Saturday, February 11, 2012

When he sufferened he threatened not

1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
1Pe 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1Pe 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

…If a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully

So many people are grieving, so many people are suffering wrongfully and in their grief and suffering they lash out- NOT enduring it patiently. We are raised to fight against injustices, but aren't raised realizing that injustices are going to be plentiful in this world dominated by Satan. We are called weak when we bow to injustice. We are called spineless when we refuse to fight against those who have wronged us. Yet our GREATEST example in all the world's history did NOT fight against the injustices committed against Him, did He? He bore ALL the indignities heaped upon Himself very patiently.

So why do we want to fight against all the wrongs done to us without cause? Is it part of the pride inside us that determines we don't deserve to be treated wrongly? No one likes being wronged or to grieve do they? Did Jesus 'like' it? I can't imagine He did at all. He knew the cup waiting for Him and asked that it be taken away. Liking something and enduring something patiently are two different things entirely. We are not told to enjoy being wronged, we are not told to enjoy grieving, to enjoy suffering. We are told we should endure it with patience just as Jesus endured.

Our example--

1Pe 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Our example- Jesus Christ- committed HIMSELF to GOD the Father who judges righteously.

Not a single wrong will go unpunished, not a single one, and we have to trust that God will judge all righteously. When we commit ourselves to God, we are asking for HIS righteous judgment unfold NOT our faulty judgment. Remember we are judged how we judge so is it any wonder we are to leave our judging in the hands of God, who alone can judge righteously. If we do the judging then we are asking to be judged by faulty judgment.

We MUST commit ourselves to God's judgment and NOT seek to judge and condemn others ourselves, even if that means enduring horrible wrongs, horrible grief, awful injustices, terrible suffering that we did NOTHING to deserve.

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

We ONLY live righteously in our Savior!
We are only dead to sins by living in our Savior!
We are HEALED by our Savior's suffering!
We are only able to come to our Savior by His grace!

Truly we are as sheep gone astray needing our GREAT SHEPHERD to rescue us!

Praise God!

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