Living as a Christian

Seeking for the help of the Lord this evening, I direct your prayerful attention to the first epistle of Peter, chapter 3. Read for our text verses 8 through to 17. This is the 15th in a series that we're doing, the epistles of Peter's series, where we are consecutively going through the epistles. We are looking to see Peter fulfilling the commission that the Lord gave him. Two commissions.

One, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And after Peter had been brought through Satan's sieve and had denied his Lord three times, and then being restored after our Lord's resurrection, then Peter, at that restoration, when he was restored in that way, was to strengthen his brethren. having himself been brought low, tempted in Satan's sick, and had a very humbling experience. And then the Lord gave him another commission, to feed my sheep and to feed my lambs.

And so we would expect that through his epistles, we would see him strengthening the brethren and also feeding the lambs and the sheep, the little ones, the newly come to faith, and those that are older in the wine. And so for these verses here, we see living as a Christian, And many of the verses in his epistle is dealing with practical aspects of the way. And as we read these verses first by way of a text, you will see how they completely accord with what we read of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount in Luke 6. and also with the Apostle Paul in Romans 12 dealing with exactly the same things. So we'll read from verse 8. 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 8.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another. Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrawise blessing, knowing that ye are there unto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil and do good, let him seek peace and ensuing. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But, and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye, and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for well-doing than for evil doing."

A long portion verses 8 through to 17, and all dealing with the living as a Christian and their behavior as a Christian. Just a few remarks before we come to three points. Firstly, although faith in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is vital, and it is vital, the spring and the source from all obedience and all following the Lord in those things that are set before us here flow from the new creature in Christ Jesus. One that is spiritual and not carnal. One that is walking after the spirit and not after the flesh. And it is vital that our hope be not on works but on the finished work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I feel it very necessary whenever we come to the practical parts of the Word of God We are not dealing with earning our salvation. We are not purchasing it.

We are working out what God has brought in. And the willingness, the desire flows from what the Lord said. These people have I formed for myself. They shall show forth my praise. And this is one aspect of showing forth the praise of God. when our lives show forth what he has wrought in. The work of God is a hard work. It changes the heart. It renews the will. It is not seen apart from how it comes out.

When Barnabas went to Antioch, then he saw the grace of God and was glad. He saw changes, he saw departures from idols to serve the living God, and he saw the fruits and effects like we have as described here. I often use the illustration of in the chapel here we have power, we have electricity, but unless we connect a light to it, a heater to it, something that uses it, we don't get any demonstration of the power and what actually is there.

And so, with the people of God, it's the things that they go through, their lives, and their tribulations, their trials, that bring forth what God has wrought in. The trial, the fire shall try every man's work of what sort It is. And so we need to remember, though, that though we might have all the doctrines right, we might be able to recite all of the creeds and be able to argue theology if our life does not accord with that. Then we bring a reproach upon the name of the Lord. Then we are but as hypocrites of saying one thing but then doing something different.

And of course a godly life is that which is seen not just in the church but also by the world as well. The children of Israel when they went through the wilderness then all what they did and God's dealings with them and punishments with them were in the full view of the nations that were round about. And so we need to be very mindful that those that see us, they may never read a Bible, they may never go into a place of worship, but what is the gospel according to us? And how do they view our lives? the fruits of grace.

We are reminded that they don't come as automatically. What I mean is the very portion that we have here is a giving instruction and teaching how that we are to walk and act. So just because we are given the new birth doesn't mean to say that we automatically will do all of these things. We are given a will to obey the word of God. We are given a hearing ear to listen to that instruction. We're given a heart that knows that our own heart by nature is deceitful and that we are to obey the word of the Lord rather than our own fleshly feelings.

And so we need to be reminded of that. You and I need the Word of God. We need it as washing over us, as teaching us, instructing us, so that we be more and more conformed to Christ and more and more conformed to His image. The Christian walk is vital also for the peace of the Church of God. Those things that we look at here, without them we won't have peace in the church.

