Fearless Faith in a Hostile World

Bible Passage: 1 Peter 3:13–22

In 1 Peter 3:13-22 the apostle Peter encourages believers to live righteously amidst suffering and persecution, presenting Jesus as our ultimate example of unwavering faith amidst opposition.  Fearless faith is not devoid of fear or suffering, but it boldly acknowledges the presence of Christ in our struggles, demonstrating that we can witness to others even in the face of adversity.

Preaching on passages that focus on suffering for following Christ and doing what is right is difficult for the simple reason that persecution is not as prevalent for most of us as it was in Peter’s day and still is today in other parts of the world.  Here in America, there are many situations where people of faith encounter hardship, mistreatment, ridicule, and suffering.  The stories seldom make the evening news and most Americans just pass over them.  A few examples today would be the football coach who lost his job because he met in the center of the field just before each game, kneeled and prayed.  A few on his team began to join him until the entire team made this the start of each game.  Spectators didn’t like it and complained about the delay in the start of the game.  He was told not to do it anymore by his authorities but refused to follow their instruction so he was fired.  Then there are the two baker’s, one in California and the other in Colorado.  They refuse to use their artistic talent to make cakes in support of societal practices that they consider offensive and against the Word of God.  Both have been fighting in the courts for a decade now. 

Another example that isn’t often spoken about is the difficulty many churches have in getting approval from county and city officials to buy property and build a church.  Cities often refuse building permits after a church group buys a piece of prime real estate for a church building.  The City councils use excuses like the loss of city revenue from sales and property tax to church organizations that operate tax free.  I saw this back in the 80’s in San Jose California.  Then it became more prevalent – Calvary Chapel in Westminster could only build on the land they purchased if they agreed to pay tens of thousands of dollars in lost tax revenue.  Those who stand and witness for Christ often face resistance, ridicule, loss of opportunities, and harassment.  These are all forms of suffering for the sake of righteousness.

Secure in Suffering

13 And who is there to mistreat you if you are zealous in doing good? 14 But if you suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed.  And do not fear their intimidation, neither be shaken (Is 8:12).

Generally speaking, most people are not mistreated when they do good.  But for followers of Christ, it happen.  When this happens, it doesn’t mean that we are being punished by God for doing something wrong.  And it doesn’t mean that God is unable to protect us from the evil others might do to us.  A quick look ahead at verse 17 helps us understand the sovereignty of God and so that we can have peace in difficult situations.  “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God should will it so, than to suffer for doing wrong.”  If God has willed it, then he has a purpose for our trials.  It is not punishment.  Those who suffer for the sake of righteousness are blessed by God.  Matthew 5:10–12 says,

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“In the world you will have tribulation,” Jesus said, “but take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  And in Matthew 10:25 (ESV) he said,

““25It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”

And again in Luke 6:22

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!

We may not fully understand or grasp the God’s plan behind our suffering or the mistreatment we receive, but we know that in all these things we are following in the footsteps of the one who gives us eternal life.

Solid Faith through Suffering

15 Instead sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you the reason for the hope within you, 16 but with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who speak evil of your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Verse 15 is often used in support of apologetic ministry (which is being able to defend the truth of the Bible and the Gospel to unbelievers, athiests, and agnostics.  Apologetics involves logic, fact, and reason in discussion with others to convince them of the truth of God’s Word.  I is an important part of ministry.  But this is not the context in which Peter writes and verse 15 is talking about.  Peter addresses those who are suffering as believers and wants us to bear up under the situation (endurance) with a good attitude, with continued trust and joy in the Lord, and with faithfulness to God’s Word.  Those around will you who watch will notice your good behavior and will ask, “how can you continue to trust and smile under such circumstances?”  They will want to know the reason for the hope you display in word and deed. 

