Month: March 2016

Wearing Humility With Pride.

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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: 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; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:1-5 ESV

The above title is meant to create a certain degree of disconnect in your mind when you read it. Is it really possible to wear humility with pride. It would seem contradictory to say that someone is proud of their humility. The two characteristics are anything but complementary. In their very essence, they oppose one another. And that is why Peter is continuing this section on suffering for righteousness’ sake with some very specific words of application regarding the role of humility within the body of Christ. First of all, he addresses the elders or overseers of the church. He qualifies his right to address them based on his own role as an elder and an apostle. As an apostle of Jesus, Peter had been en eye-witness to the sufferings of Jesus, having watched Him endure scourging, mocking, beatings and public scorn during His trials, and the public pain and humiliation of crucifixion. He knew first-hand what suffering for righteousness’ sake looked like. He knew far too well just how costly the kind of humility he was talking could be. He had watched Jesus die, willingly and obediently, fulfilling the will of His Father. But Peter had also been there when Jesus appeared in His resurrected state, and he had heard Jesus say, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:46-48 ESV). And Peter had been an eyewitness to Jesus’ ascension back into heaven. He had been “a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1b ESV). And Peter had heard the angel proclaim, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11 ESV).

So based on his qualifications, Peter addressed the elders by telling them to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you” (1 Peter 5:2 ESV). They were not to do it for money or power. Their role was not to be seen as a status symbol, but as a statement of humility and service. They were to lead by example. Their lives were to be models of righteousness and godly leadership. They were to find their motivation in their future glorification, not any sense of prominence or pride they might find in this life. Peter had remembered well the words of Jesus spoken on the hillside years earlier: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1 ESV). Jesus had gone on to say that if your motivation was to be seen and praised by men, you would have your reward in full: the recognition and praise of men. But elders were to have a higher standard, a loftier goal. And they were to be examples to all those under their care.

Paul had given similar words of admonition to the elders from Ephesus:

You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20:18-24 ESV

He went on to tell them, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28 ESV). They were to see the people of God as belonging to God, having been paid for by the death of Christ. They were simply overseers or caretakers, ultimately answering to God for those He had placed in their care. Like any shepherd, they were to offer protection and provision, care and comfort. Like Jesus, they were to be willing to lay down their lives for the sheep. They were to live in constant recognition that they would one day answer to the Chief Shepherd.

But Peter didn’t just address elders. He went on to deal with those within the congregation who were younger. He encouraged them to live in submission to their elders. That would require humility on their part. Self-autonomy is a part of human nature. We all want to run our own lives and to control our own fates. But within the body of Christ, God has called for order, structure, and a spirit of submission and humility. In fact, Peter went on to speak to everybody in the church, saying, “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another” (1 Peter 5:5 ESV). It is difficult, if not impossible, to lead the prideful and stubborn. Hard-headed sheep require a heavy-handed shepherd. But if we all learn to live humbly and submissively, leadership becomes much easier and following, much more pleasant.

Quoting from the Greek translation of Proverbs 3:34, Peter writes, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James quoted from the same passage when he wrote, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposed the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God” (James 4:6-7 ESV). Ultimately, our submission is to be toward God. As Peter will say in the very next verse in this chapter, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6 ESV). Shepherds are to lead, humbly. The sheep are to follow, humbly. Each is to willingly wait for God to glorify them at the proper time and in according to His divine will. There is no place for pride in the life of the humble.

The Fiery Trial.

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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. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 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?  And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. – 1 Peter 4:12-19 ESV

The fiery trial. Those words sound ominous and unattractive to us. Who, in their right mind, would want to experience something like that? But Peter tells us that when, not if, it happens, we are not be surprised  or act if something strange were taking place. In other words, we are to see it as a normal and expected part of our life as a Christian. The Greek word that Peter used is πύρωσις (pyrōsis) and it means “the burning by which metals are roasted and reduced” (“G4451 – pyrōsis (KJV) :: Strong’s Greek Lexicon.” Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org). In this instance, Peter is using it to refer to a trial that tests the character. It all goes back to his ongoing discussion of suffering begun in chapter three. There is a good chance that we will “suffer for righteousness’ sake” (1 Peter 3:14 ESV) in this life. Jesus promised it and Paul also warned us about it. Jesus warned His disciples as they went out on their first mission without Him, “you will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Matthew 10:22 ESV). Paul kept his sanity in the midst of trials by keeping his eyes focused on the outcome: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18 ESV).

