1 Peter 5 Teed Commentaries

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Teed Commentaries

1 PETER CHAPTER 5

Caring For The Flock

True Greatness Means Putting Others first

1 Peter 5: 1-7

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want—familiar words to most of us from the 23rd Psalm. It probably brings to mind a serene scene with the Lord comforting His child and providing for that person’s specific needs. We refer to Psalm 23 during times of hardship, illness, and when facing death in order to remind ourselves that we are not alone in our circumstance.

The Lord Jesus when on earth referred to Himself as a Shepherd several times. Christ then appointed His disciples to become shepherds and we find there is another side to the picture. This morning we will look at that aspect of being a shepherd to the flock of God, according to 1 Peter 5:1-7 NAS:

1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,

2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

When we concluded 1 Peter 4:19 we considered the concept of a faithful Creator. And that serves as our introduction to Chapter 5. As our Creator, God had planned the necessity of the sufferings of Christ as well as His future glory (5:1). We know that Christ endured suffering and hardship for our benefit and we will see the parallels with leadership in the Christian community, the Church. In 1 Peter 5:1–4, Peter explains the way leaders are to shepherd their congregations. He encouraged the elders [204] to shepherd, to care for, the people of God in the church to which they belonged. The imagery of the shepherd and the flock was also used by Jesus when instructing Peter in John 21:15–17 NAS, where we read:

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

The main point of this passage was that Jesus was emphasizing Peter’s responsibility of feeding and caring for Jesus’ sheep, the believers. Peter’s love for Jesus would be essential to being faithful to the task. [205]

Faithful church leaders are promised a reward from Christ, the Head Shepherd (Isaiah 5:4). So let us now look at 1 Peter 5 beginning with verse 1 from the New Living Translation:

1 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:

Peter did not introduce himself in this letter as an apostle or a great spiritual leader, but simply as another elder. However, he did mention the fact that he had personally witnessed Christ’s sufferings (Matthew 26:36ff). The Greek word translated “witness” gives us our English word “martyr.” We tend to think of a “martyr” only as one who gives his life for Christ, and Peter did that; but basically, a martyr is a witness who tells what he has seen and heard.

When verse 1 speaks of “the glory of Jesus that shall be revealed.” it reminds us of Peter’s experience with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:1–3 NAS:

1 Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain.
2 And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.
3 Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with him.

The pastor of the local church must be a person who has a vision of who Christ truly is in all His glory. He or she must have experienced the hand of Christ in his/her life. The pastor needs to be a person who walks with God and who is growing in his/her spiritual life. Paul admonished young Timothy: “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15, NIV). The word “progress” in the original means “pioneer advance.” The elders must constantly be moving into new territories of study, personal growth, and ministry. If the leaders of the church are not moving forward in their own personal spiritual lives, then the church will not move forward. In fact if you are not going forward you are most likely starting to go backwards

Sometimes God permits trials to come to a church so that the people will be forced to grow and discover new truths and new opportunities. Certainly Peter grew in his spiritual experience as he suffered for Christ in the city of Jerusalem. He was not perfect by any means; in fact, Paul had to rebuke him once for inconsistency (Galatians 2:11–21). But Peter was submissive to Christ and willing to learn all that God had for him.

1 Peter 5:2,3 NAS:

2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

The word “feed” is the translation of a Greek word which literally means “to shepherd,” and includes the duties of a shepherd. The noun form of the word is translated “pastors” in Ephesians 4:11. The word “oversight” is the translation of the same Greek word in another form which in other places refers to the words “overseer,” or “bishop,” reflecting the spiritual care of the flock. The words “sordid gain” are literally in the Greek text “base or dishonorable gain.” The pastor is not to run his ministry as a business or to maximize his financial holdings. [206]

The image of the flock is used frequently in the Bible. Those of us who at one time did not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ could, when we were in that unsaved condition, be accurately described as stray sheep, wandering along the edge of a cliff high above a pit known as Hell. Fortunately for us the Good Shepherd found us and led us back to the sheepfold.

