1 Peter 3:13-16
The Message
If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.
Questions to Discuss
1. When, if ever, have you seen Christians defend their faith in un-Christlike ways?
2. when have you seen Christians respond to a challenge (in word and deed) with genleness and reverence?
The thoughts and writings on this blog are the thoughts of Jeff and do not necessarily represent the views of Grace First Parish of Russell and/or Lutheran Campus Ministry of Southwest Minnesota State University.
6 comments:
1) on Pastor Culvers blog: the ministry of humiliation.
I know, let it go now!
2) Most of my peers at Vicar school which is an encouragement for the future.
Let it go, let it go! No, I am still banned!
I did find it interesting that those scriptures and questions were part of my regular bible study.
Nator, my comments are banned as well till he decides to use them as a blog post and then does not allow me to comment back :)
1) While street preaching or holding signs I've had quite a few "Christians" (I don't know, as they wouldn't engage me in any real conversation) complain to me about how I'm sharing my faith. And I don't simply mean that they would pull me aside and speak with me quitely....I mean they would have a fit about what I'm doing at the top of their lungs....
Rhea:
Their responses and actions to you are definitely not done with gentleness and reverence and their response would be un-christlike.
For me, I see and appreciate Christians who serve humbly and live out the fruits of the Spirit. For when you do this (as the scrip says) people will ask you questions and when the questions come, we must be ready to answer.
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