A Gentle Spirit

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewellery, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
1 Peter 3:3-4 NLT

These two verses today were written to wives, but they could equally apply to their husbands. They too can be caught up in the expensive dressing regime, following fashions and fads that are promoted by companies and conventions. Designers think about a new or revamped type or code of dressing and a new range of expensive products appear in the shops and on-line market places. But Peter points out the pointlessness of trying to enhance “outward beauty” with a new dress code or haircut. A bracelet or ring, no matter what it cost, has no value to God.

When Samuel was sent by God to a man with several sons, so that he could select the next Israelite king to replace Saul, his subjective analysis of the eldest son was overruled, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”” (1 Samuel 16:7). We need to remember what Samuel said to Saul earlier. We read in 1 Samuel 13:14, “But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (emphasis mine). 

So is this reference to someone’s heart the same as the place where “a gentle and quiet spirit” can be found? Jesus said, as recorded in Luke 6:45, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart“. The heart in the Bible is where a person’s spiritual life can be found. It is a place synonymous with our spirits and is where the Holy Spirit resides after we have experienced our new birth into being children of God. So instead of pursuing the externals of our persons, we should be developing and adorning our hearts with things that develop into Godly beauty. The Bible is a treasure of beautiful things that will transform our hearts, our spirits, into a place of gentleness and quiet. A place where God takes pleasure. A place that is precious to Him.

Dear Father. Thank You that we can store Heavenly Treasure with You, confident that it is safe until we reach our Heavenly home. And if it is precious to You, it is precious to us. Amen.

Fancy Hairstyles

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewellery, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
1 Peter 3:3-4 NLT

Peter continued to write to the women in the congregation, who were presumably assembled to hear as his letter read out. He contrasted the outward paraphernalia of how people look that was demanded in that age, much as it has been ever since, with the beauty that God desires. The so called global beauty industry in the 21st Century is big business, and the cost of cosmetics alone is expected to reach $750 billion each year by 2025. But not one cent of that will get a person into Heaven. It should be added that this includes what men spend on cosmetics as well. Peter singled out “fancy hairstyles, expensive jewellery, or beautiful clothes” but these days we need to add cosmetics and the costs of surgery, that is increasingly becoming desirable. Perhaps a search for perpetual youth drives an industry that is doomed to fail in the end. The wonderful thing for us pilgrims is that when we reach Heaven we will receive a new body. In Philippians 3:21 we read, “He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control“.‭‭ There’s more to read about our new bodies in 2 Corinthians 5.

We all love beautiful things. I know a man who owns 2 Porsche cars and 2 Ducati motorbikes as well as a Land Rover for everyday use. He is what we call in the UK a “petrolhead” and he is besotted with his expensive possessions and hobby. But like everything else we own, he will be unable to take his belongings with him into Heaven, or wherever he will end up when he dies. No need for them in the afterlife! Our beautiful possessions, clothes and jewellery must be held in open hands, in the knowledge that one day they will pass on to someone else or, for most items, a rubbish heap. Jesus taught, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19-21). 

What do we pilgrims value in life? Our possessions will remain on Planet Earth when we die, so a relatively short term enjoyment will suddenly stop at a time coincident with our last breaths. But we have the opportunity to acquire Heavenly treasure, and this will be stored for us for a time when we can be reconciled with it. What is this treasure? We find it by reading the Bible. This Book, written by God, contains many nuggets that we can extract and apply to our lives. Perhaps a good place to start is in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” These are all Heavenly-bankable assets that will please God and are things that He sees are precious. As we develop this fruit in our lives, God sees a burgeoning inner beauty that pleases Him.

A fancy hairstyle is of no benefit in Heaven. We will receive a new body, and, presumably, a new hairstyle when we get to Heaven. But what will shine forth to God and others there is the “beauty that comes from within”. Heaven is a place where a different value system prevails.

Dear God. Heaven will be an amazing place for Your people to live in. We only get a glimpse through Scripture not what it will be like, but in Your presence we will have no fears. Amen.

