Thursday, September 22, 2022

Well Doing — Part 2

“For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing” (1 Peter 3:17).

There is a certain sense in which it is easy to suffer for wrong doing. The unbeliever grits his teeth and takes his punishment. The believer, when caught, or when conscience dictates confession, acknowledges their wrong and deals with the consequences.

However, it is quite another matter to suffer for “well doing.” This takes spiritual fortitude and a close walk with the Lord. And our reaction to such suffering says a lot about our spiritual state of soul. Do we take it in the spirit of Christ, of whom we read: “Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23)?

Here is what Peter further declares on the matter:

“But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled…For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing” (1 Peter 3:14, 17).

So we are told, “Cease to do evil; Learn to do well” (Isaiah 1:16-17).