1 Peter 2:20 20For what credit is it, if, while sinning and being beaten, you endure? But if, while doing good and suffering, you endure, this is grace before God.
Many early Christians were slaves because of the wide extent of slavery in the Roman Empire. Verse 20 highlights two reasons a slave (representing anyone in a vulnerable or inferior position) might be beaten. The first is if a slave does something wrong, which could include disobeying orders, pilfering, or going behind the back of the master. Being punished for doing wrong is merely justice. A slave in the ancient world might deserve some type of discipline in the eyes of the law, but sometimes the punishment was harsh or extreme. Slaves were treated as property and could even be killed for disobedience. Any slaves who are punished for doing wrong are not being a good witness and bring no glory to God because they are acting on their own strength and bound by the power of sin.
The implied exhortation comes in the second reason a slave might be punished. In some situations, Christian slaves might suffer for being a witness to the gospel. Their lives were changing as they strove towards holiness. They may not have done anything lawfully wrong that deserved punishment, but they were treated harshly for being good. They might face suffering because of their faith in Christ. Suffering is a significant theme in the New Testament because many early believers experienced persecution because of their faith. Believing in Jesus sets one up as a target because the darkness does not like the light. People like to hide in the darkness. When their own darkness is exposed, and they feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit on their consciences, they love the darkness too much and want to put out the light. As a result, believers suffer.
God sees the situation and the faithfulness of the suffering slave. Enduring persecution for the sake of Jesus brings a blessing (Matthew 5:11-12). We may not experience suffering like first-century slaves, but we may be tempted to compromise our faith in Jesus when shame, ridicule, or peer pressure come. In John 15:18-24, Jesus warned his disciples about the suffering they would experience as his followers, and we should expect no less. What can keep us strong through this suffering? Remembering the outcome, that God sees and will give us grace (charis), favor, or blessing to help us through it.