The Writings of 1 Peter

“Living for Christ shouldn’t be this hard!” Have you ever had these thoughts or heard this statement said by someone you know? Going through trials can be discouraging and confusing, and facing persecution because of your belief in Jesus Christ can be even harder to understand. The readers of Peter’s letter knew what it was like to face persecution, and they were at a point where they needed strong encouragement. This is why Peter wrote them a letter that acknowledged their earthly struggle, but glorified Christ and all the promises found in Him. Peter wanted to build them up when they were going through circumstances that threatened to break them down. 

Peter knew what it was like to face persecution and earthly struggles himself. At the time he wrote this letter Peter’s life was very difficult and full of hardships. He was writing from jail but for Peter, being in jail did not distract him from the truth in Jesus. Peter was looking past his chains and toward an eternal reward found in heaven. Peter was encouraging the readers of his letter to do the same. It’s almost as if Peter wanted to put his hands on the shoulders of his readers and then give them a shake, saying, “Hey! Remember! You need to intentionally choose what you are going to think about. Where are you going to fix your mind? Don’t focus on your suffering! Focus in the reward that lies ahead! Don’t look at past disappointments and present hurts. Look ahead at Christ and all He has promised you.” Peter reminds his readers that the things of earth would fade away, but the eternal reward that was stored up in heaven would never fade. Not only that, Peter reminds his readers of the value that they have in the eyes of Christ. God didn’t pay for your redemption with earthly things that will fade, but with the perfect blood of Christ. You weren’t bought off with money that will burn to ash. You were paid for with the spotless blood of Jesus Christ! 

Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, also knew that the readers would need more than encouragement. Peter could see this church, sitting together, reading through his encouraging letter, accepting it, but then saying, “But why? Why do these things have to happen?” So Peter teaches the church how hard trials can work for the good of the believer. The reality is that we live in a world that is separated from Christ, and as long as this world exists, there will be things that happen in this life that are challenging and hard for Christians. Trials in life will change us. We can choose to let the trials change us for the better. Peter explains that the trials will produce a genuineness of faith. If everything was easy all the time Peter knows that Christians may be tempted to rely on Christ less. When hardship comes, like waves against a rock, its understandable to feel battered and helpless. This is when Peter says Christians should cling to God with all they have. This is the secret to sincere faith and hope in Christ. During hard times your faith is strengthened and refined, or as Peter said, is made as pure as gold. 

This is why Peter is known as the apostle of hope. The message he sends is filled with hope found in Christ. He tells his readers to place their trust in the Lord, not in their circumstances, to remain faithful and obedient to Christ no matter what they face, and to never lose sight of God’s ultimate promise to deliver His people from evil and restore them.