Trials for the believer are to be seen as coming through God. He is sovereign and in complete control of all things. These experiences, while not always coming directly from the hand of God, are allowed by Him in order to prove or refine us. Like a craftsman who refines gold or silver, fire is involved. The intense heat of the flames are actually used to make that which is being refined more pure and precious than it was before. It burns away all that is of no value, leaving behind something of far greater worth than it had before. Gold cannot refine itself. Neither can we. Even as believers we are contaminated by sin and carry with us the residue of our sin nature. It is God’s good will to expose and expunge the remnants of our old nature in order that we might become increasingly like Christ. And the way He has chosen to do that is through the sufferings we encounter in this life. It is in the midst of a trial that we see our weaknesses: our fear of death or our fear of man, our lack of contentment and our lack of trust, our anger, our greed, our lust, and a host of other negative characteristics that are hold-overs to our old way of life.

Peter actually tells us to rejoice when we share in Christ’s sufferings. But the key is that we must always keep our hope focused on the glory to be revealed when He returns. As we wait for that day, Peter’s counsel is, “if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14 ESV). It may not feel like it at the time, but we must recognize the fact that God loves us and is in the process of refining us. I am reminded of the words of David from the 139th Psalm:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. – Psalm 139:23-24 ESV

David was inviting God to test him. He wanted God to expose anything in his life that was in opposition to Him. David longed to be purified by God, and he knew that only God could see the hidden sins and character flaws in his life and do something about them. The sad reality is that we are often blind to our sins. We can’t always see our pride, anger, fear, greed, lust, and hate. But God can and He uses the trials and tests of life to bring those things to the surface so that they can be removed or burned away. Purification requires purging. Holiness demands that sinfulness be eliminated.

Peter warns us once again that our suffering should always be for righteousness sake and not for doing evil. We are not to “suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler” (1 Peter 4:15 ESV). Instead, our suffering, should it happen, must be as a result of our relationship with Christ. And rather than be ashamed for that kind of suffering, we should rejoice. We should see it as the hand of God purifying His church and His people. We may suffer now, but we will not suffer in when the day of God’s judgment comes upon all those who have rejected His Son. Peter may well be referring to the words of the prophet, Malachi:

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. – Malachi 3:2-3 ESV

We must trust in the justice of God. He loves us and is out to purify and perfect us. His judgment on us is now as He removes from us the remaining vestiges of sin in our lives. He judges our sin in the sense of exposing and removing it. He shines His light into the dark recesses of our lives and reveals anything that is contrary to our new nature as His children. But the judgment for those who have not embraced the gospel is going to be much more severe. We may suffer for a time, but their suffering will be for eternity. Paul reminds us, “our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT). So if we find ourselves suffering as a result of our faith, we must remind ourselves that our God is faithful and loving. We must entrust our souls to Him, believing that He will do what He has promised and one day take us to be with Him. And we will trade our momentary, light afflictions for an eternal weight of glory.

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That God May Be Glorified.

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The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 4:7-11 ESV

Peter lived with a powerful and behavior-influencing belief that the return of the Lord could happen at any time. He truly believed that “the end of all things is at hand” (1 Peter 4:7 ESV). He obviously remembered the words of Jesus spoken to he and the other disciples: “if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3 ESV). Peter had no idea when Jesus was going to return, but he lived his life as if it could happen any day, and he encouraged his readers to do the same. A fervent expectation of Christ’s return will have a powerful impact on our behavior as we wait. That is why Peter tells his audience  to be “self-controlled” and “sober-minded”. The first word is σωφρονέω (sōphroneō) and it means to “think of one’s self soberly, to curb one’s passions” (“G4993 – sōphroneō (KJV) :: Strong’s Greek Lexicon.” Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org). Remember, Peter had just told his readers to “have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart and a humble mind” (1 Peter 3:8 ESV). They were to have the same attitude that Christ had. They were not to be controlled by their sin natures, repaying “evil for evil or reviling for reviling” (1 Peter 3:9 ESV). They were to live their lives “in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God (1 Peter 4:2 ESV). To live differently, they were going to have to see themselves as different, set apart, distinct. They were going to have to remember that they belonged to God and had His Holy Spirit living within them.

