First Peter has 2 verses that act as a 'hinge' for the letter. Up to this point, Peter has been focused on giving Christians an image of what they are in Christ, culminating in verse 9 with you are a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God's own possession." He sums up all these ideas with the word - 'Beloved'! But, then he pivots toward the practical - and begins to 'urge' the church toward a Godly response toward hardship with the keys words 'abstain' and 'keep'.