1 Peter 5:5-7

V.5. Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed-with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

To the admonition addressed to the elders the apostle adds another: Likewise you younger, submit yourselves to the elders; but all bind upon yourselves toward one another humble mindedness, for God resists the proud, but to the humble He gives grace. This word is intended to curb the false idea of independence which is liable to take hold of the hearts of the younger members of the congregation. They should remember that they owe obedience to the office of the elders, that they should submit themselves to the teaching, to the instructions which the pastors give them from the Word of God. But in the final analysis it is the duty of all Christians to be humble-minded toward one another, literally, to bind around, to put upon themselves, humble-mindedness like a vestment, a part of a garment, Eph. 5, 21; Gal. 5, 13.

All of them should at all times be mindful of the word which the Lord has recorded Prov. 3, 24, saying that He will steadfastly resist the proud, and therefore finally bring all their pride down into the dust, but He gives grace to the humble, showing him such favor as will finally redound to his lasting benefit.

Humility and vigilance enjoined: V.6. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time; v.7. casting all your care upon Him, for he careth for you.

The lesson which the apostle opened in the first paragraph he here concludes with an urgent appeal: Humble yourselves, then, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in His time.

The reference is to the suffering which He sends His Christians. The pride of the human heart is inclined to resent this chastisement, to murmur, and to grumble. But true Christians will repress this tendency, will willingly bow themselves under the chastening hand of their almighty Lord and Master, will cheerfully bear all the misfortunes which He thinks it best to inflict. If this is the case, then God, in His mercy, will also lift up them that are His out of the slough of despondency which threatens to engulf them, and will make them feel the fullness of His goodness in Christ Jesus.

In thus bearing the misfortunes, and even the chastisements which fall to their lot, with meekness and patience, the apostle suggests to the Christians: Casting your every care upon Him, for He cares for you.

All the cares and worries of this present life, everything that bothers the Christians, in its entirety, and once and for always, they should simply cast upon their heavenly Father, making a recurrence of foolish care and worry impossible. Compare Ps. 55, 23; Matt. 6, 25-34, If Christians thus, by the prayer of faith, put everything that worries them into the care of their heavenly Father, they will realize and experience the truth of His many promises; they will find out that God takes a personal interest in every one of them, that without His will or permission not a hair of their head will fall to the ground.