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.
The “therefore” now applies Peter’s earlier statements to his readers. There is a purpose for what he has written about faith in Jesus and how this faith is an ancient faith that the prophets longed for in the Old Testament times. The application is that faith should bring alertness and careful living. Alert minds are aware of the challenges of this world, the sin that tries to entangle us, and watchful for temptation. Alert minds are also sober, not intoxicated with the affairs of this world, the blessings, things, materialism. The reason is because our hope is focused on the grace of eternal salvation. We look to the future and heaven, not to the earth and temporary things. One of our biggest temptations in this life is to get caught up in the things of this world. We must be concerned to some degree with this life but not let this become our god. Likewise, we cannot be “so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.” We must remember where Peter started this letter. He is writing to Christians who are suffering. When we suffer, we can either let this suffering dominate our life or we can keep our hope of Jesus’ return alive to support us through suffering.
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