Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

The book of 1 Peter

Chapter 1

1Peter.1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

How lovely and grand to read of the Apostle Peter's humility in Jesus as a mere chosen one, rather than the high-mindedness of the great men of the nations lording it over others living in corrupt opulent riches while those they rule over suffer in deprivation and hardships.

James 5:1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you.

Matthew 8:20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

Peter had learned the humility of Christ Jesus in serving others in the body of Christ as a slave to the holy ones washing feet spiritually. So unlike what we see in the world where men in leadership position have other waiting upon their ever need. God administration in the body of Christ Jesus, is just the opposite, it is composite body made up of many members as one body serving in love without competition, at the good pleasure of the Father Jehovah God.

John 13:9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

These chosen one were scatter throughout the then known world, but not in Christ, they were still united in faith and love in the spiritual body of Christ Jesus. There was nothing lacking in heavenly bread for those members found in oneness in Christ Jesus. Peter would speak for Christ Jesus too his body members, encouraging them to walk in faith and love as they waited upon revelation of Christ Jesus from heaven; we have much to learn from Peter's letter for we are in the last days of this world, let us listen carefully to what the spirit speaks to the congregation of God still left on earth in these last days.
Romans 6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection.

1 John 4:21 This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

1Pet.1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

How are we sprinkled by the blood of Christ Jesus, how are we sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God? We must take the first step which is God's grace or undeserved kindness to be at peace with God/YHWH and be found saved by the blood of Christ Jesus, should be move off this point into self-grace or self-undeserved kindness where we stand in self-righteousness we lose the Holy Spirit and the sanctification of God.

The unmerited gift of God can not be gotten any other way, but by God own goodness in a free gift nothing you or I can do will gain this gift accept God's love too us. Leaving this point will end us in destruction of our own ways at the coming of our and savior Jesus Christ. Peace cannot be had with God unless we first are given His grace by his love toward us in our faith in Jesus Christ, blood atoning for sin, in this case abolishing the righteous judgment of God's law against us bring us peace and a restful odor to God.

Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace.

Once we receive God's grace, we have Christ Jesus who is holy, and his righteous; we are then made a part of his spiritual body, which affords us sanctification from the Holy Spirit of God. It is not for our name sake, but God's name sake that we live in spirit, and truth for the will of our God Yahweh. In this manner we become part of God's foreknowledge preparing us for God's administration to bring all things into the oneness of Christ Jesus for a blessings of mankind.

Rom.8:19 For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 8:20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
8:21 that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 8:23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.

1Pet.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

All human beings before they accept Jesus Christ are like the prodigal son Jesus spoke about in the gospel accounts, but why? Because Adam was the first son of God, but after his sin the human race coming from Adam all had his sin past on too them. In this condition of sin all the human race must come home to their Fathers house, and be forgiven their sins and made son's of God again.

Here is the meaning of Peter's words above, this is how we can become son's of God again we can be restored through Christ Jesus into the body of Christ Jesus as son's of God, how wonderful! Yes, God's great mercy towards us we have a living hope, but how is that possible? Simply put, by God's awesome of grace/undeserved kindness in Jesus Christ. Without God's grace, that is, God removing sin from us. Although, we have sin, and still sin, our judgment is abolished in Christ. Hence, without this we would have no hope, but how did God do such a thing?

Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace.

By the resurrection of Jesus Christ after he offered up a perfect living sacrifice of his own life and faith to Yahweh his Father. Jesus lived perfectly upon earth completing the law that was condemning us too death, a law that none of us could possibly keep, let alone complete in our own sinful state. By Christ life, God could set aside the law, replacing it with the righteousness of Christ Jesus, installing the law of love over us instead of the laws condemning in sin, but how? If a person is made sinless they have no judgments, furthermore, sinless people don't need commandments, the obey from love.

Hence, God grace/undeserved kindness rules over each of us, in God's grace we are given the merit of God's Son life, so no longer do we try by are own merit to enter into life by our own good works, we can rest in a living hope, installed into heaven by the incorruptible, imperishable life freely given each of us. In this hope we can rest in faith that Christ was, and is good enough to take our deserved judgment, so we might live in peace with God's provision of life, which is Jesus Christ. Hence, our coming home too our Fathers house with open arms.

Luke 15:18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. 15:19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."' 15:20 "He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 15:21 The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 15:22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 15:23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; 15:24 for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate. 15:25 "Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

1Pet.1:4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn't fade away, reserved in Heaven for you.