The second word is νήφω (nēphō) and it means “to be calm and collected in spirit, temperate, circumspect” (“G3525 – nēphō (KJV) :: Strong’s Greek Lexicon.” Blue Letter Bible. Web. http://www.blueletterbible.org). It is the same word Peter used earlier in his letter when he wrote, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13 ESV). It conveys a seriousness of outlook that should pervade our lives as Christians. We are not here for our own pleasure, but to fulfill the purposes of God. Like Jesus, we have been given a job to do and we are to live our lives focused on the will of God. Our hope is to be in the return of His Son and the ultimate redemption and the glorification of our bodies. To live self-controlled and sober-minded is to take sin seriously and to make our calling by God our highest priority. As Peter suggests, it has a dramatic impact on our prayers. Not so much that our prayers will not be answered if we fail to live self-controlled and sober-minded, but that we will not know what to pray for. We will tend to pray selfish, myopic prayers that are based more on our will than God’s. They will focus more on making our lives easier, rather than more holy. They will be surface-oriented, instead of heart-focused.

Our prayers should be a reflection of our love for God and others. We should want for others what God desires for them – either their salvation or their sanctification. Love should motivate all that we do. And as Peter suggests, “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 ESV). Love allows us to patiently put up with the sins of others, especially when those sins are against us. This doesn’t mean we tolerate or turn a blind eye toward sin, but that we allow love to dictate our reaction to it. We should never forget that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 NLT). He didn’t demand that we get our act together first. He loved us in the midst of our sinfulness and provided for us a means of being freed from our slavery to sin.

Peter tells us that all that we do in this life is to be done for the glory of God. Every word we speak is to be carefully considered, and treated as if you were speaking for God. When we serve others, we are to do so with a complete dependence upon His strength, not our own. Paul expressed it well when he wrote to the believers in Rome: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36 ESV). We are to live our lives in complete reliance upon Him and with the intent to glorify Him through all that we do. We exist for His glory, not our own. We are to live like Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Romans 12:2 ESV). Our future glorification is coming. But in the meantime, we are to live in such a way, “that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11 ESV). And God is glorified through Jesus Christ as we live in faithful obedience like He did. When we emulate the life and love of Christ in this dark and dying world, we bring glory to our heavenly Father, just as He did.

Peter speaks of the eternal glory and dominion of God. That is something we need to dwell on more as we live in this temporary, time-constrained world. This is not all there is. God has something greater and grander in store for us. The end of all things is at hand. We don’t know when the Lord will return, but He will. So we need to live in eager anticipation and expectation of that day. We must long for His return more than we long for our best life now. We must focus on our future glorification rather than our immediate gratification.

…but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. – Romans 8:23-25 ESV

 

Living For God’s Will, Not Your Own.

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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, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. – 1 Peter 4:1-6 ESV

Peter’s first verse of chapter four sounds very similar to the words of Paul found in His letter to the Philippians. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 ESV). Paul goes on to explain just what that attitude or mindset of Jesus was. “…although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8 ESV). During His earthly life, Jesus suffered all kinds of scorn, rejection, abuse and ridicule. Yes, He had followers, but He had just as many detractors. There were those who wanted Him dead, and they did not let up until they had succeeded in having Him executed. Jesus willingly endured all of this in order to do the will of His Father in heaven.

When Peter says, “whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,” it seems that he is speaking of suffering for the sake of Christ. In other words, he is picking up his thoughts from verses 13-18 in chapter three. There Peter talked about suffering for righteousness sake. He described it as “good behavior” or “doing good.” If we are doing the right thing, the will of God, then we are not sinning. To do the will of God is NOT to sin. So we have ceased from sinning. I don’t believe Peter is inferring that we will no longer sin at all. He is simply saying that it is impossible to live within the will of God and sin at the same time. Our goal should be that of Jesus, to do the will of the Father while we are on this earth. If we do, we most likely will suffer as a result, just as He did. But we will discover that we can live on this earth and in this fleshly, sin-prone bodies, “no longer for human passions but for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2 ESV).

We can choose to live according to God’s will or our own will, which Peter describes as “what the Gentiles want to do” (1 Peter 3 ESV). Those who don’t know Christ as their Savior are “living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry” (1 Peter 4:3 ESV). Paul called them the “deeds of the flesh” and included among them “immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-20 ESV). In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul provides another list that describes those who are not living within the will of God because they are not children of God:

…the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God… – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV

But he goes on to tell his believing readers, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV). Their behavior had changed because their lives had been changed by coming to know Christ. They had a new, God-given capacity to live righteously and differently. And Peter told his readers that their lost friends “are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you” (1 Peter 4:4 ESV). The lost can’t comprehend the change that takes place in the life of a believer. The new-found ability of a believer to say no to sin and yes to God is incomprehensible to the unbeliever. Rather than doing what comes “naturally,” believers begin to do what is supernatural, living under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit. That is why Paul encourages us, “walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16 ESV). We can and should live differently, as Jesus Himself lived. We should live in and for the will of God. When we do, we will most likely suffer as He did. But we will be free from sin while we do so. Walking according to the Spirit and within the will of God makes sin impossible. And the more we learn to live like Jesus, we will see the impact and influence of sin diminish in our lives.