Sheep are useful animals. Jewish shepherds tended their sheep, not for the meat but for the wool, milk, and lambs. [207] God’s people should be useful to Him as well by bringing others to the knowledge of Christ. Sheep were used for the sacrifices and again we too should serve as “living sacrifices,” by doing the will of God (Romans 12:1–2).

Sheep tend to flock together. God’s people also need to stick together. Sheep are not the brightest of God’s animals and will very likely wander away back toward the edge of that cliff if they do not follow the shepherd. Sheep are defenseless, for the most part, and need their shepherd to protect them (Psalm 23:4).

In verse 2 Peter reminded the shepherd-elders of their God-given responsibilities to care for the flock of God. The shepherd had many tasks to perform in caring for the flock. He had to protect the sheep from attackers and thieves. A pastor has a similar responsibility for protecting God’s people from those who desire to teach false doctrine and lead the sheep to question God’s truth. Listen to Paul’s words in Acts 20:28–35 NAS:

28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
31 “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.
32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.
34 “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.
35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Sometimes the sheep do not take kindly to their shepherd pointing out when they are going astray, even when it is for their own good. A faithful shepherd not only protects his flock, but he also leads them from pasture to pasture where they can find food to nourish them. The shepherd always went ahead of the flock to make certain there would be nothing there to harm them. He would check for snakes, pits, poisonous plants, and dangerous animals. It is equally important for pastors to lead their people into green pastures where they will feed on the Word of God and grow.

Sometimes a shepherd had to grab hold of a wayward sheep and give it personal attention. Many pastors today are only interested in numbers; they want to build a large church and they have no time for personal relationships with the sheep. Jesus preached to large congregations, but He also took time to stop and talk with the people such as Nicodemus in John 3, the woman at the well in John 4, and others who brought their personal needs to Him. Paul also ministered to, as well as loved, the people who needed his care in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:11).

If a sheep is as rebellious as I have been, the shepherd may have to discipline him/her in some way. If a sheep is hurt or frightened, the shepherd might have to carry it for a while.

You are probably familiar with this poem, but the truth in it bears repeating:

Footprints in the Sand

Mary Stevenson

“One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,

is when I carried you.” [208]

At the close of each day, the shepherd would examine each sheep to see if it needed any special attention. He would remove any briars from the wool. A good shepherd would know each of his sheep by name and would understand their individual behavior.

It is not an easy thing to be a faithful shepherd of God’s sheep. The work never ends and it quite frequently requires the supernatural power of God. Pastors must also be careful how they minister to God’s sheep because one day they will have to give an account of their ministry to Christ Himself. But the sheep will also have to give an account of how they obeyed or disobeyed their shepherds. Both shepherds and sheep have a great responsibility for and to one another. We read in Hebrews 13:17 NAS:

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

A pastor is not to be just a teacher or public speaker who appears before his congregation once each week to give them a sermon. Incidentally, even the word, “pastor” designates this shepherding function. The same word is used in the New Testament for sheepherders and implies nourishing and caring for God’s people. Hence the pastor is a shepherd who needs to know his people and who has a sincere desire to lead them by teaching and applying the Word of God to their lives. If he/she does not, then the pastor is at risk of being a “blind leader of the blind,” as Christ described in Matthew 15:14. So then the pastor must also lead by example. A pastor should do God’s will from his/her heart (Ephesians 6:6). When a man or woman has a pastor’s heart, he/she loves the sheep and serves them because he/she wants to, not merely out of duty.

If a pastor has no conscience he can spend most of his time going to baseball games, watching “I Love Lucy“ reruns, playing golf, or any number of other things. Church members rarely ask what their pastor is doing with his/her time. A pastor could spend most of his/her week doing such things as we have just outlined and on Saturday evening get on line and download someone else’s sermon for his/her message on Sunday. I wonder how such a pastor will feel when he/she stands before Christ to account for their ministry?

