1 Peter 3:8-12 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 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. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 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.” (ESV)
With the onset of warmer weather in Canada, people are anxious to get outside. As we are generally restricted from travel, with all indoor facilities still closed, people are looking to find something to get their minds off of the extended period of lockdown. It is obvious from many of the mass protests, that tens of thousands are no longer adhering to restrictions on gatherings.
For us as a congregation, we are looking forward to the new allowance on outdoor worship, for we know how personally, spiritually and corporately devastating this lockdown has been. We are created for corporate worship. With God’s clear mandate to gather for worship, He knows how important it is for our spiritual health. We really can’t fulfill any of the “one-anothers” from scripture on our own. We have a clear biblical mandate to care for one another and look to the welfare of one another. Corporate worship and the ministry that God has equipped us for is The Good Life. It is a purposeful, pleasant and perpetual life of ministry that God has set out for us, as the penultimate experience of eternal life to which we are to point others toward.
In 1 Peter 3:8-12, the Apostle Peter outlines four basic admonitions for living and loving The Good Life, even in the midst of present and menacing trouble. In order to do this, we need to: 1) have the right attitude (1 Peter 3:8), 2) The right response (1 Peter 3:9), 3) The right standard (1 Peter 3:10-11), and finally 4) have the right incentive (1 Peter 3:12).
Believers in Christ can enjoy “The Good Life” by:
1) Having the Right Attitude (1 Peter 3:8)
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (ESV)
Finally, indicated that this exhortation is a summary of what Peter has previously stated in terms of submission first introduced in 1 Pt. 2:13. Now Peter is applying the concept for all of you, in regards to your behaviour. This section specifies a call to freely submit to one another in love. Everything begins with the right attitude. These Five spiritual virtues constitute this God-honoring perspective. This list of virtues is intended to reinforce the Christian’s cohesion not with society at large but with the countercultural society of the Christian community. (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 215). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.)
First, believers are to have unity of mind /be harmonious. The compound word for unity of mind /be harmonious (homophrones) literally means “same think.” This does not mean that we must all think the exact same way about everything. The concept of their being harmony, indicated that there are differences. But in a harmony, the differences in gifts/talents work together in a common unity of purpose. Believers are to live in harmony together, maintaining a common commitment to the truth that produces an inward unity of heart with one another (Rom. 12:5, 16; 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:12; Gal. 3:28; Phil. 2:1–5). Unless there is unity in belief there can be no external unity of action or purpose. Like-mindedness is perhaps the foundational value of the Christian community that unifies people from various races and religions joined together in belief in Christ. These are qualities that presume a high commitment to the stability and well-being of the community. Modern Western concepts of individualism tend to trump commitment to community. Where commitment is found, it is often evaluated in terms of individual needs. An individual whose needs are no longer met by a community terminates the (so called previous) “commitment” and seeks a new and more obliging group. Such thinking runs counter to the qualities of 1 Peter 3:8. Like-mindedness implies a willingness to conform one’s goals, needs, and expectations to the purposes of the larger community. (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 215). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.)
