Is There Purpose in Suffering? Part 3 (1 Peter 1:13–16)

Here are links to the previous articles in this series: Part 1, Part 2.

I enjoy watching survivalist shows. The shows are mostly professional survivalists who train in how to find water, make fire and live off the land with little or no equipment. The most trained professionals end up suffering and encounter trials they couldn’t have imagined. It looks very hard to accomplish what they do. At times, these shows bring in “fans” of the show and document them attempting to do what the professionals do with minimal training – this looks even harder. Whether professionals or amateurs, these survivalists must rely on their training if they are to make it through their adventure.

In many ways, Peter’s audience of believers who were dispersed, disrupted and faced various trials, had to learn how to survive as Christians in a pagan world. They were constantly tempted to “tap out” of living like followers of Jesus and live like the world around them (1 Peter 1:13–25). Peter had some apostolic and pastoral advice (training) for them so they could endure the various trials (1 Peter 1:6) they were facing.

Peter’s practical training begins in 1 Peter 1:13 which begins with “Therefore”. The “therefore” transitions Peter’s comments to practical training so these believers will be able to live through all of the hardships they are facing. Peter’s audience is reminded that they are chosen by God to obey Jesus (1 Peter 1:1–2), that they are born again to a living hope (1 Peter 1:3), and as they live obediently to Jesus in the midst of their various trials, they will receive a stunning inheritance at the judgement seat of Christ (1 Peter 1:4–9).

Because of all of these truths about them, they are to “prepare their minds for action”. This is a mindset of intellect, attitudes and action, much like a person who is in a battle, or has a large job to accomplish or needs to travel rapidly. They have a goal that needs to be reached and worth their every effort. The action they are to be ready for is living in a hostile world to ways of Jesus. The world wants to distract us from our holy calling to live obediently before the Lord.

A sober response to various trials is clear thinking that leads to sound judgment, not panic or surrender to the ways of the world around them. Armed with a prepared mind for action and a sober spirit to clear thinking, our thinking needs to be fixed completely on the grace that will be ours when we stand before Jesus (1 Peter 1:13). The trials and disruptions of life call us to cling to worldly values (1 Peter 1:7–8) but a prepared mind and sober spirit will focus on what cannot be lost when we appear before the Lord Jesus.

Because worldly things perish, Peter again trains us and calls us to be obedient children of God. We are obedient when we choose to not be conformed to our previous ways of living for ourselves and trusting in things that do not deliver on what is promised.

Peter continues his training of distressed believers with the word, “but” (1 Peter 1:15). Peter states, “…but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15–16). We are to be holy in our living, no matter how hard things get. Holiness in our lives is achieved by obedience to Jesus and His ways of living (John 14:21). The more we obey His ways of living, the more we become like Him which will equal a stunning inheritance that will not fade away or be taken from us. The world wants us to succumb to its’ way of serving self. The Lord wants us to surrender to Him in obedience so that we will gain what cannot be lost at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:12; 1 Corinthians 5:10–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 John 8).

The lesson from Peter is to remember your training so that you will survive all that this world tempts you to follow. We have been chosen by God, have been given eternal life freely through faith and the promise of a stunning inheritance which includes praise, glory and honor from the Lord Himself! I pray these thoughts are of some benefit to you.