Lesson 13 – I Peter Chapter 3:12-15
To recap what we talked about in our last lesson, I will just read verses 8 to 11… (NLT)
“Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.
For the Scriptures say,
If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”
Peter is helping us in our walk with God. All the things he has mentioned bring us practical reminders for us to live by. Yet another good reason for us to constantly be in God’s Word.
I Peter 3:12
“For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Here we have a continuation of Psalm 34:15-16. What’s being said by the Psalmist is a positive message and up-lifting for any believer to hear. This Psalm is teaching us that God is watching over His own, and it reminds us that we are never alone, that whenever we pray, we know that God hears our prayers… that is, unless we’re caught up in some kind of un-confessed sin. Holding on to any sin creates a separation from our fellowship with God.
For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer.
When we read verses like this, it should serve as a reality check and become a motivator for us to always live our lives for God.
Col. 1:16-17
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
God is sovereign, He rules over the entire universe. His greatness is more than we can understand. We have been created for God, that we might love Him and serve Him.
Eph. 1:3-4
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”
Peter says, The eyes of the Lord…
We see this often in the Old Testament:
II Chron. 16:9a
“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
Proverbs 5:21
“For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths.”
Proverbs 15:3
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.”
How foolish it would be to think that we could do anything that God doesn’t see or know about. God has a caring “watchfulness” over all His children. Our verse says that God is looking toward the righteous… we should take comfort in the fact that God is caring and pays attention to His children’s needs.
His ears attend to their prayer…
Psalm 5:2-3
“Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”
Psalm 139:1-4
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.”
We serve and worship a God who is completely connected to us whether we realize it not. The real issue is, are we connected to Him? The secret to prayer is abiding in Christ, so that whatever we ask is in accordance with His heart. Every prayer we send to God must always be within His will.
Psalm 37:4-5
“Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.”
Why then does God sometimes seem deaf to our prayers? One reason may be because we’ve allowed sin to take root in our hearts, and like I said, sin always cuts us off from God. It may be anger, or hatred, or prejudice, or some unclean habit, including anything else that we’ve allowed to pollute our souls. The thing is, we should always be clean before the Lord, that involves taking a good look within, which involves confession.
I Thess. 5:16-18
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil…
This is the complete opposite of having the eyes of the Lord on you. In the Old Testament we see that the face of the Lord points toward judgment.
Psalm 34:16
“The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.”
Psalm 2:4-5
“He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury.”
God’s wrath is against those who do evil and those who disobey His Word. Some might say, “Well I see evil all around, and God doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it.” I’ve thought about this for many years, and I still don’t know the full answer. What I do know is this: God is real, and so is satan, and the evil we see all around us comes from satan, and not from God.
We know that God is working all the time, and we don’t have a clue as to all the evil He has thwarted so far. One thing is for sure, God’s judgment and wrath are definitely coming… perhaps sooner than we think.
Rev. 6:1617
“And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
God is in control, God is loving, and God can use evil for our ultimate good. And we can also say without hesitation that God will ultimately defeat evil and end all our suffering. Just because God has not eliminated evil and suffering in the world yet, does not mean He is not going to do so in the future.
As we observe our own attitudes and feelings when it comes to seeing evil “seemingly” flourish all the time, remember God is in control.
II Peter 3:9-10
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”
The Day of the Lord is coming and the face of the Lord is against those who do evil…
I Peter 3:13
“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?”
“Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?” (NLT)
The context of Peter’s question here is almost rhetorical. Through the works of satan and his demons, along with our physical suffering or material hardships, could perhaps distress those who are zealous for what is good. Peter is talking to believers who live godly lives in the midst of a hostile and ungodly culture. Maybe you’ve experienced some push back when you tried to do the right thing.
Who is there to harm you…
Peter is talking about potential persecutors (those who might do you harm), that it would be unusual, even for those who are aggressive to believers, to do harm to those who are eager to do good.
C.S. Lewis; “Badness is only spoiled goodness.”
The way Peter is stating this in his day, people might hurt you, but they can’t harm you. They might tie you to a tree and ignite you like Nero did. They might throw you to the lions that can devour you, but they can’t harm you because you’ll end up in heaven.
Are you picking up on what Peter is laying down here? In the grand scheme of things, if you’re living for the kingdom (zealous for what is good), it doesn’t matter what the world might try to do to you because in the end, you’re going to end up in heaven.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Psalm 37:5
“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.” (NLT)
Proverbs 3:33
“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.”
