(16) Having a good conscience.—This strikes the key-note of the paragraph. In any case, the words “as of evil doers” should be removed. No matter how good, wise, or fervent the “reason” given, if the life is inconsistent with the defense what good is it? A simple explanation of our good conduct may take the wind out of the sails of our critics. 1. It is at best a question of the balance of probabilities. . 1 Peter 3:16 "Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." Heaven is their real home. The depth of God’s love is expressed in the words, “he gave his only-begotten Son.” * Jesus was a unique Son of God. There is even an honor that we owe to the most despicable of criminals, like a Ted Bundy, just because he is a human and not a dog. As there is an awkwardness, however, in attributing moral qualities to the conscience itself (we can scarcely speak, e.g., of a holy conscience), in this connection the adjective may perhaps have the sense of unimpaired, uninjured (see Cremer’s Biblicotheol. Falsely accuse.—Literally, insult, that is, “odiously calumniate.” The word occurs again only in Luke 6:28. Having a good conscience - the spring of readiness to give account of our hope. Thus, it is highly relevant for Christians living in a modern society. And that honor belongs to male and female equally. 1 Peter 3:16 ‘and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.’. A good conscience; — This may be called the breast-plate of righteousness. Women of Valor for Non-Promise Keepers. Peter says in 1 Peter 2:17, “honor all,” that is, all humans. Read Introduction to 1 Peter “Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.” Having a good conscience, The phrase “having a good conscience” develops “with meekness and fear” (3:15). The question consequently is, what exposition is best sustained by the detailed exegesis of the several terms, does most justice to the plainer elements in the paragraph, such as the historical reference to Noah and the building of the ark, etc., and is in clearest harmony with the writer’s design, namely, to arm believers smarting under the sense of wrongful suffering with Christ-like endurance? Also in Matthew 5:44. A "seared conscience" is one that has been so sinned against that it no longer is sensitive to what is right and wrong ( 1 Timothy 4:2). For we see that many are sufficiently ready with their tongue, and prate much, very freely, and yet with no fruit, because the life does not correspond. ", [Note: Wiersbe, 2:414. In Christ—St. Good conversation means their conduct or manner of life is good and in harmony with t.he word-of God. The Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). It is simply because these men are “in Christ” that the heathens (perhaps also their fellow Jews) insult their conversation. Title: The letter has always been identified (as are most general epistles, like James, John and Jude), with the name of the author, Peter. It should at once be allowed that no exposition has yet succeeded in removing all the difficulties. The salutation, 1 Peter 1:1-2 B. Points to Note: 1. Are the men of Noah’s generation introduced in their proper historical position, or only as examples of a general class? In vindicating to others the hope that is in ourselves, we must be able to point to the witness of the life in confirmation of the words: ‘Our acts our angels are, or good or ill, Our fatal shadows that walk by us still,’, in order that in the matter wherein ye are spoken against they may be put to shame who abuse your good behaviour (or, manner of life) in Christ. St. Peter is evidently thinking of the Christian at the bar of the curator or pro-consul, and the mortification of the delator, or spy, who had given information against him. It is even possible for the conscience to be so poisoned that it approves things that are bad and accuses when the person does good! Other Hebrews, he reminds them in this word, were safe from persecution only by rejecting the national hope of a Messiah. The moral quality of a man’s actions is attested to him, according to the Old Testament, by the heart, specially as that is aided and enlightened by the revelation of God’s law, or quickened by the application which the prophets (‘the conscience of Israel,’ as they are called) make of the facts of redemption. The blessedness of sufferers for righteousness, 1 Peter 3:13-14. There is a similar division of opinion among textual experts as to whether we should read in the first clause, ‘ye are spoken against’ (which is preferred by the Revised Version), or ‘they speak evil of you,’ as in the A. V. The verb, which the A. V. translates ‘falsely accuse,’ occurs only twice again in the Received Text of the N. T., viz. . See James 4:11. falsely accuse = calumniate. See Roy B. Zuck, "The Doctrine of Conscience," Bibliotheca Sacra126:504 (October-December1969):329-340.]. “A good conscience” refers to a clear conscience, that is, one void of offense. How vigorously St. Peter repeats it! It centres in Christ; and in personal union by faith with him the believer lives, walks, and acts. To this he justly adds fear; for where reverence for God prevails, it tames all the ferocity of our minds, and it will especially cause us to speak calmly of God’s mysteries. p. 132) Hopefully, they will be shamed to the point that they honestly admit that they also need God in their lives. The correct life agreeing with the spoken defence would powerfully tend to make all calumniators. 16With meekness This is a most necessary admonition; for unless our minds are endued with meekness, contentions will immediately break forth. conduct is far higher than a mere worldly, dead morality. The remarkable paragraph about a preaching to the spirits in prison has been regarded by many eminent theologians as the primary proof text for the article of faith which is embodied in the creeds in the terms He descended into hell, on which so many different meanings have been put. English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. * Peter had been a fisherman before being called to be an apostle; but Jesus called Peter, along with his brother Andrew and his partners James and John, to become “fishers of men” – Luke 5:1-11; Matthew 4:18-22. Jesus is the eternal God in human flesh, the second person of the Trinity. 4 1 “For indeed the day 2 is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. Even here, however, nothing is said about its abstract nature, or its psychology. It centres in Christ; and in personal union by faith with him the believer lives, walks, and acts. When the critics make their approach with the questions, they often imply that no good reason can be given for the conduct of the disciples because they (the disciples) are evildoers so they will say. In Christ - the element of your life as Christians: it defines 'good.' By doing this, those who accuse Christians of evil conduct will be made ashamed of the things they say against you.”, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament, Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary, Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament, Heinrich Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament, Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture, Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament, Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, E.M. Zerr's Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament. ‘those who revile your good behavior in Christ’-Nothing has changed. That whereas they speak evil of you, &c.; "A "good conscience" is one that accuses when we think or do wrong and approves when we do right. Author – Date: The opening verse of the epistle claims it was written by Peter, who was clearly the leader among Christ’s apostles. and unstable; unsettled in their principles, who are like children tossed to and fro with every wind of … It contains the converse side of the Incarnation doctrine to that involved in 1 Peter 3:15; we not only have the whole Christ dwelling in us, but He embraces us all; “Ye in me, and I in you” (John 14:20). But do it. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”—a complete life full of purpose (John 10:10). What does this verse really mean? The phrase “in Christ,” i.e., as members of the Church, occurs again in 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Peter 5:14, and the thought is common enough in St. John (e.g. They may approach us with a "chip-on-the shoulder" attitude, which explains why the preceding verse instructs us to be meek and respectful; if we observe all these instructions we can have a good conscience. with ἁγιάσατε, 1 Peter 3:14, as co-ordinate with ἕτοιμοι; Wiesinger construes them with ἕτοιμοι, as subordinate to it. People still complain about the godly behavior of Christians. 1 Peter 3:16 ESV - having a good conscience,… | Biblia 9 For behold, on athe stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with bseven eyes,3 I will cengrave its inscription, declares the Lord of hosts, and dI will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. To intrinsic moral quality to persons simply because these men are “in Christ” that the heathens ( also... 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