We have an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance reserved for us in Heaven, but what is this? It is Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ proved to be the perfect son of God upon earth, he alone completed for the human race the righteous law of God, and the reward of the law, was eternal life! Christ meant the law on all levels completing it not only on merit, but in faith and love for his Father YHWH, he exceeded the righteousness of the teachers of the law, which were the scribes and Pharisees.

Matt.5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Christ was resurrected by His Father Jehovah God and given incorruptible immortal life in Heaven. We as Christian's are made part of the body of Christ Jesus while in our flesh upon earth, although, the body of Christ Jesus is spiritual we are still live in our flesh sinning as human being do on earth. Once we die and pass into the spirit world leaving our tent of flesh behind we enter into the fullness of what has been reserved for us in Heaven, the complete incorruptible life of Christ Jesus, without the flesh and its sins.

Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh can't please God.

But until then, God has been given us a taste, an inheritance reserved for us in Heaven, we are give the Holy Spirit working through the body of Christ bearing witness with our spirit we are indeed God's children. This witness is the life force of the body of Christ Jesus, and it is the only truth that will not fail us in our flesh. Hence, we listen to this truth governed by the law of love, and we tested all spirit(s) according to truth (Christ live indwelling us), whom conquered the world completing our faith just as Christ Jesus himself did, then we enter into are glorious freedom reserved for us in Heaven for the son's of God.

1 John 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

1Pet.1:5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Can there be anything more powerful than our faith, the apostle Peter says by Holy Spirit the very power of God is guarded by faith! However, many Christian's don't really understand faith, they trust a verse in the bible, a religious organization, and/or applying some commandments relentless too their flesh or too someone else, finding later that it did not bring them the desire results only to be left completely dismayed.

So just what is the faith spoken of in the Greek scriptures and here? Actually its part of the life of Christ Jesus. Yes, a gift of God's Holy Spirit found in the imperishable life of Christ Jesus himself. This is the faith that guards the power of God, a faith of a single man glorified by God with all power and authority in heaven and upon earth, Christ Jesus. His life is given freely to each member of his body, spiritual body. Here than is the only hope, for mankind, the only source of life that God will bless into eternity. Subsequently, with that gift of life comes faith, Christ Jesus faith as are all the gifts within the body of Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

Romans 12:6 Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith.

1 Corinthians 8:6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,{or, faithfulness}

One God, one Christ, one body, one faith, one baptism, an all through one person faithfulness for us! Not many faith, but a gift of faith, a gift of life found in the Christ, this is the measure of faith God gives to each one he calls a son of God. If we are to be guarded by this power, one cannot be doing works of law acting as though they have earned the unmerited life of Christ Jesus by a good work towards a commandment, a verse, the bible, preaching, and/or any thing outside of Christ. It is this faith that conquered death and Hades, it is this faith that makes us sinless when we deserve not. It is this faith that abolished our judgments, and it this one faith that loved our Father YHWH without being commanded.

Hebrews 10:7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.'"{Psalm 40:6-8}

1Pet.1:6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials,
1:7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ--

Many Christian's erroneous believe that fiery test of faith come at some future point in their life, and/or because they are born at a different time in history since Christ those trial can be side step. This is because they don't have the life of Christ Jesus indwelling them as did these Christian's the apostle Peter was speaking to here.

2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

You see the foolishness of such reasoning of making Christ into a word an inanimate person without incorruptible life; does not explain away the test that all those having Christ life indwelling them receive while upon earth as long as they are in their flesh. Would any Christian's think Christ would be more loved, in today corrupt world, two-thousand's years removed from Christ time on earth? Will, certainly not!

1 Corinthians 12:26 When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

2 Corinthians 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

No matter what part of history a person is born into if they are born again into the body of Christ, and Christ lives through them they are going to have tribulation in their flesh, because the world hates Christ as we are told by Christ himself. However, these trial is God's plan in perfecting our faith as gold refined by fire. Moreover, this is the judgment of God's Spiritual temple, which is, Christ and his body members. Such refinement cannot be side step for without this tribulation in our flesh nether is a person of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:29 Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don't obey the Good News of God?

1Pet.1:8 whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don't see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory-- 1:9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

If you believe you earn salvation, which means, by being associated with a certain religious group, and/or you perform some good work for the group you earned salvation the meaning of these verses for you will be incorrect!

John 10:10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

The result of faith, is not a work of law, it is a result of putting faith in Christ Jesus own merit, which merit is imputed too us whom have no merit before God as a sinners. You, see, salvation is not a work of law, in fact, there is not a good work you can do too earn salvation, or its is not salvation at all! Because we are meritless than we must accept salvation as a gift of our faith. God/YHWH has sent us a savior, to save us out of death, that is, our having no merit, in and of ourselves, too buy our way out of death.