“Sympathy”, the second factor in experiencing the fullness of Christian life, is virtually a transliteration of sumpatheis, which means “sharing the same feeling.” Christians are to be united on the truth, but also ready to sympathize with the pain of others, even of those they do not know (cf. Matt. 25:34–40; Heb. 13:3; James 1:27). Believers must not be insensitive, indifferent, and censorious, even toward the lost in their pain of struggling anxiously with the issues of life (cf. Matt. 9:36; Luke 13:34–35; 19:41). Saints must come alongside them with empathy to declare God’s saving truth (cf. Acts 8:26–37). Christians should demonstrate their concern for and interest in their neighbor, especially in times of joy or sorrow. They are to “rejoice with those who rejoice; [and] mourn with those who mourn” (Rom. 12:15; also see 1 Cor. 12:26) (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude (Vol. 16, p. 127). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
Please turn to Philippians 1
Third, Peter used the term philadelphoi, translated here as brotherly. The first part of the word stems from the verb phileo, “to love,” and refers to affection among people who are closely related in some way. Those who demonstrate that affection will do so by unselfish service for one another (Acts 20:35; Rom. 14:19; 15:2; 2 Cor. 11:9; Phil. 4:14–16; 1 Thess. 5:11, 14; 3 John 6). Such service begins in the church among believers and extends out to the world. For a local church, brotherly love fosters harmony of belief and purpose, sympathetic concern for each other’s needs, compassionate activity to meet those needs, and humble self-sacrifice in the church’s common pursuit of God’s Kingdom and righteousness. This emphasis on loving one another as brothers was introduced in 1 Peter 1:22. Its repetition here suggests that practical harmony within the body of Christ will not occur without a concerted effort by individual believers to approach their relationships within the body of Christ with a brotherly love (Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, p. 51). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
To exhibit brotherly love, means that brethren in Christ must not be in conflict with each other, even under severe persecution:
Philippians 1:27-28 [27] Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, [28]and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. (ESV)
• This is how unity works. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed earnestly for the spiritual unity of all believers (John 17:20–23), which prayer was answered. Believers are all one in Christ (Eph. 4:4–6; cf. 1 Cor. 6:17; 8:6). This spiritual reality should be the basis for the church’s visible harmony. The early church was a model of visible oneness (Acts 2:42–47).
Fourth, Tender heart/Kind-hearted/Compassionate translates eusplagchnoi, the root of which refers to one’s internal organs and is sometimes translated “bowels” or “intestines” (e.g., Acts 1:18). Affections and emotions have a visceral impact, hence this word signifies a powerful kind of feeling (Eph. 4:32; cf. 2 Cor. 7:15; 1 Thess. 2:8). Much like sympathetic, the expression calls for being so affected by the pain of others as to feel it deeply, following the kind of tenderhearted compassion God, through His Son, has for sinners (cf. Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34; 19:41–42; John 11:35). All of this requires risk. If we are only interacting with others for what we get out of it, we don’t open ourselves up to another. To open ourselves up to another, is to risk being hurt, but it is the only way to fulfill this mandate. This is a conscious decision to open up your heart and feelings to another’s pain and trouble, to be tender and merciful with people (Jeske, M. A. (2002). James, Peter, John, Jude (p. 105). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.).
The final factor in Peter’s list for enjoying the goodness of the Christian life, humble mind/spirit, is one word in the Greek, tapeinophrones. Humility is arguably the most essential, all-encompassing virtue of the Christian life (5:5; Matt. 5:3; 18:4; Luke 14:11; 18:14; Eph. 4:1–2; Col. 3:12; James 4:6; cf. Ps. 34:2; Prov. 3:34; 15:33; 22:4). Paul used a form of this Greek word in Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant/more important than yourselves”. Years earlier Jesus demonstrated the importance of His own example of humility when He said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29; cf. Phil. 2:5–8). Humility is an awareness of strengths and gifts as provided by God and a grateful attitude for them. It is also an awareness of areas of weakness and need and a desire to grow in these areas and the willingness to receive assistance with these needs. Furthermore, humility is the attitude that is content to minister in the background, away from the spotlight. Humility desires to put the interests of other people ahead of self-interest. (Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, p. 52). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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Illustration:
Humility will have a bearing on how we approach and how we respond to important things in life. A man criticized D.L. Moody’s methods of evangelism, and Moody said, “Well, I’m always ready for improvement. What are your methods?” The man confessed that he had none! “Then I’ll stick to my own,” said Moody. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 412). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
People will often have a false sense of humility saying because they are not good at something, like evangelism, they will refrain from engaging in the activity. True biblical humility will put the welfare of others before ourselves. There is no greater welfare than the eternal destiny of others. True Humility is relying on God for the strength, and means by which we engage in the activity that He has directed us in. In true humility we will do what God calls us to do, and leave the results up to him.
