By faith we have come to the unseen and untouchable Mount Zion where God himself is found and where his saints gather. We must be careful to listen to his voice and worship him acceptably with reverence and awe.
By faith we have come to the unseen and untouchable Mount Zion where God himself is found and where his saints gather. We must be careful to listen to his voice and worship him acceptably with reverence and awe.
The writer now delves further into the theme of endurance. He takes us into the deep waters of opposition and trial and suffering—and shows us how we are to approach situations of pain and difficulty, and to endure as believers—even to flourish as believers—in and through those times.
The writer now delves further into the theme of endurance. He takes us into the deep waters of opposition and trial and suffering—and shows us how we are to approach situations of pain and difficulty, and to endure as believers—even to flourish as believers—in and through those times.
The Christian life is a marathon run by faith. We need to fix our eyes on Jesus—and his model of endurance in suffering—if we are to run faithfully to the end.
The writer tells us to worship God acceptably, and here he tells us what worship of the living God will look like as we live in his presence: showing brotherly love, living in marital faithfulness, keeping our lives free from the love of money. Do we understand true worship? Do we worship in this way?
Worshipping God acceptably also involves honouring leaders within the church—following their example, submitting to their leadership, listening to their teaching, and praying for them. Are we marked by this kind of worship as a church?
Peter tackles the reality of suffering head-on in this vitally important passage, and he teaches us what to do to be ready for suffering—and then to endure suffering as a believer. Those going through suffering need to hear and receive his message—and those living in times of relative ease need to hear it too, that we may be prepared for that which will surely come.
As he begins this letter, Peter knows that God's people are facing real trials and difficulties. He does not minimize those trials, but he reminds us of our rock-solid foundation in the sovereign and saving work of God.
Life in this world is hard, and opposition is real. But the Christian believer has a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. These trials may test our faith, but real faith will be proved genuine in trial. We who love Jesus have joy in the prospect of his coming. And this joy and this hope have power to sustain us in days of darkness.
