Ethics of our Christian Witness

The running theme throughout 1 Peter speaks to how Christians interact among the outsiders, specifically how do we endure persecution when it comes, and what kind of example are we giving to the world around us.

Ethics of our Christian Witness

1 Peter 3:8-12

How does the quality and character of a Christian need to be sustained in the Christian community as it responds rightly to the hostility of the unbelieving society around us.

2:11-17 “Beloved I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh.

1 Peter 3:8–12 ESV

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.”

Sucking Out Morality

Chris Wright, "All Our Gods Have Failed," in Themelios (April 1993). Christianity Today, Vol. 37, no. 14.

The expression "moral vacuum" has been tossed around in the media as an attempt to describe the apparent refusal of some sections of society to recognize, let alone live by, basic moral standards. ... The phrase is apt, but means more than the absence of morality. The whole point about a vacuum is that it does not just happen, for nature, as we all know, "abhors a vacuum." Vacuums have to be created. You get a vacuum when you deliberately suck out the air inside an object. It has to be pumped out and sealed out. Western culture for the past 200 years has been systematically and deliberately sucking out the transcendent from its public heart and core.

3 Principles in the Ethics of our Witness

1. When the world takes the low road we take the high road.

1 Peter 3:8

The moral high ground, in ethical or political parlance, refers to the status of being respected for remaining moral, and adhering to and upholding a universally recognized standard of justice or goodness. Holding the moral high ground can be used to legitimize political movements, notably nonviolent resistance, especially in the face of violent opposition

Why do people not like the moral high ground?

Most people feel justified in feeling the way the feel, and reacting the way they react when we feel like we are being treated unfairly or unjustly.

The list of virtues is intended to reinforce the Christians cohesion not with society at large but with the countercultural society of the Christian community.

LIKE MINDED: Refers to sharing common heritage of faith and ethical tradition. This is the thing that provides the cohesion needed to sustain the community.

For Example: Acts 2 say’s that the early Church had all things in common” What are the all things they had in common, the Christian virtues that represent the fruit of the spirit.

Philippians 2:2 ESV

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

1 Peter 3:9

“Bless, for to this you were called that you may obtain a blessing.”

Peter introduces a topic that will last all the way through 4:19, how his readers are to live out the gospel in a world that is suspicious of Christians and even hostile towards them.

“Do not repay evil for evil, or insult for insult, but to the contrary, bless, because to this you were called in order that you may inherit blessing.”

The High road thinks differently

Finally all of you: signifies a closing thought on roles and relationships to authority.

have unity of mind (like-mindedness Acts 2; Philippians 2)

Sympathy (Christ’s love shines through in the sympathy that the Christian life brings, the economy of the world exploits people for their own advantage, the Christian economy does not exploit, it shares loving support.)

brotherly love

a tender heart (disposition of the soul)

Humble mind (way of thinking, was disdained in the first-century Greco-Roman society.)

evil or insult (do not repay)

NOTE: Clearly Peter see’s humility as the deeper leveling aspect of pride. He finds in the free humiliation of his Lord, not only in taking the towel and basin, but in taking the cross. This is the lowliest of humble services. Christian humility will be mocked, as Jesus humility on the cross was.

The High Road reacts differently

John 10:10 “The thief comes to steel, kill, and destroy, but, I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly.

Cultural Note: The vast majority of our culture today are cynical and live their lives in a constant state of desperation. Why? Possibly it’s because they do not have Christ, which means that they lack hope. For the believer we are not without Christ, which, means we are not without hope.

The High Ground cultivates within our soul a love for life.

Philippians 1:23–24 ESV

23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

Note: Paul is not struggling with the choice between bad and good, it is between the good and better.

Cultural Note: Some people have a contagious spirit of optimism for living life to the fullest. That is why we are suppose to be Christians. We have a tendency to define our pilgrimage here on earth in terms of good days and bad days. “I had a good day at the office’ or “I had a bad hair day,” but we should enjoy a multitude of good days, because we are in touch with the Author of good days.

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days”

keep his tongue from evil and deceit

turn from evil and do good

seek peace and pursue it

“The eyes of the Lord are on...”

The righteous

his ears are on their prayers (husbands prayers may be hindered)

“The face of the Lord is against”

Those who do evil

The High Road suffers differently

The Christian community is called to be an alternate society

The alternate society is where believers should not have to face the same kind of insult and hostility that come from those outside the church.