And also the hearing of the word will be hindered, it will be stopped up. And so it is vital for us that there's a right, you might say, a seed bed laid. If we were going to sow seed in the garden, we'd make sure that there was no weeds gonna grow up, and that the ground it was falling on was conducive to germinating those seeds. But if we have a church, a congregation, of which there is bitterness, there's conflicts, there's troubles, and the elders or ministers involved, then those that are seeking to hear, they can't hear because of the things that are happening and things, the troubles, So what we have in this passage is seeking to prepare the ground and to have a situation in the Church of God where the Word of God has free course and is glorified.

To this part of Peter's epistles, they are vital for the strengthening of the brethren. They are necessary for preparing to receive the Word that shall feed the brethren and also to prepare them for those times of persecution when they are doing good and walking according to the word of God that then they suffer for it. These verses prepare for these things and strengthen the brethren in these situations.

So I want to look this evening at three points. behaving as a Christian. Peter, he sets forth some specific points, seven directions first in verses eight to 11 on Christian behavior. And then secondly, three things to keep in mind. And I'll be referring in that to verses 12, 13, and 17. And then thirdly, suffering for righteousness sake, which is in the latter verses that we read. Firstly, behaviour as a Christian.

So there is seven directions that Peter gives here. And firstly, in verse 8, and we would think that where he begins this is saying, finally, this is not his final teaching, but he's already dealt with husbands and wives, with submission to those in authority. So in one sense, this is wrapping it up. This is a summary of what has gone before.

But he exhorts to be all of one mind. The Apostle Paul also used to exhort the churches in the same way. That is, walking really according to our Lord, who is the way, the truth and the life. Having the same doctrine, the same teaching, pulling in the same direction. And it is a vital thing that four brethren, how can two walk together except they be agreed? And so the apostle sets this forth as a first thing here.

We may have many secondary things that we have differences on and different beliefs on, but in the essential things, the people of God, are to be of that one mind in the Lord. The second is to have compassion one on another. The Lord told several parables where there was one that had compassion showed him when he owed a great debt but then went and took one of his servants who owed but a little and threatened him with jail and being locked up until he could pay all. He had no compassion when that man pleaded for mercy and for time and this greatly grieved the Lord. And we are to have that compassion one of another. We think of our Lord telling the parable of the good Samaritan And how there was the priest and the Levite, they passed by on the other side and there is the wounded man and they just look on him and go their way. Well, Peter is exhorting here to have compassion and that follows through in a practical way one of another.

In the third place is love as brethren. That is primarily as a spiritual love, but it's that which supplies the need also of the brethren. This is one of the threads that run through the epistles. Paul exhorting to provide for the poor brethren at Jerusalem and to help those that are in need. And it flows forth from love. We think of the epistles of Peter, we love him because he first loved us, and that we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. And in Paul's epistle, treating of charity to the Corinthians, it is a practical love.

We think of James as well, speaking in the same way concerning faith, that if we say to one, go and be warmed and filled, but don't give them what is needful for the body, what does it profit? And if there is that love, then that will supply the needs. Also we think of how powerful that love is when we Look at Ruth and Naomi. The love that Ruth had to Naomi was the means of her conversion, cleaving to the people of God. And so it is a blessed thing to have that love as brethren. Again, Peter John says, by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples indeed, in that ye love one another.

In the fourth place, there's exhortation to be pitiful, that is merciful, showing pity to those that are in distress. Fifthly, there's courteous, be courteous, that is gentle, affable, friendly to one another, not harsh speaking, not rough, not unkind, but courteous. And sixthly, not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing. It's not picturing a church that is a perfect church, but a church where there will be those that are amongst them that will stir up and show evil, that won't walk according to this way, that will rail, that will speak, evil things and his direction to the people of God. Don't render evil for evil, don't go back to them or fan the flames, but in the seventh place, contriwise blessing, the opposite, show that kindness and forbearance and not showing evil towards them or railing in return.