It is okay, in fact even appropriate when the pastor is full time for the church to pay their pastor. [209] But making money should not be the main motive for the pastor’s ministry. Paul stresses this in his qualifications for an elder in 1 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 1:7. Because of varying situations some pastors work in some capacity outside the church. Paul was a tentmaker. It is, however, preferable if the church is able, to pay the pastor a living wage so that He can devote all of his/her time to caring for the flock. 2 Timothy 2:4 tells us:

“No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.” (NLT)

Peter also instructs pastors and elders to be an example to the flock in verse 3. He is speaking here of leadership, not dictatorship. The warning in 1 Peter 5:3 about “lording it over” the saints reminds us of Christ’s lesson about true greatness in Luke 22:24–26 NAS, as well as the other times that He taught His disciples about humility and service. Luke wrote:

24 And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them (that is the disciples) was regarded to be greatest.
25 And He (Jesus) [210] said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’
26 “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.

Peter is reminding his readers that you cannot drive sheep like you can cattle or horses; you must go before them and lead them. It has been well said that the church needs leaders who serve and servants who lead. People are usually willing to follow a leader who practices what he preaches and who provides a good example to follow. [211]

1 Peter 5:4 NLT

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

“The Greek word translated ‘crown’ referred to a crown of victory in the Greek athletic games, a crown given for military valor, or a festal garland worn at marriage feasts. [212] Here it is the reward given to faithful shepherds of the flock of God. ‘unfading’ is a participle in the Greek describing this crown. The crown given to victors in either athletics or war was made of oak or ivy leaves. These would wither and fade. But the victor’s crown which the Lord Jesus will give His faithful under-shepherds will never wither or fade. What form this reward will take, is not stated. Paul says that his crown of rejoicing at the coming of the Lord Jesus for His Church will be made of the souls he won” (I Thessalonians 2:19). [213]

Peter again reminds us of the promise of Jesus’ return. Remembering this promise can lift our spirits and give us hope in times of suffering (1 Peter 1:7–8). Knowing that His return could come quickly should motivate us to make faithful service our number one priority. If a pastor ministers to please himself/herself, or to please his/her congregation, they will have a disappointing and difficult ministry. A visitor once commented to Warren Wiersbe after one of his services, “It must be hard to keep all these people happy,” “I do not even try to keep them happy,” he replied with a smile:

“I try to please the Lord, and I let Him take care of the rest.” [214]

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who died for the sheep (John 10:11), the Great Shepherd who lives for the sheep (Hebrews 13:20–21), and the Chief Shepherd who comes for the sheep (1 Peter 5:4). As the Chief Shepherd, He alone can judge a pastor’s ministry and give him/her the proper reward or judgment. Some who appear to be first may end up last when the Lord examines each individual’s ministry.

We are reminded of another story about Warren Wiersbe. He wrote the following:

“One summer day, I stood amid the ruins of a church near Anwoth in Scotland. The building at one time seated perhaps 150 people. By modern standards, it would not have been a successful church. But the man who pastored that flock was the saintly Samuel Rutherford, whose Letters of Samuel Rutherford is a spiritual classic. His ministry continues, though today his church building is in ruins. The Chief Shepherd has rewarded him for his faithful labors in a ministry which included a great deal of persecution and physical suffering.” [215]

Some Christians think that their rewards should come before they get to Heaven, and they labor for many different kinds of rewards. Some work day and night to build personal empires; others seek the approval of the greatest number of people possible; and yet others strive to the highest positions available in their denomination. All of these things will come to an end one day. The only reward truly worth striving for are the two words “Well done!” spoken by the Savior of the world and the eternal crown of glory that goes with it (Matthew 25:21, 23). [216]

What a thrill it will be to place the crown at Jesus’ feet (Revelation 4:10) and acknowledge that all we did was because of His grace and power (1 Corinthians 15:10; 1 Peter 4:11). Believe it or not, none of us will have any desire for personal glory when we see Jesus Christ face-to-face. [217]

Everything in the local church depends on its leadership. No matter how large or small a church might be, the leaders, and this is essential, must be carefully evaluated believers who believe every word given to us in the Bible. No exceptions. Each leader must love Christ and have a loving concern for their people. We lead by serving and sometimes we must serve by suffering. This is the way Jesus did it, and this is the only way that truly glorifies Him. [218]

Peter knew that a “fiery trial” was about to take place, and he wanted the entire church family to be prepared. As he closed his letter, Peter gave the Church three important gentle warnings to obey if they were to glorify God in this difficult experience. [219]

