Peter wrote to Christians who were meeting hostility from the society around them because (i) they had broken away from the beliefs and customs of that society, (ii) challenged what those around them followed as acceptable behaviour (4 :2-4), and (iii) witnessed to the universal moral claims of God (4: 17).

There are many situations in the modem world where Christians find themselves facing prejudice, discrimination or actual hostility and persecution, for these very same reasons.

Someone from a family where another religion or belief is followed may provoke strong hostility by becoming a Christian. That person may be seen as a traitor or a rebel, by the family group. In the countries of the world ruled by Marxist governments, prejudice in various forms may be shown against those known to be Christians even if the Church is not openly persecuted. Christians may be prevented from obtaining positions of influence. In countries where the Church is accepted openly as part of national life, there may be hidden discrimination or attempted manipulation of Christians; an open stand for Christian values may result in unpopularity. A businessman or a politician who is a Christian may find it expedient to keep quiet about that. He may decide that for the sake of 'getting on' in his career, he had better be a Christian 'only on Sunday'. What would Peter have said to such a man?

Refusal to follow traditional customs can bring trouble to a Christian who has decided that those customs are not compatible with steadfast witness to Jesus Christ. A Christian girl might find herself under great pressure to accept marriage to a man who already has other wives, married according to traditional custom. A Christian man whose wife has not had any children might find himself under similar pressure to take a second wife, for the sake of having children, although he had a Christian wedding.

The Church has a great responsibility in the modern world to speak out against the many ills-social, economic and political-which can be identified, whether relating to problems such as very permissive sexual behaviour, increasing alcoholism, drug abuse, or to unjust working conditions, exploitation of the poor, greed amongst the rich, or to neo-colonialism, racial discrimination and the nuclear arms race. What we can be sure about is that if Christians really challenge the ills of the modern world, they will meet resistance and opposition from those whose self-interest wants to see those ills perpetuated. Insults and abuse will be flung at those who dare to challenge what they see going on around them, but Christians have to hold to what they believe is the truth. Christian courage and holy living is still needed.

Peter made sure that the Christians of Asia Minor understood what they had committed themselves to and modern Christians must be equally sure.