1 Peter 3
We are living in a community of people, so it is very vital to know how to conduct ourselves within the community.
If we treat others badly, we will surely not get any good treatment in return.
And as followers of Christ, all the more we must be aware of our behavior among the community of the people of the world, and also among the community in the Lord.
Bible Passage: 1 Peter 3
The people closest to us are the ones who will be impacted most by our behavior, so in this chapter, Apostle Peter admonishes wives to behave reverently, to emphasize more of the inner beauty rather than the outward beauty. (Outward beauty can last but only for sometimes, but inner beauty can last for a lifetime)
As a wife, one should submit to her husband, for this is right in the sight of God. In the epistle to the Corinthians, Apostle Paul had also explained about this and he put it in very clear words,
But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
1 Corinthians 11:3
It is needless to say that it is only right that one should submit to the head, i.e. someone in authority. Just as we must submit to the sovereignty of God, a wife should also submit to her husband, who is her head.
But the head (husband) has to be sound so that the couple can lead a reverent life, so Apostle Peter did not forget to admonish the husbands to love and give honor their wives,
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
V 7
Within the community of the Lord, we need to exercise the love of Christ, so that there is harmony and, most importantly, unity.
On Sunday Youth Service, Pr Simon Chin delivered a sermon about the importance of unity in the Church of God.
He stressed that we who are in the Body of Christ must be united in the truths of God and also be united in the love for one another.
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Colossians 3:14
There must not be schisms among the brethren, and we must not subscribe to strange teachings that are not biblically sound.
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation.
I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Jude 3
We must treasure the blessing of being able to come into the Body of Christ, excel in the bond with the brethren, and to stand firm and united in the pure truths of God.
As Christians living among the community of the non-Christians, we may meet with unpleasant reactions when we practice our faith.
Christians often talk of honesty, righteousness, gentleness, and kindness, so some people would always be scrutinizing us to see if we do what we preach. If any of our actions or speeches shows inconsistencies with what we preach, they will not hesitate to accuse or ridicule us.
There are also people who dislike Christianity because they deem Christianity as a religion that wants to force people to convert, always condemning other religions, and like to call all people sinners.
No matter what reasons these people have in disliking Christians, we must always sanctify our Lord God in our hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear.
Sufferings will surely come our way, and as long as we don’t suffer because of our wrongs but because of righteousness sake, we will be blessed by our Lord. Indeed, enduring sufferings for a good cause is an act of righteousness.
Our Lord Jesus knew for certain that He came to earth to suffer for our sins; His death is to redeem us from the clutches of the devil. So He came to shed His blood for us willingly, so that our sins can be washed away during baptism.
Apostle Peter uses the flood at Noah’s time as a correspondence or a prefiguration of our baptism today. Just as the 8 people were saved through the water, so will people be saved through water during the baptism because of the Blood of our Lord Jesus. (ref. v21)
Jesus’ death on the cross was sufficient to atone for our sins, and He had done that willingly out of His great love for the souls of man; the Righteous died for the unrighteous. But we as the recipient of this wonderful grace must also do our part, by willingly obeying His commandment to be baptized in His Name.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:16
May God help us to grow in His love, to exude the wonderful fragrance of Christ, so that we can be a useful vessel to fulfill the desire of the Lord, which is that all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Shalom.
