Life as 'foreigners and exiles' may involve oppression from our surrounding culture — it may also involve temptation, as our hearts are drawn to the treasures of this passing age.
In some contexts it can be easy to rail against the moral collapse in our nation rather than the love of mammon that ensnares the hearts of many Christians in good, Bible-believing churches.
Peter makes three references to gold in his first epistle, suggesting that, for at least some of his readers, the main danger was from possessions rather than persecution.
The danger of an 'everything is fine' faith
There is a false version of faith that lurks around our churches. Let us call it the 'Everything is fine' …