(2) But as such they must also live fittingly in relation to their heathen environment. They are :o shun all wickedness, and thereby give the lie to the popular charge that they are evil-doers. They are, however, to avoid giving any oli'euce to the authorities. If they are servants in a heathen household, they are to discharge their duties faith- fully, bearing buffetings and revilings with Christ- like fortitude. When believers find themselves married to unbelievers, they must exemplify the Christian virtues also in this relationship. In short, they should be living witnesses to the ideal type of conduct in all their relations with out- siders (2"-3'-).
{d) Encouragement to bear persecution with fortitude, in view of the Christians' certainty of ultimate salvation (3''-5"). — (1) If zeal for right- eousnessbrings them sufl'ering, they are hut following in the footsteps of Christ. Through His sutfering they have been made heirs of a sure salvation ; consequently they should continue loyally to con- fess His Lordship. When their opponents reWle
and persecute them for their peculiar faith, they may reassure themselves by recalling (i.) Christ's saving mission, which extended oven to the spirits in Hades; (ii.) tlie ordinance of baptism, which formally ensured their spiritual union with the Kisen Jesus; and (iii.) the heavenly exaltation of Christ, whereby all authority has been committed to Him (3'»-^).
(2) Hence Christians have a ready answer to give their heathen critics who charge them with unsocial conduct. They are no longer men of the llesh, for, having been united in baptism with the heavenly spiritual Christ, they now enjoy a new state of existence ; they are citizens of heaven (4'-«).
(3) As their stay upon earth, along with all earthly things, draws to a close, their chief en- deavour is to cultivate the true fruits of the S]>irit in daily living — sobriety, prayerfulness, mutual love, hospitality, ministrations, and constant glori- iication of God (4'-")-
(4) Christians ought not to be shocked by the outbreak of severe persecution. In the lirst place, they should rejoice at the opportunity of becoming actual imitators of Christ. And, secondly, since they do not sutler justly, being guilty of no sins for which God should bring this aflliction upon them, their trials are a sign of the approaching end when they are to receive the salvation now being guarded for them in heaven. If the initial stages of the Final Judgment bring sttch afflictions upon the innocent, how infinitelj' more terrible will the ultimate fate of the wicked be ! There- fore believers should not be ashamed to sutler innocently as Christians, since this is in accordance with the will of God, who always has in mind the ultimate salvation of their souls (4'^''").
(5) Under these circumstances both the leaders of the community and the members of the con- gregation should order their lives according to the strictest ideals of perfection, knowing that thej» will ultimately receive their respet^tive rewards. Their temporary affliction will, through the favour of God, issue in the perfect salvation about to be revealed from heaven (5''").
(e) Conclusion (S''^'^''). — The readers are informed of Silvanus' connexion with the letter, they are exhorted to remain steadfast, greetings are con- veyed to them, and they receive the apostolic benediction.
2. Purpose. — The main purpose of the Epistle is to comfort and encourage certain coramtmities embarrassed by heathen opposition — an opposition which had broken out into a conflagration of persecution. The writer seeks to strengthen the Christians' faith by turning their attention to the near future, when God will bring all their troubles to an end by sendin" Jesus Christ to conduct the Final Judgment and perfect the salvation of be- lievers (p. 7.9. 13.20 212 45. 13. i7t. 51. 4. 6. io)_ Chris- tians are strongly exhorted to refrain from doing anything for which they might be justly ijunishcd. Possibly some among them were disposed to take too literally the doctrine of soul-freedom and so to .forget that the earthly order under which they were now living was really an appointment of God (2''-" 41^). St. Paul hatl to give the Romans a similar warning (Ro 13'"' ; cf. Tit .S'-* ; Clement of Rome, ad Cor. 61). Not improbably the Chris- tians' sense of superiority to the world tended to engender an unconventional type of conduct which sometimes antagonized the authorities and readily suggested to outsiders that these seem- ingly recalcitrant people were accustomed within their own private assemblies to cast ofi' all moral restraints. The readers of this K])iKtle are especially exhorted to make their m.anner of life such that they can by no possible means be justly
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reckoned among evil-doers. In all their political, social, and personal relationsliips tlicy are to exer- cise the utmost; caution not to g'*" oll'ence. But they are not to compromise their ideals by resort- iufj to the heathen mode of living, nor are tliey to hesitate in confessing Clirist's Lordship (3"). They shouhl always be prepared to give reasons for their unshaken faith in Christ and the coming deliver- ance, and their type of life should he so noble as to put to shame their accusers. Then, in all the attacks which are made upon them they will suHer unjustly, and such suH'ering will bring them a rich reward. Having seen to it that they themselves do not merit punishment, the trials through which they are passing must be merely premonitory signs of the approaching end when all sinners are to be condemned, while the righteous are to in- herit eternal peace. Thus the author endeavours to cheer and strengthen his readers, and this is manifestly the chief aim of his letter.