1 Peter

I found reading 1 Peter that there seemed to be a lot of "Command" verses. I think this is good for instructing us on what to do to put our faith in action, or as Dr. Phil says "To put verbs in your sentences"

1 Peter 1
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1 Peter 2
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

1 Peter 3
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

In a nutshell to love and respect others.

Mercy triumphs

James 2 has 2 interesting bits back to back.

First:
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
That's a pretty high standard!

And then:
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

I love that mercy triumphs over judgment.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.


As Rahab was a prostitute I'm guessing that she wasn't keeping the whole law. But she was considered righteous because of her actions at one small point in time.

Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Angels

Reading the first 2 chapters of Hebrews, there is a LOT of talk about angels. About Jesus in relation to angels. About humans and in relation to angels. About heaven in relation to God. It seems a strikingly different book than the previous books attributed to Paul. I am not sure what the common consensus on who the writer of Hebrews is now but it does seem so different from the other books that if the author is Paul it must have been Paul writing after some big revelation that made everything look different!