Faithful Witnesses (1 Peter 3:8-17)

Introduction

During the time of the First Great Awakening (the 1740s and 60s and 80s), Christians in the New World became hyper-focused on a personal experience with God. Testimonies were given of Christian conversion, and men and women would often report fantastic experiences, in which God confronted them in their sin, God turned their minds toward particular Bible passages, and God supernaturally gave them a personal sense that they were now spiritually alive.

And this focus on personal experience suited most Baptists in America just fine. In fact, Baptist churches (and Methodists too) were the fastest growing and multiplying churches across America during the First and Second Great Awakenings (which lasted until about 1840). This was precisely because of their emphasis on supernatural conversion as a real and personal experience.

Baptists are a voluntary people. We believe that one must turn to Christ voluntarily (he or she cannot be forced into true faith). We believe that one must join a church voluntarily (you aren’t born into church membership, and it’s not a right of citizenship or family heritage). And we believe that the local church (as a collective body) affirms its doctrines and leaders voluntarily (we vote democratically to decide what we believe and who our leaders are).

Thus, voluntary religion and personal experience go hand in hand. The sinner must personally hear and understand the gospel; he or she must personally experience regeneration (or spiritual rebirth); and then he or she must make a public profession of that personal faith by baptism into church membership.

And yet, it’s important for me to say here that none of this means that Christianity is private or individualistic! Everyone must hear the gospel from the mouth or pen of someone else. Each man or woman (boy or girl) must come to understand the gospel by having someone else explain it and by asking clarifying questions. And once an individual believes the gospel, he or she must have that profession of faith affirmed as credible (or true or believable or reliable) by others who are already publicly marked off as Christians.

Since the very beginning of Baptist history, Baptists have been a people marked by personal experience and by voluntary unity with other Christians. This has promoted a heavy emphasis on evangelism among Baptists. We believe sinners need to hear the gospel, to understand it, and to turn from sin to believe and follow Christ… and we want sinners to do that… so we urge them to do it!

Not every Christian is going to leave everything they know to become a missionary in a foreign land (some of you might, but not all). Not every Christian is going to commit his or her vocational career to Christian ministry (some of you might, but not all). Not all Christians are going to do evangelism the same way; some will be more articulate, some more theologically precise; some more gentle and inviting, and some more direct and confrontational; and we all will see different results from our efforts over time.

But I believe all Christians are commissioned by Christ to be His faithful witnesses in this world… and I believe this includes both living and speaking as ambassadors for Christ.

Today we are continuing our year-long topical series on Baptist Distinctives. We’ve covered a lot of ground this year, and I hope that it has been helpful for many of us to consider those doctrines and practices that cause us to be part of a Baptist church (and not a Presbyterian or Methodist one). This is not to say that we can’t be glad for good Presbyterian or good Methodist churches, but this is to say that our differences are not meaningless.

Having said that, one might easily argue that my main point today could just as easily be preached from a Presbyterian or Methodist pulpit. That is true. It could! However, the practical reality is that Baptists have historically emphasized (and still do at present) this universal evangelistic responsibility more than other Christian denominations… and Baptists have exercised more personal evangelistic effort as well… If you’re at a grocery store, a gas station, or a community event, and some stranger hands you a gospel tract, that guy is almost certainly a Baptist.

At any rate, my aim today is not to say that other Christians don’t do or don’t promote evangelism as much as Baptists. Rather, my aim is to point us all to the importance of personal evangelism and to some ways we might recommit ourselves to being ambassadors for Christ in our everyday lives.

Let’s read a portion of a short letter in the Bible which speaks to this topic, and let’s consider what the Bible has to say about it more broadly this morning.

Scripture Reading

1 Peter 3:8–17 (ESV)

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 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.

For ‘Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 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.’

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Main Idea:

All Christians are commissioned by Christ to be His faithful witnesses in this world, both living and speaking as ambassadors for Christ.

Sermon

1. Commissioned by Christ

This letter from the Apostle Peter was written to Christians scattered about in the world of the first-century Roman empire. Peter began his letter, “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion,” and then he listed various regions of the empire (1 Pet. 1:1-2). Peter described those “elect exiles” as ones who had been elected “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,” sanctified by the Holy “Spirit,” and “sprinkled” clean by the “blood” of Jesus Christ (v2).

In other words, these are Christians! Peter was writing to Christians who were “dispersed” or scattered about in the world.

