After the tongue-lashing from Peter, earlier in Chapter 4 (First Peter), he comes up with two words that had me scrambling for definitions – "glory" and "dominion."
In case you missed the sharp tongue, it was those same words that we get tired of hearing about how we believers should treat one another. Give it a break Peter! We know how we should treat others, and it does not always agree with what you (and Paul and Jesus said)!
Whoops! Did I say that? Isn't that how we sometimes live? After all, we are in the real world and know what those people are like.
At any rate, good old Peter said that we should keep "stoked up" (my words) in our love – our actions or how we treat one another. [more]Remember, this wasn't written to people who were not believers, so it has nothing to do with how we treat those who are not. This was strictly about how you and I should deal with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Now I know there will be lots of people who are going to tell me I am wrong, but you go back and start at the beginning of First Peter and tell me to whom the letter was written. It wasn't to the govenor or king. It wasn't to the soldiers of the Roman army. It wasn't to the drug dealers down on the corner!
Verses one and two of the first chapter clearly lay out that this letter was to believers who just happened to be scattered all over a large section of the "known world." So, this whole thing so far has been about how we should live.
Now he comes up with two words that don't easily translate. Glory and dominion are kind of tied together, even though very different. Glory is like being put in a spot light. We see pictures with the light radiating behind Christ's head, and that is one way of picturing it. My favorite image is of a darkened stage, with the music playing and one spot of light, into which a singer or dancer appeared on a lift (they rose up out of the floor). During the entire song, there are no other lights so that all eyes are on this one person. They get the applause and then the light goes out. They gloried or basked in the light and were honored for what they did. Had there been more lights, we, the onlookers would have been confused.
Glory singles out the one performing the act so that when we give glory we know to whom we give glory and honor.
Dominion was much easier to deal with – that's a kingdom. It sets boundaries about who is in charge of whatever. Doesn't matter what kind of reading you do, science fiction or historical documentary, the picture of a King and his Kingdom (or Queen and her ?? (good question)) is clear. That was all Peter was trying to get us to see. If Jesus is King of your life, He deserves that we/you let the whole world know to who's kingdom you belong. Wear your colors proudly. Even when people call you names and hurl evil upon you, give Him glory and dominion.
Let the whole world know!