Author Archives: Gary Davenport

Healthy churches are hard to find! What makes for a healthy church? Many scriptural elements could be listed. Especially important is a strong commitment to God’s Word, our only authority for faith and practice.

But what makes a commitment to God’s Word happen? The answer is strong leadership. Most churches rise and fall with the quality of leadership. But, of course, leaders can’t lead without supportive followers.

And, even with strong leaders and supportive followers, that ubiquitous sin, human pride, often gets in the way and causes problems. With those factors in mind, Peter here gives us a prescription for a healthy church:

In a healthy church, the elders will shepherd and the flock will submit, all in a spirit of mutual humility.

Times of persecution demand that God’s people have adequate spiritual leadership. If judgment is to begin at God’s house (1 Peter 4:17), then that house had better be in order, or it will fall apart!

This explains why Peter wrote this special message to the leaders of the church, to encourage them to do their work faithfully. Leaders who run away in times of difficulty are only proving that they are hirelings and not true shepherds (John 10:12–14).

Peter wrote this letter just before Emperor Nero began cruelly persecuting Christians in Rome and throughout the empire.

About thirty years earlier, Peter, fearing for his life, had three times denied even knowing Jesus (John 18:15–27).

Since then, having learned how to stand firm in an evil world, Peter encouraged other Christians, who were facing pressure to deny their faith. Peter believed and lived what he wrote in this letter—later he was executed by the Romans for believing in and preaching Christ.

Those who stand for Christ will be persecuted because the world is ruled by Christ’s greatest enemy. But just as the small group of early believers stood against persecution, so we must be willing to stand for our faith with the patience, endurance, and courage that Peter exhibited.

The churches to which Peter wrote were facing “fiery ordeal,” 4:12. Such trials test the cohesiveness and strength of a church.

1. In a healthy church, the elders will shepherd the flock (5:1-4).

In the New Testament there are three terms used to describe the same office of leadership in the church, each from a slightly different perspective.

Elder focuses on the character qualities of the man, that he is a mature man of God. As 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 make clear, the main qualification for elders is not that they have impressive spiritual gifts. Rather, it is that they be godly men.

Overseer (or, “Bishop”; Greek, “episkopos”) is used interchangeably with elder (Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5, 7) and looks at the primary function of the office, to superintend matters in the local church.

The third term, Pastor (which means “Shepherd”) looks at the function of the elder/overseer from the metaphor of the church as God’s flock. It focuses on the tasks of providing leadership, care, feeding, and protection for God’s people.

Peter points out the requirement, the responsibility and the reward of shepherding God’s flock:

A. The requirement for shepherding is a close personal experience with Christ (5:1). So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

Peter models what he is exhorting: He does not lord it over these men, although as an apostle, he could have asserted his authority. “Apostle” referred to men entrusted with authority from Christ to establish churches.

“Lording it over” the flock (5:3) recalls the silly debates the twelve had about who was the greatest, and the Lord’s teaching about the greatest being the servant of all. “Be clothed with humility” recalls Jesus taking a towel and girding Himself as He washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17).

An elder who wants to shepherd the flock conscientiously must be a student of the apostolic witness in Scripture, especially as it relates to the cross (“the sufferings of Christ”) and the coming kingdom of Christ (“the glory that is to be revealed”).

The cross is at the center of the Christian life and an elder must live by the cross daily and be able to help others to do so.

Focusing on the suffering of Christ is the motivation for dealing with sin and for loving Christ more. Focusing on the glory that is to be revealed in Christ’s coming kingdom makes an elder live in holiness and hope in light of Christ’s coming.

1. The responsibility of shepherding is to exercise oversight with the right attitude (5:2-3). …shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; ³ not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Being the spiritual leader of a flock has its dangers, and Peter pointed out some of the sins that the elders must avoid. The first was laziness—“not by constraint but willingly.”

Paul stresses this in his qualifications for an elder: “not greedy of filthy lucre” (1 Tim. 3:3); “not given to filthy lucre” (Titus 1:7). He must not be a lover of money nor devote himself to pursuing money.

It means a willingness to serve because of a readiness and an eagerness within the heart. This is the difference between a true shepherd and a hireling: a hireling works because he is paid for it, but a shepherd works because he loves the sheep and has a heart devoted to them.

Be an example to the flock (v. 3). The contrast is between dictatorship and leadership. You cannot drive sheep; you must go before them and lead them. It has been well said that the church needs leaders who serve and servants who lead.

It is by being an example that the shepherd solves the tension between being “among” the sheep and “over” the sheep. People are willing to follow a leader who practices what he preaches and gives them a good example to imitate.

Peter here sums up the shepherding task with the term, “exercising oversight” Peter here describes this attitude with a series of three contrasts:

(1) “Not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God” (5:2)

A man should not be in leadership out of duty, but out of delight. Paul says that an overseer should “aspire to the office” (1 Tim. 3:1).

Yet serving as an overseer is not a matter of self-willed ambition, but rather of the calling of God, as seen in the phrase, “according to God,” which probably means, “according to God’s will.”

During times of persecution, an elder and his family would be the first targets. The rest of the time, pastoral leadership is more often the grind of mucking out the stalls rather than the glory of recognition. So an overseer must serve gladly because God has called him to the task, not grudgingly because he was forced into it.

(2) “Not for sordid gain, but with eagerness” (5:2)

The opposite of serving under compulsion is serving eagerly. But some serve eagerly for the wrong reasons, either financial gain (here) or power (next phrase).

(3) “Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock” (5:3)

The word underscores the fact that the flock belongs to God and is entrusted to overseers as those who will answer to God.

Rather than leading by lording, they are to lead by example. This does not mean that elders can never exercise authority (Titus 1:11; 2:15). There are times when they must take a stand and say, “We are not going to do that….allow this practice or this false teaching to go on in this church.”

Sometimes they must enforce church discipline or confront spiritual bullies. But their normal mode of leadership should be their example of godly living.

We need to remember that leadership is more a responsibility than a privilege. If a man is into leadership for the perks, whether status, money, or power, he is abusing a sacred trust.

Leadership, whether in the church, the home, or the government, means that you’re the one whom God holds accountable for the direction of things under your care.

“If that thought doesn’t cause you to break out in a cold sweat, then you’ve got wrong ideas about leadership!”

Thus, the requirement for shepherding is a close personal experience with Christ. The responsibility of shepherding is to exercise oversight with the right attitude.

C. The reward for shepherding is the unfading crown of glory (5:4). ⁴ And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The rewards for the work don’t come until the Chief Shepherd returns. That Christ is the “Chief Shepherd” again reminds us that we are only under-shepherds, accountable to the Chief.

Our motivation for serving as pastors must never be to receive the praise of men, but only the desire to hear on that great day, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

2. In a healthy church, the flock will submit to the elders (5:5a). ⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.