And the major theme of this whole letter is Peter’s call for them to understand that they are truly beloved children of God, citizens of Christ’s kingdom, and on their way to eternal glory… but that they are to live at present as “exiles” in a foreign land (1 Pet. 1:1, 17), as “sojourners” in enemy territory (1 Pet. 2:11-12), and as “righteous” men and women who bear witness of God’s holiness and glory to the ungodly people around them (1 Pet. 1:12, 15, 3:1-2, 14-17).

In short, Peter is commanding Christians to live as faithful Christ-followers, and to tell others what they are doing and why… knowing that some will “be put to shame” by their witness (1 Pet. 3:17) and that others will be “won” to Christ and “glorify God” because of their witness (1 Pet. 2:12, 3:1-2).

Peter (a capital “A” Apostle, speaking with the authority of Christ) is commanding Christians to live as faithful witnesses for Christ… both in their living and in their speaking… telling others that Christ is Lord and righteousness is a mark or characteristic of His people… calling for faith and repentance, but expecting mockery, abuse, and persecution from those who do not believe.

This seems to me to be the assumed priority of every Christian in the New Testament… based on the Great Commission, which Jesus gave to His disciples just before He ascended to the right hand of the Father, after His resurrection. Jesus said, in Matt. 28:18-20, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This is what the first disciples began to do in Acts 2. This is what other believers continued to do throughout the book of Acts. And this is what all Christians of every age are commissioned by Christ to do with their lives in this world… All Christians are to live as Christ’s faithful witnesses to those around them who do not believe, both living faithful lives according to Christ’s teaching and speaking true words about what Christ has promised and commanded.

Brothers and sisters, we are ambassadors for Christ, giving a divine appeal or summons, so that others around us may be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:17-21).

2. Witnesses in Exile

For a long time now, brothers and sisters, many of us (especially those who are 50 and older) have been able to live in a world that seemed to feel a bit like home. We may have read verses like the ones I cited (about being “exiles” and “sojourners”), but we have felt a lot more like dual citizens (we’ve got passports for New Jerusalem, but we’ve also got native citizen IDs for this world right here).

However, the last 10-15 years have seen huge changes in the American landscape (culturally, politically, and economically). In September of 1996, President Bill Clinton (a Democrat) signed the Defense of Marriage Act, which declared that no state shall be required to recognize a same-sex “marriage.” It was a federal law that defended what Americans today call “traditional marriage.” But in February of 2011, President Barack Obama (also a Democrat) instructed the Department of Justice not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in federal court. This was a complete reversal of the previous position, and a sign that the American political and cultural landscape had turned upside down.

In 2013 and 2015, a couple of Supreme Court cases (Windsor and Obergefell) completely redefined marriage for Americans. And today, this fundamental institution of society (i.e., marriage) is a light thing – an accessory for some women (like a handbag or hairstyle) and a liability for some men (more a hindrance or obstacle than a prize). And for most people in their 20s and 30s (statistically speaking), marriage is quite undesirable.

I could go on for a long while on this point about the changed American landscape… and we all know it. Our culture is a moral dumpster fire, and many of our neighbors and friends don’t even know how to say or hear the plain truths that were once obvious to everyone (You’re not crazy, it really is that bad!). The transcendent realities that once formed the foundation of our societal structures have evaporated, and we (as a culture and a civilization) are a house of cards.

So, the conditions today make it a bit easier for me to remind us all that Christians are now and have always been “exiles” in this world. 20 years ago, I might have had to take some time to make my case. But this has been true since the first century, and it has remained true throughout every generation since. Of course, some times and locations in the world are more or less hostile to biblical Christianity, but there has never been a time when Christians were not “exiles.”

Brothers and sisters, it is vital that we keep this status and reality in mind – We are exiles. We can work to do good in this world (to build up societies, to encourage basic institutions [like marriage], to raise children to be good citizens, to promote economic growth and educational advance), and all of these are truly good things. But these are not our first priorities, these are not our primary goals, and these sorts of worldly goods or worldly improvements are not our expectation.

Peter’s expectation… the expectation he sets for the Christians scattered about in his own day… and the expectation that I think the Bible sets for all Christians everywhere… is that this world will not (on the whole) be a welcoming or hospitable place for Christians. Jesus said, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (Jn. 15:20). And the Apostle Peter says here, “even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” (1 Pet. 3:14-15).

