Daily Scripture Reading 1Peter 3:13 - 4:11

Many Christians today are not able to explain why they believe the basic tenets of Christianity such as God exists, the Bible is the Word of God, Jesus is God, Jesus rose from the dead, all who believe in Jesus will spend eternity in heaven while everyone else will spend eternity in hell. Deep down, many Christians have doubts about our belief system.

This is not acceptable. There is a verse in today’s reading that requires us to always be ready to explain why we believe what we believe.

In the ninth verse of chapter three Peter commanded us not to return evil for evil. Instead, we should do good to those who mistreat us. Then he quoted a Psalm to remind us that anyone who wants to see good days should turn away from evil and do good.

1Pet. 3:13 ¶ And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

If we obey God and do good, then God will be pleased with us, and if God is pleased then it doesn’t matter what any human thinks of us.

1Pet. 3:14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR FEAR, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,

Humans naturally want to avoid trials and tribulations, but suffering leads to blessing.

1Pet. 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear,

The word sanctify means to dedicate or set apart. In this case, Peter commanded us to dedicate ourselves to serving Christ as our Master.

Peter also commanded us to be ready to make a defense of our hope. Our hope is that someday we will leave the misery of life on earth and spend eternity in heaven. That hope of future glory is how we endure the pain and agony of life. All Christians should always be ready to explain why we believe we will spend eternity in heaven.

This is an area where modern Christianity is failing. Most Christians are not able to explain how we can be certain of our beliefs. Deep down, many Christians have doubts about our belief system.

Here is a brief summary of why we have hope. When we look at the world, the intelligent conclusion is there has to be a living, intelligent being somewhere who created the universe and everything in it. The Creator came to earth as a man named Jesus and performed miracles in order to prove He is the Creator. After proving He is God, Jesus verified that the Bible is His message to humanity. The Bible tells us that every human is a sinner and deserves to spend eternity in hell; however, everyone who believes Jesus rose from the dead and makes Jesus the Lord of their life will spend eternity in heaven, while everyone else will spend eternity in a lake of fire.

1Pet. 3:16 having a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame.

1Pet. 3:17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing good rather than for doing wrong.

Look at the phrase “if God should will it so”. Humans generally try to avoid persecution; however, sometimes God wills that a person should suffer for doing what is good.

1Pet. 3:18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might bring you to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

1Pet. 3:19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

1Pet. 3:20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

1Pet. 3:21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal of a good conscience to God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Look at the phrase “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”. The resurrection is what saves us.

Many Pastors today are trying to make Christianity appealing to the masses, and so they try to say what people want to hear. However, we need to proclaim Biblical truth. People need to believe in the resurrection of Jesus in order to be saved and we need to proclaim that truth.

1Pet. 3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

1Pet. 4:1 ¶ Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose—because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin—

Since Jesus suffered in the flesh, all Christians should be willing to suffer for Jesus.

1Pet. 4:2 so as to no longer live the rest of the time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

Since Jesus suffered in order to provide salvation for us, we should strive to live our lives as servants of Jesus, even if that means being persecuted, tortured, or killed.

1Pet. 4:3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have worked out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

1Pet. 4:4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, maligning you,

1Pet. 4:5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

1Pet. 4:6 For to this the gospel has been proclaimed even to those who are now dead, so that though they were judged in the flesh as men, they live in the spirit according to the will of God.

1Pet. 4:7 ¶ The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound thinking and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

This verse does not tell us to get emotional for the purpose of prayer since the end is near. Instead, it tells us to be of sound thinking. It tells us to be sober, not emotional.

1Pet. 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.

1Pet. 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

1Pet. 4:10 As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God—

1Pet. 4:11 whoever speaks, as one speaking the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen.

Many Christians today are not able to explain why they believe the basic tenets of Christianity. Deep down, many Christians have doubts about our belief system. That is wrong because Peter commanded us to always be ready to “make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you”.

How well does your church prepare believers to give an account for the hope within us?

How well are you prepared to defend and proclaim what you believe and why you believe what you believe?

What do you need to study in order to be better prepared to defend your belief system?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”