The gospel is the key. Peter, like Paul and the other apostles, was determined to preach the gospel so that others might come to know the experience of living in the will of God, freed from slavery to sin and knowing the incredible joy of a right relationship with God and the capacity to live righteously in this life. Peter even indicates that those believers who had heard the gospel but had died, though they had to experience the pain of physical death, were now living in the spirit with God. They had received their reward. The gospel does not prevent physical death from taking place. But it does eliminate the threat of spiritual death – eternal separation from God.

Standing beside the grave of Lazarus, Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV). Jesus would go on to raise Lazarus from the dead, but Lazarus would eventually experience physical death again. But he would never have to worry about the threat of spiritual separation from God. Paul said, “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV). We can live differently here. We may suffer for doing so, but we can rest in the knowledge that our reward is eternal, unbroken fellowship with God and His Son. The author of Hebrews tells us to look to Jesus, to fix our eyes on Him, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV). Our glorification is coming. Our eternal reward is secure. We can live confidently and righteously in this life because we have the assurance of eternal life.

 

Made Alive in the Spirit.

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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, 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, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. – 1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV

This is one of the most obscure and difficult passages found in the Bible. In fact, Martin Luther once described it as, “a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament” and he concluded, “so I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” Keep in mind that Peter has been discussing suffering for righteousness sake. He has talked about being zealous for doing what is good, and enduring the consequences of our actions. “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:17 ESV). Now he uses Christ as an example. He suffered for doing good, having died for the sins of mankind, the righteous for the unrighteous. All so that men might be made right with God. His suffering included being put to death in the flesh, but it culminated with God raising Him from the dead. He “has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” (1 Peter 3:22 ESV). Jesus’ suffering was followed by glorification. His death was followed by life. His defeat was followed by victory.

But this is where Peter seems to get a little bit difficult to understand. He mentions Jesus, in the spirit, going and proclaiming to the spirits in prison. Who are these spirits? When did Jesus do this? What did He proclaim? Why did Peter bring up Noah and what does he have to do with the spirits in prison? Why does Peter seem to indicate that baptism saves, when elsewhere in Scripture it is not a requirement for salvation? There are many different interpretations and opinions regarding these questions and their answers. While it is impossible to completely solve the mystery surrounding these verses, it would seem that Peter is making a point regarding Jesus’ resurrected state, post-crucufixion and death. Jesus suffered and died, but He was raised again by the power of the Holy Spirit and received a new body. He was no longer restricted by the limitations of His former earthly body. He still appeared the same, as He was readily recognized by His disciples when He appeared to them after His resurrection. But His new body allowed Him to do things He could not have done before. John records, “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them” (John 20:19 ESV).

Yet Jesus was NOT a Spirit. He said to His disciples, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:38-39 ESV). Jesus had died, but He was alive. And His new life was distinctly different from the life He had had before. He had a resurrected body. And His resurrected state was a loud statement regarding God’s redemptive power. I believe what Peter is saying is that, with His resurrection, Jesus proclaimed the long-awaited salvation of God. It was like a message blasted over a loud speaker, heard even by those who were imprisoned for their disobedience to God, years before. Even those who lived during the days of Noah. God had instructed Noah to build an ark, intended as a means of salvation from the coming judgment. Those living in Noah’s day saw the ark being built, day after day. But they were corrupt. They were sinful and disobedient to God. Genesis describes the situation in very stark terms:

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. – Genesis 6:5-6 ESV

And God destroyed the earth. But He saved Noah and his family, eight people in all. The ark became their rescue from the flood. Peter says that they “were brought safely through the water” (1 Peter 3:20 ESV). God cleansed the earth with water. He purified it from the sin that had contaminated it. But we know from the Genesis account, that sin remained in the world after the flood. Noah’s own family regenerated the earth, but they carried the sin of Adam with them. It would not take long for it to infect that human race again. But Peter’s point seems to be that the water was used by God to save a remnant from destruction. The water did not cleanse them from their sinfulness. It saved them from destruction. God is the one who saved them. It was He who gave Noah the idea to build the ark. He sent the means of salvation. Just as God sent Jesus to be the means of our salvation. And baptism, Peter states, plays a similar role in our lives as the flood waters did in the days of Noah. The waters brought death to many, but also life to Noah and his family. When we go through the ordinance of baptism, it is a statement of the change that God has brought about in our lives. He has saved us from death by allowing us to vicariously experience the death of His Son and receive new life, resurrected life, just as He has. Paul describes it in these terms: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4 ESV).

