For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.
— 1 Peter 3:18 —
P.S. | Middle East
Have you ever been treated unfairly? More specifically, have you ever been mistreated for the cause of Christ? Peter wrote the words of this verse to believers who were suffering for the sake of righteousness. Christ is the supreme example of one who suffered unjustly. Our Lord is the only one who never committed any sin, so His suffering and death were completely undeserved. Are you willing to obey Christ, even if obedience leads to suffering for His sake? Yet He suffered for those who were unjust so that He might give them His righteousness. His suffering was full and complete––He gave His very life. I live and minister in a region of the world where Christians are often persecuted for their faith. Some are forced to flee their homes to avoid violence or death. Often, persecution comes from within one’s own family. Even in places where there is an official policy of religious freedom, true believers can suffer for their faithfulness to their Lord. Some professing believers are unwilling to tell their own families that they are attending an evangelical church or reading the Bible. Yet there are many who boldly proclaim Christ and live according to His word in spite of the difficulties they face. When we suffer for our faith, we should look to the One who suffered to give us life. And we should remember that He is alive today, and He is with us in our tribulations. And because He is alive, we know that we too will one day be raised with Him. In the meantime, may we be faithful to Him. Are you willing to obey Christ, even if obedience leads to suffering for His sake?
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