SCRIPTURE | 1 Peter 3:8–12 “Now to sum up, all of you be like-minded, sympathetic, brotherly, tender-hearted, and humble in spirit…”
OBSERVATION | Since verse 13 of chapter 2 the Lord has been teaching us of the doctrine of submission in regards to earthly authorities. We find this in the first statement of verse 13 and it is a fitting heading for the content up to our current text: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution.”
“All of you” | In this study we look first to who these commands are written to and why this is critical to rightly understanding the text. In verses 8 through 12, the Lord concludes His teaching about the specifics of submission to government, with servants and masters, and husbands and wives. So now, to whom is this “summing up” address given? It is addressed to “all of you.” All of us? We might think he means everyone, or at least every reader. However, there is a particular “all of you” in view. The first two verses of this letter from Peter teach us who it is:
“To those who reside as exiles… who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” 1 Peter 1:1-2
So then, “all of you” in verse 8 through 12 is directed at the elect of God. The elect is another way to say “the chosen.” Both words have the same meaning (synonyms) and are proper translations of the Greek word used here, ekletos. So, this is a section commanded specifically to the people who God selected or predestined before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4).
Notice the rest of the description of “all of you” according to 1 Peter 1:1-2 (above). It is packed with rich theology. These specific “all of you” are the elect, but they are also described with the “sanctifying work of the Spirit.” Sanctifying is the word for “the process of becoming holy” (LTW: hagiasmos). Holiness here meaning “moral purity.” Those familiar with a right understanding of justification and sanctification will find this to be out of the ordinary use of the word sanctify, as here it is not in reference to the practical growth of holiness.
However, if we continue the study, we can see that this is a sanctifying to the obedience of Jesus, and the sprinkling, cleansing power, of His sacrificial blood (Heb 10:22; 12:24). That is to say, the “sanctifying work of the Spirit,” is seen in both the obedience (practical sanctification) and cleansing (positional justification) of the elect. So, that “sanctifying work” here references the work of the Spirit of God in creating faith in the elect and bringing them to salvation. In other words, the charge given for “all of you,” is not for everyone, but for “all of” those who have been justified in position and are being sanctified (made more holy) in practice through true faith. These are “all” who are truly saved by grace through faith, and created to live in good works (Eph 2:9-10). Those who are truly justified and sanctified.
Why do I say understanding who “all of you” refers to is critical to rightly understand our text? Because “all of you” are here commanded to be “like-minded” with each other. Since this is in reference to the elect, it is critical we are aware how they are here not commanded to like-minded with the unrighteous or lawless people around them. Just as James says “if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) Neither here, no anywhere else in the Word of God are the elect called to be like-minded with the world, but they are very often and sternly warned against it.
Beyond the world, the chosen of God are also never called to be like-minded with “any so-called brothers” who live in open and unrepentant sin. True believers are not even to associate with those, but to remove them from among the brothers (See 1 Cor 5:11-13). Which by extension means those chosen by God for salvation are certainly not to be like-minded with any unrepentant so-called believers. Just as 1 Corinthians 15:33 says “bad company corrupts good morals.”
Again, why does this matter? Because, God never calls for a compromised like-mindedness with ungodliness, unrighteous or the error of anyone in the world or in the church. Not even so that they can be comfortable in the gathering of the people of God and somehow thereby become one of them. Ironically, the modern so-called church has abandoned godliness in its methodologies, so that it can welcome the ungodly in. But what are they coming to? Ungodliness. The ungodly, gather with the ungodly. Those who affirm lawlessness gather with those who are like-minded. Yet here, God is calling the true believer to be like-minded with those who are true believers. With the people who ought to be like-minded with biblical faith and godliness. In other words, the elect are commanded here to be like-minded, with those who are like-minded.
In contrast, God’s people are commanded not to be “conformed to this world” in like-mindedness. That is, the thinking of the chosen of God is to be in non-conformity to the world, but to be in conformity to the Word. Non-conformists to the world, conformists to the Word. This is what is meant behind the call to be like-minded. It is the idea that every believer is to have their mind renewed by the Word (Romans 12:2). They are to think alike because they all are to have “the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16) In other words, when two brothers disagree, but aim to conform their thinking to God’s Holy Word, they are working towards becoming more like-minded. Any other aim of cooperation or unity is disobedient sin (according to Romans 12:1-2 and our verses among many others). Sadly, much of the modern church has done well in its pursuit of “welcoming everyone” by embracing the error of conformity with un-biblical living, false teaching and error. Why? For the sake of a false peace and false unity. For the sake of a false sense of security in growing their numbers, which is the simply the growth of embracing lawlessness.
Horribly, such aims will actually bring many to destruction, thinking they have been rescued from it. Such church methodology is the work of the spirit of the anti-Christ and his gospel of false assurance. Beware of it. Embrace like-minded Bible thinking and Bible thinkers only. Do not become like-minded with ungodliness and the growing tolerance to sin and disobedience, even if it comes from the pulpit of a so-called church. Are you growing in conformity to the Word of the world? As you study and devote yourself to scripture more and more are you finding others whose minds are also being renewed to be like-minded with? Scripture minded with? … Now, back to our text.
