Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20110731.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
1 Peter: Effective Christian Living In A Spiritually Hostile World
Part XI: Living In Holiness Under Spiritual Persecution, 1 Peter 3:8-4:19
B. Rightly Responding To Unjust Persecution For God's Blessing
(1 Peter 3:13-17)
  1. Introduction
    1. Regardless of the believer's efforts and desire to live peaceably with the lost world, persecution from the world is an ever-present possibility due to the world's hatred of the believer, John 15:19-22.
    2. However, the likelihood of unjust persecution from the world for righteousness' sake should not cause the believer to despair, for God blesses the believer's right response to it as 1 Peter 3:13-17 reveals:
  2. Rightly Responding To Unjust Persecution For God's Blessing, 1 Peter 3:13-17.
    1. Peter's question of who would harm the believer if he was eager to do good in 1 Peter 3:13 presents a generalization: when the believer does what is good in the sight of the world, even though the world has spiritual animosity toward him, it is less likely actually to do him harm.
    2. However, circumstances fueled by the angelic conflict can lead to the believer's being persecuted even if he does good to all men, cf. Rev. 2:10b. Thus, Peter addresses such cases in 1 Peter 3:14-17 as follows:
      1. Even if a Christian is persecuted for what is upright, he is still "blessed," 1 Peter 3:14a NIV as follows:
        1. Matthew 5:11-12a reveals such persecution should cause the believer to rejoice in that he has opportunity by way of the persecution itself to earn great rewards in heaven for thus suffering.
        2. Another reason to rejoice over persecution is given in Matthew 5:12b (and Acts 5:41): a believer suffers for righteousness' sake only as God grants him the opportunity to do so, which opportunity is granted only to select parties like the godly Old Testament prophets, 1 Peter 3:14a.
        3. Accordingly, suffering for righteousness' sake is both a divine compliment and a great opportunity for eternal, heavenly rewards for the believer!
      2. Thus, if facing unjust persecution though living rightly, a believer should not let himself be frightened at the threats of his persecutors, thus yielding to their wish to terrorize him with their mistreatment, 1 Peter 3:14b NIV, ftn. "c". This call alludes to Isaiah 8:12 where God told Isaiah not to fear what Judah's people had said was to be feared! (U. B. S. Greek N. T., 1966, p. 798, ftn. to 1 Peter 3:14-15)
      3. On the contrary, referring to Isaiah 8:13 (Ibid.), Peter called the believer to fear (revere) Christ as Lord instead (1 Peter 3:15a), and always be ready to give an "answer" to everyone who asked him the reason for his hope (1 Peter 3:15b). The word "answer" (KJV) translates the Greek term, apologian, from which we get the word, "apologetics." In Peter's era, this was the "defense" a defendant made before a judge in a court of law, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 850. [Thus, "Christian Apologetics" is essentially a formal defense of the Christian faith especially in view of opposition from foes of Christianity!]
      4. The believer needs to give his "apologetic" with "gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15b NIV, and that for the following reasons noted in 1 Peter 3:16-17 (as follows):
        1. Christians must keep a clear conscience before God by not being haughty or judgmental before ungodly persecutors, 1 Peter 3:16a. Otherwise, they only further inflame the ungodly, inciting them to more evil mistreatment of the believer, who then becomes partly blameworthy for the abuse!
        2. Rather, the believer must use "gentleness and respect" in giving his "apologetic" to his persecutors as such good behavior puts the persecutor to shame for his evil mistreatment, 1 Peter 3:16b. The believer needs to disciple all men, even his persecutors, and that involves leading them by good reactions to their mistreatment to see their need to repent, cf. Acts 7:59-8:3 with Acts 26:14.
        3. Indeed, if the believer faces unjust persecution for righteousness' sake under God's permissive will (1 Peter 3:17a NIV), it is God's will that he also respond to that mistreatment in a godly manner that he truly suffer for doing good rather than suffering more pain for inciting the ungodly to be even more angry and more vicious in leveling more mistreatment toward him, 1 Peter 3:17b NIV.
Lesson: Being persecuted for righteousness is a high calling from God that offers great eternal reward if handled rightly, so believers should react graciously to unjust persecution to gain God's great reward.

Application: May we heed the directives of 1 Peter 3:13-17 to be blessed in facing godless persecution.