3:8
Peter now addresses everyone at once. He has used specific situations to make his instructions real, to show what they mean in practice. Now he talks about general attitudes. We are to be like minded, not seeking division. We are to be sympathetic. It is easy to look down on others when they fall, or don’t seem to be making as much progress as we think we ourselves are. We are to love one another, to be compassionate and humbler. In short we are not to be self-seeking and self-centred. Now remember Peter’s own experiences, he knew full well his own failings. He knows that he owes everything to the grace of God.
3:9
Having listed the positive attitudes, Peter lists some negative attitudes that we are to avoid. When we seek to do good we will find that sometimes there will be a temptation to do wrong. We are not to repay evil with evil. This is perhaps the most fundamental. Our human nature, and the way of the world, is to repay like with like. Instead we are to repay evil with blessing. This, of course, is reminiscent of Jesus’ words about loving our enemies and turning the other cheek. This is what we were called to. When Jesus called us we were called to a new way of life, and the fruit of this new life is to inherit a blessing. Remember in the beatitudes that each one is prefaced with “Blessed is ...”.
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