"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"
Our Duties To Each Other (3:8-12)
In his epistle, Peter has defined the Christian's duties in various relationships:
1) Our duty in relation to those of the world - 1 Pe 2:11-12
2) Our duty in relation to governmental authorities - 1 Pe 2:13-17
3) Our duty in a servant-master relationship - 1 Pe 2:18-25
4) Our duty in wife-husband relationships - 1 Pe 3:1-7
Beginning now in verse 8 of the third chapter, Peter defines our duty to each other as brethren in Christ. Peter will provide motivation to fulfill our duties to one another in verses 10-12, but let's first consider what these duties are. Our duties to each other, (8-9) “Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded: not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” To "be of one mind" (NASV, "harmonious"). That is, to be united in the same purpose, the same goal. Jesus prayed for this kind of unity in Jn 17:20-21 “Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me.” A church that demonstrated this "oneness of mind" is that of Jerusalem - Ac 4:32 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” How can we have this "oneness of mind"? It is attainable only to the extent that we all submit to the will of God. Therefore, we all need to make God's Will our will, His Purpose our purpose just as Christ did while on earth - Jn 5:30 “I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
To have "compassion for one another" (NASV, "sympathetic"). This means to have pity, a feeling of distress toward the ills of others. It is that disposition which is moved by the problems of others (like sickness, hardships, etc.). This is the attitude manifested by Jesus during His earthly ministry - Mt 9:35-36 “And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.” The Hebrew writer tells us of His heavenly ministry and continued compassion - He 4:15 “For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Such compassion can only come from a tender, loving heart, which may be why Peter goes on to say that we need to "love as brothers". Literally, this means to be "brother lovers". This attribute is essential, if we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Pe 1:7-8“and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”This attribute is essential, if we are to cthe world that we are truly disciples of Jesus - Jn 13:35“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” you a "brother lover"? If not you are not a lover of God, either! - 1 Jn 4:20“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.” do not even know God! - 1 Jn 4:7-8“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” is one way to know if you are a "brother lover".... Ask yourself this question: "Do I even know my brother?" you don't, how can you honestly say that you are a "brother lover"?
We are to "be tenderhearted", (NASV, "kindhearted"). It is this kind of heart that is compassionate, capable of loving our brethren. The opposite would be "cold-hearted", where we are insensitive to the needs and feelings of others. Even if we start out as "cold-hearted", in Christ Jesus we can and must undergo a transformation, in which we develop a "tender heart" - Ep 4:22-24 “that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.”, 31-32 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.”; Co 3:8-10 “but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:”, 12 “Put on therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;” . Have you considered what kind of heart you have?
We are to "be courteous" (NASV, "humble in spirit"). Literally, to be "friendly of mind, kind". Such courtesy would imply a humility of spirit, for an arrogant or proud spirit does not bother to be courteous. Christians are to imitate their Lord and Savior, and not think so highly of themselves that they cannot be kind and courteous to others - Ph 2:3-5 “doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
We are to "return blessing for evil". When someone (a brother or sister) does us evil, we are to respond with a blessing! While this may go against "human nature", Peter gives two reasons why we are to react in this way. We are called to follow the example of Christ - 1 Pe 3:9 “not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” with 1 Pe 2:21-23 “For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”. That we might receive a blessing from God - Lk 6:35 “But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.”
These are six duties that we have one toward another. They are part of what constitutes the Christ-like character that we are to develop as His disciples.
Being saved, then, is not the end of God's plan for us; He would have us become like His Son (cf. Ro 8:29 “For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:”). To motivate us in fulfilling these duties, Peter quotes from the 34th Psalm... What then should motivate us to fulfill these duties? (10-12) “For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile: And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.”
First, that we might "love life and see good days". Everyone wishes to enjoy life as they experience it from day to day. But too often, many make their own lives miserable by their own self-seeking, self-destructive attitudes. Constantly complaining, contentious, retaliating to evil with evil, they only aggravate the situation. But David in his psalm gives the secret to loving life and seeing good days. Refrain the tongue from evil, and lips from speaking guile - 1 Pe 3:10 “For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:” In other words, don't engage in slander, backbiting, complaining, lying, murmuring, and grumbling. It doesn't solve difficulties, but only makes them worse. Do good, seek peace and pursue it - 1 Pe 3:11 “And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it.” In other words, do the very kind of things mentioned by Peter in 1 Pe 3:8-9 “Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded: not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” Only then will your life be pleasant, for the qualities described by Peter will make the best out of difficult situations. They will make good situations even better!
Second, so the Lord will be open to us - 1 Pe 3:12. Only by doing the will of God (as found in 1 Pe 3:8-9) can we ensure that His gracious eyes will watch over us and His ears will be open to our prayers. On the other hand, the Lord's face is against those who do evil, and will not hear their prayers. Indeed, consider the list of abominations found in Pr 6:16-19 and notice how many are the direct opposite of how we are to be. We are to be courteous (humble) - but the Lord hates a proud look! We are to be compassionate - but abusing the innocent is an abomination to the Lord! We are to be tender-hearted - but the Lord hates a cold heart that thinks evil of others! We are to return good for evil - but those who respond quickly with evil, the Lord abhors! We are to be of one mind - but if we sow discord by murmuring and complaining, we are abominable in God's sight!
So if we want the Lord to watch over us, if we want Him to heed our prayers, let us be sure to fulfill our duties to each other as brethren as outlined by Peter in verses 8-9. In so doing, we will enjoy life to its fullest, and see many good days during our pilgrimage here on earth!
