Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
— 1 PETER 2:12 —
Oleg Kalyn: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine
When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His disciples, He called them to be His witnesses “to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). We understand that being witnesses of Christ Jesus is directly related to preaching the gospel to the nations around us. But it also includes another very important element: the way we live our lives and respond to the world. Believers are to maintain excellent behavior so that their testimonies are clear refutations to the accusations that will inevitably come. Having this truth in mind, Peter urges his readers to “keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles,” knowing that it has a tremendous impact for the gospel. It is difficult to be loving and kind when slandered and treated as “evildoers.” Yet, Peter teaches that it is essential to our gospel witness. Believers are to maintain excellent behavior so that their testimonies are clear refutations to the accusations that will inevitably come. God may even use their godly testimonies to change the hearts of the Gentiles, whereby the very people who slandered them may join them in glorifying God “in the day of visitation.” How do you respond to slander and attack? Do you respond like the world? Or do you respond with godly behavior that makes Christ and the Christian life attractive? Would the unbelieving world be led to glorify God because of your deeds? These are challenging questions that God desires us to consider. This text is a call to live our lives with excellence, even in the face of slander. May we strive for faithfulness in this area for the sake of reaching the lost and glorifying God!
