Although the original readers of Peter’s letter were experiencing relatively mild opposition from their neighbors, in I Peter 3:8-22, he wanted to prepare them for worse persecution to come and the unfair suffering they would have to endure. As in all the letter, God calls on us both to preach and to practice what we preach, no matter how others might be treating us. In fact, when we endure unfair suffering as Christians, we receive special blessings and opportunities to demonstrate our faith.
After the Covenant of Works/Life resulted in failure and death for humans, God dealt with them on the basis of his grace, or free...
Faith is the means by which we are saved, obey God, and forgive our brothers and sisters.
God's presence in the early church produced awesome acts of community giving and healing but also an awesome judgment against hypocrisy and deception.