Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 33

 Suffering for Jesus Part 3

1 Peter 3:10-12 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. KJV Note: NKJV= New King James Version

As we continue on into our listening 👂 to the Apostle Peter command these early Jewish converts to our Lord Jesus Christ to refrain from evil words and actions among one another because of disappointments or disagreements or even the diversity of personalities' in their various flocks, we find him here now quoting the words of King David from part of his 34th Psalm. We must remember that these faithful brothers 'in Christ' were being obedient to the leading and guiding of God the Holy Spirit in them and they were not writing these letters 🔤 for any reason other than to build one another up in their 'most holy faith' (Jude 1:20) in order for their own individual spiritual good as well as that of all true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ during those early days and to Glorify Him with their lives. This too applies to each and every one of us today all of these many centuries latter, for as it is written, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) (NKJV). Christ Jesus our Lord is unchanging, for He is no different with us than He was with them and He expects and demands from us the same things He demanded from them. So then, we find the Apostle Peter writing these words for them then and for us now and for all true believers in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ of every era and generation of humanity before He returns and puts an end to time ⌚ which He Himself created or established for we humans to live in and under, "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." (1 Peter 3:10-12) (KJV). The Apostle Peter (for the most part) quoted these words exactly as they were written by King David many years before Peter was ever born in order to remind and encourage and 💪 strengthen these brothers and sisters in the faith during their time of tremendous physical and spiritual persecution from the 👿 devils demons and the human two-legged 👿 devils they were working their evil through. We must also understand that King David and the Apostle Peter had no idea what our Lord Jesus would do with the words that were ✍ through them hundreds and even thousands of years in the future, however, their purpose, their process, and their plan was to write words that would build up those that belonged to Yahweh and bring Glory to His Holy Name. Let us also remembered that these original words came from the heart of a warrior. A man (King David) who killed many men in war (in battle) during the time in human history when their were no smart 💣 bombs, no missles, no drones, but every war was fought with only swords, knives, and 🛡 shields in close face to face combat, yet David was a man after God's own heart and this acknowledgement was given to Him by God (Yahweh) Himself, so David wrote with the heart of God these words of refraining from evil, but knowing that our God is against the evil doer (as he declares in the very last part of his words in this Psalm 34), likewise King David also declared these words, "God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day." (Psalms 7:11) (NKJV). Although these early Jewish believers in our Lord Jesus Christ were being viciously, violently, and vigorously pursued by the devil 👿 through his two-legged devils, Peter wanted them to recall, remember, and respond to these words written by King David so long ago (just as he wants me and you true believer in Christ today to do likewise) and not repay evil perpetrated upon us back with our own evil, however, this has nothing to do with believers in war on the battlefield or any believer defending himself/herself in self-defense and any family from being hurt or killed. In 1 Peter 3:10, the little English phrase 'let him refrain' is translated by the Greek word pauō which is a primary verb meaning to pause; to stop, that is, restrain, quit, desist, come to an end: - cease, leave, refrain. In the original Hebrew written by King David in Psalm 34, he used the English word 'keep' translated  by the Hebrew word nâtsar meaning to guard, to protect, to maintain, to obey. In other words, we believers 'in Christ' have as our responsibility to guard our words and to stop 🛑and quit speaking words that dishonor our Lord Jesus Christ. As I declared of myself in the last study/commentary, this area for me when I am angered is a red flag 🚩that requires me much grace and much prayer, for I pray often these words also from King David, "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips." (Psalms 141:3) (NKJV). In 1 Peter 3:11, the little English phrase 'Let him eschew', that which is evil 😈 is translaed by the Greek word ekklinō meaning to to deviate, that is, (absolutely) to shun (literally or figuratively), or to avoid, eschew, go out of the way. In the original Hebrew written by King David in Psalm 34, he used the English word 'Depart' translated by the Hebrew word sûr meaning to turn off (literally or figuratively); to turn aside or to withdraw. In other words again we have as our responsibility to withdraw from every, that is, to deviate from it and shun it and any person or people being used by the devil 😈 and his demons trying to lead us into evil, as it is written, "Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:22) (NKJV). God the Holy Spirit 'in us', that is, "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27) (NKJV) will not force us or make us yield to His will for us, but He/Christ will grant us grace/strength 💪 when we yield our will to His will to turn away from that which is evil just as King David declares in Psalm 34:15 and as the Apostle Peter quoting him in 1 Peter 3:12. Amen!!!

