1 Peter 2:12 KJV
[12] “having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
When we study the life of Jesus, we are overwhelmed by His goodness. He went about everywhere doing good, and it did not matter where He was or how others treated Him. No one could ever say that Jesus mistreated them in any way. Even Pilate declared that he found no fault in Him.
Jesus was known for good works during His entire life. His goodness caused problems for some people. Some of the religious people of that day slandered and lied about our Lord because they despised Him for doing good. The problem was that His goodness exposed man’s wickedness.
Peter knew much about the good works of Jesus Christ because he had witnessed them firsthand. He had seen the good works of Jesus Christ in his own life. Peter knew that even though he had wronged the Lord, Jesus always treated him right. In this text, he encourages us to live a life of good works before this lost world. Our conversation (behavior) is to be honest before others. We know that good works do not save anyone, but Christians are to maintain good works. We are to show this world the good life! They should know that we are believers by how we live and not just by what we say.
We know that the world will despise our good works as they did the works of Christ. When Jesus was on his way to Calvary, not everyone in Jerusalem that day was shouting at Him. Some women were weeping as they followed Him. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were also there. There were people present who remembered the good works of Jesus. It amazes me that Jesus had so little to say to anyone during His trials and tortures before the cross. They shouted at Him as He carried His cross to die for the sins of the world, stopping along the way to comfort the women who were crying, and then, while on the cross, He saved an old thief. He glorified God with a life filled with good works. Dear reader, we must do the same today. We must search for opportunities to live a life of good works that will bring glory to God. Let this be your goal today.