Wives

Posted on by korgrocker

“In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.”
1 Peter 3:1-2 NLT

Peter starts the third chapter of his first epistle with verses offering Godly advice about male and female relationships, particularly in the context of marriage. He starts with some advice for wives, and particularly for those in a marriage with an unbelieving husband. As I write this I can almost feel some people’s hackles starting to rise. Who is this man, Peter, daring to suggest how I should behave in relation to my husband, some of my female readers might be thinking. Of course, some also might say that the culture of Peter’s day was different then, and society in 21st century Planet Earth is very much different. Of course, that is true, but only up to a point. I believe the Holy Spirit inspired timeless truths in Scripture, and so we cannot discard these verses just because we don’t agree with them, or are offended or even challenged by them. 

Why did Peter single out women in the verses he wrote and the ones we are considering today? Part of the answer lies in 1 Peter 3:2, where Peter suggests that the wives’ behaviour will win over unbelieving husbands to the faith. It also should be noted that Peter wrote about husbands, not men generally. Peter wrote that wives should accept the authority of their husbands, but he didn’t say that they should always be obedient to them. If their husbands tried to impose something on to them that was contrary to God’s laws then the higher law would apply. 

The Apostle Paul also wrote about husbands and wives, and he put in the balance for a successful marriage relationship. He wrote in Ephesians 5:22-24, “For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Saviour of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything“. Superficially, that seems a bit one-sided, but Paul adds the following verses, “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. …  In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself” (Ephesians 5:25-26, 28). A blueprint for a successful marriage? I think so. There are more verses to come in 1 Peter 3 about the Holy Spirit’s teaching about husbands and wives. Watch this space!

Dear Father God. We know that marriage was in your plans for mankind right from the beginning. Please help us to stand firm and uphold this Biblical truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Shepherd

Posted on by korgrocker

“Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.”
1 Peter 2:25 NLT

Peter introduced a pastoral theme into this last verse of 1 Peter 2. He compared human beings with sheep, who have behaved as sheep tend to behave, which is to wander off and get lost or into trouble somewhere. I remember a pastor of a church I once attended telling of the time when he was out jogging past a field early one morning. Just over the fence he noticed a ewe stuck in a thorn bush by its long hair, and unable to escape. He managed to free it after a struggle, and the sheep ran off, but it is perhaps such a story that was in Peter’s mind when he wrote this verse today. Sheep seem unable to avoid getting into trouble or danger.

Jesus had compassion for the people he met, as we read in Matthew 9:36, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd“. Jesus had been announcing to them the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He had “healed every kind of disease and illness” (Matthew 9:35b). But sheep, and people, are prone to wandering off and they eventually find themselves lost or in trouble. If a person follows their own desires, they will probably find that there is a downside to the choices they have made, like sheep. But what do people without God do? Who do they follow? The politicians won’t help. Most of them are only concerned about short term benefits, particularly to themselves. Social media advice can be misleading at best and, when followed, a “herd” mentality takes over. “Well, everyone is doing it” is a popular comment.

There is only one way to find a risk-free environment for our souls and that is to follow Jesus. It won’t be easy. But it will be exciting. Look what is involved. In Mark 1:17 we see that following Jesus costs Simon Peter his job as a fisherman, “Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”” The early disciples were enthusiastic followers of Jesus. But others were invited and had excuses, as we read in Matthew 8:19-22, “Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.””

In Jesus’ presence, and as we follow Him, He will indeed be the “Guardian of our souls”. In the Holy Spirit’s embrace we will find what we need. Matthew 11:28-30, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.””

Of course, not everyone we meet will accept the invitation to enjoy Jesus’ wonderful Guardianship. But that should not prevent pilgrims like us from introducing them to Him, the Master and our Lord.

Dear Lord Jesus. Only You have the power to keep our souls safe until the glorious day when You will come into Your Kingdom. We praise and worship You today. Amen.


By His Wounds

Posted on by korgrocker

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”
1 Peter 2:24 NLT

Does God heal today? Peter said quite unequivocally that He does, or at least did in his days on this earth. And that’s the issue for many – does healing in the way Peter wrote about, through the power of the Holy Spirit, still take place today as it did then? Through Peter, God certainly brought about miracles of healing to a people who otherwise had no hope. In Acts 3 there is the story of the lame man, a man who had never had the use of his legs and feet since he was born, and we read in Acts 3:6 what happened to him. “But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”” It should be noted that Peter himself didn’t have the power to heal in this miraculous way. It was accomplished “in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene”. Only God had the power to heal.

Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:12-14). Jesus said that to His disciples and, don’t forget, we are His disciples as well.

Peter’s verse today was influenced by the prophecy in Isaiah 53:5, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed“. What Isaiah could see coming happened several hundred years later. That a man, the Son of God, would be cruelly whipped so that people who believed in Him would be healed. It happened in the first century and I believe it has been happening ever since.

We pilgrims have the power within us, through the Holy Spirit, to do amazing things. Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think“. Either that verse is true or it isn’t. The problem for many today is that, failing to experience God’s healing power as a result of their prayers, they have decided that when the early apostles died, the power to heal died with them. But there is nothing that I can find in the Bible that would confirm that belief. So, churches particularly here in the West, no longer give the Holy Spirit His proper place in their worship. In fact, some have questioned that if the Holy Spirit left their churches, would there be any difference? The pews would still be there. The liturgies unchanged. The prayers still said. The Bible still read. But no divine presence.

For me, I do not know why some prayers for healing are answered by God, and others, perhaps most, are not. Some say it’s due to a lack of faith. Or that presumption has displaced belief. Or that it is not God’s will for a person to be always healed by prayer. But, personally, I will always pray for healing for those who are sick. Peter wrote, “By his wounds you are healed“. As these verses were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and because He resides within me, I will pray. And pray again. As much as it takes. Only God knows the end from the beginning. And only He will heal.

Dear God. You are the ultimate Healer, and able to work wonderful miracles. Please forgive us for our unbelief and lack of faith. Amen.

Dead to Sin

Posted on by korgrocker

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”
1 Peter 2:24 NLT

Isaiah’s prophecy, recorded in Isaiah 53:4-6, was obviously in Peter’s mind when he wrote the verse we are considering today. But Peter lived with Jesus when He was actively ministering to His people. He knew and saw at first hand the miracles Jesus committed. He was there with James and John when Jesus walked and talked with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was around when our Lord was tried at a mock trial and was crucified unjustly. He was there on that wonderful and amazing day when Jesus appeared to him and his fellow disciples just days after His death, and kept on appearing for another forty days or so. He was there when Jesus ascended into Heaven. His first hand experience of being with the Son of God stayed with him for the rest of his life. And by now a very different Peter, transformed by the Holy Spirit, had become, not a “believer” but a “know-er”.  He knew what Jesus had achieved by completing God’s assignment here on Planet Earth.

In Isaiah 53:4-5a we read, “Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. … ” The intention of God’s plan was revealed to Isaiah many years before He carried it out. And it involved something that is too good to be true, but, to quote the old cliché, it is too good not to be true. Jesus came to this world to take on board in His person all the sins committed by mankind, past, present and future, so that all those who believed in Him would not have to suffer the consequences of sin. Repentant sinners, who believe in Jesus, will never have to face the final judgement. Isaiah could see it coming. Peter experienced it. We pilgrims faithfully believe it.

Peter wrote that because Jesus did what He did, we can live lives free of sin and full of righteousness, God’s righteousness imputed to us through Jesus. Is that a reality in our lives, or do we still try and live a double life? It is God’s way or the wrong way. There is no middle ground for a pilgrim true to his or her faith in God.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Jesus, and Your ultimate redemptive plan for the salvation of humanity. Without it we were indeed a lost and sad people. Amen.

God Judges

Posted on by korgrocker

“He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.”
1 Peter 2:23 NLT

Our judicial systems in the West are very much based on the principle that if someone commits a crime then they will be punished. Of course, not everyone is found out by the authorities and many escape justice, but those who are caught will find out that there are consequences. The principle of justice in the here and now started in the Garden when Adam and Eve were found out because of their sin. In Genesis 3 we read about the consequences of sin, and God pronounced judgement, starting with the snake, then Eve and finishing with Adam. And there was that poignant moment when we read that Adam and Eve had to be clothed in skins probably from animals they knew and loved. Sin is followed by consequences and it impacts others than just the miscreant. We know the story of Cain and Abel, which we can read in Genesis 4, where Cain killed Abel because of jealousy and had to face into consequences for his sin. 

