1 Peter 3:1-17

Again, the theme of 1 Peter is the revelation or revealing of Jesus Christ in and through us now.  After we are born again and see that Christ lives in us, we are to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our soul or against the image of Christ in us.  Remember that our flesh is not yet redeemed.  We wonder how Christ can live in us if we still have fleshly lusts or desires.  But Christ is revealed in and through us when we abstain from fleshly lusts or selfishness and let the divine nature of God's love flow through us.  This is the fiery trial or trial by fire that Peter is describing.  It is not persecution which most commentaries describe.

1 Peter 3:1-7.  Read these verses.  Peter is describing how wives or husbands can influence their unbelieving spouse to receive the grace of God through their holy conduct and demonstrated love.  Verse 7 is interesting.  It says that our prayers will be hindered if we don't treat our spouse with understanding and honor and as an heir of the grace of life.  Many might think that God would withhold answers to prayer because of this.  I think the true answer lies in the context of what Peter has been teaching.  If we understand the true grace of God, we know that the sins of our entire lifetime are forgiven.  We should then be forgiving, graceful and respectful to others .  We should allow the divine nature of love to flow through us to our spouse and those around us.  If we don't, we really don't understand His grace toward us.  This would make it difficult for us to receive from the Lord.

1 Peter 3:8-12  "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tender-hearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.  For 'He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.  Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."  Wow, I have never heard these verses brought up in any sermons on grace!  Did Peter just go back to putting us under the Law?  Of course not.

We can be tender-hearted and courteous toward others and not return evil for evil when we understand that God has forgiven us of the sins of our entire lifetime.  That brings us to lasting peace with God.  It doesn't bring us peace with God just until the next time we sin.  But then God wants us to have peace and experience joy in this earthly realm.  This comes by turning away from sin and evil, which causes us pain.  Then we can inherit the blessings that He has for us.  We are not earning His blessings.  We are inheriting a blessing.  See how important our choices are, even though the sins of our entire lifetime are forgiven by the Lord.  If we are to love life and see good days while on this earth, we should refrain our tongue from speaking evil.  We should turn away from evil and do good.  We should seek peace with others and actively pursue it.  This is grace!  We may not like the next verse, but it is scripture.  "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."  This is talking about our righteous actions toward others, not our righteousness or right-standing before God.  Our righteousness before God is based on the shed blood of Jesus alone.  But for God's life and love to flow through us and to others, we have to live and act righteously and walk in a holy manner.  How can God's life and love be expressed through us otherwise?  I believe this is what is meant when it says the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.  To know that our sins are forgiven is just the beginning of the grace of God in our lives.  For us to grow up, we must turn away from evil and selfishness and begin to express His divine nature of love to others.  This is obedience.  This is maturity.

1 Peter 3:13-17 "And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?  But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. 'And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.' But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope that is in you , with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.  For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

This really brings out again the background in which the New Testament epistles were written.  Christians were proclaiming that Jesus had borne the penalty for all sins, and that God loves us and had forgiven us of all sins.  Outsiders said this grace was just an excuse to sin and that Christians were really evildoers using grace as a cloak or covering for vice.  So Peter is telling the believers to sanctify the Lord God in their hearts. This means to let the Lord be revealed through them in their outward actions of goodness and kindness and right living.  Then when people see our kindness and holiness and ask us about it, we have a chance to tell them the reason for our hope.  Our hope is the forgiveness of all sins and the eventual physical resurrection of our body through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Peter says if people revile us for our kindness and gentleness and good deeds, that is much better than suffering evil for doing wrong and fulfilling the lusts of our flesh.

Once again, this shows the multi-faceted grace of God in our lives.  We are justified before God through faith in His mercy and grace through the shed blood of our Savior Jesus Christ.  No amount of good works can add to that.  But we are justified before men by our good works.  Our good works are profitable to us and to those around us.  This is the true grace of God.

Keith Oliver