Putting away every evil passion and practice, become as babies in the Kingdom, desiring the fundamentals of the word that you may grow. For the Lord is gracious, who came as a precious Living Stone, and to whom we are lively stones and a holy priesthood.  To us, He is our precious Saviour, but to the disobedient, He is a stumbling Rock of offence, that they reject and do not submit to.

Though you were not one before, now you are one Nation, even a peculiar people, called from darkness into the Light.  Once you were condemned, but now you’ve obtained mercy.  Therefore, as strangers and pilgrims in the world, desire not its ways, but show yourselves honest and righteous among them.

Submit to their laws and ordinances for the Lord’s sake, and do not use your liberty as an opportunity for malice.  Even if you suffer for doing right, it is a worthy cause that pleases God, because Jesus also suffered though He had no sin, and entrusted Himself to the Righteous Judge.  He bore on Himself our sins, that we may live unto Him and be dead to sin, having been restored to the Shepherd.