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Scripture Reading: 1 Pet. 2:21-23
In 1 Pet. 2:13-20 we have several matters related to our daily life. Toward the end of this portion Peter says in verse 19, “This is grace,” and at the end of verse 20, “This is grace with God.” The way Peter uses the word grace in these verses has been a problem to translators. If the Greek word is translated literally, the reader may find it difficult to understand what Peter is saying. Nevertheless, in the Recovery Version we adopt a literal translation. Verse 19 says, “For this is grace, if anyone because of conscience toward God bears sorrows, suffering unjustly.” Thinking that the common reader of this verse would not be able to understand the meaning if the word grace were used in the translation, some translators have used the word “acceptable.” Certain versions use the word “thankful.” However, neither of these translations is exact according to the Greek text. Furthermore, they do not satisfy the inner sense in the spirit. Therefore, these translations do not “strike home.” This was the reason we decided to make a literal translation in the Recovery Version. Hence, verse 19 says, “This is grace,” and verse 20 says, “This is grace with God.”
Now that we have an accurate translation of these verses, how shall we understand them? In particular, how shall we interpret what Peter says about grace? I can testify that I found it very difficult to write the notes on verse 19. I wanted to say something, but at first I did not have anything to say. Eventually, the light came from the Lord, and I saw that grace here refers to the motivation of the divine life within us and its expression in our life becoming in our behavior something gracious and acceptable in the eyes of both man and God (v. 20). What is grace in our manner of life? It is the motivation of the divine life which we received at our regeneration inwardly and the expression of this life outwardly. Then this motivation and expression become gracious, acceptable, in our behavior. When others observe this, they may say that this is grace in our manner of life. Day by day we should give others the impression that grace is with us. This means that they should be able to see grace in our daily life.
We have often seen grace in the lives of saints who have been in difficulty or hardship. For example, a sister becomes ill. Everyone is concerned for her because she seems to be dying. However, as she lies in bed in the hospital, she is full of joy. This is surprising to the doctors and nurses. The sister is able to bear sufferings that others cannot bear, and she is not afraid of dying. The life that motivates her inwardly is expressed outwardly, even in the midst of her illness. This is grace.
We have also seen grace expressed in this way at a funeral. A certain sister has lost her husband. But even at the time of the funeral, her face is glowing. Using Peter’s word to describe this sister’s experience, we would again say, “This is grace.”
Grace is the divine life for our enjoyment. First, grace is an inward motivation; then it finds an outward expression in our living. Both the inward motivation and outward expression become something sweet, gracious, and also acceptable. I believe that this is the correct understanding of Peter’s word regarding grace in 2:19 and 20.
Hebrews 12:28 says, “Let us have grace.” To have grace is to possess grace, take grace, and apply grace. Grace has come and is now with us. What is this grace? Grace is the processed Triune God as the all-inclusive, life-giving, indwelling Spirit in us. In all circumstances and situations we should take grace and apply it.
We all need to learn how to have grace, that is, how to use grace. If we do this, something wonderful, excellent, and pleasant will motivate us from within. Then we shall be able to bear things, forbear things, and do things that others cannot. Spontaneously, as the result of the motivation within us, there will be a certain expression upon us. This motivation and expression is the Triune God experienced by us and lived out by us. To others, this is something sweet, gracious, acceptable, and worthy of thanksgiving.
I appreciate what Peter says concerning grace in verses 19 and 20. Paul had much to say about grace, but he never wrote a word like we have in 2:19 and 20. Peter’s word here is unique. As we have seen, the grace spoken of in these verses is actually the processed Triune God, who is now the all-inclusive, life-giving, indwelling Spirit for our experience and enjoyment. Inwardly He motivates us, and outwardly He is the expression upon us. As such a One, He becomes sweet, lovely, gracious, and acceptable. This is grace. How great this is!
Based upon what he says in verses 19 and 20, Peter goes on to say in verse 21, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered on your behalf, leaving you a model that you should follow in His steps.” Christ’s living on earth was a model of this grace.
Verse 21 opens with the words, “For to this you were called.” Have you ever thought that you were called to suffer unjustly? The word “this” in verse 21 refers to the unjust sufferings, the suffering for doing good, mentioned in verses 19 and 20. We would be happy to hear that we have been called to the kingdom and to God’s glory. These are marvelous things. But probably very few of us, whether young or old, have realized from verse 21 that we have been called to suffer unjust treatment.
As the context indicates, some of the believers to whom this Epistle was written were called to suffer unjustly under crooked masters. In verse 18 Peter says, “The household servants, subject yourselves in all fear to your masters, not only to the good and forbearing, but also to the crooked.” Then in verse 19 Peter continues, “For this is grace, if anyone because of conscience toward God bears sorrows, suffering unjustly.” As we have pointed out, conscience toward God means consciousness of God — the consciousness of our relation to God. This consciousness indicates that we are living in intimate fellowship with God and that we are keeping a conscience toward God that is good and also pure (3:16; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3). Deep within us, there is a consciousness before God, and this consciousness regulates and guides us. If anyone bears sorrows, suffering unjustly, because of this inward consciousness, this is grace. Verse 20 is very similar in content to verse 19: “For what credit is it if sinning and being buffeted you shall endure it? But if doing good and suffering you shall endure, this is grace with God.”
