HEY! WELCOME BACK! IN JUST TWO MORE BLOG POSTS WE WILL COVER THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN SOME DETAIL FOR CLARITY! RIGHT NOW WE WILL GO OVER THE BOOK OF JAMES (THE BROTHER OF CHRIST) AND PETER (THE APOSTLE OF CHRIST) IN A SYNOPTIC VIEW FOR THE HIGH POINTS OF OVERVIEW IN UNDERSTANDING THESE “PINNACLE OF LIFE” TEACHINGS.
THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES
JAMES IS GENERALLY THOUGHT OF AS THE LORD’S BROTHER (SEE GALATIANS 1:19). THIS LETTER IS ADDRESSED TO THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL WHO ARE SCATTERED ABROAD, AND WAS PROBABLY WRITTEN FROM JERUSALEM.
JAMES CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
JAMES TEACHES—
“IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVES TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDS (SCOLDS) NOT; AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN (TO) HIM.
BUT LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, NOTHING WAVERING. FOR HE THAT WAVERS IS LIKE A WAVE OF THE SEA DRIVEN WITH THE WIND AND TOSSED.”
(COMMENTARY: PLEASE! IF YOU WANT GOOD THINGS TO HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE TO GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND ASK GOD FOR THEM. IF YOU HAVE NEVER DONE THIS, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR.? YOU ARE BENCH PRESSING THIS WHOLE WORLD ALONE AND IT HAS TO STOP NOW! ASK FOR HELP AND BELIEVE IT WILL COME!
“BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURES TEMPTATION: FOR WHEN HE IS TRIED, HE SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM.”
“WHEREFORE MY BELOVED BRETHREN LET EVERY MAN BE SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH.”
“BUT BE YOU DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY . . .”
JAMES CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
“WHAT DOES IT PROFIT, MY BRETHREN, THOUGH A MAN SAY HE HAS FAITH, AND HAVE NOT WORKS?
CAN FAITH SAVE HIM?
IF A BROTHER OR SISTER BE NAKED, AND DESTITUTE OF FOOD, AND ONE OF YOU SAY TO THEM, DEPART IN PEACE, BE YOU WARMED AND FILLED; NOTWITHSTANDING YOU GIVEN THEM NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NEEDFUL TO THE BODY; WHAT DOES IT PROFIT?”
“FOR AS THE BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD, SO FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD ALSO.”
(COMMENTARY: NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE YOU SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN GIVING TO OTHERS IN NEED, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU WITH FAITH IN CHRIST!)
JAMES CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
BY GOVERNING THE TONGUE WE GAIN PERFECTION.
“AND THE TONGUE IS A FIRE, A WORLD OF INIQUITY: SO IS THE TONGUE AMONG OUR MEMBERS THAT IT DEFILES THE WHOLE BODY, AND SET ON FIRE THE COURSE OF NATURE; AND IT IS SET ON FIRE OF HELL.”
(COMMENTARY: PAY NO ATTENTION TO GOSSIP, GET TO KNOW PEOPLE FOR YOURSELF. GOSSIP COMES FROM JEALOUSY AND RAGE IN MOST CASES.)
“OUT OF THE SAME MOUTH PROCEEDS BLESSING AND CURSING. MY BRETHREN, THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT SO TO BE.”
JAMES WARNS US ABOUT OUR LANGUAGE, THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT WE SAY.
“BUT IF YOU HAVE BITTER ENVYING AND STRIFE IN YOUR HEARTS, GLORY NOT, AND LIE NOT AGAINST THE TRUTH. THIS WISDOM DESCENDS NOT FROM ABOVE, BUT IS EARTHLY, SENSUAL, DEVILISH. FOR WHERE ENVYING AND STRIFE IS, THERE IS CONFUSION IN EVERY EVIL WORK.”
JAMES CHAPTER 4 SYNOPSIS:
“FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? COME THEY NOT HENCE, EVEN OF YOUR LUSTS THAT WAR IN YOUR MEMBERS (BODIES)?”
“YOU LUST, AND HAVE NOT: YOU KILL, AND DESIRE TO HAVE NOT: YOU KILL AND DESIRE TO HAVE, AND CANNOT OBTAIN: YOU FIGHT AND WAR, YET YOU HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT.
YOU ASK AND RECEIVE NOT, BECAUSE YOU ASK AMISS, THAT YOU MAY CONSUME IT UPON YOUR LUSTS.
(COMMENTARY: ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED FIRST, AND NEVER ASK OUT OF SOME WANTON OUT OF CONTROL DESIRE THAT CAN COME BACK ON YOU.)
YOU ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSES, KNOW YOU NOT THAT FRIENDSHIP OF THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD?
WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD IS THE ENEMY OF GOD.”
(COMMENTARY: THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF CHRISTIANITY IS UNDER THE POWER OF THE DEVIL.)
“SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFORE TO GOD.
RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.
DRAW NIGH TO GOD, AND HE WILL DRAW NIGH TO YOU.”
“THEREFORE TO HIM THAT KNOWS TO DO GOOD, AND DOES IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN.”
JAMES CHAPTER 5 SYNOPSIS:
JAMES TALKS OF THE “WANTON RICH” PEOPLE OF THE LAST DAYS AND HOW MISERY AWAITS THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR HOARDING, UNPAID LABORERS, AND FRAUD.
JAMES SAYS TO THE RICH OF OUR LATTER DAY TIME, “YOU HAVE NOURISHED YOUR HEARTS, AS IN A DAY OF SLAUGHTER.”
HE TELLS THE SAINTS —
“BE YOU ALSO PATIENT, ESTABLISH YOUR HEARTS: FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD DRAWS NIGH.”
“BUT ABOVE ALL THINGS, MY BRETHREN, SWEAR NOT, NEITHER BY HEAVEN, NEITHER BY THE EARTH, NEITHER BY ANY OTHER OATH: BUT LET YOUR YEA BE YEA, AND YOUR NAY BE NAY; LEST YOU FALL INTO CONDEMNATION.”
JAMES TELLS US THAT THE ELDERS ARE TO ANOINT AND HEAL THE SICK
(COMMENTARY: THE CHURCH IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE ELDERS! I AM NOT REFERRING TO OLDER PERSONS, BUT AN OFFICE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE ACTUAL GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH MENTIONED MANY TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. IN MUCH OF MODERN CHRISTENDOM IS THE ABSENCE OF THIS CALLING IN SOME OF THE CHURCHES, THIS SHOULD NOT BE.)
THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER
THE FIRST EPISTLE WAS WRITTEN FROM “BABYLON” (I.E. PROBABLY ROME) SOON AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF NERO’S PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH IN A.D. 64. IT IS ADDRESSED TO THE CHURCHES OF DIFFERENT PROVINCES IN ASIA MINOR.
1 PETER CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
PETER STATES THAT SALVATION WILL BE REVEALED IN THE LAST DAYS.
THE TRIAL OF OUR FAITH WILL PRECEDE OUR SALVATION.
(COMMENTARY: THOSE OF YOU AFRAID OF CHRISTIANITY IN YOUR LIVES NEED GET OVER IT. YOUR LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE GOSPEL IS LIKELY ALREADY FILLED WITH TALES OF PERSONAL MISERY. THE FACT THAT PETER HERE TALKS OF HOW CHRISTIANS WILL HAVE THEIR FAITH TESTED SHOULD NOT FRIGHTEN YOU. YOU SEE, CHRISTIANS ARE TRIED FOR THEIR VERACITY OF FAITH AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS OF LIFE AS WELL. THE DIFFERENCE BEING THE LORD GIVES US THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE.)
HE TELLS US FURTHER ABOUT CHRIST —
“WHO VERILY WAS FOREORDAINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD…”
(COMMENTARY: THINK. IF CHRIST WAS FOREORDAINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS THEN ORDINATION HAPPENED IN SPIRIT. THIS IS PROOF OF THE SPIRIT OF ALL MEN AND TESTAMENT OF THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST OVER ALL THINGS.)
1 PETER CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
PETER HAS A WORD TO NEW CONVERTS —
“WHEREFORE LAYING ASIDE ALL MALICE, AND ALL GUILE, AND HYPOCRISIES, AND ENVIES, AND ALL EVIL SPEAKING, AS NEWBORN BABES, DESIRE THE MILK (BASICS) OF THE WORD THAT YOU MAY GROW THEREBY.”
(COMMENTARY: PEOPLE WE ALL HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.START BY OPENING THE BIBLE AT GENESIS 1:1 AND READ. PRAY AS YOU GO FOR UNDERSTANDING AND WATCH YOUR LIFE CHANGE TO THE MIRACULOUS FROM DAY ONE.)
1 PETER CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
SAINTS (MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH) SHOULD LIVE BY GOSPEL STANDARDS.
” . . . SANCTIFY THE LORD GOD IN YOUR HEARTS: AND BE READY ALWAYS TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERY MAN THAT ASKS YOU A REASON OF THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU WITH MEEKNESS. . . “
1 PETER CHAPTER 4 SYNOPSIS:
THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE TRIED AND TESTED IN EVERY THING.
“BELOVED, THINK IT NOT STRANGE CONCERNING THE FIERY TRIAL WHICH IS TO TRY YOU, AS THOUGH SOME STRANGE THING HAPPENED TO YOU: BUT REJOICE, INASMUCH AS YOU ARE PARTAKERS OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS; THAT, WHEN HIS GLORY SHALL BE REVEALED, YOU MAY BE GLAD ALSO WITH EXCEEDING JOY.”
1 PETER CHAPTER 5 SYNOPSIS:
“BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKS ABOUT SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.”