1 Peter 3:13 ESV

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

Cultural Problem: Our human nature’s tendency is to retaliate, coupled with the social expectation to do so, the Christian who refrains from verbal retaliation when persecuted and instead offers blessings would give unbelievers pause.

1 Peter Who Is There to Harm You? (3:13)

“It is easier to understand Peter’s optimism if he wrote before [Nero’s persecution after the Roman fire]. For if Peter had asked during or after the persecutions of Nero, ‘And who is going to harm you if you are zealous to do good?’ everyone in the room would probably have shouted, ‘Nero!’”

Jesus example: in 2:23 the example of Jesus is his refusal to retaliate for unjust accusations broke the vicious cycle of escalating conflict that is so familiar within communities, and provides the basis for a similar course of action by those following in his footsteps. (i.e. don’t forget Peter’s sword action in the garden.)

There are two Kinds of Persecution in play:

Eschatological judgement to come.

Everyday persecution.

NOTE: Both are possibly at play here, but, what we do know is that Christians will suffer at the hand of others, and, God will bless them for it.

Note: Nothing can bring lasting harm to the one who does what God wants. This does not mean that the believers will not suffer. Peters concession is that they may suffer, but it will be fore doing what is good and right.

ILLUSTRATION

The Power of Testimony Is Gaining Traction

Publicly telling one’s story, or a personal testimony, has always been pervasive among Christians. In recent years some of the secular world has woken up to the power of testimony. Groups and assemblies of storytellers sharing wisdom gleaned from personal experiences have been cropping up in the US and Canada. Listeners are motivated, inspired, and guided.

Confessional style storytelling of average people has been popularized by a non-profit called The Moth. They stage over 500 shows per year across the US. The Moth Radio Hour was launched in 2009 and is now on 500 public radio stations and has one million weekly listeners. The Moth’s weekly podcast is downloaded over 73 million times annually. Executive Director Sarah Haberman told Forbes that “no matter where you’re from and whatever your background, your story has the power to unite people, to break down walls—even when you can’t be in the same room. That pursuit feels urgent right now.”

Author Richard Wagamese wrote: “All that we are is story. ... It is what we arrive with. It is all we leave behind. We are not the things we accumulate. We are not the things we deem important. We are story.”

2. Our testimony affirms the priority of the heart and the mind.

Dr. R.C. Sproul - Gave this illustration to demonstrate how someone comes to faith.

This statement in itself seems that a contradiction in terms. How can the disposition of someones heart towards the things of God weigh just as heavy as the disposition of someones mind. Even though the priority of the heart is of first importance, the priority of the mind is first in the sequence. In other words, the truth of God cannot get to our heart unless it is first processed by our mind. Our heart cannot embrace what the mind finds unintelligible. It is important to make that distinction, because if we divorce the heart form the mind and try to get to the heart by bypassing the mind, we are left with a blind emotionalism that has no valid content to it.

ILLUSTRATION

There are many ways in Christian life we have attempted to do this, contemporary worship, to appeal to the feeling without thought. Some say it does not matter what we believe as long as we have a warm feeling in our heart towards Jesus. The bubble is burst as soon as we ask the question, who is Jesus? The moment we try to answer that question and say something intelligible about the identity of Jesus, we are engaged with thinking, and our mind is brought into the matter.

The priority begins as the Apostle says that we are to sanctify our hearts to the Lord. Sanctify or make holy meaning “to set apart,” or “to consecrate in an act of devotion.”

How do you respond when your faith is attacked?

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

15 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,

“always being ready to make a defense”

The Christian must be ready to explain the Christian faith and lifestyle to a non-Christian.

Apologia - Apologetics

Articulation or Clarification of ones beliefs or actions in response to attack or accusation.

NOTE: How many Christians do you know today that would be able and ready to defend their faith.

THE PROGRESSION

Don’t be afraid of rejection

Set apart Christ as Lord over the situation

Now give your defense.

Always being ready: Why is this so significant. Have you ever been caught off guard by someone who asks you a question about your beliefs and you are at a loss for words.

THE TRIAL: so, consider it like preparing a defence for a trial that you will have clearly state why you believe what you believe.

For Example: What if your neighbor says, “I notice that you are a Christian. What is it that you believe?” are you ready to explain no only what you believe but why you believe it to be true.

ILLUSTRATION

Some people will simply respond that we take a leap of faith with no other claims to the truth in the Bible, but that response goes against the teaching of this text. The only leap of faith that we are to take is out of darkness and into his light.

The apology that we are to give doe not mean that we are to apologize for being a Christian.