1 Peter 5:5-6 NLT:

5 In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor..

There are two basic different interpretations of the term “younger men.” Some scholars believe this term represents young members of the church. Others believe the term represents the deacons who are to be under the teaching of the elders. This is a simplified summary of both positions but we believe that is all that is really needed and does not necessarily by either interpretation alter the message Peter is trying to get across. As to one another, the rule is that they should all be subject one to another, so far as to receive the reproofs and counsels one of another, and be ready to bear one another’s burdens, and perform all the offices of friendship and charity one to another; and particular persons should submit to the directions of the whole society, Eph. 5:21.; Jam. 5:16. These duties of submission to superiors in age or office, and subjection to one another, being contrary to the proud nature and selfish interests of men, he advises them to be clothed with humility. [220]

The phrase in 1 Peter 5:5, “serve each other in humility,” takes us back to the Upper Room where Jesus put on a towel and washed the disciples’ feet. We read about this in John 13:3-8; 12–17 NAS:

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded [221] Himself.
5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
6 So He came to Simon Peter. He (Peter) [222] said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.”

8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.

14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

17 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Peter had already advised the followers of Christ to be submissive to government authorities (1 Peter 2:13–17), the slaves to submit to their masters (1 Peter 2:18–25), and the wives to their husbands (1 Peter 3:1–7). Now he commanded all of the believers to submit to God and to each other. The younger believers should submit to the older believers, not only out of respect for their age, but also out of respect for their spiritual maturity. Not every older believer is a mature Christian, of course, because quantity of years is no guarantee of quality of experience. This is not to suggest that the older church members are to “run the church” and never listen to the younger members. Too often there is a generation war in the church, with the older people resisting change, and the younger people resisting the older people. The solution is twofold: (1) all believers, young and old, should submit to each other; (2) all should submit to God. “Serve each other in humility” is the answer to the problem. Just as Jesus laid aside His outer garments and wrapped a towel around Him to become a servant, so each of us should have a servant’s attitude and minister to each other. True humility is described in Philippians 2:1–11 NLT: [223]

1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 do not be selfish; do not try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

4 do not look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Humility is not demeaning ourselves and thinking poorly of ourselves. It is simply not thinking of our position or ourselves at all. Now we can never be submissive to each other until we are first submissive to God. Peter quoted Proverbs 3:34 to defend his point, a verse that is also quoted in James 4:6. It takes grace to submit to another believer, but God can give that grace if we humble ourselves before Him. God resists the proud because God hates the sin of pride (Proverbs 6:16–17; 8:13). It was pride that turned Lucifer into Satan (Isaiah 14:12–15). It was pride—a desire to be like God—that stirred Eve to take the forbidden fruit. “The pride of life” is an evidence of worldliness (1 John 2:16). The only antidote to pride is the grace of God, and we receive that grace when we yield ourselves to Him. The evidence of that grace is that we yield to one another. [224]

There is no evidence anywhere in the New Testament of a hierarchal structure involving offices of higher rank than that of elder. There are several Greek words referring to the office of “bishop,” but the words for “bishop” and “elder” are used interchangeably as synonyms. It appears to us, and we invite any biblically supported information you have to the contrary, that any church operating with a structure of priest, bishop, archbishop, pope, or any similar offices where one person is of more importance than another and holds a higher rank than another is not operating as a New Testament church, and needs to be reformed. There are a number of Greek words for the office of “elder.” Some are translated “elder,” some “overseer,” and some “bishop,” but they are all used in a context that refers to the same office of “elder.” I’m listing several Bible passages for you to check out for yourself in your Greek Bible: Acts 11:30; James 5:14; 1 Timothy 3:2; Acts 15:2, 4, 6, 22, 28; Acts 16:2, 4; Acts 20:17; Acts 21:18; Acts 6:3ff; Acts 14:23; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:1-5.

The bottom line to all of this is that the Church should be a place that provides for the spiritual and physical needs of its congregation. Each member of the congregation needs working knowledge of the Bible and an understanding of the one and only way to receive salvation. No one should ever go hungry or be without a roof over their heads or without people who love them.

