- 1 Pet 3:13-17 ESV

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

SUFFERING WITH POISE

Peter asked, “Who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” Certainly, this is true in most cases. Doing good to others does rarely inspires their desire for revenge, doesn’t it? Even Solomon said, “When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”[Prov 16:7]

But, Christian should not expect to be reciprocated with good always. He must be realistic. Christians may very well suffer for the sake of righteousness. Christians performing good deeds in the name of Jesus may, in fact, he’ll be harmed for that very reason. Yet, he must suffer with poise, not in fear and intimidation. Peter alluded here to Isaiah 8:12, a passage about fearing God rather than men.

However, in his heart, he must honor Christ the Lord as holy. Why? He has the hope, that is, a secure and abundant future with the Father in eternity.[1 Pet 1:3,4] He defends with gentleness and respect to anyone who asks why he has this hope. Neither are we to be vindictive, vengeful, or insulting to those who disagree nor are we harsh or dismissive. Even in the midst of our suffering, our hopefulness should be apparent.

The most important thing is to maintain a good conscience. That, those who slander, or revile our good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. This is an inner confidence that we have not done even the slightest hurtful thing in telling others about Christ. Secondly, those who wrongfully hurt us for our good behavior should feel shame about doing so. Without any cause to accuse us, they will become aware of their own wrongdoing in accusing us in the first place. This makes it obvious to others that we are being attacked for no good reason.

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- 1 Peter 3:9-12 ESV

9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For

“Whoever desires to love life

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit;

11 let him turn away from evil and do good;

let him seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT

The Christian’s goodness is expressed by blessing those who hurt and insult him. Revenge is not in his vocabulary. Instead of retaliating, he is going to bless and do good to him. In fact, doing good to those who did good to us isn’t commendable by Jesus. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [Mat 5:43-46]

Peter quoted David's statement in Psa 32:12-16 to affirm this truth. Those who want to love life and see good days should make some very specific choices about how they live today. Are these ‘good days’ to happen on this side of heaven or in the life to come? Probably both.

Thus, we must refuse to use our words to harm, no matter how great the temptation is. Turning from evil to doing good and making peace will always be the more difficult choice. But that's what we are called to do, and that's the path to loving life and seeing the good days. This applies both in dealing with a brother and a stranger who wish to hurt us. For He is watching the righteous. He knows and cares about those set apart for His purposes.

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- 1 Pet 3:8 ESV

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

DOING GOOD TOWARDS EACH OTHER

Here, Peter writes to "all of you." That is, every believer is enjoined to obey the following injunctions as we live in relationship with each other. Each command requires a certain level of mutual submission or selflessness toward other Christians. First, we are to be united. That is, we should be "harmonious," or like-minded. God makes us to be a community of Christians, to be unified around the way of Jesus’ mind or thinking. Next, Christians should be sympathetic. We should be emotionally moved by and interested in genuinely the feelings of other believers.

Moreover, we should love each other as brothers, as a "family.” Siblings don't always like each other, do they? But, for the most part, they are committed to each other more than those outside of the family. Christians are expected to carry a similar commitment to other Christian brothers. Then, we are to be compassionate or kind-hearted. Although similar to being sympathetic, this implies that we are ready to show each other our kindness, and an authentic desire for the good of the other person.

Finally, Christians are to be humble in spirit or have a "humble mind." We must be ready to set ourselves aside and think of others. We should make others the focus of our attention. Christians are to lift up one another, to disappear in our efforts to support each other. As paul exhorted us, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”[Phil 2:3,4]

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- 1 Peter 3:7 ESV

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

HONORING THE WIFE

Women during the Roman Empire were oppressed, discounted, and often treated badly. Women having been subjugated by their husbands would have been common. Rome did not regard women as equal to men before the law. They received only a basic education, if any at all, and were subject to the authority of a man.

But, Christian men should honor and respect their wives. This could be a radical idea in Peter's era certainly. Specifically, men are instructed to give honor to their wives "as the weaker vessel." Notice carefully that this does not say wives are actually weaker in any specific way. Although generally, women are weaker than men morphologically. Instead, husbands must honor their wives "as" they would honor or care for something more fragile than themselves. The point is purely about how husbands are to treat their wives, that is, as protectors. They should not allow their wives to be hurt as much as possible.

Finally, husbands are commanded to live with their wives "with knowledge." This may mean a growing understanding of who their wives are. Or, it may mean the knowledge that God has given them a responsibility to give honor to their wives. In either case, the responsibility of the husband is very much the same.

