Loving 1 Peter

The more I am reading in 1 Peter, the more he seems to be getting right at the heart of who we are as people submitted to Christ - what the attitude of a fully submitted person should be. Submission is not something to be taken lightly, and we need to know that we can trust our Ruler... we also learn that trust as we do submit. Again this is where faith comes in. God will never let us down, in contrast to every other person and system who we are rightly trained to question and challenge. That rock-solid truth that He embodies is more worthy of our trust and the control of our lives than we are, as flawed people. His unshakable character makes Him worthy of our submission, and also shows why submission to Him is essential for being a Christian.

Peter explains so well that we are here for a purpose greater than ourselves, and to fully experience this purpose we must fully give our lives to it. The more we hold back for ourselves, the more we miss out, the more meaningless our lives become. The purpose of bringing God glory is inescapable... we will glorify Him in the end whether we want to or not... wouldn't it be so much better to actively work for it? To let our lives return to their original purpose? To be fulfilled in a way that we all long for? God says the answer is complete submission to Him. He promises the opposite of what we think submission means - oppression, unfairness, chauvinism. He promises ultimate freedom, ultimate justice, and ultimate love.

For the sake of His glory we are called to endure unfairness, injustice, and suffering on earth just as Jesus did... but we have the hope of ultimate vindication, and the promise that it is for His glory. We need to accept these things for the sake of His and our greater purpose. We need to lay down our "rights" before Him. Bringing Him glory is more important than demanding eartlhy justice - and the hope of heavenly justice comforts us.

1 Peter 2: 20-22: But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ²¹To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ²²"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." ²³When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.