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1 Peter 3:10: Button it

10 For,‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.”NIV

‘’He that keeps his mouth keeps his life…’’ Proverbs 13:3

‘Beware of leaving your tongue in gear when your mind is in neutral.’

I don’t know who said the above, but it’s a super quote. As Peter writes about ‘the good life’, he emphasises how important it is to rein in the tongue, and he indicates that this is possible. We know from James 3:1-12 (and from regrettable personal experience!) that it is oh so difficult to control our speech. But it’s not impossible for anyone who has Jesus living in them by the Holy Spirit. (Consider 1 Peter 2:23).

I am learning, over the long haul, that this must apply not only to the words I speak out loud, in conversation, with others, but also to what I quietly say to myself inside my own head. I can create scenarios in my mind that have no objective reality; I can tell myself lies about what is happening and believe them as if they were true. I doubt that I’m alone in this. We need to be careful about our self-talk (and we are always talking to ourselves).

To live ‘the good life’ we must walk in repentance (11). Positively, we are to pursue peace; negatively, we must turn from all evil. This includes the sins of speech.

PRAYER: ‘’Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.’’Psalm 141:3

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1 Peter 3:8-12: The good life

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 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. NIV

 

In these verses Peter describes, and calls Christians to,‘the good life’. It is one in which we love others; where we seek to do them good, even though they may treat us bad. It’s about ‘’blessing’’ others (and consequently being blessed by God).

In the ‘Sermon on the mount’ Jesus taught: ‘’Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven’’ (Matthew 5:44,45b).

In the previous section we saw the importance of prayer at the heart of marriage (7). It struck me just the other day that this is its ‘next door neighbour’ passage, and it too has prayer at its heart (12). If we would live the good life, as it is described here (and see how different it looks to the world’s definition. Some of you will remember the ‘Martini’ adverts from a few years ago!), then we can only do it prayerfully. Prayer is the ‘engine room’ of the Christian life.

‘Little prayer, little power; some prayer, some power; much prayer, much power.’

PRAYER: Lord, teach us to pray.

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1 Peter 3:8: Good soil

“8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” NIV

It’s interesting that among the various words used in this verse to call believers to loving harmony, there is also mention of humility.

Humility is good soil in which so many other lovely graces will bloom. It is absolutely essential for peaceful relationships in the home, in the church…in fact anywhere! Pride is utterly destructive of human concord.

I find that when I feel hurt; when I think I’ve been badly done to or mistreated; if I take a long hard, honest look in the mirror, I usually see a lot of pride in the reflection. I think that for some reason I deserve better. Why do my thoughts travel in that direction? Because I think I’m more important than I am. What is that? Well, being quite clinical, it begins with ‘p’ and ends in ‘e’ and has ‘rid’ in the middle.

Towards the end of this letter Peter is to write:

‘’All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”[

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.’’ (5:5b,6).

Remember God’s law of gravity: What goes down must come up! (See Philippians 2:1-11).

PRAYER: Lord, you call us to, in humility, consider others better than ourselves; to look not only to own interests but also to theirs. Lord you know me better than I know myself, and you know why I say to you, I’m going to need help with this. Even as I ask for your strength, I know it is already given, and I thank you.

 

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1 Peter 3:8-9: Starting at home

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 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.” NIV

‘’Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.’’ The Message.

I appreciate that some who read these notes will be living alone. My heart goes out to you, especially if you’re finding it extra hard at the moment. But these words do apply to you, and you will be given many challenging opportunities in life to practice this teaching with people who live beyond your four walls:

‘’That goes for all, no exceptions’’.

 Nevertheless, please will you bear with me while I say a word to couples and families? It’s just this: that the behaviour Peter advocates is not merely a recipe for harmony in the local church. It starts at home, and arguably that may be (at least for some) the most difficult place to do this. These days of ‘lock-down’ could well have compounded the problems. But remember, in the early church, many Christian congregations would be located in homes, and made up of extended families. This teaching very much applies to home life.

But, thankfully, Peter does not envisage anyone having to live this way under their own steam – as we shall see.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I once heard that home is ‘the place where we are treated the best, and behave the worst.’ I pray this will not be true of my home, but with your help, let it be a place of harmony, peace and true Christian fellowship.

 

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1 Peter 3:8: ‘One another’

“8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” NIV

In a number of places in the New Testament, Christians are exhorted to do a whole variety of things for ‘’one another’’. Here is one of those passages.

I heard the leader of a growing church speak at an event towards the end of last year. He said, ‘’In our fellowship we speak about ‘pastoral share’ rather than ‘pastoral care’.’’ There was a clear expectation from him that the members of the church would look after ‘’one another’’

Now I wish to be understood. I believe in the pastoral gift. I count it a privilege to be a pastor. But the old idea of a ‘One man band’ who does everything is outmoded and should never have been in vogue. In the church, one or two may have a pastoral gift, but everyone should be involved in pastoral care. It is the calling of the whole church.

Especially in this long, drawn-out season, where we can’t be in the same room, we need to think prayerfully and creatively about how we carry on the ‘one anothering’ ministry.

PRAYER: Lord, it is a blessing beyond words to know you, and to be part of your church. Please show me the role you want me to play in serving others.

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1 Peter 3:7 The importance of prayer.

