discipline yourselves;

That could be a tough sell.  “Discipline”, all too often associated with punishment.  Get ‘disciplined’ in school, the drill sergeant handing out discipline to his recruits-too often this is the meaning that people take away from the word.  And even when they know its other definitions, there is a negative connotation to the term.

Self-discipline, this is what Peter is aiming at.  Hard to achieve in a ‘feel good’ world.  It is very, very easy simply to skate through life, never have to achieve self-discipline for anything.  Until you really want it.

Athletes have discipline, to train, to prepare, to do what it takes to be ‘the best they can be’.  That phrase is borrowed from military advertising.  Elite and special forces in the military, there is another place where discipline is at the forefront.  Without discipline, people could be killed.  In whatever field that someone might be working in, discipline can take them farther than brighter, more educated people who just do not have the work ethic.

Peter first called for the readers of his letter to prepare their minds for action, now he is calling for them to discipline themselves.  The difference is preparing to do something, and now, actually doing it.  The Christian faith calls for discipline as surely as any other field in which we want to excel. 

Again, Peter laid out what the Lord’s plan of salvation in the first dozen verses.  They are inspiration to action.  And it requires commitment, it requires focus, it requires tenacity, it requires hard work to do the things of the Lord.  It requires discipline.  Are you willing?