1 Peter 2

http://www.esvbible.org/1+Peter+2/

More warnings from Peter. We should get rid of anything evil that we have in our lives. It can come in so many forms that we may not even realize it, but we are examples of Christ for the non believers in the world, so we must be different. Peter calls Jesus the cornerstone, which is a common analogy because building are build based on where the cornerstone is laid. It is the most important stone and the most glorified. Jesus plays that role in life. He says that people rejected this cornerstone, but we as Christians are running towards it. The prophecies said that the stone builders rejected became the cornerstone and people tripped over it and found offense. People did not like Jesus. They had Him executed, but He is the cornerstone of Salvation. People trip over Him because what He calls us to do is difficult and they take offense to Him because they do not want to do what He tells them to do. A reminder: we were once not God's people, but He accepted us as His people in time. Keep the corrupt nature's desires at bay because they constantly attack our good nature. We are foreigners to this world because as Jesus said, we don't belong here any more than He did. We must live in a way that the unbelievers find weird. They will think what we do is bad when we truly do good.

Place yourself under the authority of the government. This pleases the Lord. Peter tells the people of the time ti obey the emperor because he has the highest authority. In the US, that translates to obeying the president. MOST people don't have a problem with this; however, God calls you to obey him whether you believe in his policies or not. God wants you to silence fools by doing what is right. How can you set the right example if you do what is wrong? Keep in mind that Peter even wrote this when Nero outlawed Christianity. He's saying obey the laws but God does come first in all things. Don't use faith as a means to do what is illegal. He tells slaves to submit to their masters and show them respect. People in that time could've come to know Christ in that way. Obey not only the kind one's but the unfair ones as well. God loves it when people remember how great He is and continue to obey Him while they suffer. Remember, you get no credit for enduring suffering for doing what is wrong, but God is pleased when you endure suffering for doing good. We have to suffer because Christ suffered for us. He left us here as His examples to the world to follow in His footsteps. Christ suffered, yet He did not sin or do anything even remotely wrong. He healed us through His wounds.