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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the Bibleignmenistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Well, it’s good to see you all tonight. We’ve been doing some studying in our book. in a book. Anybody recall what book it was? First Peter. Of course we might be everywhere all over the book, but I mean we still been there. So if you will take your Bible and turn to, what’s a good chapter? Alright, chapter two. First Peter, chapter two. The Bible says, be thou an example of the believer. And then he also gives us some good examples in the Bible so we could have something to follow.

And he tells us in verse 21, in 1 Peter 2 verse 21, for even here in two where you called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. Years ago, it was right after I trusted the My father law told me about a book called, In His Steps. Anybody have heard of the book, In His Steps? It was a little booklet, not a thick booklet, but it was just that somebody decided to, that whatever they would do, they would just say, you know, what would Jesus do?

This was before they came out with the bracelets and all that stuff. But in His steps means that every step that I take in life is gonna be, you know, what would Jesus have me to do? And so they begin to do this and they cause a great revival. It was a major story, but it was a great story and just warmed my little pea-picking heart. And I said, I don’t know what all it is and where it’s gonna lead, but I wanna follow in his tips.

I wanna be like the Lord. I wanna do what he does. Now, one of the things that when he says that he is an example, it doesn’t mean for you to take and see if you can fly. I wouldn’t try that. Or if you can walk on water, I wouldn’t try that either. Or I wouldn’t go to the hospital and try to raise the dead. I don’t think that you would come out shining too brightly. There are some things though, and he gives us an idea, the things that he did, the way that he was, the attitude that he has.

Like when he talks about let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ, and it was one of humbling himself and becoming a man in submission. And those are words we don’t like to hear, submit. I actually had a man and a woman, they came to my office and they wanted to get married. I sit there and I counseled him. So finally I asked him, I said, why do you want to marry her? He went into a state of shock.

He couldn’t say a word. I said, why do you want to marry her? She looked at him and said, well, I said, because you love her? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I went through the, a little spill that I always ask them to, you know, I’m going to say this and you say I do and I’ll say this and you say I do. And I made the mistake and I read the one part out that I will love honor and obey.

She said, oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. She says, you can take that out. I said, take out what? She says, the word obey. You can take that out. I said, you don’t want that word in there? He says, no, that’s not going to be in there. I looked at him and I says, what do you want to do? He said, well, I guess you have to take it out. I thought, you mouse. Anyway, I stopped it right there and I would not marry him.

You say, well, why? That’s cruel of you to do that. Depending on getting married. Yes. And she loves them. She ought to submit to them like the book says. If you’re not going to submit to the man, leave the man alone and let him get him a wife that will submit. And if there’s a man out there who wants to be ruled by a woman, then find that it be. But I’m not going to do it unless I see that there’s a reason to override the Word of God.

I believe that marriage is just that, is submission to each other and to the Lord. So anyway, I didn’t marry everybody that I counseled and then someone got married in spite of me. But notice what he says here in 1 Peter. This is an important issue because he also makes a statement in verse 21. for he even here unto where you called, you are called to suffer. Now we read that word this morning, be sure of your calling. Understanding God has called you in this life.

If he doesn’t give you any life to live, there’s no reason for a call and to do anything at all. But he has called us to preach the gospel and he’s told us how he wants us to live and he’s told us that you’re gonna suffer in this world. And so he says, now here’s what I want you to do. Now it’s okay if you suffer and you take it patiently because of something that somebody else did, but if you did the wrong and you take it patiently, that’s not suffering for Christ’s sake.

That’s because you were dumb. You made some bad decisions. And don’t say everything that happens to me, well, it was the Lord’s will. It was the Lord’s will. Not everything’s the Lord’s will. It is the Lord’s will that we all walk in good works. So when you walk in bad works and do the the things that are wrong and God has to chase in you, don’t call it well, you know, I’m suffering for Jesus. No, you’re suffering because you’re a rebellious and he’s chasing you, but do understand the difference.

So he makes a statement, but he called us to suffer, and then he gives us a wonderful example. So look in verse 22, you and I are not going to live a perfect life, but he’s trying to give us the idea of you’re going to suffer in this world. People are going to do you wrong.” He says, if they will do this to me, just think what they’re going to do to you. That’s in Matthew chapter 10 when he told his disciples to go and do preach the gospel and so forth.

And he told them about the things that they’re going to be afraid of, the things that could happen. So he says in verse 22, concerning Christ, who did no sin. Neither was Gile found in his mouth. That means no deceit. He didn’t do anything in a deceptive way at any time. And as you read the Scriptures, you find in 2 Corinthians in chapter 4 when he talks about not using the word of God in a deceitful manner, mercilessly, you taking Scripture and trying to make it say what you wanted to say, let the Scripture say what it says.

