Living as Suffering Exiles
Text: 1 Pet. 1:6-9; 3:8-22; 4:12-19
Introduction
A central motivation for many economic theories is creating a utopian society. These theories aim to establish a world where everyone shares everything in common and no one is in need. However, the problem lies in their flawed understanding of human nature, which has led to numerous atrocities under communism and other regimes with similar utopian visions.
Utopia is indeed part of our future, but it will be ushered in by God when Jesus returns to consummate the vision of the new heavens and the new earth. Until that time, there will be no utopia, no perfection. Instead, trials and suffering will persist in this world. As exiles, we live as those who experience suffering, often as a result of our faith.
Today, we focus on a specific type of suffering Peter addressed: suffering inflicted by others. The Bible calls this persecution. Persecution is “simply the clash between two irreconcilable value systems.” This is our theme for today: Living as Suffering Exiles.
Two Types of Suffering
Two types of suffering can exist in the life of a believer. The first is suffering for righteousness' sake, which is persecution. The second is suffering as a consequence of sin and poor decisions. These two types of suffering are not the same. Peter’s exhortation to the people of God was to live in obedience to God so that it would be clear their suffering is for righteousness’ sake:
“Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil” (1 Pet. 3:13-17).
“13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (1 Pet. 4:13-19).
The reality is that the only person in all of human history who suffered solely for righteousness’ sake was Jesus Christ:
“18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because[e] they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water” (1 Pet. 3:18-20).
In his series on the Sermon on the Mount, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones emphasized that this is persecution for righteousness’ sake, not for other reasons.
What it does mean is that being righteous and practicing righteousness truly means being like the Lord Jesus. As people marked by the waters of baptism who now belong to God, we will certainly, as we follow after Jesus, experience seasons in which we suffer for righteousness’ sake. However, that will not always be the case.
We must prayerfully and carefully analyze the source of trials and suffering as they come our way. If our suffering is not for righteousness’ sake but is instead a result of sin and poor decisions, then we must repent. If our suffering is because people hate the God we worship, then we must stand firm and understand why these trials and sufferings have come upon us.
It is important to be clear. King David suffered for a season of his life for righteousness’ sake when he was faithfully following God’s calling to be king. However, he also suffered for a season of his life as a result of his sins of adultery, lying, and murder. He suffered in both instances, but only one brought a blessing—the suffering for righteousness’ sake.
A Purpose of Suffering
Recently, I was speaking with a group of hospice chaplains, and they asked me a question about the purpose of suffering. That is a complex, multi-layered discussion and not something I intend to address in full today. Answering that question in its entirety would go far beyond what I can cover here. However, Peter does provide a purpose for suffering and trials in this book:
“In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
The metaphor here is that our faith is compared to gold. On the outside, you can’t immediately tell the difference between real gold and what we call fool’s gold. However, once it is placed in the fire, the difference becomes clear. Fool’s gold darkens, while real gold shines brighter. Similarly, when fiery trials come into our lives, does our faith darken, or does it shine brighter? Trials and suffering test the genuineness of our faith. Does our faith become more radiant as we endure trials, or do we grow dimmer?
In sports, a key component is the period of conditioning. I remember in high school, during the hot summer month of August, we would endure the "hell week" of practice for football. We did two-a-days, and the primary purpose was to weed out the players who were not fully committed. Suffering is like a spiritual hell week—it reveals whether or not our faith is genuine. Suffering changes us!
“3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:3-5).
Conclusion: Our Response to Suffering
Peter is particularly concerned with how we respond to suffering inflicted by others. Our response is not to seek vengeance by repaying evil for evil or reviling for reviling. Instead, we are called to refrain from fear, remain steadfast, and always be prepared to give a defense for the truth—but with gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. The response is not to fight back in kind!
Why do we respond this way?
Fellow believers, in a post-truth culture, living as exiles will inevitably involve suffering and persecution. The more we follow Jesus and live according to His Word in all areas of life, the more the world will view us as strange, even cult-like. This often provokes hostility.
Initially, this hostility may take the form of verbal assaults, but it could escalate to the loss of rights or even physical harm. Living in exile means accepting that our principled positions will, at times, come at a cost. We must develop the ability to take clear, principled, and non-anxious stands that are seasoned with grace and rooted in truth. This is how we live as suffering exiles.
Introduction
A central motivation for many economic theories is creating a utopian society. These theories aim to establish a world where everyone shares everything in common and no one is in need. However, the problem lies in their flawed understanding of human nature, which has led to numerous atrocities under communism and other regimes with similar utopian visions.
Utopia is indeed part of our future, but it will be ushered in by God when Jesus returns to consummate the vision of the new heavens and the new earth. Until that time, there will be no utopia, no perfection. Instead, trials and suffering will persist in this world. As exiles, we live as those who experience suffering, often as a result of our faith.