Baptism does not save us. But it is a public declaration of the salvation provided for us by God through His Son. We have been buried and raised to new life. We have been cleansed and forgiven. We are new creations. Like Jesus after His resurrection, we are no longer what we once were. Our consciences are clear. Our sins are forgiven. We are no longer under condemnation. Jesus has been raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of God, a reminder of our future state and a guarantee of our eternal hope. The ark provided Noah and his family with a brief respite from death. But what Jesus has provided for us is victory over death for all time. Jesus Himself reminds us, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26 ESV). We have new life in Christ, now. We are new creations, now. We have been made alive in Christ, and that speaks of a newness of life that is to be distinctly different than the life we had before Christ.

Doing Good Even When It’s Bad For You.

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Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God… – 1 Peter 3:13-18a ESV

Sometimes, doing the right thing can produce a wrong reaction from others. And when the right thing involves doing the will of God, it can result in all kinds of negative responses from those who oppose God. Loving your enemy will not always be received well by your enemy. Keeping your tongue from evil and your lips from deceit (verse 10) doesn’t guarantee that others will not speak poorly of you and attempt to spread false accusations against you. Suffering for the sake of righteousness is a real possibility for every believer. He even used Christ as an example of suffering for righteousness sake. He “also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18 ESV). Now the problem with Peter’s use of Christ as an example is that it seems to provide a negative answer to his opening question: “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” It would seem that, based on the death of Jesus, the answer would be, “A lot of people!” There seemed to be no shortage of people who wanted to see Jesus suffer and die for doing what was right. But Peter seems to have the words of the psalmist in mind as he writes this passage.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.– Psalm 118:6-7 ESV

The words of Jesus, spoken to the disciples as He was sending them out of their first ministry assignment without Him, were probably still echoing in Peter’s ear. He had warned them of coming persecution.

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. – Matthew 10:16-18 ESV

Jesus had gone on to tell them, “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Matthew 10:22 ESV). But He had also said, “So have no fear of them … And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:26, 28 ESV). The bottom line for Peter was to honor Christ rather than to fear man. “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy” (1 Peter 3:14-15 ESV). Again, Peter seems to have the words of Jesus in mind. “What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops” (Matthew 10:27 ESV). As believers, we must be ready, willing and able to speak the truth concerning Christ to any and all we meet. But we must do more than proclaim the good news about Jesus, we must live it out in our everyday lives. Our behavior must reflect the reality of what we say we believe about Jesus and His redemptive, life-transforming work in our lives. That’s why Peter honoring Christ as “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15 ESV). The truth of the gospel is best defended by both words and deeds. Redemption proclaimed is best proved by righteousness lived out. The good news must be accompanied by good behavior. And when others “revile your good behavior in Christ,” Peter says they “may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16 ESV).

As believers, we ultimately answer to God. Peter, quoting from Psalm 34, said, “the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12 ESV). That includes Christians. God is a righteous, holy god. He cannot tolerate sin. So we must be zealous to do good, to live righteously, even if it leads to suffering. A guilt-free conscience before God is better than a life free from suffering because you allowed your fear of man to overshadow your fear of and love for God. Suffering is inevitable and unavoidable in this life. We will either suffer for doing wrong or for doing what is good and right in God’s eyes. Jesus Himself reminds us, “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22 ESV). We may suffer for doing what is right, and we have been promised salvation as a reward. Paul would have us focus on the end result of our faithfulness. While doing what is right may result in suffering here, it will ultimately produce glory in the hereafter. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV). Doing good may turn out bad for you in this life, but you will be far from disappointed in the long-term results of a life lived in obedience to God.

 

When Belief Shows Up In Behavior.

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Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep 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 prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” – 1 Peter 3:8-12 ESV

