A devoted minister was facing serious surgery, and a friend visited him in the hospital to pray with him. “An interesting thing happened today,” the minister told him. “One of the nurses looked at my chart and said, ‘Well, I guess you’re preparing for the worst!’

I smiled at her and said, ‘No, I’m preparing for the best. I’m a Christian, and God has promised to work all things together for good.’

Boy, did she drop that chart and leave the room in a hurry!”

Peter wrote this letter to prepare Christians for a “fiery trial” of persecution, yet his approach was optimistic and positive. “Prepare for the best!” was his message.

Cultivate Christian Love (1 Peter 3:8–12).

3:8  Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

“When iron is rubbed against a magnet it becomes magnetic. Just so, love is caught, not taught. One heart burning with love sets another on fire. The church was built on love; it proves what love can do.” Frank C. Laubach

Peter listed five building blocks for unity

1. Live in harmony, also translated “have unity of spirit,” refers to working together for the common goal of spreading the gospel, having common attitudes and ideas. Just as different notes form chords to make beautiful harmonies, so different people can live and work together for God.
2. Be sympathetic means being willing to share in others’ needs and being responsive to their feelings, having sensitivity and compassion toward others.
3. Love as brothers means loving fellow Christians (brothers and sisters in Christ). The Greek word is philadelphos, referring not only to family love, but to the special love that should draw all Christians together.
4. Be compassionate, means to be conscious of others’ needs but includes a drive to alleviate the need in some way. The Greek word is literally the internal organs, and refers to one’s deepest feelings. Believers ought to be deeply touched and moved by the hurts, pain, needs, and joys of fellow believers and then act to help them. They should be affectionate and sensitive, quick to give emotional support.
5. Humble means having an honest estimate of oneself before God. Humility does not negate one’s own worth or abilities, nor does it inflate them. Instead, a humble Christian can honestly view his or her characteristics and abilities with thankfulness to God.

3:9  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Peter described how they should act toward those in the pagan culture—a culture that would soon become very hostile toward them. As Christians, we can live on one of three levels:

1. We can return evil for good, which is the satanic level.
2. We can return good for good and evil for evil, which is the human level.
3. Or, we can return good for evil, which is the divine level.

3:10 For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit.”

Verses 10–12 are a quotation of Psalm 34:12–16. The theme is that God hears and helps those who are afflicted or in trouble—a perfect psalm considering the theme of this letter.

These people have found contentment in God and can live “good days” no matter how bad their situations might become.

3:11 “Let them turn away from evil and do good.” People’s words are connected to their actions. Those who “keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit” (3:10) have turned away from evil. Their God-honoring speech is then accompanied by action—they then can do good.

3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.” God not only sees them but also that he watches over them for their good. God sees all their difficulties and persecutions.

Nothing happens to God’s people that he has not allowed for some purpose. Whatever happens, God’s people know that his promises of blessing—whether in this life or in the life to come—are certain.

Not only are the Lord’s eyes open and watching, but his ears are open to their prayer. He listens when his people call to him. He knows all their needs. He hears their prayers in suffering.

 “But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” This warning implies a drastic threat of imminent judgment, not just God’s disapproval.

Practice the Lordship of Christ (1 Peter 3:13–15)

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,…

The setting of the Isaiah quotation is significant. Ahaz, King of Judah, faced a crisis because of an impending invasion by the Assyrian army.

The kings of Israel and Syria wanted Ahaz to join them in an alliance, but Ahaz refused; so Israel and Syria threatened to invade Judah! Behind the scenes, Ahaz confederated himself with Assyria!

The Prophet Isaiah warned him against ungodly alliances and urged him to trust God for deliverance. “Sanctify the Lord of hosts [armies] Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread” (Isa. 8:13).

As Christians, we are faced with crises, and we are tempted to give in to our fears and make the wrong decisions. But if we “sanctify Christ as Lord” in our hearts, we need never fear men or circumstances.

Our enemies might hurt us, but they cannot harm us. Only we can harm ourselves if we fail to trust God. Generally speaking, people do not oppose us if we do good; but even if they do, it is better to suffer for righteousness’ sake than to compromise our testimony.

