Introduction

Today, it can feel like the church treats Christianity as something to sell. Say a simple prayer, and you’re promised forgiveness, eternal life after death, and even a friend to help with loneliness and give you absolute certainty in life.

Evangelism—the proclamation of Jesus’ victory—can start to look like a marketing campaign, where we highlight all the benefits while minimizing the costs. It’s like saying, “If you sign up for our new miracle diet, eat whatever you want, as much as you want, and in six weeks, you’ll look like a movie star, all for 8 low monthly payments of $19.99.”

And like a business, we try to sell what people want to buy. Many are drawn to a version of faith that promises health and wealth: say your prayers, attend church, give some money, and you’ll be forgiven and go to heaven. In this life, you’ll have a great job, a wonderful spouse, a nice house, perfect kids, and excellent health. Every day will feel amazing, then at 111, you’ll die peacefully in your sleep and discover that heaven will be even better!

That all sounds great, but it doesn’t match most Christians’ real experiences or what the Bible teaches. Faith does bring real benefits, but they’re more about belonging, redemption, and eternal life than about health or wealth. And there are also real costs, too. Becoming a Christian isn’t just about saying a prayer—it’s about giving our lives to God and letting him work through us. This means we accept what he gives us, even when it’s not what we want. Sometimes, like Jesus, this means we’ll face opposition or even persecution for our faith.

Today, we’re going to look at the second half of 1 Peter 3, which addresses persecution directly. Peter teaches that when we face hostility, we can overcome it by following Jesus’ example. His suffering and later victory give us a pattern and a reason for hope.

I. The Bird’s Eve View on Suffering

But first, I want to look at this passage in dialogue with a passage from Revelation that helps us see what Peter means from another angle. Revelation 11:3-13 gives us a big-picture view of why God allows Christians to suffer, while 1 Peter shows us what it feels like for those going through it.

Many people misunderstand this passage by reading Revelation too literally. In it, two figures, who remind us of Moses and Elijah, prophesy to the world, are killed, and then come back to life.

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.” 

These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish. 

When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem, the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them. 

But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched. 

At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven (Revelation 11:3–13, NLT).

Many evangelicals today believe in the rapture—the idea that Jesus will take the church to heaven so they avoid the coming troubles. This idea isn’t directly stated in the text, but some infer it because they say the church isn’t mentioned after chapter 3. This interpretation is mistaken. While it comforts believers, it keeps them from embracing their calling in the world. God doesn’t keep the church from suffering; instead, he preserves the church through suffering for the sake of the world.

Now, Revelation uses many symbolic images. Some come from the Old Testament, while others are explained directly. In chapter 1, Jesus is pictured walking among lampstands, and he tells John that the lampstands represent the churches. Once we understand this symbol, the story’s meaning becomes clearer. The church doesn’t vanish from the narrative in Revelation. It’s symbolically represented here. In case you didn’t notice, the two witnesses are described as lampstands.

The church is called to be a prophetic voice, like Moses and Elijah, proclaiming Jesus’ victory over sin and death. There are two witnesses because the Jewish law says that things must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. God protects the witnesses—the church—from unnecessary suffering, shown by the fire from their mouths, but God allows them to be killed by the Dragon, or Satan. This is similar to how God protected Jesus until the right time, then allowed him to be killed. Paradoxically, this led to Jesus’ greatest victory. The church witnesses to Jesus not just by speaking about him, but also by sharing in his suffering, death, and resurrection. Their suffering is so integral to their witness that the Greek word for witness—martys—becomes the English word ‘martyr,’ someone who dies for what they believe in.

It’s interesting that in other parts of Revelation, people of the world respond to God’s judgment with defiance. But here, when the church suffers death and is raised, the nations actually give glory to God. The meaning seems to be that while God’s judgment keeps evil in check, it’s not divine wrath, but the suffering and vindication of his people, imitating Jesus, that changes people’s minds.

