Suffering For Christ

1 Peter 4:14  

"If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are

 ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon 

you: on their part he is evil spoken of, 

but on your part he is glorified." 

    Here Peter says it all!  If a man suffers for Christ, the presence of the glory rests upon him. The Jews had the conception of the luminous glow of the very presence of God. This conception constantly recurs in the Old Testament. "And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD;" (Ex. 16:7)." When the law was being delivered to Moses, "And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days:" (Ex. 24:16). 

    It is Peter's conviction that something of that glow of glory rests on the man who suffers for Christ. When Stephen was on trial for his life and it was certain that he would be condemned to death, to those who looked on him his face was as the face of an angel, "And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel," (Acts 6:15).  
    Christian's must suffer, and not as an evil-doer.  If a Christian has to suffer for Christ, he must do so in such a way that his suffering brings glory to God and to the name he bears. His life and conduct must be the best argument that he does not deserve the suffering which has come upon him.  
    And to look upon that which belongs to another might well mean to be too interested in other people's affairs and to be a meddling busybody, (v15). There are Christians who do a great deal of harm with misguided interference and criticism. This would mean that the Christian must never be an interfering busybody. That is good sense and, I believe, it to be the best sense.!
Amen!

Reading: (1 Peter 4:14-16)
Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry