What are his commandments?

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420» 1Pet 2:11 . . Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain
from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

"fleshly lusts" pertain to human nature's longings and cravings. Not all are
bad for us. The ones we need to avoid indulging are the inordinate ones, viz:
those that wage war against the soul, i.e. have a marked effect upon the
core of our being.

* An example of this is located in the 13th chapter of 2Samuel.
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421» 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, among
other things, refer to a bad influence.

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 socialist, communist, and/or totalitarian societies.

The Greek word for "visitation" is another ambiguous word that can mean,
among other things, inspection and/or evaluation.

Webster’s defines "inspection" as a checking or testing of an individual
against established standards.

If it turns out that the criticism hurled at believers was unjustified, then the
hurlers 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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[Magenta]

"fleshly lusts" pertain to human nature's longings and cravings. Not all are bad for us.
The ones we need to avoid indulging are the inordinate ones, viz: those that wage war
against the soul, i.e. have a marked effect upon the core of our being.

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is
contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.

 

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422» 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 sufficiently catechized to
know any better.

* Human government isn't the end-all; it's only a tier in the hierarchy. The
top tier belongs to the supreme being, and His word is the final word. (e.g.
Acts 4:19 & 5:29)
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423» 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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424» 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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425» 1Pet 2:17a . . Honor all men.

Right after the Flood, God outlawed taking human life; and the reason given for the
ban was not because killing people is necessarily wrong, but because people
were 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,
gender, or status --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.

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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[GWH]

1 John 2:3-5
King James Version
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

So what are his commandments?

The 205 commandments or teachings of Jesus are being presented a few at a time for your commentary on the TOJ thread.

 

[studier]

The 205 commandments or teachings of Jesus are being presented a few at a time for your commentary on the TOJ thread.

TOJ thread?

 

[GWH]

TOJ thread?

The Teachings of Jesus (a unique effort to list/enumerate them as far as I am aware :^)

 

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426» 1Pet 2:17b . . love the brotherhood

The Greek word translated "brotherhood" 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, I think we should 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.
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427» 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)
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428» 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 for "commendable" is ordinarily 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 refined instead of ill-bred.
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429» 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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[Boughtwithaprice]

So what are his commandments?

1. Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

 

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430» 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 that's no assurance she's
any good 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.

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

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

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.

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

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.
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431» 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.

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 demanding 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 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.

I get that from the fact that Sarah called Abraham her lord kind of late in the
marriage. Her first recorded expression of that designation doesn't show up
till Gen 18:12 after they had been together in the land of Canaan something
like 25 years prior to the birth of Isaac. (Gen 12:4-5 & Gen 17:17)
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432» 1Pet 3:7a . . You husbands, dwell with your wives according to
knowledge

The Greek word translated "knowledge" basically means knowing (as
information) in other words: facts and/or ideas acquired by study, education,
training, investigation, observation, research, and/or experience.

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.

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 there too.

So then; athough 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.
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433» 1Pet 3:7b . . Give honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel,

NOTE: Although husbands are superior in the Christian marriage relationship,
their position doesn't grant them carte blanch to mistreat their wives any
more than Jesus has carte blanch to mistreat his church. (cf. Ep5:28-30)

The Greek word for "honor" basically means: a value, i.e. money paid.

The word for "weaker" basically means: having no strength, i.e. fragile.

And the word for "vessel" basically indicates 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.

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
isn't optional; it's required.

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; marriage changes everything between one's self and
The Lord because people become one flesh in marriage: no longer two
sovereign individuals.
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[Iconoclast]

1 John 2:3-5
King James Version
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

So what are his commandments?

All of the word of God except those portions which we are told were fulfilled by Jesus, like animal sacrifices