The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 245
Suffering for Right and Wrong
1 Peter 3:13-17 – And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Jesus, the Christ, God’s Messiah
There are many exhortations found in the Epistles that warn the child of God to be a ‘doer of the Word and not just a hearer only’ deceiving yourself. We all struggle with this problem in that more than a few of us can quote scripture and add a ‘spiritual 2 +2 equals?’… Yet, this is not wisdom from above since we seldom take that next step and reveal that we are doers of what we say. Another way to approach this lack of doing of the Word is to look at a pistol called the 357 magnum, this is a large weapon, with large bullets. Most of us believers feel that since we are full of the wisdom and knowledge of God, that when we shoot off our 357 mouth, people ought to choke, believe and repent. The main problem with this religious malfunction is that our bullets are BLANKS. That is, people see through our hypocrisy of hearing the Word ONLY, vice doing the Word.
How quickly we forget that when I call myself a disciple of Christ, I am telling EVERYONE I know that I am a FOLLOWER of Jesus. (If you love me, keep my commandments, John 14:15). Now if I commit murder with my tongue, or judge with my heart, people who are not saved, do likewise and have a critical eye like ours and DO THE SAME. The religious hypocrite is one who says good and knowledgeable things, but has no works to prove to those who listen that he or she believes, themselves! No one likes a hypocrite and will not follow him or her.
There is much ado about LORDSHIP salvation when it comes to the gospel, the word ‘Lordship’ should not be used. To Allow Jesus His rightful place in our life happens after salvation when we are willing to take responsibility and “Sanctify the LORD GOD in our hearts and always being ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason of the hope they see in you. We are responsible to follow God, following God is not a matter of spiritual magic. Remember 1 Peter 1:16? Be ye holy, for I AM Holy! it is He who goes before us who is the Cornerstone of our faith, hope, and love, we are nothing without Him, We are born again of incorruptible seed of a new life in Christ.
No one explains the Word of God with any spiritual success who fails to walk the walk, God requires that we LIVE out our salvation with fear and trembling. God gave us the GIFT of salvation, thus we own what He has given and we are responsible for what we do with it, Philippians 2:12 – Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
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