The Apostle Peter is no stranger to suffering and tests of faith that come with the Christian life.

Only the Apostle Peter knows how it feels to deny Christ under pressure. Filled with overwhelming regret, the remorse at refusing his discipleship three times buckles him.  Yet it is in these moments of sorrow that Peter gives us a beautiful prayer asking for God’s intervention.  In a cry for Christ he pleads “Save Me Lord.”

Just days before, Peter proclaims Christ as the Son of the Living God with conviction.  Recognizing that his Father in heaven had revealed this truth by grace, Christ gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.  A few hours later, Peter denies that he even knows Christ.  How he wished he could have relived that test of faith all over again.  But as God’s grace strengthens him, Peter becomes Christianity’s unshakable voice proclaiming Christ’s Divinity to the world.

In Peter’s first Epistolary Letter, he calls us as Christians to proclaim our own identity in Christ with bold conviction.

No one knows how important this is to salvation more than Peter.  The words in his letter are written to strengthen the faltering courage among the highly persecuted faithful.  And they strengthen our own faith walk too.  He calls on us to remember who we are in Christ, the chosen people of God.  When facing persecution, Peter tells us to “imitate the Holy One who has called us” and to remain steadfast in the pursuit of Christ despite attacks pressing against our faith.  How the world seeks to rob us of they joy we know that is only in Christ.

Peter wrote the first Epistle on faith just before his martyrdom in Rome sometime between 64 and 68 CE at the hands of Emperor Nero.

Ultimately, Peter’s message to us seeks to accomplish what Christ commanded.  That is, to “strengthen his disciples” in faith by remembering the truth of Christ’s Divinity.

Peter reminds us that Christ’s Kingdom must be our sole destination – the ultimate end or “Beatitude” we seek in this life.  Christians must be imitators of Christ, always striving to remove malice, anger, insincerity and envy from the heart (Peter 2:1).  We have true hope in the salvation awaiting us in and through Christ’s death and Resurrection.  Understanding Christian suffering, Peter does not want our identity as Christ’s sons and daughters to be forgotten – despite the world’s efforts to cloud our faith through doubt and despair.

According to Peter “the Rock” hope in the Savior must always dwell in our heart.  He reminds us of our Christian identity  – we are members of Christ’s royal Priesthood, a most holy nation and God’s own people.  God’s power and mighty acts proclaim those who seek Him out of darkness and into his marvelous light (Peter 2:9).

Christ the Redeemer’s Resurrection Delivers the Promise of Our Own

That voice calling from the bedrock of faith to steady our Christian walk is – Peter.  In Christ’s Resurrection, we have the promise that we too shall rise on the appointed day.  Until He comes again, Peter echoes Christ’s call to remain faithful, carefully discerning all that we see and hear.  For many will try to lead his lambs astray.

Peter knows that the path drawing Christians away from Christ is barren.  He knows because He walked it himself and discovered that it left him empty.  And so, let us pray asking God for the grace to live out Peter’s call for our lives – to stand in Christ.  Never to forget who we are in the Lord  – and his promise of salvation which is an inheritance beyond our imagination.