A Clear Conscience
The Ambassador's Handbook • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Handout
Last week, we finished by looking at Peter’s instructions for how to live a good life in the midst of suffering. This next verse continues that thought. We see a reason to flee evil, do good, and seek peace.
iv. The Lord watches both the good actions of Christians and the evil actions of persecutors. (3:12, Proverbs 15:3, 8, John 9:31, Psalm 80:16)
We see three different aspects of God’s attention described. Peter is quoting from Psalms, so some poetic abstractions are present, but I believe the eyes, ears, and face mentioned here are distinct in the kind of attention they give. Each one of these aspects adds to a total picture of God as the supreme ruler and caretaker of the universe. And each one adds support to the command to eschew evil and do good.
First, we see the eyes of the Lord.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Beholding the evil and the good.
Sometimes the “beholding the evil” part of that verse is most emphasized. And it is very much true. But both parts of the verse are equally true. God watches the evil and the good. When someone is doing evil and they think no one can see, God still can. When they are doing good and think no one is paying attention, God still is paying attention.
It’s the last part of the verse that Peter focuses on here. It’s just like Noah, who lived righteously in the midst of a wicked nation. He might have thought God could not see him. But he found grace in the eyes of the Lord, meaning that the Lord was watching him.
The wording paints a picture of God standing over all the earth, watching the deeds of his saints and recording them for future reward. He is watching over them like a father might watch his children as they interact.
Next, Peter speaks of the ears of the Lord. What do they do? They listen to the prayers of the righteous.
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: But the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
This is another very encouraging promise to these Christians going through tough times. We’ve all felt like our prayers aren’t going past the ceiling. That may be, as we saw last week, because of sin. But other times we are not walking in sin, or at least not known sin, but still feel isolated from God. Peter assures us that God still hears those prayers that we think are pointless. He is listening with attention just like any good human father listens to his children when they are distressed.
Finally, we see the face of the Lord. God’s face is associate throughout Scripture with judgment. One example:
It is burned with fire, it is cut down: They perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
The idea of God’s face being against someone may seem weird at first. His hand being against someone makes sense, because you do things with your hand. But speaking of the face of the Lord invokes an image of a stern father standing before a disobedience child. Yes, his hand will soon be against him, but his face says it all. His face is as hard as if were carved out of stone. His eyes are full of fire. His mouth is turned down to a frown.
Furthermore, when God punishes someone, he doesn’t even need to use his hand. Look at that verse. All he needs to do is rebuke them with his countenance. Maybe some of you can remember how one stern look from your dad would rebuke you and put fear in you. That’s what this is talking about.
It’s also an interesting contrast as we see in this book the face of the wicked set against the righteousness, and yet here, the face of God is set against the wicked. They will not go unpunished.
Note the human terms used to describe God’s senses here. Some say this is anthropomorphic language, but I think the Scriptural view is not that God describes himself in terms of mankind, but that mankind was created in terms of God. We know that God can see, hear, speak, and seemingly smell too. All the senses of the human body originated in him, not in our physical natures. Does he actually eyes, ears, and a face? That’s not really something we can answer. But there are suggestions that this is the case.
2. A Clear Conscience (3:13–22)
Christians should live with compassion toward others, but that should be backed up with a conscience that is clean towards God and man.
ii. Even in persecution, Christians are safe and blessed within God’s plan. (3:13–15a, Proverbs 16:7, Luke 6:22–23, Philippians 1:29, Isaiah 8:12–13, 51:12, Numbers 20:12)
Verse thirteen, at first reading, seems like a silly thing to say. Maybe even insulting, like giving a copy of Your Best Life Now to Christians suffering in North Korea. We’ve just spent a while talking about how Christians are called to suffer and how they should respond to that. Why would he say, “No one will hurt you if you do good.”
There is a general principle in this which is often true.
When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
The fruits of the Christian life are more agreeable than secularism, which leads to death and chaos. In general, only the most depraved of people would try to persecute someone who is a follower of that which is good.
We can also take a broader sense of the verse. Beyond saying, “Who will try to harm you?” he may be saying, “Who can actually harm you?” We should not fear those who are able to kill the body, but rather he who is able to kill the body and throw the soul into hell. Human enemies can do very little to take away the source of our joy and hope.
But we see in the next verse that, even though it doesn’t make sense for someone to persecute a follower of good, it still happens.