Believers in Christ can enjoy “The Good Life” by:
2) Having the Right Response (1 Peter 3:9)
1 Peter 3:9 [9] Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling/insult, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (ESV)
A godly approach to life incorporates not only the right action motivated by the right attitude, but the proper reaction when mistreated. Not repaying/returning evil for evil begins with an imperative present participle expressing a negative command (me apodidontes), which can also mean “stop returning.” If a believer is not retaliating to evil with more evil, They must not start; if they have, they must stop (cf. Lev. 19:18; Deut. 32:35–36; Prov. 20:22; 24:29; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30).
Please turn to Matthew 5
Evil is from kakos, which denotes the inherent quality of badness, not just bad words or actions. When mistreated by someone with a wicked disposition, believers must not retaliate. Peter echoes what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:38-45 [38]"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' [39] But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. [40] And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. [41] And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. [42] Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. [43]"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' [44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45]so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (ESV) (cf. Isa. 53:7; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; Rom. 12:14, 17; 1 Cor. 4:12; 1 Thess. 5:15)
• We have been talking about the God-intended function of the three institutions of the family, church and state. Here is a perfect example of present confusion. The state exists to restrain evil, the Church to proclaim the Gospel, and the family to personify Godly love. When the family abdicates its role to the Church, or worse, the state, the Church its role to the state, having it define what it can and cannot do, and the state its role to the individual, where individuals decide through popular opinion, what is reality, then we end up with the mess that Jesus is describing here. Here in Matthew 5, Jesus starts with the “law of retaliation” (Latin lex talionis) was God’s means of maintaining justice and purging evil from among his people (see Deut. 19:20–21). It was intended to prevent inappropriate punishment (the punishment should fit the crime) and was imposed by civil authorities rather than individuals (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1830). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.).
Turning to the matter of speech, back in 1 Peter 3:9, Peter warned his readers not to return insult for insult/reviling. The term insult (loidoria) means “an abusive railing against,” “cursing,” or “speaking evil of” someone and is the root of the word translated “reviled” in 2:23. To engage in such vengeance is an unacceptable response for believers (Eph. 4:29; Col. 3:8; cf. Prov. 4:24; 19:1; Eccl. 5:6). The apostle Paul sought to have the right verbal response to enemies, “When we are reviled, we bless” (1 Cor. 4:12), and warned other believers not to revile (6:10) or even associate with those who do (5:11). Given the tendency of human nature to retaliate, coupled with the social expectation to do so, the Christian who refrains from verbal retaliation and instead offers blessing would give unbelievers pause (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 217). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic).
Rather than retaliating when treated in a hostile way, believers are to respond by giving a blessing instead. The term translated bless is the word from which the English word eulogy derives. It means to praise or speak well of others (cf. Luke 1:42). How can we do this? First, believers can bless people by loving them (John 13:34; 15:12; Rom. 12:9–10; Col. 2:2; 3:14; 1 Thess. 4:9; James 2:8; 1 John 3:23; 4:7). Second, they can give a blessing by praying for the salvation of an unbeliever (cf. Matt. 5:44; 1 Tim. 2:1–4) or the sanctification of a fellow believer. Third, believers can bless people by expressing gratitude for them (Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4; 2 Cor. 1:11; Phil. 1:3–5; Col. 1:3–6; 2 Thess. 1:3). Finally, and most crucial, believers are to forgive those who persecute them (4:8; Mark 11:25; Luke 17:4; Col. 3:13; cf. Gen. 50:20–21; 2 Sam. 18:5; Prov. 19:11). Those who are able not simply to clench their teeth and remain silent but to maintain an inner attitude that allows one to pray sincerely for the well-being of one’s adversaries, are truly a witness to the life-changing power of a new identity in Christ (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 218). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.).
