[sunday meditations]

INTERMISSION: 1 PETER 1.22-2.3

In the first part of 1 Peter 1, we have St. Peter putting the Christian hope in the forefront of the Christians’ minds. It’s within the context of this hope that Christians find their new identities, identities given to them by God when they put their faith in Jesus and are baptized into his death and resurrection. These new identities, being both part of and signposts to the Christian hope, lie at the heart of Christian ethics (what it means to be good). The bulk of 1 Peter will instruct the Christians in Asia Minor on how they’re to live as exiles in the midst of approaching persecution; this exilic living is held in place by the Christians’ God-given identities and the behavior appropriate with that identity. It’s for this reason that St. Peter doesn’t just gloss over regeneration and what that all means: it’s an integral piece of what it means to live as exiles in a foreign, hostile land (after all, their identities as exiles was founded upon the fact that they were foreigners by virtue of their rebirth).

At the heart of Christian ethics (exilic living) lies the modus operandi of love. God is love, and those who belong to him are born because of that love, to be part of that love, and to love. This love isn’t the kind of love we see portrayed in hip-hop songs and sitcoms; no, it’s a love seen most vividly in sacrifice (and that’s seen most vividly on the cross). It’s no small wonder, then, that St. Peter launches this part of his letter with a call to love, and then gives the reason why they must love: they have been “born again”; i.e., they have been redeemed to genuine human being status. This isn’t through anything they have done but by the power of God through the gospel being preached. Because they have been reborn as human beings, they are to live as is fitting for genuine human beings: this involves shedding off the old and musty clothes of their old, dead selves; and conversely, it involves embracing genuine human modes-of-living. This development into genuine human living isn’t done by willpower alone but by the Spirit changing us as we engage him in spiritual disciplines, as we pursue the “spiritual milk” that will enable us, through the power of the Spirit, to grow up towards maturity.

With persecution looming like a panther crouched at the doorway, St. Peter knows that the Christians in Asia Minor mustn’t forget where they stand in the big scheme of things. When persecution strikes, we’d like to think that we’d remain steadfast and loyal to Jesus. History shows us, however, that the fear of mortal death—and even the fear of losing face before one’s friends and fellow patriots—is enough to drive devoted Christians to the other side of the fence. We only need read through the book of Hebrews to see how this becomes reality: when Jewish believers faced persecution, many of them abandoned Christ and returned to the old ways of doing things. Peter knows full well that it’s no hard thing for a Christian to backslide, especially when confronted with the cost of devotion to God, and he knows that one of the best ways to prevent this is to keep the Christians’ heads clear. The mushrooming text, although a labyrinth of Old Testament echoes and citations that make even the most wizened biblical scholars squirm, gives us a telescopic look at the church as persecution looms near.