Each member of the congregation is to offer his or her own spiritual gift or gifts of service to the Church and support the financial needs required by the Church. The congregation will choose a board of elders, based on their spiritual gifts and demonstrated life testimony. The number will vary with the size of the church, and the elders are to be responsible for preaching, teaching, and any other administrative needs of the Church. When Jesus gave the Great Commission to the Church, He said in Matthew 28:18-20:

Matthew 28:18-20 NLT:

18Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. 19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

We see here that there is no delegation of any authority in the Church as far as one person being of higher rank than another. Jesus Himself is present, acting in and through those who preach, baptize, and teach in His name. Because Jesus is present and identified with the humblest member of the Church, no grades or distinctions can be allowed within its fellowship.

These are just a sampling of passages that use the Greek words episcopos and presbuteros to refer to church leaders who watch over the congregation. The same words are used to describe Christ in His role as Shepherd watching over His own, and His own self-denial in caring for the souls of His people. These words are used to describe men and women in the congregation who exercise pastoral rather than political roles in caring for and feeding the congregation spiritually and otherwise.

There are to be several of these men and women in each church to watchfully direct and care for the congregations. These elders are to have a servant’s heart to serve the congregation. Church government is to be shared among these elders, each having an equal voice and each contributing to the tasks of preaching, teaching, counseling, and administration. They in turn are to pass on their knowledge to younger members of the congregation who will one day take their place.

The position of elder is to be a shepherd to the congregation.

If you’re wondering about the term deacon from the Greek diakoni, it usually refers to those charged with tasks such as providing for the needy and distributing financial help (Acts 6:1ff; 1 Timothy 3:8ff). In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 we find the qualifications required for an elder of the Church.

We can see an illustration of the contrast between pride and a servant attitude of humility in the following story told in Today in the Word:

“During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!"

The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." It was none other than George Washington.” [225]

Jesus once gave an illustration about the importance of building on a solid foundation. This section of 1 Peter emphasizes why that foundation is so essential.

Submission, here described as being humble, is a very important concept in the Christian faith and it is extremely difficult to practice in our daily lives. It requires discipline and a complete trust in the Word of God. Submission is an act of faith. We are trusting God to direct our lives and to work out His purposes in His time.

So why do we have difficulty submitting? Often it is because we are afraid we will lose something. Maybe we are afraid we will lose control of a situation, or possibly we fear losing ourselves, or losing a position. Perhaps, when growing up in a dysfunctional home, we came to think that we could not trust anyone other than ourselves. Maybe parents or siblings leaned on us instead of our being able to lean on them. Some people, with poor boundaries, may believe that if they submit to God they would be totally absorbed and will have no individuality left. There are many reasons for finding it difficult to submit to God and to the standards in His Word.

It requires taking that huge step in faith to find out that we gain so much more than we lose when we submit ourselves to the Lord. We gain a far more solid sense of identity because of knowing who we are in Christ. We gain a sense of security because we do not have to control everything but can rest in our powerful God who holds the whole universe together. After the step is taken we realize it was far more risky not to submit completely to the Lord.

A person who is truly submitted to God views other people, both saved and unsaved, very differently than before. The principle of love now operates in their lives and they look for what is good for the other person. They know that the mighty hand of God that directs our lives can also direct in the lives of others.

Verse 6, which calls us to be submissive and to humble ourselves before God indicates that “at the proper time” God will exalt us. The implication of “exalt” is that God will lift us up, elevate us out of the difficulty that we are in. We must patiently wait for that “proper time,” which usually is not the same as our timing. God never moves too soon or before the person is ready for it. This verse reminds us of Proverbs 15:33 NAS, which reads in part:

Before honor comes humility.

Christ, our Lord, suffered the indignities and humiliation of the Cross before He was exalted to His rightful place in Heaven. Moses had to spend 40 years in the desert before God commissioned him to deliver the Jews from Egypt. Joseph spent the better part of thirteen years in jail before God lifted him to a position of power in Egypt. David spent many years as a fugitive before he was crowned King of Israel. Incidentally, David wrote many of the Psalms that comfort and encourage us today during those despairing years of being pursued by King Saul who wanted to kill him.