There is some debate over why Peter singles out “young men.” My understanding is that he assumed that the women would be in submission to the elders; but young men are more prone to resent their authority.

Younger men are often more impatient and idealistic than the more mature men in leadership. They may not understand why the elders don’t move more quickly. So he singles them out as representing all in the church who are not elders and tells them to submit.

Submission does not mean mute acceptance of decisions. There is a place for expressing disagreement and voicing concerns. But submission is primarily an attitude of respect and a recognition of rank.

If the elders go against a clear principle of Scripture, then the flock is responsible to appeal to them based upon the Word.

If an elder is violating Scripture, he should be removed from office, since no human authority transcends God’s authority.

3. In a healthy church, everyone will relate to one another in a spirit of humility (5:5b). Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Peter was recalling Jesus taking the towel and girding Himself as He washed the disciples’ feet.

Humility (lit., “lowliness of mind”) is the robe with which we all must gird ourselves. The Bible never exhorts us to think more highly of ourselves than we do or to improve our self-esteem, as we’re being told to do by many Christian writers. But it often tells us that we need to humble ourselves.

Humility is being aware of our own insufficiency, but trusting in Christ’s all-sufficiency.

Chrysostom called humility “the foundation of our philosophy.”

Augustine said, “If you ask me concerning the precepts of the Christian religion, first, second, third, and always I would answer, Humility.”

Nothing could be worse than to have God set Himself against you! Nothing is more essential than receiving His grace!

The early Christians must have wondered why they were targeted with such abuse and hatred when they were living peacefully and striving to do God’s will.

However, Jesus himself suffered, and he warned his followers that they too would face suffering.

Christians should not be surprised by suffering, for this is what Jesus had said to Peter and the other disciples at the Last Supper, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:20).

A participant in the Last Supper, the apostle John, later wrote, “Do not be astonished, brothers and sisters, that the world hates you” (1 John 3:13). Peter offered this warning to his readers as well.

Every Christian who lives a godly life experiences a certain amount of persecution. On the job, in school, in the neighborhood, perhaps even in the family, there are people who resist the truth and oppose the Gospel of Christ.

No matter what a believer says or does, these people find fault and criticize.

Peter explained about a special kind of persecution—a “fiery trial”—that was about to overtake the entire church.

It would not be occasional personal persecution from those around them, but official persecution from those above them. Thus far, Christianity had been tolerated by Rome because it was considered a “sect” of Judaism, and the Jews were permitted to worship freely.

That attitude would change and the fires of persecution would be ignited, first by Nero, and then by the emperors that followed.

Peter gave the believers four instructions to follow in the light of the coming “fiery trial.”

Expect Suffering (1 Peter 4:12) Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Persecution is not something that is alien to the Christian life. Throughout history the people of God have suffered at the hands of the unbelieving world.

Christians are different from unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-18), and this different kind of life produces a different kind of lifestyle. Much of what goes on in the world depends on lies, pride, pleasure, and the desire to “get more.” A dedicated Christian builds his life on truth, humility, holiness, and the desire to glorify God.

This conflict is illustrated throughout the Bible. Cain was a religious man, yet he hated his brother and killed him (Gen. 4:1-8). The world does not persecute “religious people,” but it does persecute righteous people.

Why Cain killed Abel is explained in 1 John 3:12: “Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”

The Pharisees and Jewish leaders were religious people, yet they crucified Christ and persecuted the early church. “But beware of men,” Jesus warned His disciples, “for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues” (Matt. 10:17).

Imagine scourging the servants of God in the very house of God!

God declared war on Satan after the Fall of man (Gen. 3:15), and Satan has been attacking God through His people ever since.

Christians are “strangers and pilgrims” in an alien world where Satan is the god and prince (John 14:30; 2 Cor. 4:3-4).

Whatever glorifies God will anger the enemy, and he will attack. For believers, persecution is not a strange thing. The absence of satanic opposition would be strange!

Jesus explained to His disciples that they should expect opposition and persecution from the world (John 15:17-16:4).

But He also gave them an encouraging promise: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). It was through His death on the cross of Calvary, plus His resurrection, that He overcame sin and the world (John 12:23-33; see Gal. 6:14).

The image of “fire” is often applied to testing or persecution even in modern conversation. “He is really going through the fire,” is a typical statement to describe someone experiencing personal difficulties.

It is important to note that not all of the difficulties of life are necessarily fiery trials. There are some difficulties that are simply a part of human life and almost everybody experiences them.

Unfortunately, there are some difficulties that we bring on ourselves because of disobedience and sin. Peter mentioned these in 1 Peter 2:18-20 and 3:13-17. The fiery trial he mentioned in 1 Peter 4:12 comes because we are faithful to God and stand up for that which is right.

It is because we bear the name of Christ that the lost world attacks us.

Christ told His disciples that people would persecute them, as they had Him, because their persecutors did not know God (John 15:20-21).

The word “happened” is important; it means “to go together.” Persecution and trials do not just “happen,” in the sense of being accidents. They are a part of God’s plan, and He is in control.

Rejoice in Suffering (1 Peter 4:13-14)

Literally, Peter wrote, “Be constantly rejoicing!” In fact, he mentioned joy in one form or another four times in these two verses! “Rejoice … be glad also with exceeding joy …. Happy are ye!”

The world cannot understand how difficult circumstances can produce exceeding joy, because the world has never experienced the grace of God (see 2 Cor. 8:1-5).

Peter named several privileges that we share that encourage us to rejoice in the midst of the fiery trial.

Our suffering means fellowship with Christ (v. 13).

13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

It is an honor and a privilege to suffer with Christ and be treated by the world the way it treated Him. Not every believer grows to the point where God can trust him with this kind of experience, so we ought to rejoice when the privilege comes to us. “And they [the Apostles] departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).

Christ is with us in the furnace of persecution (Isa. 41:10; 43:2). When the three Hebrew children were cast into the fiery furnace, they discovered they were not alone (Dan. 3:23-25). The Lord was with Paul in all of his trials (Acts 23:11; 27:21-25; 2 Tim. 4:9-18), and He promises to be with us “to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20, nasb). In fact, when sinners persecute us, they are really persecuting Jesus Christ (Acts 9:4).

Our suffering means glory in the future (v. 13).

“Suffering” and “glory” are twin truths that are woven into the fabric of Peter’s letter. The world believes that the absence of suffering means glory, but a Christian’s outlook is different.

The trial of our faith today is the assurance of glory when Jesus returns (1 Peter 1:7-8). This was the experience of our Lord (1 Peter 5:1), and it shall also be our experience.

But it is necessary to understand that God is not going to replace suffering with glory; rather He will transform suffering into glory.

Jesus used the illustration of a woman giving birth (John 16:20-22). The same baby that gave her pain also gave her joy. The pain was transformed into joy by the birth of the baby.