Peter makes that clear by stating that believers have been called for the very purpose that they might inherit/obtain (freely receive) a blessing (a gift). The text doesn’t say that believers earn a blessing; they inherit it, and an inheritance is never earned (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 219). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.).The apostle’s point is that believers have received the divine, unmerited, and eternal blessing of complete forgiveness of an unpayable debt to a holy God and heavenly life forever with Him (Matt. 1:21; John 10:28; Rom. 5:8–9; 6:23; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 2:13–14; 1 Thess. 5:9; 1 John 4:9–10), rather than His deserved wrath and vengeance for sin. A believer’s freely granting forgiveness to someone who has offended them should be an easy consequence, since both that believer and the offense are so small compared to God’s greatness and how He has been offended. Living a godly life does not earn salvation but is an evidence of it. Peter was hardly suggesting that believers will live perfectly and that such perfection is necessary to obtain an inheritance. But he was insisting that a transformed life is necessary (evidence of an internal transformation for one to expect) to obtain the inheritance (Schreiner, T. R. (2003). 1, 2 Peter, Jude (Vol. 37, p. 168). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Illustration:
Think specifically with a practical example of how someone might bless an adversary. There is a story of one particular soldier that had quite an effective witness to his unit. The story was shared of a Christian soldier living in a barracks with his unit. Each evening, when he would read his Bible and pray before retiring, he was reviled and insulted by the soldier across the aisle. One night a pair of muddy combat boots came flying at the Christian. The next morning, the hostile soldier found his boots at the foot of his bed, cleaned and polished and ready for inspection. Several soldiers in this company eventually became Christians as a result of the inner strength of one who could return blessing for insult (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 218). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.).
Believers in Christ can enjoy “The Good Life” by:
3) Having the Right Standard (1 Peter 3:10-11)
1 Peter 3:10-11 [10] For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; [11] let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
The word for at the beginning of verse 10 connects verses 8 and 9 to Peter’s quotes from Psalm 34:12–14, supporting his exhortation that believers must have a right response to hostility. A Christian—described here as the one who desires to love life, and see good days—must refrain from speaking anything that comes from the underlying evil of an immoral disposition. We must deliberately decide to love life. This is an act of the will: “He who wills to love life.” It is an attitude of faith that sees the best in every situation. It is the opposite of the pessimistic attitude expressed in Ecclesiastes 2:17: “Therefore I hated life … for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” We can decide to endure life and make it a burden, escape life as though we were running from a battle, or enjoy life because we know God is in control. Peter was not suggesting some kind of unrealistic psychological gymnastics that refused to face facts. Rather, he was urging his readers (and us) to take a positive approach to life and by faith make the most of every situation (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 412–413). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.).
This evil is evident from the tongue. The tongue is often unruly and prone to sin. As James says: “And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell” (James 3:6; cf. 1:26; 3:9–10; Ps. 12:3; Prov. 12:18; 15:2, 4). Jesus taught that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). … The tongue merely gives expression to our inner (disposition). Ultimately, we control the tongue by allowing God to change the inner (disposition). (Mounce, R. H. (2005). A Living Hope: A Commentary on 1 and 2 Peter (p. 49). Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers.)
Please turn to Matthew 12
In addition to refraining from verbal retaliation, believers must stop their lips from speaking deceit. They must be absolutely committed to the truth (Ps. 51:6; Prov. 3:3; 23:23; 1 Cor. 13:6; Phil. 4:8; cf. Josh. 24:14; 1 Sam. 12:24) and opposed to all lying, deception, and hypocrisy (Ex. 20:16; Prov. 6:16–19; 10:18; 12:17, 19, 22; Zech. 8:16; Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9). These matters of speech are controlled, not at the mouth, but on the inside. A Christian must be true to their word, so that fellow believers can trust them (Matt. 5:37; James 5:12). When the heart of the Christian is free from falsehood and deceit (2:1), they follow the example Christ set (2:22), loves life, and enjoys “good days” on this earth (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude (Vol. 16, p. 130). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
In Matthew 12, Jesus confronts the Pharisees based on their speech:
Matthew 12:33-37. 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (ESV).
• People’s words will be the outward evidence of their inward character. They will either be shown to be righteous, by truthfully speaking or will be condemned by the mocking and blasphemy of Christ. What is the state of our world? The most frequent profanity is using God’s name in vain. That’s why the first petition that Christ directs us in our prayer, should be that His name be regarded as holy.
