Peter’s exhortations to the young Christian churches bore remarkable fruit. They would embody the very things written in this letter in remarkable ways. Around 130 AD an anonymous writer (in ‘The Epistle to Diognetus’) described the distinct character of the early church with wonder: “For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe… But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities… and following the customs of the natives… they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners… They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.” Does your life exhibit these characteristics?
Reflect on your life in the light of these things.
Read 1 Peter 3:8-22
