Final answer:
In 1st Peter, Christians are thought to suffer as a result of living according to their faith and the example of Christ’s Passion, amidst a world often hostile to their beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1st Peter, it is suggested that Christians suffer because they live in accordance with their faith despite worldly challenges and opposition before the redeeming work of Christ. During the early days of Christianity, followers of the faith faced persecution for a number of reasons: their refusal to engage in the imperial cult was seen as treason by Roman law; Christians were considered atheists for their rejection of animal sacrifice; and emperors like Nero and Diocletian sanctioned grave punishments against them, including the Great Persecution starting in 303 CE, which only ended with the Edict of Galerius in 311.
Moreover, ascetic Christians took on voluntary suffering as a way of spiritual discipline, shaping their identity through practices of self-denial. The concept of Christian suffering also aligns with the teachings of Jesus and the notion of sharing in His sufferings and ultimately the Passion, which is the period of Christ's own suffering leading up to the crucifixion.