One incentive for Christians to persevere in doing good despite their actions attracting abuse is the fact that all must give account to God for every idle word they have spoken (Matthew 12:36). In the next paragraph Peter speaks of that day being “at hand” and thus how Christians ought to interact in the expectation of approaching justice.
1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,