On July 19, AD 64, shortly after the time of Peter’s writing of this book, Rome burned. Nero falsely accused the Christians of starting the fire. Historian Thomas Armitage reports, “Many were seized as victims, were enwrapped in oil or pitch; Rome was invited to the imperial gardens, and crowds gloated their eyes on the poor wretches who were burnet, while Nero played the clown as a charioteer in a horse-race. Others were crucified, possibly in contempt of Christ’s death, were wrapped in the skins of beasts and torn to pieces by dogs, or impaled, death being let loose upon them in every form.”

Though this persecution was some distance from Peter’s readers, they knew all too well the threat of persecution for their faith in Christ.

Transition

In this section, the Bible gives us three words of advice that will help us prepare for persecution in our day.

God’s first word of advice is:

Follow Good to Avoid Harm (v.13)

1. Let’s examine the words “harm” and “follow.”
   1. Harm means to oppress, afflict or mistreat. Peter may still be thinking of relationships, but it is likely he is speaking generally now of persecution.
   2. Follow means to imitate. (Critical Text wrongly has a word that means zealous). He is speaking of those who become imitators of good. They follow the good example of Christ and the good example of godly Christians.
2. God is not promising that harm will never come to those doing good.
   1. This is a general word of encouragement. In general, even unkind people do not mistreat others when they do good. Matthew Henry comments, “Ordinarily, there will be but few so diabolical and impious as to harm those who live so innocently and usefully as you do.”
   2. We can avoid much opposition by doing good. Solomon wrote, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7) Again, this is a general rule, but one worth following.
      God’s second word of advice is:

Do Right so God Can Bless You (v.14)

1. The verse begins with but (alla).
   1. This shows a complete contrast. Usually those who do good are treated right, BUT not always.
   2. There are exceptions to the general rule. Those who hate Christianity consider it to be evil and sometimes persecute for this reason alone. Sharing the gospel with another person is the best gift you could ever share, yet some people will curse you for mentioning Christ.
2. The word “happy” can also mean “blessed.”
   1. This Greek word 44 out of 50 times is translated “blessed.” Thus, this verse does not necessarily imply that we are to be happy about the persecution.
   2. The idea is that those suffering for doing right are blessed by God. God will bless true Christians who suffer for Christ. They represent Christ before unbelievers.
      1. Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.” (Luke 6:22)
      2. James tells us that God has a special crown prepared for those who suffer for his sake. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12)
3. Since God blesses those doing right, fear not.
   1. The Greek literally says, “Don’t flee in terror from their fear.” Threats may be fearful, but don’t be afraid.
      1. Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
      2. Cruel people have tortured millions of Christians down through the centuries. They roasted them in the iron chair, watched them torn to pieces by lions, burned them at the stake, stretched them on the rack, drowned them in the river, pierced them with red-hot irons, or tortured them in some other inhumane way. If persecution comes to Australia, we are not to fear.
   2. To this Peter adds, don’t let such fear trouble you. Don’t let it agitate or cause inward commotion. Stay calm. Rest in the Lord. Remember they don’t hate you but the Christ you represent.
   3. If we faced such persecution, how could we not fear? The next verse answers that question.
      God’s third word of advice is:

Live a Life That Honours God (v.15-17)

1. 1st Sanctify the Lord God in your heart (v.15)
   1. The word “sanctify” means to set something apart or to treat something as holy.
   2. In preparation for persecution, we must treat the Lord God as holy in our hearts. Worship Him. Give Him first place. Make time with Him and for Him your TOP priority.
      1. Study His Word with interest. Do you dig for treasures in its pages? Do you meditate on the Bible? Do you memorize key portions of it?
      2. Talk to Him sincerely from your heart. Do not say the same words each time you pray. Talk to God as your loving Father. Do you share your heart with Him?
      3. Tell others about Christ often. Pass out tracts.
      4. Live holy as He is holy. Is your life godly and pure? Do you turn from thoughts, activities, entertainment and music that are ungodly? Before we can draw near God and worship him, we must be clean ourselves. James wrote, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8)
2. 2nd Be ready always to give an answer for your hope (v.15)
   1. Be ready to defend your future hope in Christ with meekness (gentleness) and fear (respect). When critics question your faith in Christ, know the Bible well enough to be able to defend your faith. How much do you really study your Bible? Mark key verses. Note definitions.
   2. Be ready always means be prepared to answer at any and every moment. Could you defend your faith if your life depended on it?
3. 3rd Keep a good conscience (v.16-17).
   1. Keep your conscience free from wrongdoing (v.16). Do right so you have nothing of which to be ashamed.
      1. Do right in public – deeds, actions, and words
      2. Do right in private – deeds, thoughts, and motives
      3. If we have a clean record, those who falsely accuse will be ashamed. They may not be ashamed outwardly, but they will inwardly for they know the truth.
   2. It is far better to suffer for well doing than for evil doing (v.17). If God allows you to suffer for doing good, that is better (lit. more excellent) than suffering for evil.

Conclusion

We are not facing any life-threatening persecution, but we may be cursed, verbally abused, or shunned by relatives for our Christian stand. However, the day of persecution is approaching. To prepare, we must obey the advice given in our text. 1) Follow good to avoid harm. 2) Do right so God can bless you. 3) Live a life that honours God – give God first place in your heart, learn the Bible well, keep a good conscience.

If you are not prepared for persecution, now is the time to make the needed changes. Draw near the Lord and stay focussed on eternity.

If you do not know the Lord as your personal Saviour, you are not ready for persecution or for judgment day. God loves you and sent His Son to die to pay for your sins, but you must admit your need, believe that He can save you, and ask Him to do so.

Song: Is Your All on the Altar? 381
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Preparing for Persecution
16 August 2015 AM – 1 Peter 3:13-17 – 1Pe15 – Scott Childs