HISTORY OF APOLOGETIC’S

The science of apologetics begins with Paul in the N.T. Paul travels from town to town and marketplace to marketplace giving his defence. The most clear example of Paul’s defence was at the Areopagus in Athens which was the meeting place of many philosophers of the day. There he disputed with Stoics and Epicureans, the philosophers of the day entered into an intellectual argument with him.

After the Apostles had passed from the scene in the second century you have Justin Martyr who was an important early Christian apologist. His most famous writing is entitled the Apologia

NOTE: Most testimonies today when given at all are given in a Christian gathering, using the jargon of the church, which makes perfect sense to the converted but in terms that have little meaning for those who are not already believers. According to Peter, believers must be able to relate the Christian faith to unbelievers by addressing their questions in terms they find meaningful.

You must know what you believe and why you believe it

Faith and Reason

The author of Hebrews says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not yet seen” There is a clear distinction made between faith and reason, yet this text speaks of faith as being something of substance. The faith that scripture speaks about is not empty; it has substance to it. “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.” There are certain things that we believe without having complete knowledge about them. We do not have complete scientific evidence that the universe was created by the word of God. We have the testimony of Scripture to that end, but none of us were eyewitnesses of creation. We do not have firsthand experience of it, we take it on faith that what the Bible says is true. “Is faith therefore reasonable.”

Illustration

Consider things that you put your faith and trust in everyday. Medical experts, at some point we have to trust them. Every day we all have to put our faith in sources of truth that we cannot personally verify. However, it is reasonable to trust God when He tells us things for which we have not verifiable evidence?

Why is this so significant? What if we fail to give a defence? What if we choose not to give a defence?

In 2:15 the lifestyle was a non-verbal witness of goodness. Now you are expected to use your words. Now we have a verbal response, Peter speaks of this as a weighty proposition, by doing it with gentleness and respect.

ILLUSTRATION

Two great thinkers Ken Ham of the creation institute a professing Christian and creationist, and Bill Nigh the science guy the professing atheist.

So faith and reason meet and it all comes down to the evidence for what we believe to be true. Unless the Holy Spirit opens our eye up to the truth of God that, despite overwhelming evidence. John Calvin stated that “the heart of a man is so opposed to the truth of God that, despite overwhelming evidence, man refused to submit to it. Unless or until the Holy Spirit works with the evidence and opens our eyes to the truth, we will not believe.

Final Question asked by the moderator. What would cause you to change your view?

NOTE: We don’t argue for the sake of argument. Peter tells us to do it with gentleness and respect. Sadly I have seen more Christians who live for venting their arguments on the internet and social media against the outsider, many times this has the opposite effect.

The spirit causes us to testify to that which is objectively true.

Therefore, that which was once unreasonable, has now become perfectly reasonable.

1 Peter 3:16 ESV

16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Note: Christian evangelism has received a bad reputation in our society today, why? When have you seen a bad apology given for Christ. Perhaps you have heard someone standing on a street corner yelling and fuming at people. The Christian testimony is not meant to embarrass or harass those to whom it is given. Everything we do in word or dee is to be done with great care, love, and concern for people.

The Humble and respectful testimony of believing Christians defeats the malicious talk of those who would malign the faith.

vrs. 17 reminds us that we should not fear any retaliation for our testimony.

ILLUSTRATION

A Marxist Sees the Gospel Lived Out

Tony Campolo tells of working with a young doctor by the name of Elias Santana. Campolo says,

This bright and dynamic Christian graduated from medical school (was) living in the Chicago area. He could easily have earned a small fortune by setting up a medical practice that took care of middle-class Americans. Instead, Elias regularly traveled to Puerto Rico, where he performed surgery for those who had the money to pay high fees for his services. He then would return home and, with the money he had earned in Puerto Rico, buy medical supplies. He would then give out these supplies for free to the poor in the slums of Santo Domingo.

One day I went with this servant of God to one of the worst slums in the city. I stood by throughout the day, watching him freely serve those who had no means to pay. He gave away expensive medicines to those who could not afford to buy them. (In the evening) Elias climbed to the top of his truck and yelled for the people to gather around. He preached the gospel story and called people to surrender their lives to Christ. At the edge of the crowd, I saw a young man named Socrates, the head of the Che Guevara Society, the leftist student organization in Santo Domingo. I knew Socrates to be a good-hearted person.

