“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”--I Peter 5:8

Since February of this year, we’ve been studying the epistle of I Peter. We’ve come to the end of this great book in which Peter not only touches on various doctrines, but he also has much to say about Christian life and duties. In the midst of severe persecution (a fate of the early churches), Peter reminds Christians to be submissive under authorities, as exemplifies by Christ.

In chapter 4, Peter reminds us that the End Time is near (4:7-11). Then, in the reminding epistle, he shows us how to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. He has messages for all believers, ranging from developing self-discipline in prayer life and serving one another based on love to being elders to shepherd the flock. They should model themselves after Christ so that they can be models for others as well. He also charges the young men (women also) to be submissive under the guidance of the elders (shepherds) so as to bring out the dynamic and functions of the church body.

Finally, in the passage before the final greetings, Peter asks every believer to do two things: be self-control and alert. I remember when I preached on the downfall of King Solomon. There were two very important characters we, as Christians, should develop—obedience and self-control. The message of Peter echoes this importance. Submission is an outward behavior of an inward obedience. It carries an implication of doing the desirable things which we don’t necessarily want to do. Self-control, on the other hand, carries an implication of not doing the undesirable things which we want to do. Both are vital in keeping the spirit of Unity in a church body. Peter also wants us to be alert, meaning to be sober or to have a clear mind, as opposite to being drunk with either wine or self-centeredness. The reason for having obedience, self-control and alertness is that our enemy is readily available to tear us apart, either as an individual or as a church. Having seen so many Christians fallen prey to the temptations of the roaring lion and many churches spilt should remind all of us to be all the more watchful.