1Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
Verse 21 continues to give a reason for the behaviors Peter is assigning to believers. We are to love one another, we are to fear God, we are to submit to authority even when it is unreasonable, we are to be patient when wronged, because it is acceptable to God that we follow His example.
Christians have a purpose. We have been called to imitate Christ, to follow in His footsteps.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Read Philippians 2:5-8.
Matthew 10:38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
1John 2:6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
We are to seek to follow Christ precisely. Consider taking a walk at the beach in the wet sand, leaving footprints behind and someone following your exact steps. School age children often play ‘follow-the-leader’ in which everyone behind the leader seeks to copy the behavior of the one leading. This is the conveyance of ‘follow Me’.
1John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Jesus patiently endured under undeserved suffering. People speak of having a profession. They associate with a chosen profession and with that association comes certain expectations and responsibilities to fulfill. As a professed child of God, you have a pattern to follow, a purpose to fulfill. Christ not only suffered as an example to follow after, He suffered for us or for the sake of us. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary says this “imposes an everlasting obligation on us to please Him”.
1Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Do you emulate kindness and forgiveness and a willingness to sacrifice self in order to serve others?
1Peter 3:8-9 To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 2:21 reads “leaving you an example”. In the Greek translation this literally means a written copy from masters to their students. We have the testimony of Jesus’ life written in His word so that we might closely follow Him. There is an exhortation for us, a requirement –
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
“And I would particularly urge this meek and patient temper upon you; for to this you were called, when you were brought into the profession of the Christian faith; because Christ himself, pure and spotless as he was, suffered not only buffetings and stripes, but deep and mortal wounds, for you, leaving you an example and copy, that you might with certainty trace, and with constancy and diligence follow, his footsteps, and by observing them as his, be charmed to an imitation, even where it was most difficult and painful”, Philip Doddridge.
William Burkitt New Testament notes, “You must bear the cross, before you wear the crown”.
We are encouraged to imitate Christ’s example of holiness in obedience and patience.
Ephesians 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
1Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
1Peter 2:22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
Perfection – this is Christ. Although He was man, still He was God, perfect in all His ways. Accused of sin, He was put to death and suffered for sin, all the while with no murmuring of sin in thought, word, or deed.
Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
2Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as [we are, yet] without sin.
We suffer because of sin in our lives. Even though we may be ill-treated for a moment, we still deserve whatever suffering we incur because of sin. “We should so live, as the Savior did, as not to deserve to be punished, and thus only shall we entirely follow His example. It is as much our duty to live so as not to deserve the reproaches of others, as it is to bear them with patience when we are called to suffer them”, Albert Barnes’ NT Commentary.
1Peter 2:20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer [for it] you patiently endure it, this [finds] favor with God.
Hebrews 7:25-26 Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;
Jesus is holy. Not merely blameless in actions but pure in heart, completely and perfectly holy. No other could have offered to pay the penalty for our sin. Only through Christ are we forgiven and cleansed from sin. What is our response to this undeserved gift? We are to be humble, seeking righteousness in all circumstances. This is our act of service; this is our example to follow. Christ was perfect in all things yet suffered willingly and humbly. Should not we who are sinful be willing to suffer whatever befalls us, whether deserved or undeserved at the moment, with a quiet and grateful spirit? Obviously, we cannot arrive at perfection, however we ought to seek to follow Christ as closely as possible.
As a people group, we have claimed rights to so many things. In the U.S., we have been given rights through our government in our constitution. It is an incredible blessing to live with the freedoms we proclaim. But let us not lose sight of our purpose in seeking to preserve our freedom. Our purpose in Christ is to proclaim His Gospel, to glorify His name. Jesus willingly gave up His rights in obedience to His Father, for our redemption. Are you standing for Christ or for yourself when you proclaim your ‘rights’?
Jesus did not die for our rights –
He died so that our righteousness may be found in Him.
He died for our sin so that we might die unto sin.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.
Luke 23:38-41 Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." And one of the criminals who were hanged [there] was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? "And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."
“Christ was most shamefully reviled, having the dirt of a thousand scandals, slanders, reproaches, and blasphemies, cast upon him, yet he reviled not again not giving them one ill word for all. And when he suffered all manner of injuries and indignities at once, being buffeted, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and crucified, though he had power sufficient to look them into nothing, to frown them into hell, yet he threatened them not with the least revenge, but prayed for his murderers, and committed his cause to a just and righteous God: He threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously”, William Burkitt New Testament .
