- 1 Pet 2:18-21 ESV

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

A GRACIOUS THING IN GOD’S SIGHT

A Christian’s submission to authorities isn’t conditioned by the goodness or cruelty of the master. The submissive servant isn’t manipulating for comfort but is ‘mindful of God’. Peter referred it as a ‘gracious thing’ when he would endure sorrows while suffering unjustly.

Christianity is wading through storms of life, not escaping away from it. There are sorrows and pains to endure. There is suffering as a consequence of sin. There is no credit for it but shame before God. However, there is honor in suffering for doing right in order to advance the cause of Christ and the gospel.

To suffer for Christ is a calling. Paul corroborates this, saying, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” [Phil 1:29] Christ left us an example that we should follow. He warned His disciples, saying, “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”[Matt 10:25]

Should we be His servants, let’s not be surprised by the hardships and difficulties we experience in life. We’re not exempted. Instead, we’re exalted to suffer in our identification with Him. A gracious thing before the sight of God. In other words, suffering could make His grace flow in and through us. Otherwise, without His grace, we would grumble. This is an ungracious thing before God.

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- 1 Pet 2:13-17 ESV

13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

LIVE AS SERVANTS OF GOD

There are ‘foolish people’ who are ignorant to the gospel. Ironically, they think that the preaching of the gopel is foolishness. They’re ignorant to the truth. Unbeknownst to them is that the opposite is true. They are fools who says there is no God. As David says, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.”[Psa 14:1]

What could silence them is by ‘doing good’. Nobody can descredit a person by the good deed he has done . Before authorities, either good or cruel, believers should submit unto their leadership. Some early Christians may had argued that if they were being falsely accused and were spiritual "foreigners," they were not under the authority of human governments. That, they may have immunity from human laws and judges. Peter rejected this idea. In fact, he tells us Christians to submit to every human authority, including the emperor. Why? For the Lord's name. The reputation of Christ is demonstrated by His followers. And Peter insisted that they should be known as people who submit to human authorities. Notedly, submission to ungodly authorities doesn’t always mean obedience and approval.

The skeptics or critics who see believers undoubtedly seeing our faith lived out, on a day-to-day basis, do recognize that we do good because we are Christians. They will stop believing that Christians are a destructive force in society, that Christians do evil, or that Christians are dangerous. They will stop being ignorant about what Christians are really like because they will know better, by direct experience.

In summary, Christians should be serving people by doing that which could bring out the best in others. A good deed is that which edifies others. That leads them a step closer to believing the gospel. This is the reason why believers should “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

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- 1 Pet 2:11-12 ESV

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

THE TUG OF WAR

Christians are temporary residents[sojourners], aliens, strangers, or exiles, in this world. What were normal for us before are now foreign. We no longer fit naturally into the mindset and practices of the world around us. And we must not try to fit it in.

This is the ‘tug of war’ were engaged in every moment of our lives until we are gone from this world. The passions of our flesh haven’t changed. If not restrained, our souls will be adversely affected and influenced. We couldn’t evade this war as long as we’re alive in this world. As james said, “each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.[Jas 1:13,14]

Certainly, we have not lost the "want" to sin, have we? Even when we’re aware to its destructive power, the "want" to sin does continue to attack our soul, does it not? Peter is not saying that we risk losing the salvation God has given us. He is saying, instead, that we are in a ‘tug of war’ in making choices appropriate to our position as God's people.

Thus, he urges us to engage in the battle face-to-face. Let us not give in. As saved, ‘set apart’ people in Christ, we ought to "just say no" to the desire to sin. As Paul strongly commanded us, “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”[Eph 2:22-24]

Our honorable conduct before Gentiles would be the result should the flesh is restrained. We display the fruit of the Spirit not the workings of the flesh. Should they speak against us evildoers, they would glorify God on the day of visitation. Our good works will speak for us.

