for "visitation" is episkope (ep-is-kop-ay') which is an
ambiguous word that means, among other things, inspection and/or
evaluation.

Webster’s defines "inspection" as a checking or testing of an individual
against established standards; for example: the avoirdupois ounce is a
standard, the meter is a standard, and the inch is a standard.

In the old days, merchants used a balance to count out monies like gold and
silver. They would put a "standard" weight in one of the balance's pans and
then begin placing gold and/or silver in the other pan until the pans
balanced; viz: until the pans were at the same elevation on either side of the
scales' fulcrum point. Justice is often depicted as a blindfolded woman
holding a balance in one hand, and a sword in the other. The law is in one
pan, and the defendant's conduct is in the other; for example:

"You have been weighed on the balances; and came up short." (Dan 5:27)

If it turns out that the criticism that the outside hurled at believers was
unjustified, then they will have to pay. In so doing, how will they glorify
God? Well, the slanderers themselves may not pay their respects to God, but
their retribution will certainly honor His standards.
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Webers.Home · May 27, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:13-15 . . Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for The
Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as
unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the
praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye
may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Every ordinance of man of course includes traffic laws like J-walking, unsafe
lane changes, drifting through stop signs, tailgating, road rage, exceeding
speed limits, feeding parking meters, crossing streets against the light,
blocking driveways, failure to yield the right of way, illegal U-turns; etc.

"foolish men" would include employee theft, factions like ANTIFA, and
activists involved in civil disobedience.

"ignorance" can be defined as a lack of knowledge, education, and/or
awareness. Used the wrong way; labeling someone ignorant is an effective
insult. But to us it means that someone hasn't been catechized sufficiently to
know any better.

* According to passages like Matt 12:1-13, human welfare moderates
religious requirements. So there are times when Christians find themselves
in situations where they have to disobey passages like 1Pet 2:13-15 and
Rom 13:1-5.
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Webers.Home · May 28, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:16a . . Live as free men

Some of Christ's believing followers in the Roman empire were slaves; so it
was legally impossible for them to live as free men without risking severe
consequences. I think what we're looking at here is that Peter is encouraging
the Christians to whom he wrote to voluntarily accept their status as slaves
instead of resenting it. In other words: free men have choices; and even
though some of the Christians were slaves against their will, they were free
to choose to make the best of it or let it get to them.

A pretty useful platitude that I once heard goes like this: Bloom where
you're planted. So; if you should find yourself planted in adverse
circumstances; make up your mind to make the best of it. This is something
wherein you have a choice; even though you have no choice about being
stuck. It's really all about attitude adjustment.
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Webers.Home · May 29, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:16b . . Do not use your freedom as a cloak for evil; live as servants
of God.

That passage is likely a reiteration of the one below:

"You were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into
an opportunity for the flesh" (Gal 5:13)

No sin that a believer commits will ever again put them in danger of the
wrath of God.

"I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent
me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they
have already passed from death into life." (John 5:24)

However, believers should never regard John 5:24 as a license to steal, so to
speak. It's freedom to steal, but certainly not license because theft is just as
wrong for God's servants as it is for His opponents (Rom 6:1-15). Just
because believers won't suffer the sum of all fears for theft is not an eo ipso
exemption for them to have a go at it.
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Webers.Home · May 30, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:17a . . Honor all men.

The Greek word translated "honor" is timao (tim-ah'-o) which basically
means to prize, i.e. fix a valuation upon and/or to revere

The first place that timao shows up in the New Testament is Matt 15:4 which
reads:

"God said: Honor your father and mother."

Right after the Flood, God outlawed murder; and the reason given for the
ban was not because murder is necessarily wrong, but because people are
made in the likeness of God. (Gen 9:5-6)

James criticizes the use of language that expresses a wish that someone be
sent to Hell. The reason given is not because that sort of language is
necessarily wrong, but because people were made in the likeness of God.
(Jas 3:8-9)

I gather that failure to treat everyone with dignity-- regardless of age, race,
or gender --not only dishonors men but by extension also dishonors God in
whose likeness all men were made.

FAQ: Does that mean even serial killers, mass murderers, and monsters like
Osama Bin Laden, Robert Mugabe, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Saddam
Hussein, and crooks like Al Capone and Bernie Madoff have to be treated
humanely and with dignity the same as everyone else?

REPLY: Yes, absolutely because the honor that Peter is talking about doesn't have
to be earned, merited or otherwise deserved, i.e. it's divine.

Take for example Lev 19:32 which reads like this:

"Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere
your God. I am The Lord"

Senior citizens don't have earn your respect, i.e. it's neither merited nor
otherwise deserved. The only requirement is age; and failure to dignify
senior citizens fails to satisfy God's expectations.

