The Time for Suffering is Near

The persecution of Christians, as in the time of the communistic countries and some Arabic countries, may seem to us as a situation far away, with little relevance to our day-to-day lives. Perhaps that is why this next passage from the first book of Peter does not mean much to us.

Fiery Ordeal

Peter talks about several things when it comes to ‘the fiery ordeal’.

First of all, he states that we are already experiencing this fiery ordeal. Sometimes, we do not even realize that it is happening, but there is a pressure coming from the government and our society to tune down our ‘fanatic (Biblical) standpoints’. In England, a Christian psychiatrist/sexologist has been sued and convicted, because he did not want to advise a homosexual couple as to how to improve their pleasures within their relationship. In the Netherlands, a nurse has been turned down a job, because she did not want to help with performing an abortion. A public civil servant got into trouble when he refused to perform an homosexual marriage ceremony. And not too long ago, a Dutch political group has been forced to change their policy, since it was based on the truth of the Bible.

This fiery ordeal comes closer every day, for whomever wants to bring forth Gods fruit.

Peter adds that we should not be surprised. This situation is not extraordinary or unusual. It is all part of ‘following Christ’. Whenever we follow Him and suffer, we participate in His suffering. And we may rejoice in that, Peter says, because when He returns to Earth and shows it His glory, we will be overjoyed.

Pray a blessing over our food

When we find it difficult to pray out loud for our food in situations where other people are around to hear it, how do we think we can make de right choices when it comes to the things that could really harm us? Let us practice in hearing insults, when people know, see and realize that we are Christians. That scorn is a reassurance, Peter says in verse 14, that the Spirit of Glory and of God rests on you. What else do we want?

Being insulted because we pray a blessing over our food is only the beginning. In the near future, you may have to deal with the consequences of carrying out your faith and therefore lose your job, or even your freedom. None of that is unusual (verse 12).

Suffer like Christ, not like a sinner 

Lastly, Peter warns us in verse 15 and 16 that we should not suffer as a sinner, because we made mistakes or because we ridiculed the name of the Lord. But we should suffer because we are Christians, for then we do not have to be ashamed. We may proudly carry that name, in honor of our God.