So, our calling isn’t just to enjoy life while we wait for heaven. We’re called to testify about Jesus’ victory, to trust God to protect us, and be willing to suffer when needed, knowing God will make things right in the end. With this in mind, let’s return to 1 Peter and look at how he frames the suffering of Jesus and the church.

II. An Earthly Perspective On Suffering

The passage we looked at last week concluded with a promise that God watches over the righteous, but turns away from those who do evil. It then goes on:

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! (1 Peter 3:13–17, NLT).

A. God Doesn’t Will Our Harm

The passage starts with a tricky question. It sounds like Peter is saying, ‘No one will want to hurt you if you do good,’ but then he admits that people might hurt them. This confusion comes from an awkwardly inserted section head and a translation issue. In verse 12, Peter quotes Psalm 34, saying God watches over those who do right and turns away from the wicked. This is followed by a rhetorical question that should be read something like, ‘Then, who will want to harm you if you do good?’ The implied answer is, ‘Certainly not God!’ Peter wants us to know that while God can use the church’s suffering for his purposes, he doesn’t do it to us. 

Peter then makes it clear that while we may suffer for doing what’s right, God promises to reward us. Later, Peter uses Jesus as an example to help believers understand why they might be called to suffer. We shouldn’t be afraid of threats, because God can protect us—like the fire from Moses and Elijah’s mouths. But if God doesn’t spare us from persecution, we can trust that he will use our suffering for his purposes.

It’s important to see that we’re not supposed to resist persecution violently. If we try to fight back, we misrepresent Jesus, the Lamb who was victorious by being slain. That is the vision that Revelation uses for Jesus. The fire from the prophets’ mouths in Revelation 11 wasn’t their own doing, but God’s power at work. When people mistreat us, we should act like Jesus and trust God to deliver us.

B. A Defence of Our Hope

Instead of giving in to threats from those who oppose the Christian message or responding with hostility, we are called to worship Christ as Lord. The text literally says, “make holy Christ as Lord in your heart.” We show this by obeying Jesus’ command to love and to resist non-violently. When Christians accept the world’s assumption that we need to fight fire with fire, we are disobeying and denying Jesus’ Lordship in our hearts.

Making Jesus Holy in our hearts leads us to respond to difficult situations in unexpected ways, so Peter says we should always be ready to explain (actually defend) our faith. Early Christians had to defend themselves against charges that they were to blame for their community’s misfortunes. People assumed the Gods were angry because the Christians refused to worship them. The defence Peter talks about isn’t like today’s apologetics, which tries to prove faith with arguments. Instead, it’s about explaining what Christians believe and the hope they have in Jesus.

When we talk about our faith or challenge others’ beliefs, there’s a risk of sounding smug. Peter warns us about this. If we seem arrogant or self-satisfied, our message loses its impact. We need to be reasonable and humble in disagreements, or we might miss the chance to persuade others.

I learned the truth of this through personal failure. About 15 years ago, I worked for a boss who asked lots of questions about Christian faith, but not because she was genuinely curious, but so she could mock it. At one point, she was particularly unkind and said, “Well, I have no respect for your beliefs.” Exasperated, I unwisely responded, “Well, I don’t respect yours.”

I let her hostility get to me and responded in kind. Because of that, I missed the chance to challenge her assumptions about Christians by showing kindness or humility. It would have been better to say, “Well, I’m sorry you see it that way. But I can understand how many Christians have behaved in ways that make those outside the church question what we really believe.” That way, I could have acknowledged what I suspect was her real concern—hypocrisy—while still holding to my faith and Jesus’ example of gentleness and respect.

When we respond to people in a Christlike way, we disarm the criticism people might level against us. I think many people who are hostile toward Christians feel that way because of what they’ve heard in the media or because of the failure of Christians—like me in that story—to follow Jesus’ example. If we respond with gentleness and respect, many—though not all—will feel ashamed for attacking someone who responds to hostility with kindness.