Prove to be zealous…
Prove means “to become,” and this points to the believer’s basic character quality, which should be that they are good and above reproach.
Zealous means an “intensity” about a person, or having great “enthusiasm” over something… Paul was a perfect example of this, before and after his conversion. Here we see that Peter wants his readers to be “zealots” for the things of God.
Titus 2:14
“Jesus gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, zealous for good deeds.”
One commentary writes, “Of course, being zealous for what is good produces a godly life… the delight and goal of all believers… which leads to pure living and the loss of one’s appetite for the world’s ungodly attractions”
Needless to say, for a person to be zealous in their faith, they need to be active in their faith.
I Peter 3:14
“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled,”
“But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.” (NLT)
Can you think of someone who has suffered for righteousness sake? I hope your first thought is Jesus.
Romans 10:4
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Acts 10:38
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
John 10:32
“Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”
Even though Christians might have a passion for doing what is good, there’s no guarantee against them suffering. How can we expect to escape persecutions or suffering when our Lord and Savior did not?
Matt. 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
The Christian is to break the cords that “bind” them to this world. Every Christian has to decide if he or she is influencing the world or if the world is influencing them. If we suffer for righteousness (Christ), it is a blessing in God’s economy.
II Cor. 6:17
“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.” (NLT)
In the United States, the 20th century was marked by believers being so separated from the world that there was not enough interaction with the world. Now the 21st century may be marked by Christians being so involved with the world, that it is hard to tell the difference between the two. It’s important that we find a balance, and then at the same time, we don’t compromise our Christian values.
Suffer for the sake of righteousness… it comes with the territory… faithful Christians today shouldn’t be surprised or afraid if suffering comes their way, because that becomes a means by which they are blessed.
You are blessed…
Naturally we ask the question, in what ways does any kind of suffering for righteousness sake possibly bring a blessing?
Let’s go back to the book of James…
James 1:2-4
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Encountering various trials can easily fall into the category of suffering. And then James tells us, when this kind of stuff happens to you, “count it all joy.” This isn’t crazy talk, this is for the one who is willing to live zealously for Christ, and I believe there are rewards in heaven for such things.
II Cor. 4:16-18
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For 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! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (NLT)
When Peter uses the word blessed here, it doesn’t emphasize the effect on us, meaning happiness or joy, but it becomes the motive for us, seeing it as a “privilege” or “honor.”
Rev. 14:13
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!” (NLT)
If you have the privilege or honor of those who “die in the Lord” or “for the Lord,” you are blessed indeed… and there are rewards waiting for you.
This concept is kind of hard for American Christians to understand as we have it so easy here. We hardly ever suffer for our faith in a physical way, but perhaps in an emotional way. Nonetheless, as we have seen in recent years, things can change very rapidly for us. In our hearts we need to be prepared to suffer for Christ’s sake.
And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled…
Peter is using a quotation from Iasiah 8:13-14, and what this comes down to is, we should fear God rather than man. It says, “And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread.” Peter is saying that as believers, we should not be intimidated by unbelievers who might persecute us.
Psalm 118:5-6
“From my distress I called upon the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me in a large place. The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?”
And do not be troubled… this means literally not to be shaken or stirred up.
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
Let the Shepheard of your heart watch over you, He is always with you to protect you.
I Peter 3:15
“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”
But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…
When the challenges of life come flooding in, look at it through the lens of Jesus. As Christians, many times we are faced with crises of the heart, and we might be tempted to give in to our fears… it happens. And in doing so we can make the wrong decisions. But, if we sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts, we have no need to fear men or our circumstances. Like I said before, our enemies might hurt us, but they can’t harm us. The only way we can harm ourselves is to stop trusting in God.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.”
By us not leaning on our own understanding, means we’re looking outside our circumstance and trusting God, that He’s got us. When we sanctify Christ in our heart… we’re making Him Lord of our life. Every pitfall, every huge challenge in our life, becomes an opportunity for us to be a witness for Jesus. The world watches as Christians go through the hardest of times.
Tyrone Flower, experienced a gunshot:
An innocent game of basketball turned ugly and Tyrone found himself and the other person arguing and getting ready for a fistfight. But it did not stop there and he heard a “deafening” shot but didn’t hear the other two shots, nor did he feel any pain as he was instantly paralyzed.