Warren Wiersbe has stated that one of the evidences of our pride is our impatience with God, and one reason for suffering is that we might learn patience (James 1:1–6). Here Peter was recalling words he heard the Lord Jesus say: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). [226]

When we have this kind of relationship with God, we can obey the words of 1 Peter 5:7 NIV, which reads:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

This verse is like many of God’s promises. He makes a promise but specifies what we have to do in order to receive the benefits of that promise. In this case the benefit of receiving God’s care for ourselves, of having Him intervene and grant us His peace, requires us first to cast all our anxiety on Him.

What is meant here by “cares”? The Amplified Bible includes these words in the translation: “anxieties, worries, concerns.” In fact let us read this verse from the Amplified Bible:

Casting the whole of your care—all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all—on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully.”(1 Peter 5:7, Amplified Bible)

Wiersbe comments that we must not hand our anxieties to God piecemeal, keeping those cares that we think we can handle ourselves. He points out that “If we keep the little cares for ourselves, they will soon become big problems. Each time a new burden arises, we must by faith remind the Lord (and ourselves) that we have already turned it over to Him.” [227]

Note that little word all in verse 7. We do not pick and choose which burdens and anxieties we give to God. Verse 7 says give “all” to Him. Some well-meaning theologians have taught that we should not bother God with the little things. After all, they say, God gave us a brain and we are to use it to figure out and take care of some things. True, God gave us wonderful and marvelous brains and if that brain is really working, it will tell us it is wise to take everything, big and small, to God and ask for direction in how to use the wonderful brain He gave us (James 1:5; Matthew 7:7; Proverbs 2:3-6).

Peter was one individual who had the personal experience of God caring for His own. He had seen Jesus heal his mother-in-law (Mark 1:29–31); Christ had helped him pay his taxes (Matthew 17:24–27), and had given him a great catch of fish on more than one occasion (Luke 5:1–11; John 21:3-6). Jesus repaired the damage when Peter cut off the ear of Malchus (Luke 22:50–51; John 18:10–11), and even delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12).

How does God show His love and care for us when we give our cares to Him? Again Wiersbe suggests that God performs four wonderful ministries on our behalf.

(1) He gives us the courage to face our cares honestly and not run away. “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NAS)

(2) He gives us the wisdom to understand the situation. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5 NAS)

(3) He gives us the strength to do what we must do. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13 NAS)

(4) He gives us the faith to trust Him to do the rest. “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:5 NAS) [228]

It is important to avoid the concept that God is our magic genie. He is not. Submission is the key. If we consider God to be a genie, then we are in control, commanding Him to do our bidding. Rather we submit to God first. We acknowledge He is Lord and that He is in control. Look back at verse 6, “humble yourselves. . . under the mighty hand of God.” Get the sequence right and then you will reap the benefits.

Let us each one of us try to put into practice the following things that God has spoken to us through His Word:

ü Care for others willingly.

ü Lead others to Christ by example.

ü Serve others with a humble spirit; do not be proud.

ü Let God have all your worries and cares.

Without The Word of God You Are

No Match For Satan

1 Peter 5:8-14

Now let us move on to the next important message Peter has for us in this chapter.

1 Peter 5:8,9 NAS:

8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

As long as any of us are here on this earth we are going to be faced with a decision each day of choosing sides. In fact that decision process may well break down to every hour, and in some cases perhaps even every minute. We are in the middle between a powerful, loving God who wants to help us and an enemy who wants to devour and destroy us. Satan is a major contributor to our cares and problems. He is the Christian’s adversary, our enemy. The word devil means accuser and slanderer. [229] Christ said that the devil “. . .was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NAS).

Recall that Peter earlier in the book had encouraged his readers by writing:

1 Peter 4:4,14 NLT:

4 Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.