Brothers and sisters, we are ambassadors for Christ, and this world is not our home; we are exiles here. And those who do not believe or follow Christ will often respond to our message from the King with “evil” and “reviling” or “slander” (v9). Peter goes so far as to say (in ch. 4, v12), “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Pet. 4:12-13).

Once again, brothers and sisters, this is not our home; we are exiles here.

But we are truly ambassadors for Christ, and Christ intends us to act as such, both in our deeds and with our words.

3. Ambassadors in Deed

As I’ve been saying this morning, the whole letter of 1 Peter is about Christians living as exiles and ambassadors in a foreign and often hostile world. The majority of Peter’s instruction throughout the letter is centered on Christian living. A consistent Christian life will speak volumes to non-Christians around us, and this is our first and primary responsibility as faithful disciples and witnesses.

In ch. 1, Peter reminds his Christian brethren that (despite their present circumstances in this world) they are heirs of a salvation that is “imperishable, undefined, and unfading,” which God Himself is preserving for them, and which God will “reveal” or “show” on the last day (1 Pet. 1:3-7).

Brothers and sisters, this is our hope too. This is our stability when chaos surrounds us. This is our joy when darkness presses upon us. This is our treasure when all the comforts of this world are taken away from us.

We sang it a bit ago, and it is true. “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing. Our helper, He amid the flood, of mortal ills prevailing.” Our God is a mighty fortress, and when the ills or pains or troubles of this life come flooding in, He is a bulwark or stronghold or defender that never fails.

But how are Christians to live in such a world and with such a hope?

Peter says (in ch. 1, v13), “preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Pet. 1:13-16).

And what does holy living look like?

Peter says, “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Pet. 1:22); “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander” (1 Pet. 2:1); “like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Pet. 2:2); and “keep your conduct among the Gentiles [i.e., non-believers] honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Pet. 2:12).

Friends, I used to think (when I was a younger man) that the great pursuits of my life would be those deeds that might make a mark on history – achieving something great, building something noteworthy, or demonstrating some ability to do or be more than the average man. And the things I had in mind were those that the world around me perceives to be great or noteworthy and better than average.

But I have come to realize that great achievements and noteworthy efforts and better than average abilities are indeed the good and right pursuits… but the definitions of such things are not what I once thought.

Have you ever given yourself to holiness in thought, word, and deed? Any progress toward real holiness is a great achievement! Have you spent years of your life working to build a strong marriage, an ordered family, a healthy church, or a thriving community? These are noteworthy efforts that often go unnoticed by the world… but God sees them, and He counts them as the most notable efforts of our lives. Have you invested time and self-discipline in developing your abilities as a husband or wife, as a father or mother, as a genuinely edifying brother or sister to another Christian, as a diligent and industrious worker, or as a godly, humble, thoughtful, and compelling example to those non-Christians around you?

Friends, this is the stuff of greatness from heaven’s perspective. One thousand years from now, these are the efforts and deeds that will adorn our crowns. And the Bible teaches us that godly disciplines are of good use in this world as well as the next (1 Tim. 4:8).

If we are to be ambassadors for Christ, then the first thing we must do is work to get our own lives and houses in order. We must live as though Christ is truly our King, as though we really believe His promises, and as though we actually delight in His commands.

We most certainly have a duty to open our mouths and speak the words of the gospel to our lost loved ones and friends, but the words we speak will only be believable to others if we are living like we believe them ourselves.

Brothers and sisters, all Christians are commissioned by Christ to be His faithful witnesses in this world, and this begins with our faithful living. We must be ambassadors in deed.

4. Ambassadors in Word

Once we have committed ourselves to live as faithful witnesses for Christ and begun ordering our lives accordingly, we must open our mouths to speak as faithful witnesses as well… we must be Christ’s ambassadors in word.

There is a common saying that is attributed to Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” Francis was an Italian monk who lived about a thousand years ago, but he never actually said such a thing.[i]

At best, this phrase is a call for Christians to live faithfully… to practice what they preach. This is what I was arguing we should do in point 3.

But often, this phrase is used to imply or to argue outright that the gospel is something that we can live without actually using words to describe or explain it. Friends, this is ridiculous. If any of our lost loved ones are to know who Christ is and what He has done, if they are to know what it means to be under God’s judgment or what it means to be under God’s grace, then we are going to have to open our mouths and use words.

