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A HEART IN WHICH GOD IS SANCTIFIED (I)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12
1 Peter 2:1-25

1 Corinthians 4:9-13

 

“…even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us…”

 

A HEART IN WHICH GOD IS SANCTIFIED (I)
 
The Apostle Peter deals in his first epistle head-on with a difficult subject: the relationship between Christian witness and Christian submission. He is writing to believers who are “in heaviness through manifold temptations” (1 Pet 1:6), evidently suffering under persecution. Yet even in their predicament he exhorts them to holy living (1:13-22), and reminds them of their great privilege as those born again “by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever,” and able now to “grow thereby” into “a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,” as they are “a peculiar people… the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1:23-2:10).
 
Then the Apostle exhorts them more particularly concerning their behaviour “among the Gentiles” (v 12). These are words which have an especial impact on Christians who experience very keenly the hostility of a godless world: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake… For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (vv 13-15). The point here is that Christians ought to behave as Christians, even when persecuted ‒ even when “suffering wrongfully” (v 19). This the Apostle commends in the strongest possible terms, calling it “the will of God” (v 15), “thankworthy” (v 19), and “acceptable with God” (v 20).
 
The rationale for this kind of conduct, which certainly lies completely against the grain of human nature, turns on the example of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Christians are “called” to manifest this character when unjustly treated, “because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (v 21). In other words, suffering and persecution actually afford us a unique opportunity to reflect to the world the character of Christ.
 
This may seem a strange and radical concept. We may not like to think of our witness as coming at such great personal cost! But therein lies the importance of the heart. What is it that is most important to us? What is our driving motivation? Who sits enthroned in our hearts? Is it God, or self?
 
THOUGHT: Suffering brings out the truth about my heart.

PRAYER: Father, help me to serve Thee even in suffering.

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