But when we defend the gospel, we are to do so with gentleness and respect.  We are not to debate others in such a way that we try to shame them or embarrass  them.  We are not to try and outwit them or make them look dumb and inferior.  We are not to pick a fight with them but are to continue showing them the quality and character of a heart that beats in faithful love for the Lord and for those with whom we are engaged.  Then those who slander us for believing in and following the Lord will one day be shamed when Jesus appears and they stand before him to give an account of their actions and evil they have done against you and against the Savior.

Sweeping Victory through Suffering

17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God should will it so, than to suffer for doing evil.

18 Because Christ also suffered once for sin,

      The Just for the Unjust,

So that he might bring you to God

      Being put to death in the flesh

But made alive in the spirit.

19 In which also he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the forbearance of God waited patiently in the days of Noah who built an ark in which a few, that is eight souls, were brought safely through the water. 21 which also corresponds now to baptism which saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God having gone into heaven with angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to him.

This is a difficult passage.  Those who read these words back in Peter’s day probably understood the message and relevance it had for them.  When Martin Luther, the great reformer, wrote his thoughts and commentary on the letter of 1 Peter, here is what he said when he got to this passage,

A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.… I cannot understand and I cannot explain it. And there has been no one who has explained it.[1]

My mentor and theology teacher in Seminary, Dr. Grudem, says the meaning of this passage is “much disputed”.[2] 

I am going to agree with them right up front and confess that I don’t really understand all that Peter is trying to say here.  Who are the disobedient spirits in prison?  Why did Jesus go and proclaim the Word of God to them?  Where exactly did he go? And how does all this relate to Noah?  There really isn’t much that helps us to understand and answer all these questions. But there is teaching here we can understand and appreciate.  So we will focus on what we take away and appreciate of the beauty in this passage.

What we know so far is that If we find ourselves in a situation where we have been called upon by God to suffer ridicule, slander, even physical persecution for our faith in Christ, we are to endure and continue to do what is good and right in the eyes of God the Father. Why? Verse 18 tells us, “Because Jesus also suffered once for sin.  He suffered at the hands of sinful people, the Just for the Unjust.  This was God’s will and his suffering has a very important purpose – that Jesus might bring us to God.  He was put to death in the flesh and paid the price for our sins so that we might return to God through faith in the Son of God.  In the same way, to reach our world today, God may will that we too should suffer so that others might come to faith in Christ. 

The suffering Jesus experienced is laid out specifically in verse 18.  Jesus was put to death.  He endured the ultimate punishment that all who sin will face – death. And yet he was righteous in all and holy in every way.  As he suffered, he spoke not a word against those who wronged him but entrusted himself to the only one who is able to save and rescue from death (1 Peter 2:22-23).

At the end of verse 18 we read, that even though Jesus died in the flesh, he was made alive in the Spirit.  The resurrection of Christ was real.  His body didn’t just come back to life but was transformed, alive in the Spirit.  The passage ends in verse 22 letting us know that the resurrected Jesus has gone into heaven where he sits at the right-hand of God and now all angels, and powers, and principalities are subject to him.

His suffering accomplished a sweeping victory. Christ Jesus suffered in death.  He was resurrected and rose from the death.  Now he is now seated in heaven at God’s right hand.  His suffering led to victory, victory over death, victory over his enemies and victory in resurrected life for those who believe and follow Him.

We know that in him there is salvation.  I think this is where Noah comes in.  Noah and seven others were saved out of the flood waters in the ark.  God’s mercy provides a way of escape for those who seek the Lord.  So in the same, we also are saved through through baptism, emersion in Christ.  It isn’t the physical baptism that saves us but the appeal we make to God when we hear the good news about Jesus and ask the Lord to give us a clear conscience (this is another way of saying forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God). 

Because of what Jesus has done, our conscience can be cleansed, our sins forgiven, and resurrected life in the Spirit of God is given to us because Jesus rose from the dead and is alive in spirit.

[1] Martin Luther, ed. John Lenker, Commentary on Peter and Jude (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1982), p. 166.

[2] Wayne Grudem, Tyndale New Testament Commentary: 1 Peter (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1988), p. 157.