“If you be followers of that which is good, and yet suffer, this is suffering for righteousness; sake (v. 14), and will be your glory and your happiness, as it entitles you to the blessing promised by Christ”
When the verse says “happy are ye,” that’s the same word used for blessed. It can also mean fortunate. It is a thing of privilege to be counted worthy to suffer for Christ. We should be overjoyed that we are able to walk in the footsteps of Christ and suffer for him like how he has suffered for us.
[talk about repaying kindness that someone has showed you]
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
The word “terror” here means a source or occasion for fear. Do not be afraid of the things that they try to threaten you with. When they say they you’ll lose your job for your faith, do not be afraid of that. When they try to intimidate you through mockery or slander, do not be afraid of that. When they threaten your life, do not be afraid. These things they try to use as sources of fear are ultimately empty for the Christian. No terror should unnerve us enough to turn away from Christ. Even when thousands of soldiers camp before the gate of Jerusalem, there is no reason to be afraid, because our God is always bigger.
“Troubled” means to be in great distress, or to be disturbed. We should not be frozen in fear, fold under pressure, or let panic make the decisions. This is where total trust in God comes in.
[use the example of a trust fall]
This section quotes from Isaiah.
Say ye not, A confederacy, To all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; And let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, And of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
The mortality of man is a humbling thing for us, but also helps us keep the enemy in perspective. All flesh is as grass. That includes us, and that also includes those enemies who like to think they are a god.
What is the alternative to being afraid and troubled? Setting apart God as the Lord.
[compare with Ro 10:9]
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
To sanctify the Lord God means to set apart God as the Lord of our lives.
And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Alexander Maclaren wrote, “Only he who can say, ‘The Lord is the strength of my life’ can go on to say, ‘Of whom shall I be afraid?’ ”
To sanctify the Lord God means that we trust in his control. We don’t fight to keep circumstances in our control. We don’t panic when things doesn’t go according to plan. Rather, we realize that God is God and has supreme authority over our lives. Is persecution coming? Trust God. Are you facing false accusations for your faith? Trust God. Are the armies of Assyria coming against the city? Trust God.
iii. Christians should be able to reasonably defend their hope for eternal life. (3:15b, Acts 24:25, 2 Timothy 2:25)
Now we come to the famous apologetics proof text. If you’ve spent more than five seconds studying apologetics, you’ve heard this verse and its meaning before. But we’re going to see how, in context, it has even even deeper level of meaning.
Let me first say that this verse does mean basically what the apologists says it does. Whenever the word for “answer” is used elsewhere in Scripture, it is in the context of a defense in court. You also see the word “reason.” This is a logical defense.
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
However, I’m completely sure Peter didn’t have creation science, manuscript evidence, and biblical archeology when he wrote this. The kind of answer that they were supposed to be ready with was one that defended their hope and joy in the midst of persecution. When someone asked, “Why do you have hope even though the whole world hates you?” they should be able to give an intelligent answer. Not just “My pastor believes it” or “My family believes it,” but something like “Jesus died, rose from the dead, was seen of the apostles and over 500 people at once, and then ascended into heaven promising that he would soon return again.”
If we are living in the way that Peter describes, we should be prepared for questions like this. It is a very unusual lifestyle.
[talk about how this is not just about giving evidence but about revealing the glory of Christianity]
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
This answer should also be with meekness (humility) and fear (respect). It is not an attempt to put someone else down or show how we are right.
iv. A holy lifestyle is the best defense against slander. (3:16, Hebrews 13:18)
This verse is straightforward.
Having a good conscience means that we are trying to live righteously.
Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Speak evil: Slander
Evildoer: Criminal
Those who did not believe slandered the Christians and treated them as criminals.
“… on a stated day they had been accustomed to meet before daybreak and to recite a hymn among themselves to Christ, as though he were a god, and that so far from binding themselves by oath to commit any crime, their oath was to abstain from theft, robbery, adultery, and from breach of faith, and not to deny trust money placed in their keeping when called upon to deliver it.”
Peter encouraged his readers with the fact that good behavior is their best defense against unjust punishment and persecution.
The first step is to have a good conversation in Christ. But those living well should not worry, because those who accused them would eventually be ashamed because of their lies. Even if they are not ashamed on this world, they will be very much ashamed before the throne of God.