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Tag: Apostle Peter

Kept by the power of God

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 1 Peter, What’s new?.

What does it mean to be kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1:5)?

As the apostle Peter opens his first letter, he includes a section of thanksgiving to God for the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3–12). God’s gift of salvation produces great anticipation of an indestructible, pure, and eternal inheritance: “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” (verses 3–5, NKJV).

The recipients of Peter’s letter are identified as “God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Peter 1:1, NLT). These regions of Asia Minor were where the believers had likely been scattered due to persecution. Peter wrote to encourage them as they struggled to maintain their Christian identity and testimony. He wanted them to know that, even though they were far away from the core community of God’s people and Christ’s church and possibly feeling the pressure of separation, they were still “kept by the power of God through faith for salvation.”

In the original Greek, the word translated as “kept” in 1 Peter 1:5 means “to be guarded, shielded, or watched over.” It is a military term that describes how a soldier protects his charge. The verb tense shows continuous action and indicates that believers are under God’s perpetual, round-the-clock protection.

“God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see” (1 Peter 1:5, NLT), declared Peter to these isolated believers. They needed to know they were not forgotten or insignificant. Like all believers everywhere, they were shielded and secure by God’s power through faith. Later in the same letter, Peter reminded them that their struggle was only temporary: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).

Our present sufferings do not negate the certainty of our future inheritance. The apostle Paul affirmed, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:17–18). Being guarded or kept by the power of God does not mean we get a free pass from pain, suffering, and hardship in this life. It means our heavenly Father watches over our salvation. He is “able to keep [us] from falling away and will bring [us] with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault” (Jude 1:24, NLT).

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our reservation in heaven is guaranteed—not because of anything we have done, but because the power of God guards us through faith. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Our faith unites us to Jesus. Then His power keeps us (2 Corinthians 3:5). We are not kept secure by our own strength or obedience, but by His divine power and abundant faithfulness (Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 55:22; Romans 8:31; 2 Peter 1:3: 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 9:8).

Our part on this journey is to keep believing and growing in our relationship with Christ. As we feed on His Word, yield to the control of the Holy Spirit, commune with God in prayer, and submit our will to His, we are increasingly transformed into Christ’s image. We experience a foretaste of the salvation that will be fully revealed when Jesus returns (1 Peter 1:8–9; Romans 8:19–23).

As we commit ourselves to Christ by faith, we are kept by the power of God. Even though we suffer, like Paul, we can confidently say, “I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12, NLT).

Silver and gold I do not have

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Acts, What’s new?.

What is the meaning of “silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you” (Acts 3:6)?


In Acts 3:6, Peter says to a lame beggar, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (NKJV). Peter did not have alms to give the beggar, but he gave him something better—he shared the healing power of Jesus with him.

The chapter begins with Peter and John heading to the temple for prayer when they encounter a man who had been “lame from birth” (Acts 3:2, ESV). Since the lame man could not walk, he was carried to the Beautiful Gate where he begged for alms. When the man asks Peter and John for alms, Peter responds with, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6, NKJV). Peter then takes the man by the right hand, and immediately the man’s feet and ankles become strong. He leaps to his feet and begins to walk and jump around, praising God as he goes into the temple with them.

Peter’s words to the lame beggar demonstrate the surpassing worth of spiritual blessings over material wealth. Peter and John did not have material wealth, but they had something far more precious to offer—the healing power of Jesus Christ. There is power in the name of Jesus, including the power to heal a man who had been lame from birth. In John 14:13–14, Jesus says, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” (ESV). In the name of Jesus, Peter provides the man with a new lease on life.

The Bible consistently teaches that true wealth is found in God. In Matthew 6:19–21, Jesus calls His disciples to choose God over wealth:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21, ESV).

Peter and John showed where the true treasure lies. It is not in material wealth, but in the name of Jesus and the power of His resurrection.

Believers can learn at least two things from Peter’s words in Acts 3:6. First, we must not equate success with material accumulation. As Paul advises in 1 Timothy 6:17, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (ESV). We should focus on eternal treasures and use our resources to bless others, as Peter and John do in Acts 3:6.

Second, every believer has something to offer, even if it is not material wealth. This could be prayer, encouragement, or support. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10, ESV). Just as Peter and John shared what they had, believers are called to share love, grace, and truth with those in need.

Acts 3 relates a beautiful story about using our resources to bless others, even if the gift is immaterial. May we say with Peter, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you” (NKJV). Amen.

After you have suffered a little while

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 1 Peter, What’s new?.

What encouragement is there “after you have suffered a little while” (1 Peter 5:10)?

In Peter’s closing remarks to the churches in the Asia Minor, he affirms, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10, ESV). This powerful sentence offers encouragement through the themes of restoration, confirmation, strengthening, and establishment. Let’s delve into God’s message of hope here.

