The epistles of Peter, a disciple who knew firsthand the sting of persecution and the precariousness of belief having denied Jesus three times, aren’t filled with political manifestos or calls to arms. Instead, 1 & 2 Peter conveys a different kind of urgency, an insistence on “holy living” amidst trials. His was a message of inner fortitude, of community strength forged in the crucible of suffering, of a faith that not only endures but transforms in the face of adversity. As Peter wrote to early believers facing hardship, “But now you must be holy in everything you do,” (1 Peter 1:15a, NLT) because God who called them is holy. 

But in what language do you think they heard God’s call to them? 

Peter’s exhortation to “be holy” is not a passive acceptance of injustice; himself no stranger to confrontation when the core tenets of his faith were threatened. However, the impact of his encouragement for persecuted Christians of minority language groups in India would be diminished if they fail to grasp the true essence of 1 Peter 3:15-16: how do you prepare a defence of your faith if you do not fully understand the foundation of the hope that is in your heart? 

The takeaway here extends beyond the specific plight of minority Christians in India. Amid escalating persecution in South Asia and rise of religious nationalism, the call to “holy living” takes on renewed significance for everyone…