Failure to honor the wives will affect his prayer life. Either God won’t receive those prayers in full or the husband will find it difficult to pray. An abusive and disrespectful husband, or otherwise belittling to his wife is defying the will of God, plain and simple. He needs to repent and change his behavior before that fellowship with God in prayer will be re-established.

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1 Pet 3:1-6 ESV

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

INWARD BEAUTY

In domestic relationships, the example of Christ’s submisssion and humility should be followed also. The respectful and pure conduct of the believing wife is irresistible to her unbelieving husband. She adorned herself beyond the externals. Christian wives should be subject to their own husbands. Note, this does not say men, in general, or other women's husbands. This applies even if those husbands are unbelievers, or do not "obey the word."

Undoubtedly, the world put a premium on physical beauty - the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear. In fact, revenue in the Beauty & Personal Care market amounts to US$571.10bn in 2023. The market is expected to grow annually by 3.80% (CAGR 2023-2027). The market's largest segment is the segment Personal Care with a market volume of US$253.30bn in 2023. External adornment isn’t prohibited but should not be prioritized.

But, what is precious in God’s sight is the inner beauty, that is, the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Without verbal explanation from her, her husband may notice her unique response to his authority. Uniquely, this response should be different from either her former conduct, or from other wives in the society. As a result, the husband may be convinced that Christ is responsible for this supernatural change.

As a note, ‘submission’ is not the same as ‘obedience’ in certain circumstances. This means a Christian wife might well disobey her husband's sinful instructions, but do so in a submissive way. An example is Sarah, who was renowned for her great beauty. And, that Abraham was not exactly a model husband. In fact, Abraham feared he would be killed by men who wanted to take Sarah for themselves. So, he let those men believe he and Sarah were not married, and take her home! This happened twice! Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him "lord" because she put her trust in God, not in Abraham. This was honorable to God. God honored Sarah’s submissive spirit.

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1 Pet 2:21-25 ESV

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

DIE AND LIVE

Everyone comes into this world alive but spiritually dead. [Eph 2:1] We are doomed until Christ came. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. Yet, He endured pain and sorrow while doing good for us. He suffered by receiving beatings from the Roman guards, and was ultimately crucified on the cross. He bore our sins in that act of love.

How did the innocent Christ respond when He was victimized? He was reviled, that is, to be abusively insulted. Our human instinct is to throw insults back, is it not? But, Jesus refused to retaliate to the angry insults of Jewish religious leaders, the Roman guards, or those taunting Him while He was on the cross. He was attacked, beaten, tortured, and crucified. Yet, He refused even to threaten those who were hurting Him. Jesus would not have had to rely on bluffs, or empty threats, of course. After Peter cut off the ear of the high priest's servant in his foolish attempt to defend Jesus from being arrested, Jesus said to him, "Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Mat 26:53).

How did He do it? Jesus made a choice to absolutely trust God, His Father. He is the perfect judge at the perfect time. His Father would vindicate Him and execute justice. So Jesus was committed to fulfilling His purpose, not making justice for Himself.

His attitudes and actions are meant to be an example for us to follow. Part of our purpose as Christians is enduring pain and sadness, for doing good, for the Lord's sake (1 Pet 2:13). Certainly, this does not include suffering as the natural consequences of our own sinful choices (1 Peter 2:20).

Moreover, Jesus died in order to pay the penalty for our sinful actions. He became our substitute, dying the death we deserved. Peter by quoting Isaiah 53:5, declared that Christians have been healed from the penalty and power of our sin by Christ's wounds, by dying in our place, by His suffering for our good. He was wounded for our healing. That is, His death means life for us. This reference is not about physical conditions, but our spiritual destiny. Once were ‘astray sheep’ now we become His own ‘accepted sheep’, under Him, the Overseer.

Consequently, all that Christ did should motivate us to ‘die for our sins and live unto righteousness.’ It’s only by dying that we could live unto righteousness. Jesus took the tree of death so you and I could have the tree of life.

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- 1 Pet 2:18-21 ESV

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

A GRACIOUS THING IN GOD’S SIGHT

A Christian’s submission to authorities isn’t conditioned by the goodness or cruelty of the master. The submissive servant isn’t manipulating for comfort but is ‘mindful of God’. Peter referred it as a ‘gracious thing’ when he would endure sorrows while suffering unjustly.

