The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-06-04
PETER COMFORTS PERSE-
CUTED CHRISTIANS

CUTED CHRISTIANS
| LESSON TEXT Peter 313-17: 4:12.16:
| $3.50.
GOLDEN TExr-For it is better. II the
| will of God be so, that We suffer for well.
doing. than for evil-doing.-I Peter 3:17.
What shall we do? Where shall we
turn? Is there no help for us? Such
are the natural and understandable
cries of those who bear the heavy
| heartbreak of persecution. Gods
Word has the answer, for from the
very beginning the followers of
| Christ have had to meet that prob
lem.
Peter is especially the apostle of
| comfort, and the portion now before
us is rich in helpful instruction. His
word to prosecuted people is five
fold.
1. Do Not Be Afraid-Christ Is
Lord (3:13-17.
| By doing good the Christian will
escape much suffering ". 13), but
if even then it comes, he is not to
be afraid ". 14). He is to sanctify
Christ in his heart, that is, fully
| recognize the holiness of Christ and
| all that He is and can do for him.
This is to be. done in his heart. That
means the exercise of full faith in
Christ the Lord as the indwelling
| Presence. Who then can be afraid?
Note that this is not just sub
| jective spiritual exercise for his own
enjoyment-it will show in his "good
manner of life in Christ which will
put his prosecutors "to shame" ".
16). How effectively that has worked
only recently in Germany, Norway
and elsewhere.
II. Do Not Be Surprised-the En-
envy will Attack (4:12, 13).
Surprise attack is effective. Re-
member Pearl Harbor! Satan is an
expert in strategy, and is eager to
keep Christians in an easy and COM
Portable mood, so that he may strike
a vicious blow when it is not ex-
pected. We best prepare to meet
him when we recognize that perse-
cution and suffering will come.
We are to bear in mind that it is
not some Strange thing which has
happened; we who suffer as Chris
tians are 'partakers of Christ's SUI
ferings." Joy and glory are ahead.
iii. Do Not Be Ashamed-You'
Suffer for Christ (4:14-16). H
Sadness and depression rest upon
the one who suffers for his own evil
deeds, but those who suffer for
Christ's sake may be ever rejoicing.
| Can you not see that ''the spirit Of
| glory and the Spirit Of God" are
resting ". 14) even now on some
who sit in prisons and concentra-
ton camps? What glorious pic
ture of His grace
It is proper to observe here that
the believer is not to be guilty of
that which justly brings the laws
condemnation ". .15). Do not fail to
note the last of the list of crimes
s'meddler in other mems matters"
Has not just that caused endless
trouble in the church, and harmed
its testimony before the world?
Let's quit meddling!
Nv. Do Not Worry-He Careth for
You (5:6, y.
Worry! Worry! How it does crowd
! itself into our thinking. Yes, we
know we are Christians, that we are
unjustly accused or prosecuted, that
| we are suffering for Christ's sake.
That's all true, but how is it all COM
ing out? What about my family?
Will they harm my children? II
do survive will be able to start life
anew? And so on-questions with
out end; and soon comes the corrod-
ing touch of worry. !.
What shall we do? The answer is
plain. Cast all your care on Christ
Tile careth for you" ". y. That
takes an act Of faith just as it does
to become a Christian in the first
place, but it works.
The cure for all anxiety is right
there-but it can only be reached
! by the path of humility. Humble
yourselves" ". 81. There is the
gateway to comfort, and to true
exaltation in Gods own good time
(cf. Jas. 6:4-10).
v. Do Not Waver-God Is Your
Strength (5:8-10).
Steady, perfected, established in
! Christ, sure of his eternal destiny
and with the eyes of faith seeing the
glory to come-such is the man who
is ready and able to meet the devil
when, like a roaring lion, he seeks
to disturb and devour Gods people.
The, believer should be ready and
equipped.
That does not mean that the Chris
ian sits with his hands folded wait
ing in a fatalistic way for the in
evitable to happen. Neverl He is ION
the alert" with his spiritual ears at
tuned to hear the approach of the
enemy's s'bombers. He is ''sober
and watchfuI' against the roaring
lion" ". 81.
Satan is unusually busy in our
day. Alert Christian people see his
deadly onslaughts on their breth-
| rem. which are possiblv more severe