The essence of the Jewish Law, given by God through Moses, was, amongst other things, to provide forgiveness for sins committed. But as we now know, this was only until Jesus came to take on the punishment we deserve for our sin. Paul wrote to the Galatians, “Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian” (Galatians 3:24-25). And as we know, there is no purpose in keeping the Mosaic Law to achieve righteousness, because there is a better way. Referring to the Law’s adherents, Paul wrote in Romans 10:3-4, “For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God“. I have marked in my Bible the verses highlighting the Good News about Jesus, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord“. There will come a day when sin will have to be accounted for. Jesus suffered greatly here on earth, but He knew He could leave “his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly“. But in this life, in the here and now, there are many who seem totally ignorant of the fact that sooner or later they will have to face into the consequences of all the bad things they have done here on Planet Earth. We live in a moral universe and the scales of justice will be balanced, either in this life or the next. All those people who abused Jesus will find out the consequences of their sin. And that is why He knew that He didn’t have to retaliate, even though He could. He had the power at His fingertips because He was and is God.

We have to turn to Revelation 20 to find out when justice will finally be administered. And the sad thing is that many people, facing justice and punishment for their crimes in this life, will face it again because God will have the final word. And all those who think they have got away with their wrongdoings, will have a nasty shock. We have an opportunity in this life, through Jesus, to put right all the bad things we have done. But when we leave this life, the opportunity will leave with us. A sobering thought, particularly when we don’t know when we will draw our last breath.

But note what Peter wrote. He said God “always judges fairly”. We will only be judged for what we know. So, for example, those people who have never heard the Gospel won’t be judged as though they had.

We pilgrims know all of this, of course. We have embraced the Son and His redemption. We keep short accounts with God. We love Him and walk each day in gratitude for all He has done for us. And we reach out to those around us with the same redemptive message.

Dear God. Thank You for all You have done for us through Jesus. Amen.

Retaliation

Posted on by korgrocker

“He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.”
1 Peter 2:23 NLT

‭‭Whenever I think of the way the Son of God was treated during His life here on Planet Earth, and particularly during His trial and execution, I become deeply saddened. It’s hard enough to see such treatment when it happens to fellow human beings, but the Son of God, Jesus Himself. …? We read about how fellow believers are treated in authoritarian states such as Afghanistan or North Korea. Christians in some parts of India suffer greatly for no other reason that their belief in God. But surely the greatest miscarriage of justice took place in Palestine two thousand years ago, in a city called Jerusalem. 

Starting with the insults levelled at Jesus in the grounds of the high priest’s home, we read in Luke 22:63-65, “The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him“. But there is no record of Jesus even acknowledging what His tormenters had done. The next time He spoke was in front of the Jewish High Council, the Sanhedrin. In response to a question about whether or not He was the Messiah, ” … He replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer” (Luke 22:67b-68). Jesus was in control but submissive to the outcome of what was yet to come. Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews, to which Jesus replied “you have said it”. And finally we read what He said in Luke 23:34a, “ … Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing …”. Jesus was happy to leave “His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly“.

Jesus could have called upon angels to help Him, as we read in Matthew 26:53, “Don’t you realise that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?” He could have used His miracle-working powers to zap all His antagonists at a stroke. But in spite of all the abuse Jesus suffered, He kept focused on the reason why He came to Planet Earth. John 3:16,“ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life“. Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost“.

We pilgrims can only fall down before Jesus in gratitude, that He did not flinch from the path set before Him, and He swallowed the bitter cup of death and sacrifice for the sins of humanity to the last drop. There will come a time when all those who were complicit in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus will be called to account. Perhaps, in hindsight, they realised their crime, and fell on their knees in repentance before God. Only then would they hear the Saviour grant them forgiveness. Today, there are many around us who either do not know what Jesus did, or have chosen to ignore the Good News of what happened that day at Calvary. Through their rebellion and sin they too are complicit in hammering home the nails. But we pilgrims know why we have been called, and we mustn’t flinch from fulfilling our calling, no matter what it takes. We may or may not suffer abuse. But, like Jesus, we press on to the Heavenly goal.

