Jesus provides the pattern of suffering for the sake of righteousness.

In 1968 presidential candidate, Hubert Humphrey, declared: “The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.” As a Christian, it is difficult for me to disagree with that statement.

Peter issues a call to righteous living in the midst of acute suffering and persecution.

If you believe that there is no God to which you are accountable or that there is no God who has provided redemption for you, you will live your life quite differently than one who affirms such propositions. Consider the famous British philosopher of the 20th century—Bertrand Russell, one of the founders of analytic philosophy. One of his most famous books was Why I Am Not a Christian. For Russell, there was no God.

Peter explains the virtue of submission in the wife-husband role responsibilities.

As I have studied the Gospels over the years, I have been struck by how many times the text speaks of Jesus being “moved with compassion.” Jesus manifested compassion when He saw the crowds, responding with acts of healing (Matt. 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:41), provision of food (Matt. 15:32), and teaching the word of God (Mark 6:34). Jesus not only modeled compassion; He also taught on the virtue of compassion, including the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt. 18:23–35), the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37), and the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32).

The virtue of submission is applied to the primary economic institution of the ancient world and to the family.

In February 2024, John MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, declared that Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, “was not a Christian at all.” Furthermore, he added, King was “a nonbeliever who misrepresented everything about Christ and the gospel.” MacArthur’s comments were made during a question-and-answer session at Grace Community Church.

Peter challenges us to see ourselves as sojourners and exiles conducting ourselves honorably, highlighting the virtue of submission to the authorities in our lives.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 stipulates the vital importance of parents in educating their children: There is to be a formal structure where parents teach their children facts, ethical standards and doctrinal truth. Parents are also to model these virtues, values and standards before their children. Parents are thus central in the moral and spiritual formation of their children. Ideally today, parents, the church and the school should network together to accomplish this goal of moral and spiritual formation. However, in 2024 moral and spiritual formation has been replaced by indoctrination and the pursuit of personal autonomy in much of public education.