Peter teaches us that we are to follow the Lord Jesus in suffering, for He left us His example of how we ought to act.
Not only so, but Jesus Himself had already told His people that the world would hate them because it first hated Christ.
In Philippians 1, Paul exhorted believers not to fear the suffering and afflictions we receive. He described how our facing such hardship at the hand of the wicked without fear proves to them that we are hopeless and doomed.
How foolish the saints who bravely undergo persecution must appear to our persecutors! They must ask themselves, what is wrong with these Christians? How can they be so foolish as to trust in their so-called God to rescue them?
But to believers, our bravely facing persecution without being terrorized by it gives us proof that God will surely save us as He has promised! He gives us the faith to trust in Him in such extraordinary situations, which shows that He loves us, and intends to keep His promises to redeem us in the end.
After all, that faith in the promises of Jesus is the satisfaction that He will keep His word to us, and not lose a single one of us!
Recall that Jesus taught us how that, even if the wicked take our very lives, it doesn't matter, because not one hair of our heads will perish!
Then Paul makes an astounding statement. God, Paul insists, has given as a gift to all of us, both to believe on Jesus, and to suffer for His sake!
This is critical teaching by Paul: we do not gin up either our faith or our sufferings. In the same way in which God gives us the gift of suffering, He also gives us the gift of faith.
If we suffer with Jesus, we shall also be glorified with Him! |
