Persecution should not catch us by surprise, and when it comes, we fall back on these encouragements of the Apostle Peter.

Christ is coming again. Peter shows us how we are to prepare for His imminent return. We pray, love, share, and serve.

All disciples of Christ also suffer with Christ. Our obedience to the Lord is a cross-bearing, self-denying, Christ-imitating surrender to the will of God.

All who are biblically baptized share a common commitment to live in obedience to the Lord, to be dead to sin and self and alive to God in Christ. Peter reminds us that suffering is a part of the Christian life and that it is never an excuse to sin against the Lord.

Even though it is difficult to harm generous benefactors, believers do suffer persecution. How are we to respond in times of unfair treatment by unbelievers? Peter tells us how.

God deeply cares for His people. His provision and protection of them pervades throughout this life and into eternity. This provides for us a great sense of security from which we are able to live righteously and without retaliation that is so common in our world.