[:en]Newborn bebies need milk for nourishment and growth. Believers also need pure spiritual milk – the Word of God to grow up in salvation and become mature Christtians.
THE LIVING STONE AND A CHOSEN PEOPLE (vs. 4-12)
Peter portrayed the church as a living spiritual temple with Christ as the foundation and cornerstone, and each believer as a stone. He portrayed the church as the body of Christ with Christ as the head and each believer as a member.
The stone cannot stand alone and one body part is useless without the other. This picture emphasized community working together to build a beautiful house for God. The stone in Zion is a chosen and precious cornerstone. Those who trust in Him will never be put to shame. We can put our confidence in Him because the eternal life He promises is certain.
Jesus Christ is “a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall”. Some will stumble because they reject Christ. They will fall because they refuse to believe in Him. But “the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone” (v. 7) meaning, the capstone is the most important part of God’s buidling in the church.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare praises with Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (v. 9) People in the Old Testament did not approach God directly. A priest acted as intermediary between God and sinful human beings. After Christ’s crucifixion, we can come directly into God’s presence without fear (Heb. 4:10) and we are given the responsibility to bring others to Him (2 Cor. 5:18-21). As members of Christ’s body, we join in his priestly work of reconciling God and people.
Believers are “foreigners and strangers’ in this world because our real home is in heaven wtih God. Peter urged believers to abstain from sinful desires, to live good lives among the pagans so that they may see our good deeds and glorify God.
SUBMISSION TO RULERS AND MASTERS (vs. 13-25)
Advices of Paul:
- Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men
- Live as free men but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil. Live as servants of God
- Show proper respect to everyone
- Love the brotherhood of believers. Fear God, honor the King.
- Slaves, submit yourselves to your master with all respect.
It is easy to submit to masters who are gentle and kind. But Peter encouraged loyalty and perseverance even in the face of unjust treatment. Likewise, we should submit to our employers whether they are considerate or harsh so that we may win them to Christ by our good example.
Some sufferings are results of our sin living in this fallen world. But there are sufferings that come as a result of doing good, wherein Christ is the best example. He never sinned yet He suffered to set us free.
Let us return to the Shepherd and overseer of our soul. Let us face suffering with patience, calmness and confidence because God is in control of the future.[:]