God’s will for you

Read 1 Peter 2:15

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We often struggle in specific instances to know God’s will for our lives. But there are some general areas where we can be certain what he wants us to do e.g. when people speak ill of us and ridicule us we know we should rejoice, pray and be thankful “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Th.5:16-18; Mt.5:11-12; 5:43-45). In addition, as Peter says here, “it is God’s will” that we respond by “doing good”.

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This is a continuation of the thought in 2:12 where accusations of wrongdoing are to be answered by good deeds. Those accusations are not only false but also foolish, based on ignorance and prejudice. Because they are false it’s necessary to silence them, and it’s “by doing good” that prejudice will be dispelled and ignorance be corrected.

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This is stated specifically in the context of submission to human authorities (2:13-14) so it’s that particular ‘good’, which Peter has in mind. But integral to that are many other good deeds:

“Be subject to rulers... be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle towards everyone.” (Tit.3:1-2). Behaviour like that is always right and always God’s will for us.