Peter the apostle told the
Christians who were “scattered” they should not “suffer
as a murderer, thief, evildoer or busybody”, and in chapter
four and verse sixteen of his letter Peter continues to share how the
Christians should respond to “suffering as a Christian”
where we read:
Yet if any man
suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
but let him glorify
God on this behalf.
The verse begins, “Yet
if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed;” Peter began with the
word, “Yet” which
means “but, moreover, and” “if any man suffer as”
or “like or even as” “a
Christian” which refers to “a
follower of Christ”, “let him not be ashamed”
which in Greek is the phrase “aischynō de aischynō”
which means
“disfigured, dishonored and suffuse with shame”. There should be
no “shame” for
those who “suffer” as
“Christians”.
The
verse continues, “ but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
Peter added the word, “but” which is a disassociation
conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence
over what was previously stated, “moreover, nonetheless and
nevertheless” “let him glorify” or “think, suppose, be
of opinion, praise, extol, magnify, celebrate with honor and
splendor” “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily
and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and
the Holy Spirit” “on this behalf” or “part, lot,
assignment, destiny, severally and in regard to”. Whenever a “man”
“suffers as a Christian” Christians are to “praise,
extol, magnify and celebrate” Almighty God.
When we
think through these words of Peter, Christians have no reason to be
“shamed and dishonored” when they “suffer”. Rather
than being “ashamed”, Christians should “extol and
magnify” the Lord God because of them. Though this is not a natural
reaction to suffering, because the Lord Jesus desires for us to be
like Him, this gives us ample opportunity to do so. May the Lord God
help us to “glorify” Him at all times when we “suffer”.
Next
time Peter tells the Christians “the
time is come
that judgment must begin at the house of God”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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