most absolutely positive that suf fering should be our portion. Christ testified, "Marvel not that the world hates you, for you know that it hated Me before it hated you." Suffering can be a blessing if it is for righteousness sake. It is interesting to note that the word "blessing" here is the same one that is used in the Beatitudes. This can be translated, "Happy is the man who suffers for righteous ness sake." Peter relates the responsibility of suffering to fear and to worry. Our difficulties are there so that we might produce holiness in our lives. We must be ready to give an an swer (3:15). This demands that we know something of what Cod's word and will is. This calls for a good conscience toward the things of God (Eph. 8). Keep in mind that suffering does have an end. Con sider carefully the great example of Jesus Christ (vrs. 17-22). Christ suffered, was put to death, was made alive, and He is seated now at the right hand of Cod (v. 22). What a glorious Saviour! Final exhortations concerning suffering are summed up in 5:1-11. The first six verses deal with our relationships within the church. Peter addresses himself to his own qualifications. When a writer of the New Testament speaks of him self as an apostle we know that what he is about to say will be come authoritative. He has already done that and now takes his place in the local church as one of its elders and leaders. In stating that he is a "fellow elder" he removes himself from the office of the apostleship for a moment. He places himself in equality with the other appointed rulers of the
thing. The verb really means to rest or to cease our tongues from evil. This little member in our mouth can produce deceit. It is never right, according to the Word of Cod, to tell a lie. Paul told the Ephesian Christians, "Lie not at all, but speak ye the truth, each man with his neighbor." The next exhortation relates to deeds. "Let him turn away from evil, and let him do good." We see the negative in turning away from something. The positive is simply "to do good." The third suggestion is related to unity. "Search out for peace, and pursue it." Unity is something that does not come easy. This is true in na tional government as well as the church. We must seek the Bible principles in order to find the way of unity. The pathway of peace is not always an easy road. The motivation for all this is in verse 12. Here we find that Cod sees what we do. His eyes are al ways upon the righteous. We can be assured that He hears us. His ears are always open to supplica tion. Finally, that Cod judges. His face is upon them that do evil. The Lord puts down on His record the fact that others who do not know the Lord may have strong emo tions, generally of hate, toward Christians. Selflessness is an im portant thing in the Christian's life. No wonder Paul's writings have so much on the subject. SUFFERING The fourth of these topics in Peter gives us God's call to suffer ing (3:13-5:11). Peter wants us to know that suffering can be a bless ing. This is one of the paradoxes in the Christian life. We can be al
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