Exiles: A Study in 1 PeterSample

One of the great lies that Satan has Christians believing is that the Christian life is an easy life. The sentiment we should believe, however, is that if you’re living an easy life (and not suffering for the Gospel), you’re probably not living a faithful life. Ouch. Did that sting a bit?

Let’s unpack that a bit. If you are genuinely, as Peter states it, “zealous for what is good (v. 13),” and are “prepared to make a defense…for the hope that is in you (v. 14),” and faithfully doing those things, then you are going to face some suffering.

What does that look like practically? You might be ostracized if you don’t choose to speak a certain way or engage in certain acts in your friend groups; you might be criticized significantly if you stand up for your beliefs when it comes to the cultural conversation of sexual ethics; any time you faithfully stand up for what the Bible deems as “good” in the face of cultural evil and or you defend your faith in a God-honoring way, you’ll experience suffering. But, let’s make one thing clear here: this is social suffering. This is nowhere near the martyrdom that people face in countries all around the world just for being Christians. Nor the type of persecution that Jesus faced on the cross when He endured slander, brutality, and death…all for you.

So again, if you’re living an easy life, you’re probably not living a faithful life. Embrace being an exile and remember that, “it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil (v.17).” Suffer well.