Day 78 - 1 & 2 Peter

The theme of 1Peter is summed up very nicely in 4:19 - "Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."

Suffering is a key idea throughout this letter. Apparently, the ones to whom Peter wrote this letter were undergoing suffering in trials and persecutions. "Suffering" is referenced 16 times in this short book. Peter calls us to endure this suffering partly by following Christ's example (2:21). He makes it very clear that this suffering does indeed have a helpful effect in our lives (1:7), but only if the suffering is a result of doing what is good (2:20). The key element in enduring unjust suffering is faith, an element that Peter references 4 times in the opening chapter! One of the most comforting thoughts in this book is that no matter what kind of suffering we encounter, it comes to us only after having been filtered by "God's will" (4:19). This means that whenever trials and suffering come to us, they had to have God's approval first before coming to us. Therefore, we can have confidence that an all-knowing, all-loving God has given us just enough difficulty to strengthen us and purify us, yet not more than we can handle by His enabling grace. He also adds that when the suffering is over, God Himself will help to patch up the wounds (5:10).

The other main idea is the exhortation to holy living. This is demonstrated by the high number of commands that Peter gives us. He starts off by telling us to be holy because God is holy (1:15). Then he proceeds to call us to holy living in the areas of our relationship to authority, both governmental (2:13-17) and in our work (2:18); in our marriage relationships (3:1-7); with regard to our fleshly desires (4:1-6); and in our serving one another (4:7-11).

He then closes the book with instructions to church leaders (5:1-5) and a warning concerning our enemy, the Devil (5:6-11).

2Peter is a very serious book. It has some very weighty themes. The main ones are the warning against false teachers and the proper understanding of the coming "Day of the Lord." The prescription to prepare to face both of these is growth. Peter starts off right away with a call to growth in faith by supplying 7 qualities - virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love (1:5-7). The proper appropriation of these results in a strong confidence (1:10). Then, Peter ends the book with a call to grow in grace (3:18). So, growth is necessary to face false teachers and to prepare for the end of this age.

The means of growth is the Word of God. This Word, Peter describes, is a sure foundation for us (1:19). It is also accessible (1:20). The reason for this is that this Word is not from man, but from God Himself (1:21). This is what we must build our lives upon.