One of the most common reasons that people give for not wanting anything to do with churches or Christianity is something like “Christians are a bunch of hypocrites. They don’t always practice what they preach”
On the one hand, this isn’t a very good excuse
Biblical Christians will acknowledge that we are sinners saved purely by the grace of God, and we continue to struggle with sin until we reach heaven
We acknowledge that we do not always act in line with our professed beliefs, and that is indeed a form of hypocrisy for which we seek God’s forgiveness
We come together at church to help one another grow in spiritual maturity, recognizing that we are all at different stages in our spiritual walk
On the other hand, if we claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, our lives are a crucial part of our witness of who Jesus is and what it means to trust and follow him
If we identify with the one who is perfectly holy and loving, there had better be evidence of holiness and love in our life
It’s hard to blame people who are turned off to the claims of Jesus if they have repeatedly encountered professing Christians whose lives are characterized by flagrant sin or a self-righteous unloving spirit
In today’s passage, Peter describes what it looks like to live in a way that draws others to Christ
It includes how we interact with our fellow Christians
It includes how we interact with society…including those who are antagonistic toward us
(8) A Renewed Heart & Mind
In verse 8 Peter exhorts Christians about the kinds of motivations and attitudes that should characterize followers of Jesus Christ
Peter has given principles of how to interact in certain relationships (government-subject, servant-master, husbands-wives) and now clearly addresses all Believers
These are the characteristics of a Holy Spirit-empowered, renewed mind
These characteristics have at least as much to do with how we treat each other as how we interact with the world
Unity of mind
As believers we have shared beliefs, values, and ethics
We commit to understanding and applying God’s Word, and we regularly meet to grow together in this understanding & put it into practice (Hebrews 10:24-25)
We do not reject the clear teachings of Scripture so that we can indulge sinful desires (Romans 13:14) or be more acceptable to the world (James 4:4)
Unity of mind also means we are committed to the common good of the body of Christ rather than pursuing our own preferences, grudges, or agendas
Festering resentment and/or constant “us vs. them” conflicts in a local church are incredibly destructive – to those within the church & to its witness
True loving unity is about putting the good of others ahead of our own preferences/ego (Philippians 2:3-4), and true love does not keep a resentful list of how others have wronged me (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)
If you have an ongoing problem with someone, take care of it rather than continuing to hold it against them
If you were in the wrong, you need to ask forgiveness and maybe you need to make restitution
Maybe you need to talk to them and come to an agreement
Maybe you need to mentally file it under “my conscience is clear after doing all that I can, I’d like more from them, but ‘love coves a multitude of sins’” and move on
Whatever else needs to be involved in the solution, you most certainly need to choose to forgive and not bring it up again to them to others or to yourself
Sympathy & a tender heart (also translated compassion)
These are closely-related ideas that have to do with how we react to the needs or suffering of others
It can involve trying to see things from another’s point of view (not assuming the worst possible motives on their part even if you disagree with them)
It involves empathizing with the distress or suffering of others
Empathy has been described as “your pain in my heart” – unknown
Sympathy combines words that mean “to suffer together”
Compassion is related to the word for guts – i.e. to have a visceral “from the heart” response
This is not about going around in a spirit of constant dejection because we are aware of so much suffering in the world
It is about not having a callous attitude (“not my concern” or “they made their bed so now they can lie in it” or “I wouldn’t want to interfere with God’s judgment on them”)
It is about being moved to do something by the distress of others
Sometimes that “do something” is simply prayer on behalf of another
Often, we are also able to provide some physical help, and failing to do so shows a lack of true faith & love (James 2:15-17, 1 John 3:17-18)
Closely related to all of these is brotherly love
It carries the idea of looking out for the good of fellow Believers as if they were family (assuming a healthy family dynamic)
That is one of the things that is so beautiful about the church when it operates the way it is supposed to:
If you belong to Jesus, no matter what kind of family background you come from, you have family bound together not by genetic blood-ties, but by blood of Jesus, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the love of God working in and through us
Mark 10:29-30 – Jesus pointed Peter to the number of home and family relationships that his followers gain even if persecution and strife cause a rift in their blood family (e.g. “uncles” and “aunts” growing up on the mission field)
A humble mind
Humility was not seen as a virtue in the Roman world…it was for slaves and weaklings
If you weren’t strong or assertive enough to let everyone know how important you are, that meant you were an inferior sort of person
In our society, pride (the opposite of humility) is generally seen as a virtue…but we are called to humility
Humility doesn’t mean we constantly disparage ourselves, but that we have an accurate (not over-inflated) sense of our strengths and weaknesses & don’t feel the need for others to compliment us on them
We don’t brag or constantly find ways to draw attention to the good thing we have
Could be skills, position, possessions, spiritual knowledge, etc.
1 Corinthians 4:7b – We know that every good thing we have is a gracious gift
We don’t get to treat any task or person as if it they are beneath us
Philippians 2:5-6 – In this we have the example of Jesus himself who though he is God the Almighty Creator became a human being
He acted like a humble servant, even washing his disciples’ feet…including Judas Iscariot who he knew was going to betray him in a matter of hours
He died an excruciating death, suffering the holy wrath of God the Father in our place to make salvation available as a free gift
(9-12) Gracious Words & Actions
Now Peter turns to how this spirit of unity, sympathy, family love, compassion, and humility play out as we interact with potentially hostile society
He is going to focus in especially on how words are used
More than ever, this is a crucial in our society where the internet gives us the ability to have our words heard/read by many people and recorded for posterity
(9) We do not have the option of “fighting fire with fire” if we are going to be like Jesus
This is very similar to what was said at the end of chapter 2
Added now is the command to not only refrain from insulting verbal retaliation, but to bless them instead!