NOTE: I've seen young Christians in Sunday school treat senior citizens as
peers, and sometimes even as children. That kind of conduct is not only
disturbing, but it's also very unbecoming for Christian people.
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Webers.Home · May 31, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:17b . . love the brotherhood

The Greek word translated "brotherhood" is adelphotes (ad-el-fot'-ace)
which appears in only two places in the entire New Testament; both are in
the apostle Peter's epistles: one here and the other in 1Pet 5:9.

It's a curious word because it doesn't specifically refer to "the church which
is his body". Adelphotes basically means a fraternity; defined by Webster's
as a group of people associated or formally organized for a common
purpose, interest, or pleasure; i.e. persons of the same class, profession,
character, or tastes: for example leagues, guilds, societies, and trade
unions.

Just to be on the safe side, assume that Peter's instructions apply to anyone
and everyone identifying themselves as a Christian regardless of their
denominational affiliation.

One thing to our advantage is that the Greek word for "love" in 1Pet 2:17 is
impersonal, viz: it requires neither fondness nor affection; it only requires
that we be humane, e.g. civil, courteous, friendly, peaceable, hospitable,
sympathetic, tolerant, lenient, forgiving, charitable, and generous. In other
words; we don't especially have to like everyone identifying themselves as
Christians; we just have to be friendly.

Here in the USA. religious tolerance was at one time very common; but I'm
not sure it still is since we became a so-called cancel culture.
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Webers.Home · Jun 1, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:17c . . fear God, honor the king.

There are times when it isn't possible to honor both God and king. When
that happens-- and it does --take the high road, i.e. honor God above the
king because God is superior to everyone there is, and to every name
that can be named. This principle goes way back; especially for God's
people: the Jews.

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deut
6:4-6)

"You be the judge; whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to men
rather than to God." (Acts 4:19)

"We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)
_

Webers.Home · Jun 2, 2022

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• 1Pet 2:18-19 . . Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all
respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those
who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the grief of
unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.

In free lands like the USA, the master/servant relationship is a thing of the
past. However, Peter's instructions still apply to all who work for a living as
employees.

The Greek word translated "commendable" is surprising. It’s charis (khar'
ece) which is commonly translated "grace".

Whether supervisors are angels or pigs we still have to give them the level
of courtesy that their position deserves because that's how we need to
behave if we wish to be seen in Heaven as gracious instead of ill-bred.
_

Webers.Home · Jun 3, 2022

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• 1Pet 3:1-2 . . In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own
husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may
be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your
chaste and respectful behavior.

Peter began his instructions with the words “in the same way” which refer
back to 1Pet 2:18-25 wherein he taught Christ's followers the Christian way
to cope with abusive management practices.
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Webers.Home · Jun 5, 2022

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• 1Pet 3:3-5 . . Wives, let not your adornment be merely external-- braiding
the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses --but let it be the
hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and
quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

Some of the more ascetic Christians have attempted to use that passage to
insist it's wrong for women to wear cosmetics. No, the apostle Peter is only
reflecting an old Portuguese proverb that goes something like this: A beleza
não ajusta a tabela. (Beauty doesn't set the table) which simply means a
pretty girl might be amazing in yoga pants but quite ineffective as a
homemaker.

Hollywood movies often portray "spirited" women as somehow desirable. No,
they aren't desirable; they're feral, they demean men and make them
miserable. Hollywood also commonly portrays women slapping men in the
face and getting away with it. That is NOT what Peter means by a "gentle
and quiet spirit" and besides, slapping is the criminal act of assault and
battery-- not what I would call setting a good example for growing girls.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt
5:3)

"Blessed are the peaceable: for they shall be known as God's kin."(Matt 5:9)

An assertive, confrontational woman is neither peaceable nor poor in spirit;
no, in point of fact she's quite militant, obnoxious, chafing, critical,
temperamental, impudent, and arrogant. Those might be desirable
characteristics for strong females in television and movie roles but clearly
not desirable in a Christian wife.

When a Christian wife gets all dressed up to her nines, but yet lacks a
"gentle and quiet spirit" then her ensemble is incomplete. In point of fact, an
assertive, confrontational wife is, in reality, nothing less than a domesticated
beast.

"As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without
discretion." (Prov 11:22)

So then, by all means Christian women should continue to shop at
SEPHORA, but at the same time make an effort to be agreeable too.
_

Webers.Home · Jun 6, 2022

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• 1Pet 3:6 . . . Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; and you have
become her daughters if you do what is right without being frightened by
any fear.

According to that, Sarah's submission to Abraham was voluntary, i.e. she
was neither coerced nor intimidated. Abraham didn't have to break Sarah's
spirit by violence, neglect, or abuse.

That's very interesting because Sarah's original name was Sarai (Gen 17:15)
which in Hebrew means dominative, i.e. domineering. I can't imagine any
parent tagging their little girl with a bossy name like that, but apparently it
was appropriate, viz; baby Sarai must've been a crabby little tyke right from
the get-go.