Now we see that verse 21 indicates that we have been called to this. We have been called to enjoy grace and to express God, as described in verses 19 and 20. This means that we have been called to suffering so that in it we may have the enjoyment of God as grace and express Him. Whatever the circumstances may be, God is our grace, our inner enjoyment. This God is our grace. This enjoyment motivates us and then becomes our outward expression, an expression visible to others. Those who observe this grace expressed from within us will be able to see something attractive on our face, in our attitude, or in the atmosphere around us. They will feel that what they see expressed is pleasant and acceptable. As we have pointed out again and again, this is grace.
Verse 21 clearly says that we have been called to suffer unjustly because Christ suffered on our behalf and left us a model so that we should follow in His steps. Actually, I do not like the word “model,” because it has been spoiled by common usage. Literally, the Greek word means a writing-copy, an under-writing for students to use in tracing letters as they learn to draw them. In ancient times teachers would write letters on writing material, and those letters became a master copy. Another piece of writing material was put upon the master copy. Then the children would practice writing by tracing the letters from the master copy onto their copy. The Greek word for “model” is the word that denotes such a master copy used in the teaching of writing. The Lord Jesus has set His suffering life before us as an under-writing for us to copy by tracing and following His steps.
The making of xerox copies may be used to illustrate what Peter means by Christ being a model for us. In 1973 I gave a message on this entitled “Spiritual Xeroxing.” Christ’s living revealed in the four Gospels is the master copy used in this spiritual xeroxing. For xeroxing, we must first have a copy. The xeroxed copy made from this original is a reproduction, not an imitation. We know from experience that trying to imitate Christ does not work. We are not able to imitate Him. What we need is not imitation but reproduction. There is a great difference between imitation and reproduction.
I have heard an explanation of how the xeroxing process operates. First there is the need of a proper light to expose the original copy. Then there is the need of a special kind of ink, called toner. Besides this, there is the need of a heat roller and the paper upon which to make the copy. This paper, of course, must be clean. Then this clean paper is exposed under the light to the copy. Through the light, the heat, and the proper ink, whatever the copy is will be reproduced onto the paper. The result is reproduction, not imitation.
In the process of spiritual xeroxing, the Spirit of Christ is the light, and the riches of the divine life are the inking substance. We are the paper on which the reproduction of the original is to be made. This paper must be put under the light of the Holy Spirit, and it must pass through the inking substance in order to have the original copy — Christ Himself — reproduced on it. Through this process we eventually become a reproduction of the original, a reproduction of Christ.
We have pointed out that the paper used in xeroxing must be clean. It should not have anything on it. For instance, we could never get anything xeroxed on a piece of newspaper. If you try to make a reproduction onto a piece of newspaper, nothing will come out clear. It is very important, therefore, for the paper to be clean. Peter refers to this clean “paper” in 1:22, where he speaks about the purifying of our souls. Much of what Peter writes in chapters one and two is related to producing clean paper for spiritual xeroxing.
Christ is not merely a model for us to follow outwardly. He is a writing-copy, an original for spiritual xeroxing, and we need to become His reproduction. This means that we should become xerox copies of Christ by experiencing a process that involves spiritual light and the riches of the divine life. The result of this process is that we eventually become a reproduction of Christ.
Peter may not have been learned in the Greek language, but he was rich in his expression. First he says, “This is grace.” Then he tells us that Christ has left us a model. The grace and the model are closely related. When anyone observes the expression of the Triune God as grace from within a believer and recognizes that this is grace, there is an indication that this one has become a xerox copy of Christ, the model. To express the Triune God as grace in the midst of unjust suffering is to become a reproduction of Christ. Therefore, instead of saying, “This is grace,” it is possible to say, “This is a reproduction of Christ.” The manner of life that expresses the processed Triune God as grace is not only grace — it is a reproduction of Christ.
In 2:21-25 there are five important words: grace, model, Savior, Shepherd, and Overseer. Christ is this grace, and Christ is also the model. Furthermore, as we shall see, Christ is our Savior, our Shepherd, and our Overseer. Christ is the grace expressed in our daily life. Christ is the writing-copy, the original used for spiritual xeroxing. It is rather easy for us to understand that Christ is our Savior, Shepherd, and Overseer. But is not as easy to understand how Christ can be the grace expressed in our daily life, and how He can be the writing- copy. To understand Christ as grace and the writing-copy, we need experience. From experience we know that as we are living out Christ day by day, we are under the process of spiritual xeroxing. As a result, others will be able to read Christ on us, for we shall become a letter of Christ.
To become a xerox copy of Christ is very different from trying to imitate Him. To illustrate, a man may set up an example for a monkey to stand upright, and the monkey stands up, imitating the man. Then the man walks, and the monkey imitates him by walking on two feet. The man swings his arms, and so does the monkey. But after the imitation is finished, the man leaves, and the monkey goes back to walking on all fours. Once I saw a monkey who had been trained to sit at a table and eat with a knife and fork. However, after the act was over, the monkey threw away the knife and fork and reverted to his usual behavior.
At least to a certain extent, those Christian teachers who instruct believers to imitate Christ are like a man training a monkey to imitate a human being. I have learned that trying to imitate Christ simply does not work. In these messages I am not encouraging you to imitate the Lord. On the contrary, I am pointing you to the riches of Christ and the beauty of the Lord. Furthermore, both the heavenly light and the spiritual ink are available to us, and we are all undergoing the process of spiritual xeroxing.
Peter’s thought in verse 21 is deep. In order to appreciate the worth of a verse such as this, we need experience. If we do not have adequate Christian experience, we shall not understand what Peter says concerning grace and concerning Christ as our model.
