“Change You Can Believe In” – 1 PETER 3:1-7

As the gospel narrative closes in on Calvary, Christians should always question God’s purpose for the cross.

Unless Yahweh is simply a heartless and cruel deity, the torturous death of Jesus must reveal some greater purpose than the pain and effusion of blood.

To a far greater extent than Pearl Harbor, JFK’s assassination or 9/11 the death of Jesus was the moment in history when everything that came after it was inherently changed. Surely there is change on the theological plain to consider, but what about the practical level. The great purpose of the cross to save the souls of people works through His great purpose to change the everyday lives of Christians.

Forgetting this truth results in “Sunday-only” Christians who bring reproach upon the Lord’s church.

Within Peter’s inspired wisdom for husbands and wives can be found the keys to lives that are pleasing to Christ because they are fulfilling the purpose of the cross. Faith in Christ without change in us is wasted thought. God did not become a man and endure the agony and shame of the cross so that His disciples could mistreat other people. The shame of the cross produces lives that honor Christ by honoring people (3:7). If we relinquish dominion of our own lives what makes us think we then gain dominion over another? Our purpose is to treat those within the church as “fellow heirs of the grace of life” (3:7b) and to see those outside the church as those deserving a chance for that grace.

We can only honor Christ by honoring ALL of the people He died to save.

Like Peter’s admonition to Christian wives, each of us must be changed by the cross. The truth of the cross is often snuffed out by the behavior of those who otherwise cling to the cross. Our words will not matter if there is no change in our actions (3:1). Just as the godly wife can win over her husband without words through her godly life, we can drive folks away from Christ when our poor actions speak more loudly than the rich words of the gospel. The difference between the doctrine of Christ and the philosophies of men is the power of the Word to truly change people. True Christian character is revealed away from the church building. True Christian character is seen when things get tough and the people around us are rough.

The pain of the cross is salved only by the balm of gentle loving lives.

Only God can look into the heart of a person. If you try hard enough, you can honor people and they will take notice. Today, we call these people “politicians”. But, this does not necessarily mean you are changed by the cross. To act one way and talk another will garner the hated label of “hypocrite”. Yet, it is quite possible to act right and live consistently with the “outer” requirements of Christianity. Both the hypocrite and the man of false honor change their behavior for the benefits they receive from people. Only the true disciple of Jesus is changed in the inner man (3:4). The “hidden person of the heart” is the person that God can see.

He emptied Himself and took the form of a servant to see that kind of real change in people.

Jesus invited each lash of the whip and each nail in His extremities so that faith would produce in you an inner change that matters in the lives of those you encounter daily.