v. 13 The readers are told to "prepare your minds for action." Once again we see that this begins in the mind. They are to be self-disciplined and set their hope "fully" on God's grace that will be revealed when Christ returns. All their hope should be in God's grace. They must not place some of their hope in their own works, some in their church leaders, some in their job. . . No diversifying here. Although it sounds risky believers must put all their eggs in one basket.

v. 14-21 The readers used to live in ignorance and they conformed to evil desires. But now they are to be holy in all they do. The Father judges everyone impartially so they must live their lives in reverent fear of Him. They have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, "a lamb without blemish or defect," from "the empty way of life" they used to live. They were not bought with something perishable like gold or silver. Christ was chosen for His role long before there were any people and He was revealed in Peter's time. The readers believe in God through Christ. Their faith and hope are in God because He raised Jesus from the dead and they believe He will raise them too.

v. 22-25 They "have purified" themselves by their sincere love for one another. Peter wants them to love deeply because they've been born again of imperishable seed through the word of God. Physical men are like grass and flowers that wither and die. "But the word of the Lord stands forever."

2:1-3 Peter tells them to get rid of "all" malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. Notice that they are told to rid themselves of these things. The believer has a responsibility to get evil out of his life. Like babies they are to "crave pure spiritual milk" so they can grow up in their faith. The motive for ridding themselves of evil is not so they can avoid punishment but so that they will mature in their faith. They do not get rid of evil so they can be saved-- they get rid of evil because they are saved.

v. 4-5 They come to Christ, the living Stone, who was rejected by men but very precious to God. In the same way these believers become living stones themselves and God brings them together, building them up into a spiritual house. As a holy priesthood they collectively offer spiritual sacrifices through Christ that are pleasing to God.

v. 6 Peter quotes Psalm 118 and Isaiah to show his readers that God chose Jesus as a precious cornerstone and laid Him in Jerusalem. "The one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." In other words, anyone who trusts in Jesus will never regret having trusted Him. They will never feel they've been misled or duped. A cornerstone is the first stone that is laid for a building. It's the point from which all the angles and distances are measured so the walls will be straight and true.

v. 7-8 Peter describes two groups of people: those who believe and those who do not. This Stone is precious to those who believe but to those who do not it's a stone that causes them to stumble and fall. Peter says they stumble because they disobey the message and they were destined to do so.

v. 9-10 But the readers are "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God." Their purpose is to praise God for calling them out of the darkness in which they previously lived and into His Light. There's a before and after described here. Before they became believers the readers were not a people but now they are the people of God. Now they have received mercy.

v. 11-12 These believers no longer fit very well in the world. Their true citizenship is in heaven. That's why Peter calls them "aliens and strangers in the world." He tells them to abstain from sinful desires because these desires "war against your soul." Even though unbelievers may accuse them of doing wrong the believers are to live such good lives that in the end everyone will see their good deeds and glorify God. 

 --Sandy Blank