“7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” NIV

The possibility of prayer somehow being ‘hindered’ should set off alarm bells for us all. I wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?

‘’If I had cherished sin in my heart the Lord would not have listened’’ (Psalm 66:18).

Peter says to Christian husbands, in effect, ‘If you don’t treat your wives as you should, your prayers could be obstructed’:

‘’…in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground.’’ The Message.

But I believe what we have to consider here is not just the possibility that my prayers, as a husband, will be hampered, but that our prayers, as a couple could be adversely affected. (It’s not totally clear in the passage whether ‘’your prayers’’ is singular, plural, or both.)

As Jesus taught, there is something powerful about the principle of agreement:

‘’When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.’’ (Matthew 18:19, 20: The Message).

Could this be why Christian couples often admit they struggle to pray together? There is something mysteriously powerful about two people praying in agreement. Now, who do we know who just might feel threatened by that, and want to put a stop to it?!

Yes, I thought you’d come to that conclusion too!!

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1 Peter 3:1-6: True beauty.

“Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behaviour of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” NIV

In the central section of 1 Peter, which runs from 2:13-3:7, there is an over-arching theme of submission in relationships – relationships to the state, in the workplace and at home. Going hand-in-hand with this, we find a repeated emphasis on the power of goodness.

Not long after I went to Bible College, I heard the testimony of Graham and Treena Kerr, when they spoke one Sunday evening at Guildford Baptist church. At one time, Graham was quite a celebrity, famous for his television cooking show, ‘the Galloping Gourmet.’ But behind the scenes, domestic life was a train-wreck. Their marriage was falling apart. Then something happened to Treena. She became a Christian. As I recall their story, she didn’t preach to her husband. She simply prayed for her him and quietly lived a Christian life. He noticed the difference, and this caused him to seek Christ for himself. He too was converted, and their marriage transformed.

Today, what is regarded as beautiful by many, often looks plastic. There is a cosmetic beauty that is stuck on from the outside. But true beauty flows outwards from the inside (4), and, what is more, age cannot wither it. I don’t think we are to understand Peter as saying that jewellery or make-up or nice clothes should never be worn. But he does want us to understand that these things do not make a person truly beautiful.

Although the direct application here is to wives, I remember that Jesus said, ‘’I am the good shepherd’’ (John 10:11). I understand that the word translated ‘’good’’ can mean ‘beautiful’. There is a beauty about Jesus, and it will be reflected in all who are being changed into His likeness, whether male or female.

PRAYER: ‘Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.’

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1 Peter 2:24-25: The Lord is my Shepherd.

“24 ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ 25 For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” NIV

In writing to slaves about how to bear with unjust treatment, Peter, as we have seen, points to the example of Jesus. The Lord didn’t retaliate, but prayed. He ‘’entrusted himself to him who judges justly’’ (v.23b).

But Christ is not just our pattern; He is also our Saviour, and there is such a wonderful theology of the cross packed into these two verses. You don’t have to think about them for long to hear echoes of Isaiah 53: a remarkable prophecy about the death of the Messiah given some 500 years before Jesus appeared.(In fact, this also also applies to the whole section from v21-v.25).

Note a number of things:

  • ‘’He himself…’’ Jesus did not delegate the saving of the world to an angel or some other ambassador. God Himself came in His Son.
  • In order to enter into the benefits of what Jesus did for you when He died, you have to repent (v.24b). You have to do an about turn. This is spoken of as dying ‘’to sins’’ and living ‘’for righteousness’’. It’s a complete U-turn;
  • God is often spoken of in the Old Testament as Israel’s Shepherd, and Jesus (God in human form), said, ‘’I am the good shepherd.’’ We are so lost and discontented and frustrated as human beings because we are ‘’astray’’ from our ‘’Shepherd’’. But there is a way back to Him through the Cross. Salvation involves turning from sin (v.24b) and turning to God (v.25)

‘’But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.’’ (Isaiah 53:5,6).

PRAYER: Lord, the world is wounded. May we look to you, and your cross, for our healing.

 

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1 Peter 2:19-23: Follow Jesus

“19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.22 ‘He committed no sin,and no deceit was found in his mouth.’[ 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” NIV

Jesus is our example in life. He is our pattern. It needs to be emphasised that He is more than just a good example. He is also our Saviour, and in verses 24, 25 we will go on to consider some of the theological implications of His death. Try as we may, we can’t come anywhere near to following Jesus’ example successfully, until we first come to know Him as Saviour.

Peter is writing at this point to Christian slaves. Many slaves were well-treated in those days, but not all of them. So what does Peter have to say to those who experience ‘’unjust suffering’’ (19)? In essence he says, ‘Follow Jesus.’ Jesus was perfect (which not even the best of us are), and He was unfairly treated. He suffered so much at the hands of sinful people. But Jesus did not hit back. Instead, He entrusted Himself to the God who always ‘’judges justly’’ (23). We know that He was vindicated. Bad men put Him to death, but a good God raised Him, and put Him on the throne of the universe. As someone said, Jesus’ resurrection is ‘the divine reversal of the human verdict’ on Him.

‘So there is your template’, says Peter. ‘Don’t retaliate, but commit yourself to God.’ The example of Jesus shows that all who do this will be in safe Hands.

 

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