Hope In Exile | Harm for Good – 1 Peter 3:13-22
Through the witness and example of Jesus Christ, the Christian can faithfully endure persecution knowing that our inheritance is secured by the works of Jesus Christ.
Having finished discussing submission to various kinds of authority, Peter addresses the reality of the situation that the church is facing. Peter knows that the submission to authority with not always occur with proper authority. Not everyone will respond to the Gospel with pleasant acceptance. Some will respond with persecution, harm, and other maladies. While in Asia Minor, the exiles would have been seen as outsiders and not fully being granted the same access to society that the common person did. Christians would have shown themselves to be different than the rest of the surrounding society and even insulting as they would refuse to take part in the common cultural world. By standing against the cultural practices, they would have been viewed as slighting the practices. From this, Christians would not have been selected for public office, would have been passed over for business dealings, and various other forms of harm.
Peter makes it clean, though, that experiencing harm for the sake of doing good is worth the exchange. At no point is the pain of the situation ignored or downplayed. Instead, Peter conveys that the pain can be endured for the sake of something greater and the harm can bring glory to God. Through the witness and example of Jesus Christ, the Christian can faithfully endure persecution knowing that our inheritance is secured by the works of Jesus Christ. He is the source of our security, our hope, and our strength which empowers us, by His Holy Spirit within us, to faithfully stand strong in the face of harm. We submit to authority knowing that Jesus is our ultimate authority and we endure harm knowing that the goodness of God is far greater than anything we may experience.
The Foundation of Our Good
Peter begins with a challenge to their way of thinking. He calls into question the very notion that not receiving harm is better than doing good. For a Christian to receive harm means that their witness is clear in the world. As they have set themselves apart from the rest of the culture, their separation from the sin of society had been clear. When those who rebel against God look into the life of Christians, it holds a mirror up to their self, seeing the manner in which they fail to live up to the standards of righteousness. Only two responses can be made in that circumstance, either the person will submit to Jesus Christ, or they will rebel and seek the harm of the person following Him. Either way, the witness of God will be clear in the lives of believers.
The notion that a Christian will never experience pain, harm, or difficulty because of their faith is simply biblically untrue. It is a remnant of the effects of the prosperity Gospel which leads us to believe that abiding in Christ will result in immediate and worldly blessing. Yet, scripture consistently speaks differently of the situation. Persecution for following Jesus is a guarantee for anyone truly following Christ. The world will consistently stand against those that speak truth to the desires of the flesh as contrary to the world. We can expect harm for doing good. But, and most importantly, we can expect the faithfulness and goodness of God to remain stronger.
Therefore, we can remain strong and fear not in the face of harm and persecution. The reward of eternity is secured in the completed work of Jesus Christ. Following God will always work out better than following the ways of this world. God, being good, has given us commands and counsel out of an abundance of love for us, His people. Following God trusts Him as the one who is far greater than anything the world offers of throws at us. We endure the harm of this world knowing that we stand on the foundation of love and truth that the world is fully incapable of removing from the hands of God. We revere Christ as Lord, even in the midst of the chaos and pain of the world.
- What is the foundation of our doing good and enduring the harm of the world?
Give An Account With Gentleness
Our good acts not only benefit our own personal life, but also provides an opportunity to bear witness to the truth. Peter exhorts the believers to always be prepared to give a reason for the faith you hold. As we differentiate ourselves form the rest of the world, we need always be prepared to give an account and bear witness to the goodness of God. The life of a Christian is not one marked by merely doing good as a testimony to ourselves but rather because of the transformation that comes from life in Jesus Christ. People can only turn a blind eye to the persecution of a people until, at a minimum, questions are asked. When the time arises as people see the Christians enduring harm for the sake of good, our response should be to point others to Jesus Christ. We point to the faithfulness of God, the love of Jesus Christ’s willful death on the cross for His glory and to our benefit. We point to the hope in the resurrection knowing that we will one day be with Him. As the world looks on Christians, they should experience the presence of God in this world who proclaims the truth of God, even in pain.
Yet, we should be willing to convey the account of the Gospel with gentleness. We do not bludgeon the world with the Gospel seeking to rid ourselves of any intellectual opposition. The Gospel will always be offensive to those who do not know Jesus Christ. It will be viewed as foolishness, controlling, and controversial as it calls people to live beyond the desires of their flesh and instead live submit to Jesus Christ as Lord over all. Our job as followers of Christ is to not add to the offense any more than the Spirit does through His conviction in the heart of the hearer. We cannot lose our gentleness in caring for a lost and hurting people in the name of proclaiming the good news of God who came to care for the lost and hurting.
Christ Endured Pain On Our Behalf
We can never forget though, that the foundation for our good works does not stir from within the individual will of the person. Our ability to do good in the face of harm and persecution comes from Jesus Christ who has conquered all things, brining them into submission by His victorious work on the cross. Christ suffered the consequences of the unrighteous even though He alone was purely righteous. He endured the fullness of the pain of the world so that people might return to Him. The death of Christ was unjust. Yet, Christ willingly endured the consequences of another for their benefit. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, endured willingly, the bridge between God and man had been restored.
In baptism we proclaim that God has rescued us from our old person and made us a new creation in Christ Jesus. He brings us out of the abyss of our sin and restores us to our right standing with God. Our witness speaks to the goodness of God in the world and the restoration of our soul. Nothing that the world can do to us will ever outweigh the profound impact of a life lived washed in the blood of Christ. He endured the pain of this world so that we could be with Him. Now, we can endure the harm of this world, so that others can see our witness to the salvation that comes from Jesus Christ and hear the call that God gives to them. We endure knowing that Christ has already endured on our behalf.
- How does Peter use baptism as a display of the power of God to save people? What is the comparison between water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Discussion Questions
- How does the goodness of God compare with the acceptance from the world?
- Why do we tend to fear the judgment of the world for following Jesus Christ? What fear is expressed in this?
- What are some of the things that potentially serve to harm people for following Jesus Christ? Where have you experienced this in your life?
- What is your story of coming to relationship with Jesus Christ? Why do you follow Him and what has Jesus done for you personally?
- In what way does the goodness of God and the strength of His perseverance allow us to remain strong and persevere?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
