1 Peter 3:8-22

1 Peter 3:8-22
⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

Like minded is not meaning that we agree on everything.  It means that we all wish to serve God.  Christians can disagree without sinning. 

  ⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

In raising my girls I am quite regularly teaching and reminding them of this.  When one sister hurts or offends the other, retaliation is the natural reaction.  I did not have to teach them that.  It's human nature.  Vs 12 tells us the Lord is watching.  He will hear those who obey, but be angry with those who disobey.

¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”

There are those in this world who will come after you because you do good.  It makes them look at their own life and not like what they see.  It's easier for them to try and drag you to their level than for them to change.  Do not fear those people.

  ¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

We will be different.  People will ask questions.  We must know why we serve God.  Study the Bible and have something to share when people ask.  

  ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

In God's will is the safest place to be.  Suffering for good is not easy, but we have Jesus' example.

  ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. ¹⁹ After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — ²⁰ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand —with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

At first glance one my feel that baptism is what saves you.  Vs 21 says it is a pledge of a clear conscience toward God.  It's the resurrection of Christ that saves us.  Baptism is us showing the world what has already occurred in our hearts. 


God Bless.