Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good?And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?
3 sermons cite this verse
… Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But, verse 14, Even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them. Those who are causing suffering in your life, nor be troubled. But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ can be put to shame. For it's better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. So don't miss this. First Peter is making absolutely clear that governing authorities, including the emperor, do not hold absolute sway over our lives. Only God does that. Peter, follow this, is obviously not advocating submission to government regardless of what government says. Because, put this together, believers in Christ are first and foremost, over and above everything, servants of God. …
… oh yeah I think that's marriage 1 Peter 3 13-17 well they know 15 is in there if I say 1 Peter 3 8-12 how many of us just immediately go oh yeah nope wait a minute right after that hmm so that's why I call it the lost paragraph Because it's right here between these two very useful and very memorable paragraphs. But it's very important if we're going to understand 315. The lost paragraph belongs to a broader section of Peter's epistle, which spans from chapter 2, verse 11, all the way down to chapter 3, verse 12. That's very important to know. It's part of a broader section. Hence, the paragraph is actually the conclusion of a section. Because this section of Peter's argument ends in 312. Then we get to the paragraph about apologetics. So, again, think about what we're doing here. Peter is building his argument here in his letter, and he's going to get to this section on apologetics. but before that, from 2.11 to 3.12, he's setting it up. …
You say that your enemies are doing all that they can to destroy you, but can they destroy the Divine promises? The Lord has promised to give unto His sheep eternal life—can they take that promise from you, or make it of no value? They may frown at you, but can they keep you out of Heaven? They may threaten you, but can they make the Covenant of Grace to be of no effect? While eternal things are safe, we may well be content to let other things come or go just as God wills! Again, can anyone do anything to you which God does not permit? And if God permits it, can any real harm come to you? "Who is he that will harm you, if you are followers of that which is good?" "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Then how can anything work for your hurt if you are really the Lord's? Can anyone curse those whom God blesses? Are you like those foolish persons who are afraid of a witch's curse, or of some spell that the wicked may cast over you? Even Balaam said, "Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel." Balak might summon Balaam to his aid and the two together might stand and look on Israel and wish to curse them—but they could not curse those whom God had blessed! If all the devils in Hell could fill your house and seek to injure you, there is no need for you to fear or tremble more than Martin Luther did when his friends were afraid for him to go to Worms, but he said, "If there were as many devils there as there are tiles on the roofs of the houses, I would face them all in the name of God." And you may say the same! If earth were all in arms abroad and Hell, in one vast hurry-burly, had come up to join with the world against you, you might still say, "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge," and charge them in the name of the Most High, and put them all to rout, for greater is He who is with you than all those that are against you! …