We don’t preach the gospel by doing good works; we preach the gospel by telling people (with words) the good news about Jesus Christ.

In fact, this is exactly what we read in our main passage for today. Peter wrote that Christians should “have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind” (v8). He said that Christians are to “honor Christ the Lord as holy” (v15). And Peter said that even “if [Christians] should suffer for righteousness’ sake,” they should “have no fear” of those who persecute them, “nor be troubled” by them (v14).

But when the persecutions and troubles come to those who live as consistent Christians in the world (i.e., as faithful witnesses and disciples of Christ), they are to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks… for a reason for the hope” they have (1 Pet. 3:15). In other words, Christians are to live faithful lives and have ready mouths to speak words of truth about what Christians believe.

This certainly includes Christian ethics. Christians must know why they are living as they are. Christians must live in keeping with Christ’s commands, and they must know what commands they are obeying. We must make choices in life that reflect our thoughtful and convictional application of biblical commands. We don’t lie, because Christ has commanded us to be truth-tellers. We don’t steal, because Christ has commanded us to earn our own living and to respect the property of others. We don’t engage in sexual immorality, because Christ has commanded us to honor marriage and to turn away from all sexual deviation that is not in keeping with honor, with dignity, and with rightly ordered desires.

But this is not where our Christian witness ends! Christians must also know true doctrine, those teachings or propositional truths of the Bible that make Christian ethics rationale and worthwhile. We know that the true God is the self-existent creator and sustainer of the universe, and that He is deserving of all praise and honor and glory. We know that the true God is good and wise, and that His design and laws for us are for our advantage. We know that the true God is holy, and that He will judge all men on the last day according to their deeds. We know that the true God is gracious, and that He has sent His own Son to live and die and conquer death in the place of guilty sinners. And we know that the true God makes a clear division between those who remain in sin and those who repent and believe and follow Christ.

Brothers and sisters, we must know these things… deep in our bones… because we have become convinced that such doctrines are true. We must know what the Bible teaches about God, about Christ, about humanity, about sin, about judgment, and about salvation (to whatever degree that we are able to know and understand such things). And we must be ready to speak (as well as our mouths are capable) to those around us… we must be prepared to give a “defense” or an apology or an argument for why we have the hope we do in Christ.

Once again, we know that not everyone will respond with repentance and faith… many will reject the gospel, many will remain indifferent to it, and some may even ridicule and mock us for believing it.

But not everyone will. Some will (by God’s grace) hear the gospel and believe it. Some will learn that there is a Savior for guilty sinners, and they will rejoice. Some will hear their sins exposed, and their hearts will break, and they will humbly cling to the gracious promise that Christ came to save sinners.

And no matter how others respond, the commission or charge or call of Christ is for those who do believe the good news of the gospel to be His faithful witnesses in the world, both in living and speaking as His ambassadors.

So, what are some ways we can aim to be such faithful witnesses for Christ?

5. Living as Witnesses

With this last point of my sermon today, I want to offer some evangelistic methods and practices that we can use to be faithful witnesses. Of course, there is far more that we might do than just these I’m listing here, but let me mention three methods and three applications.

Three Methods.

First, summarize. Faithful evangelism begins with knowing the gospel, and we all ought to be able to summarize it in 30-60 seconds. One example summary of the gospel is Admit, Believe, Confess. However, this summary only focuses on the response to the gospel, but one must know the gospel before he or she can understand the ABC’s of the right response. Another summary is Creation, fall, redemption, restoration/consummation. This summary is a good overview of the Bible’s story, but we want to be sure that we (at some point) make the turn from summary to calling for a response. The summary that I use is God, man, Christ, response. This is a good combination of the two above, since we get both a summary and a call for response.

Second, teach. In his little red book on evangelism, Mack Stiles defines it as “teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade.”[ii] One method we can use is simply to teach the gospel to those around us. We can focus on one or more feature of the gospel and explain it to them. This method is best for those who are ignorant about the gospel (and they know they are ignorant), such as children and conscious non-Christians.

Third, defend. This method of evangelism is aimed at correcting errors and providing rational and biblical arguments for the reliability of the gospel message. A verse often cited as a basis for this method is 1 Peter 3:15, “be prepared to make a defense.” The word is απολογία – speak in defense of. This is where we get the word “apologetics.” The people who need this method are opponents of Christianity and those who believe a false gospel (such as Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses or those who embrace some form of the prosperity gospel).