The thorn in the flesh that gave Paul difficulty also gave him power and glory (2 Cor. 12:7-10). The cross that gave Jesus shame and pain also brought power and glory.

Mature people know that life includes some “postponed pleasures.” We pay a price today in order to have enjoyments in the future.

Our suffering brings to us the ministry of the Holy Spirit (v. 14). 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

He is the Spirit of glory and He has a special ministry to those who suffer for the glory of Jesus Christ. This verse can be translated “for the presence of the glory, even the Spirit, rests on you.”

The reference is to the Shekinah glory of God that dwelt in the tabernacle and in the temple (Ex. 40:34; 1 Kings 8:10-11). When the people stoned Stephen, he saw Jesus in heaven and experienced God’s glory (Acts 6:15; 7:54-60). This is the “joy unspeakable and full of glory” that Peter wrote about in 1 Peter 1:7-8.

In other words, suffering Christians do not have to wait for heaven in order to experience His glory. Through the Holy Spirit, they can have the glory now. This explains how martyrs could sing praises to God while bound in the midst of blazing fires.

Our suffering enables us to glorify His name (v. 14). Tell them you are a Christian—bring Christ’s name into the conversation—and things will start to happen. Our authority is in the name of Jesus, and Satan hates that name. Every time we are reproached for the name of Christ, we have the opportunity to bring glory to that name.

The word “Christian” is found only three times in the entire New Testament (1 Peter 4:16; Acts 11:26; 26:28). The name was originally given by the enemies of the church as a term of reproach; but in time, it became an honored name.

Of course, in today’s world, the word “Christian” means to most people the opposite of “pagan.” But the word carries the idea of “a Christ one, belonging to Christ.”

Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna about the middle of the second century. He was arrested for his faith and threatened with death if he did not recant. “Eighty and six years have I served Him,” the saintly Bishop replied, “and He never did me any injury. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

“I have respect for your age,” said the Roman officer. “Simply say, ‘Away with the atheists!’ and be set free.” By “the atheists” he meant the Christians who would not acknowledge that Caesar was “lord.”

The old man pointed to the crowd of Roman pagans surrounding him, and cried, “Away with the atheists!” He was burned at the stake and in his martyrdom brought glory to the name of Jesus Christ.

Examine Your Life (1 Peter 4:15-18) 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

In the furnace of persecution and suffering, we often have more light by which we can examine our lives and ministries.

The fiery trial is a refining process, by which God removes the dross and purifies us. Meanwhile, God’s judgment begins “at the house of God,” the church (1 Peter 2:5). This truth ought to motivate us to be as pure and obedient as possible.

There are several questions we should ask ourselves as we examine our own lives.

Why am I suffering? (v. 15)

If a professed Christian breaks the law and gets into trouble, or becomes a meddler into other people’s lives, then he ought to suffer!

Am I ashamed, or glorifying Christ? (v. 16)

This statement must have reminded Peter of his own denial of Christ (Luke 22:54-62). Jesus Christ is not ashamed of us (Heb. 2:11)—though many times He surely could be!

The Father is not ashamed to be called our God (Heb. 11:16).

Am I seeking to win the lost? (vv. 17-18)

Note the words that Peter used to describe the lost: “Them that obey not the Gospel …. the ungodly and the sinner.” The argument of this verse is clear: If God sends a “fiery trial” to His own children, and they are saved “with difficulty,” what will happen to lost sinners when God’s fiery judgment falls?

The phrase scarcely be saved means “saved with difficulty,” but it does not suggest that God is too weak to save us. The reference is probably to Genesis 19:15-26, when God sought to rescue Lot from Sodom before the city was destroyed. God was able—but Lot was unwilling! He lingered, argued with the angels, and finally had to be taken by the hand and dragged out of the city! Lot was “saved as by fire” and everything he lived for went up in smoke (see 1 Cor. 3:9-15).Times of persecution are times of opportunity for a loving witness to those who persecute us (see Matt. 5:10-12, 43-48). It was not the earthquake that brought that Philippian jailer to Christ, because that frightened him into almost committing suicide! No, it was Paul’s loving concern for him that brought the jailer to faith in Christ.

Commit Yourself to God (1 Peter 4:19) 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

When we are suffering in the will of God, we can commit ourselves into the care of God. Everything else that we do as Christians depends on this. The word is a banking term; it means “to deposit for safekeeping” (see 2 Tim. 1:12).

This picture reminds us that we are valuable to God. He made us, redeemed us, lives in us, guards, and protects us.

This commitment is not a single action but a constant attitude. “Be constantly committing” is the force of the admonition. How do we do this? “By means of welldoing.” As we return good for evil and do good even though we suffer for it, we are committing ourselves to God so that He can care for us. This commitment involves every area of our lives and every hour of our lives.

Why did Peter refer to God as “a faithful Creator” rather than “a faithful Judge” or even “a faithful Savior”? Because God the Creator meets the needs of His people (Matt. 6:24-34).

It is the Creator who provides food and clothing to persecuted Christians, and who protects them in times of danger. When the early church was persecuted, they met together for prayer and addressed the Lord as the “God, which has made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is” (Acts 4:24). They prayed to the Creator!

Every once in a while you read about a wacky religious group that has become so convinced that the Lord’s coming is imminent that they have sold everything they owned and gone out to sit on a hilltop and await His coming.

When these ‘prophets’ make predictions that do not come true, it ought to remove their ideas forever from the news cycle and our mind.

The simple fact is that behind this there is one inescapable and most personal truth. For everyone of us the time is near. The one thing which can be said of every man is that he will die. For every one of us the Lord is at hand. We cannot tell the day and the hour when we shall go to meet him; and, therefore, all life is lived in the shadow of eternity.

It does raise the question that Peter addresses in our text for today’s study: How should the church conduct itself in light of the fact that we are living in the end times?

These verses are sandwiched in a context dealing with the persecution Peter’s readers were facing. In both the preceding and following sections, Peter brings in the certainty that Jesus Christ will return to judge all people (4:5, 17).

In our text, he is telling the church how to relate to one another in light of the present suffering and the future judgment.

Trials have a way of either driving a family closer together or further apart. Peter wants to make sure that the churches to which he wrote would draw together as the persecution intensified and as the coming day of the Lord draws nearer.

An Expectant Attitude toward Christ (1 Peter 4:7a) The end of all things is at hand…

This verse gives us the vertical component (how we relate to God) to help us overcome the pressure to sin. Verses 8 and 9 give the horizontal component (how we relate to other people).

Christians in the early church expected Jesus to return in their lifetime (Rom. 13:12; 1 John 2:18). The fact that He did not return does not invalidate His promise (2 Peter 3; Rev. 22:20).

No matter what interpretation we give to the prophetic Scriptures, we must all live in expectancy. The important thing is that we shall see the Lord one day and stand before Him. How we live and serve today will determine how we are judged and rewarded on that day.

