“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” (Acts 8:36-38).
The evangelist Philip has joined the Ethiopian traveling along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza and has preached “Jesus” to him. As a result of this teaching, the Ethiopian knows he needs “belief” in Jesus and “water” for salvation.
Philip tells him what he still lacks before he can be baptized: expression of faith. The Ethiopian shows his desire to change his life (that is, repent) as he states his faith in Jesus as God’s Son, and Philip baptizes him. This classic account from the beginning days of Christianity presents a solid illustration for actions every person must take if he or she desires salvation.
Jesus has given His life on the cross—He shed His blood—to validate this plan for all mankind. And this is the plan to which God expects us to submit if we want forgiveness and assurance of salvation—that is, an eternal home in heaven.
Love,
Joe

“Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you” (Acts 8:22).
Simon, known as the sorcerer in Samaria, has become a Christian through faithful obedience to the plan of salvation, culminating in his being baptized for the remission of sins.
Soon after his obedience, Simon observes Peter and John exercise the miraculous power given them by the Holy Spirit; he immediately asks if he can buy it, thus, sinning. The Apostle Peter speaks the words in this text to him as a remedy for the sin he has just committed. This passage shows that believers can sin.
When obeying the gospel, we confess our faith in Jesus as the Son of God. When we sin after our obedience, we pray that God will forgive us or we ask a fellow Christian to pray for us; thus, God’s plan allows us every opportunity to maintain a faithful relationship with Him.
Love,
Joe

“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10)
Scriptures throughout the New Testament attest that confession is an essential part of the process of conversion. As with faith, it is not the only part as both faith and confession are described as steps that take place as one goes toward salvation.
Before we can confess, we must believe in God and in Jesus as the Son of God. With such faith, a person has a solid foundation for deciding to change from his former life and live in the way Jesus instructs, for telling others about this new-found faith, and for submitting to the watery grave as the final act of obedience of the gospel. Then, Peter says in Acts, the Lord adds that person to His church.
Initially, we are not to confess our sins—rather, we are to confess our faith: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” This is the confession the Ethiopian made to the evangelist Philipp as he traveled on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. Then, Philipp baptized him, and he continued on his journey rejoicing.
Love,
Joe

Fifth and final in a series of studies in 1 Peter 2:1-5
“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).
Not only is Jesus Christ a “Living Stone,” those who follow Him are also living stones, not of our own worthiness but because of our attachment to Him. Peter continues the metaphor of a building as he describes those who belong to Jesus.
This same group of believers forms “a holy priesthood,” moving his imagery from a physical temple to a spiritual one and, at the same time, providing a contrast with the Old Testament arrangement. “Holy” means “set apart for a special purpose,” and “priesthood” designates all baptized believers who make up the new spiritual temple under the New Covenant.
The purpose of “priests” under the Old Covenant was to offer physical sacrifices on behalf of all of God’s people; the purpose of “priests” under the New Covenant is to offer spiritual sacrifices—that is, for each believer to perform this function individually by giving his or her own life as a “living sacrifice.”
And God accepts our spiritual sacrifices, not because they make us worthy nor because He is required to, but because His Son and our precious Savior, Jesus the Christ, made acceptable whatever we do in the name of the Lord and according to His will. His supreme sacrifice sealed our acceptance by the Father. 
Love,
Joe

Fourth in a series of studies in 1 Peter 2:1-5
“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious” (1 Peter 2:4).
That the Apostle Peter’s uses the word “stone” to refer to Jesus is no surprise since both the Old and the New Testaments use this word to indicate something powerful. And when it is used in reference to Jesus, it always denotes a massive rock, not a small, throwing stone.
The word “coming” does not refer to a Christian’s one-time obedience of the first principles of the gospel; rather, it refers to the regular, even daily, reliance on Jesus for spiritual sustenance.
Not a lifeless piece of rock, Jesus is “living,” meaning He is a real, resurrected Savior who will never die again. As well, He has brought spiritual “life” to all who will come before Him in full submission to His will.
That people in the world have rejected Him is meaningless because His Heavenly Father chose Him, once for all, to be the Savior of all mankind. To God, Jesus is indeed, “precious,” as He should be to us.
Love,
Joe

