Theology of 1 Peter

Every book of the Bible has a theme and/or story to tell. 1 Peter is no different. And unsurprisingly, considering the author, it is all about standing firm under persecution.

First Peter was written as a circular letter to churches in five provinces of northwestern Asia Minor. Because of their conversion to Christ these people had been alienated from their culture and their former friends ( 1 Peter 1:14 1 Peter 1:18 ; 2:9 ; 4:3-4 ), and the letter encourages them in the midst of slander, personal abuse, and ostracism ( 1:6 ; 2:12 ; 3:15-16 ; 4:4 ). Peter instructs them to understand their sufferings as an emulation of the passion of Christ ( 2:21 ; 4:13 ), to anticipate the glory they will enjoy when Christ is revealed to the whole world ( 1:13 ; 4:13 ), and to recognize that the church has become their primary social group ( 2:1-10 ; 3:8-12 ; 4:7-11 ). The message of this letter is the genuine grace of God ( 5:12 ) to be realized in their disciplined response to persecution.