Back now to 1 Peter 3, verse 11, drawn from Psalm 34:14, contains four straightforward imperative commands. First, believers are to turn away from evil (cf. Prov. 3:7; 16:6, 17; Isa. 1:16–17; 1 Thess. 5:22). The verb turn away (ekklinato) connotes an intensely strong rejection of what is sinful—in this context, sinful treatment of others, even those who persecute the saints (cf. Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:14). The point of the psalm quotation is to show that people who have been born again into the good days of new life with God are called to bless when insulted and to return good for evil. Their calling does not assure them an exemption from insult and evil. (Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 224). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.)
Second, Peter commanded his readers to do good, what is excellent in quality, what expresses deep-down virtue. That contrasts sharply with the contemporary notion of the good life as “doing one’s own thing,” whatever feels good (illicit sex, drugs, alcohol, excessive and mindless entertainment) at the expense of obeying God’s will. When we do good we engage the world, seek to reverse evil. We put up buildings, create constructive institutions, perform music, and generally do whatever our skill and experience allows. To do good is to bring good to all. By doing good, Peter says, believers silence the accusations of the foolish (1 Peter 2:14–15).( Doriani, D. M. (2014). 1 Peter. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (p. 131). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.)
The third and fourth imperatives appear together in the command for believers to seek peace and pursue it. The verbs translated seek and pursue both convey an intensity and aggressiveness of action. (Implicit in the phrase is the analogy of the hunter vigorously tracking down his prey.) Peace (eirenen) denotes a constant condition of tranquility that produces permanent joy and happiness (cf. Luke 2:14; 8:48; 19:38; John 14:27; 16:33; Rom. 5:1; 8:6; 15:13; Gal. 5:22; Phil. 4:7; Col. 3:15; 2 Thess. 3:16). Christians are to seek peace and hunt for it aggressively, even peace with their persecutors and others who do not know Christ (cf. Rom. 12:18; 14:19; 1 Thess. 5:13; 2 Thess. 3:16). They are to be known in the world as peacemakers, those who strive for harmony with others as much as possible without compromising the truth (cf. Matt. 5:9; Rom. 12:18; 14:17, 19; 2 Cor. 13:11; 2 Tim. 2:22; James 3:17). Effective peacemakers must seek peace and pursue it. They build good relationships, knowing that peace is a by-product of commitment. They anticipate problems and deal with them before they occur. When conflicts arise, peacemakers bring them into the open and deal with them before they grow unmanageable. (Barton, B. B. (1995). 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude (p. 92). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Pub.)
Illustration:
Our Lord said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). The peace we are to seek is the peace of Christ, the peace of God. There is false peace, and there are false peacemakers. Adolf Hitler once said to his colleagues, “We can lie to the people now because after we are victorious, they will forget it.” The (British Prime Minister) Neville Chamberlain went to Munich to pursue peace with Hitler. This same man, Chamberlain, once said, “We have achieved peace in our time.” At the very moment he made that announcement, Hitler was mobilizing his blitzkrieg. The Bible warns us about a kind of peace monger, someone who seeks a peace that Luther called “carnal peace,” which is a peace of the flesh that lacks integrity. We see this sort of peace in the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day, about whom God said, “They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14). There is such a thing as false peace. At times we do not want to rock the boat or disturb the peace, but no one ever disturbed the peace more than the Prince of peace, whose very presence provokes spiritual warfare. We are to seek peace, but it is godly peace we are to pursue, not the peace of the flesh (Sproul, R. C. (2011). 1-2 Peter (pp. 110–111). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.).
Finally, believers in Christ can enjoy “The Good Life” by:
4) Having the Right Incentive (1 Peter 3:12).