I knew a guy who had grown up as a missionary in Japan. He was really tall and very white, but he spoke the language like a native. I once heard a story about him: he got into an elevator with two Japanese men. The men assumed this obvious foreigner couldn’t understand Japanese, so they mocked him in Japanese, thinking he would be oblivious. When he got to his floor, and the door opened, he graciously addressed the men in perfect Japanese, “Pardon me, guys, this is my floor.” In that culture, his gracious response to their rudeness would have made them feel deeply ashamed. When we respond to unkindness with kindness, it can prompt people to reconsider their hostility.

Peter sums it up by saying it’s better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong. Some people are angry with us because we are hypocrites, and this is to our shame. But when we’re humble and reasonable, we often help others see that their opposition isn’t justified.

III. Jesus’ Pattern of Victory

It’s hard to respond to people’s antagonisms with gentleness and respect. It can feel like we’re losing. But Peter explains that this is how Jesus acted, and his victory was real. From a spiritual perspective, his apparent defeat was actually a win over the forces of darkness. Peter goes on:

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. 

So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority (1 Peter 3:18–22, NLT).

A. Jesus’ Sacrifice Seen From Earth

Verse 18 explains what Jesus did from an earthly perspective: even though he was completely righteous, he allowed himself to be killed so he could bring us back to God.

Jesus’ death is unique because it’s the foundation of our salvation. None of us could do the same by dying, but we are called to give our lives—metaphorically or, sometimes literally—for others. Our ‘death’ doesn’t save, but it serves as a signpost that points people to Jesus’ saving death. That’s why, in Revelation, God lets the dragon defeat the church. If we say Jesus overcame evil through non-violence, we must also show we truly believe it by being willing to suffer without fighting back, as Jesus did. Just like in Revelation, it’s this surrender and God’s exaltation of the church that leads people to honour God.

B. Jesus’ Sacrifice Seen from the Heavens

If verse 18 shows what Jesus’ death looked like from a human point of view, verses 19-20 show what was happening spiritually. Peter has what scholars would call an apocalyptic worldview. This has nothing to do with the end of the world; it means he believes that the world we see around us is only part of the story.

Connected to our physical world, but beyond our perception, is a spiritual realm. Events in that spiritual realm affect things in the earthly realm. It’s kind of like how if you were to look at an iceberg, you would know that what you see is, literally, just the tip of the iceberg. You know that under the water, beyond what you can see with your eyes, is a much larger reality. And you know that it is being driven not just by the forces you can see (the winds above the surface). But also by forces in the realm you can’t see (the currents under the water).

So if verse 18 describes the tip of the iceberg, verses 19-20 describe what’s happening beyond our perception in the spiritual realm. But, I’m guessing, when you read them, you’re probably left scratching your head, wondering what they’re about. I admit, I was. Who are the imprisoned spirits? Where are they? What is it about Noah’s time in particular that is relevant?

Peter is referring to a book of 1st Enoch, a Jewish apocalyptic text written during the Second Temple period (the gap between the Old and New Testaments). Apokálypsis is the Greek word for revelation. Apocalyptic is a genre of Jewish literature that reveals the hidden spiritual reality behind earthly events.

1st Enoch (which is not scriptural) tells the story of fallen angels called the watchers.

In Genesis 6:1-4, we read a puzzling account of how the sons of God (the watchers, the imprisoned Spirits Peter is referring to) fathered children with human women and produced a race of giants called the Nephilim. This seems to be the primary cause of the flood. 1st Enoch purports to tell the story of those angels’ punishment. We pick it up with God giving instructions to his angels:

“Bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is for ever and ever is consummated. In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: and to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever.” (1 Enoch 10: 12-14).

They would be imprisoned for seventy generations—a symbolic way of saying a long time—and then, at the final judgment, thrown into the abyss of fire. Peter refers to this story to show that Jesus’ death brings about the final judgment.