Dear Father God. Jesus never turned away from the Cross, even though He could have done. Please help us to follow His example. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Christ’s Example

Posted on by korgrocker

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered [or died] for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.”
1 Peter 2:21-22 NLT

Jesus never sinned, as Peter rightly wrote. After all he should know because he spent three years or so with Jesus as He journeyed around the roads and paths, villages and towns, in Palestine. Those long days spent in His company would have revealed any sins, even those that were hidden, but of course there weren’t any. Paul also wrote that Jesus never sinned, as we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ“. And 1 John 3:5, “And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him“.

So how do we pilgrims follow someone who is sinless, when we have all this sin baggage? I suppose we must start by asking ourselves what it is that we do follow, because we all have a passion for something, if we really think about it. I’m writing this near St Andrews, one of the great golfing cities in Scotland. And there will be many today indulging their passion for golf, hitting a small white ball around some beautifully landscaped fairways and greens. Others follow football, or motor racing. The list is seemingly endless. But a passion for following Christ will, I suspect, be well down the list of things that people will follow in this secular society.

There is a cost to following Christ. He said, “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine” (Matthew 10:38). In Jesus’s day, the crowds followed Him, attracted by the miracles that He performed. Enjoying times like the day He fed 5,000 people. For those He healed, appreciating the freedom from long term disability and sickness. In modern parlance, Jesus was cool. A great guy to be around. However, people were more interested in what He did, rather than who He was. Jesus advised that prospective disciples should consider carefully what discipleship could mean. He said, as recorded in Luke 14:28, “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”

Jesus also said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). And John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world“.

Peter wrote, “[Jesus] is your example, and you must follow in his steps”. Jesus trod a road that was far from easy and it led to His death at Calvary. I’m not suggesting that we pilgrims will come to a violent end, but the road to our Promised Land won’t be an easy one. But Jesus knew the secret for holding on and finishing the course. He is there to help our every step. After all He said, “But take heart, because I have overcome the world“. As we stay close to Him He will do just that. It’s all about trust and faith in Him, our loving Saviour.

Dear Father God. we know that our choice to follow Jesus won’t be easy, but we’re grateful that You will be with us, day by day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.


Suffering

Posted on by korgrocker

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered [or died] for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.”
1 Peter 2:21-22 NLT

Is this another paradox in Peter’s letter? Suffering if we do good? We must break this down to understand Peter’s thoughts. Firstly, about doing good, was that for, or to, ourselves, or was it to be applied to others? Probably both, I think. Often, personal good can affect others as well as ourselves. We also need to bear in mind that Peter was addressing his advice to some slaves in the churches in the Five Provinces. The pressure of living in a “good” way as demanded by their faith in Jesus would have potentially been very difficult. The natural tendencies towards immorality, spitefulness, wanting to take revenge, cruelty, rebelliousness – they are all opposites to the “good” demanded of people experiencing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

So if we pilgrims are living in a way that is “good” will that lead to ”suffering”? It could certainly lead to inconvenience or personal cost, as we help others in our families or communities. It could also mean social isolation as we shun the sinful practices of those around us. But to the first century slaves, doing good would have perhaps meant turning their lives around, a new paradigm in a sinful and cruel world. The very fact that they were slaves would have meant that their “good” behaviour might have been resented by their slave masters, and result in some form of punishment. 

Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16). It is a fact that a moral stance on certain issues can cause resentment in others and even provoke them to a violent response. That will lead to suffering, for sure, particularly for those at school or in a work environment. Paul wrote in Romans 8:18-19, “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are“. We have a choice in this life. Make it comfortable for the years we are on this earth, or plan for the future when life becomes eternal. Hopefully most of the time doing good will be appreciated by those around us, but when society brands us as “do-gooders”, contemptibly rubbishing our philanthropic deeds, we take a step back, breath in deeply, and move on, certain that one day we will be vindicated by our loving Heavenly Father.

Jesus consistently did good in His community, telling people about the Good News of the Kingdom of God and healing the sick, but even then He was condemned for His good deeds. we read in John 10:31-32, “Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”” That was the sort of suffering that Peter was writing about. The times when people question the good that we do, looking for an ulterior motive that perhaps exposes another agenda.

Some Christians mis