This attitude of expectancy must not turn us into lazy dreamers (2 Thes. 3:6ff) or zealous fanatics.

Peter has just mentioned how Christ is ready to judge the living and the dead (4:5). Some believers had died, which may have drawn ridicule from scoffers (4:6): “The Christians died just like everyone else! What difference does your Christianity make? Those ‘holy Joes’ who died just missed out on all the fun they could have had!” But Peter asserts, “Now the end of all things has come near.”

Today many would scoff and say, “That’s crazy! It’s been over 2,000 years and life goes on. How can anyone say that the end of all things has come near?”

Peter answers that charge in 2 Peter 3:3-10. What such scoffers don’t realize is that God’s view of time and ours are significantly different. A thousand years with the Lord is as one day. Any extension of time that God gives before the certain, coming judgment is due to His patience and mercy: He does not wish for any to perish. But that judgment is delayed does not mean that judgment is not coming!

And, while the signs of the times look as if the return of Christ is very close, even if He does not return in our lifetimes, we are individually very near the end, aren’t we? None of us is certain that we will be alive tomorrow. So we all need to live in light of the fact that the end of all things is near.

Does that mean that we make no plans for the future, that we sell everything and go sit on a hilltop? No, of course not!

Although he is no theologian, newspaper columnist Sydney J. Harris was on target when he wrote, “The art of living successfully consists of being able to hold two opposite ideas in tension at the same time: first, to make long-term plans as if we were going to live forever; and second, to conduct ourselves daily as if we were going to die tomorrow.”

Because the end of all things is near, Peter shows how God’s people should live.

The church should glorify God through prayer, love, and service (4:7b-11).

We are to have a clear head; we are to take Christ’s return seriously. Persecution and suffering battle against clear-mindedness; self-control is difficult when one faces injustice^.

If Christ is ready to judge the living and the dead (4:5), if it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God (4:17), then here is how we, as His people, should conduct ourselves.

There are commands in three areas (prayer, love, and serving one another), but the overarching principle comes at the end of verse 11: “so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

God’s glory is a rather nebulous concept, so let me explain what it means and what it means to glorify Him.

The Hebrew word (“kabod”) translated “glory” has the nuance of weight or heaviness. It points to the riches or power of a person of importance, much as we may say, “He’s a heavyweight” or “a man of substance.”

The Greek word (“doxa”) comes from a word meaning “to seem or think,” and has the nuance of reputation or honor.

When applied to God, His glory is His inherent majesty and infinite worth. God’s glory is intrinsic to His being. It is the manifestation of His perfect attributes, often expressed on earth by light brighter than the sun (Matt. 17:2; Acts 26:13; Rev. 1:16).

In the Old Testament, God’s glory was often seen as a bright cloud or a fire (Exod. 24:16-18; 40:34-35).

It is debatable, grammatically, whether “to whom” (1 Pet. 4:11) refers to God or to Jesus Christ, although it really doesn’t matter (Rev. 1:6 clearly attributes glory and dominion to Jesus Christ).

Hebrews 1:3 asserts, Jesus Christ “is the radiance of [God’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power.”

Jesus Himself claimed that the Father had given all judgment to the Son “in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father” (John 5:23). So, as believers, we are to glorify God through Jesus Christ, who has revealed the Father to us.

To glorify God means to show forth His excellencies to others, or, as I’ve often said, in street language, to glorify God is to make Him look good as He really is.

If a photographer glorifies some natural wonder, he makes us revel in the inherent beauty of that scene. We see the photograph and gasp, “Look at the colors and grandeur of that mountain!”

If a literary critic glorifies an author, he brings forth the subtle nuances of language and plot in a way that makes us exclaim, “Wow! That author has a rare ability with words!”

When the photographer or critic does his work rightly, we don’t extol the photographer or critic; we extol the object toward which they point. We say, “What a beautiful scene!” Or, “What a tremendous author or work of literature!”

And when Christians properly glorify God, people should exclaim, “What a great being God is!”

Peter mentions three means of conduct which will glorify God: prayer, love, and serving in line with the gifts God has bestowed on us.

The church should glorify God through prayer (4:7b). …therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

Prayer glorifies God because it acknowledges our weakness and dependence upon Him. Not to pray is, in effect, to assert our own sufficiency and arrogance, in that we’re acting on our own.

So as we recognize the critical times in which we live, our own inadequacy, and God’s total sufficiency, we should be driven to prayer. Peter mentions two somewhat synonymous qualities which will help us to be people of prayer:

First, “Be of sound judgment.” Knowing that we are in the end times should not make us go off the deep end. Rather, we should keep our wits about us, or be sensible. The same word is used as a qualification for elders (NASB–”prudent,” 1 Tim. 3:2; “sensible,” Titus 1:8). It points to a man who is levelheaded, not impulsive, not swayed by fluctuating emotions.

The danger is not that we will think too lowly of ourselves, but that we will think too highly of ourselves. Sound judgment concerning ourselves will move us to prayer as we recognize our own sinfulness and weakness, but also, God’s holiness and strength.

Second: “Be sober.” (See 1:13; 5:8; Peter uses it 3 out of 6 NT uses). It is also a quality for elders (1 Tim. 3:2). It means, literally, “don’t be drunk,” but Peter intends more than not being intoxicated by liquor.

He means that we should be alert and self-controlled. We should have the clarity of mind and resulting good judgment that mark a person who is not drunk in contrast to the one under the influence.

The church should glorify God through love (4:8). Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

“Above all” does not pit love against prayer, as if you can choose love and neglect prayer. Rather, Peter is calling our attention to the priority of love for fellow Christians as a central part of the Christian faith.

Jesus said that love for one another is His new commandment, the mark by which the world will know that we are His followers (John 13:34-35).

Peter didn’t doubt that his readers were practicing love, but he knew that under trials it’s easy to start taking out our frustrations on those closest to us. So he writes, “Keep fervent in your love for one another.” “Fervent” (lit., “to stretch” or “strain”) was used of an athlete stretching and straining every muscle toward the end of the race. As we see the Lord’s coming drawing near, we should exert ourselves to love one another.

This implies that love is not a warm, fuzzy feeling. Rather, it takes sustained, strenuous effort, such as athletes expend as they near the finish line. The fact that love can be commanded shows that it is primarily an action, not an emotion, although often there will be an emotional element involved. But often biblical love is more sweat than sweet. It involves effort!

That’s implicit in the phrase, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” It’s fairly easy to love people who don’t sin against you. But biblical love extends even to those who wrong you.

Peter seems to have in mind the fact that love is ready to forgive and careful to protect the offender from needless exposure. The one who loves doesn’t keep a feud going by retaliating or holding a grudge.

