Suffering for Jesus Part 6
1 Peter 3:16-17 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; NKJV-New King James Version
The Apostle Peter wanted those early Jewish converts to our Lord Jesus Christ (and us as well) to know that the fierce acts of violence against them and against us today are not because of what they/we have done to any of them or against any of them, but because they/we belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. The world 🗺 is made up of only two kinds of people now and the first are those of us who have been delivered from the power of darkness just as the Apostle Paul wrote with these words to the Colossian Church ⛪, "For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins' penalty]. (Colossians 1:13-14) (AMP). Here is an annotation from the Amplified Bible of what Paul is saying in Colossians 1:13-14, "rescued and transferred. God has liberated believers from the dominion of darkness. The Apostle uses the common symbolism of light and darkness for good and evil, for God's Kingdom and Satan's kingdom, that is found throughout the New Testament. The kingdom from which believers have been rescued is the kingdom of darkness.
redemption. The Greek word points naturally to the payment of a price or ransom for the release of a slave. They are freed from bondage to sin by forgiveness through the Blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7)." And the second kind of people who are still the children of wrath and under the control of the power of darkness and still slaves to sin just as Paul the Apostle also wrote with these words to the Ephesian Church ⛪, "For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person—for that one is [in effect] an idolater—has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God [for such a person places a higher value on something other than God]. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments [that encourage you to sin], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience [those who habitually sin]. [ Lev 18:24-25] So do not participate or even associate with them [in the rebelliousness of sin]. (Ephesians 5:5-7) (AMP). The Apostle Peter knew from his own experience that some would vehemently scoff or treat the truth of the Gospel of Christ with contempt and disregard it all together because they want to continue to indulge in their personal path of sin without ever turning from it in true repentance from within their inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩, so Peter says, let them mock you or scoff at you or deride you or slander you or speak ill of you or threaten you, for the day will come when they see that it is Christ 'in us' the hope of Glory (Colossians 1:27) that has made us the 'new creation' (2 Corinthians 5:17) that we are.
Here is what F.B. Meyer had to say of 1 Peter 3:16, "Keep a good conscience! Remember you have to live with yourself! A good conscience is the best bedfellow! Paul exercised himself always to have a conscience void of offense toward God and man, Act_23:1; Act_24:16. This is especially necessary when we are called on to give our witness for our Lord. We must not keep silent when we ought to speak, and when we speak we should do so reverently, simply and without heat."
It is quite easily understood that the Apostle Peter desired to see all believers only suffer for Christ sake for their/our doing of good and not that of their/our doing of evil, for we all (as born again sons and daughters) of our Lord Jesus Christ will give an account to Him directly and personally (Romans 14:12). The eyes of the Lord are in every place watching over the good and evil alike (Proverbs 15:3), therefore, Paul the Apostle wrote these words that must be heeded carefully by each one of us, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God. (1 Corinthians 4:5) (NKJV). When we sin, we bring dishonor to the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we must repent/turn from our sin that we made be a vessel for honoring Christ and bringing glory to His Name. Paul the Apostle wrote these words to Timothy to exhort and encourage him to live a life of honoring Christ and to teach others who have turned to Christ to do the same, "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.'
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:19-22) (NKJV). A born again believer can backslide into some very egregious sin from his old man 👨 or her old woman 👩, but when we truly repent/turn and confess our sin to our sin bearer (the One who carried all our sin to the Cross @ Calvary) then He will faithfully forgive us and then cleanse us from all our unrighteous deeds (1 John 1:9). Let us never forget these words of Paul also written to Brother Timothy, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." (2 Timothy 2:13) (NKJV). Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of 1 Peter 3:17, "That is, if God sees it to be necessary for your good that you should suffer, it is better that you should suffer for doing well than for crime. God often sees it to be necessary that his people should suffer. There are effects to be accomplished by affliction which can be secured in no other way; and some of the happiest results on the soul of a Christian, some of the brightest traits of character, are the effect of trials. But it should be our care that our sufferings should not be brought upon us for our own crimes or follies. No man can promote his own highest good by doing wrong, and then enduring the penalty which his sin incurs; and no one should do wrong with any expectation that it may be overruled for his own good. If we are to suffer, let it be by the direct hand of God, and not by any fault of our own. If we suffer then, we shall have the testimony of our own conscience in our favor, and the feeling that we may go to God for support. If we suffer for our faults, in addition to the outward pain of body, we shall endure the severest pangs which man can suffer - those which the guilty mind inflicts on itself."
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
