Who doesn’t want to live a meaningful life full of peace and joy? The Bible gives a prescription for us to live life to the fullest.
Peter is preparing the church for further suffering, preparing them to be strong and healthy as they endure hardship. The Western church is not familiar with persecution, but that may change soon. For a church to remain strong during persecution, they must operate according to the principles of the kingdom of Heaven.
Living Healthily
Peter lists five essential characteristics of a healthy church in 1 Peter 3:8.
1: Unity: Unity is not uniformity. We all have different spiritual gifts and different parts to play in the church. We need to be united around the mission of the church. The mission that Jesus gave us has never changed and we are to rally around that call (see Matthew 28:19-20).
2: Sympathy: This is having care and compassion for the needs and pain of others in the church. We need to be careful that we don’t simply come and go while overlooking the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters. It is tempting to become hard hearted towards one another, but we must never stop caring (see Romans 12:15).
3: Brotherly Love: The Greek word for brotherly love is “philadelphia”. This word is only applied in the context of love within the group of believers. Peter encourages his readers to love earnestly from a pure heart.
4: Tender heart: Love in the church is revealed in our tenderness towards one another. Sadly, tenderness is viewed as a weakness today. Tenderness is a heart attitude of actively engaging with the pain of others. Not simply glossing over it with an, “I will pray for you”. Having a tender heart means that we see people and show that we care.
5: Humility: A humble person puts others first and listens first. Humility is the opposite spirit of the world, and it is the mark of a healthy believer and a healthy church.
Responding Well
Peter continues in verse 9, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing”.
Jesus was our perfect example as he prayed for those crucifying him.
This is turning the other cheek, even if another believer says something about you that is untrue.
I have had the privilege to meet some amazing leaders over the years working with various mission organizations. One of the essential character qualities that I have found in respected Christian leaders is that they don’t defend themselves. Even when they are falsely accused.
I know this is easier said than done. We need to learn to commit accusations to the Lord. Sometimes an accusation is warranted, and we must receive it and make corrections. But if it is false or malicious, hand it over to the Lord.
Blessing Others
In the face of reviling, Peter exhorts to live in the opposite spirit, “…on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing,” 1 Peter 3:9b.
There are so many ways that we can bless others and as we do, we are promised a blessing from the Lord.
Living Fully
In verses 10 to 12, Peter inserts some verses from Psalm 34. David wrote this Psalm when he was in extreme danger.
Verse 10 begins with, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days.”
Everyone should want to live life to the fullest, squeezing every drop of opportunity out of our days. This does not mean living free from trouble or pain; that is not what is promised. But Jesus’ promises of abundant and eternal life begin now.
Sadly, many believers are not enjoying the gift of eternal life that we have been given. They are not accessing the fullness of the life God has given them through Jesus.
There are many different reasons why people are not living life to the full: emotional trauma, sickness, depression or even apathy. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to live full and rich lives.
How do we do this? The Bible gives us three keys for this kind of life.
Speak Positively
“Let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit,” 1 Peter 3:10b.
If you want to enjoy life, watch your tongue. Ceasing from gossip, criticism, and lies.
Occasionally you will meet truly happy people, and one thing you might notice about them is that they never speak ill of anyone.
So, if you want to enjoy life, speak only about the positive attributes of others and control your tongue (see James 3).
Do Good
Verse 11 continues, “Let him turn away from evil and do good,” 1 Peter 3:11a.
This is both a turning away and a turning towards. This is not doing good things and hoping to balance out the bad things we do; that is not the Gospel. We must hate sin; it is our sin that took Jesus to the cross where he completely atoned for it. Then we must pursue good as a response to his goodness.
Seek Peace
The final key is also found in verse 11, “Let him seek peace and pursue it,” 1 Peter 3:11b.
As followers of Jesus, we are to exercise wisdom as we relate to others. Humility leads us to seek peace rather than our own way, preferring others in love.
Now, this is not always possible; life without conflict is never possible. Rather we have the opportunity to grow closer as believers, through handling conflict with grace and humility.
Live Your Best Life Now
You may question whether living by these keys will lead to others taking advantage of you?
Peter quotes an amazing assurance in verse 12.
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
It takes faith to trust the Lord in every circumstance (see Romans 12:19). He alone can bring about justice for us.
Follow these principles and live your best life now.