1 Peter 1:8 “Now to sum up, all of you be like-minded, sympathetic, brotherly, tender-hearted, and humble in spirit;”
Second, we see how God continues to command submission with His chosen devoting their lives to one another. This is fitting after teaching about submission to government, employment and marriage. In all of those positions and duties, as well as in every other one that exists, God requires every one of His children to submit, or devote, their lives to one another. This devotion is seen in the command to first be “like-minded” (discussed above) and now second, to be “sympathetic.”
“Sympathetic” | The lexicons say sympathetic means “to feel the feelings of others,” (BTLNTG) or to “share the experience of others.” (PLGNT) We think of sympathy often in how someone is affected in the same way as another (Webster). For example, at a funeral, the crying of one person is likely to cause weeping or sorrow in others. God calls His people to aim to have such a loving devotion to each other. They are to place the experiences, pains, joys or successes of others within themselves. To “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15) Do you feel the pain and joy of others? If not repent, and begin to understand and sympathize with fellow believers. Remember, it is the will and command of the Lord that His chosen people live this way.
“Brotherly” | Third, we also see a call for the devotion of our lives to one another in the command to be “brotherly.” Brotherly comes from the Greek word philadelphos which comes from combining philos, the word for familial love, and adelphos, the word for a brother. Here, God commands his people to love one another like biological siblings. A good Family relationship is assumed in the word. Others ought to witness the people of God and say “Wow, look how close and devoted to each other they are? They love one another like family, like brothers.” We find this in Jesus teaching when He said, “by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) Are you known for your love for the family of God? (1 John 3:14) If not, repent, and find ways to renew your mind to you the elect around you.
“Tender-hearted” | Fourth, we see the command to submit our lives to other believers in the word “tender-hearted.” This Greek word, ĕusplagchnŏs,is often translated “compassionate” elsewhere. It is a word that literally means “good in-ward parts.” It is like in understand to the idea of “having a good heart.” That is, it has nothing to do with our physical organ, but with our ability to feel sympathy for others distress and alleviate it. In this way ĕusplagchnŏs differs some from sympathy, that it moves those who are tender-hearted beyond their feelings and into action.
“Humble” | Fifth, we see the final command of devotion among the elect of God to be “humble-in-spirit.” Here we learn from God that humility is not primarily about our deeds, but about our thinking. We must be careful as “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Pride comes from the idea of appearing above someone or something. Thinking more highly of yourself. Humility on the other hand is to think lowly of yourself. Not in a depressed and wounded pride sort of way. But in a sober judgement of the reality of your sins, with a desire and hope to repent and not a wallowing in the guilt of them. Humility results in thinking more of others and less of oneself. Realizing that you deserve nothing but the eternal torment of hell immediately, and that every moment, every breath, and every good thing is unmeasurably beyond the punishment you truly deserve. A truly humble individual is like a sheep before the slaughter in regards to himself, though in the matters of God and His Word he becomes as ferocious as a loin. (See Philippians 2:3-11, Jude 3)
Finally, it is interesting that the Holy Spirit chose to write these commands in the form of adjectives and not verbal imperatives. That is, these are not commands of what we are to be doing (action words), but descriptive commands of who we are to be. “Like-minded, sympathetic, brotherly, tender-hearted, and humble in spirit” are to be so deeply rooted in who we are, that they are part of our identity. Some think that this lightens the strength of the exhortation here. However, if they are identifying descriptions, are they not then more a list of deeds we are to do here and there? These are words that ought to describe who we are and thus how we continuously live.
APPLICATION | If God commands such submission and devotion among His people, this tells us it will not come naturally. Which means the elect of God will all struggle to live this out. So, ask yourself: Have I failed to be like-minded, sympathetic, brotherly and humble with God’s people? Do I seek those who are seeking to be transformed by the renewing of their mind? Am I renewing my mind in my own time, and growing in faith in the Word of God? Ask yourself: Do I show sympathy and compassion to the believers God has placed in my life? When others hurt, do I hurt? Or do I look down on their weakness? When others succeed, do I rejoice with them, or do I respond in jealousy? Do I feel the feelings and experience the experiences of those around me or does my life and thoughts reveal how self-centered and prideful I am?
Repent today. Jesus forgives those who confess their sins and turn from them to follow Him. Seek to be more biblical in your thinking with those who are biblically thinking. Find stronger Bible believing and Bible living friends and grow closer to them. On the other hand, think of how other people feel within their lives, how they experience their ups and downs. Not by being sympathetic by affirming wrong feelings, but coming alongside their experiences and helping the believers around you out of their pit while joining them in celebration on their mountaintops.
PRAYER | Father, give me a humble mind that continuously repents of my unrighteous living and wrong thinking. Let me live with a humble spirit that soberly understands what I deserve because of my sin. So that I might be conformed to Your Word and not conform to this world. Help me to turn away from ungodly connections in my life, and find unity among those who are like-minded with You.
Give me a Holy Spirit powered-strength to put to death any self-centered thinking that keeps me from seeing the pain and joy of the true believers in my life. Give me the wisdom of Your Spirit of Truth within me and teach me the Word of Truth so that I might redirect your chosen people when they feel and experience life in error and deception. Give me strength enough to come alongside them in their highs and lows, while giving me wisdom to show them the right way to think and live, according to Your Word. So that more and more in all of my life, and in the life of Your chosen people around me, You alone will be glorified. Amen.
