January 20, 2024 -- I Peter 3:8-9 -- The Blessing That Restored Fractured Christian Community

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Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
I Peter 3:8-9 ESV

This passage follows right after Peter’s instructions to husbands and wives. Now, the broader Christian community, the people who are united in Christ, are like a husband and a wife, commanded to have unity of mind. Literally it says to have one mind, that is, the mind of Christ. Sympathy means that you intentionally soften your heart and your attitude towards those who are of the household of God. Brotherly love, which has been fully described in I Corinthians 13. A tender heart which is one prepared to help those who are stumbling in the faith; not proud as if you’d never stumbled and needed the restoring kindness of your Christian brothers and sisters. A humble heart is one that is acknowledges God’s grace is needed as much in your own heart and life as it is in the life of the people around you.

When someone has spoken evil of you (like on social media) or in anger spoken evil of you publicly in a church setting or to your face, it is so hard to stop yourself. The opening blessing of the letter reads: “May grace and peace be multiplied to you” (I Peter 1:2). Oh how a wounded heart can tear at another person, disregarding the impact on the community, the future relationship one might have with this family member in Christ. We need the grace of Jesus Christ and His peace-making to be multiplied in us. Like white blood cells, when the body senses there is an infection, rush to the site of the infection and swallow it up preventing the whole body from receiving contagion, so we too need grace and peace multiplied when the infection of evil actions or words are introduced.

Reviling. It can mean one who is contentious. It can mean someone who speaks maliciously about others. It is the after effect of an evil infection. Though there might have been an end to a particular evil deed by a member of the church reviling can still be stirred up. It is the back talk and the statements like “I told you he was worth watching” or “I knew she had it in her. She is a catty person”. Such reviling breeds factions and reintroduces evil. Such reviling keeps the church membership, or the family of God, from being restored in unity

When you face the fractures and the trials of living in true, deep, Christian community, where the saints stumble, you will have all kinds of forces pulling against the unity of mind that must be yours in Christ. The newly forgiven, once sin-broken slowly heal in Christ. It is right after forgiveness has been offered and received it is critical that the family of God minister to one another with great tenderness. The only way to overcome the slide back into evil words and actions and reviling is to bless, as thoroughly and as deeply as you have been blessed in Jesus Christ. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by the good you have received in Christ. You achieve this by giving a blessing to one who is being rehabilitated; giving a good word and encouragement in season and at timely moments. Live in this way fully aware of the fact that you have already received the greatest blessing ever, you have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heave for you” I Peter 1:3b-4 ESV.

Just think of how many smoldering and simmering situations linger in various churches today. Ah, there is a deep need for this word of God. Among many believers there are reviling accusations and factions around how the Covid-19 crisis was handled (or not handled). There are brothers and sisters whose public sins are well-known, they’ve been restored, but rather than embracing them when they’ve sought forgiveness, the members of the church are stand-offish, waiting for the next failure. Even as those who are waiting on others to fail are themselves stumbling around in need of God’s multiplying grace and peace. Ah, fellow believers, give God’s great and extravagant blessings to those who are sorely in need of it.

Father in heaven, help us always to honour Christ Jesus as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us, and to do so with gentleness and respect. Father in heaven, we praise You with awe-filled thanksgiving for the suffering of Jesus, Your precious Son, our Savior, by Whom we are reconciled to You! Father in heaven, let Your Spirit continually work out this salvation in us so that we conform more fully to the image and likeness of Jesus and this to Your glory. Amen.

https://youtu.be/h-wYZLd_FIk?si=N77dXVxlQnneWlgR Awake My Soul (Christ Formed in Me)

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