1 Peter Lesson 14 – 3:13-17 – Worthy of your Witness

1 Peter 3:13-17 Revised Standard Version

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right? 14 But even if you do suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than for doing wrong.

 

• First Impression?

 

If we are living our life sacrificed to Christ, then we should fear nothing and act like it.  WE should suffering knowingly while standing for Christ and do not fear living in a better situation than others have accepted. We are not better, just know tat we have been forgiven.

 

• Peter tells us not to fear. Who are we to fear and who are we not to fear?

 

The answer I expected was Satan, but the answer I received was God. The idea is that once we are in God’s hand, even Satan can not snatch us from heaven. We are to revere God and fear nothing outside ourselves. Others fear loss of pride or loss of free will, but we know those are false doctrine as the goals are to be humble and serving.

 

• Peter tells us to be zealous for what is right. How do we discern causes to be zealous for and for causes to leave to others?

I see no notes in my book. Therefore, it means we were having great engaging discussion. The goal of the question was to show that we are not to be concerned about results or outcomes of our zeal or size or shape of the cause. We are to be ready at all times to stand up for Christ, to stand up for what is right, to stand up for the downtrodden, and follow the individual call of God on our lives. I can not defeat our national enemies. I cannot defeat our political disaster. I can be kind to my neighbor and help my kid.

• Peter tells us the righteous are blessed and the abusers will be put to shame. Deuteronomy 22:28-29 “allows” a man to take a virgin as his wife for 50 shekels. For the sake of debate, how can shame and blessing be enough “zealous”?

 

Not to belabor the topic, we are to leave vengeance to the Lord in all these arenas. We steward what He provides, and we allow Him to work the miracles we cannot.

 

• Peter tells us to revere Christ and to revere others. Delineate how people are not evil, yet they produce evil, and how this allows us to not fear them, but revere them (evil doers).

 

Lots of discussion here. As discussed elsewhere we got hung up o the definition of evil. In the end, we are not to determine who is evil and needs to go to hell. We all deserve hell. We are to treat everyone as loved by God so much that He gave His Son for them. We are to love them as much as He loved us. We are all made in God’s image and although evil comes out from our sin nature, we can all be washed clean and spend eternity forgiven. If I was worthy to be saved, then my neighbor was also.

 

• Peter tells us to be prepared. What is your testimony?

We are to not fear anyone, we are to be zealous for sharing the source for our boldness, we are to leave the outcomes and judgements to God, we are to love everyone as a potential child of God, and we are to share our story with them.  They are worthy to hear the gospel.