Endure Grief, Suffering Wrongfully 1 Peter 2:19

Peter encouraged the “scattered” Christians to live their lives as an example of their relationship with God. Whether they were “servants” who were to be “subject to their masters” or otherwise, they were to “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God” and “Honor the king.” In chapter two and verse nineteen of his letter, Peter shared how Christians were to “endure grief” even if they “suffered wrongfully” where we read:

For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

The verse begins, “For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief,...” Peter began with the words “For this” which means “even, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily” “is thank-worthy” or “filled with grace, good will, loving-kindness and favorable”, “if a man” which refers to “any certain man or person” “for conscience” or “consciousness of anything and the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other” “toward God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “endure” or “to bear by being under, bear up and patiently” “grief” which means “sorrow, pain, annoyance, affliction and persons mourning”. Peter considered it “lovingkindness and favor” to be thankworthy Christians who “patiently endured” “sorrow, pain and annoyance” in their service to their masters.

The verse continues, “...suffering wrongfully.” Peter added, “suffering” which means “to be affected or have been affected, to feel and have a sensible experience” “wrongfully” or “unjustly, undeserved and without fault”. Peter includes the idea of “suffering” with no fault of their own as a “thank-worthy” trait to have “toward God”.

When we meditate upon these words of Peter, we may find it difficult to find “enduring grief” and “suffering wrongfully” as “thank-worthy to God”, and yet, this is what makes this manner of living “outstanding” before others. When we “endure grief” and “suffer” in an “undeserved and unjust” manner and remain “thank-worthy” we exemplify our relationship with Jesus Christ who did the same. May the Lord Jesus help us to remain “thank-worthy” even when we find ourselves in grievous and enduring states of living.

Next time Peter shares with the Christians about being “buffeted” for their “faults”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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