The chapter makes clear that cities are not inherently neutral (a reality true of all concentrations of people and their civilizations). Though the chapter does not use terms such as exiles, sojourners, or strangers (1 Peter 1:1, 1 Peter 1:17; 1 Peter 2:11), those terms definitely describe what Christians experience. That is, there are relentless and universal (and refined!) enticements to seek your sense of well being away from the Creator in some created thing. So Christians are not at home in this world.

The Christian eye sees so much evil in this world, complete with so much temptation directed against the Christian to entice him to be unfaithful to the Saviour. The vision of this chapter puts into stark relief both the reality of those enticements (by calling it prostitution, listing the woman’s allies and the declaration of war) as well as the ultimate release from these enticements through Jesus’ victory. Here is great encouragement for saints experiencing the pressures of anti-God civilizations.