1 Peter 1:6; 4:10
Peter uses the word “manifold” two times in his first letter. Actually, he uses the Greek word “poikilos”, which means, “colorful”. The word can also be translated as “divers”, as in “divers kinds of tongues”, used to describe the many different dialects of tongues that can be spoken. In either case, Peter is describing two things in this letter that come in all shapes and sizes.
The first “colorful” item is found in 1 Peter 1:6, when Peter describes that some Christians are “in heaviness through manifold temptations”. These temptations can be Satan’s attempts to get one to sin, and though verse 7 shows us that it is a trial of faith, we can’t be certain whether or not these were persecutions or sinful temptations. Either way, they were varied and in great number.
When Peter uses the term “manifold” or “colorful” again, it is in quite a different manner. This time he speaks of every Christian receiving the gift of grace, and how each one is then responsible to minister that grace to one another, “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Now, it is God’s grace that is colorful, seeing as many people are taking it many places to minister to many different cultures.
It is vital to know that no matter how varied Satan makes the attacks against you, God has grace that covers that attack. Satan has no creative power, so each time that he tries something, be it a temptation to sin or an attack against you, it is a duplicate of something that he has tried many times before and in many ways. Christ died at Calvary to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), so all of God’s power is available in your situation, no matter how great or how trivial.
We so often limit God and His grace, placing Him within the box of our culture, our race, our status, our denomination, etc. His grace is so beyond our ability to fathom, and beyond our ability to use up. The finished work of the cross provides for every single need and God parcels out His grace not according to man’s worth, but according to His love. Thank God for that!
Don’t stress today over an area in your life. Rest in the knowledge that for whatever the difficulty there is in your life, there is grace to cover even that. Multi-colored problems call for a multi-colored solution. Thank God that we have a Redeemer who is touched by the feelings of our many different infirmities, and has been tempted in all points that we have, yet without sin. His victory brings us victory.
God’s rainbow represented a covenant of promise to Noah. God’s rainbow of grace still hangs in heaven (Revelation 4:3), and it now represents the covenant promise between Father and Son. You are in Christ, so His colorful grace is in you.
Peter uses the word “manifold” two times in his first letter. Actually, he uses the Greek word “poikilos”, which means, “colorful”. The word can also be translated as “divers”, as in “divers kinds of tongues”, used to describe the many different dialects of tongues that can be spoken. In either case, Peter is describing two things in this letter that come in all shapes and sizes.
The first “colorful” item is found in 1 Peter 1:6, when Peter describes that some Christians are “in heaviness through manifold temptations”. These temptations can be Satan’s attempts to get one to sin, and though verse 7 shows us that it is a trial of faith, we can’t be certain whether or not these were persecutions or sinful temptations. Either way, they were varied and in great number.
When Peter uses the term “manifold” or “colorful” again, it is in quite a different manner. This time he speaks of every Christian receiving the gift of grace, and how each one is then responsible to minister that grace to one another, “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Now, it is God’s grace that is colorful, seeing as many people are taking it many places to minister to many different cultures.
It is vital to know that no matter how varied Satan makes the attacks against you, God has grace that covers that attack. Satan has no creative power, so each time that he tries something, be it a temptation to sin or an attack against you, it is a duplicate of something that he has tried many times before and in many ways. Christ died at Calvary to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), so all of God’s power is available in your situation, no matter how great or how trivial.
We so often limit God and His grace, placing Him within the box of our culture, our race, our status, our denomination, etc. His grace is so beyond our ability to fathom, and beyond our ability to use up. The finished work of the cross provides for every single need and God parcels out His grace not according to man’s worth, but according to His love. Thank God for that!
Don’t stress today over an area in your life. Rest in the knowledge that for whatever the difficulty there is in your life, there is grace to cover even that. Multi-colored problems call for a multi-colored solution. Thank God that we have a Redeemer who is touched by the feelings of our many different infirmities, and has been tempted in all points that we have, yet without sin. His victory brings us victory.
God’s rainbow represented a covenant of promise to Noah. God’s rainbow of grace still hangs in heaven (Revelation 4:3), and it now represents the covenant promise between Father and Son. You are in Christ, so His colorful grace is in you.
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