Darker By The Day: What Sort Of People Ought We To Be?

Day by day, we are bombarded with news stories portraying the clear moral downward spiral of our nation and culture. Just when you think we have reached the nadir of cultural decline, we go lower. Everyone who loves righteousness, especially parents, continues to ask what do we do now? How are we to live? What should be our response?

As usual, the best place for us to look is the Bible for answers. While hard for us to comprehend, Bible times were in many ways much worse than they are now (especially for Americans).

One of the best places to look for guidance on living amid difficult times is Peter’s first letter.

As with all Scripture, one must strive to read Peter’s letter as he wrote it, keeping in mind that his readers were living in places either ignorant of or actively hostile to the Lord Jesus and His message. This letter is extremely helpful to modern Christians living in the same region.[1]

They were truly “aliens and strangers” (1 Pet. 2:11) in the places where they were now living… having to learn to live in a different culture with possibly a different language and unusual customs.

Why did Peter write them? What had he heard? Were there some spiritual defections? We do not exactly know. We can only speculate based on some of the things he said. For example, he knew they "have been distressed by various trials" (1 Pet. 1:6 NASB), that they were enduring a "fiery trial" (1 Pet. 4:12) and were enduring some sort of suffering (1 Pet. 5:10). Because this was a circular letter to believers scattered over a large region (nearly the whole land of modern Türkiye), the persecution connected to Nero may have already spread there.

Responding to whatever he had heard about their situation, the apostle wrote one of the most encouraging pastoral letters ever recorded. His aim was to lift their heads from being distressed or distracted by their current (and yet future) trials to help them be effective and influential people of Jesus. Even if they were not now experiencing persecution, life was so difficult that his words would have been of inestimable inspiration and consolation.

After reminding them of the glories of their salvation and their hope (1 Pet. 1:1-12), Peter instructed them on how to live as the chosen people of Jesus in the world. While there is much that could be said, we will make eight observations on how he expected them to live as the people of God in challenging regions and difficult times.

1. Always Ready and Alert with Their Hope Fixed on Jesus’ Return. Considering their glorious salvation, he commanded them to be ready for action, sober-minded, and to have their hope "fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:13; 4:7). They were to be like soldiers on a mission focused on their objective. With their hope fixed, they could endure all earthly difficulties.

2. As Obedient Children of the Father Who Redeemed Them Through Jesus, His Son. They were no longer to live as they once did in sinful ignorance (1 Pet. 1:14); rather, as obedient children, they were to be holy as the One who called them is holy. They were now to live not in fear of Him whom they call Father, the One who redeemed them “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:19). They had a new identity that helped them through all challenges.

3. As the People of God. As “a holy nation and a people for God’s own possession” (1 Pet. 2:9), they were to "abstain from fleshly lusts" and to "keep [their] behavior excellent among the Gentiles” (2:11-12). The lives they were to live were to be in complete contrast to the ungodly ways in which the people around them lived - the way they, in fact, used to live (1 Pet. 4:2-4). They were now Christians (1 Pet. 4:16). Having Jesus as Lord gave them a reason to live differently.

4. As Honorable Citizens. They were to submit themselves “for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him” (1 Pet. 2:13-14 NASB). They were to honor all men, including the king (1 Pet. 2:17). They were spiritually enabled to love even those who persecuted them and honor their positions of authority.

5. As Great Employees. They were also to submit to their bosses (it reads, “Servants be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable” [1 Pet. 2:18 NASB]). Treating their masters/bosses with honor and all his clients as well is what Christians would do.

6. As Model Christian Spouses. He even instructed wives to be submissive to their husbands, with no conditions (1 Pet. 3:1), and husbands to live with their wives in an understanding way, honoring her as a “fellow heir of the grace of life” (1 Pet. 3:7 NASB). A disciple of Jesus has the spiritual enablement to love even unreasonable spouses.

7. With a Fervent Love for Other Christians. As the apostle John wrote, the mark of a true Christian was his love for other Christians (Jn. 13:34). Peter told them to sincerely love each other four times (1 Pet. 1:22; 2:17; 3:8; and 4:8). As those who had experienced the grace and unconditional love of God, they were to share that love with others.

8. As Those Willing to Suffer for the Sake of Jesus, their Lord. It was going to happen. They were going to suffer for the sake of Jesus, their Lord.[2] They needed to be ready and willing. If they would suffer for Jesus’ sake, they would be blessed (1 Pet. 4:13-14). The history of the church is the story of those who endured suffering and even death for His sake. “Roman persecutions probably sped the rise of Christianity as the fortitude of the martyrs amazed and deeply impressed many wavering Christians as well as pagans.”[3]

If they were living such virtuous and good lives, would they still suffer? Peter asked the same thing:

“Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” (1 Pet. 3:13).

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Obviously, the answer is no one. It would seem obvious that every leader wants such people in his country.Every ruler wants honest, honorable, and hardworking citizens. He wants people he can count on who add value. He wants those who obey the law. Everyone wants people who display the fruits of the Spirit (“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control"). Who would not? In no country are there laws prohibiting such things (Gal. 5:22-23).[4]

However, remember that they persecuted Jesus, the sinless one, the One who perfectly followed the law and did immeasurable good. So it happens that even the perfectly good are treated harshly as well.

For this reason, he wrote,
“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed… For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil (1 Pet. 3:14, 17, emphasis added).

Again, if it should happen, and it might, that you suffer for doing good, you will be blessed. Do not change. You will be walking in His steps (1 Pet. 2:21).

As a close companion of Jesus and as an Apostle, Peter knew exactly what he was saying. The life of the Spirit-filled Christian was radically different. Those who lived this way would really stand out. They really were alien-like.

In the middle of his letter, Peter commanded them:

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

For –

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“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Pet. 3:8-12).

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Holy and loving people like those were foreign in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. In fact, they are virtually unknown in modern Türkiye. And to be honest, rare in modern America.

When things are bleak, when they are tough, when the challenges come, this is how we are to live as the people of Jesus. May He help us as more difficult days are coming.

[1] It is estimated that of its 86 million people, less than 10,000 are evangelical Protestants in Türkiye today.

[2] 1 Pet. 2:19, 20, 21; 3:14, 16, 17; 4:1, 4, 12-19; 5:9-10

[3] Rodney Stark, The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion (New York: HarperOne, 2011), p. 137.

[4] For this reason, churches need to continue to send godly people to every dark place in the world.

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