In chapter 4, Peter urges us to put in the past the living of life in the way of the flesh, according to human passions. In verse 7, he says “be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” This could be taken two ways. The most obvious is that being sober-minded and self-controlled is necessary in order to be prepared to approach the Father in prayer with our petitions. The second is that, just he alludes as in 1 Peter 3:7, willful disobedience to God’s commandments can hinder ones prayers.

English: Head-piece to the first epistle general of Peter, vignette with crucifix in clouds with a snake curling around a skull and flaming torch below (1 Peter 1:11-12); letterpress in two columns below and on verso. 1800. Inscriptions: Lettered below image with production detail: “P J de Loutherbourg invt”, “R Shipster Sculpsit” and publication line: “Publish’d by T Macklin, Oct 1800 London”. Print made by Robert Shipster. Dimensions: height: 482 millimetres; width: 382 millimetres. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In verse 12, he tells us that times of suffering are not something we should expect to escape as Christians: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” And in verse 16, he says “if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”

He ends this first letter in chapter 5 by exhorting elders to “shepherd the flock among you.” The example all through the New Testament is of leadership at the level of the local congregation. Never is there an example of some governing body in another geographic area.

/Bob’s boy

Bible Reading Schedule for this month
Click links below to read or listen to audio of one of this week’s chapters in Colossians and Luke

1 Peter 4, 1 Peter 5, 2 Peter 1, 2 Peter 2, 2 Peter 3

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

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All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.