John 10:28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Works of laws declares one righteous by their own good works on earth done in God's name, earning a person merit - saving themselves into eternal life. The problems with this illegal concept is one has to have more good merit than bad too balance the books with God. Whereas, the legal way of unmerited kindness according too the law of love, and not the laws of flesh. Is God has balanced the books for us by giving us his Son Christ Jesus precious life, hence, his merit which gained Christ eternal life with the Father, for keeping God's laws perfectly without sin.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.

Thus, the result of our faith is we have salvation now, by God's love, it is not future, but why? Because love is present, now, its not waiting on a legal time table by our earning something, God's love is given us freely without our merit. If we walk in faith in this truth of God's love, we are in Christ Jesus, which means we have received his eternal life, giving us eternal life by our faith. If the head of the body has eternal life, than the foot on the same body has the life of the body as will.

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

1Pet.1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you.

Tunnel vision, we all know what tunnel vision is, seeing essentially what we want so see for a preconceived thought! When a Christian's are set upon prophecy, future prophecy of end times predictions, they will with tunnel vision see the apostles Peters words here in such light. But what did Peter actually say prophets sought for? Grace! Undeserved kindness, and/or unmerited kindness; does that shocking to you?

Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

Yes, without grace all prophecy is point less, but why? How can a person save themselves from sin, is not sin death, and eternal destruction of not knowing God? Yes, without the remission of sin, there is no life in Christ Jesus. Hence, grace, nor undeserved kindness, how can one say such a thing? It is because sins laws judge us as wicked sinners, do you understand that? In other words, works of laws in obeying certain rules of laws, dead works, we will always fail needing atonement for those sins.

2 Corinthians 11:15 It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

It is only by grace, undeserved kindness we are not sinners, it is this, all the prophets sought, they were righteous men by faith, knowing what many fleshly mind Christian's never get, nor understand, the laws condemns us just as we are sinners, they do not declare us righteous, they are dead works. If one goes to a dead body it does not produce works of the living! How can one go to laws condemning us of death, and get life from them, no! They are dead works are they not? One has to go to a body of life to produce works of life. Where is that imperishable life, resurrected, glorified in heaven seating at the right hand of YHWH, as the source of all life.

Galatians 3:2 I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

Galatians 3:5 He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you, and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

But how can a sinner not sin? They must die, and be joined to a life that gives them life, Christ Jesus, which cannot be earned by our merit, that is, doing a work of law. It must be given freely by the creator of mankind as a free gift of His kindness. It this what you seeking or false knowledge of prophecy, which is one more work of law of self-salvation?

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

1Pet.1:11 searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them. 1:12 To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action,{literally, "gird up the waist of your mind"} be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ--

The apostle Peter speaks the end result of a person faith, the superiority of the Christ, the prophets of God sought and could not gain, the very grace of God in the person of Jesus Christ. How great of things is the unmerited kindness of Christ Jesus, it is the finish workings of YHWH, not end time predictions, or when Christ Jesus was coming, no! The prophets sought real salvation, in God's grace/unmerited kindness, which could not be expressed in their own times. This was message the Holy Spirit in Christ the Word of God was teachings the prophets of God.

This is the message so grand that it is good news, the sufferings of the Christ brings us the revelation of Christ in glorious freedom of hope in God's grace in Christ Jesus. Such that angles desire to understand this great mystery peering as it were into something so profound that even spirit son's of God must learn of God love in unmerited kindness towards fallen mankind.

All that God had done prior through the prophets, and the holy writings were but a witness too the prophets of God's reality toward mankind in His son's righteous life. Here these brothers and sister stood where God's prophets only knew by their faith. Here these brothers and sister bore the life of Christ Jesus in their mortal bodies as God's temple. Peter would remind them that they were the finish works of God there was no further place to go, no future fulfillment that could give them greater life or salvation. There were no greater gifts of Holy Spirit than being indwelt of Christ own life through God's undeserved kindness. If they went back to the law, or atoning for sins by self-good works thinking this gave them better standing with God they would find themselves in darkness living a lie.

Prophets and angles of God seen but a shadow of the reality these brothers and sister experience as son's of God, adopted by God's undeserved kindness abolishing fleshly judgments so they could know the very mind of God in Christ Jesus. No angle could be so intimately connected to God as these very brothers and sister were in the body of Christ Jesus, what undeserved kindness would allow for a mere mist upon earth a sinner to obtain to such great glory in the sight of holy angles, but unmerited kindness of the unfathomable love of God?

