The Godly Conduct of the Saved

How should Christians conduct themselves? What are the characteristics of a saved person? How should a Christian behave and respond to others? Let's hear from the Scriptures in 1 Peter 3:8-12.

The Characteristics of Our Godly Conduct:
• Our Godly Attitude Towards One Another (1 Peter 3:8)
- Be harmonious; promote unity. (Romans 12:16; Philippians 2:1-8; John 17:20-23; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; Ephesians 4:1-6; Proverbs 13:10; James 3:13-18)
- Be sympathetic; feel what others feel. (Romans 12:15; Hebrew 4:15)
- Be brotherly; love your brothers and sisters in Christ. (1 John 3:14, 4:7-8; John 13:35)
- Be kindhearted; show compassion and reach out to others. (Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 14:14)
- Be humble; put others before yourself. (Philippians 2:3)

• Our Godly Responses When Mistreated (1 Peter 3:9)
- Stop retaliating in the flesh.
> Stop retaliating by your evil actions.
> Stop retaliating with your insulting words.
- Start blessing.
> * Four Practical Applications to ”Giving a Blessing”:
(1) Believers can bless people by loving them unconditionally.
(2) Believers can give a blessing by praying for the salvation of an unbeliever.
(3) Believers can bless people by expressing gratitude for them.
(4) Believers can bless people by forgiving those who persecute them.

*Taken from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur, p. 190.

> Practice transactional forgiveness: a person sins, repents, and there is a granting of forgiveness.
> Practice attitudinal forgiveness: a person never repents, but you turn them over to God for God to deal with them.