New Hope Reformed Church

1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For ​ ​​"He who would love life ​​And see good days, ​​Let him refrain his tongue from evil, ​​And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; ​​Let him seek peace and pursue it. ​​For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, ​​And His ears are open to their prayers; ​​But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.

Psalm 66:16-20 ​Come and hear, all you who fear God, ​​And I will declare what He has done for my soul. ​​I cried to Him with my mouth, ​​And He was extolled with my tongue. ​​If I regard iniquity in my heart, ​​The Lord will not hear. ​​But certainly God has heard me; ​​He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, ​​Who has not turned away my prayer, ​​Nor His mercy from me!

1 Peter 3:1-7 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

1 Peter 2:18-25 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ​ "Who committed no sin, ​​Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; ​ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 2:19-25 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ​ ​​"Who committed no sin, ​​Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; ​ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

-From birth, we are taught that SLAVERY is the greatest of all sins. There can be no nuance- all forms of slavery must be viewed the same. There can be no discussion of the matter. The Evangelical church acts just as the Liberal; yet claims to hold to Biblical inerrancy So: how do they deal with such texts as 1 Peter 2:18: Servants (actually slaves is the better translation of the Greek word doulos), be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh?

Thinking of Christians and politics? Pondering thoughts on Christian Nationalism? In chapter 2 of his first epistle Peter addresses our sojourning in this world and how we are to honor kings and rulers and how we are to fear our High King.

1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:1-10 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ​ ​​"Behold, I lay in Zion ​​A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, ​​And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." ​ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ​ ​​"The stone which the builders rejected ​​Has become the chief cornerstone," ​ and ​ ​​"A stone of stumbling ​​And a rock of offense." ​ They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a h

Psalm 48:1, 14 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain. For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.

Psalm 84 is a pilgrim Psalm that describes God's peoples travels through the Valley of Bacca or Weeping. God reminds us that His mercies can redeem our weeping and turn it into places of refreshment.

The actions of the people of God are measured by the moral actions of the law. It is how you love Christ. It is how you love God. It is how you love each other. And so Peter says this is the work of God, that you love the brethren. That would be a popular sermon in many church today-heard as "Go out and have a warm feeling about people." And that is not actually what love is. Love is obey God's commandments in regards to other people, in regards to God Himself, in regards to Christ. This is love enacted and this is what love does under the gospel. Peter calls us to work the works of God-to love the brethren. Gird up your minds to do the work God has called you to do which is to love the brethren. And this is not the easy, worldly way some use this word. It means to obey God's law and Word concerning them.

In both Deuteronomy and the Gospels we hear that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our soul, with all our heart and with all our mind. In today' text, Peter explains how we are to take our mind captive, to gird up the loins of our minds to make us fit for service to God's glory.

1 Peter 1:7b-12 Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen yo

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Psalm 146 Praise the LORD! ​ ​​Praise the LORD, O my soul! ​​While I live I will praise the LORD; ​​I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. ​ ​​Do not put your trust in princes, ​​Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. ​​His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; ​​In that very day his plans perish. ​ ​​Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, ​​Whose hope is in the LORD his God, ​​Who made heaven and earth, ​​The sea, and all that is in them; ​​Who keeps truth forever, ​​Who executes justice for the oppressed, ​​Who gives food to the hungry. ​​The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. ​ ​​The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; ​​The LORD raises those who are bowed down; ​​The LORD loves the righteous. ​​The LORD watches over the strangers; ​​He relieves the fatherless and widow; ​​But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. ​ ​​The LORD shall reign forever— ​​Your God, O Zion, to all generations. ​ ​​Praise the LORD!

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

Proverbs 4:18: But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.