To begin with, Peter acknowledges that Christians are not exempt from suffering, particularly the persecution that arises from identifying with Christ. While our trials may vary in nature, every Christian will experience some degree of suffering. It could manifest as insults, disparaging remarks, struggles with sin, disappointments in a broken world, tragic losses, poverty, imprisonment, or even death. Early Christians endured intense persecution, and many struggled with discouragement. Peter’s encouragement went beyond superficial motivation to ease their pain; it offered a hope that transcended their temporary discomfort.

Modern Christians often hold one of two extreme views of suffering, both of which Peter contradicts. The first extreme treats suffering as either an illusion or a sign of weak faith. This perspective suggests that Christians should not suffer, and even mentioning negative aspects of life, like sickness, is almost sinful. The books of Job and Ecclesiastes refute this view, and, in the New Testament, Jesus affirms that His followers will face trials and persecution (Matthew 5:10–12; Luke 9:23; John 16:33). Even Hebrews 11, the renowned chapter on faith, acknowledges suffering (verses 35–38). The other extreme involves adopting a defeatist attitude toward life due to its brokenness. Both extremes should be avoided in light of God’s promises.

God’s first encouragement to Christians, through Peter, is restoration. The Greek word for “restore” conveys the idea of making something whole again. Sin and suffering have left us broken, and we will not be fully restored this side of eternity. However, at the right time, God will restore all things, including us (see Revelation 2:15). In the Christian perspective, the afterlife is not just a consolation for the troubles of the present life; it is a renewal into God’s intended state. As C. S Lewis opined, “They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory” (The Great Divorce, Macmillan, p. 64).

Additionally, God promises to confirm, strengthen, and establish us. He fully acknowledges that we are His, that He gifts us with strength, and that He will establish us, that is, He will keep us rooted. Through it all, “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Hence, we need not deny the reality of suffering—even for righteous individuals—nor do we fall into despair. It can be dismaying to witness the prevalence of evil in the world, and we may wonder why God appears silent. However, the God who suffered in the Person of Jesus has shown us that He is active both in good and bad times. We can always rely on His grace when the burden feels too much to bear.

Chosen generation

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 1 Peter, What’s new?.

What does it mean that “you are a chosen generation” (1 Peter 2:9)?

In 1 Peter 2:9, the apostle Peter describes believers in Jesus Christ with these remarkable words: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (NKJV). Other translations render the expression chosen generation as “chosen people” (NIV) or “chosen race” (NASB).

Is the phrase you are a chosen generation speaking of predestination and election—God’s predetermination of who will be saved—or does it mean something else?

In this passage, Peter weaves in Old Testament Scripture to define some of the extraordinary spiritual riches that Christians possess in Jesus Christ. He draws specifically from Isaiah 43:20–21, where God speaks of “my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise” (ESV). Peter also borrows the exact words found in Exodus 19:6, in which God identifies His people as a “royal priesthood.” God’s chosen people are no longer restricted to the Hebrews of Israel only; His holy nation now embraces the church of Jesus Christ, which includes both Jews and Gentiles.

Peter is reminding the church precisely how valuable every member is to God. When Peter says, “You are a chosen generation,” he is emphasizing God’s loving initiative in salvation. God draws us to Himself and places us, “like living stones,” as part of His church (1 Peter 2:5).

Peter is also stressing God’s ownership of our lives, as He is the One who chooses the “chosen generation.” Throughout history, God has claimed for Himself a people to be His very own prized possession. Believers in Jesus Christ are the people God has chosen to possess. We may be ordinary people, but because God owns us, our lives take on immeasurably great value.

The doctrines of predestination and election are unmistakably biblical (Mark 13:20; Ephesians 1:4–5; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8). God chooses people to be the objects of His unmerited favor and grace, not because of their worthiness or anything they do to deserve it. At the heart of God’s choosing a people is His love (Deuteronomy 7:7–8; 10:14–17; Hosea 11:1, 4; 14:4; Jeremiah 31:2–3). Nothing can adequately explain the love of God for sinners; it must be received by faith.

God dwells among His people (Exodus 25:8; John 14:16–17). His chosen generation is His inheritance, His prized possession, His treasure (Deuteronomy 32:9; Exodus 19:5). He shelters them, carries them in His arms, bears them on His shoulders, holds them in His hands, and seats them at His feet (Deuteronomy 33:3, 12, 27; Isaiah 49:16). He loves them with a jealous love and insists that they worship Him exclusively (Exodus 20:5). He has given them His name (Numbers 6:22–27). All of these wonderful riches have come to us not because we deserve them or have earned them, but because God chose us in His mercy and love to belong to Him.

The second half of Peter’s statement describes the believer’s response to being God’s chosen people: “As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT). The NIV says, “That you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Declare means “to advertise, to proclaim.” The incredible blessings that Christians have inherited in Christ are not only to be received with gratitude but are to motivate believers to testify of the goodness of God and Christ. We are like panels of stained glass through which the sun pours, illuminating the darkness. Positioned just where God has placed us, we channel His marvelous light and spread the multifaceted glory of His goodness and love.