"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." (1 Peter 3:15-16)Peter emphasizes "having a good conscience"—meaning your walk matches your talk, your l...  Read More

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15)"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork." (Psalm 19:1)There was a famous atheist, Anthony Flew, who wrote over 40 books on atheism, defending his belief that there was no God. Then...  Read More

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15)The prepared answer starts with allegiance to Jesus—not just as Savior, but as Lord. The word "Lord" involves Christ's ownership and being master of our lives. Romans 10:13 doesn't say "whoever calls on the name of th...  Read More

"But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." (1 Peter 3:14)It's interesting that Peter himself was less than bold initially. On the night of Jesus' betrayal, when a little girl said, "Hey, that's one of His followers," Peter responded, "I don't know the man." Three times he denied knowing Christ. But something hap...  Read More

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)We can't pay for our salvation. If I were to say you could pay for your salvation, honestly, most of us would raise our hands and say we'd be glad to try. That's what most religions of the world are—they're works-based, striving to pay for th...  Read More

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." - 1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV)Why should we bless instead of retaliate? First, because the Bible says so. Our personal, Christian standard must be: "What does the Bible say?" Second, because God is watching. He sees everything and knows exactly how you've been mist...  Read More

"Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." - 1 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)This principle directly opposes our natural inclinations. When offended, our instinct is to fight back, to retaliate. But God tells us to respond with love instead of vengeance, blessing instead of cursing, forgiveness inst...  Read More

"I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." - Romans 12:3 (NKJV)When Peter calls us to be "courteous," (1 Peter 3:8), the Greek word actually means "humble-minded." It calls for an honest estimate of yourself. Humility doesn't mean thinking le...  Read More

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;" - 1 Peter 3:8Having compassion means sympathy - the ability to feel another's pain in your own heart. Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." When was the last time you truly wept with someone who was weeping? When did you last feel g...  Read More

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous." - 1 Peter 3:8 (NKJV)Peter uses the word "finally" not to conclude his letter, but to summarize everything he has been teaching about how believers should interact differently from the world around us. When he calls us to "be of one mind," he's not demanding uniformity - that w...  Read More

"...and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." - 1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)We are "heirs together of the grace of life". In God's sight, the ground is level. Christian couples are co-equals before God. Here we may be husband and wife, but in all eternity, we'll be brothers and sisters in Christ. That is the primary relationship.But notice the warning: "that y...  Read More

"...as to the weaker vessel..." - 1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)At its core, the concept of "weaker vessel" acknowledges that, in general, men tend to be physically stronger than women. The message is clear: don't take advantage of that.Colossians 3:19 says, "Husbands love your wives and do not be bitter toward them." That word "bitter" really means don't be harsh—don't abuse them."Weaker" doesn't mean less v...  Read More