Peter writes from Rome, after Paul’s execution and shortly before his own. His audience is Hebrew Christians in what we today call Northern Turkey. This region of the Roman Empire featured rather severe persecution rather early. But because Peter already knows his time is short, he’s in a good position to offer apostolic advice. This was the “last times” for all of them.
The first thing he mentions is that they belong to a spiritual realm in Christ, not of this world. There is no comparison; our eternal inheritance is precious beyond anything here. When we find ourselves in the last times — a phrase referring to persecution — knowing this keeps us focused on our testimony. Our lives were forfeited on the Cross with Christ, so we should hardly be surprised when this world seeks to take them.
We carry on in this life solely for the glory of Christ, for His reputation. This typically demands that we pass through persecution in order to offer the testimony of our relentless commitment to Him. Nothing can pry us loose from His grasp; the world needs to see that. Suffering for Him is a privilege that isn’t available to fakes.
Peter declares the paradox that we live in faith precisely so we can die with grace. Death is the ultimate deliverance from sin and sorrow.
The prophets of old knew their messages of the coming of the Messiah were not for their times, but far in the future. They did their best to discern the signs of His coming. It puzzled them that He was supposed to suffer and then glory. Indeed, the heavenly beings were longing to understand all of this, as well. Apparently, God kept close counsel on this plan.
So, this is worthy of contemplation. Dig deep into the implications of His Return and the Judgment. Get the big picture on all of this. Find your role in the final revelation of Christ as the full manifestation of God Himself to all of Creation. Don’t listen to fleshly urges and miss your chance to be a part of this. Naturally, that means being ready to suffer and die just like He did on the Cross, for the Cross is part of our divine heritage. Our lives should manifest His holiness.
If you call God your Father, He who judges all righteously, then demonstrate how seriously you take His Word. We aren’t here in this foreign world for that long, so don’t fold. Our Jewish ancestors threw away the spiritual inheritance and left us nothing. The ransom to recover all of that treasure was not mere material things, but the sacred blood of the final Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ.
The Son was there at the Creation of all things, and Creation knew instinctively His Day would come. And it did arrive, quite recently, just in time for all of us to come to Him when we needed Him most. The Father raised Him from the grave with such glory that there is no mistaking where we put our trust.
By submission to Him, your souls have been washed clean, and you are fit to stand in His Presence, to absorb the power to love each other as He does. We are a new kingdom of souls born into Eternity through His promises. Isaiah warned us that all mortal flesh lives and dies rather like grass and flowers, but the revelation of God is eternal. That revelation is the gospel message you heard, and it owns you.
