NASHVILLE (BP) – This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the YOU curriculum.
Bible Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-17
Discussion Questions:
- How does this counter-cultural way of living reflect the heart of Christ to those around us?
- How would you explain to someone your reasons for hoping in Jesus?
- How can your response to suffering demonstrate your hope in Christ to those around you?
Food for Thought:
Have you every scrolled through social media and been embarrassed by what you saw another Christian post? Maybe you saw the head of the usher board at a concert in a compromising position. You may have read a church leader’s post ranting and full of malice and gossip.
Paul encourages men and women to live out sound teaching and Christian principles. Paul writes that our works should be done with integrity (Titus 2). This means that when we look around, we should see fellow believers display integrity consistently in every area of their lives.
For the follower of Christ, integrity is not an option; it is required in every aspect of life. Integrity comes from the same root word for integer: a whole and complete number. A person of integrity is one person; he is the same through and through.
Read 1 Peter 3:8-17. The setting for Peter’s words to believers living in Asia Minor (which roughly corresponds to modern day Turkey) was one of suffering. Followers of Christ were often subject to various levels of abuse, from discrimination all the way to sporadic harassment. Persecution sanctioned by the governing authorities was not occurring at the time of this writing, but Peter seemed to anticipate that it was right around the corner.
Peter painted a winsome picture of behavior in verses 8 and 9. Living with humility and compassion, expressed in an attitude of nonretaliation, is a positive witness to the Gospel. Speaking a blessing even after being insulted is the life to which God has called us. Some of our best evangelism is through our lifestyle, especially when it is consistent in hard situations.
In verses 10-12, Peter drew heavily on Psalm 34 as an expression of the blessed life. Would you like to live a good life? Don’t use your words to deceive people. Would you like to see good days? Stop doing what is wrong and replace it with goodness and righteousness.
One of the marks of adulthood is the capacity to distinguish between hurt and harm. A mature person understands that being hurt is not always the same as being harmed. While verse 13 may be a statement that typically, good behavior is rewarded, it is more likely that Peter wanted to affirm for his readers that since God is against evil and approves righteousness, Christians can claim a promise.
Here is the gist of it: If you live life before God in integrity, no ultimate “harm” will come to you. There will be an eternal reward for your goodness.
There is a form of integrity that fails to be winsome in its expression. Imagine for a moment that, instead of denying Christ, Peter had responded with courage, not cowardice. What if he had scolded everyone else around the fire? What if he had looked down his nose at them and harshly judge them? That would have spoiled an otherwise effective testimony to Jesus. This is why when we share our commitment to Christ with others, we need to do so with gentleness and reverence.
Living with integrity involves the kind of behavior that is above reproach. Of course, this doesn’t mean that your good behavior will immunize you from ever being criticized. Definitely not.
Frivolous and unjustified accusations were lodged against the early believers, such as Peter’s audience. Notice that Peter didn’t say “if you will be accused” but “when you are accused.” In maintaining integrity even in the face of criticism, your steadfastness may not go unnoticed by some who are voicing the criticism. Always remaining true to Christ, especially in hardship, makes a difference, both in this life and the next.
YOU
YOU is committed to providing a complete Bible study experience for small groups and classes. Every session is written through an urban and multiethnic lens that provides relevant, engaging and applicable studies that not only encourage and equip people, but also motivate them to mission. This flexible, non-dated, all-in-one quarterly resource offers weekly Bible study for leaders and learners, devotionals and teaching plans, as well as articles on hot topics and missions. For additional downloadable online teaching resources, visit You.Lifeway.com.
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