Our English word apology comes from the Greek word translated “answer,” but it does not mean “to say I am sorry.” Rather, it means “a defense presented in court.”

“Apologetics” is the branch of theology that deals with the defense of the faith. Every Christian should be able to give a reasoned defense of his hope in Christ, especially in hopeless situations.

A crisis creates the opportunity for witness when a believer behaves with faith and hope, because the unbelievers will then sit up and take notice.

We are witnesses, not prosecuting attorneys! We must also be sure that our lives back up our defense.

Peter did not suggest that Christians argue with lost people, but rather that we present to the unsaved an account of what we believe and why we believe it, in a loving manner. The purpose is not to win an argument but to win lost souls to Christ.

Here’s how ordinary people can be ready to witness (make a defense for their hope) without needing to become theological scholars:

• Pray, read the Bible, and review God’s promises every day. Then you’ll be ready to explain why you’re hopeful.
• Make praising Christ your daily practice. If you focus on his power and glory, you will be fortified and courageous to speak to others.
• Be as natural in witnessing as you are in conversation. Talk like you, not imitating anyone else. Find the clues in your life that help explain God’s Good News to others. If you are a plumber, talk about God’s love like running water. If you are a doctor, portray God’s love as a healing force.
• Respond with care. Trust God to melt stony hearts. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
• Listen to your audience. Where are their heads and hearts? What burdens them? Listen long and hard. Frame your witness in the words and at the level your audience will understand.

Maintain a Good Conscience (1 Peter 3:16–17)

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.

The conscience is that internal judge that witnesses to us, that enables us to “know with,” either approving our actions or accusing.

Conscience may be compared to a window that lets in the light of God’s truth. If we persist in disobeying, the window gets dirtier and dirtier, until the light cannot enter. This leads to a “defiled conscience” (Titus 1:15).

“Shame arises from the fear of men, conscience, from the fear of God.”

A “seared conscience” is one that has been so sinned against that it no longer is sensitive to what is right and wrong (1 Tim. 4:2).

It is even possible for the conscience to be so poisoned that it approves things that are bad and accuses when the person does good! This the Bible calls “an evil conscience” (Heb. 10:22). A criminal feels guilty if he “squeals” on his friends, but happy if he succeeds in his crime!

Conscience depends on knowledge, the “light” coming through the window. As a believer studies the Word, he better understands the will of God, and his conscience becomes more sensitive to right and wrong.

A “good conscience” is one that accuses when we think or do wrong and approves when we do right. It takes “exercise” to keep the conscience strong and pure (Acts 24:16).

If we do not grow in spiritual knowledge and obedience, we have a “weak conscience” that is upset very easily by trifles (1 Cor. 8).

How does a good conscience help a believer in times of trial and opposition?

1. For one thing, it fortifies him with courage because he knows he is right with God and men, so that he need not be afraid.
2. A good conscience gives us peace in our hearts; and when we have peace within, we can face battles without. The restlessness of an uneasy conscience divides the heart and drains the strength of a person, so that he is unable to function at his best. It’s difficult for us to boldly witness for Christ if conscience is witnessing against us.
3. A good conscience removes from us the fear of what other people may know about us, say against us, or do to us. When Christ is Lord and we fear only God, we need not fear the threats, opinions, or actions of our enemies.

Peter made it clear that conscience alone is not the test of what is right or wrong. A person can be involved in either “welldoing” or “evildoing.”

For a person to disobey God’s Word and claim it is right simply because his conscience does not convict him, is to admit that something is radically wrong with his conscience.

Conscience is a safe guide only when the Word of God is the teacher.

If we are to maintain a good conscience, we must deal with sin in our lives and confess it immediately (1 John 1:9). We must “keep the window clean.”

We must also spend time in the Word of God and “let in the light.”

A strong conscience is the result of obedience based on knowledge, and a strong conscience makes for a strong Christian witness to the lost. It also gives us strength in times of persecution and difficulty.