The Command to Submission

The entire Epistle of First Peter is built upon the principle of submission and humility that should mark the life of a true believer in Christ. Immediately following Peter's instructions to the elders of the church about ruling in humility, Peter addresses those in the flock to likewise be in submission, not just to the elders, but to one another as well. Ultimately, our submission in love to each other will be a by-product of our submission to God. All of this instruction is given in the context of unjust suffering, so Peter says that while we are submitting to God's will for us, even in suffering, we should cast our cares on Him because He does care for us, even if we cannot see it in the circumstances of our lives.