Blog: May 2022

1 Peter mingles realistic teaching on the fact of trials and trouble in the Christian life today, together with a relentless hope in the future glories of union with Christ forever.  And the vision of future wonder sustains us through pressures in the present. The theme of suffering is pervasive in Peter’s letter:  Christians face various trials (1:6); we undergo unjust suffering with patience (2:19-20); we follow in the steps of the afflicted Christ (2:21); we suffer for righteousness’ sake (3:14, 17); it’s not strange for us to endure ...

1 Peter speaks to Christians living under pressure.  Facing scorn or insult or even intense suffering for one’s faith in Jesus is a reality addressed repeatedly in the letter (e.g., 1:6; 2:20; 3:17; 4:12; 5:9). In a time when hostility toward Bible-based Christian faith is on the rise, it’s more important than ever that we who follow Jesus stand firm in our beliefs and stand resolutely beside one another.  Today’s world resembles the pagan context of Peter’s time (see, e.g., 4:3), and in such a setting the Enemy (i.e., Satan) is eager to ...

[Note:  I wrote this in 2011, a year before my mother passed away.  Photo above is from 1965.] ---------- This Mother’s Day, I’d like to offer a short bio of and tribute to my mom.  Grace Constance (“Connie”) Sjolund was born a “PK”—pastor’s kid.  Her mother was an artist (painter) and home­maker, and her father pastored the First Swedish Baptist Church of Minneapolis (now Bethlehem Baptist Church) from 1928 to 1948.  My mom came to faith in Christ at a young age and more or less grew up in the church.  She met her future husband in the ...

The pursuit of God’s will is a life-long priority for all Christians. But just what is the Lord’s purpose for us—for you, or me?  In a sense, every biblical teaching on how to think or speak or act points us to “God’s will.”  I suppose 1 Thessalonians 4:3 sums it up:  “This is the will of God, your sanctification.”  Growth in holiness and Christ-likeness is the Father’s design for all his children. One issue we don’t often think of in connection with God’s will, how­ever, is suffering.  Is it God’s will for us to face pain and ...