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Lesson 5 – I Peter 1:10-11

Lesson 5 – I Peter 1:10-11

Lesson for February 10, 2013

I Peter 1:10-11

 

Verse 10

As to this salvation can refer to faith in Christ, it can refer to deliverance in time or it can refer to deliverance in eternity; all are the deliverance of sanctification.  In other words, salvation is used wherever the scripture uses sanctification.  These two words, salvation and sanctification, are on a parallel course.  Salvation: “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” is called positional sanctification because at the point of salvation every believer enters into union with Christ, which makes him holy.  Salvation is also divine deliverance through grace in time, which we call experiential sanctification and involves the mechanics of the Christian life.  Salvation is also deliverance for all eternity in a resurrection body, which we call ultimate sanctification.

The prophets here refer to the writers of the Old Testament Scripture.  The prophets did not understand the filling of the Spirit and the universal indwelling of the Spirit but they did understand spiritual knowledge and application of that knowledge.  The word prophets in 1 Peter 1:10 has no definite article, which places emphasis on the prophets as writers of Old Testament Scripture.  There were some great prophets like Elijah and Elisha who were not writers.  If we were talking about prophets in general there would be a definite article. But in Greek the absence of the definite article limits this to writers of the Old Testament.

In the formation of the canon of Scripture the Old Testament writers had to be prophets by gift or by office.  In the New Testament Scriptures the writers had to be apostles or one closely associated with an apostle, like Mark who was not an apostle but was associated with Peter, and like Luke who was not an apostle but was associated with Paul.  In the formation of the canon God used a special type of gift.  And in each case God the Holy Spirit provided the information.

These prophets of the Old Testament foretold the grace that would come in the future.  This means that you can learn about God’s grace in the Old Testament as well the New Testament.  God’s grace has always been functional in the lives of mankind and always will be throughout all eternity.  However, the writers of Scripture foretold of a time when this same grace would be poured out on others.  Remember, the writers of Scripture did not always fully know what they were writing about but they were always writing by inspiration of God the Holy Spirit.

Since these Old Testament writers did not always fully understand what they were writing, they constantly made “careful search and inquiry.”   Search is the Greek word “exeraunao,” which means to explore or to trace diligently.  It means to explore new areas of doctrine.  Inquiry is the Greek word “ekzeteo,” which means diligent investigation.  It implies they were constantly studying the Scriptures for further information.  

Doctrine of Grace

  1. Grace is all that God is free to do for mankind on the basis of the Cross — salvation. Grace is the work of God on behalf of man; grace is the title of God’s plan.
  2. Grace depends on Who and what God is, never who and what man is.
  3. Grace eliminates all human good.
  4. The principle of grace in sanctification: The greatest thing that God can do for the saved person is to make him like His Son. This is accomplished in three stages: phase one positional sanctification; He enters us into union with Christ.  Positionally we are now higher than angels; phase two, the filling of the Holy Spirit plus the function of intake and application of Bible doctrine; phase three, a resurrection body. We are exactly like His Son because we have a resurrection body.
  5. The entrance factor of grace: Every believer has tasted the grace of God at least once. (1 Peter 2:3)
  6. The occupational hazard of grace: disorientation to grace through ignorance of Bible doctrine and through the function of mental attitude sins.  (Hebrews 12:15; Galatians 5:4)
  7. The divine attitude: God’s attitude is that He always wants to give to us on the basis of His character. In fact God is constantly waiting to pour out His grace to every believer. (Isaiah 30:18,19)  And the only thing that hinders is negative volition.  We are the hindrance.
  8. Grace in phase one: salvation. (Ephesians 2:8,9; Psalm 103:8-12; Romans 3:23,24; 4:4; 5:20)
  9. Grace in phase two: a. In prayer — Hebrews 4:16; b. In suffering — II Corinthians 12:9,10; c. In growth — 2 Peter 3:18; d. In stability — 1 Peter 5:12; e. In the execution of the Christian life – Hebrews 12:28; 2 Corinthians 1:12; f. In the production of divine good through grace —1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 6:1.
  10. Grace is the only answer to the intensified stage of the angelic conflict. This is brought out in II Corinthians 12:7 where Satan is buffeting the Apostle Paul. Grace is the answer.
  11. The implications of grace: a. God is perfect; His plan is perfect. b. A perfect plan can originate only from a perfect God. c. If man can do anything meritorious in the plan of God it is no longer perfect. d. A plan is no stronger than its weakest link. Therefore, grace excludes the weak link – human merit, human ability, and human good. e. Legalism is the enemy of grace. f. There is no place in the plan of God for human good or legalism.  g. Human good is associated with the mental attitude sin of pride.
  12. Four areas in which pride rejects grace: a. The pride of the believer who rejects the doctrine of eternal security. They think their sins are greater than the plan of God; b. The pride of the believer who succumbs to the pressure of adversity – a much more subtle pride. He thinks that his sufferings are greater than the provision of grace. Again there is the rejection of grace; c. The pride of pseudo-spirituality, a common affliction in days of apostasy. He thinks his works, personality, morality, taboos, are experiences which are greater than the plan of God. He inserts into the plan of God legalism — I am spiritual because … ; d. The pride of the emotional believer. Occasionally some believer thinks he has a super experience, and babbles in pseudo-tongues. He thinks his feelings are more important than doctrine.