These are very practical things that are set before us in these verses that apply to how we act. And there's no excuse to say, well, others in the church, they act different, so that excuses me. The very context is speaking of us personally. Then we have in verses 9 and 10, a reminder that these things are set before us the way And walking of them is not, as we've said before, to earn our salvation or to earn a blessing.

It is to inherit a blessing. Verse nine, knowing that ye are there unto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. It is a path that we're called to walk and that the blessing is not purchased, is not earned, but is inherited, it comes through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Because of His death, His sufferings, His last will and testament, that's the blessing, that's why we are blessed, not because of how we have actually walked. And so what is the blessing? The blessing that's set before us here is life, He that will love life. Eternal life, not just this life, but that which is forever and ever.

And those that will see good days, here below everything is marred with sin, so especially it is speaking of those days in heaven. to be with the Lord forever and ever. Really, the words that are set before us here, they are taken, and as we said, concerning Paul and also our Lord, there's many teachings that are taken from the Old Testament, from the Psalms, And we have this in Psalm 34 and verse 11 to 16. Come, ye children, hearken unto me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. And you see Peter is quoting these Psalms. Psalm 34 is very prophetic of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And in verses 10 and 11, we have further directions. Five directions are mentioned in those verses.

To refrain thy tongue from evil. And then that our lips speak no guile, that is deceitfulness. and that we are to do good and to seek peace. The blessings that are found here, the directions, they are those things that make for peace. And so it's not only seek peace, but ensure it or pursue after it. So the apostle is very practical in giving these directions In one sense, he's not saying, well, you go back to the Psalms, and you read that, and there's all the direction you need there. But he is taking it, and he is applying it. And of course, with the ministry as well.

Like this evening, we take these verses, we seek to expand these verses, and think of the words that are written, that I will that he affirmed constantly, says the Apostle Paul to his son in the faith, Timothy, that they which have believed in God be careful to maintain good works. It comes again and again throughout the scriptures of truth. I want to look then, secondly, at three things to keep in mind. Firstly, in verse 12, the Lord is looking upon the righteous and hears their prayers. It's good for us to remember this all the time. The way that it is spoken here, of course, is to enable us to understand these things. We must remember that God is a spirit. He does not have literal eyes. He does not have a literal face. He does not have literal hands. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ does.

But God himself that is everywhere, God is a spirit. They that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. And so the idea is that God is seeing all the time. His eyes are over the righteous, over those that are trusting in the righteousness of Christ. and those that are seeking to walk in a godly, righteous, upright way. His ears also are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Many times the people of God may feel to be very alone, may feel that perhaps there's none that taking notice of them, and that the path that they're walking is a solitary path that even cast off by maybe their own brethren and those that they expected to have support and help from. But here we are to remember the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous.

The Lord is seeing. He is acknowledging all that happens. And when we cry unto Him and when we pray unto Him, He is listening to our prayers. He doesn't ignore us. We might think that men are But God is not. He is hearkening. He is seeing all that is happening. That is the first thing that we are to keep in mind. Verse 12. The second to keep in mind is in verse 13. Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good? This of course must be interpreted as, for first place, the soul. Our Lord says, fear not them which kill the body, and after that there's nothing more that they can do.

But when we think of the testimony of the three Hebrews that would not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's image, and they said that they weren't careful to answer the king in this matter, that they knew that the Lord was able to deliver them out of his hand, and that he was to know that they would not bow down to his image. And whether that deliverance was through death or being delivered from the fire, they left that with the Lord. And of course, the Lord did appear for them. Nebuchadnezzar saw the form of the fourth in the fire Hebrew children, they were brought out with no smell of fire on them at all. We think then of Daniel as well, cast into the lion's den. He had to go through the den, the same as the three Hebrew children had to go into the fire. But the Lord shut the lion's mouths and Daniel was brought out again. If Daniel had on account of the cost and thought, well, I can never survive the lions.