This does not mean that love ignores, overlooks, or tries to hide sin. The “covering of sins” is the ability that believers have to forgive one another because Christ has forgiven them. Love works as a shock absorber, cushioning and smoothing out the bumps and irritations caused by fellow believers.

A GOOD INVESTMENT

We should live expectantly because Christ is coming. Peter gives six admonitions for how to prepare for the end times.

1. Live each day as though Christ could return at once (4:7).
2. Keep a clear head, not getting carried away by self-indulgence (4:7).
3. Stay disciplined and alert for prayer (4:7).
4. Make active expressions of love a priority (4:8).
5. Be faithful in the stewardship of your gifts, investing your time and talent where they will make an eternal difference (4:10).
6. In everything, praise God as the source of your energy and the reason for your service (4:11)

Living for Jesus Christ is not easy. When we live for Christ, really live righteous and godly lives, the unbelievers of the world reject us. They want little to do with pure righteousness and pure godliness. A godly life convicts them and demands that they live like God or else face His judgment. Therefore, the world often ridicules, mocks, abuses, and sometimes kills the genuine believer.

How can the believer handle and conquer such persecution when he is so unjustly treated? There is one way: he should arm himself with the mind of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ suffered persecution and He suffered persecution to the ultimate degree. He has shown us how to handle and conquer persecution. Therefore, arm yourself with the mind of Christ.

1. It is dying to self, denying oneself, ceasing from sin (v.1).
2. It is doing God’s will for the rest of one’s days (v.2).
3. It is being fed up with sin, knowing that one has sinned enough (v.3).
4. It is bearing the strange look by the world (v.4-5).
5. It is following the example of those gone before (v.6).

The Christian is committed to abandon the ways of heathenism and to live as God would have him to do.

Peter had a great deal to say about time (1 Peter 1:5, 11, 17, 20; 4:2-3, 17; 5:6). Certainly the awareness of his own impending martyrdom had something to do with this emphasis (John 21:15-19; 2 Peter 1:12ff).

If a person really believes in eternity, then he will make the best use of time. If we are convinced that Jesus is coming, then we will want to live prepared lives. Whether Jesus comes first, or death comes first, we want to make “the rest of the time” count for eternity.

And we can! Peter described four attitudes that a Christian can cultivate in his lifetime (“the rest of his time”) if he desires to make his life all that God wants it to be.

A Militant Attitude toward Sin (1 Peter 4:1-3)

The picture is that of a soldier who puts on his equipment and arms himself for battle. Our attitudes are weapons, and weak or wrong attitudes will lead us to defeat. Outlook determines outcome, and a believer must have the right attitudes if he is to live a right life.

Terry and I have eaten at restaurants where the lights are low, and you need a miner’s helmet to find your table. I often remark that the prices are usually lower when the lights are low. We had been seated several minutes before we started looking at the menu, and I remarked that I was amazed how easily I could read it. “Yes,” said my friend, “it doesn’t take us long to get accustomed to the darkness.”

There is a sermon in that sentence: It is easy for Christians to get accustomed to sin. Instead of having a militant attitude that hates and opposes it, we gradually get used to sin, sometimes without even realizing it. The one thing that will destroy “the rest of our time” is sin. A believer living in sin is a terrible weapon in the hands of Satan. Peter presented several arguments to convince us to oppose sin in our lives.

Think of what sin did to Jesus (v. 1).

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin…

The phrase arm yourselves is a military metaphor. With what were they to arm themselves? The same intention, the same courageous attitude and mind-set that Christ had toward suffering.

This does not mean that believers should actively seek martyrdom—the next verse describes how the believers are to live the rest of their earthly lives. Nonetheless, they should arm themselves for death if necessary.

If believers suffer, it ought to be for living the Christian faith; they ought to suffer courageously, knowing that God will ultimately be victorious.

Those who are armed with this intention have an unswerving resolve to do God’s will in every situation; those so armed will be able to stand strong in the face of any persecution.

They can persevere because of their personal relationship with Jesus Christ (see John 15:20–21).

For what purpose should believers arm themselves “with the same intention”? Peter explained that whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin.

The question arises, if the believers were to arm themselves to suffer in order to stay away from sin, how could that be suffering as Christ suffered? How did Christ’s suffering accomplish his being “finished with sin”?

Taken alone, this phrase sounds as though Peter was saying that suffering cleanses people from sinning. We know that is not the case, however, because many people have suffered for the Lord, yet are not completely cleansed of sin, for no person can be without sin (see 1 John 1:8).

We will not be sinless until Christ returns. In addition, Jesus did not need to be cleansed from sin by suffering, for he was without sin in his nature and never sinned in his behavior.

Christians, having died in Christ, are one with him and are legally free from the penalty of sin. They are in union with Christ, so they regard themselves as dead to sin. Believers are no longer bound by sin’s penalty; they must strive, in practice, to be free from its power.

Christ’s suffering made him victorious over Satan; believers’ suffering, if they follow Christ’s example, can strengthen their faith and solidify their obedient lifestyle. Believers ought to “arm” themselves with a resolve to be like Christ when they face suffering.

Our goal in life is to “cease from sin.” We will not reach this goal until we die, or are called home when the Lord returns; but this should not keep us from striving.

Peter did not say that suffering of itself would cause a person to stop sinning. Pharaoh in Egypt went through great suffering in the plagues, and yet he sinned even more! I have visited suffering people who cursed God and grew more and more bitter because of their pain.

Suffering, plus Christ in our lives, can help us have victory over sin.

Enjoy the will of God (v. 2). As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

The contrast is between the desires of men and the will of God. Our longtime friends cannot understand the change in our lives, and they want us to return to the same “excess of riot” that we used to enjoy.

But the will of God is so much better! If we do the will of God, then we will invest “the rest of our time” in that which is lasting and satisfying; but if we give in to the world around us, we will waste “the rest of our time” and regret it when we stand before Jesus.

The will of God is not a burden that the Father places on us. Rather it is the divine enjoyment and enablement that makes all burdens light. We may not always understand what He is doing, but we know that He is doing what is best for us. We do not live on explanations; we live on promises.

Remember what you were before you met Christ (v. 3). For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do–living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

Peter’s words picture people without God diving into all kinds of human desires and passions, desperately trying to find real pleasure or fulfillment.

Without hope in Christ for life in eternity, all they can do is live for self-gratification. “Plunge with them” is also translated “join them” or “run with them”—referring to the Christian’s former group of friends and their common activities.

This pictures the incomprehensible act of deliberately jumping into a raging torrent to one’s death.

In other words, these friends had sought pleasure by denying themselves nothing. Together, they did it all.

A Patient Attitude toward the Lost (1 Peter 4:4) They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.

Unsaved people do not understand the radical change that their friends experience when they trust Christ and become children of God.

They do not think it strange when people wreck their bodies, destroy their homes, and ruin their lives by running from one sin to another!

