The Theology of I Peter

            From the second verse of I Peter something striking, something new, something different emerges.  Peter, a devout Jew, writes his letter to the exiles of the Dispersion “who have been chosen by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient  to Jesus Christ.”  Without having a developed doctrine to work with, and coming from an very strong monotheistic background, Peter expresses a rather remarkable  Trinitarianism. [1]   This  language of Trinitarian work is found, explicitly or implicitly, throughout the whole book.  As such, this paper will take the same form, dealing first with the Father, then with the Son, and finally with the Spirit.

            Peter’s view of God can be summed up in one phrase found in 1:17 where he talks about the Christians invoking “as Father the one who judges.”  In his view of God as Father, Peter gives his readers hope and joy, for he is a father who cares, who loves, who reaches out to his children. [2]   It must be remembered, however, that he is Father, and thus worthy of the respect, honor, and humbleness which is assumed a child gives to their parent.  He is the one who is to be given the worship, to be proclaimed throughout the lands, just as a child proclaims the strength and wisdom of an earthly father.  As children we are the bearers of his name, and thus our activities and thoughts must reflect the honor that the name holds. [3]   The Father is also our judge, who will look at our lives, and the lives of all people, and hand out a judgment which is fitting. [4]   We must be aware of this judgment, and live “in reverent fear”  being careful to accept the grace which he as judge has offered to us.  This grace which we have been given urges us to treat others with the same grace. [5]   We are sinners, but the Father loves us and as the Judge has given us mercy and a way to life.

            This is where Christ comes in.  While God the Father is the center and focus of our lives and worship, our relationship with him is only possible “through Jesus Christ.”  Christ is the one who stands between us and the Father, acting not only as an example for us, [6] but as the very way in which we can hope to achieve contact with the Father.  It is Christ’s work which gives us hope before the Judge.  He is our advocate before the him, who mediates the sentence of death and allows us to be free from the fear of punishment. [7]   While the mercy itself comes from the Father, it is through Christ that we will see this grace. [8] Our relationship with him determines how we stand before God at the time of judgment, for he Himself is the grace that the Judge provides. [9]   As God is more than a Judge, but also a Father, so Christ also provides for his people more than a commutation of a sentence.  He also allows us to enter into an inheritance which is given to those in the household of God. [10]

            Christ is, though, our example for the life we now lead, not just the way to a future life.  His examples of triumph through suffering give us a pattern to follow.  It is Jesus through whom we are being even now built into “ a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.” [11]   For this reason, and by this reason, those who seek God through Christ are called to be pure and holy, able and willing to resist temptation and remaining steadfast in faith. [12] Christ then is our path to salvation, both in our present circumstances and for future glory. [13]   The ability to trust in God, and live our lives in such a way as to reflect this trust is only possible through the person of Jesus. 

            Christ is also the one through whom our worship of God must come.  Unlike Paul for whom Christ himself was the one sought after and worshipped, [14] for Peter the object of worship and the goal of our salvation is God the Father.  We are to live righteous lives now so that we can glorify God in all that we do.   We are to endure suffering because we are aware of God’s faithfulness to those who suffer for his name. [15] It is through Christ, however, that what we do becomes honoring to God.  He gives us the model and standard by which to live lives of godliness.  Our words become prophesy and our service becomes worship through Jesus Christ. [16]   By honoring him, we honor God and by following him we are doing the will of God.  His death and suffering came about so that through this we might be brought to God, and be able to glorify God in all things.

            The Spirit is the means by which this happens.  If God is the object of our worship and the one calling us to him, and Christ is the one through whom this is possible, it is by the Holy Spirit that we both hear the call and respond to it. [17]    The Spirit who worked in the prophets of old, giving them insight into the future life and work of Christ, even now brings us the saving message of grace which is found in Jesus.  An interesting aspect of Peter’s view of the Spirit is found in the terminology he uses.  The Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of Christ”, [18] the “Holy Spirit”, [19] the “spirit of Glory”, and the “Spirit of God”. [20]   This indicates that while his importance in the Trinity is not focused on in this letter, his role is widespread and implicit in every activity which is discussed.

            It is, then, through Christ and by the Spirit that we are to endure the present sufferings that we may encounter, able and willing to live lives of purity so that we might come to God, and glorify him in all that we do, now and forever.  God as our judge has offered us grace from the punishment which we deserve, and as our Father has not only saved us from death, but given us an inheritance of eternal value.  It is this inheritance which brings us encouragement, because there is an end to these present troubles, and this end for those who believe and live through Christ is wonderful.  By living this current life with the understanding of God’s salvation, and by diligence in pursuing the righteousness found in Christ, we who are now humbled will be exalted, and we who are now suffering will be given new life, spent in eternal glory.

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