1 Peter 02 (Contemporary English Version)
- Stop being hateful! Quit trying to fool people, and start being sincere. Don't be jealous or say cruel things about others.
- Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved.
- You have already found out how good the Lord really is.
- Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone that people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honored.
- And now you are living stones that are being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.
- It is just as God says in the Scriptures, "Look! I am placing in Zion a choice and precious cornerstone. No one who has faith in that one will be disappointed."
- You are followers of the Lord, and that stone is precious to you. But it isn't precious to those who refuse to follow him. They are the builders who tossed aside the stone that turned out to be the most important one of all.
- They disobeyed the message and stumbled and fell over that stone, because they were doomed.
- But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say,
- "Once you were nobody. Now you are God's people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness.
- Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you.
- Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do.
- The Lord wants you to obey all human authorities, especially the Emperor, who rules over everyone.
- You must also obey governors, because they are sent by the Emperor to punish criminals and to praise good citizens.
- God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right.
- You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong.
- Respect everyone and show special love for God's people. Honor God and respect the Emperor.
- Servants, you must obey your masters and always show respect to them. Do this, not only to those who are kind and thoughtful, but also to those who are cruel.
- God will bless you, even if others treat you unfairly for being loyal to him.
- You don't gain anything by being punished for some wrong you have done. But God will bless you, if you have to suffer for doing something good.
- After all, God chose you to suffer as you follow in the footsteps of Christ, who set an example by suffering for you.
- Christ did not sin or ever tell a lie.
- Although he was abused, he never tried to get even. And when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he had faith in God, who judges fairly.
- Christ carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross, so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises you are healed.
- You had wandered away like sheep. Now you have returned to the one who is your shepherd and protector.
In the first chapter of Peter's letter to "the temporary residents of the Dispersion in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia," he provided a reality check, pointing out that their citizenship is in heaven and they were sojourners on this planet, thus their circumstances were temporary. In this chapter he describes them (and us) as " aliens and temporary residents." They, as are we, were living in an interim period during which they were to conduct themselves, not as citizens of the world, but as citizens of heaven. He then began to outline what this meant. He continues in chapter 2 with this description of their (and our) conduct during their interim existence on earth.
With the knowledge of who we are as followers of Christ, now the foundation must be laid for our conduct as His followers. We must be like "newborn infants," and "desire the unadulterated spiritual milk." This will enable us to grow in our salvation. This involves continually "Coming to Him" who is the living stone. So the foundation of our conduct as followers of Christ (or citizens of heaven) is to dwell in Him. And should we be tempted to do otherwise, we need to be reminded of the alternative. Those who are disobedient to this message stumble and are destined for destruction. In contrast to those who stumble, those who follow Christ are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession." (2:9)
Beginning with verse 11, Peter instructs his readers (and us) on how they should conduct themselves as a people who belong to God. As we read these instructions, we need to recognize that they do not outline two sets of conduct: one as dwellers in this world and another as citizens of heaven. Rather, have only in mind our heavenly citizenship. As such, all we do is done in service to Christ who is our king. Therefore, we should conduct ourselves honorably in all circumstances among those who are unbelievers so they have no just cause to be critical of our conduct. They will be critical of us, but it should not be with cause. We should also submit ourselves to every human institution.
All of this is in the context of serving Christ. As Peter says, "As God's slaves, live as free people, but don't use your freedom as a way to conceal evil." If we make ourselves "God's slaves," we are then free people on this earth. We need not fear any consequences that might come in our earthly environment. No man can destroy or do harm to our status or inheritance as citizens of heaven. So as God's slaves we observe proper conduct in our earthly setting and submit ourselves to all earthly authority because it is God's will that we do. In our earthly context we will suffer because of our heavenly citizenship but it should not be because we deserve it. As Peter says, "For what credit is there if you endure when you sin and are beaten? But when you do good and suffer, if you endure, it brings favor with God." By enduring, even though we suffer unjustly, we emulate Christ who suffered for us, "leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps."
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