Introduction:
- How do you respond to unfair/unjust treatment? What is your natural reaction when someone wrongs you? How far are you willing to go to get revenge? When does the desire for justice merge more into a desire for retribution?
Injustice, persecution, and hardship awaited the hearers of Peter’s first letter. They were after all foreigners and exiles living amongst pagans who did not share their God or their faith and who rejected their ethics and hope.
In such an environment, you might expect Peter to urge his embattled brothers and sisters to seek out revenge, to fight back against the oppression they faced, or to work to undermine the societies in which they found themselves. This was, after all, the same Peter who drew his sword in defence of Jesus…
Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-17
- How does Peter encourage his fellow believers to interact with one another? (v8)
- What challenges to this attitude will they face? How might they be tempted to respond? What should they do instead? Why? (v9)
This should not be a surprise as God has always favoured those who are righteous and upright and who continue to seek Him and do good even in the midst of difficulty as the extract from Psalm 34 shows. Why would this Psalm be of encouragement to Peter’s listeners?
Application:
- What lessons might we draw from this for as we act within the public square?
This is quite a strong rebuke to those of us who are susceptible to ‘by any means necessary’ thinking. Broadly defined this attituded supports an ends-justify-the-means type attitude where the desired goal is given precedence over any other consideration.
It can be tempting can’t it, when we are slandered, misrepresented, and even cancelled, to respond in turn knowing this might help us win a debate or even crush an opponent or policy.
If we are misrepresented then we misrepresent others, if we are derided then we deride others, if we are slandered then we slander others. There seems to be a sense of justice to it but here Peter gives us no excuse for such behaviour, rather we are to respond with blessing.
- What might this mean for your personal conduct in…
- Lectures?
- Campaigning?
- Party politics?
More broadly, this has implications too for how we as Christians more formally might respond in a culture which flirts with, and at times actively embraces, evil in its public policy and justice systems, for example in its abortion policies.
What examples of ‘by any means necessary’ thinking can you see amongst Christians today? What might we have to learn from Peter’s teaching here?
Shun evil and do good is the constant refrain throughout 1 Peter and yet sadly, there are countless examples of people willing to harm those who are eager to do good (v13). Doing good does not commit Christians to an easy life.
- What comfort does Peter give to those facing such strife? (vv14-17)
- You are blessed, if you suffer for doing right (v14)
- Don’t be afraid, but prepare to give a defence with gentleness and respect that will shame those who oppose you (vv15-16)
- It is better to suffer for doing good now, than suffer for eternity for doing evil (v17)
Application:
- Verses 15-16 give us a model of how we should defend and explain the gospel in a sceptical or even hostile society. How might these verses guide our behaviour when….
- Parliament discusses legislation that would make it a crime to hold to orthodox beliefs on gender and sexuality
- We are subject to hostile media attention for seeking to defend the lives of the unborn child
- We are asked to explain how we can believe in a religion which is backward, bigoted, and oppressive
In each of these situations, it is important to note that Peter’s encouragement to give a reason for the hope that you have is not merely focussed on words. Doing good is crucial to his entire argument and it is right that we stop and think about whether we are more concerned with winning fights or saying the right thing than loving those around us and actually doing good.
Passage: 1 Peter 3:18-22
- Whilst there is something deeply attractive about Peter’s call to suffer for doing good and not repay evil for evil, there is a wider question about justice. How can it be right to suffer for doing what is good?
- Who has gone before us in this?
- Christ (v18)
Christ is the exemplar of what it means to suffer for doing good. The very son of God, spotless and righteous, suffered – taking on our sin – that we might be made righteous.
- How and why does Peter connect Christ to Noah? (vv19-22)
Now there is a lot of debate about these verses, but they are here not to confuse us but for our encouragement…
Just as Christ stood as an example of the righteousness of God heralding in a period of judgement (seen when He rises again triumphing over the forces of evil and death and probably the best explanation for v19, especially when read in light of v22) so, too Noah stood as a warning to his age of the righteousness and coming judgement of God.[1]
- What is the importance of baptism to both Noah and those Peter is writing to? What does this baptism look like?
- Noah went through the flood waters, a sort of baptism if you will (the old world dying and a new one being born/raised)
- Not removal of physical dirt but confidence before God in the death of Christ the one who ultimately died and was raised
- Why would these comparisons be of comfort to the Christians in Peter’s day?
- Christ reigns over all and those who disobey Him will be judged – even if you suffer for doing good now, there will be a time when those who cause the suffering will be judged accordingly
- “Believers today, like Noah of old, are called to testify to the hope of the gospel before a world that mocks and scorns us in unbelief. We do so in the power of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Christ at work in Noah’s proclamation ministry, and the Spirit by whom Christ was raised from the dead. Our task is not futile.”[2]
Application:
- How might this frame our task today as Christians involved in public and political life?
- What encouragement can we hold on to for when we inevitably suffer for doing good?
Passage: 1 Peter 4:1-6
- How should Christ’s suffering change our lives?
- Prepare to suffer, you are done with sin (v1)
- We are to live not for human desires but for the will of God (v2)
- What response should we expect from others?
- Surprise and abuse (v4)
Application:
- In what ways do you see this at work in your life today? Or think bigger, how do we see this attitude displayed towards Christians in public life?
- What comfort is there amidst the suffering?
- The abusers will be judged (vv5-6)
- Though people die, those who believe live by God’s spirit v6 (just like Christ before them 3:18). The worst that can happen to us is we die.
Application:
- In light of this passage, how will you view persecution and the marginalisation of Christians in public life differently? How might you change your own conduct as a result?
Pray:
- Pray that God would comfort us, and our fellow believers (especially the persecuted church globally) amidst suffering. Pray that God would help us to do good and shun evil.
- Pray that His kingdom would come and all evil and evildoers be held to account. Thank God that no injustice will be left unaccountable.
- Pray that we would prepare to give a defence of our saviour in British public life, whatever that may look like.
- Thank Christ that He is victorious over all powers and authorities and that if we are in Him through baptism then we too can delight in this victory. Pray for that victory to come in full.
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[1] ‘Does 1 Peter 3:19 teach that Jesus preached in hell?’ by Guy Waters: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/does-1-peter-teach-jesus-preached-hell/.
[2] Ibid.
