Harmony in the Body of Christ (1 Peter 3:8-12)

Harmony in the Body of Christ 1 Peter 3:8-12 Introduction • Peter has been instructing Christians on a variety of relationships: government, work, marriage, etc. • Now, Peter is going to instruct us on how to attain unity in the body of Christ. • Background to Peter’s discussion: 1. Peter’s former religious world was marked by fragmentation. 2. Jesus says Christian unity is supremely important (see John 17). 3. Peter was the leader of the first local-church, a church remarkable for its unity (see Acts 2:42ff). Attitudes for Christian Harmony (3:8) • Notice that Peter addresses the admonition to “all” • Grammatically, “have” is not present – Peter is outlining what we must be: 1. Unity of Mind: same mind; Paul uses the word in Romans 12:16 and also associates it with humility 2. Sympathy: seeks a shared experience; sees other perspectives 3. Brotherly Love: remembers the family experience of the body 4. Tender Heart: full of compassion; see Ephesians 4:32 5. Humble Mind: Jesus says in Matthew 18:4 that humility a mark of commendable childlikeness Actions of Christian Harmony (3:9) • Refusing to return an eye for an eye: • Christians are to bless: 1. “Evil” has more of the general idea of “bad” 2. “Reviling” is synonymous in other contexts with both slander and quarreling. 3. According to Christ, a cornerstone of Kingdom Christianity is “turning the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39-42) 1. Blessing means to speak well of, to invoke God’s blessing, and to perform acts of kindness. 2. Unanimous New Testament agreement: Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28; Romans 12:14 3. Blessing other Christians involves encouragement, hospitality, and sharing of God’s good things (Romans 12:1315) Reasons for Christian Harmony (3:10-12) • From the beginning, God’s people have been called to be a blessing (see Genesis 12:1-3). • Peter quotes Psalm 34 for a variety of reasons: 1. Parallels between David and the early church – David was persecuted from the highest levels and forced to live as an elect exile. 2. When troubled, Christians should re-double their focus on personal integrity. 3. Ultimately, the Lord alone delivers. When troubled, therefore, Peter reminds us to seek the favor of God who sees, hears, and acts. Conclusions 1. Peter’s counsel for harmony runs counter to our typical, natural responses: self-defense, getting out front, teaming up, assuming on motives, exaggeration, and dishonesty. 2. Ultimately, the secret to harmony is to have a group of redeemed sinners looking to Christ while consciously choosing not to look at others or at themselves.