It's much better that I live and be a Christian and serve the Lord than to just continue praying. Or perhaps I'll pray in secret. I won't open my windows before heaven. I'll just do it in secret instead. But Daniel, he kept doing what he always did. I often say, one, preparation for days of persecution. is to have habits and things that we do on a regular basis, that when persecution comes, we don't have to think, what are we going to do? You just do what you've always done, like Daniel did, and leave the issue with the Lord. And so we are to remember this. Who is he that will harm you? Real harm for your soul. if ye be followers of that which is good." What an incentive to follow that which is good. The fear of man, it bringeth a snare.

Who's writing this? Peter. What did Peter do? When a maid says, she saw him, he was with the Lord. And he denies, he denies the Lord three times. Later on, the apostle Paul, He reproves Peter because before the Jews came from Jerusalem, he sat and ate with the Gentiles. And when the Jews came, he was ashamed. He separated himself. He couldn't face man. It was one of Peter's weaknesses. And he that knows his weaknesses, he himself is really preaching to himself. He's reminding himself of the word of God.

Very many times, those of us who preach, Those who bring the word for others, we need that word just as much as them. We can come alongside them and feel our need of help as well. And so Peter here, he reminds those he's writing to, to strengthen them, because he feels he'd need a strength. There is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good.

And then we go down to verse 17. Another thing to remember, for it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil doing. Two ways, as it were, set before us. One way is a good way, and the other way is not according to the word of God, a bad way. And Peter is saying, it is better if this is the will of God. It may not be.

We may do that which is well-doing and not suffer for it. But it may be that in God's will, we do suffer for it. Now, the world will say, well, I've done which is right. And they'll argue with the Lord and say, look, I've done everything that's right. according to your word, and all I've suffered is trouble with that. Brethren of false, he accused me. I've had trouble here and trouble there. It was better that I didn't do anything. I didn't stand up for what was right. That's the way we can easily be left to.

But we are to remember, it is better if the will of God be so. that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil doing." What an encouragement, when we are suffering for well-doing, to remember this word. Well, in the third place then, what of suffering for righteousness' sake? The apostle begins this part in verse 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake. So now he is to give directions and help in this situation. Happy are ye Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.

When we think of our Lord and time that he had on earth, the most trouble that he suffered was with the religious leaders. From those that were his own, he came unto his own and his own received him not. When like the man that was born blind, the Lord first appeared to him, the suffering that he had was not from the ungodly but from the religious leaders, the scribes and the Pharisees. They said, they are his disciple, we are Moses' disciple, and they said that he was altogether born in sins, they cast him out. The sufferings that he had were from those you would say he shouldn't have had.

But I believe more and more it's going to be so, where there is an outward social religion, but a complete neglect of the word of God and of the practical part of the word of God. And there is where the persecution and the suffering shall come. He said at the end of the world that, shall ye find faith upon earth, not shall ye find religion, I believe you find a lot of religion, but not much real faith.

And the conflict is with those that are of, you might say, nearest relationship. The conflict was between Isaac and Ishmael. It was between Cain, and it was between Abel, and it was over how they worshipped. Abel brought the offering of blood that God was pleased with, and Cain brought that of the field, and it was through that that Cain killed Abel, right at the very, very start. And you find with Jacob and Esau as well, the conflict is those that are close ties. You think of Jehoshaphat and Ahab, Ahab a wicked king, Jehoshaphat a godly king, foolishly trying to join with Ahab because why he was related or his children related to him, but all the time being in trouble and distress because of that path that he was walking in.

And so those that suffer for righteousness sake, they told him again, it's an encouragement in the midst of suffering. Happy are ye. Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled. And yet, you might say there is their terror, and there is that that wouldn't be happy in a natural sense, is only in a spiritual way.