Jesus’ preaching (the word actually means proclamation) is a kind of victory lap, where he confronts the evil Spirits, to say, the victory that spells your doom has finally come. So, while Jesus’ death might look like a defeat on earth, in the heavens he has triumphed, just as the scriptures promised.

Since Peter is on the topic of Noah and the flood, he explains how Noah’s ark is a picture of baptism. In the story, God saves Noah from judgment through water. Similarly, baptism uses water as a sign that God saves us from sin and judgment. But the real power of baptism isn’t that there is something special about the water. Rather, baptism is a symbol of the salvation that comes from what Jesus has done for us.

Now, in verse 22, Peter sums up Jesus’ victory in heaven by saying Jesus now sits at God’s right hand, the place of honour. This is like a ruler on his throne: Jesus rules in heaven alongside the Father. Peter wants us to see the paradox: to human eyes, it looked like Jesus lost on the cross, but in heaven, his defeat was actually a victory.

C. Reinterpreting Our Lives

Peter’s message here is that Jesus’ humiliation wasn’t the defeat it appears to be. From heaven’s perspective, it was a great victory. In the same way, we overcome by loving others even when we suffer. When we stay faithful during hard times, we share in Jesus’ victory. Just as he was honoured for his faithfulness, we will also be honoured if we remain faithful.

So people might look down on us and sneer about our unsophisticated worldview. Let them. Don’t get down on their level, but commit to responding to their contempt or hostility with kindness. We don’t need to look wise in their eyes; we need to look wise in God’s.

We defeat evil on earth by being faithful to Jesus’ example. We shouldn’t be like so many Christians who say we must fight those who oppose us. When we refuse to fight, we embody Jesus’ victory and reveal God’s truth.

Conclusion

So what do we do with all of this? Most of us will probably never be thrown into prison for our faith. We may never face the kind of persecution Peter’s readers endured. But all of us will face moments when following Jesus costs us something. There will be times when doing the right thing hurts. Times when kindness is met with hostility. Times when integrity costs us opportunities. Times when speaking about Jesus make us unpopular. Times when we are tempted to fight fire with fire. In those moments, Peter wants us to remember that appearances can be deceiving.

On Good Friday, it looked like Jesus had lost. The religious leaders, the Roman authorities, and the powers of darkness won. The crowds mocked him, his followers scattered, and his body hung lifeless on a cross. From Earth’s perspective, it looked like a crushing defeat. But from heaven’s perspective, it was the greatest victory in history.

Through his suffering, Jesus defeated sin, death, and the powers of darkness. Through apparent weakness, he revealed God’s power. Through his willingness to suffer a torturous death, he demonstrated God’s unconquerable love for us. Through the cross, he received the crown. And Peter says that when we suffer faithfully for Christ, we are walking the same path. Our suffering does not save the world the way Jesus’ suffering did. But it bears witness to his victory. We are like the moon, which has no light of its own, but it lights the night by reflecting the sun, when the sun is otherwise invisible. 

Every time we respond to hatred with love, every time we answer mockery with gentleness, every time we remain faithful when it would be easier to compromise, we participate in the triumph of Christ. The world may look at those moments and see weakness. But Heaven sees the victory of Jesus being reenacted in the lives of his people.

So do not be afraid of opposition. Do not be intimidated by threats. Do not lose heart when faithfulness becomes costly because the story is already written. The Lamb has already won. The risen Christ already reigns at the Father’s right hand. The powers that oppose him have already been judged.

And because we belong to him, we can face opposition with confidence. Not because we are strong, but because Christ is victorious. Not because suffering feels good, but because suffering for Jesus is never meaningless. It is participation in the overwhelming victory of the crucified and risen King. The cross looked like defeat, but the empty tomb revealed the truth. And one day, when Christ returns, the whole world will see that every act of faithful endurance was part of his victory all along.