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- 1 Pet 2:9-10 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

YOU ARE GOD’S PEOPLE

In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes that “he[Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him, we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”[Eph 2:17-19]

But, as Israel was, believers are also a chosen race. Unlike Israel, we are not a race in the sense of our family, ethnicity, skin color, or country of origin. We are a spiritual race, in the sense that, in Christ, we share a single spiritual Father. Similarly, we are a "holy nation," a specific group of people called out and set apart from all other nations.

We have been changed. Before, we were not a people. We do belong to ourselves and serve only our own desires, don’t we? But in Christ, we were transformed into God's people. Now, we have belongingness, a purpose, and shared destiny with Him in eternity. In Christ, we are God's people. We have received mercy. The transaction is complete.

For what reason?

He has called us out of the darkness of a meaningless life, and an eternity apart from Him, that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Jesus wants us to shine us lights in the darkened world.[Matt 5:16]

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1 Peter 2:4-8 ESV

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”

8 and “A stone of stumbling,

and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

THE CORNERSTONE

Jesus, our cornerstone, is the game changer of life. The cornerstone served as the basis for the foundation of a structure. Its size, placement, and solidity are crucial for the building to stand. Thus, a good builder would invest much time and energy in choosing and shaping the perfect cornerstone. Peter used this analogy to identify the Lord Jesus, the chosen one by God. Sadly, He was rejected by the Jews. He was rejected by Israel's leadership, but chosen by God Himself and precious.

The Lord Jesus honors those who believe Him[see v.7]. They would be as living stones being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Paul, even, did write in Romans 12:1 that we are living sacrifices, did He not? With our sins already forgiven through Jesus' sacrifice at the cross, no more death or blood is required. Instead, we offer our living bodies, every aspect of ourselves, as acceptable spiritual sacrifices, set apart for His purposes.

Their lives won’t fall down certainly. Paul quoted Isa 28:16 that they were not foolish for trusting in Christ. They can be 100% confident that God will not shame them in judgment. They are part of the house built by God, the house that will never fall.

On the other hand, those who reject Christ will surely fall. It’s a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. How? it’s by their disobedience to His word. He is either the way to God or the obstacle that prevents one from reaching God (John 14:6). Destruction is their destiny. They would ,stumble, over Him.

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- 1 Pet 2:1-3 ESV

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

A NEW DESIRE

Being a truly born again believer is about a change of ‘our longing.’ We are commanded to ‘put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.’[v.1] yet, we do it because God has given us a new desire.

New desires couldn’t be manufactured, could they be? Appetite couldn’t be engineered. Similarly, it’s only through the working of the Spirit in giving us new life as newborn infants. Spiritual infants long for spiritual milk not the junk foods of the world. Hungering and thirsting for His word are spiritual signs that one has an authentic life. A person may appear as a believer on the outside. He can talk and explain Christian concepts and beliefs. However, only true believers could live a life that sincerely pursues godliness and holiness.

A child grows depending upon his appetite. The better appetite he has will cause him to drink more of the milk of the word of God. Thus, he grows up more in ‘working out’ his salvation. Not that, he is saved by obedience to God’s word. A child sucks milk in order to grow and not to get life. He has life in the first place so that he longs for the milk.

And, God, as the child grows through His word, is perceived as ‘good and desirable’ to us as the milk is to the child. Simply put, our meditation and obedience to His word lead us to experience how good God is. As the psalmist expressed, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! [Psa 34:8]

Moreover, the psalmist David testified about the goodness of the word of God, saying,

“More to be desired are they than gold,

even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

and drippings of the honeycomb.”[Psa 19:10]

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- 1 Pet 1:22-25 ESV

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 

24 for “All flesh is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers and the flower falls,

25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

THE LIVING AND ABIDING WORD OF GOD

Every one of us born physically is dead spiritually [Eph 2:1]. It is God who is the one who makes us alive when we come to Him through faith in Christ (Eph 2:5–9). Being born again, therefore, is His work. Physical birth results from a seed that dies eventually. Nicodemus did not get it so Jesus has to explain to him about this spiritual new birth.

