Do you ever think that the Bible’s commands seem impossibly all-encompassing? First Thessalonians 5 is chock-full of such directives: “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). “Pray without ceasing” (v 17). Sometimes verses like these seem to raise more questions than provide answers. A bit of detail or a few caveats couldn’t …

In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter issues two incisive imperatives: “Be sober-minded; be watchful.” We have a duty of personal vigilance, since, as Peter goes on to explain, “your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” There can be no passive defense in the Christian …