I don't know how or why it came about, but somewhere along the line in
their relationship; Sarah decided within herself that it was far better for the
home to negotiate with her husband rather than destroying his peace of
mind with ultimatums, walk-outs, foot stomping, looking at him with
daggers, silent treatments, withholding conjugal rights, serving cold food,
grumpiness, assertiveness, stone walling, brow beating, chafing, nagging,
slamming doors, hissy fits, and likely a number of other methods that toxic
wives employ to manipulate their men.

In other words: Sarah decided to exercise diplomacy in her relationship with
Abraham; and the important point to note is that she chose that route
voluntarily, i.e. by simply making up her own mind about it.
_

Webers.Home · Jun 7, 2022

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• 1Pet 3:7a . . You husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge

The Greek word translated "knowledge" is gnosis (gno'-sis) which means
knowing (as information) in other words: facts and/or ideas acquired by
study, investigation, observation, research, and/or experience.

Gnosis is different than "intuition" which Webster's defines as: the power, or
faculty, of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational
thought and inference.

Gnosis is different than "instinct" too, which Webster's defines as: (1) a
natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity, (2) a largely inheritable
and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific
response to environmental stimuli without involving reason, and (3)
behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level; viz: a
mental and/or emotional knee-jerk reflex.

So then, Peter is talking about husbands applying instructed knowledge of
Christian social skills to their marriages.

There are young boys being brought up by macho (a.k.a. toxic) fathers
teaching their sons to "control their women". Well, that might be an
acceptable marriage philosophy in the home of a Muslim fundamentalist
and/or a club-toting Neanderthal, but not in the home of a man passing
himself off as one of Christ's followers. In a pious home, Christian husbands
are neither required nor expected to tame their Christian wives seeing as
how the onus is upon the wives themselves to exercise self control.

NOTE: It's required of Christ's followers to love their enemies, but it's not
required to like their enemies nor is it required to always have a good
opinion about them. If a man's enemies include his wife, then of course
Jesus' instructions apply.

However, though a Christian husband's love for his wife need not include the
elements of affection and/or fondness; the love he extends to his wife does
need to include the element of benevolence, along with diplomacy; which
Webster's defines as skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility, viz:
tact. Benevolence is defined as the disposition to do good, i.e. kindness.
_

Webers.Home · Jun 8, 2022

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• 1Pet 3:7b . . Give honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel,

The Greek word for "honor" is time (tee-may') which means: a value, i.e.
money paid.

The word for "weaker" is asthenes (as-then-ace') which means: having no
strength, i.e. fragile.

And the word for "vessel" is skeuos (skyoo'-os) which can indicate anything
from a soup bowl to a cardboard box; in other words: a container.

Peter isn't saying women are physically weaker than men; but that Christian
husbands should exercise the same care with their wives as they would a
fragile antique worth thousands of dollars like, say, a Ming vase. Nobody in
their right mind handles a Ming vase like a farmer handles a 5-gallon bucket.
Not that some women couldn't take that kind of handling; it's just that its
unbecoming for a Christian man to lack sensitivity for his wife's feelings.

This particular assessed value isn't an intrinsic value, nor is it a deserved
value either; but rather, it's a gratuitous value. In other words: Christ
commands Christian husbands to categorize their wives up there with
Dresden china even if she's as tough as a female cop and/or a UFC mixed
martial artist the likes of Rhonda Rousey-- and this is not a choice; no, it's
not a choice; it's an order.

Christian husbands who treat their Skil saws and their tomato plants with
more care and concern than they treat their wives can just forget about
associating with God on any meaningful level.

• 1Pet 3:7c . . as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers
be not hindered.

Note the word "together" which is quite the opposite of autonomy and/or
independence.

Couples sometimes assert themselves with words like "What I do is between
me and The Lord." No; not when you're married. Marriage changes
everything between one's self and The Lord because people become one
flesh in marriage: no longer two sovereign individuals.
_

Webers.Home · Jun 9, 2022

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• 1Pet 3:8a . . Finally, all of you be of one mind,

Peter’s not talking about the nerve center of a Borg-hive collective. The
Greek word for "one mind" is homophron (hom-of'-rone) which means:
harmonious; and this is the only place in the entire New Testament where
that word appears.

Webster’s defines "harmonious" as: 1) musically concordant, 2) having the
parts agreeably related; viz: congruous, and 3) marked by accord in
sentiment or action.

Peter's instructions emphasize the third element-- "marked by accord in
sentiment or action". Head-strong Christians, domineering Christians, and
those for whom every disagreement is either an affront or an act of war to
win at any cost-- those for whom the words diplomacy and tact have no
meaning --of course have trouble complying with 1Pet 3:8a; that is: if they
even consider it worthy of their notice.

Anyway; Peter's instructions relate to a timeless complaint that goes
something like this: Why can't we all just get along?
_

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