Year 9, Day 218: 1 Peter 3

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Peter continues to talk about godly life in this chapter.  Much like yesterday, rather than break down group by group, it is worth looking at the underlying current.  In doing so, Peter bravely speaks of the external versus the internal.

Human culture has always known that there is a difference between what is easy and what is important.  We know that beauty is more than skin deep.  We know that it is what is on the inside that counts.  God teaches us that we judge people on the outside while He judges us by our hearts.  Jesus teaches us that it is not what is on the outside that makes us unclean, but rather it is what is on the inside that determines our cleanliness.  The outside looks important and is easy to judge; yet it is our character and our heart that determines who we are.

If we are to adorn ourselves with beauty – our true selves on the inside – what does that look like?  Peter begins by telling us to have a quiet and gentle spirit.  We are to search for understanding.  We are a people who think before we act.  We are a people that search for true answers, not simple solutions.  Our presence leads, not our imposing outer features.

Peter also reminds us to be humble, filled with love, and searching for unity.  We are to bless those who pay us with evil.  Christ was reviled.  The world hated Him.  The leadership of the Hebrew people saw no value in His teachings.  They killed Him.  Naturally, we all benefit through that act as God dealt with human sinfulness.  The point in that is that Jesus was not concerned with repaying the human agenda.  Jesus was focused on doing the will of God.  Jesus was concerned with doing what was right, not doing what was in His rights.

This is how the human transcends human existence and replaces it with unity with God.  Anyone can take advantage of their rights.  Only people with the proper focus can always do what is right.

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