1 Peter Overview

I am currently in a Sunday School class that is doing and in depth study of 1 Peter.  We also did a brief overview of the General Epistles (as opposed to the Pauline Epistles) this summer, so I have a bit of background from that as well.  I had spent some time in 1 Peter a few years ago and found that there were three callings in 1 Peter.

1:15, 16 - called to be Holy
2:20,21 - called to Suffer
3:9 - called to Bless

Through the General Epistles Sunday School class, it was emphasized that those epistles in particular have a very strong focus on our future inheritance and to hope in that above current circumstances.  So, as I was going through 1 Peter, I recognized a FOURTH CALLING!  We are CALLED to Eternal Glory (5:10)!

So I have established my summary statement for 1 Peter to be:

"Be holy while you suffer and bless with the hope of eternal glory!"

What a calling as Christians!  We WILL suffer.  We will image Christ when we are holy and bless others WHILE we are suffering.  This is all possible because we have a hope of a glory that will not fade and lasts forever!

So, SUFFER RIGHTLY, my fellow Christian!