You realize that this is the path our Lord walked. This is the path the saints have walked right through from Adam's day to this. those that walked by faith and those that suffered then for it. The next direction that is given here is in verse 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

Very often when we're asked to give a reason of the hope, there's several things that are happening. One, there may be ridicule, like there was with our Lord, there was blasphemy, there was a light spirit, a trifling spirit, and I found this in the workplace, especially when I was first called.

And I think of that word that we have in Proverbs of Ecclesiastes, that answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be like him, and answer a fool according to his folly. And you think, how can you do them both? Well, the thing is, if someone comes to you speaking in a ungodly, unsanctified, jovial, light, careless way, for me to answer him in the same way is to be just like him. But if I answer him according to how he's coming at me with sober words, that is what we have to do.

Remember the Apostle Paul, when Festus said to him as he was relating his call by grace, relating how the Lord met with him on the Damascus road, He said, thou art mad, much learning hath made thee mad. And Paul, he replied, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and of soberness. That is the answering in a sanctified way. So the first thing, before we ever answer or respond in any way, we say, these things belong unto my God. These things I'm going to speak about are precious to my soul. I'm therefore going to be careful how I speak and to speak worthy of his name and to not be drawn into the spirit of those that are interacting and speaking with me. Remember who the Lord is and how precious he is to us. to be ready always to give an answer.

An answer, a question has been made. Why do they ask a question? The whole context here is dealing with our conduct. And the world will say, why do you act as you do? Which is contrary to nature and contrary how to a man would normally act. And why do you do things that we don't do and don't do things that we do?

No one can accuse us of being a hypocrite, that is someone who says and does not, if the reason they're asking for our reason and our hope and our testimony is because of what they've seen us do. Already they've seen our works and their questions are coming from our works.

And so then, when that is the case, when not some men, but every man that asketh you, without a reason of the hope that is within you, you give that hope, a sober hope in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who loved us, who gave himself for us, who suffered the just for the unjust to bring us to God. He who gave us the directions how to live. He who said to those that believe, if ye continue in my word, then ye shall be my disciples indeed. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. John 8 verse 31.

And it's with meekness and fear. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is having power or having authority, but choosing not to use it. Moses was a man meek above every man. He had authority. He could call down the fire from heaven. He could deal with those that were under his authority. but he left the issue with God and he was in meekness, gentle, gentle to men.

And this is how we are exhorted here, in meekness and fear. The fear of the Lord, we stand before God. Those that may contend with us and speak with us, they do not know the God that we know. They will notice when we fear him who is not seen, but whom we act as if he is as he is, real, and whom we're accountable to, and they are accountable to as well.

And then the last point to notice is to have a good conscience. Verse 16, having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation or good life in Christ. It's vital that we keep a tender conscience, a good conscience, that as before God, we have done that which is right, we've sought humbly in the fear of God, to walk according to his word. The Apostle Paul, right through the word of God, treats as a very precious thing, a tender conscience. We're not to force brethren to do things that they feel is wrong and that would wound their conscience, because we want to keep our consciences very tender. because it's that still, small voice, that voice that says, no, that is wrong, that voice that says, this is the way, walk it, in it, that voice that God has put within his people to make them tender, teachable, and to hear his still, small voice, may we be kept from treading on it, pushing it asunder, ignoring it.

And so these are the directions that are given by the apostle here, how we are to behave as a Christian. And then those things that we are to keep in mind. And then when persecution comes, if we do suffer for righteousness sake, better actions is how we are to bear with that.

Right through the whole, Peter is setting forth as a privilege to be a Christian, a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and setting forth that where there is a work of grace, it will be seen outwardly. The person doesn't remain the same as they once were. And having the word of God, our Lord says in John 17, I have given them thy word. and the world hath hated them. And this is part of the word that is given us. May the Lord bless this to us and help us in whatever may be in front of us in this coming week or those things that may be holding us back that we be encouraged and helped in a practical way and the benefit and blessing should we walk in this way that the word of God as free course amongst us and amongst our churches. Amen.

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