But let a drunkard become sober, or an immoral person pure, and the family thinks he has lost his mind!

As Peter had explained in 4:3, that was “enough.” Believers no longer wanted to be involved in these activities and said so to their friends. Not only did these former friends think it strange that the Christians had suddenly stopped joining them, but they also became the persecutors.

They heap abuse on you describes the reaction of people who love darkness when they become confronted by the light. This is the process of peer pressure. The four steps are: (1) We don’t do it, (2) they’re surprised, (3) they mock us, (4) we are tempted even more to give in to sin (implying the sins listed in 4:3).

A believer’s refusal to participate in an activity is a silent condemnation of that activity. Unbelievers then react with hostility, often because they want to justify their actions or silence their own consciences.

THE 180-DEGREE TURN: Christians are an odd bunch. They don’t plunge into every party. They go to church when other good people play sports, enjoy the sunshine, or catch up on sleep.

They give money away when other fine people struggle along to maximize investment potential.

They pray about matters that normal, reasonable, levelheaded people would gladly sue over. They leave when the party heats up. They seem satisfied with monogamy. How quaint!

A person whose life changes radically at conversion may experience contempt from his or her old friends. He may be scorned not only because he refuses to participate in certain activities, but also because his priorities have changed and he is now heading in the opposite direction.

His very life incriminates their sinful activities. Mature Christians should help new believers resist such pressures of opposition by encouraging them to be faithful to Christ.

There are times when looking back at your past life would be wrong, because Satan could use those memories to discourage you. But God urged Israel to remember that they had once been slaves in Egypt (Deut. 5:15).

Paul remembered that he had been a persecutor of believers (1 Tim. 1:12ff), and this encouraged him to do even more for Christ.

We must be patient toward the lost, even though we do not agree with their lifestyles or participate in their sins.

In fact, our contact with the lost is important to them since we are the bearers of the truth that they need. When unsaved friends attack us, this is our opportunity to witness to them (1 Peter 3:15).

{5} But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Unbelievers who live immorally (4:3) and who “heap abuse” on Christians (4:4) will one day give an account of their actions and words to the one whom they are ultimately slandering—God himself.

This gives believers great relief and confidence—they will receive justice. Scripture makes clear the certainty of judgment.

All will give an account to God, including believers, so we must be ready. We have no reason to taunt those who are in line for judgment because this final judgment will be universal.

The unsaved may judge us, but one day, God will judge them. Instead of arguing with them, we should pray for them, knowing that the final judgment is with God. This was the attitude that Jesus took (2:23), and also the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 2:24-26).

{6} For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

Peter was referring to those dead at that time of his writing who had heard and accepted the gospel. Many people in the early church had concerns about life after death.

In Thessalonica, Christians worried that loved ones who died before Christ’s return might never see Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). They wondered if those who died would be able to experience the promised eternal life.

Peter explained that these believers, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged—that is, they died physically as everyone dies physically—will still one day live in the spirit as God does.

Perhaps some of the “abuse” heaped on the believers (4:4) included unbelievers’ scoffing that it meant nothing to be a Christian because the Christians simply died like everyone else.

Peter’s readers needed to be reminded that the dead (both the faithful and their oppressors) would be raised from the dead—the faithful to eternal reward, the unfaithful to eternal punishment.

God’s judgment will be perfectly fair, Peter pointed out, because even those dead from ages past had heard the gospel. The Good News was first announced when Jesus Christ preached on the earth, but it has been operating since before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and it eternally affects all people, the dead as well as the living.

This is a great passage on the salvation bought by the death of Jesus Christ.  In the clearest of terms it tells us why Christ died and what the death of Christ does for man. In fact, this verse explains the death of Christ so clearly that it leaves the hearer without excuse if he fails to understand why Christ died.

Although this passage is one of the most difficult in the New Testament, it begins with something which anyone can understand.  The point that Peter is making is that, even if the Christian is compelled to suffer unjustly for his faith, he is only walking the way that his Lord and Savior has already walked.

The suffering Christian must always remember that he has a suffering Lord.  In the narrow compass of these verses Peter has the greatest and the deepest things to say about the work of Christ.

SCENE 1: SALVATION PURCHASED

The Setting: Golgotha.   The Time: The relatively recent past.   The Characters: Jesus, His enemies, and you.

¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit…

It is clear that Peter’s main subject is salvation. He spoke of Christ’s part in our salvation—“Christ also suffered for sins once”—and of our part—“baptism . . . now saves you”. Perhaps we can best understand Peter’s reasoning if we consider the passage as a drama about salvation set in four scenes.

(i)  He lays it down that the work of Christ was unique and never need be repeated.  Christ died once and for all for sins. The priestly sacrifices in the Temple have to be repeated daily but Christ made the perfect sacrifice once and for all when he offered himself up (Hebrews 7:27).

(ii)  He lays it down that that sacrifice was for sin.  Christ died once and for all for sins.

We may put it this way.  Sin is that which interrupts the relationship which should exist between God and men.  The object of sacrifice is to restore that lost relationship.  The death of Christ upon the Cross, however we explain it, avails to restore the lost relationship between God and man.

(iii)  He lays it down that that sacrifice was vicarious.  Christ died once and for all for sins, the just for the unjust.  That the just should suffer for the unjust is an extraordinary thing.  At first sight it looks like injustice.

The suffering of Christ was for us; and the mystery is that he who deserved no suffering bore that suffering for us who deserved to suffer.  He sacrificed himself to restore our lost relationship with God.

(iv)  He lays it down that the work of Christ was to bring us to God.  Christ died once and for all for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

SCENE 2: SALVATION PICTURED

The Setting: The wicked world of Noah’s day.     The Time: The far distant past. The Characters: Jesus, the disobedient, and the obedient

“in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…

We must first note that this phrase is very misleading. The idea of the New Testament is not that Jesus descended into hell but that he descended into Hades. The difference is this. Hell is the place of the punishment of the wicked; Hades was the place where all the dead went.

We need to see a lesson in homiletics (how to preach): if an illustration is so complicated that you have to explain it, you’d better pick another one. The point of an illustration is to make something clear, not to make it more confusing. Also, if a verse is difficult, find other verses that make it easier to understand.

Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Notice that earlier in this book he speaks of the prophets’ predicting by “the spirit of Christ which was in them” (1:11).

Speaking of the preaching of the apostles themselves, Paul said that Christ “came and preached peace to you that were afar off” (Eph. 2:17); but Christ preached to the Ephesians through human instruments, nevertheless it is said that he “came and preached” to them.

Therefore, “If Christ is said by Paul to go and do, what he did by his apostles, Christ may with equal propriety be said by Peter to go and do what he did by Noah.”

Peter says that in the Spirit Christ preached to the spirits in prison, who were disobedient in the time when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, when the ark was being built.