Third in a series of studies in 1 Peter 2:1-5
“If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:3).
Having just admonished his readers to take in the milk of the word so they can grow, Peter continues the metaphor by describing the action they took to be in such a position: they “tasted” the graciousness of the Lord; that is, they obeyed Him.
The word “if” does not suggest doubt: it describes a condition they have met. The word “since” provides more clarity here—they have fulfilled the conditions necessary to be in a relationship with God.
 “Tasted” means to “partake of,” and “gracious” refers to God’s goodness and His benevolence. Those who come to the Lord in obedience have come to realize His goodness and to appreciate His benevolent Spirit.
Every person has the invitation to experience the Lord’s benevolence in giving His Son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Those who reach a full awareness of this great gift are the ones who truly “taste that the Lord is gracious.”
Love,
Joe

Second in a series of studies in 1 Peter 2:1-5
“as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).
As Peter turns from listing negative qualities new Christians are to eliminate from their lives, he provides edification and encouragement. In describing new Christians as “babes,” he suggests a contrast between those who have been in Christ for a while and those who are newly baptized.
The apostle then establishes the attitude new Christians are to have: “desire.” As babies strongly desire a mother’s milk, the new Christian is to have a craving to understand more and more about God’s will—our spiritual food. This desire cannot be casual: it must be intense.
The use of the term “milk” establishes some differences in the complexity of scriptures: a person begins by learning the basics of what God expects of those who want to be His children. After mastering the basics, he or she is prepared to understand some of the deeper points of doctrine.
In either case, the milk must be “pure,” that is, it must be “guileless or unadulterated.” God’s word must always be accepted for what it says without any attempts to change its meaning to suit what individuals might want it to say.
Purpose of this process is growth—spiritual growth. As a disciple of Christ, we are to continue learning more of God’s word, growing in faith, and reaching a level of spiritual maturity, thus pleasing God and preparing ourselves for heaven.
Love,
Joe

First in a series of studies of 1 Peter 2:1-5
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” (1 Peter 2:1).
Having just described for these Jewish converts what they have done in coming to Christ, Peter here begins an explanation of some particulars about which they are to be careful as they continue on this new spiritual journey. They have “purified their souls” in obeying the gospel; so, their behavior must give evidence of change in their lives.
They are to “lay aside” all “malice” from their lives, meaning eliminate it completely. Malice is wickedness and evil that is intended to injure another person. As well, they are to remove “all deceit,” thus removing sly and underhanded dealings with others.
These new Christians are never to be guilty of the evil practice of “hypocrisy”; that is, they cannot pretend to live a certain lifestyle when they do not nor can they pretend to have certain beliefs when, in reality, they neither believe nor practice them.
“Envy” causes people to be displeased when hearing about the good fortune of others and wishing it had happened to them instead. “Evil speaking” includes making slanderous statements about others, looking down on others, and backbiting in order to cause bad feelings toward others.
This great apostle teaches that, as one begins the Christian journey, he or she must root out these evils and replace them with the good qualities he is about to describe.
Love,
Joe

“Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” ’ ” (John 20:17).
When Jesus is about to ascend to His Father, following His resurrection, He meets Mary Magdalene and gives her a message to take to His disciples: she is to tell them about His ascension. In doing so, He identifies God as, not only His Father, but also as the Father of all mankind.
God is our heavenly Father; and, as such, He Protects, Provides, Loves, and Disciplines. In His protection and provision, He has given us an escape from an eternity of painful punishment by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.
In His great love for us, He has exercised the greatest degree of patience possible so that we can take advantage of His undying mercy and grace. And, lest we become puffed up with pride because of our relationship with Him, He has allowed life’s experiences to discipline us. He does not make bad things happen to us, but He allows them so that we can learn and grow.
Good fathers today can learn much about their roles by taking note of this wonderful example that our Father has provided for us: Protect, Provide, Love, and Discipline.
Love,
Joe

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
The Apostle John writes a message of joy as he pens this epistle to those fellow disciples toward whom he feels a loving, familial relationship. He has just completed his description of human nature, saying sin will happen, even with the most careful.
Those who receive this epistle hear John firmly teach that they are not to sin: but he immediately provides the remedy when they do commit a sin: that remedy is Jesus Christ, the One who champions our cause before the Father. That is the “joy” of this message.
This passage presents no dilemma for Christians of any age. John is saying that those who are sincere in their obedience of the gospel have given up sin as a way of life and they have no desire to return to it. Temptations do come, however; and since we are human, we sometimes fall short of our commitment. 
When we do, Jesus, by His sacrifice on the cross, has made possible our return to a faithful position with the Father. According to other passages, that reuniting can happen as soon as we repent, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness.
Love,
Joe