Peter has been dealing with issues in the church as its members undergo persecution, endure suffering, deal with unbelievers, and handle relationships with their own family members who may not know the Lord. Now he addresses the entire congregation, giving them valuable insights into what their behavior should look like in the midst of all that they are experiencing. First of all, he tells them to have unity of mind. The Greek word Peter uses is ὁμόφρων (homophrōn) and it can be translated as “harmonious.” He wants them to learn how to live together in a harmonious and complementary way. Not only do they share a common faith in Christ, they enjoy a unified outlook on how that faith should change the way they live their lives. It should express itself in sympathy and love for one another. And sympathy doesn’t mean simply feeling sorry for the other person. It means “suffering or feeling the like with another.” Paul provides us with some insight into this very idea when he tells the believers in Rome, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:15-16 ESV). We are in this together. We are to share one another’s burdens, experience each other’s pain, and live in such harmony that we feel the pain of the other person as if it was ours. That requires that we be tenderhearted and compassionate. The hurts and heartaches of others must burden and bother us, and we must be willing to cry alongside them. Sometimes, what our brothers and sisters in Christ need most when they are suffering is our presence, not our words. They need to know we care, not how much Scripture we can quote. And behind all of this must lie a humble heart. It is impossible to live in harmony if you see yourself as somehow better than others. It will be difficult to relate to the suffering if you have an over-inflated view of yourself.  The author of Hebrew reminds us, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3 ESV). That will be impossible to pull off unless you live with a humble attitude that says, “there but for the grace of God, go I.”

As we live on this earth, we must do so in a way that reflects our new-found faith in Christ and our position as God’s sons and daughters. We are not to live like the world, with an attitude of payback and revenge. Instead, we are to bless those who try to do us harm. We are to love those who hate us and pray for those who attempt to hurt us. Peter says, “to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9 ESV). Peter is not making this us. He is simply reiterating what he had heard from Jesus Himself.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers,i what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

Peter even appeals to the words of King David by quoting from one of his psalms.

What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil. – Psalm 34:12-14 ESV

Our belief is to show up in our behavior. We have been called by God to live in a dramatically different way than the lost world around us. We cannot claim to be believers, yet act as if we are no different than those who do not know Christ. Our speech should be different. Our attitudes must be driven by our faith. Our hearts should reflect the love we have received from God by sending His Son to die on our behalf – while we were yet sinners. Obedience brings blessing. When we live according to God’s will, it not only pleases Him, it pleases Him to bless us. The words of the apostle Paul provide a great summation of this section of Peter’s letter.

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. – 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 ESV

Strong Words About the Weak.

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Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. – 1 Peter 3:7 ESV

We might as deal with the most challenging part of this verse first. What does Peter mean when he refers to women as “the weaker vessel”? He most certainly was not inferring that women are somehow inferior to men. While that was the common societal perspective of his day, Peter, like Jesus, held women in high esteem and as the spiritual equals of men. While he believed in and adhered to God’s created order that the man was to be the head of his household, women were in no way subservient. So what should we make of his point that women are somehow weaker than men? What is he trying to say? The easy and most obvious answer would be that women are, in most cases, physically weaker than men. No, this is not always true, but it is usually an accepted fact that men are physically stronger than women. It could also be referring to the more sensitive nature of a woman’s emotional makeup. Women tend to be exhibit the characteristics of compassion, tenderness, love, kindness, mercy and care. This is not to say that men do not share these traits, but they are more commonly associated with women. Peter could have simply been encouraging the men to whom he was writing to know their wives well and to be sensitive to their physical, spiritual and emotional makeups. One way in which we could view Peter’s words are to see the wife as fine china, weaker in the sense of fragility and value. They are to be treated with tenderness and care. They are to be seen as irreplaceable and priceless.

He told them to “live with your wives in an understanding way.” The literal translation of the phrase Peter uses could be “according to knowledge.” Not only should a husband know his wife well, but he should know how God would have him express love to his wife. He is to honor her based on what he knows about her. And he is to see her as his partner in life, his heir of the grace of life.

It was God’s idea to put man and woman together as husband and wife. Together they complement and complete one another. They each have God-given roles and responsibilities and each is to honor and respect the other. The husband is to see his wife as his partner in life, and that would include in his spiritual life. In the culture in which Peter lived, women were expected to accept the religion of their husbands, without any say or input into the matter. They had no rights regarding the matter. So perhaps Peter is addressing husbands whose wives were not believers. This would seem to fit in with his address to the wives who had husbands who were not yet believers. It was obviously common for men and women to come to faith in Christ while their spouses remained unsaved. So it could be that when Peter addresses wives as “the weaker vessel,” he is either referring to non-believing wives or wives who are less mature in their faith. In his letter to the Romans, Paul addressed this very issue and used similar language. He wrote, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions” (Romans 14:1 ESV). He then went on to deal with situations within the church involving gray areas or personal convictions. There were those in the church who felt it was wrong to eat certain kinds of foods. They were bringing their convictions from their former religions or lifestyles into the fellowship, without realizing that there were no such restrictions within Christianity. Others in the fellowship, who knew that these convictions were baseless were guilty of looking down on their “weaker” brothers, flaunting their rights and freedoms in their faces. Paul called them on the carpet for this, admonishing them to give up their rights for the sake of their weaker brothers.