During Noah’s building of the ark (120 years), Christ’s “spirit” was in Noah preaching to all the unbelieving people. 1 Peter 1:11 refers to the “Spirit of Christ” residing in the Old Testament prophets, and 2 Peter 2:5 describes Noah as “a herald of righteousness”.

Christ spoke through Noah to the people for 120 years as Noah was building the ark (Genesis 6:3). During that time, God was waiting patiently for any to repent of their sins. But none did.

Those who consider this to be the correct meaning of Peter’s words consider that Noah and his family were a righteous minority among a huge majority of evil people.

• Just as Noah faced unjust persecution, so Peter’s readers were also facing unjust persecution.
• Just as Noah had no converts, they might not either.
• Just as Noah knew that judgment would come soon, so Peter’s readers knew that God would soon judge the world. Ultimately, as Noah and his family were saved from the floodwaters, so those who believe will be saved from eternal death.

Peter wanted to contrast those who were disobedient with those who were obedient. He wanted to remind his readers that not only will the obedient be saved (like the eight souls saved by water), but also the disobedient will perish. That would have been a comforting thought to those who faced persecution.

SCENE 3: SALVATION PROCURED

The Setting: Our own world.      The Time: The present.     The Characters: Ourselves, God, and the resurrected Christ.

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…

Baptism puts one into a relationship with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit that makes it possible for him to stay saved. The effects of baptism continue to go on and on saving a person.

Clear conscience: Conscience is that faculty in me which attaches itself to the highest that I know, and tells me what the highest I know demands that I do.

It is the eye of the soul which looks out either toward God or toward what it regards as the highest authority.

If I am in the habit of steadily facing toward God, my conscience will always introduce God’s perfect law and indicate what I should do. The point is, will I obey?

I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I walk without offense. I should be living in such perfect sympathy with God’s Son that in every circumstance the spirit of my mind is renewed.

The one thing that keeps the conscience sensitive to Him is the habit of being open to God on the inside. When there is any debate, quit. There is no debate possible when conscience speaks. – Oswald Chambers

Conscience is not a fixed or universal concept, but rather a dynamic and personal one that can vary depending on these sources of morality.

Conscience can also change over time as we learn from our mistakes and grow as human beings. Conscience plays a vital role in our ethical decision-making and moral behavior.

It helps us to evaluate the consequences of our actions and to choose the best course of action in different situations. Conscience also motivates us to act on our moral convictions and to stand up for what we believe in.

Conscience can also help us to cope with guilt, remorse, or regret when we fail to live up to our moral standards or when we harm others or ourselves.

A good conscience is not necessarily a proof of salvation. Saul of Tarsus enjoyed a good conscience the whole time he was persecuting Christians, and yet he was as lost as he could be (see Acts 23:1).

The Greek term that is translated “answer” in 1 Peter 3:21 basically means a request, or an appeal. It is found only in this passage in the New Testament, but it is employed in other sources in Greek literature.

The main point is that, although Christ died to bring us to God, we cannot come to Him unless we cooperate in our salvation, unless we accept God’s gift of salvation by being baptized. That is the way we accept, receive, and procure salvation.

Conscience is a precious and powerful gift that makes us human and moral beings. It enables us to act with integrity, responsibility, compassion, and justice. It also challenges us to grow and improve as individuals and as members of society. Conscience is not something that we have, but something that we are.

SCENE 4: SALVATION PERFECTED

The Setting: Heaven.    The Time: From the past through eternity.   The  Characters:  Jesus  and  all  the  host  of heaven.

22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Having just mentioned the resurrection, Peter went on to speak of where Christ is now—in heaven with “angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” By so doing, he completed the picture of suffering innocence that triumphs in the end. (See also Philippians 2:5-11.)

That thought would have sustained the first readers: If Christ, who suffered innocently, in the end is glorified in heaven, so could they be.

Furthermore, our thinking is brought back to Christ, with whom he began this passage and with whom he will begin his discussion of the next topic. This is, of course, no surprise, since to Peter, Jesus Christ is the hero of the entire book.

Christ is mentioned, either by name, by a pronoun that refers to Him, or by a figure (such as a living stone or a shepherd), in at least 36 out of the 105 verses in the book—in more than one-third of the verses.

What we want to emphasize is that salvation was not completed until Christ ascended to heaven. Then He became Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36); then He was crowned King of the kingdom; then He presented His own blood as the once-for-all sacrifice for our sins; then He became our great High Priest; then He became, in His fullness, our Savior.

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.

If you are a parent of children old enough to talk, you have heard them complain, “But that isn’t fair!” And you responded, “Life isn’t fair!” We are born with a strong inner sense of fairness and a strong desire to fight for our rights when we have been treated unfairly. Although we know that life isn’t fair, we’re prone to fight back when we’re the victims of unfair treatment.

Let’s assume that you are a conscientious worker on your job. You get to work early, you’re careful not to extend your lunch breaks, and sometimes you stay late on your own time to finish a job. You’re careful not to waste company time with excessive chit-chat. You work hard and produce for the company. Because you’re a Christian, you don’t go out drinking after hours with the boss and you don’t swap the latest dirty jokes with him.

Another worker is, in your opinion, a goof off. He often comes in late, he spends a lot of time chatting with the secretaries, he takes long lunches, and he does sloppy work which you often have to correct. But he also goes out drinking with the boss and he always has a new dirty joke that sends the boss into hysterics. When a promotion opens up, he gets the better job and you are overlooked.

Life isn’t fair! The important question is, “How do you respond when you’re treated unfairly?” How should you respond? How should a Christian respond when treated unfairly, especially on the job?

That is the question Peter addresses. My guess is that you’re not going to like his answer. (I can guess that because I don’t like his answer either!) His answer is, When treated unfairly by a superior, we should submissively endure by entrusting ourselves to God, the righteous Judge.

Be subject … This means “submit, or obey”; and “It is the key word in this epistle, occurring 6 times in all.”

In this text Peter is talking about submission—submission to authorities in government, submission to masters, and all of this is in the context of suffering. When people look at Christians, they shouldn’t find those who are slandering their leaders or starting riots to overthrow government, even in the case of injustice, such as persecution or slavery.

Remember, in this context Nero is on the throne and Christians are being thrown to the lions and burned at the stake. It seems like an ideal time to fight back, but that is not what Peter teaches the Christians to do. He tells them to submit to the unjust authorities in leadership.

The situation for submission is one in which we are under authority. Peter was writing to slaves but much in this section applies to our work relationships. Because God is in control, we face each day with his power and love. If you receive some hard knocks today, turn them over to God. If you’ve been cheated, give the problem to God.

If employees do not fulfill their responsibilities, admit your loss and trust God fully.

Christians must never seek revenge, no matter how bad the circumstances. The impulse for revenge comes from people who think that systems or bosses or powerful people are in control.

