1 Peter 1:17: And If You Call On Him As Father Who Judges Impartially According To Each One's Deeds, Conduct Yourselves With Fear Throughout The Time Of Your Exile

1 Peter 1:17

[17] And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, (ESV)

The Apostle Peter is talking here to people who are believers in Jesus Christ. He poses, "If you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds." It seems that we are quick to agree that our Heavenly Father judges impartially. Usually. What happens when he allows a particular amount of suffering and persecution to be in our lives? Do we still consider his judgements impartial?

In the opening verses of this letter Peter has already addressed the fact that we may have had do go through various trials "when necessary" (verse 6). It is important for us, as believers in Jesus Christ, that we look at God the Father as an impartial judge when our lives are going the way we think they should, and also when we have had to face trials that God deems necessary.

This perspective of our Father helps us in determining how we should live the rest of our lives. Peter is interested in the conduct of the believer. We are told to conduct ourselves with fear. Is the Bible telling us that we are to be afraid? No. A better way to understand this word for fear would be sobriety. Seriousness. It is the world and its followers who live carelessly, in sin and rebellion. Not the believer in Jesus Christ.

We are in a time of exile. Our focus needs to be on Christ and the building of his eternal kingdom. Years ago a band, Petra, had a song called "Not Of This World." Some of the words are: "We are pilgrims in a strange land. We are so far from our homeland. With each passing day it seems so clear. This world will never want us here. We're not welcome in this world of wrong. We are foreigners who don't belong."

How are you doing in your time of exile? Are you focused on the eternal kingdom you belong to? Continue to call on your Father. He judges impartially, even though it might be necessary for you to suffer.