Sunday School Lesson 3: Defending Our Faith, 1 Peter 3:8-17, March 17, 2024.
Key Text: For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing (1 Peter 3:17).
Peter wrote to the Christians who lived in the Roman provinces to encourage faithfulness and praise to God in spite of persecutions. According to Peter, the attitude a person takes toward the suffering, persecution, and circumstance of life seems to be a part of the apostolic pattern of Christian preaching. Peter encouraged the Christians to live lives of purity as God’s people and God’s servants. They were encouraged to submit to and live in accordance with God’s will for their lives in this world and follow the example of Christ (1 Peter 2:21)
The central idea in the end of Peter’s letter supports his exhortation to “humility,” namely, to submit to one another by being pitiful (have a tender heart) and being courteous (have a humble mind) vv 8-9. The implication of humility is the epitome of the Christian life. That is, the person who wants a truly happy life, enjoying all God’s blessing, must first turn away from evil both word and deed. He must pursue or “run after” peace. This kind of person can be happy because God’s eye is on him for protection, and God’s ear is open to his prayer vv 10-12.
Peter seems to take the view that it is highly unlikely that anyone would deliberately bring harm to someone who is a “follower of that which is good” v 13. But, and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye” v 14. Peter explains that they would in fact be privileged to suffer for the sake of Christ and suffering may be another opportunity to testify of the saving power of Christ and so win some of the persecutors. Peter emphasized that it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, “a good conscience” vv 16-17. AMEN!
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