Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Suffering (8) for Doing Right

Suffering leads to holiness, but not all suffering has this redemptive quality. Peter warns that Christians must only suffer according to God's will.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. (1 Pet 4:15).
In these circumstances, suffering is what we deserve.
But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? (1 Pet 2:20).
Peter reminds Christians that they should only suffer for doing good.
It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 Pet 3:17).
The suffering to which we are called is suffering as Christians. We should be perfect in our behaviour, so there is no just cause for complaint against us (1 Pet 3:15, 16).

1 comment:

Ted M. Gossard said...

Yes Ron. Good points. And smacks against bumper sticker: "Not perfect, just forgiven". Our lives ought to say more than just that we're forgiven.