14 So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

They were about to meet “the lion” in their own fiery trial, so Peter is about to give them some advice as to how they can drive this lion back into the jungle. We are going to draw again on some practical wisdom from Warren Wiersbe, who by this time you have probably figured out is one of our favorite sources:

“Since I have no mechanical ability, I admire people who can build and repair things. During a church building program, I was watching an electrician install a complex control panel. I said to the man, ‘It just amazes me how you fellows can calmly work on those lines with all of that power there. How do you do it?’ The electrician smiled and said,

‘Well, the first thing you have to do is respect it. Then you can handle it.’” [230]

We need to respect the fact that Satan is a dangerous enemy. After all, we know that Satan is a serpent, and if you have any experience being near or around rattlesnakes, you know that they can go from what looks like a fairly harmless coiled position to striking a victim as fast as a speeding bullet. You do not want to get anywhere near them. Satan is a lot like a rattlesnake. He is a deceiver and a manipulator, and he can strike you when you least expect him if you do not remain alert and ready for action. He often comes clothed as a harmless little sheep, or even an angel of light speaking of how you can find peace and joy in life by worshipping the god of your choosing, but watch out. He really wants to have you for dinner. Please note that I did not say he wants to have you over to dinner. He wants you to be dinner. He wants to devour you.

From the beginning of time Satan has been out to destroy God’s people. Keep that in mind. Verse 8 opens with the words, “Stay alert.” Our culture makes light of Satan and his work by describing him as if he were a cartoon character with red horns and a pitchfork, and with sayings like, “the devil made me do it.” We hear the word “devilish” or the phrase “oh, you little devil” used to refer to light-hearted mischief. All this is a carefully laid plan by Satan to keep us from taking him seriously. He is strong and clever and has a large army to assist him in his tactics against us.

Because Satan is so clever and devious at times, we must constantly be alert and always on guard. We need to have a plan for what to do if he all of a sudden appears before us. His strategy is to counterfeit whatever God does. According to the Parable of the Tares, wherever God plants a true Christian, Satan seeks to plant a counterfeit. [231] In Matthew 13 Jesus tells us a parable explaining how Satan works. Matthew 13:24–30 ESV:

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,
25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.
27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’
29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time (Judgment Day) [232] I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat (believers) [233] into my barn.’ ”

Satan would succeed in deceiving us were it not for the Word of God and the Spirit of God. John wrote this in 1 John 2:18–27, The Message:

18 Children, time is just about up. You heard that Antichrist is coming. Well, they’re all over the place, antichrists everywhere you look. that is how we know that we are close to the end.
19 They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong.
20 But you belong. The Holy One anointed you, and you all know it.
21 I haven’t been writing this to tell you something you do not know, but to confirm the truth you do know, and to remind you that the truth Does not breed lies.
22 So who is lying here? it is the person who denies that Jesus is the Divine Christ, that is who. This is what makes an antichrist: denying the Father, denying the Son.
23 No one who denies the Son has any part with the Father, but affirming the Son is an embrace of the Father as well.

24 Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message. Let it sink into your life. If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father.

25 This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life!
26 I’ve written to warn you about those who are trying to deceive you.

27 But they’re no match for what is embedded deeply within you—Christ’s anointing, no less! You do not need any of their so-called teaching. Christ’s anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught. [234]

The better we know God’s Word, the better we will be able to detect Satan at work and know the true from the false. Again John writes in 1 John 4:1–6 ESV:

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

1 Peter 5:9 instructs us to resist Satan. This is an active position. How do we resist? Peter says to be firm in your faith, and know you are not alone.

To be firm in our faith means we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior from sin and have made Him Lord of our lives (verse 6) and that we know the Word of God, the Bible, thoroughly. This is the foundation on which we stand so we can resist the devil. We wear the complete armor of God as described by Paul in Ephesians 6:10–18 ESV:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

It is important never to get involved in a discussion with Satan or his associates. Eve made that mistake, and the human race has been dealing with the consequences ever since. Also, never try to fight Satan in your own way. Jesus is our model for how to resist Satan most effectively. Let us see just how Jesus resisted Satan in Matthew 4:1-11, The Message:

1 Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it.
2 Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger,
3 which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: “Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.”
4 Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”
5 For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said,
6 “Since you are God’s Son, jump.” The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: “He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone.”
7 Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: “do not you dare test the Lord your God.”
8 For the third test, the Devil took him on the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth’s kingdoms, how glorious they all were.
9 Then he said, “They’re yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.”
10 Jesus’ refusal was curt: “Beat it, Satan!” He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”
11 The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs. [235]

In each temptation, Jesus answered by quoting Scripture. He used God’s Word to respond to Satan. So we must be familiar with the Bible so that we know what to say when tempted. It is a good practice to memorize verses that can come to our aid when we need them.

