Did you know that the more we live like Christ, the less impact sin has on our lives? The more that we suffer, as Christ suffered, the less we want to do things that we know will displease him, and the more we want to do things that shows our affliation with him? Rather neat how that works. :)
Peter reminds his audience that the time is past for living however we choose, that we used to live in sin, but now we live as Christ wants us to. We are now willing to suffer for Christ's sake. This surprises the folks who live around us, and therefore they want to treat us poorly, because we don't live like they do. Peter reminds us all that they have to answer to God for their actions, just as we do.
THEREFORE Peter reminds us, we need to be
self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.We need to act differently than the world around us. As we do that, God is glorified!
As Christians we should not be surprised when bad things happen to us. Bad things test our faith. They show what we are made of as Christians. Do we rely on ourselves OR do we rely on God? As we rely on God, his glory is revealed. This is something we should rejoice in. We really should!
13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.We should not be ashamed that we suffer for Christ, but should rather glorify God for what he is doing. God's glory is revealed in our suffering.
Did you know that when judgment comes, it begins in the church? New to me too! It shows how much we need to rely on God for our salvation. If we are scarcely saved, and we know God, imagine the impossibility for people who don't know God. It's hard, it's scary to think of the eternal significance of that. How much more important it is for me NOW then to show God's glory in all that I do, so that even one more person can be spared the wrath of God. I need to live my life in such a way that it draws people into God, so that they too can obey "the gospel of God". So as I suffer for Christ, I must entrust my soul to him for safe-keeping. His glory will be shown.
thankfulness to the World Wide Study Bible for posting commentaries on line to help me understand this chapter of God's Written Word.
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