1 Peter 3:12 [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."
Peter’s quote here of Psalm 34:15–16 vividly fixes the reality that ought to motivate believers to live lives pleasing to God. The psalmist’s words describe a sovereign, ruling God (Pss. 90:2; 102:25–27; Dan. 4:35; Eph. 3:11) who sees all (Job 28:24; Prov. 5:21), knows all (Ps. 147:5; Rom. 11:33), holds people accountable for their behavior (Gen. 2:16–17; Rom. 1:20), and threatens punishment for disobedience (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:23). But for Peter, the primary issue here is not judgment but God’s gracious care for His people. God’s care for His people is described as His awareness of their situation with the phrase: “The eyes of the Lord” which is a common Old Testament phrase that relates to God’s special, caring watchfulness over His people (Prov. 5:21; Zech. 4:10). Sometimes the phrase indicates God’s judgmental watchfulness (Amos 9:8; cf. Prov. 15:3), but here the emphasis is on His omniscient awareness of every detail of believers’ lives (cf. Ps. 139:1–6). Your courage in suffering and your acts of love will never go unnoticed. God sees them all (Jeske, M. A. (2002). James, Peter, John, Jude (p. 106). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.).
Please turn to 1 John 5
God is also looking on the righteous so that his ears are open to their prayer. The word translated prayer (deesin) means “entreaty,” “petition,” or “supplication,” and relates to believers’ crying out for God to meet their needs (Ps. 5:2; Matt. 7:7; Phil. 4:6; 1 John 5:14–15). God is always fully aware of everything in the lives of His children. It ought to be a great incentive for believers to live as Peter has outlined, knowing that they can have confidence that the Lord is always watching and waiting, ready to hear and answer their prayers (4:7; Pss. 50:15; 65:2; 138:3; Rom. 8:26; Heb. 4:16). God looks with favor upon the righteous (i.e., those Christians who do the divine will) also provides assurance that since that is the case, nothing any evildoers can do, including those evildoers who oppose the Christian community, can ultimately harm those faithful to God…No one can do ultimate harm to those who zealously follow God’s will (Achtemeier, P. J. (1996). 1 Peter: a commentary on First Peter. (E. J. Epp, Ed.) (p. 227). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.).
John gives us a confidence and direction for our prayers in 1 John 5:
1 John 5:13–20. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. 18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (ESV)
• Central to having The Good Life is a confidence of being secure in Christ and that He hears and intercedes for us with the ability to accomplish His will. If Christians are praying in accordance with what pleases God as found in the teaching of Scripture, then they are praying according to his will (cf. Matt. 6:10; Eph. 5:17). praying according to God’s will includes the need to pray in faith (Matt. 21:22; James 1:6), with patien ce (Luke 18:1–8), in obedience (Ps. 66:18; 1 Pet. 3:12), and in submission to God’s greater wisdom (Luke 22:42; Rom. 8:28; 1 Pet. 4:19). The whole goal here is communion with God and being greater and greater like Christ (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2437). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.).
Back in 1 Peter 3:12, for those who seek evil, the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. The contrast to the eyes of the Lord, which refers to watchfulness, the Old Testament concept face of the Lord refers to judgment (cf. Gen. 19:13; Lam. 4:16). His eyes represent His all-seeing omniscience, whereas His face in this context represents the manifestation of His anger and displeasure (cf. Ps. 76:6–8). God’s wrath is against those who do evil and those who disobey His Word (cf. Rev. 6:16). This warning implies a drastic threat of imminent judgment, not just God’s disapproval. Leviticus 17:10; Psalm 34:16; and Ezekiel 14:8 refer to the most severe judgment God could have on humanity. Therefore, believers are not to retaliate; instead, they must trust that God will avenge the wrongs his people have suffered (Barton, B. B. (1995). 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude (p. 93). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Pub.)
Christians, whether today or in Peter’s time, have always had to contend with a hostile world. But they can live humbly, respond to persecution in a Christlike manner, and adhere to God’s standard of authority because they have the promise that even in the midst of trying circumstances God is watching over them, protecting them, and ready to extend His blessings. We can live The Good Life, secure in the knowledge of God’s care, guidance and blessing of being in Christ.
(Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2004). 1 Peter (pp. 185–186). Chicago: Moody Publishers.)