Another source of strength cited in verse 9 is to remember you are not alone in your trials. Other Christians struggle with the same experiences of suffering. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13 NAS that:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

Our temptations or trials are “common”; that is, your brothers and sisters in Christ are faced with similar situations. Also, the Christian is never alone because God is always with us. He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

Peter learned these instructions the hard way. He may have been recalling the night Jesus was arrested. If he had known these things then, he may not have gone to sleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, or attacked Malchus (cut off his ear), or denied Jesus. He did not take the Lord’s warning “to watch and pray lest you enter into temptation” seriously (Mark 14:37-40); in fact, he argued with Jesus. So Peter, as was so typical of Peter, did it his way. He therefore did not recognize the Deceiver when he popped up out of nowhere and told him to use his sword. If Peter had listened and obeyed Jesus, He would not have reacted the way he did. James also said basically the same thing: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). It is important for every Christian to make this one of their top priorities. If we listen and obey Jesus’ instruction, we will be prepared to resist Satan whenever he comes at us. Peter ignored Jesus instruction and thereby came under the control of Satan

1 Peter 5:10-14 NLT:

10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

11 All power to him forever! Amen.

12 I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
13 Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark.
14 Greet each other with Christian love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ. [236]

Verse 10 assures us that our various trials are only temporary (1 Peter 1:6), but the glory that results is eternal. Paul made this same point in 2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT: “For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurable great glory that will last forever!”

Do you remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:24–27 NLT:

24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.
26 But anyone who hears my teaching and Does not obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.
27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (NLT)

The foundation is essential. It makes all the difference as to whether we stand or fall. If our foundation is not on Christ and the Word of God, we will give in to Satan and will be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” as we read in Ephesians 4:14.

1 Peter 5:10 is a wonderful promise. It gives hope, something to cling to, when you cannot see the outcome. Some years ago when Betty was going through a crisis, God gave her this verse to cling to. At the time she couldn’t see how it could ever be. But now, many years later, she sees the truth of this verse. When we submit ourselves to God during suffering and cling to His Word, resisting Satan, God will perfect us, that is, He will make us mature and complete. He will ground you securely and establish your faith on His firm foundation. What more could we hope for? What a wonderful promise!

Now this is such an easy thing to say. It is far more difficult to live through. Clinging to God’s promises and resisting Satan made Christ sweat drops of blood. And it can feel as if we are gritting our teeth and that it is impossible to hold on for another minute. But our God is there and He holds on to us. He strengthens us second by second, minute by minute. No it is not easy, but it does yield worthwhile results.

When an unbeliever goes through suffering, he/she loses their hope; but for a believer, suffering should only increase their hope, if we respond to it as God directs. Francoís Fénélon, a French theologian and writer who lived between 1651 and 1715, has written, “Happy is the soul that commits itself, by a sincere self-abandonment, into the hands of its Creator, ready to do all His will, and continually crying, ‘Lord, what would You have me to do? Teach me to do your will, for You are my God!’" (Acts 9:6; Psalm143:10).” [237]

In this process God builds our character. When we cooperate with Him in that process, God gets all the glory. Paul outlined this progression when he wrote in Romans 5:3,4: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” God builds character and brightens hope when a believer trusts Him and depends on His grace. The result is that God receives the glory forever and ever. [238]

Peter closes his letter with greetings and with a blessing. He opened the letter with a greeting of peace (1 Peter 1:2), so the entire epistle points to “God’s peace” from beginning to end. What a wonderful way to end a letter that announced the coming of a fiery trial. [239]

Peter has given to us a valuable letter that encourages us to hope in the Lord no matter how trying the times may be. Down through the centuries, the Church has experienced various fiery trials, and yet Satan has not been able to destroy it. [240] The gates of Hell have not prevailed and they never will. We can have hope because we know that God wins. Satan will one day be destroyed and we will live with Christ in peace, love, and joy. God will be glorified and worshiped forever. Then we will look back at our fiery trials and say it was worth it all!