So it could be that Peter is making a similar point. He just might be addressing believing husbands whose wives are immature in their faith. Peter could have been encouraging husbands to treat their wives with deference and honor, knowing that their faith was less developed. Whatever the case, Paul’s admonishment to the believers in Rome still applies: “For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:7-8 ESV). There is a selflessness that is to characterize the life of a believer, and that is especially true within the marriage context. The husband and wife are to treat one another with honor and respect. They are to understand that their relationship is God-ordained and that together they share in the grace of life.

Peter concludes his remarks to husbands with an interesting word of warning concerning unanswered prayer. He seems to indicate that if a husband does not live with his wife in an understanding way, showing her honor and treating her with respect, his prayers will go unanswered. This shows how important this matter is to God. To mistreat, undervalue or dishonor one’s wife is sin. Sin hampers and hinders our relationship with God. A believing husband who does not place the proper value on his wife cannot expect to be heard by God. When God looks at a marriage, He sees the two as one. He holds them both accountable. There was no doubt that those who came to faith in Peter’s day were faced with all kinds of difficulties in the form of trials, temptations and even persecution. But there would also have been potential conflict within the home. Christianity was bringing with it a certain degree of conflict, even between parents and children, husbands and wives. So Peter called men to love their wives, whether believing or lost, in a way that would please God and keep the channels of communication open between themselves and their heavenly Father.

Without A Word.

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Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external — the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear — but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. – 1 Peter 3:1-6 ESV

Peter now takes his message of submission into the inner sanctum of the home. And for us, as modern-day Christians, this message can have a certain archaic and painfully old-fashioned ring to it. But we must keep what Peter has written on this within the context of his letter and social setting of the day in which he wrote. First of all, the fact that Peter addressed women at all is not something we should miss. In the culture of his day, women often were considered inferior. They were expected to follow the religion of their husbands and were given little say in the matter. And yet, here is Peter addressing women who had placed their faith in Christ. He is speaking to them as a separate group and addressing their specific situation, providing them with insight into how they were supposed to live as believers when their husbands were not. He knew that they were going against the cultural norms of their day. Rather than worship the false gods of their husbands, these women had placed their faith in Christ and now found themselves in a delicate, if not dangerous, place.

It is important that we recognize that Peter is primarily addressing women who are married to unbelievers. His admonition to submit is applicable to all Christian women, whether their husbands are believers or not, but he seems to be putting a special emphasis on wives whose husbands do not share their faith. He says, “wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct” (1 Peter 3:1-2 ESV). The idea of submission has a certain distasteful to many. And while we may not particularly like Peter’s command to submit to those in authority over us when it comes to the government or even the workplace, the idea of wives having to submit to their husbands has a particularly unattractive appeal to many today. But it is important to note that when Peter uses the Greek word hypotasso (“to submit”) he is speaking about a willing coming under another as part of God’s willed order. It has nothing to do with worth or value. It is not an admission of superiority or inferiority (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “hypotasso,” by Gerhard Delling, 8 (1972):44). It has everything to do with God’s divine plan and His children’s conduct and character. Ultimately, all of us are required to submit to someone and we are to see our submission as unto the Lord. Each of us answers to Him. God has ordained an order and a structure to the universe. And while the idea of wives having to be subject to their husbands may rub us the wrong way, it is important to remember that God has a method to His seeming madness.

When we live in this world according to God’s will, submitting to His plan for our lives, it not only pleases Him, but it gives living proof of the change that has taken place within us because of the presence of the indwelling Spirit of God. To expect a believing wife to submit to her unbelieving husband seems unfair and potentially stifling to her faith. But God says that her conduct could have a redemptive aspect to it. Christlike behavior can be a powerful force within our relationships. How we act as Christians can have a major influence on the lost with whom we come in contact. So Peter gives these women some insights into how their behavior can have a saving influence on their husbands. And he goes straight to the heart of the matter: “let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Peter 3:4 ESV). Peter’s concern seems to be that women who had discovered their newfound freedom in Christ would allow their behavior to push their unbelieving husbands away from the faith. Believers must never forget that their salvation is not to be viewed in an individualistic way. The good news we have embraced is meant to be shared. Our faith is meant to be lived out among the lost. We are to be salt and light – agents of change and ministers of reconciliation, calling people to be made right with God. That is why the apostle Paul calls on believers to remain as they were when called by God.  “To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him” (1 Corinthians 7:12-13 ESV). Our godly influence over the lost in our lives is a big part of God’s plan for our lives.

