1 Peter 3:12

1 Peter 3:12 says, For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.  God listens to the prayers of the righteous, those who are followers of Christ.  Until a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, the only prayer that God will hear is the prayer of repentance and the acceptance of Jesus Christ as one's personal Savior and Lord.   Verse thirteen adds, And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?   Peter asked a very simple question, but it is one with an everlasting perspective.   There may be those who would harm us if we follow after the good, the things of God, but we have no reason to fear them, no matter what happens in this life.   Verse fourteen continues, But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;  Peter states it very clearly.  We may suffer for righteousness's sake, but if we do we are to rejoice and not be afraid.  Verse fifteen states, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:  Peter tells us that even in times when we suffer for our righteousness that we are to sanctify God in our heart and be ready to give an answer for our reason for hope with meekness and fear.  I believe this means with a fear of or respect for God and not of those who a persecuting us.  Verse sixteen adds, Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.  Peter tells us that even if people speak evil of us as followers of Christ that they will one day be made ashamed for their false accusations.  As long as we speak the truth of God what we say will always be proven to be true.  Verse seventeen continues, For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.  Peter tells us that if it is the will of God that we suffer for well doing that is better than if we suffer for evil doing.  If we do not compromise our faith in order to avoid some punishment in the world, that is better than suffering the punishment of God because we did compromise our faith.  Verse eighteen says, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:  Peter points to the example set by Jesus Christ, the just dying for the unjust, as the example for us to follow.   Once more, we are not promised material riches as followers of Christ, but we are told to take up our cross daily, to die to self-will and desire in other words, and to follow Christ.  Verse nineteen adds, By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;  Jesus did not just go to the rich and successful to proclaim His word, but He went to those in prison as well.  We may not be physically imprisoned, but until we accept the gospel of Christ personally, we are imprisoned by sin.  We will never be better than anyone else by our own personal righteousness but are made better by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty continues, Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  Peter says that God is long-suffering in waiting for people to come to Him and cites Noah as an example.   With all those around Noah, only eight believed him and were saved.  All we can do is share the gospel, then it is up to the individual that we share it with whether they will believe and be saved or not.  Verse twenty-one declares, The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:  I believe that what Peter is telling us is that baptism into the will of God by faith in Jesus Christ saves us, and not the physical act of baptism itself.  It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that is the way and the only way to salvation.   Verse twenty-two adds, Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.  Jesus Christ is now sitting at the right hand of the heavenly Father, and everything is in His power.  For that reason, as followers of Christ, we have no reason to fear anything that this old world may do to us.   As followers of Christ, the victory is already ours through His power, and nothing will ever be more powerful than He is.