Our text for Sunday school is 1 Pet 3:8-12.  The theme is living righteously.  When you and I were saved, God gave us his righteousness in Jesus Christ.  This is his imputed righteousness.  However, we must live righteously after we are saved by yielding to his righteousness in us and following what he is teaching and leading us to do.  

When you live righteously, you are, with the brethren:

• Likeminded – Phil 2:2; Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?  They can’t.  Yet, some want to try walk together, while they are of a different mind.
• Compassionate – compassion is sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.  You don’t just see the problem; you do something to help. In Matt 20:34, Jesus’ compassion led him to heal the blind men.  We should likewise be compassionate, 1 Jn 3:17.
• Charitable – Rom 12:9 our love should be without dissimulation.  It must be genuine.
• Pitiful – Col 3:12-14 thus, we are kind and tenderhearted toward each other.
• Courteous – Rom 12:10 with a kind affection toward each other, preferring one another.

You don’t render evil for evil – Rom 12:19-21 if someone does something evil against you, don’t do something evil to retaliate.  Vengeance belongs to the Lord.  Do something good, instead.

You refrain your tongue from evil and guile – 1 Pet 2:20-23.  Follow the footsteps of the Lord.  Saying nothing is better than saying anything evil or untoward.  

You eschew evil – Job 1:1 eschew is to avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds, or in our case, Biblical grounds.

You seek and ensue peace – Eph 4:2-3; ensue is to pursue, to strive to attain.  Peace is thee fruit of the Spirit but it doesn’t come naturally.  You have to pursue it.

The benefits of living righteously are that:

You inherit a blessing – Ps 18:25-26; Prov 11:17 God renders to you according to what you do.

You love life and see good days – Ps 34:12-16 Peter quoted this passage.  It is the “secret” concerning how to have the abundant life Jesus promised in Jn 10:10.

The Lord’s eyes are over you – Job 1:8 God watches over you.  He’s got his eye on you.

The Lord’s ears are open to your prayers – you know you have access to the throne of grace.  Your prayers will get through.

The warning against living unrighteously is:

The Lord’s face is against them that do evil – you think you’re getting away with it; but you are not.  The Lord sees and he is against it. Ps 18:26 with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.