The Apostle Peter tells us to have these qualities that define life in God’s kingdom: be like-minded, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, be humble with one another (1 Peter 3:8). Our motive for doing this isn’t that we would be ultimately saved, because Jesus has already taken care of that (1 Peter 3:18). But if we would receive blessing from God, we are to live according to his intention for us.
How do we do this? We can draw strength from God in 5 ways:
- Repent
- Resort to Christ
- Ask God to change us
- Remember the promises of God
- Resolve to change
Our motive for change isn’t just that we’d receive blessing from God, but that we’re seeking to honour him by living up to the status he’s already given us: righteous, forgiven, reconciled.
Questions for discussion:
1. What are the two motivations for harmonious living? (1 Peter 3:9)
2. Why can we be optimistic about our capacity to change and grow in our walk with Jesus? (1 Peter 3:12)
3. In v10, Peter reminds us of the blessing of a righteous life. But he also acknowledges there will be exceptions in v14. How can we persist in doing good in the face of opposition? (1 Peter 3:15)
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