1Cor. 2:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."{Isaiah 64:4} 2:10 But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

1Pet.1:14 as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance, 1:15 but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; 1:16 because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."{Leviticus 11:44-45}

How could these early Christian's become holy? Moreover, what lust was in their ignorance? Let us remember the Greek scriptures are in harmony with each others. However, legalistic Christian's often don't thinks so discarding some while calling upon others to prove a point. First, for any person to become holy before God there is only one way to do so. Hence, through the righteous blood of Christ Jesus being having been made a part of his life living through us, sanctifying us, making us holy before God.

2 Peter 1:21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

What holiness is not, is meeting certain laws of commandments of God's words, this is the precise ignorance Peter was speaking too, and all the apostles spoke in harmony with him about. That is, returning to laws of sin, which incited lust in our flesh, but how can this be? Simply put, because the sinful flesh is dead in the law of Christ! Dead to the judgment of sins laws, abolished, hence, gone. What are sins laws? Will, for one-thing they aren't in the law of Christ. The law/life of Christ is sinless, which is the law of love. It is not parts of both laws, the old law completed by the law of Christ Jesus, and/or some of the law of Christ.

Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

For us to be holy one has to be in Christ free from the judgment of sin and the laws judging sin, which laws are leavened bread to Christ. Now in context, these Christian's were born again into the spiritual temple, holy temple of God, which is the unleavened bread of Christ, as a spiritual body made holy by the life of Christ Jesus working in them. They were not ignorant to fleshly sins excited by the Old Law, or its judgment through the Old law, or for that matter any law judging sins of the flesh.

Rom.7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death.

Rom. 7:8 But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
7:9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Hence, their knowing none of them could put away the filth of their flesh by such laws, so why would they go back to them unless it was for evil reasons? What, evil? In judging evil in other, as wicked too prove they were righteous by obeying the same laws set free from in Christ as their head and the righteous judge of his own body. Here is Peters concern, not as legalistic religion relentless teaches to make strong assertion in their flesh mouth and hearts about keeping commandments perfectly.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men.

1Pet.1:17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man's work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear: 1:18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers. 1:19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ.

It is truly important for these brothers and sister and us too get the context of the apostles Peter's words here. Many see the word “works” and immediately think of works of law. However, the context Peter speaks to here were the forefathers of these brothers and sisters the Jews, whom by works of law failed in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Romans 9:32 Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

Christ ended works of law in fulfilling the law of Moses by his flesh and blood. Christ than installed the law of Christ, which is the law of his Father, love, putting this law over his body members. What did this mean to them, and to us? It meant simply, our works are God's works from his vine/tree Christ Jesus, we are the branches and its fruit. Those fruits come from the life of the tree Christ produce from the imperishable life of Christ Jesus. In other words, Christ is our eternal life provided too us if we stay attached to the true vine of Christ having his life flow too us by his headship.

John 15:5 I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

All the physical glory of the Jews forefathers in gold, silver, temples, and/or heritage could not, and did not purchase us a single thing in Christ Jesus. Such a grand and wondrous gift angels sought, and God's prophets long for was to be realized in God's love in free gift of undeserved kindness. This is the context of Peters letter building the faith of these brothers and sisters in Spirit and truth, not in the flesh or in its connection with a powerful organized religion rather in their day or in our own.

2 Corinthians 1:24 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

1Pet.1:20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,
1:21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

Here we see a pervasive truth that the apostle Peter states, as do all the disciples of Christ whom wrote letters in the Greeks scriptures, which is, they were living in the “end times”! Hence, in their times were the last days! How shocking is that for someone who does not know the bible writings, and/or are associated with a religion which has predicts the end of the world as something new, for their generation?

If a person loves God for truth, than such questions cannot be simply dismissed in saying apostles of Christ were just over-zealous in writing that they lived in the end times, no! How foolish would that be, while at the same time claiming, out of the other side of their mouth the Holy writings are inspired by God? So if we love truth we must apply the truth as it is stated. Hence, these brother sister in Christ, were living in the last days. The Jewish system came to a violent end at the hands of the Roman Empire in 70C.E.

But still there is another thought about Peters uses of the words end times, and that would be, God no longer using the physical nation of Israel as his instrument for truth and pure worship it had already ended upon the Resurrection of Christ Jesus for God's purposes, years before this writing of Peters. God transferred His Spiritual present, into Christ Jesus, and his body members, after his murder of Christ at the hands of Israel leaders. Peter here reminds the brothers and sisters of just that, in context to his whole letter. Which context is, Christ the superior temple of God, their reality, by faith existed now in heaven at God's right hand. Henceforth, worshiping God can no longer be by flesh blood at a physical place upon earth, one must now look to heaven, the unseen, and worship in Spirit and truth in Christ Jesus.