Three Applications.

First, summarize the gospel regularly. When you sin against your spouse or kids or others. When your spouse or kids or others sin against you. When someone asks you what you believe. When someone opens up to you about their sin, their family dysfunction, or their chaotic life. And always keep in mind that a good way to end a brief summary of the gospel (especially with a friend or stranger) is by inviting the person to come to church with you to learn more about what you’ve just summarized.

Second, teach the gospel systematically and intentionally. This is especially an application to make in your home. You can use whatever method that seems to work best for you, but catechisms are the tried and tested method for Christian discipleship and evangelism. Catechisms (good ones) describe the doctrines that undergird the gospel message, and they create (over time) a biblical worldview.

Read the Bible with your spouse and kids. Talk about the stuff you read. Ask questions about what your spouse and/or your kids believe. Learn to think through what the Bible teaches with others who are beyond or behind you.

Read good Christian literature with your spouse and kids, especially stories that point to the gospel and other fundamental Christian truths. For example, Pilgrim’s Progress by Bunyan[iii] and Dangerous Journey. The Prince’s Poison Cup by Sproul.[iv] The Moon is Always Round by Gibson.[v] Read good Christian biographies or histories like To the Golden Shore by Anderson,[vi] The Unquenchable Flame by Reeves,[vii] and Reformation Heroes by Kleyn & Beeke.[viii]

And don’t forget that Sunday lunches and afternoons are the best time to focus on teaching! If you’ve been to church, then you and your family have just heard a lot of Christian teaching… and you can capitalize on that by having further conversations about it. Ask questions, dig deeper, make applications.

You can also invite friends, co-workers, classmates, and others to learn about Christian teaching or history or ethics with you. Read the Bible together and discuss it. Read good Christian books together and talk about them as you read. Ask me and others about books that might be a particular help on certain topics.

Third, defend the gospel when necessary. I should say here that we need to let the small stuff go; we are all going to have disagreements about some things. But when a critical doctrine or ethic of the Bible is misunderstood or misapplied, then take some time to expose the error and make a correction. I might argue about baptism with my gospel-believing Presbyterian friend, but I’m not going to do that with my atheist friend.

It’s important, when defending the gospel, to consider the relationship. If it’s someone you know, then you may be able to press a bit harder because you have a good relationship with them, and love will season the hard conversations. If it’s someone you don’t know so well, then consider asking good questions instead of making statements. For example, How do you know? Why do you think that? Does the Bible really say that? Have you ever read what the Bible says about that? Would you like to study this a bit more with me, so that we both can better understand what the Bible says?

And remember, Christians have been wrestling with hard questions for centuries. Take advantage of good Christian books and articles on the subjects that are of particular interest to you, your spouse, your kids, and others you know.

Brothers and sisters, I’ve been arguing today that all Christians are commissioned by Christ to be His faithful witnesses in this world, both living and speaking as ambassadors for Christ. I pray that God will help us to be people who believe the gospel, that He will help us to live like we really believe and follow Christ, and that He will help us to speak the truth of the gospel to those around us who don’t know it or don’t believe it yet.

We won’t always get the response we want, but our calling is to faithfulness. May God help us be faithful witnesses for Christ in this world… until He comes.

Endnotes

[i] See a helpful article on this at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-misquoting-francis-of-assisi/

[ii] See Evangelism by Mack Stiles for purchase here at the 9marks bookstore: https://9marks.myshopify.com/products/evangelism-by-j-mack-stiles

[iii] You can purchase Pilgrim’s Progress here from Banner of Truth: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/pilgrims-progress/

[iv] You can purchase The Prince’s Poison Cup here from Ligonier: https://store.ligonier.org/the-princes-poison-cup-hardcover

[v] You can purchase The Moon is Always Round here from New Growth Press: https://newgrowthpress.com/children-books/picture-books/the-moon-is-always-round/

[vi] You can purchase To the Golden Shore here at 10 of Those: https://us.10ofthose.com/product/9780817011215/to-the-golden-shore

[vii] You can purchase The Unquenchable Flame here at Westminster Bookstore: https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/the-unquenchable-flame-michael-reeves-9781433669316?variant=9783686365231

[viii] You can purchase Reformation Heroes from Reformation Heritage Books here: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/reformation-heroes-second-edition-with-study-guide-kleyn-beeke.html