His Own Special People

I remember reading a story when I was a boy about a bird whose egg dropped from its nest. When the baby bird hatched it had no identity because its mother wasn’t around for it to bond to. As a result, it spent the duration of the story looking for its mother. It asked everyone and everything it came into contact the question, “Are you my mother?”

Many Christians are like that baby bird. They know enough about Jesus Christ to get them out of the egg of sin, into the light of the Lord but go through the rest of their life questioning their existence. As the bird of this story went through hours of peril and pain because he wasn’t acquainted with his mother, Christians go through years of uncertainty because they aren’t acquainted with Christ and have no sense of their own identity in Christ.

In 1 Peter, the apostle writes to a group of Christians who were scattered away from their homeland and were in need of assurance concerning their identity in Christ. Just as the baby bird found peace in the knowledge that he was indeed a bird, just as he found peace and security under the wings of his mother, these Christians because of their suffering, needed to experience the peace and security knowing their position in Jesus Christ.

Background

(1 Pet 1:1 NKJV) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

The Apostle Peter is addressing Jewish Christians who have been persecuted and as a result have fled their homeland. These people were called the Christians of the Dispersion and lived in the Asian provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 1 Peter was a circular letter to be read and passed on to these Christians who were scattered.

Peter wrote this letter to encourage these Christians in the midst of their suffering.

Historians note that although no sweeping persecution by Rome had yet plagued these Christians, the fury of the neurotic Nero was about to be unleashed in a localized persecution. Also, local persecutions at the hands of the Jews and others, not to mention enormous misunderstandings of early Christian communities, were causes of heartache and sorrow among these believers.

In this letter, Peter attempts to provide an explanation for and encouragement in the "fiery trial" (1 Pet. 4:12) which harassed his Christian readership. The epistle corresponds in theme to the Old Testament Book of Job in that Peter views the suffering of Christians through the agonies of Jesus, and recognizes both divine purpose in, and one's proper response to, Christian suffering in light of the atonement of Christ. In other words, Peter wanted his readers to know that Christians suffer so that they might become more like their Savior, Jesus Christ.

By the time we get to chapter two where our text is found, Peter has already encouraged his readers in many areas.

In 1:2, he has called them the "elect according to the foreknowledge of God."

In verse 3-4, he writes to them about a “living hope” that they have been begotten to through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and an undefiled and incorruptible inheritance which has been reserved and is being protected for them in heaven.

In verse 5, Peter conveys to his readers truths about their eternal security. He writes that they are “kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

In verse 6 through 12, Peter encourages them to rejoice in spite of the trials that they are undergoing. He says that they can rejoice because one day their Savior Jesus Christ will be revealed from Heaven and He is going to remove them from their pain and reward them with the final phase of their salvation—the glorification of their bodies.

Verses 13 through 17 begins with a "therefore." Peter is insisting that because of the promise of the rapture of the redeemed ones and their future glorification, they should be living a certain way (as God’s obedient children) while awaiting Jesus' return.

(1 Pet 1:13 NKJV) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

(1 Pet 1:14 NKJV) as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

(1 Pet 1:15 NKJV) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

(1 Pet 1:16 NKJV) because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

(1 Pet 1:17 NKJV) And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;