Today, we focus on a specific type of suffering Peter addressed: suffering inflicted by others. The Bible calls this persecution. Persecution is “simply the clash between two irreconcilable value systems.” This is our theme for today: Living as Suffering Exiles.
Two Types of Suffering
Two types of suffering can exist in the life of a believer. The first is suffering for righteousness' sake, which is persecution. The second is suffering as a consequence of sin and poor decisions. These two types of suffering are not the same. Peter’s exhortation to the people of God was to live in obedience to God so that it would be clear their suffering is for righteousness’ sake:
“Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil” (1 Pet. 3:13-17).
“13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (1 Pet. 4:13-19).
The reality is that the only person in all of human history who suffered solely for righteousness’ sake was Jesus Christ:
“18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because[e] they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water” (1 Pet. 3:18-20).
In his series on the Sermon on the Mount, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones emphasized that this is persecution for righteousness’ sake, not for other reasons.
- It does not say that persecution comes because they are objectionable. It does not say, “Blessed are those who are having a hard time in their Christian life because they are difficult.” It does not say, “Blessed are those being persecuted as Christians because they are seriously lacking in wisdom and are foolish or unwise in what they regard as their testimony.”
- We are not told, “Blessed are the persecuted because they are fanatical and overzealous.” While fanaticism can lead to persecution, fanaticism is never commended in the New Testament.
- We are not even told, “Blessed are they that are persecuted for a cause.” We must be careful with this distinction. There is always a danger of developing a martyr spirit. Some people seem anxious for martyrdom and almost court it, but that is not what our Lord is talking about.
- We must also realize that this does not mean suffering persecution for religio-political reasons. Much of the talk that appears to be Christian, in its denunciation of certain things happening in the world, is often nothing more than the expression of political prejudices.
- This does not even mean, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for being good, noble, or self-sacrificing.”
What it does mean is that being righteous and practicing righteousness truly means being like the Lord Jesus. As people marked by the waters of baptism who now belong to God, we will certainly, as we follow after Jesus, experience seasons in which we suffer for righteousness’ sake. However, that will not always be the case.
We must prayerfully and carefully analyze the source of trials and suffering as they come our way. If our suffering is not for righteousness’ sake but is instead a result of sin and poor decisions, then we must repent. If our suffering is because people hate the God we worship, then we must stand firm and understand why these trials and sufferings have come upon us.
It is important to be clear. King David suffered for a season of his life for righteousness’ sake when he was faithfully following God’s calling to be king. However, he also suffered for a season of his life as a result of his sins of adultery, lying, and murder. He suffered in both instances, but only one brought a blessing—the suffering for righteousness’ sake.
A Purpose of Suffering
Recently, I was speaking with a group of hospice chaplains, and they asked me a question about the purpose of suffering. That is a complex, multi-layered discussion and not something I intend to address in full today. Answering that question in its entirety would go far beyond what I can cover here. However, Peter does provide a purpose for suffering and trials in this book:
“In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
The metaphor here is that our faith is compared to gold. On the outside, you can’t immediately tell the difference between real gold and what we call fool’s gold. However, once it is placed in the fire, the difference becomes clear. Fool’s gold darkens, while real gold shines brighter. Similarly, when fiery trials come into our lives, does our faith darken, or does it shine brighter? Trials and suffering test the genuineness of our faith. Does our faith become more radiant as we endure trials, or do we grow dimmer?
In sports, a key component is the period of conditioning. I remember in high school, during the hot summer month of August, we would endure the "hell week" of practice for football. We did two-a-days, and the primary purpose was to weed out the players who were not fully committed. Suffering is like a spiritual hell week—it reveals whether or not our faith is genuine. Suffering changes us!
“3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:3-5).
Conclusion: Our Response to Suffering
Peter is particularly concerned with how we respond to suffering inflicted by others. Our response is not to seek vengeance by repaying evil for evil or reviling for reviling. Instead, we are called to refrain from fear, remain steadfast, and always be prepared to give a defense for the truth—but with gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. The response is not to fight back in kind!
Why do we respond this way?
- Because it is a blessing to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10). - Because good actions toward their evil actions can put them to shame.
“Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil” (1 Pet. 3:13-17). - Because we follow Jesus, who also suffered and died for righteousness’ sake.
Jesus suffered to bring us to God, and we are marked by Him through the waters of baptism. To identify with Jesus is to also share in His suffering for righteousness’ sake. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18-22).
Fellow believers, in a post-truth culture, living as exiles will inevitably involve suffering and persecution. The more we follow Jesus and live according to His Word in all areas of life, the more the world will view us as strange, even cult-like. This often provokes hostility.
Initially, this hostility may take the form of verbal assaults, but it could escalate to the loss of rights or even physical harm. Living in exile means accepting that our principled positions will, at times, come at a cost. We must develop the ability to take clear, principled, and non-anxious stands that are seasoned with grace and rooted in truth. This is how we live as suffering exiles.
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