And then he says here, in verse 23, who referring to Christ, who when And he was reviled, that means with contemptuous language, he reviled not again. In other words, he did not render evil for evil. Now this is also mentioned in the book of Romans in chapter 12 and also chapter 13. Don’t render evil for evil. If people do you wrong, you don’t have to do them wrong back. And the reason is because what you have an example of someone who came into this world who did everything right and suffered for it.

But look at him now. at the throne of God and He’s high and lifted up and every knee will bow one day to Him. So when He was here, yes, they humiliated and they shamed Him, whatever. So if people do that to you, don’t worry about it. God has a higher calling for you. So He also says here, He says, when He suffered, He threatened not. If you suffer because of somebody, I’ll get even with them if it’s the last thing I do.

We want to, you know, even the scales. That’s not fair. Have you ever noticed little kids? They have an uncanny sense of fairness, you know, of a piece of pie that might be one bite bigger than the other one. They can tell this. And so I always made sure that when my mama, she made some stuff and, you know, I had a brother that was four years younger than I was, and it was always, you know, he wanted the biggest piece.

Well, what piece do you think I wanted? The biggest piece. He says, I said, now you give me the biggest piece. That’s not what Jesus was. Well, I’m not Jesus. You be Jesus. No. But, you know, this is what you ought to do. Give me the biggest piece. That way I’ll be happy and you’ll be happy because you surrendered. Isn’t that wonderful? And you try to manipulate somebody and you can use scripture. You can use, you know, thought, reason philosophy.

talking anybody out of something, you know? Yeah, we don’t do things like that, do we? But notice what he says, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. Now, there is someone who sees everything. Someone who sees how somebody is treating you. They’re motives, or they’re actions, they’re words. So God says, I am a righteous judge and I see everything. God says I keep the books. So instead of you having to get even with people who wrong you, commit yourself to the one who judges righteously and let God deal with them.

Did you know that God will deal with them a lot better than you can? And then you don’t have to worry about trying to get even with everybody who does your wrong. I have made sure that there have been a few people in my lifetime that I’ve had to warn, and I tell them, I said, now, look, I want you to understand, I am God’s child. I’m not maybe His pet child, but I’m one of His favorites. And I said, look, because I’m God’s child, and if I’m serving the Lord, you better be careful what you say about me, because my daddy, he don’t like it.

And my daddy is going to slap you good. And I mentioned this at one time, and I had mentioned this to Yol in Minnesota, when there’s two guys up there. Oh, they hated me. And all I had done is preach the gospel, and they were preaching the Jedi to keep the law to be saved. So the one guy died of a heart attack. While they were doing his funeral, the other guy got up and he says, this man is dead today because of that preacher from Colorado.

And he went on, he started lambasting me, you know, just going through it, and I done warned him. And right in the middle of the funeral service, well, that was happening. This guy’s feeling he dropped dead of a heart attack. Did you know it scared some people? Because they know that, listen, don’t dishonor God’s man. If God has somebody and he’s laid his hand on him, you better be careful of saying things against God’s people. But that goes also for your wife and for your husband, for your children.

If people are living a God in their life, you better be careful saying things against them because God, their heavenly, their heavenly Father is gonna, he could slap you hard and he can deal with you. And so you don’t wanna be messing around with God’s people. Are you God’s child? Commit yourself to the Lord who judges righteously and he will take care of it. So this is what Jesus did, and this is what God says He wants us to do, follow that example.

But that wasn’t all. Look what He says in verse 24, who His own self bear our sins and His own body on the tree that we, being dead to sin, should live under righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed. What Jesus did was for others. He went through what He did. He bore the sins of all of us and everything we’ve ever done wrong so that you and I could be healed. It means that one day we won’t have this whole sinful nature because the payment Christ made on the crossword gave us eternal life.

One day we’re going to get a new body to go with this new birth that we have and we’re going to live with the Lord for all eternity, all because of what He did for us. Now hold your place here and look in Matthew and chapter 8. chapter 8. There’s a little story there that I want you to see. Matthew and chapter 8, and notice what he says in verse 14. Now some people say that Peter was the first pope, but if you’ll notice this, when Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid and sick of a fever.

So it’s a shame that Peter had a mother-in-law and didn’t have a wife, but he did. And some people say, well, he was the first pope. Well, the first pope had a wife, but Peter was not the pope. But now notice she was sick. And he touched her hand and the fever left her. And she arose and ministered unto them. When the the evening was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick.

