1 Peter 4:1-6.
“Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter.
After Peter’s much-needed reminder that suffering is not the end for those who are in Christ, he takes that a step further by calling Christians to fulfill the greatest martyrdom if necessary; death. But even before that, there is an arguably more difficult calling to sacrifice our lives daily. In other words, Christians must not only be willing to die for the name of Jesus but also to live for the name of Jesus.
These commands Peter gives his persecuted readers are strong. In our country of America, the persecution is not so cut and dried as a life-or-death situation. The pressure that Christians face, and the pressure that all people face, is to “fit in.” However, Peter tells us that we need to be conformed to Christ and weaponize ourselves with his mindset – the mindset which knows it is better to be right with God than right with the world. By taking on this attitude, we will automatically not fit in, and people will notice that. That will eventually bring social, political, and perhaps physical persecution – persecution for which all Christians must be prepared.
Pastor Matt Thornton, Speaker.
Archive Date: 01/17/21