Christians believe that God has ultimate power. Be careful. This verse does not advocate passivity or weak-willed submission to cruel people.

God’s way is for us to identify the nature of the relationship: Am I under the authority of the person who is treating me unfairly? That is the first question I must ask to determine how I should act in a given situation.

God has ordained various spheres of authority. He is the supreme authority over all, of course. But under God there is the sphere of human government (1 Pet. 2:13-17; Rom. 13:1-7). Also, there is the sphere of the family, in which husbands have authority over wives (1 Pet. 3:1-6; Eph. 5:22-24) and parents over children (Eph. 6:1-4).

There is the sphere of the church, in which elders have authority over the flock (1 Pet. 5:1-5; Heb. 13:17). And there is the sphere of employment in which employees must be subject to employers.

2. The motives for submission are to please God and bear witness to the lost.

Twice (2:19a, 20b) Peter says that submitting to unjust treatment “finds favor with God.”

Many of the readers of this letter would have known all too well what it meant to “bear up” under the pain of unjust suffering.

By being conscious of God when they suffered, they were remembering God’s care and love for them.

They focused on the fact that they were suffering injustice as Christ had suffered injustice, and they knew that one day God would right all wrongs. This gave them the proper attitude, enabled them to persevere, and kept their practice from being mere passive acceptance.

The idea is that God gives grace to the humble, not to the defiant, assertive, and self-reliant. If we defy an authority which God has placed over us, we are, in effect, defying God Himself. Thus, conscious of God, we should seek to submit to please Him, trusting Him to deal with the unjust authority.

If you’re being treated unfairly at work, you may be looking at a tremendous opportunity to bear witness for Christ by your behavior. If you yield your rights in a Christlike manner, people will notice and may wonder, “Why doesn’t he fight for his rights?” Maybe you’ll get an opportunity to tell them.

THE FACE OF SUFFERING. We may suffer for many reasons. Some suffering comes as the direct result of our own sin; some happens because of our foolishness; and some is the result of living in a fallen world.

Peter writes about suffering that comes as a result of doing good. Jesus never sinned, and yet he suffered so that we could be set free.

When we follow Christ’s example and live for others, we too may suffer. Our goal should be to face suffering as he did—with patience, calmness, and confidence, knowing that God controls the future.

3. The pattern for submission is Jesus Christ. Christ left an example for us to follow in His steps (2:21).

When we patiently suffer injustice, we are following our supreme example in Christ. He suffered great injustice in order to obtain our salvation:

• He endured the unbelief of his own people (John 1:11).

• He endured a trial by religious leaders already committed to his death (Mark 14:1; John 11:50).

• He endured the lies of false witnesses (Matthew 26:59–60).

• He endured beating and mockery from his people and from the Roman soldiers (Mark 14:64–65; 15:16–20).

• He endured merciless flogging (Mark 15:15).

• He endured an excruciatingly painful death by crucifixion (Mark 15:22–37).

• He endured the insults of bystanders as he suffered on the cross (Mark 15:29–32).

• He endured a time of separation from God (Mark 15:33–34).

Peter set up Christ as the model for the believers to follow.

They should face injustice from harsh masters or from other authorities with supreme dignity, trusting God’s control.

The word example is literally, “underwriting.” It was a school word. Teachers would lightly trace the letters of the alphabet so that students could write over them to learn how to write.

Or, as in our day, teachers would put examples of the alphabet up in the room for students to look at to copy as they formed their letters. Christ is that kind of example for us. If we follow how He lived, we will form our lives correctly.

Following “in His steps” pictures a child who steps in his father’s footprints in the snow. Where the father goes, the child goes, because he puts his feet in those same footprints. Peter says that we are called to the same purpose as Christ was (2:21).

If our Master’s footprints led to the cross where He suffered unjustly, so we can expect to die to self and suffer unjustly. If we respond as He did, people will see our Savior in us.

Many people will never read the Bible, but they do read our lives. They should see Christlikeness there, not a defiant spirit of self-will that characterizes those who are living for themselves and the things of this world.

4. The principle of submission involves not retaliating when we are wronged. 2:22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

Peter quoted from Isaiah 53:9, Isaiah’s prophecy about the suffering of the coming Messiah. Christ’s suffering was completely unjust because he never committed any sin or spoke any lies; there was no good reason for his being condemned to death.

Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (nkjv).

Jesus did not return abuse nor did he threaten. How tempting it must have been to expose the liars at his trial, to come down from the cross in a great display of power, or to blast his enemies with God’s wrath.

Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. Jesus suffered patiently because he knew that God would have the final say. Jesus regarded God as sovereign, so he put the outcome of his life in God’s hands. He was confident of God’s righteous judgment.

As Jesus entrusted (the verb is imperfect, he “kept entrusting”) himself and his sufferings to God, so all believers can entrust themselves and their suffering into God’s hands.

Knowing that God will ultimately right all wrongs is a great comfort to believers who are suffering, and it helps them respond correctly in their sufferings.

Don’t minimize or deny a person’s cruel behavior, for that will only encourage the person to continue to be abusive and discourage him or her from getting help.

You may need to confront the problem in order to protect innocent family members from danger. Don’t rationalize or excuse abuse. Seek help from the professionals God has given us. Those who don’t stop the cycle of abuse may live to see those victims become abusers themselves.

When Jesus was wronged, He did not retaliate in kind. He could have called legions of angels to strike down His enemies. He could have selfishly stood up for His rights (after all, He is Lord of the universe!). But He didn’t. He always acted selflessly, even when He did confront His accusers. While we’ll never be as unselfish as Jesus, it is a goal we should strive for.

There are four things mentioned which we need to keep in mind when we are treated unfairly.

First, Jesus did not commit sin. He always acted in obedience to the Father, never in self-will.

Second, there was never any deceit in His mouth. He didn’t bend the facts to win the argument or get His own way. When He defended Himself, He was always truthful.

Third, when He was reviled, He didn’t revile in return. He didn’t trade insults.

Fourth, He uttered no threats. He didn’t say, “Just you wait! I’ll get even with you!” In other words, Jesus didn’t respond to verbal abuse with more verbal abuse. Neither should we.

5. The means of submission is to entrust ourselves to the Righteous Judge.

Jesus made it through the cross by continually entrusting Himself to the Father who judges righteously. He knew that He would be vindicated by being raised from the dead and enthroned at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

He knew that His persecutors would be judged and dealt with according to their sins. So He “delivered Himself up” (the literal translation of “entrusted”) to God.

Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father, knowing that even though the way led to the cross, it also led through the cross to the glory beyond.

Even so, we can entrust ourselves to God. The way will lead to the cross; but also, it will lead through the cross to the glory that awaits us in heaven.

God is the righteous Judge who will someday right every wrong and bring vengeance on those who resist His authority. Our task is to trust Him by submitting to human authority, even when we are treated unfairly.