Now before Christ died on the cross, he healed. And all of those who came to him, he healed. And it was fulfilling a prophecy from Isaiah 53. Look what he said in verse 17, that it might be fulfilled, was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, himself took our infirmities and bear our sicknesses. This is before he got on the cross because when this was going on, Christ hasn’t died yet. This is what he did while he was here, and he didn’t tell us that we could do this, but they were able to do this, so disciples that he had, but it was limited to the first century disciples.

And then he says here. Look our infirmities and bear our sickness. So there is no such thing as healing in the atonement that when Christ died on the cross, healing is automatic and therefore all you got to do is just, you know, claim it and you be healed. No, there’s a lot of people that can live a good, clean, righteous life and get sick. And Paul had a problem and Timothy had a stomach problem. and the paparotius had a problem.

There’s a lot of God’s people. If it wasn’t true, then why would anybody die? Everybody dies sooner or later of something or nobody would get to heaven. So healing is not in the atonement. This is fulfilling that scripture in the Old Testament. So when you read over there in the book of 1 Peter chapter 2, when it says, and with his stripes where healed, that’s a little bit further down talking about when he made the payment hour sins were placed upon Him, and He bore our sins and our transgression, our iniguity, that’s the payment He made drawers on the cross.

So that’s the one is mentioned in here, so that you understand that. But now notice in verse 25 of 1 Peter chapter 2, for ye were as sheep go on a stray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and the bishop of your souls. Now we’re not talking about the bishop of the body, We’re talking about the Bishop of the soul. You are a person living in a body. And as long as you live in this body, you’re going to suffer in this world.

But the shepherd and all of us as sheep have a shepherd. And he says, my sheep, hear my voice. So it is the will of God that his sheep hear his voice. Well, how can I hear his voice? You walk outside the church and you go, you who, where are you? Or are you thinking he’s gonna call you on the cell phone? No. Well, if you want to hear his voice, you’ll have to hear his word. Where in the world is his word?

Right here. So you study the word and the shepherd will guide you according to his voice. So as you listen to the voice of God, the word of God is God’s mind on paper. So as you studied the Bible, you’re studying the mind of God. And so you’re able to understand what God wants you to do. So as a child of God, he wants you to serve him, to be an example in this present life. Now, look there now in 1 Peter chapter 3.

There is an example here given, not only of Christ’s example, but the example of a wife, an example of a husband. You see there in verse 1 of chapter 3, likewise ye wives be in subjection. a look down there in verse 7. Likewise, ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge. So it’s not just to the wife and not just to the husband, but it’s to every husband, every wife. It’s a good example because isn’t the most important place our Christianity should show is in our home to each other the way we really are.

That’s why they’re the hardest ones to please because they know us the way we really are. We can go to church and put on that Christian smile and fool everybody and you know it’s all happy and la la la. You go home and it’s you know war but you have to be careful. So now he’s going to take and give you some examples of what he’s talking about when he used himself. When Christ was the example you’ll see some of those same things that he had, he once applied.

So in verse 1, notice what he says, this is so that the, well, the wife needs to know how the husband feels. Being sensitive to what the husband understands. This is a woman who knows the Lord, but she’s married to a man that doesn’t know the Lord and maybe how that what she goes through, she might be able to win her husband. See, sometimes people just want to get away from them instead of trying to figure out, maybe I can win them.

And this is what God says. Likewise, you wives be in subjection to your own husbands. Now I didn’t write that line. It’s already in the Bible. What does it say? Ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. I wonder what that means. I wonder what that means. It means for the woman to roll the man. You think that’s what it means? You’d really have to do some twisting on it, wouldn’t you? But it simply means this is a role that a person has to play.

It doesn’t mean that I’m a human. Well, my wife is a human. We’re both human. But that doesn’t mean I’m a better human than she is. But I happen to be a man. She happened to be a woman, but we’re still human. So I am ill-responsible by God to be the leader of my home. God holds me responsible. That really bothered me for a long time. Because sometimes it’s just so easy to just let the wife be the head.

Let her be the boss. And I’ll just be quiet and peaceful. it and peaceful just anything for the sake of peace. And so you can become a weak little mouse and just yester, yester, yester, yester, yester, yester, yester. Or you can be the head of the home. Now, I’m not talking about being mean cruel and all that. I’m talking about if a woman has a husband that’s not saved, she can either get away from him, have nothing to do with them.

She can treat him mean and ugly and be unkind. Or if she wants to win him, maybe she could be in subjection. And notice what he says. He says, if any obey not the word, that means he doesn’t believe the word, they also may without the word be won by the behavior, the men of life, by the wives. In other words, a woman by me able to win her husband by her manner of life. In other words, without just preaching to them, now they’ve got to hear the gospel.

You can’t be saved without it. But it’s the application of it. In other words, the wife should be a good example of a woman in submission to her husband for the gospel’s sake. In other words, she might be able to win her unbelieving husband. And And then notice, he says in verse 2, while they behold your chase behavior coupled with fear or respect, you see, they want to see how you act, talk, think, believe, and the respect that you also give.

The woman should always give respect unto the husband, respecting her. I can tell you this. people do not respect a woman who does not respect her husband. They lose respect. You don’t gain it. Well, I’m all, I’m all, I ain’t nobody gonna tell me what I can. I do nobody respects you for that. They just know you’re rebellious. They’ll smile and laugh at you and smile and all of a sudden, but they won’t respect you because they know you’re out of control.

It says, sweet quiet spirit God’s talking about. In other words, not one of revenge or Forget even, none of that stuff, no. Because he said, now be an example. That’s why that first word of bearing that verse is likewise. Well, who did we just finish talking about? Christ in chapter two, right? We just talked about Christ. Likewise, this is how you use the book. Now look what he says. In verse three, he says, who’s adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair, of wearing of gold putting on of apparel.

And so there’s some people that say that, see there? You’re not supposed to plait your hair and you’re not supposed to wear all this gold and earrings and all that kind of stuff. And so they use that verse. Well, if you’re going to go that far, you might as well read the rest of it. It says also, or putting on of apparel. So you’re going to run around naked. Now he said, that’s not the point. That’s not what will hold a man.

The outward beauty is good, but it doesn’t last long. Remember the Aragat last figure? The sand goes to the bottom sooner or later. It’s not that that physical attraction is not what’s going to make a marriage. Otherwise, the happiest people in the world would be the Hollywood stars. Why, they get into new one every other week. Why? Because they’re not happy. It doesn’t work. Just because they’ve got money doesn’t satisfy and just because you’ve got good looks doesn’t hold a marriage.

No. Have you ever noticed that sometimes a good looking woman will marry an ugly guy? Look around. No, I’m just looking. A good looking woman will marry a nugget cubby because he knows he has to treat her knights. And the other one, they They can treat him like dirt. But if you treat him nice, a woman just wants to be treated with respect and a little honor, dignity. So we treated like, you know, she’s dirt, she’s not. There’s a thing that God tells us to do concerning the women.

And if we did what God says to do, a woman just responds. She responds to the man’s right foot. But if you treat him wrong, they curl up like a rattle snake and bite back and there’s poison in him teeth. Poison. God word describes it like that too. But look what he says in verse four, but let it be, you get this. In other words, it’s not. The way you wear your hair, it’s not going to be the dress, it’s not going to be the silver and the gold you put on, that makes some areas, it wins a man.

You may get him, but that won’t keep him because other girls got the same thing you got. So he’s talking about here in verse 4, but let it be the hidden man of the heart and that which is not corruptible, talking about the new birth, the inward beauty that a person has. In other words, this new birth that you have born of God, You’re a God’s child, and what he’s talking about looked there in verse 23 of 1 Peter 1, being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the world of God which liveth and abideth forever.

So there is this new person, then you look down in verse 1 of chapter 2, excuse me, verse 2, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow the by, this new person, this child of God, let them see that one. Don’t let him see that child of the flesh with all of your sinful nature. Let him see the divine nature that God gave to you. Let him see your graciousness, your kindness, your sweet tone, and the honeydew just drips off of your lips.

And you see a man will respond when a woman really loves him and honors him. But you have to and you should always honor your husband. What you say and what you do should bring honor to that man you married. So whatever it is. Don’t say well I’d be nicer to if I had somebody else. No if you can’t do the one you have that way you don’t do somebody else that way. You do write by the one you have.

And if they mess up the Nadesa, but make sure you are doing what’s right. You can’t always solve all the problem and you’re going to suffer sometime. You’ll do the right thing and you’ll suffer for it. Look what else she says. He says in verse 4, the last part of verse 4, even the ornament of a get this, a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price, a meek and a quiet spirit. Now you think he’s talking about attitudes and so forth?

Kind of like if somebody doesn’t do your right, how do you respond? Explode? Get a ball back? Throw dishes? Curse them out? Now, is that what Christ did to the people who wronged him? So you have a good example, and that is of Christ. So if every woman did what she’s supposed to do, That’s a good example. And every man did that, which was a good example. You know, the kids would learn from the parents. And what do we have a different world when everybody just loved everybody like they should?

Are you a new listener to Bibleline? Do you enjoy the teachings of Dr. Arnold? Well, if you’ve never contacted us before, we want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel Driven Man. Every day, we receive many emails folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the Gospel with friends and loved ones. This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics, and we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy.

There’s no obligation, no donation necessary, simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of the Gospel-Driven Mail. The mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address. And God bless you and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4081 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Taught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.