I Peter 1:1-8
Our Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven
I Peter 1:9-16
Living a Disciplined Life in Christ
I Peter 1:13-16
Living a Disciplined Life in Christ
I Peter 1:17-25
The Blood that sets us Free
I Peter 1:22-25
True Love is Easily Seen
I Peter 2:1-10
Stones in God’s Temple
I Peter 2:4-8
Stones in God’s Temple
I Peter 2:9-10
Who Christ Says we are as Christians
I Peter 2:11-17
Believers in the World
I Peter 2:13-17
Submission to Government
I Peter 2:18-25
We are to Emulate Christ’s Example
I Peter 2:21-23
We Are to Emulate Christ’s Example
I Peter 2:24-25
Peter Takes Us to the Cross
I Peter 3:1-7
Wives and Husbands
I Peter 3:7-7
Admonition for Christian Husbands
I Peter 3:8-12
Sharing in the Joy of Others
I Peter 3:10-12
How to Have a Really Good Day
I Peter 3:13-22
Be Faithful and Leave the Results to God
I Peter 3:18-22
Be Faithful and Leave the Results to God
I Peter 4:1-6
Following Christ May Bring Persecution
I Peter 4:7-11
Hospitality Includes Ministering to One another
I Peter 4:12-19
Every Christian can Expect Persecution
I Peter 4:15-19
Suffering for God’s Glory
Be Faithful and Leave the Results to God
I Peter 3:13–22
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According to the book Life of Francis d’Assisi, Francis once invited a young monk to join him on a trip to town to preach. Honored to be given the invitation, the monk readily accepted. All day long he and Francis walked through the streets, byways, and alleys, and even into the … More
Believer are called to suffer. We shouldn’t fear men or circumstances, but instead we should consider it a high privilege to suffer (vv. 13-14). God is working in our lives to teach us something. Just as parents discipline their children to teach them, so God sometimes disciplines believer through suffering. Every Christian should be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in them (v. 15). This witness should be given in meekness and respect and not with a know-it-all attitude. We won’t reach people by running over their feelings (vv. 16-17). We must remember that it is the Holy Spirit’s conviction, not our condemnation, that causes a person to accept Christ as Savior.
In looking through various commentaries we find many different interpretations of these next verses. Some think “spirits in prison” (v.19) refers to Jesus descending into Hades after His death on the cross to preach to the spirits of the dead. Some think He preached a message of doom to the fallen angels. Others think this refers to the people of Noah’s day, that the Spirit of Jesus preached to those who were disobedient when the ark was being built (v. 20). We may never agree on these verses until we get to heaven, but there are still some practical lessons that we can agree on: (1) Christians should expect opposition: If Jesus, the perfect one, had to suffer, why do we, who are unperfect, expect to escape suffering? (2) Christians should focus on being faithful and leave the results to God: Noah preached and served God for many years, but only seven people were saved in the end. (3) Baptism is important: It’s not a means of salvation but a pledge of obedience to God.
Application
When was the last time I had an opportunity to share my faith with an unbeliever? What happened? Am I satisfied with how I went about it? In what ways could I do better next time?
I Peter 3:13-22 (English Standard Version)
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