"Across the ages there has always been a suffering Church. Today as well, in many parts of the world, allegiance to JESUS means suffering, discrimination, and ridicule. The letter of Peter is especially helpful for all who know such sufferings, or for those whose personal experience of suffering has caused doubts. The first letter of Peter helps us see God's prescription for thise who suffer. It calls for holiness, for submission, and for acceptance of the amazing truth that suffering can be a gift from God." (The Illustrated Concise Bible Handbook)

"It is our privilege to serve the Lord in all things. It is ours to please the Lord in loosing the latchet of a shoe; and to enjoy the expression of His favor therein. The servant of God is not serving at the same time another master; he has not been hired for occasional service; he abides in the service of his God, and cannot be about anything but his Master's business; he eats, he drinks, he sleeps, he walks, he discourses, he finds recreation, all by the way of serving God." (Treasury Of David)

"Faith has given way to feeling. Where once faith was so mighty and so prevalent that it had to be inquired about, now feelings prredominate and must be accounted for. What is the result? We place more emphasis upon this world, the things of the world, and the things which are temporal. We live more and more in the realm of the seen, rather than the unseen. We look more to the material world than to the spiritual." (Hebrews - Everitt Fjordbak)

"The early Hebrew Christians found it very difficult openly to confess Christ; for their unbelieving countrymen treated all who did so as renegades from Israel, and apostates from Israel's God. But fidelity to the truth was necessary then, and it is equally necessary now. Every believer is bound publicly to confess Christ. He must do so for Christ's sake, for his own sake, and for the sake of his fellow men." (The Pulpit Commentary)

"In the Hebrew sanctuary, there were three degrees of approach to God. The outer court was for the general congregation; the holy place for the officiating priests; and the holiest of all for the high priest, and was so rigidly limited to him that neither priest in the holy place, nor worshipper in the outer court, must accompany him, or the glories of the Shekinah would have consumed him. But it is far otherwise now. Our 'great High Priest' has opened the way to the mercy seat in heaven, and is now present at the right hand of God, so that any Jew or Gentile may at once enter into the Divine Presence, and with holy boldness or joyous freedom utter all he thinks to his reconciled Father." (James Nisbet Commentary)

"All true believers live with Him - live with Him in a larger sense than would have been before or otherwise possible. Life is enlarged and glorified by the risen life of the once crucified Savior. Christ dieth no more: then we have an ever-living intercessor. Christ dieth no more: then we have an abiding helper. Christ dieth no more: then we need no other sacrifice and no other priest. Christ dieth no more: then we need not fear, for the Good Shepherd will ever watch over His sheep. and lead them in pastures of delight." (The Preacher's Homiletic Commentary)

"Reader, in what state art thou? Hast thou gone back from Christ, or art thou going back? Wilt thou go? Thou, whom He has redeemed by HIs blood - thou, whom He has upheld by His power, and fed by His providence - thou, into whose wounded soul He has poured the balm of pardoning mercy - thou, whom He has adopted into the heavenly family - thou, whom He has comforted in so many tribulations and adversities - thou, whose multiplied offenses He has freely and fully pardoned; wilt thou go away?" (Adam Clarke)

"Likewise, the Church is filled with people who ought to be spiritual adults by now, but they are still spiritual infants because they have not been exercised by the Word of God. For this reason, there are large numbers of believers who, like infants, have put a lot of spiritual poison into their spiritual mouths that is not safe for consumption. Not only will the mixing of truth with false doctrine weaken their foundation and minimize their ability to produce fruit that is eternal, but it could also eventually pull them so far off course that it leads them to a 'shipwreck' in various areas of their lives." (Rick Renner - "How To Keep Your Head On Straight In A World Gone Crazy")

"The early Hebrew Christians found it very difficult openly to confess Christ; for their unbelieving countrymen treated all who did so as renegrades from Israel, and apostates from Israel's God. But fidelity to the truth was necessary then, and it is equally necessary now. Every believer is bound publicly to confess Christ. He must do so for Christ's sake, for his own sake, and for the sake of his fellow men." (The Pulpit Commentary)

"The Holy Spirit speaks to us concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. If we ignore His voice, our hearts will increasingly grow hard and unyielding until they are no longer sensitive to God's Word or the desires of the Spirit. Commitment to truth and to righteous living will no longer be a priority, but we will more and more seek pleasure in the ways of the world rather than God's ways. The Holy Spirit warns us that God will not go on pleading with us indefinitely if we harden our hearts in rebellion. There is a point of no return." (Life In The Spirit Study Bible)