Read 1 PETER 1:13–16

When Kate Middleton was preparing to marry Prince William, heir to the British throne, she reportedly had to undergo what the press dubbed “princess training.” She was instructed on how to greet royalty and other dignitaries, to put on and remove her coat, and to conduct formal banquets. She would be royalty and was expected to act in a way that reflected her new identity.

Peter has begun this letter by describ- ing the way that salvation forms our new identity. We are now followers of Christ, not this world, and although we experience suffering and trials, we know that God has promised us an eternal inheritance. With the reality of our new life established, Peter offers us “Christian training.”

Our verses today address the way our perspective and our relationship have changed through Jesus. First, rather than be distracted by uncontrolled passions of the world, we have an eternal perspective of hope (v. 13). We are no longer limited to thinking that this life is all there is, so we’d better eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we’ll die. Instead, we can exercise self- control as we anticipate the return of Christ (see Gal. 5:22–23).

Second, we are the children of God. He loves us and claims us. He has called us (v. 15). Our growth in holiness does not come out of our own efforts to impress others or to prove that we’re good enough for God to love us. He has already shown His love for us through Jesus, and we become more like Him when we focus on who He is and what He has done and will do. Our holiness results from our relationship to God as His beloved children who are sanctified by the Spirit (vv. 2, 16).

APPLY THE WORD

Peter’s first readers lived under a regime that actively persecuted Christians; our culture prioritizes personal passions over self-control and holiness. Prayerfully consider if there’s an area of life where you need more restraint. How can focusing on the return of Jesus and your identity as a child of God help you grow in holiness?

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