Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1943-06-03

VIII OF God be so, that We Suffer for we'll
doing. than for evil-doing.-I Peter SIT.
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 fve-
fold.
I. Do Not Be Afraid-Christ Is
Lord (3:13-17).
By doing good the Christian will
escape much suffering ". 49,, but
if even then it comes, he is not to
be afraid ". Ia. 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 afraid2
Note that this is not just a sub
jective spiritual exercise for his own
enjoyment-it will show in his good
manner Of life in Christ" which will
put his prosecutors ITO shame" ".
! 16). How effectively that has worked
only recently in Germany, Norway
and elsewhere.
II. Do Not Be Surprised-the En-
envy viii Attack (4:12, 49,.
Surprise attack is effective. Re-
member Pearl Harborl Satan is an
expert In strategy, and is eager to
keep Christians in an easy and COM
Portable mood. so that he may strike
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 1t Is
not some strange thing" which has
happened; we who suffer as Chris
tians are 'partakers of Christ's suf-
ferings." Joy and glory are ahead.
HI. Do Not Be Ashamed-You
Suffer for Christ (4:14-16).
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 a 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
"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 meddlingl
~. Do Not Worry-He Careth for
You CSC. y.
Worryl 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 1t all COM
ing out? What about my family2
Win 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
He careth for you" ". y. That
takes an act Of faith just as it does
to become a Christian in the first
place, but 1t works.
The cure for all anxiety Is right
there-but 1t 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 IL Your
Strength (5:8-l0).
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 roaring lion, he seeks
to disturb and devour Gods people.
The believer should be ready and
equipped.
That does not mean that the Chris
tan 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 "bombers." He is sober
and watchfur' against the rearing
lion" w. 81.
Satan is unusually busy in our
day. Alert Christian people see his
deadly onslaughts on their breth.
rem, which are possibly more severe
now than for many years. He is
seeking to break them down physi-
cally, mentally and spiritually, to
make them fearful, to make them