Names Of The Believers ..... Christians ..... If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:15-16) Those who followed Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26). Apparently, those who heard the disciples refer to Jesus as Christ took it to be a personal name. They then added a Latin suffix that signified partisanship and called Christs disciples Christians. In the same way, those who followed Herod were known as Herodians. The fact that some who were called by this name were embarrassed by it suggests that the title of Christian was originally used in ridicule. Moreover, Peters statement that it was possible to suffer as a Christian implies that it was also potentially dangerous to be identified as a follower of Christ. Tertullian, a Christian leader who lived in the third century, wrote that he and his fellow believers were often accused of being incestuous, and of killing infants, practicing atheism, and speaking treasonously against the emperor. Most of these accusations were the result of a misunderstanding of Christian doctrine and practices. For example, since all believers were regarded as brothers and sisters in Christ, including those who were married to one another, some falsely concluded that incest was a common practice in the church. The charge of infanticide may have come from a misunderstanding of the nature of the work of the Cross and its power to put to death the old nature. Because Christians rejected the polytheism of the Roman empire and held that there was only one true God, they were regarded as atheists. And their refusal to pay homage to the emperor, who claimed to be divine, led to the charge of treason and sometimes resulted in death. According to 1 Peter 4:12-13, we should expect these kinds of accusations: Dear friends, do not be surprised by the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Some Christians feel outraged when they go through trials simply because they are Christians. They can understand how such things might happen to those who have turned their backs on Christ, but not to a true disciple. These believers are like the troubled saint who once complained: If this is how God treats His friends, no wonder He has so few of them. Peters response to this complaint is somewhat surprising. Instead of defending God, he states that such experiences are common to believers. What is more, he commands us to rejoice when such things occur. Fortunately, he also tells us how such a response is possible. The secret to enduring such circumstances joyfully is to draw a line from our suffering to Christ. The closer the connection, the greater our joy will be. Peter, however, is no masochist. He is not saying, Enjoy your suffering. The real source of joy is not the suffering itself but that our suffering is related to Christ. The joy Peter speaks of in this verse is a rejoicing in the privilege of being allowed to suffer on Christs behalf, rather than in the experience of pain. Peter knew this kind of joy firsthand. The mature Christian rejoices because he or she has been allowed, in some measure, to follow Christs example and to reflect His glory: If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you (1 Peter 4:14). Peter tells us that we are to rejoice when we suffer for Christ. Some of the suffering we endure, however, may be of our own making (1 Peter 4:15). At times, the accusations that others make of Christians are rooted in truth. How often have we heard someone respond to our presentation of the gospel with the words, I used to know someone who believed like you do, and they. . . . When people and circumstances turn against us, our first response should be to examine our own actions in order to see if we bear any of the responsibility for our suffering. Have we unnecessarily offended others? Is our suffering the consequence of our own disobedient choices? Some believers look at the wreck and ruin of their lives and ask God why He allowed such a thing to happen, when in reality they have only themselves to blame. Not all suffering is a cause for rejoicing. Some who are miserable deserve to be miserable. In such cases, suffering may actually be Gods way of getting our attention and drawing us back to Himself. The Bible, however, is full of accounts of men and women who made foolish choices but by Gods grace were allowed to rebuild their lives. When we suffer as Christians, we suffer because of who we are, not because of what we have done. Indeed, we may actually be suffering because of something that God is doing. In 1 Peter 4:17 the apostle characterizes the sufferings of the church as the beginning of Gods judgment: For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Scientists have known for some time that earthquakes produce tremors known as aftershocks. Now they have discovered that there may also be tremors before the earthquake. Perhaps future scientific discoveries will enable them to use these tremors to predict when such events will occur. In the same way, the churchs sufferings are the foreshocks of a great judgment, serving as both a warning and an encouragement. For suffering believers, they offer encouragement. They are a reminder that God notes their suffering and will one day call everyone to account. If God uses the wicked to judge the church, He will certainly not let the wicked go free. To the world, the sufferings of the church provide a solemn warning: If God intends to deal with the sins of His own people, then those who have rejected Him cannot hope to escape. The old saint who wondered why God treated his friends in such a way asked the wrong question. The real question is, If God treats His friends this way, what will He do to His enemies? We suffer as Christians because we are allowed the privilege of following Christs example. We suffer because we are on the threshold of final judgment. But more than anything else, we suffer because we are Christians. Suffering and Victorious Savior, help me to remember that it is a privilege to suffer as a Christian. Strengthen and encourage me in such times so that my response will bring glory to You on the day of visitation. Amen. (from Names of the Believers © 1997 by John M. Koessler. All rights reserved.)
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 09:56:24 +0000
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