1 Peter 3:8-12 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

8Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10For,

“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
11He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and His ears are inclined to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against
those who do evil.”

Like-Minded

Now, when Peter wrote to the Christians that they were all to be like-minded with each other, the mind that they were to be like was the mind of God, not the mind of human flesh. And this is critical that we understand this, for we have many “pastors” of “churches” who serve as cult leaders who convince the people that they must be like-minded with them and with their business models for how to “do church,” and with their teachings which are of the flesh and not of God. So test them all against what the Scriptures teach.

All of what this teaches here must be interpreted in a way which is in line with the teachings of Christ and of His New Testament apostles, in the correct biblical context, and not according to the teachings of human flesh. So please know that there are many men and women out there disguising themselves as servants of the Lord who truly are “wolves in sheep’s clothing” there to deceive you. For they take Scriptures out of context and they twist them to say what they don’t say if taught in the correct biblical context.

And The Others

Sympathetic should show genuine love and concern for other humans, but it must not be supportive of what is sinful, evil, and not of God. And love for our fellow Christians does not mean coddling them in their sin or refusing to speak the truth in love to them that they need to hear. For love prefers what God prefers which is all that is holy, righteous, godly, morally pure, honest, faithful, and obedient to God and to His commands. And yes, do not repay evil with evil but with blessing, because we love others as God loves us.

We must not be those who speak lies to the people, but we must be those who turn from evil and who do good to others. But the good that we are to do is according to what God calls good and not what the world calls good. For good in the eyes of the Lord is to follow the example of Jesus in speaking the truth of what God’s Word says to the people instead of the diluted and “friendlier” version of the gospel that so many are spreading today. People need to hear the truth spoken to them in love for their salvation from sin.

The Righteous vs Evildoers

And those who are considered as righteous in the eyes of the Lord are those whose lives are surrendered to the Lord to doing His will. For Jesus said if anyone would come after Him that he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and suffer for the sake of righteousness), and follow Him in obedience to His commands. For those who continue to do evil in the sight of God will not have eternal life with God even if they have made verbal professions of faith in Jesus. So obey God, turn from sin, and follow Jesus.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Whoever Would Love Life
An Original Work / October 30, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Return to Me

Based off Jeremiah 31; Cf. Revelation 2-3
An Original Work / September 5, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I have loved you with an eternal love,
Which I give to you, in my faithfulness.

Keep your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tearing.
You will be rewarded
With much fruitfulness.

There is hope for you that My family
Will return to Me; live in victory!

Though I discipline in My love for you,
My heart longs for you that you walk in truth.

Turn your thoughts to your Lord.
Choose to walk in His ways.
Turn from your sins daily.
Follow Jesus Christ.

Oh, how long will you wander in your sin?
Give your hearts to Me; be restored within.

I will satisfy ev’ry weary soul
Who repents of sin; is renewed within.

Behold, days are coming;
It will surely happen;
Though I discipline them,
They will thrive again.

I will be their One and their Only God.
They shall walk in white; be in Me, made right.