“BUT THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, WHO HAS CALLED US UNTO HIS ETERNAL GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS, AFTER THAT YOU HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE, MAKE YOU PERFECT, ESTABLISHED, STRENGTHENED, AND SETTLED.”
THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER
2 PETER CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
” . . . BRETHREN, GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: FOR IF YOU DO THESE THINGS, YOU SHALL NEVER FALL.”
(COMMENTARY: WHAT PETER REFERS TO IS CONTINUING IN THE FAITH, GRACE AND MERCY OF CHRIST TO THE POINT WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT SEALS YOU IN THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH CHRIST. OBVIOUSLY, THIS ABILITY DOES EXIST IN THE EVENTUAL PERFECTION OF THE CHRISTIAN.)
2 PETER CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
PETER STATES —
“BUT THERE WERE FALSE PROPHETS ALSO AMONG THE PEOPLE, EVEN AS THERE SHALL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, WHO PRIVILY SHALL BRING IN DAMNABLE HERESIES, EVEN DENYING THE LORD THAT BOUGHT THEM (RANSOMED THEM BY HIS SACRIFICE FOR THEIR SINS), AND BRING UPON THEMSELVES SWIFT DESTRUCTION. AND MANY SHALL FOLLOW THEIR PERNICIOUS WAYS; BY REASON OF WHOM THE WAY OF TRUTH SHALL BE EVIL SPOKEN OF. AND THROUGH COVETOUSNESS SHALL THEY WITH FEIGNED WORDS MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU.”
PETER SAYS THESE PEOPLE WILL BE DESTROYED LIKE “THEY THAT COUNT IT PLEASURE TO RIOT IN THE DAY TIME.”
THE SAINTS (MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH) WHO ARE DUPED BY SUCH FALSE TEACHERS HAVE A TERRIBLE FATE AWAITING THEM —
“FOR IF AFTER THEY HAVE ESCAPED THE POLLUTIONS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, THEY ARE AGAIN ENTANGLED THEREIN, AND OVERCOME, THE LATTER END IS WORSE WITH THEM THAN THE BEGINNING.
FOR IT HAD BEEN BETTER FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE KNOWN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THEN, AFTER THEY HAVE KNOWN IT, TO TURN FROM THE HOLY COMMANDMENT DELIVERED UNTO THEM.
BUT IT IS HAPPENED TO THEM ACCORDING TO THE TRUE PROVERB, THE DOG IS TURNED TO HIS OWN VOMIT AGAIN; AND THE SOW THAT WAS WASHED TO HER WALLOWING IN THE MIRE.”
2 PETER CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
(COMMENTARY: NOW PAY ATTENTION CLOSELY TO THIS, FOR PETER IS SPEAKING OF OUR TIMES, THE LAST DAYS!)
” . . . THAT THERE SHALL COME IN THE LAST DAYS SCOFFERS, WALKING AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS, AND SAYING, WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING? FOR SINCE THE FATHERS FELL ASLEEP, ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION.”
(COMMENTARY: I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THIS VERY THING TO ME IN THE PAST 40 YEARS! THEY DON’T KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT THEY ARE FULFILLING THE WORDS OF A 2000-YEAR-OLD SCRIPTURAL DOCUMENT!)
AS PETER SAYS, “FOR THIS THEY WILLINGLY ARE IGNORANT OF.”
(COMMENTARY: THEY DON’T KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THEY CAN’T HANDLE IT.)
REMEMBER THE WORLD OF NOAH WAS DESTROYED BY WATER, BUT OUR WORLD IS “RESERVED UNTO FIRE AGAINST THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT AND PERDITION OF UNGODLY MEN.”
PETER TELLS US—
“BE NOT IGNORANT OF THIS ONE THING, THAT ONE DAY IS WITH THE LORD AS A THOUSAND YEARS, AND THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY.”
(COMMENTARY: PERHAPS ONE WAY TO LOOK AT THIS IS THAT CHRIST WILL RETURN WITH THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION OF A MAN CRUCIFIED A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO! SO 2000 YEARS = 2 DAYS, GET IT?)
“THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME MEN COUNT SLACKNESS . . .”
“BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT; IN THE WHICH THE HEAVENS SHALL PASS AWAY WITH A GREAT NOISE, AND THE ELEMENTS, SHALL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT, THE EARTH ALSO AND THE WORKS THAT ARE THEREIN SHALL BE BURNED UP.”
PETER ASKS ALL OF US —
“SEEING THEN THAT ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE DISSOLVED, WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT YOU TO BE . . .?”
WE SHOULD BE HOLY PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD. “NEVERTHELESS WE, ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE, LOOK FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, WHEREIN DWELLS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
BE SURE YOU ARE “DILIGENT THAT YOU MAY BE FOUND OF HIM IN PEACE, WITHOUT SPOT, AND BLAMELESS.”
NEXT . . . THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN