Peter's Exhortation To The Young (5:5-9)

"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"

Peter's Exhortation To The Young (5:5-9)

In this fifth and final chapter, we find Peter concluding with a series of exhortations.... In our last lesson, we saw that he first directed his remarks toward "elders" - 1 Pe 5:1-4. Now, in 1 Pe 5:5-9, the exhortation is geared toward "younger people", though much of it certainly applies to all Christians.

The gist of his remarks reflect themes mentioned previously in his epistle, but Peter was one who understood the value of repetition and reminding - 2 Pe 1:12-15 “Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you. And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;”

The first exhortation, therefore, is one we have seen stressed throughout 1st Peter. Submit Yourselves, verse (5) “Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.”

Peter had already enjoined submission onto all Christians. Christians in general where to submit to government authorities - 1 Pe 2:13-14. Christian slaves, to their masters - 1 Pe 2:18. Christian wives, to their husbands - 1 Pe 3:1.

Now he enjoins submission upon younger Christians, to their elders - 1 Pe 5:5a ““Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder.” This may be a reference to those "elders" described in verses 1-4. Or it may refer to all older Christians. He also enjoins submission upon Christians in general, to one another - 1 Pe 5:5b “Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another:”; Ep 5:21 “ subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.”

In defining submission, the word in Greek is hupotasso {hoop-ot-as'-so}. Various shades of meaning include:

a. to arrange under, to subordinate

b. to subject, put in subjection

c. to subject one's self, obey

d. to submit to one's control

e. to yield to one's admonition or advice

f. to obey, to be subject

It was also a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it is "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden". The quality of submission goes a long way towards preserving unity and peace in churches, especially when all are submissive to one another.

Yet true submission comes only if we heed Peter's next exhortation. "Be clothed with humility", verses (5-7) “Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you.”

"Humility" as defined by the word Peter uses is tapeinophrosune {tap-i-nof-ros-oo'-nay}. It means to have a humble opinion of one's self; lowliness of mind. It is an important quality of that which makes up "the mind of Christ" - Ph 2:2-5 “make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

The need for humility is not only to preserve peace and unity in our relationships with one another, but also to preserve a proper relationship with God.... "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble". A quotation based upon Pr 3:34“ Surely he scoffeth at the scoffers; But he giveth grace unto the lowly.”, and quoted also by James in Ja 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” A person with a humble spirit is highly esteemed by God - Isa 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”; 66:1-2 “Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will ye build unto me? and what place shall be my rest? For all these things hath my hand made, and so all these things came to be, saith Jehovah: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word.”

Now with an understanding of God's high estimation of a humble and contrite spirit we turn back to our text where Peter's charge is to "humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God" - 1 Pe 5:6. That is, to submit to His providential workings in our lives, even if it means enduring persecution, as was the case in Peter's day! "cast all your care upon Him"1 Pe 5:7. Don't fret or worry about things over which you have no control. Let your Heavenly Father worry about such things. Even as Jesus taught in Mt 6:31-34 “ - Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Note that there is a reward for humble service. God will give grace (show unmerited favor) to the humble - 1 Pe 5:5b “for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” He will exalt the humble in due time - 1 Pe 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;” When the time is right, then, God will exalt His people who place their faith and trust in Him, by humbly submitting to His Will and to one another.

In the meantime, lest Satan cheat us of our reward, Peter enjoins us to watch out for the Devil, verses (8-9) “Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.”

We have an "adversary"... He is called the "devil". The Greek word is diabolos {dee-ab'-ol-os}, meaning "one prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely". Peter's describes him as a "roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour". What bearing does this verse have on the doctrine of "once saved, always saved"? If such a doctrine is true...

1) Why does Peter bother to warn Christians who cannot be "devoured"?

2) Why does Satan bother to seek out those whom he cannot "devour"?

3) Indeed, why ANY warnings (and they are legion) to Christians? - He 3:12-15 “Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end: while it is said, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” Because there IS a very real danger of apostasy, we have such warnings!

To defeat the "adversary" we need to be serious ("be sober"), and watchful ("be vigilant") - 1 Pe 5:8a “ Be sober, be watchful:”; (Note: While under the influence of alcohol one is neither of these, but is vunerable to the devil’s attacks) Lk 21:34-36 “But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, (See Barnes NT Notes) and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

We need to resist the devil - 1 Pe 5:9a “whom withstand (resist) stedfast in your faith,”; Ja 4:7 "Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” We need to remain steadfast in the faith - 1 Pe 5:9a “whom withstand stedfast in your faith,” ; Co 1:21-23 “And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.”

It helps to realize that we are not alone in our struggle - 1 Pe 5:9b “knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.”; 1 Co 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.”

Why God allows such a struggle will be more apparent when we consider Peter's "benediction" in verse 10, but we will save that for the next and final lesson in this series. While Peter's exhortations in verses 5-9 certainly apply to all Christians, they have special value to those who are "younger". They are often the most tested by our adversary, the devil. They have not had the time or experience to learn the value of such virtues as "submission", "humility", and "watchfulness". But for those who are willing to listen, both young and old, heeding the exhortations of Peter can ensure that we will receive the grace we need to withstand and overcome the devil and in due time be exalted by God Himself!