Readings for today: 1 Peter 1-5
“To this you have been called…” What thoughts follow this phrase in your mind? A life of blessing? A life of comfort and relative ease? A life of success and achievement? A strong and intimate marriage? Deep relationships with family and friends? I think these are the things I most naturally gravitate towards when I read a phrase like this from Scripture. It’s why reading verses in context are so critically important.
“To this you have been called…” The Apostle Peter is not talking about a life of blessing and comfort and relative ease. He is not talking about achieving personal and professional success. He is not talking about marriage and family and friendships. He is talking about suffering. He is talking about following the example of Christ who suffered for us. He is talking about walking in His footsteps. Following His narrow way. Intentionally patterning our lives after His life. Jesus committed no sin nor was deceit found in His mouth. Though we are unable to remain sinless, nevertheless we are called to be holy even as He is holy. Jesus was reviled and beaten and persecuted yet refused to return evil for evil. Refused to threaten or take revenge. He simply entrusted Himself into His Father’s hands. If we are serious about our faith, it is highly likely we too will be reviled. Mocked. Attacked. Accused. Depending on where one lives in the world, it is likely one will face persecution and beatings and torture and imprisonment. Maybe even martyrdom and death. In the face of all these things, we are not to repay others in kind. We are not to resort to worldly methods to get our way or get back at those who seek our harm. We are not to threaten or coerce or use violence to protect ourselves. We are to entrust our hearts and our lives into God’s hands. Jesus bore our sins on the tree so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and it is by His wounds alone that we are healed. We place our trust in the gospel. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.
Friends, “to this you have been called…” What does this look like in real time in your life? Well, if you are a church planter in areas of the world where the gospel has never been proclaimed, it is likely you will face some of the same suffering our Lord faced. You will be threatened. You will be attacked. You will be beaten. You will potentially put your life on the line. Make sure to remember, God is faithful! He will preserve you and protect you and guide you and go with you! You will never be alone! If you live in the West, in a country like America, it is likely your suffering will be more spiritual than physical but it’s no less real. I am convinced I live in one of the most spiritually dangerous places on the planet. A community where it is far too easy to become complacent. Far too easy to settle into ease and comfort. Far too easy to avoid risk. A country where it is far too easy to compromise. Where far too many Christians think they can achieve godly ends through ungodly means. Where just about anything seems permissible so long as it aligns with our political, social, and/or cultural ideology. We too need to remember God is faithful! He will preserve us and protect us and guide us and go with us if we will simply trust Him! If we hold His hand even in the dark valleys of our lives, we will not need to fear any evil for He is with us! Always. To the end. This is His promise and it is sure and it is why those who place their faith in Him and follow His example will never be put to shame.
Readings for tomorrow: Hebrews 1-4