BUT IF, WHEN YE DO WELL, AND SUFFER FOR IT, YE TAKE IT PATIENTLY, THIS IS ACCEPTABLE WITH GOD.  (21) FOR EVEN HEREUNTO WERE YE CALLED;  BECAUSE CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR US, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS:  (22) WHO DID NO SIN, NEITHER WAS GUILE FOUND IN HIS MOUTH:  (23) WHO, WHEN HE WAS REVILED, REVILED NOT AGAIN; WHEN HE SUFFERED, HE THREATENED NOT; BUT COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIM THAT JUDGETH RIGHTEOUSLY:  (24) WHO HIS OWN SELF BARE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE, THAT WE, BEING DEAD TO SINS, SHOULD LIVE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS: BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED.  (25) FOR YE WERE AS SHEEP GOING ASTRAY; BUT ARE NOW RETURNED UNTO THE SHEPHERD AND BISHOP OF YOUR SOULS. 

This first letter of Peter was written by the Apostle Peter to Christians in faraway places in the then known world.  More and more Christians were ostracized by society – they were outcasts, mocked, insulted,  bullied and in some cases jailed and even put to death for their beliefs.  Peter is writing to these Christians to encourage them to be steadfast in their faith.  Jesus set the example – there was no reason for Christ to suffer as He did no wrong –  and He put His trust in God, the perfect judge.  We are called to imitate Christ in everything.  We are called from dark to light as an effectual call to salvation.

Peter’s letter is based on a biblical world view of God’s sovereignty. Jesus Christ has appeared in history and is the long awaited, prophesied Messiah.  God’s plan is working toward completion.  Peter tells his audience that the first phase of messianic time has already happened in Jesus as He is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (Old Testament)  who has died to carry away the sins of the world – but also to provide a pattern for Christian living.  The sovereign God will sustain those early Christians (and us) in adversity.  Faith, submission and trust in God as the righteous judge,  provide the basis for Christian living.

We are told again and again in the Bible to set our eyes and hearts on heaven.  This world is temporary and we need to seek the eternal.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that the figure of the crucified invalidates all thought which takes success (meaning success of this earthly world)  for its standard.  Remember Bob the wonder dog – he never took his eyes off the ball.