Verse 11

Seeking to know is the Greek word “eraunao” and it means to examine, to trace or to explore.  The word for time is the Greek word “kairos,” which means dispensation. The writers of the Old Testament were all dispensationalists.  The Spirit of Christ is a functional title for the Holy Spirit.  It is a reference to the Holy Spirit Who, obviously at this point, is providing information to Old Testament writers about Christ. So it is a functional title. Within them means the Old Testament writers were indwelt by the Spirit.  Indicating is the Greek word deloo, which means to bring to light or make plain.  The Holy Spirit brought things to light and made them plain.  He predicted means to present the facts before they occurred, the facts concerning the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit did this.  There were two aspects of the coming of Christ. The first was the sufferings of His first coming; His death, burial, resurrection and ascension.  And second will be the glories that will be His at His second coming.

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

  1. The Holy Spirit indwelt some Old Testament believers and always for special reasons. In
  2. I Peter 1:11 we are told that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit was for the purpose of writing the Old Testament Scriptures.  The ministry of God the Holy Spirit is on a limited basis to a few people in the OT — Joseph in Genesis 41:38; Bezaleel and Aholiab in Exodus 36:1; the seventy elders who assisted Moses in Numbers 11:18,25; Joshua in Numbers 27:18; certain Judges — Othniel in Judges 3:10; Gideon Judges 6:34; Jepthah Judges 11:29; Samson Judges 13:25; 14:6; 15:14; certain kings of Israel — 1 Samuel 10;9,10 and 16:13. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is mentioned specifically in connection with Daniel — Daniel4:8; 5:11-14; 6:3.
  3. Believers could lose the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. This removal of the Spirit could have been for divine discipline as we have the case of Saul where the Spirit was removed — 1 Samuel 16:14; David in Psalm 51:11 where David was in danger of losing the ministry of the Spirit and prayed “take not thy Holy Spirit from me” — a prayer which the Church Age believer should never pray if he has learned accurate doctrine!  He does not live in that dispensation. 3. Old Testament believers could obtain the Holy Spirit by asking for Him — 2 Kings 2:9,10. Elisha was about to step into the shoes of Elijah and he wanted the same power — the ministry of the Holy Spirit — and he asked God. In Luke 11:13 — “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” The disciples were still living in the Age of Israel. We do not ask for the Holy Spirit in the Church Age, we receive Him at the point of salvation.
  4. Just before the ascension, and without their request, Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to ten disciples to sustain them during the fifty days between His resurrection and the beginning of the Church Age — John 20:22.
  5. Once the Church Age began every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit — John 7:37-39; 14:16,17; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19,20.
  6. In the Church Age a believer cannot lose the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He can only lose the filling of the Spirit, in which case he is grieving or quenching the Spirit but HE DOES NOT LOSE THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Holy Spirit’s Ministry to Church Age Believers

Regeneration is the act of God the Holy Spirit in imparting spiritual life to a person at the time of faith in Christ as his Savior.  This person is said to be born-again, alive from the dead and a new creature. (Titus 3:5-6)

The indwelling of God the Holy Spirit begins immediately upon faith in Christ and is permanent.  This ministry is unique to the Church Age in which we live.  It is this ministry that assures our royal status, since all believers, regardless of their spiritual health, are equally indwelt by the Holy Spirit.  (Galatians 3:2-3; 4:6; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12; 3:16-17; 6:19-20; John 14:16-20; Colossians 1:27)

The sealing ministry is the believer’s guarantee of eternal life.  It is through this ministry that believers are secure forever. (II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30)

Upon faith in Christ, the believer is placed in permanent union with Christ by means of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  This union guarantees us a share of Christ’s inheritance.  (Romans 8:14-17; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:3-11)

At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit, in sovereignty, gives every believer at least one spiritual gift.  These gifts are given so that the local church can properly function.  (I Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:11)

When the believer is filled with the Holy Spirit, every area of his life is being influenced.  The filling is temporary, depending on the believer’s fellowship with God.  (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 4:19; 5:22-23)

God the Holy Spirit is the believer’s teacher and guide.  Believers learn Bible doctrine when they expose themselves to it under the control of the Holy Spirit.  Ignorance of God’s Word means limited guidance by the Holy Spirit. (John 7:17; 14:26; 16:13-14; Romans 8:14; I Corinthians 2:10-16; II Timothy 2:15; 3:16)

The ministry of intercession is the Holy Spirit mediating on behalf of the believer.  Since He is indwelling us, He is able to “make groanings which cannot be uttered” for us.  His intercession is for us in times in which we are unable to pray due to intense suffering, distress or when we simply don’t know how or what to pray. (Romans 8:26-27)       

The ministry of glorification of Christ is accomplished in the life of the believer as he executes the Christian Way of Life.  If the believer chooses to allow the Holy Spirit to control his life, and learns, believes and applies Bible doctrine, the character of Christ can be formed in him.   (John 16:14; Galatians 4:19; 5:22-23)

In the same manner that the Holy Spirit sustained Christ in His humanity, He sustains the believer.  “Sustain” is defined as supplying the needs of a person.  God the Holy Spirit sees to it that all of that believer’s needs are met.  The needs may be physical, spiritual, emotional or material.  God in His wisdom knows our needs and has promised to meet them.  This is a part of the sustaining ministry of God the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16-18,26,27)