A New Hope, Strangers in a Familiar World, part 5
We have spent the past four weeks wrestling with this question: what does it mean to be holy? How do we live as a people who are set apart? Throughout the letter of 1 Peter, the apostle has spent considerable time giving guidance to Christians in specific scenarios as to how they can be a holy people in a world that is decisively not Christian. As we move into the final chapter of this letter, Peter turns to addressing the role of elders and their responsibilities ensure that the local church maintains its path of discipleship. Then the subject moves to our responsibility to resist evil through humility, for the devil is constantly seeking a way to disrupt our commitment to the way of Jesus Christ. This is an important lesson for us to reflect on. As easy as it is to point to the broader culture, political factions, or even individual human beings as being an obstacle in our faith journey, we must also remember that there is a greater force in the world that is working against us and the kingdom of God. As Jesus describes in Matthew 13, the devil is planting weeds amongst the wheat in order to disrupt and stunt the growth of the good crop. The devil is seeking to take advantage of our pride and desire for control. Instead, we are called to humble ourselves and cast all of our burdens upon Christ. As we wrap up this series on 1 Peter, let us hold on to our faith and hope in Jesus Christ. Tough times are ahead but they won’t last forever, and we can rest in the fact that our God has great plans for us in Christ and that He will get the last say.
–Caleb McCaughan, 1 Peter 5
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