Here Peter ends the current section instructing believers in how to “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” (2:12). He has given instructions to Christians living under worldly governments (2:13-17), under worldly authorities (2:18-25), and to husbands and wives in the home (3:1-7). In 3:8-12, Peter finishes this section by giving general commands to all Christians in whatever situation we find ourselves. These exhortations apply to every believer in every circumstance.

By giving these directives, Peter shows us the tools we need to stand faithfully for Christ and have “good conduct” before a hostile world so that we will be a testimony to the glory of Jesus. But also, Peter will show us that even in trials and suffering, we may have the blessing of one who “love[s] life and see[s] good days” (v.10) because of the Lord whom we serve.

God appears to Isaac and gives him the promise. The presence of God with Isaac is seen by the Philistines.

It is so easy to lose focus on the gospel when we experience trials or when we are forced to recognize how sinful we really are. The gospel is our salvation and our power for living. Though we constantly fail and continually strive for holiness, our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Unless we keep our eyes centered on the salvation and new life given by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, it is inevitable that we will lose heart and succumb to despair. So this Sunday, as we take a week off from 1 Peter, we will look at 2 Corinthians 1:15-22 (focusing on v. 19-20). In this passage Paul says that in Jesus, all the promises of God are "yes."

When you find a promise from God and ask "is this promise really for me today?"- if you are in Christ, God’s answer is yes. Jesus has fulfilled and accomplished all that we need to be right with God and stand sure in our relationship with him. He is God’s once for all answer - all the promises find their "yes" in Him.

Although Isaac fails in the same way as his father Abraham, God protects him and provides for him, showing that He is faithful to His promise in all things.

We have seen Peter instruct believers in how we live faithfully under government and authorities, but in chapter 3:1-7, he turns his attention to the home. What does living faithfully for Christ in the home look like? As Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, describes the roles of both husband and wife, we do well to remember that he also speaks as one who is a Christian husband, living in a culture that is hostile to his faith.

We all come to this text with presuppositions. Perhaps we have even been hurt by someone wielding an improper application of this text. But marriage is the first institution created by God in Genesis 2, before the fall. Marriage is intended to be a picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church (Eph. 5:22-27). Therefore, we must come to the text and hear from God what it means to live faithfully in the home, so that we might "proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

1 Peter 2:18-25 addresses Christian servants (slaves, bond-servants) in the Roman Empire, which would have been most of the earliest readers of his epistle. While there isn’t a one to one correspondence between slaves serving in first century Rome and believers today in South Central Kansas, it is a huge mistake to think there is no application for us. The most common employee / employer relationship in the Roman Empire was between master and bond-servant, and all of us, at one time or another, have had to serve under an unjust or unreasonable authority.

Peter speaks to those who are miraculously delivered by the saving grace of the King of kings. These believers are given an eternal inheritance that cannot be defiled or fade away - it is kept by God Himself for them - But, when they looked around, they were still subject to unjust and worldly people. They still served in their jobs and they were suffering under worldly and wicked masters. Peter’s admonition to them is surprising. Be subject to them! This, Peter says, is a gracious thing in the sight of God. How do we do such a thing? How can we possibly do so?

God continues to provide the line of His seed. This is also played out as Esau sells his birthright for a bowl of stew.

1 Peter 2:13-17 begins Peter’s specific instructions for the churches in Asia Minor. In the following sections, Peter will show believers what "abstaining from the passions of the flesh," and "keeping our conduct among the Gentiles honorable" actually looks like in different situations. This passage regarding how we live for Christ under government is not an easy one for us today. It was exponentially harder for those to whom it was first written. As we seek to understand God’s word on this subject, we will try to answer several common questions that arise when we talk about "being subject." However, the most important question that needs to be answered in each of our hearts is, "What is God saying to me through this?"

Peter doesn’t write to make sure the churches are being good boys and girls. He isn’t writing to ensure that he keeps everyone in line. He isn’t even writing to help them assimilate into this world. Peter writes specifically for the believers to live in such a way that Christ is glorified and honored in this world. So that "by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people" (v. 15), and "when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation (v. 12). Bringing glory to Christ’s name must be what drives all that we do.

At the end of Abraham's life, God's promises find their fulfillment.

Beginning at 2:11, Peter will get real practical and specific about what it looks like to serve God in a hostile world. He goes into great detail describing how Christians are to live faithfully in the different spheres of life in this world. 1 Peter 2:11 through chapter 3 are tough lessons for us to hear. But these truths are essential because God alone has the authority to define how we are to serve Him in a hostile world. Because we haven’t been in 1 Peter for a few weeks, we will take some time and review what we have learned in this letter so far, and then look at a broad overview of what 2:11 through chapter 3 will look like in the coming weeks.