Bless (when used of a human being): To publicly speak well of someone or to ask God’s favor on someone (emphasis probably on the 2nd, but doesn’t exclude 1st)
This is more than just gritting your teeth and keeping quiet…you can’t truly bless someone (whether verbally or by praying for them) while wishing them ill
God gives us undeserved blessings, and we should extend the same to others (including the opportunity to share in the grace of God)
Compassion and humility lead us to see those who oppose us as being in need of God’s help rather than in need of being taken down a notch
To cultivate this attitude, be careful what you regularly consume
A constant diet of talk radio, news, or other media designed to reinforce one political view and tear down the other feeds a spirit of animosity
Having “how bad things are in the world today” as a constant topic of thought and conversation breeds moral arrogance (“I thank you God that I’m not like the rest of these sinners…”) and an “us vs. them” attitude
Honestly praying for the salvation, wisdom, and welfare of those who are lost or with whom we disagree is going to nourish much more godly responses
(10-12) Peter references Psalm 34 to show how important this is to God
James 3:9 – Personal insulting attacks, wishing someone ill, or arguing dishonestly are massively hypocritical for someone who claims to love God
2 Timothy 2:24 – this doesn’t mean we cannot point out when someone is wrong if doing so might be beneficial to them or others, but it must be done in the right spirit:
Hopeful instruction, planting a seed and praying for God to make it grow
Not about scoring points, “burning” someone, or winning an argument
(11) We aren’t called to be argumentative rabble rousers…the instructions are to seek peace, not deliberately provoke angry confrontations
Verse 12 reminds us that God opposes all who do evil
Which includes us if we stoop to the same level as slanderers, internet trolls, and mudslingers…don’t try to “defend God” using the enemy’s sinful methods
As in 3:7, this is tied to the understanding that whether or not we are living in obedience to God affects our prayer life
(13-17) A Clear Conscience & Witness
(13) Peter turns to the issue of being treated poorly even if we follow these guidelines with a rhetorical question
1st implication: if you are out there compassionately doing good and seeking peace people will be less inclined to mistreat you even if they think your beliefs are weird
Second implication: in the big picture, even though some may still choose to try to harm you, there is no one that can truly do so
Kind of like when Paul asks the question, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) – nobody whose opposition really matters
Matthew 10:28-32 – Jesus said that the only one who can do us permanent harm is the one who is on our side if Jesus is our Lord and Savior
(14-16) Peter acknowledges that there will still be people who mistreat Christians, but this is actually a source of blessings and opportunity
(14) If we suffer for doing what is right in God’s eyes, it actually brings blessing
It shows us to be recipients of God’s special favor – so much like Christ that we are treated with the same contempt he faced
Matthew 5:10-12 – It puts us in the godly company of heroes of the faith down through the ages who faced persecution in this short life, but are richly rewarded in eternity
(15) When we fearlessly continue to trust in Jesus, it will provide opportunities to explain to others about the living hope that we have
It’s not always going to be a wide open “what must I do to be saved?” but we can ask God for the wisdom and courage to steer conversations to the Gospel
As we do so, our manner must be one of gentleness and respect
We show others the respect due God’s image-bearers
We do not present the Gospel in a belittling or arrogant way that gives the impression of “you horrible worse-than-me sinner…”
If there is offense, let it be at the message of the Gospel, not our manner of presenting it
(16) As we do this, our actions must not contradict our beliefs
We must keep a clear conscience before God be resisting temptation, and quickly repenting when we do fall into sin
If our conscience is clear, accusations that we are a bad/hateful person will look foolish to anyone who actually knows us and is trying to be at all objective
E.g. in Roman historian Tacitus’ description of Nero killing Christians, he doesn’t like Christians at all, but admits that people actually began to pity them because they realized that the Christians were simply the victims of a personal vendetta
(17) While no one wants to suffer, Peter wraps up with the thought that suffering for doing good is sometimes God’s will and is far better than suffering for evil
Short term: Suffering that comes upon you for doing evil (whether government punishment or the discipline of God) is not a good testimony and does not come with the rewards that accompany suffering for righteousness sake
Big picture: It is better to be a follower of Jesus Christ who is sometimes called upon to suffer for doing what is pleasing to God than it is to be a fully accepted member of society who does not know Jesus and faces a final punishment for their sin at his return.
Applications:
Make sure that you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior
It can make life more difficult right now, but he will make it worth it
Trust him to forgive your sins and change your life based on his death & resurrection
Treat your fellow believers with unity, sympathy, brotherly love, compassion, & humility
Look out for the good of your brothers and sisters in Christ as you would look out for the good of your closest, most loved family member
Allow yourself to be moved to prayer and to action by the needs of others
Respond to insults or persecution with blessings and the Gospel flowing from a pure conscience
Don’t be the fists-up spoiling for a fight where I can make you look foolish kind of person. That is the world’s way, not Jesus’ way.
Pray for those who speak evil of you and if God opens the door to explain the Gospel take courage and talk about the glorious hope and blessing that we have
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