Finally, all of you... (part 2)

Read 1 Peter 3:8-12

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Two further qualities of Christlike behaviour are added to the four already listed (8):

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5 Be humble. Along with compassion we are to put on humility (Col.3:12). They go together, for pride will always get in the way of kindness. Humility puts others before ourselves, so tenderness and compassion result from imitating Christ’s servant-heart (Ph.2:1-7)

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6 Repay evil with blessing – just as Jesus did when wrong things were done and said to him (2:19-23). It’s because the Father loves and blesses both “the evil and the good” that we too should respond to those who wrong us by seeking to bless them (Mt.5:44-48; Rom.12,14,21).

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These six qualities for Christian living are very challenging, but “to this you were called” (9). As God’s people, we are “called to a holy life” (1 Tim.1:9; Rom.1:7) and to be holy is to be like Jesus, to “follow in his steps” (1:15; 2:9,21). But with this high calling to be a blessing to people in these various ways comes also a promise: “...so that you may inherit a blessing". That includes our eternal inheritance (1:4), but the verses from Psalm 34:12-16 make clear that it is also God’s real and present blessing with us now (10-12; 1 Jn.3:21-22).