Q&A: 1 Peter 1 week 2

1 Peter 1 part 1 Q&A

Here are some brief answers to our questions from our Sunday evening service.

1. Should we endure suffering/hardship as discipline so that we might become more like him? If yes, why is so hard to rid ourselves of malice, envy, slander etc?

We live in a sinful world. Sin corrupts everything. It is challenging to live in this world and not be corrupted by malice and envy and slander. We need to continually set our minds on Jesus, preparing our minds for battle. We necessarily endure suffering and hardship as we do this. It is the result of living in a way that is against the ways of the world.

2. At various stages in life and faith, what may taking the next step in faith look like?

This will look different for each person depending on where we are at and where we are heading. This is why it is important to keep talking to God and listening to God and keep talking to Christian brothers and sisters and listening to them also.

3. There are many Australians who can't read well or at all due to health, education, disability... How can they still grow in God's word? How can we support them?

This may be a prompt for you, from the Holy Spirit, to consider how you may be a part of the answer to this. But we do need to consider the differences between all of us in terms of our needs in approaching the Scriptures. For some, reading God's word is inaccessible for many different reasons. How can they hear if no one goes to them? Sending Bibles to places without Bibles, providing other means for people to access the Bible if they cannot read or because the Bible is unavailable in their language... we need more gospel workers for this. We can support by recognising the needs and by providing other means.

4. What are the best ways to enable people's faith growth in fellowship?

Have some intentionality in your conversations with people. Ask people after church "what did you get out of the sermon?" Have a question to ask. Seek to intentionally engage with people's faith.

5. Should we be trying to do 1-2-1s with people at church to help each other continue to grow in our faith?

Always a great idea! A first step is often to join a growth group, and then within that group seek another person or two to meet with regularly, one to one or two to one.

6. What practical advice can you suggest to incorporate more graphs into our daily lives?

Perhaps start recording the data for how many graphs you have in your life now, then project how many you might have in the next few months. Set your goals and aim high. Increase slowly, and linearly- don't go exponential. But remember: Jason is a professional devon graph-er. He can help you I'm sure :)

7. My friend says their life is so hard all they can do is cling to Jesus. I 100% support that. Is that OK?

At times, this is certainly all we can do. And it is the most important thing. But we can also remember that when we are clinging to Jesus, he has a grip that does not let go. Trusting in Jesus is the best way to cling. We trust that he has us in his grip, even when we are weary, tired, and lost. Pray for your friend. It's great that you are supporting them in this. It is so important for them to know that God has provided you to help them at this time.

8. Refer to 1 Peter 2:1-3, can it be said that our relationship with God is refining through practising the faith? (continued in next question)

God is always refining us by the work of his Spirit. This is called "sanctification" and it is a work that happens every day - when we practice our faith, when we struggle in our faith, when we fail in our faith... God is at work refining us like gold in the fire.

9. (Continued…)While practising our faith in action, is it good for us to reflect how much we can learn about God and our relationship with him?

Yes. Always good to reflect on how much we can learn about God. So important to be lifetime students of God's word, prayerfully committed to knowing him better each day.

10. Shouldn't we keep the shirt with a hole in it to increase our holeyness?

nice one. Good shirt for golf too.

11. I found the illustrations of growth very encouraging, thanks Jason. How can we avoid this passage leading to moralism or justification by works?

Look at verses 18-21 - this is the grace we are setting our hope on. Remember this grace - a free gift. "Through him you believe in God". You don't redeem yourself from sin. Christ has redeemed you. We are saved by him to be obedient to him, not the other way around. We always need to remind ourselves of the grace we have received first of all.

12. I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!

Thanks Grandpa Simpson. Nice quote.