The Distinctive Marks of a Christian - (I Peter 1:13-25) - Background and Context

Introduction Notes:
When I was in seminary I wrote a paper for a class on I Peter 1:13-25 titled, "The Distinctive Marks of a Christian".  For the next several blog posts I will be using that paper, broken down into sections.  The first one is:


Background and Context


First Peter was written during a time of great persecution throughout the Roman empire under Emperor Nero.  The church in Jerusalem was scattered throughout the Mediterranean world, and Christians were facing torture and death on account of their faith.  Peter himself, the author of this epistle, was probably a victim of this persecution, being executed in Rome.  However, Peter had been persecuted many times since his proclamation on the day of Pentecost.  It was to encourage the suffering Christians that Peter penned this letter sometime around A.D. 63, no doubt from Rome, to the believers, but particularly to the Jewish Christians that had been drive out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor.  


In the midst of persecution and suffering it is easy to lose hope.  Once hope is gone, despair sets in, and it becomes easier to surrender one's faith and give in to the pressures of the surrounding forces of evil.  The followers of Christ were being abused for their belief in and obedience to Jesus.  But Peter had an unshakable faith in his risen Lord, and he wrote to his fellow Christians to urge them to continue to be loyal to Jesus.  He had a message of comfort and hope that they needed to hear as a lifeline to hold on to their faith.  God had called them to live lives distinctively set apart from the pagan world, for which He would reward them at the return of Christ.


Peter starts his letter with thanksgiving to God for salvation (1:2-6). He then explains how faith is refined through various trials (1:7-9).  He urged the Christians to look beyond their present circumstances and recall what Christ had done for them, bringing to them the salvation that the prophets had wrote about (1:10-12).  In response to what Christ had done for them, Peter exhorts the believers about their distinctive call and the marks they should bear as baptized Christians.  These marks are:

1. Holiness (1:13-16)
2. Godly Fear (1:17-21)
3. Brotherly Love (1:22-25)

It is this message of Peter that we need to hear again today.  Perhaps we are not currently suffering persecution or trials such as the early Christians faced, but there is a subtle world view that seems to be overtaking the church world in vast numbers.  Soldiers, weary from the battle and waiting, are surrendering to the enemy, willing to trade eternal life for immediate gratification and momentary pleasures.  We will not survive in this battle for the Kingdom if we are not fully committed to God's call on our life to be holy.  Let's take a closer look at the message from Peter.

(to be continued in the next blog)

A Living Hope - I Peter 1:3

I Peter 1:3

3 All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. (NLT)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (NIV)

Our hope is in Jesus Christ. Because He rose from the dead, we who place our faith in Him live with the privilege of being born anew. This privilege stems from the mercy of God, who deserves all of our honor and praise. (my personal translation [CDC version] of verse 3)

Apostle Peter penned his first letter to Christians who were undergoing persecution. In the midst of their suffering, he wanted to encourage them by sending them words of HOPE. Hope, to him, was a firm conviction of something that is true, not just wishful thinking.

When Peter writes “our” Lord Jesus Christ, he reminds them and us that they/we have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus because of God's mercy. God granted that relationship through the cross. Even though the cross meant the sacrificial death of God's Son, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the reality of Jesus triumphing over death, is our guarantee that we have a living hope.

This hope is alive and dynamic, and it does not depend on our circumstances. Everyone experiences the pain of suffering, for it is a universal language. Peter, however, gives us a prescription to relieve that pain. He reminds us that just as God brought Jesus through the horrible death by crucifixion, He will see us through, no matter what we are currently experiencing. We can be assured that there is not an earthly problem too big for God to fix. We experience His deliverance from sin and death as we are born anew by placing our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and allowing His Spirit to live in us. This, however, is not the end of the Christian experience, it is only the beginning. God's grace and peace are available to us as we journey through this life, even when things are not pleasant or going the way we wish they would.

If you want to feel the presence of God in your life, you begin the same way Peter began this letter...by giving God all the praise and honor and respect that is due Him. We have been chosen by God, and we are being made more and more in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Jesus was raised from the dead, and as we place our faith in Him, we can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we will one day overcome the disappointments of this world. 

Our living hope gives us a reason to smile at whatever storm we are facing now, because there is coming a day when we will be moving to our eternal home in heaven, to reign with Jesus! There will be no more sorrow or pain, only everlasting JOY! On that day our LIVING HOPE will be fully realized and the trials of this life will seem so insignificant compared to the Glory that awaits us!

