1 Peter 1:17

Call on the Father] RV 'call on him as Father': cp. Jeremiah 3:19 and Matthew 6:9, which is the fulfilment of the prophetic promise.

Without respect of persons] cp. Romans 2:10. and St. Peter's speech at Cæsarea, Acts 10:34 also James 2:1. But the expression comes from the OT., Deuteronomy 10:17. Judgeth] a real present. God is judging men according to their works every day: cp. Psalms 7:11; John 12:31. There is a sense in which men shall be judged according to their works at the last day: see Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6; Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 2:23; Revelation 20:12; Revelation 22:12. Of this continuous judgment we have present experience, of the last judgment Holy Scripture gives us a dim outline. Sometimes God is spoken of as the judge, sometimes Christ; e.g. Matthew 16:27; Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10 cp. John 5:22. The phrase 'according to their works' is probably derived from OT. (cp. Psalms 62:12), but that very passage shows that it does not exclude God's mercy through Christ: cp. Acts 10:43. What is meant is what St. Peter says here, and St. James insists on in his Epistle—God is no respecter of persons; a mere profession of faith will assure no man of salvation. The very idea that it would, becomes impossible, as soon as we combine what is said in Holy Scripture about the continuous present judgment with the other passages in which a future judgment is spoken of. A man who has been untrue to his Christian profession knows that he is being judged; he knows also, however, that he may again pass 'out of death into life,' and so not 'come into judgment,' John 5:24. God's judgment is not a legal process. Whenever the heart is wrong judgment must ensue. It is to be noticed that, except in Mark 16:16, it is never written in NT. that man shall be condemned by God, though it appears otherwise in AV.

Fear God. Honour the king] cp. Proverbs 24:21.

B (ii). 1 Peter 2:18. Another ordinance of man, yet also of God's creation, is the family, which includes servants, wives, and husbands. Hitherto in this section St. Peter has rather hinted at than spoken plainly of suffering. Now he comes to a class who are sufferers indeed—the slaves of the household. He makes no more complaint against slavery than against the emperor, but his tender heart goes out to these ill-treated slaves, and he honours them above all their fellow-Christians by presenting to them, as their example in a special manner, Christ suffering innocently, patiently, trustfully, offering Himself in His sufferings as a sacrifice for the sins of us all. Thus these slaves, who are, like Christ, 'despised and rejected,' have a glory and grace which is specially their own, and are a special care of Christ.