1 Peter 4 & 5

Jesus Christ Lord Is!
23 January 2012

Who is it that receives?

James 1:4 says that if anyone lacks wisdom and asks God for it he will be given it.
5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

There is so much said here. First the verses prior tell of what is to be accomplished just as the verses that follow tell how to get there. Verse 5 includes several premises that are also usually overlooked; an acknowledgement that there is a lack, and then the acceptance of what is given when it is.

The word “upbraideth” is from the Greek word oneidizo. It is used most often when the Lord is being reviled and defamed in disputations of His identity. To really understand the word and what is being said you need to look at the “supposed” contradiction to the statement when the Lord is documented to have “upbraided.” They are both instances where those who received what they had asked for didn’t believe even after they had, even disputing with those who did believe.

Matthew 11
14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
16But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
17And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
20Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
21Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
23And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Mark 16
14Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

You should look at all the other times the word is used and translated differently.

In James 1:6 we are told that if any man “waver” he will not receive.
6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

This is saying that the man will receive nothing because he will not believe it when does receive and neither does he really believe he will receive when he asks.

The word translated as “wavereth” is translated as “staggered” in Romans 4:20.

17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
20He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

It is also a defining word “differ” in 1 Corinthian 4:7 were we are told that all we have we are given and then if we are given it why do we glory as if we earned it and it wasn’t a gift of grace.
You should read the chapter again.

The same word is translated as “discern” in Matthew 16:3.
1The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

12And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His People Israel's sake.

Psalms 75

In the Name of
Jesus Christ My Lord
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!