(Read the previous devotion here.)
The apostle Peter wrote this letter to Christians scattered throughout the Roman provinces of the known world. These early Christians lived in pagan societies and among neighbors who practiced all sorts of sinful behavior. He wrote it to encourage believers to persevere through suffering.
In these verses from chapter 4, Peter tells them that, like the risen Christ, they henceforth ought to have no more to do with sin. Like these early Christians, we too are following in the footsteps of our Savior, by whose death and redemption we are saved. Suffering for the sake of Christ means we live not for our own gain, but for the will of God.
Christ died sinless, risen to new life with God for humankind. Our death and rebirth through baptism gives us deliverance from sin and a new life with Christ. But, in this new life, we must leave our sinful behaviors behind. This life with Christ often includes suffering, but unlike those indulging in earthly pleasures and pursuits, we will be ready for His return.
Let us live each day as if this is the day of Christ’s return. Let us minister to one another. Let us love one another. Let us each bring glory to God in a hostile world, just as Peter implored those scattered Christians in the first century.
Prayer:
We thank you, Lord, for the salvation that comes from our new life in Christ Jesus. Bless us God, so that we may have the strength to live in obedience to your Word. May we love one another as we love ourselves. Amen.
Mike Mahan
(Read the next devotion here.)
