Being Zealous for Doing Good (1 Peter 3: 13-17)

BEING ZEALOUS FOR DOING GOOD (1 Peter 3: 13-17): 

After commending God’s faithfulness towards the righteous people, Peter says the believers with a rhetorical question that there is no one to harm those who are zealous for what is good. Generally, people who are not good even will admire and respect those who are very passionate about doing good. At the same time, Peter doesn’t stop there, as there are also other sides. Peter continues to write to the believers that even if the believers need to suffer for the sake of righteousness, they will be blessed. He had already written similar things to the believers and reminds them. God is in control over everything and He judges everyone according to their intentions and actions. Believers needn’t fear anyone who does the evil for the good and there isn’t any need to be troubled though there can be certain disturbances. God who is sovereign and all-powerful knew our needs and He will make the believers content with joyfulness.

The Believers ought to honor Christ the Lord as holy in their hearts though there may be suffering for righteousness sake. Honoring Christ as holy means that we also need to strive our best to keep ourselves holy in the midst of the difficult paths of life. Peter also says that the believers need to endure the sufferings for doing good but it doesn’t mean that they need to be silently approving those sufferings because the reason for their sufferings may not be understood by the persecutors. He says that the believers need to be learners, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for the reason for the hope in them. Because every action and the words of the believers are based on their hope in the trustworthy God. Peter asks them to proclaim the Reasonable Faith so that others' thoughts can be stimulated. Peter also says the believers to do the reasoning with gentleness and respect which are the characteristics of the followers of Lord Jesus Christ and also others might be saved through the gentleness and respect we show. Also, Believers need to have good conscience and pureness of heart with the love for others to know God, the savior. The good conscience of the believers will not be interested in retribution but only correction which will even make others who revile the believers’ good behavior in Christ to be put to shame.

In the worldly standard, it is very genuine that those who do evil need to be punished according to their deeds. Retribution is a justly deserved penalty. But the Godly standard is suffering for doing good which is very higher and better because by doing so, the believers set a standard for the world to lead a righteous life without any material and immaterial benefits. God is righteous though He is ever loving and He forbids evil. So there are always consequences for every action we do which is undeniable and suffering for evil is very genuine and just. But God’s will is that the believers need to stand for the Godly values in any situation of life that are suffering even for doing good.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection

1.      Is there anyone who harms those who are zealous for doing Good? Why?

2.      How the believers need to be, even if they have to suffer for righteousness?

3.      Why believers need not fear nor be troubled for suffering?

4.      Why believers need to honor Christ the Lord as holy?

5.      How believers need to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason?

6.      What does ‘having good conscience’ mean?

7.      What will happen to those who revile against the good behavior of believers?

8.      How will you differentiate Suffering for doing good and suffering for doing evil?

9.      Why suffering for doing Good is God’s will?

10.  How the believers could always be prepared?

11.  How the believers could bear suffering for doing good?