Here is what the Expositors' Bible Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 3:10-12, "The psalmists knew much of such trials, and it is from the words of one of Psa_34:12-16 that St. Peter enforces his own lesson. It is a psalm full of the knowledge of the trials of God’s servants: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous"; but it is rich also in plenitude of comfort: "The Lord delivered him out of them all." The father of long ago teaches thus to his children the fear of the Lord: "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." A glance at the Psalm will show that the Apostle has not quoted precisely; and though he has much in common with the Greek of the LXX, he does not adhere closely to that. But he gives to the full the spirit both of the Hebrew and the Greek. The life of which the Psalmist speaks is life in this world. The original explains this by making the latter clause of the verse, "and loveth many days, that he may see good." And the love is to be a noble feeling, a desire to make life worth living. Such a life must exhibit watchfulness over words and actions. The precepts begin at the beginning, with control of the tongue. Control that, and you are master of the rest. "It is a little member, but boasted great things." "The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiled the whole body". (James 3:5-6) It needs to be kept as with a bridle, and not only when the ungodly are in sight, but constantly. But the words of the Psalm contemplate a further danger. Men may give good words with the lips while the heart is full of bitterness. Then the lips are lying, and this is an evil as great as the former, and more perilous to him who commits it, because the sin does not come to the light that it may be reproved, but contrives to wear the mask of virtue. And the actions need watchfulness also. They must not only possess the negative quality of abstinence from evil, but the positive stamp of good deeds done. "By their fruits ye shall know them." And the work will be no light one. Peace is to be sought, and the Apostle uses a word which implies that a chase is needful to obtain it. St. Paul has a passage very much in the spirit of St. Peter’s teaching here, and the words of which picture distinctly the difficulties which the Christian will have to labor against: "Giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3) This tells us why our Apostle urges the pursuit of peace. It is the clasp which binds the Christian communion together. From all sorts of causes men are prone to fall apart, to break the oneness; and peace is able to hold them fast. Hence the diligence in seeking it, the earnestness of the pursuit that it may not elude us. But when all is done, when men have not been sitting with folded hands waiting and dreaming that peace would come without pursuit, but have labored for it, they do not always attain to it. "I am for peace," says the Psalmist, "but when I speak, they are for war". (Psalm 120:7) And so the disappointed struggler is directed to the sure source of consolation amid discomfiture. The Lord marks his efforts, knows their earnest purpose in spite of their ill-success. He beholds also those who have withstood them, but with far other regard. St. Peter has not quoted what the Psalmist says of their fate: "God will root out the remembrance of them from the earth." God’s righteous pilgrim is not forgotten. His prayer is heard, and will be answered for good. No shadow has come between him and God, though his lot seem very dark. Neither can the wrongdoer raise a shadow to screen himself from the all-seeing eyes. All things are naked and open before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 3:10-12, "He gives an excellent prescription for a comfortable happy life in this quarrelsome ill-natured world (1Peter 3:10): it is quoted from Psalm 34:12-14. “If you earnestly desire that your life should be long, and your days peaceable and prosperous, keep your tongue from reviling, evil-speaking, and slandering, and your lips from lying, deceit, and dissimulation. Avoid doing any real damage or hurt to your neighbor, but be ever ready to do good, and to overcome evil with good; seek peace with all men, and pursue it, though it retire from you. This will be the best way to dispose people to speak well of you, and live peaceably with you.” Learn, (1.) Good people under the Old and new Testament were obliged to the same moral duties; to refrain the tongue from evil, and the lips from guile, was a duty in David's time as well as now. (2.) It is lawful to consider temporal advantages as motives and encouragements to religion. (3.) The practice of religion, particularly the right government of the tongue, is the best way to make this life comfortable and prosperous; a sincere, inoffensive, discreet tongue, is a singular means to pass us peaceably and comfortably through the world. (4.) The avoiding of evil, and doing of good, is the way to contentment and happiness both here and hereafter. (5.) It is the duty of Christians not only to embrace peace when it is offered, but to seek and pursue it when it is denied: peace with societies, as well as peace with particular persons, in opposition to division and contention, is what is here intended. 3. He shows that Christians need not fear that such patient inoffensive behavior as is prescribed will invite and encourage the cruelty of their enemies, for God will thereby be engaged on their side: For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous (1 Peter 3:12); he takes special notice of them, exercises a providential constant government over them, and bears a special respect and affection to them. His ears are open to their prayers; so that if any injuries be offered to them they have this remedy, they may complain of it to their heavenly Father, whose ears are always attentive to the prayers of his servants in their distresses, and who will certainly aid them against their unrighteous enemies. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil; his anger, and displeasure, and revenge, will pursue them; for he is more an enemy to wicked persecutors than men are. Observe, (1.) We must not in all cases adhere to the express words of scripture, but study the sense and meaning of them, otherwise we shall be led into blasphemous errors and absurdities: we must not imagine that God hath eyes, and ears, and face, though these are the express words of the scripture. (2.) God hath a special care and paternal affection towards all his righteous people. (3.) God doth always hear the prayers of the faithful, John 4:31; 1 John 5:14; Hebrews 4:16. (4.) Though God is infinitely good, yet he abhors impenitent sinners, and will pour out his wrath upon those that do evil. He will do himself right, and do all the world justice; and his goodness is no obstruction to his doing so.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…