Live such good lives that...

Read 1 Peter 2:12

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As we’ve already seen, holiness is primarily positive, not negative. It must include the avoiding of evil but it’s also an active commitment to being like our heavenly Father in love and in goodness (1:14-15,22). Peter again states both aspects here (11-12), to introduce and sum up the various ethical teachings in the rest of the letter.

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So Christians must “live such good lives” that unbelievers will see that there is something different about them, despite their natural inclination to find fault with believers and even dismiss them as evil-doers. The only way to refute that is through sincere “good deeds”. Loving our neighbour is the way we put holiness into practice, and that includes doing good to any who speak ill of us and persecute us (Lk.10:25-37; Gal.5:14; Mt.5:43-45).

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In this way we become salt and light in the world (Mt.5:13-14) and though that may not always be welcomed the reality of it cannot be denied – such “good deeds” result in praise to God (Mt.5:16). Peter echoes those same words here, saying that good deeds done in Christ’s name become a means by which unbelievers’ hard hearts may be softened and made ready for God to come to them in saving grace.