13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Peter is writing to those who are in great persecution and have been scatter throughout the region due to that persecution. They have lost homes and family. Their security is diminished and their anxiety is increased. He writes these above words to give them peace and understanding about where God is regarding all that is happening to them. Note some truths we can learn from this section for our own suffering now, or for what we may also face in the future:
1. If we are zealous for God there is no one who can harm us (vs. 13). God has promised to keep us in His hand. Note the proceeding verse:
1 Peter 3:12 (ESV)
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.”
If God’s eyes are on us and His ears are open to us, there is no one who can harm us. His face is set to them, not us.
2. Peter tells us that this suffering is a form of blessing from God (vs. 14). He tells us that if we suffer because we are acting in a righteous way we have blessing (makarios) from God. The word makarios is the key word in all the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. We don’t naturally think this way but this is the way Peter wants us to spiritually think.
3. We are to allow the suffering to drive us to holiness (15a). As we allow suffering to drive us to holiness we will begin to act different from the world. The world in suffering does not understand points #1 and #2, above. As we understand that God has us in his sight and is using it as a blessing we can be driven to holiness. That in turn, creates #4, below.
4. In the midst of suffering we are not to be passive. We are to work on being prepared to give an answer for our attitude in suffering (vs. 15b-17). That implies we will look different in suffering and that people will notice and ask us for the reason for the hope in us. Christians who respond differently to suffering will always look odd to the world. We are supposed to look different. We are to wear our suffering differently than the world wears theirs. Suffering is not comfortable but as we respond to it in a different way, the way God intends, we will look different to the world and the creates a conversation about Christ. The point of suffering is the same point is all aspects of life. It ought to be Christ centered.
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