Christianity is wading through storms of life, not escaping away from it. There are sorrows and pains to endure. There is suffering as a consequence of sin. There is no credit for it but shame before God. However, there is honor in suffering for doing right in order to advance the cause of Christ and the gospel.

To suffer for Christ is a calling. Paul corroborates this, saying, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” [Phil 1:29] Christ left us an example that we should follow. He warned His disciples, saying, “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”[Matt 10:25]

Should we be His servants, let’s not be surprised by the hardships and difficulties we experience in life. We’re not exempted. Instead, we’re exalted to suffer in our identification with Him. A gracious thing before the sight of God. In other words, suffering could make His grace flow in and through us. Otherwise, without His grace, we would grumble. This is an ungracious thing before God.

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- 1 Pet 2:13-17 ESV

13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

LIVE AS SERVANTS OF GOD

There are ‘foolish people’ who are ignorant to the gospel. Ironically, they think that the preaching of the gopel is foolishness. They’re ignorant to the truth. Unbeknownst to them is that the opposite is true. They are fools who says there is no God. As David says, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.”[Psa 14:1]

What could silence them is by ‘doing good’. Nobody can descredit a person by the good deed he has done . Before authorities, either good or cruel, believers should submit unto their leadership. Some early Christians may had argued that if they were being falsely accused and were spiritual "foreigners," they were not under the authority of human governments. That, they may have immunity from human laws and judges. Peter rejected this idea. In fact, he tells us Christians to submit to every human authority, including the emperor. Why? For the Lord's name. The reputation of Christ is demonstrated by His followers. And Peter insisted that they should be known as people who submit to human authorities. Notedly, submission to ungodly authorities doesn’t always mean obedience and approval.

The skeptics or critics who see believers undoubtedly seeing our faith lived out, on a day-to-day basis, do recognize that we do good because we are Christians. They will stop believing that Christians are a destructive force in society, that Christians do evil, or that Christians are dangerous. They will stop being ignorant about what Christians are really like because they will know better, by direct experience.

In summary, Christians should be serving people by doing that which could bring out the best in others. A good deed is that which edifies others. That leads them a step closer to believing the gospel. This is the reason why believers should “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

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- 1 Pet 2:11-12 ESV

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

THE TUG OF WAR

Christians are temporary residents[sojourners], aliens, strangers, or exiles, in this world. What were normal for us before are now foreign. We no longer fit naturally into the mindset and practices of the world around us. And we must not try to fit it in.

This is the ‘tug of war’ were engaged in every moment of our lives until we are gone from this world. The passions of our flesh haven’t changed. If not restrained, our souls will be adversely affected and influenced. We couldn’t evade this war as long as we’re alive in this world. As james said, “each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.[Jas 1:13,14]

Certainly, we have not lost the "want" to sin, have we? Even when we’re aware to its destructive power, the "want" to sin does continue to attack our soul, does it not? Peter is not saying that we risk losing the salvation God has given us. He is saying, instead, that we are in a ‘tug of war’ in making choices appropriate to our position as God's people.

Thus, he urges us to engage in the battle face-to-face. Let us not give in. As saved, ‘set apart’ people in Christ, we ought to "just say no" to the desire to sin. As Paul strongly commanded us, “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”[Eph 2:22-24]

Our honorable conduct before Gentiles would be the result should the flesh is restrained. We display the fruit of the Spirit not the workings of the flesh. Should they speak against us evildoers, they would glorify God on the day of visitation. Our good works will speak for us.

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- 1 Pet 2:9-10 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

YOU ARE GOD’S PEOPLE

In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes that “he[Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him, we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”[Eph 2:17-19]

But, as Israel was, believers are also a chosen race. Unlike Israel, we are not a race in the sense of our family, ethnicity, skin color, or country of origin. We are a spiritual race, in the sense that, in Christ, we share a single spiritual Father. Similarly, we are a "holy nation," a specific group of people called out and set apart from all other nations.

We have been changed. Before, we were not a people. We do belong to ourselves and serve only our own desires, don’t we? But in Christ, we were transformed into God's people. Now, we have belongingness, a purpose, and shared destiny with Him in eternity. In Christ, we are God's people. We have received mercy. The transaction is complete.

For what reason?

He has called us out of the darkness of a meaningless life, and an eternity apart from Him, that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Jesus wants us to shine us lights in the darkened world.[Matt 5:16]

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