I went over to Socrates, jokingly nudged him, and said, “Socrates! Elias is winning converts! If he keeps this up, he will sway this crowd to being Christian, and there will be nobody left for you to convert to (Marxism).” I will never forget Socrates’s answer, “What can I say? Elias Santana has earned the right to be heard.”

Possible Preaching Angle:

Campolo’s story reminds us that we must back up our words with our lives. There is no more powerful sermon than a Christlike life.

3. We must be ready to give the reason for our great hope.

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

“Once for all time, spiritual and physical....”

The reason for our great hope is seen in Christ’s victory over unjust suffering.

Christ leads us to God through death in the flesh (3:18)

Christ suffered once for our sins, that he might bring us to God, being put to death he has now made us alive in the spirit, in which he proclaimed to the spirits in prison.

*The words made alive by the spirit can be translated as made alive in the spirit.

1 Peter 3:19 ESV

19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,

Where did Christ go? To whom did he speak? what did he say?

I tend to agree with R.C. Sproul

Sproul views the context that Peter is writing these things is to encourage us that our suffering is used by God as a testimony for righteousness and is accompanied by the Holy Spirit to bring about the Spirit’s purpose of redemption in the same way by which our Lord, who was rased by the Spirit, went and preached and saw so much fruit. The condition of the souls in prison can be traced by to the days of Noah, where the condition of mans sin had him captive where their hearts were continually evil and so to be judged by God in the flood.

The reason for our great hope is seen through the power of the Resurrection.

1 Peter 3:20–22 ESV

20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

NOTE: The picture of the longsuffering of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also what we call an antitype which now saves you in baptism.

The apostle makes a strong link between what God did in His redemption in the Old Testament through the salvation of Noah and his family on the ark and what came later in the ordinance or sacrament of baptism. The experience on the ark is seen as a type of symbol of what would come later.

NOTE: The water in the flood is a two-fold picture of the salvation of Noah and his family, but also the judgement and destruction of the rest of mankind. It was an instrument of God’s divine wrath against the world that had gone over completely to godlessness.

vrs. 21 Baptism which corresponds to this.

The “this” that Peter is referring to looks back to the flood, this is the type of escaping the judgement of God that is pictured in Baptism.

What saves you: “Jesus Christ alone saves us” the picture that Peter is giving in the flood shows how the water brought judgement to the condemned but carried the ark safely through the waters of death and destruction safely to dry land.

What Baptism is not.

1) Baptism is not a saving act.

“Not putting off the filth of the flesh.” This is seen as a reference to more religious ritual external washings, or more generally spiritual cleansing.

2) Baptism is not merely a religious ritual or ceremony

“To reduce baptism to merely another religious act we go through would be to down play the significance of the obedience of Baptism.” Water Baptism does not symbolize our ticket to heaven and exempts us from issues of morality in our lives.

What Baptism is.

1) Baptism is a pledge to God for a good conscience

The word of for appeal in Greek is eperotema which means “a Pledge” to live our lives rightly in obedience to Christ from here on out. The appeal is for God to cleanse them from the guilt of sin.

1 Peter f. Noah and Christian Baptism (3:20b–21)

Peter is reminding his readers that when they were baptized, a question was asked about their faith in Christ, to which they gave a positive response. They were then baptized in water as a sacrament of that pledge of faithfulness made to God. Peter reminds them of that pledge as they face suffering because of Christ and the temptation to turn away.

2) Baptism shows our complete dependency on Christ’s resurrection

The efficacy of water baptism is completely dependent on Christ’s resurrection, and so the three redemptive elements of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension from this passage.

Noah and his family were a minority surrounded by hostile unbelievers.

Noah was righteous in the midst of a wicked world.

Noah witnessed boldly to those around him by believing God and building the ark.

Noah realized that the judgement was soon to come upon the world.

At the time of Noah, God patiently waited for repentance from unbelievers before he brought judgement.

Noah was finally saved with only a few others.

Here is the encouragement for you and me today. Peter reminds us that while we may be few in numbers, we will certainly be saved from the judgement that is to come, Christ has triumphed and has all things in subject to him and completely under His control.

If Peter’s claim is true that Christ’s resurrection and ascension have dealt with even the primordial evil of fallen angels in uncountable prior centuries of human history, then Chris is victorious over all evil - even the most depraved of all time.

This is the Good News of the Gospel message we are called to always be ready to give a defence for why we have such a great hope. So, my dear friends, pick your heads up, wake up tomorrow, and never forget that this is not the end, it is only the beginning.

Big idea: God is present in your present

Psalm 46 ESV

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah