“The Effect of Suffering Upon the Believer” 1 Peter 3:13-22

“Living Hope”

A Sermon Series Through 1 Peter

“The Effect of Suffering Upon the Believer”

1 Peter 3:13-22

Introduction

In Luke 23:39ff there are three men on crosses – two are suffering for their own sin (one learns nothing from his suffering and rightly dies because of what he has done (this is justice). The second thief repents of his sin and is saved on the cross (this is grace). And the third man is giving his life for the salvation of the world. God uses suffering to accomplish His will.

Suffering For Doing Good (vv. 13-17)

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

 (v. 13) “are zealous,” – “to burn with zeal, to desire earnestly.”

(v. 14) “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.” – On the rare chance you have to suffer because you have been zealously pursuing and doing good, you will be blessed in the end. You may suffer because you have done something wrong and are suffering the consequences, or the discipline of the Lord, or you may suffer because you are doing good. Peter says that this is the will of God, and you should be glad because it will result in some kind of blessing (but this is only when God wants it).

“Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,” – The world will use intimidation and fear tactics to get you go back into it’s mold and way of thinking, but have no fear, Do not be affected by the fear they are trying to place in your heart.[1] (v. 15) “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy,” – instead of focusing on the threats and having fear in your heart, focus on your heart honoring Jesus. In order to honor Christ as holy we ourselves should seek to be holy. We are to set part a section of our heart for Him alone as our God, and to sanctify ourselves is to keep ourselves from sin and give the world no ability to slander us (and thereby slander Him).

They may eventually even ask you, “Why are you doing all this good?” Then, “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;” Another translations says, “always be ready to give an answer,” and the word for defense, answer, reason, is apologia but you are not giving an apology (not an excuse), as in asking them to forgive you, instead you are giving a defense, a reason, an answer for why you believe what you believe and why it has led you to do good.

It is a legal term “to talk off from,” like a defense attorney who talked his client off from the charge against him.[2] Peter also adds here (v. 16) to silence evil speakers with his good conduct which certainly speaks for itself and puts slander to shame. Your words of defense and your works of righteousness are the way to push back against the world’s attach.

You have thought through your testimony, how Jesus has changed your life, and how you are seeking to serve God by doing good. The Christian overcomes fears with facts – Jesus did rise from the dead (how do you know?), Jesus was born of a virgin (how do you know?), The Bible is the inerrant Word of God that can be trusted completely (how do you know?) When life hits you hard and you can’t defend your faith, then fear and doubt will overwhelm you.[3] “Christians who cannot present a biblically clear explanation of their faith (1 Thess. 5:19-22; 1 John 2:14) will be insecure when strongly challenged by unbelievers (Eph. 4:14-15).” [4]

The Christian should have a firm grasp of hope and skill in presenting it.

Our understanding of the things of God strengthens our grip onto hope.

 Peter may have even been thinking of when he was made fun of for his faith in Jesus, Acts 3:6-8, 12-13, 37-38“And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? . . . 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

 The false allegation against them was that they were drunk, but Peter then goes on to give an answer for the faith that he had, and the result was that people believed in Jesus, “. . . Now when they heard this (Peter’s sermon) they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” When the moment came, Peter was ready.

Common reasons people reject Christianity:

• How can an all-powerful and all-loving God allow the existence of gratuitous pain, tragedy, and evil?
• The Christian claim that Jesus is the “only way” to God feels unjust.
• The Bible contradicts itself and is filled with wrong information
• Miracles don’t happen today so they didn’t happen then (Jesus rising from the dead, Jesus’ healings, the Red Sea opening, virgin birth, etc.)
• It violates their moral compass (why didn’t Paul just say slavery was wrong, instead of telling the slaves to submit to their masters, etc.)
  • All of these (and many more criticisms) have plausible answers if a person willing to truly listen and look for answers.

(v. 15) “yet do it with gentleness and respect,” – “This fear is self-distrust; it is tenderness of conscience; it is vigilance against temptation; it is the fear which inspiration opposes to high-mindedness in the admonition, ‘be not high-minded but fear.’ It is taking heed lest we fall; it is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, and the insidiousness and power of inward corruption. It is the caution and circumspection which timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Savior.”[5]

(v. 16) “having a good conscience,” “The conscience is the divinely-placed internal mechanism that either accuses or excuses a person, acting as a means of conviction or affirmation. Everyone has a sense of what they feel is right, and what they fell is wrong – that internal compass guides them. God’s Word calibrates the instrument to have correct settings. It is not the Holy Spirit, nor is it infallible.

The believer has been informed by the Word of God, they have the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and their conscience lines up with those truths – then they ask themselves, “Am I living according to what I know to be true?” “Having,” carries the idea of maintaining your conscience – you take action, you give it your attention to make sure it is properly maintained (it can become calloused, burned, hardened).

So when a person inquires about Jesus, Peter gives us three things to consider; 1) the answer should be gentle; do not condemn others but seek to win them over with grace, they conduct themselves with fear before God, because they have this responsibility. 2) Their conduct must be consistent with what they say they believe (their apologetic), they should have a good conscience, 3) a “good manner of life,” (v. 16) “when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” Your life matches what you preach.[6] So when people say false things, your reputation shuts it down.

 Christ’s Example of Suffering For Doing Good (vv. 17-22)

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

 “The resurrection of Christ and His consequent glorification in view of His suffering for sinners are presented as proof of the fact that suffering for well-doing on the part of Christians is also followed by blessing and reward in their lives.”[7]

(v. 18) “suffered once for sin,” – For the Jewish people in order to atone for their sin they would bring an animal to the temple. One Passover alone, a quarter million sheep would have been sacrificed. So, the idea of one sacrifice instead of an ongoing parade of carnage was a new concept. What Jesus did on the cross, was the last needed sacrifice. The lambs only atoned (held back God’s wrath for a moment), what Jesus did completely and eternally satisfied the wrath of God.

“the righteous for the unrighteous,” 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus had no sin, yet he offered up His own blood as an offering for sin, that He may bring us to God. Then Peter illustrates what he means by giving a series of explanations of between when Jesus died “put to death in the flesh,” and was resurrected (three days later) “made alive in the spirit.”

19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

 (v. 19) After Jesus’ death but before His ascension into heaven, Jesus “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.” The Apostle’s Creed helps us understand this passage (or at least how the church traditionally understood it). “. . . suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, . . .” Jesus preached to the disobedient in hell (but what did he say?) because they formerly did not obey,

The spirits that are in prison and Jesus goes to proclaim something to them, Colossians 2:15, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” “Ever since the fall of Satan and his demons, there has been an ongoing cosmic conflict between the angelic forces of good and evil. After the apparent victory in inducing Adam and Eve to fall into sin God promised to the Evil One himself eventual destruction by the Messiah, who would triumph with a crushing victory over him. . . Satan tried to prevent this by attempting a genocide of the Jews (Est. 3:1-4:3), the destruction of the Messianic line itself during the time of Joash (2 Chron. 22:10-12),

When that failed, he attempted to kill the infant Messiah (Matt. 2:16-18). Satan tried to get Jesus to abandon His mission by tempting him in the wilderness, and when they didn’t work, he tried to kill the Messiah himself – He incited Jewish religious leaders and a mob that resulted in the crucifixion. They guarded to tomb to make sure he stayed there. But even this plan didn’t work because He rose again. So while we don’t have the exact words Jesus said, I think it went something like this, “It is finished.”[8] Satan has worked over the history of the earth, and his plans have failed – Jesus is triumphant.

On a mission trip to India our team hired drivers to get us from our hotel to an orphanage two days drive into a very remote part of the country. Along the way every little town and village had various political flags (colors and symbols). There was one orange flag we kept seeing again and again as we drove. The drivers never really gave us a good direct answer and were claiming not to know the English word for the flags – only later did we discover that the orange flag we kept seeing was the anti-Christian flag, and had we been discovered in those areas probably would have been very bad for the team. Over the centuries Satan has been claiming territory with his sin flags – Jesus goes right into the headquarters of the Evil One and says, “the battle is done, I have won – You are defeated.”

Peter is telling us that believers who seek to do good will suffer, but it is not a disaster but it is a path toward spiritual victory. Peter tells us of Jesus triumph, who suffered unjustly but through his suffering conquered sin and demons in hell. Who knows how God will use your suffering for His glory and your blessing.

(v. 20) “when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared,” – It took Noah and his family 120 years to build the ark, and while he was building it, he would go and preach to those who gathered to see it. Why are you building such a boat? Noah was obedient to God, and he explained (he gave an answer for his hope) a wrath of God that was to come.

Every hammer blow, and every plank of wood that was laid was a testament of a coming judgement. For 120 years Noah preached, God was patient, yet they did not repent or listen (they were disobedient). Then Peter tells that Jesus went and preached (proclaimed) to them in “prison.”

“that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” These eight people were saved, but those in prison were not. The flood was a final judgement – for those who did not believe (in the coming flood), and disobeyed (did not have faith in God). The time of God’s patience came to an end (He is longsuffering, 120 years, but there is an end).

How do you reassure fellow Christians who are undergoing persecution and hardship because of their seeking to do good? Peter points back to the flood and an ultimate judgement upon the face of the earth.

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[1] See discussion of Isaiah 8:12b-13 ff. Fear of other armies, verses fear of the Lord.

[2] Kenneth S. Wuest, First Peter In the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1960) 89.

[3] “In Athens every citizen was expected to be able to join in the discussion of state affairs.” Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume VI (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1933) 114.

[4] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Peter (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishing, 2004) 202.

[5] Wuest, 90.

[6] Leonhard Goppelt, A Commentary on 1 Peter (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdsmans Publishing Company, 1993) 245.

[7] Wuest, 92.

[8] MacArthur, 210.

[9] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of The Epistle of St. Peter, St. John, and St. Jude (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1966) 168.

[10] Robertson, 120.

[11] Lenski, 169.

[12] Robertson, 29. Isa. 8:14; Matt. 21:42,44; Romans 9:33; 1 Pet. 2:16; John 3:19; Rom. 6:4, 9; Eph. 2:6.

[13] Wuest, 108.