In his first epistle, after describing the great salvation they posses in Christ (1:1-12), Peter informs his Christian readers that they have a responsibility to God (1:13-2:10) and to the unbelieving world (2:11-4:6). Their conduct before the holy God Who called them must be holy (1:15), and their conduct before a watching world must be honorable (1:12). In the last section of the book, Peter indicates some conduct we must have before one another as Christians (4:7-5:11).

Part of Peter’s motivation for demanding that his readers maintain honorable conduct among those who do not believe in God seems to be evangelistic. He writes in verse 2:12, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. It is quite possible that some of those who observe your good conduct may become Christians and glorify God. Peter specifically refers to the impact that the conduct of Christian wives can have on their unbelieving husbands. Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives (1 Peter 3:1). To “be won” is probably a reference to the husband becoming a Christian. While no one comes to Christ without hearing the word of God, the gospel of Christ, God uses our conduct in a positive way in the lives of unbelievers.