All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls. Our human lives, though intense and beautiful in a lot of ways, come and go in a short season. Even the most productive, most privileged, most adventurous among us do surely fade away towards the grave.

True Christians are born again. But this new birth springs from an undying seed, through the living and abiding word of God. What is this "word of God"? In verse 25, Peter will tell us that it is the good news that has been preached to us. We call it the gospel. It is the only message from God that could guarantee eternal life. Jesus’ death and resurrection assure us of forgiveness of our sins and make us spiritually alive forever in Him. This truth stands forever.

So, as Christians having been born again, we now have the ability to love each other with spiritually alive or renewed hearts. We can do this with all our might and complete sincerity. God has declared us clean from sin through the blood of Jesus.

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- 1 Pet 1:17-21 ESV

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in God.

RANSOMED

Our worth does rest upon God, who owns us, does it not? As one wallowing in the mire, He ransomed us from the futility and rudiments of the world. This deplorable and hopeless background should make us ever grateful, should we not? Think of the disparity between earth and heaven. This did not deter the holy God to reach out sinful men, like us.

Moreover, our ransom is paid neither with silver and gold. But, it’s priceless for we are purchased by His precious blood. With a foreshadowing of the lambs slaughtered for the remission of sins in the Old Testament, Jesus is the lamb, slain as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. A sacrifice without any taint of sin.

Was His death incidental?

Definitely not. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world. He is ‘the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world.’[Rev 5:9] ‘In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.’[Eph 1:7] You and I are part of God’s eternal design.

But, the most fascinating fact about our redemption is that He ‘chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.’ [Eph 1:4] In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. [Eph 1:5] As His children now, should we not live up as such? What should motivate us to conduct ourselves with fear as exiles in this world? It is our reverence to a loving Father.

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1 Pet 1:15-16 ESV

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

BE HOLY

The ‘Be holy’ command is discouraging at times, isn’t it? We can't seem to find any of God's children who are leading perfect lives. So what does this really mean?

It is helpful to see them as being about our identity, as well as about our conduct. Who we are preceding what we do. In his letter thus far, Peter has already described believers in Jesus as people who are saved, are being saved, and will be saved. The emphasis seems to be that we must live up to what we already are. We won’t achieve perfectly sinless conduct on earth. However, we are made to be completely set apart from the world in our conduct right now. In Christ, we are set apart so we must live up to our label. That we should make choices that reflect who we already are.

In other words, Christians are called to align our conduct to fit our identity. The fact that we identify with him as our Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, we should conduct ourselves with fear throughout the time of our exile.

That is, as holy people, we shouldn't be "okay" with our sins. We shouldn't accept falling into the old patterns. We are to act as holy people act. Are we able to make perfect sinless choices in this life? No. We have to rely on God's grace and forgiveness. This means we have to settle our sins with God and maintain short accounts before Him.

God's holiness is our standard, is it not? It’s not ourselves or anybody, no matter how godly he is. Let us be holy for our Father is holy. It should become our standard for ourselves, even if we won't attain it until we are with our Father in eternity.

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- 1 Pet 1:13-14 ESV

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN

Our position in Christ is eternally secured. Still, even for those of us who believe, it is difficult for us to keep our hope set on that day, is it not? We are told to make a deliberate choice to set our hope. Instead of setting our hope on things that cannot truly satisfy, such as money, pleasure, or prestige, we should obey this command.

That, we should not be conformed to the passion of our former lives. We have still problems with our flesh, haven’t we? So Peter writes that we should stay alert, "preparing our minds for action and sober." We must take control of where our thoughts go, and what our minds dwell on. Otherwise, we would be easily distracted by false hopes.

Previously, we lived in ignorance of what was real and what mattered. Hence, we followed our own desires instead of God's. These desires were evil wanting gratification and relief at any cost. These past sinful desires need not control us.

Peter referred to us as His ‘obedient children’ and we should be. This means more than what we do but who we are by His grace. We are created anew to obey our Father, are we not? We must stop conforming to the passions we followed "before." That's not us anymore but newly set apart people for God.

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