Introduction - I Peter 1:1

This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

Following the typical letter writing format of the first century, Peter has identified himself as the author of this epistle, and he tells us to whom he is writing…God’s chosen people in foreign lands. So let’s take a few moments to talk about Peter…who is he?

Peter was one of the original 12 disciples, in fact he was the very first disciple chosen to be a follower of Jesus. He was known as Simon at that time, and his trade was fishing. Let’s read what Mark recorded in his gospel:

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and followed him. (Mark 1:16-18)

When Peter was called by Jesus, he did not hesitate one moment. He didn’t even take time to gather his belongings, or say goodbye to his family…he never once looked back. He simply followed Jesus from the moment Jesus called him. If that sounds like a person of strong faith, keep in mind he didn’t even know Jesus yet.

Peter was a Galilean…a group of people who were known to be adventuresome, ready for anything new. They were also impulsive, and emotional, quick tempered and quick to argue. These traits definitely described Peter. He was the disciple who was quick to speak out, and bold enough to question Jesus. It was his impulsiveness that caused Jesus to rebuke him more than the other disciples.

Even though Peter’s claim that Jesus was the Son of God caused Jesus to change his name from Simon to Peter, meaning "rock", it was this "rock" that also denied his Lord three times, just as Jesus had predicted. Peter’s leadership role was reestablished when Jesus asked him three times if he loved Him, and commanded him to take care of Jesus’ sheep.

We see Peter as the key spokesperson at Pentecost; healing the lame man at the temple; going against the Sanhedrin’s demand that he be silent about Jesus; and reaching out to Cornelius, a Gentile, after it was revealed to Peter that the gospel was universal. Yes, Peter was given a second chance to prove his love for Jesus.

The purpose of this letter is to offer encouragement and hope to Christians in a time of suffering. The Roman civil authorities required believers to make the confession that "Caesar is Lord". Because of their faith in Jesus Christ alone, they were scattered throughout Asia Minor and facing persecution.

In his letter, written about AD 64, Peter reminded his recipients that they could remain victorious in their spirit in spite of the troubles they were facing. No matter what the external circumstances were, their citizenship was in heaven, for salvation is eternal, but this life is only temporary.

Peter felt so unworthy of the grace Jesus had bestowed on him that he requested to be crucified upside down on a cross, rather than in the same manner Jesus died. He was a fellow sufferer, but he was looking to the future. Read his words in I Peter 5:1-4:

And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory.

New Personal Study of First Peter

The signs of spring...flowers pushing up from the earth, showing their endurance through the barrenness and cold of the winter season. I love spring...it is my favorite season. This is the 60th spring I have witnessed. In celebration, I have decided to embark on a new Bible study. It seems that I have heard God whispering "First Peter" in my heart for the last decade. Perhaps if I start now, I'll be able to complete it before another ten years slips through my life.

It seems like it was just a few years ago that I turned 38 and started back to college to earn my degree in psychology. At age 41 I became a seminary student with a focus in Greek Biblical studies. Now here I am at a "young" 60 years of age with no spectacular achievements to show for my life. At times that bothers me...like the day I turned 60. Then there are other times when age doesn't mean anything, and just knowing that I have walked faithfully with my Lord across the years is the only accomplishment that really matters.

But I haven't been able to turn off that tune in my head that sings "Study First Peter....see what I have to say to you in this epistle." So here I am ready to crack the bottle against the ship and set sail on a new personal study with my Bible, three commentaries (see side bar), and my interpreter and prompter...the Holy Spirit.

I am in no hurry, but I do feel that there is a reason why I will be studying this book at this time in my life. I always thought the theme of I Peter was holiness. However, as I have read the introductions to the letter authored by the Apostle Peter, it appears that the purpose of the writing is to encourage those Christians of the first century during times of persecution and suffering. That's a little scary for me. Am I going to be walking into another dark tunnel in my life? If so, I know the Lord Jesus Christ will hold my hand and guide me through, as He did for me as I walked through clinical depression at age 37-38.

So, here I go. I will blog as I study, hopefully focusing on the highlights of what the scripture is saying to me and how it applies in my life. Perhaps others will drop in now and then and find tidbits that they can use as they go around the bends of life. I was recently in Gatlinburg at the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort Waterpark, and enjoyed floating in the lazy river. That is how I want to take this trip through First Peter...slowly, relaxed, getting ready for the next bend in the river...not knowing how it will turn, what will be there, or who will be there. But, hey, with Jesus in my float, what have I got to worry about?