2 Peter 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

No longer could these brothers and sister look to the magnificent temple of God where all the prophets, and kings of Israel went too worship, no! They must take the hard course putting faith in God alone. God had ended the temple service, now they awaited its destruction. But no harm would come to these brothers and sisters, because they had no need in going to the physical temple at a certain location within Israel for worship. No, they were in the greater spiritual temple of God, they worshiped where two or more were gather together in Christ name, in Spirit and truth seeing the reality God's spiritual gifts in Holy Spirit indwelling them. thus, having the real jewels of God heavenly Kingdom, the Jerusalem above, in hearts transformed into precious living stones, everlasting glorifying their King YHWH.

Revelation 21:19 The foundations of the city's wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire{or, lapis lazuli}; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;

1 Peter 3:4 but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.

1Pet.1:22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently.

Can we as a Christian's purify our souls? Will, lets be honest here, if you are a legal minded Christian's you are going to say yes! But if your born again by God's Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ, the key word here, “Spirit” overlooked by most Christian's in this verse, it will be no! Simply, because in context to all the holy writings we are told unequivocally we cannot put away the filth of our flesh, we can however, request God by our “faith” for a clean conscience.

1 Peter 3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We are purified not by works of our flesh, but rather through the blood of Christ Jesus. Let us not confuse fiction with truth. Christ removed our judgment so we can stand before God, but how? He completed the law, which judges us a sinner. He did not remove sin from our flesh, as many try to obtain too by meeting a commandment of God perfectly in their flesh. Christ fulfilling the law, with his perfect righteous life, abolishing our judgment. In other words, keeping it simple, God removed the law that we break each day so He can deal with us as though we have no sin, for breaking it.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Our having no sin we keep his commandments, because only a sinless person keeps the commandments. Now we have eternal life, why? Because we are made a part of eternal life, which means, we are made a part of Christ Jesus body as member therein. He is eternal life, the tree of life for us. Being therefor grafted into Christ our life, we receive the life of the tree cleansing us from all dead works. The sanctification Peter speak to above come too us by the life of the tree, Christ Jesus, by “Spirit”. Hence, we cannot purify ourselves without the life of Christ given too us by what? Good works, works of law, or faith?

John.15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.
15:2 Every branch in me that doesn't bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
15:3 You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

It is only in this truth of undeserved kindness that we can love each other
fervently from our hearts, otherwise our love will be human, not of God Holy Spirit in our comparing ourselves, competing with each other by works of law as to who is cleaner or more purified by obedience to rules and laws of religion.

Rom.12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. 12:4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function, 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

1Pet.1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever. 1:24 For, "All flesh is like grass, and all of man's glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls;
1:25 but the Lord's word endures forever."{Isaiah 40:6-8} This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

Here the apostle Peter makes a striking contrast with human flesh comparing it against the incorruptible imperishable life of Christ Jesus, as God's Word. In other words, these brothers and sisters received a gift not of this earth, they did not receive a gift from their knowledge of God, or their goodness, nor their religion, but from a spirit world where Christ rules as the King of Eternity. Christ being made into the exact representation of his Father/ YHWH, very being, after his resurrection! Their corrupted flesh under sin, and its laws, had been implanted with a seed of incorruptibility from the life of Christ from heaven, and not earth.

Heb.1:3 His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Is this not Good News that they could each one know God by this implanted seed understanding the mind of God through the mind of Christ the seed indwelling them with eternal life? Was this not a taste of heaven where peace excels all thoughts of fleshly turmoil, and peace becomes our overseer? Yes, the witnesses of eternal life sown into mere green grass which fades into corruption, and death going back to the dust from which its came, like a beautiful flower fallen to the ground in which no one gives anymore attention too.

Peter making a striking contrast for these brothers and sisters into not being fooled by corruptible earthly things, in not letting their thoughts, and goals be that of the nations, by trying to preserve corruptible things into eternity which must perish by incorruptible light, whereas, the Word of God will not. Hence, they are a part of the incorruptible life of God's Word, Christ Jesus.

1 John 5:7 For there are three who testify{Only a few recent manuscripts add "in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth"}:

This is the work which endures forever, not their works of the flesh. This is the seed sown into their sinful flesh, the witness of truth, the Word of God that does not lie. This the eternity the must put faith in. Hence, trusting in their calling, rejecting the lying flesh, which struggling for this life, remembering soon the flower fades falling to the ground and nobody cares!

James 5:1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you. 5:2 Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten. 5:3 Your gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up your treasure in the last days.