He chose God and knew his life would not be free of suffering, and in the end, he got both “peace and understanding.” Tyrone forgave the man who shot him even though others told him he was weak for not seeking revenge, but he felt empowered by his choice of love. Tyrone’s ability to forgive comes from a life in Christ.
On 9/11 Brian Birdwell was at the Pentagon:
While he was at work, there was a huge explosion as American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building where he was working. Sixty percent of his body was burned to the third degree and he was “burned beyond recognition.”
People were trying to help him up, but the physical pain was too much, he wanted God to just end his life. He even said goodbye to his son which made him realize how God must have felt saying goodbye to his Son before the Resurrection.
After almost 40 reconstructive surgeries he survived and also ran for Texas State Senate. Making Jesus Lord of his life carried him through one of the hardest trials life can dish out.
Both Tyrone and Brian became a powerful witness to a life lived for Christ. These men were able to sanctify Christ in their life. Sanctify means to “set apart,” or “consecrate.” But in this context, it also suggests giving the essential place of adoration, exaltation, and worship to Jesus. He needs to have the number one position in every believer’s heart, and if He isn’t, a change needs to take place.
Rom. 13:14
“Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” (NLT)
Col. 1:18
“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”
Jesus needs to have first place in every aspect of our lives. As Christians, our top priority in life needs to be God and serving Him. Even good things can become idols in our lives if we place them above God, things such as family, friends, school, careers, or hobbies.
I John 5:21: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”
Anything that gets priority over God is an idol! As Christians, we should want to live our lives for God since He has extended such grace, compassion, and love to us.
The Holy Spirit can help us live our lives for God by walking in His steps. Paul tells us this about walking in accordance with the Holy Spirit.
Gal. 5:16-18
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.” (NLT)
By sanctifying Jesus in our hearts, we are set up to always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
When coming up against the ways of the world, we are given an opportunity to defend our faith. And yes, it takes an ounce of courage to achieve this. When an unbeliever wants to know what makes you tick, we should be prepared to give them the truth of God’s Word… the gospel.
Mark 8:38
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
The Greek term for defense (a-polo-gia) is the word from which the English terms apology and apologetics come from. Paul used this word casually to express his ability to answer anyone who might be questioning him.
Phil. 1:15
“It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.” (NLT)
Always be ready… Peter writes… this can be intimidating for the person who doesn’t read the Bible. The only way to be ready is to have the personal discipline and willingness to study God’s Word. Honestly, to do this, it takes work on the part of a believer.
This is where satan comes in to try to stop you, he will throw everything he has at you to push you away from getting into God’s Word. The moment you go to read your Bible a distraction will come, you’ll get a phone call or a text, a knock at the door, or you’ll think of all the things you need to do that day. Combat the distractions, be steadfast.
There’s no reason to be intimidated by the Scriptures because you have the Holy Spirit to help you.
John 14:26
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
Before studying the Bible, before you even open it, pray for the Holy Spirit to help you learn, understand, and obey what God is teaching you. The more you do this, the more God will show you… and then He will use you for His kingdom. Why?
From Paul Little’s book, “Know Why You Believe” he writes, “For the strengthening of our own faith and for the help of others, we must be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is within us, for Christianity is rational.”
The hope that is in us… it’s the truth of God’s gospel that gives the hope that believers hold on to. Hope is synonymous with the Christian faith because, quite simply, by believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ and placing your trust in Him, means an eternity spent with God in paradise. That is the Christian hope… that God will keep His promise and take us to heaven when our time on earth is done.
Col. 1:21-23
“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach… if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.”
When you’re defending the faith that is within you, you really just need to tell your story, who you were before God saved you, and who you are now with the Holy Spirit living inside you. Satan wants to scare you into thinking God’s Word is too complicated to tell others about Jesus… which is a lie from satan.
Yet with gentleness and reverence…
When we’re talking to someone about Jesus, we should always do it with an attitude of gentleness and reverence. It’s really just common sense. If we are in any way abrasive or combative in presenting the gospel, it’s going to have a negative effect. There will be those who will want to argue against the gospel. When this happens, we must always be Christlike in our delivery… you don’t want to win the battle but lose the war as they say.
God’s eyes are always on us, He always watches over His children… He hears our prayers.
To be zealous in our faith, we need to be active in our faith.
Standing up and living for Jesus might mean some kind of persecutions could come your way… wear it like a badge of courage (blessings will come).
When God puts someone in front of you who needs to hear about Jesus, don’t avoid them, don’t be afraid, just tell them about the hope that you’re holding on to.