“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:8-11)
Peter continues his words of encouragement to believers suffering in the midst of persecution. The source for the persecution experienced by Peter’s readers was probably in the form of general abuse, ill-treatment, and discrimination from their immediate neighbors and the surrounding society as a whole. This was because Christians were no longer participating in the social structures, functions, and mores of the day. Society as whole was so deeply steeped in idolatry and its pervasive immorality that Christians would have been deemed antisocial by their neighbors and subjected to discrimination.
Peter vehemently asserted that the devil was working within the persecution to tempt believers to cave in to the pressure of society. He is behind all such temptations, using them trip up God’s people to sin and compromise their faith. We are called to resist him and stand firm, no matter what threats or punishments come our way. But all too often, believers compromise the faith. Many affirm and adopt the ways and values of the culture around us on which is opposed to God, to Jesus. We value success, fame, celebrity, and wealth and idolize those who exemplify them. We do what society praises and loves, rather than what Christ values and desires. We value pride over Christ-like humility as we seek to exalt ourselves and our deeds just like the rest of the world.
But we are called to remain steadfast and resist. We are called to suffer through these trials for, without them, faith would languish and turn cold, or be extinguished all together. In trials, Christians learn what faith really is. Through temptations, we grow in humility and in the knowledge of God. He strengthens us so we are able to rejoice and glory in adversity. For we know that every temptation and pain is transitory, and will forever vanish in the glories of the Heavenly Kingdom.