Much of what Peter says in these verses sounds out of touch with real life. It is counter-cultural and seems to go against the grain of societal expectations. But much of what God expects of us is revolutionary in nature. It is intended to set us apart and requires us to live differently than those around us. It is our ability to do good in the midst of the bad that surrounds us that gets the attention of the lost. Our joy in the midst of sorrow, peace in the middle of the storm, contentment with little, hope in spite of heartache, and our ability to love when treated in unloving ways, that sets us apart.

Paul gives us each some wise words to consider. “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches” (1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV). How does God want to use you right where you are? Who has He placed in your life so that you might have a godly influence over them? Ultimately, our submission to God will lead us to submit to all those with whom we come in contact. We will gladly come under another in order that we might win them over to Christ by our actions.

 

A Gracious Thing.

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Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. – 1 Peter 2:18-25 ESV

Peter now turns his attention to those within the church who were servants. The actual Greek word he uses is οἰκέτης (oiketēs) and it refers to a household servant or domestic. In many, if not all, cases these people were actually slaves. Theirs was not a normal case of voluntary employment. Those for whom they worked were considered their masters. They were obligated by Roman law to obey their masters It is thought that as many as 1 in 3 of the population of Italy were slaves. In the rest of the Roman provinces it was as much as 1 in 5. So slaves were a major part of the Roman economy and social structure. The Ancient History Encyclopedia provides a glimpse into the Roman perspective on slavery.

Slavery, that is complete mastery (dominium) of one individual over another, was so embedded in Roman culture that slaves became almost invisible and there was certainly no feeling of injustice in this situation on the part of the rulers. Inequality in power, freedom and the control of resources was an accepted part of life and went right back to the mythology of Jupiter overthrowing Saturn. As K.Bradley eloquently puts it, ‘freedom…was not a general right but a select privilege’ (Potter, 627). Further, it was believed that the freedom of some was only possible because others were enslaved. Slavery, was, therefore, not considered an evil but a necessity by Roman citizens.(Mark Cartwright. “Slavery in the Roman World,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified November 01, 2013. http://www.ancient.eu /article/629/.)

Peter does not address the institution of slavery. Instead, he speaks directly to those within the church who happened to be slaves or servants. That is the amazing thing. The very fact that these individuals were part of the local body of Christ speaks volumes about the church’s view of them as individuals. They were considered equal members of the body of Christ and were addressed as individuals with both responsibilities and rights. So Peter talks directly to them, giving them very personalized and specific instructions regarding their behavior. They were to “be subject” to their masters. He repeats the phrase he used when speaking to the church as a whole about their relationship to governmental authorities. These slaves had another issue. They were under the authority of their masters. They were obligated by law to obey. But Peter gives them a new way of looking at their role. In fact, he says that they were to treat their masters with all respect, whether they were good and gentle or unjust. And in Peter’s estimation, if a slave was suffering because of his faith in Christ, it was a “gracious thing.” The word he used was χάρις (charis). Charis was used by the New Testament authors to refer to God’s good will, loving-kindness, and favor. It was “the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues” (“G5485 – charis (KJV) :: Strong’s Greek Lexicon.” Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org).

They were to view their suffering as a sign of God’s grace and a reminder of His ongoing transformation of their lives into the likeness of His Son. He reminds them that enduring suffering for doing wrong accomplishes nothing. But enduring suffering for doing what is right and good “is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (1 Peter 2:20 ESV). When we endure suffering for the sake of Christ, our actions not only please God, but God is pleased to use those times of difficulty to mold us and make us more holy. Paul told the believers in Rome, “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5 ESV). Suffering that comes as a result of our faith is to be expected. For a slave in Peter’s day, the ridicule and shame that would have accompanied their faith would have been great. They were not viewed as people. They were property. Their masters would have seen their new-found faith in Christ as a threat. They had no rights. A master seeing their slave mixing in with other individuals of other classes of society as part of the church would have infuriated them.

But Peter reminds the slaves “to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21 ESV). Then Peter explains how the example of Christ applied to them. Throughout His suffering on this earth, Jesus “continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23 ESV). He kept His faith in God. He knew that His heavenly Father was watching and would reward Him for His faithfulness. He never took His eyes off His calling. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV). And it was the suffering of Christ that provided the means of salvation for mankind. By his wounds we have been healed. It was His suffering and death that made it possible for slaves, servants, masters, men, women, children, Jews, Gentiles and people from all walks of life to return to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls. Christ’s suffering had a purpose. So does ours. It produces endurance, character and hope. And it reveals the grace of God as He uses anything and everything in our lives to produce in us the image of His Son.