Here Apostle Peter moves from their problem of suffering to their problem of temptation and indulgences in a foreign land. Previously the Christian exiles have been told that the revelation of Christ would bring ultimate glory to them as they suffer now. Here Peter exhorts the Christians to be 'sober-minded', to be holy, to act with fear, and to obey the truth. For each of these actions, he uses 4 different motivations:
A. The revelation of Jesus Christ prompts us to be sober-minded.
Peter wants the Christians to set their eyes on reality, to think rightly. The ultimate reality isn't their suffering, nor is it the pleasures all around them. These things don't last. Rather, by setting their hope on the last days when Christ comes in victory and in judgment, this is a strong incentive not to indulge in things that appear pleasurable to them now. We are not to think that we can sin now and no consequences would befall us. We are not to create this false sense of safety when God is really against us.
B. Our identity as children of God prompts us to live holy lives as God is holy.
Twice Peter mentions our identity as "obedient children" and as people who "call on the Father who judges impartially". The reasoning is simple: as the Father is holy, so must the child be. Therefore they must set aside sinful passions of their former ignorance.
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