21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. ~ 1 Peter 2:21-25
Today, we conclude our study of 1 Peter 2 where we have been reminded of the many blessings that God had granted the believer who encounters severe trials in this sin-sick world. The purpose of our pain and suffering is to first of all know the Lord in an increasingly intimate way. When we find ourselves on that road, it is then that we become more effective road signs in the lives of those who know not our God. The purpose of a road sign is to communicate, and our purpose is to tell others about how good the Lord is and how He is delivering our lives from the power of sin.
In v.21 of today's passage we read, "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."
Suffering is beneficial to our spiritual growth. In fact, nothing purifies us like suffering, like a goldsmith who heats up the gold and pours the hot golden metal from vessel to vessel and the impurities rise to the top. Suffering keeps us focused upon that which is substantive and eternal. This is why Peter directs his hearers attention back to the One who chose the role of the servant.
Like the Lord Jesus, we all experience various forms of suffering because we live in a fallen world. Christ's suffering was different than ours, but His suffering informs ours because He has, through His death and resurrection, overcome sin and death. Entering into a personal relationship with Him, interacting with Him every day through His word in every day occurrences, we discover His definition of all things. And He shares the answers with us because He is the answer.
In v.22-23 of today's passage we read, "'22 He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."
The emphasis, in this passage,is not on our suffering. No, the emphasis here is on His suffering, which is the message of the cross. Through the cross God reminds us that His Son took on flesh and blood so that He could go to the cross once and for all in order to deal a final death blow to sin and death. What He did while hanging on the cross provides those willing enough to believe in Him to be able to resist being defined by the fallen things and beliefs of this world.
In v.24-25 of today's passage we read, "24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."
The Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, descended to this lost and damned world in order to defang sin and its impact upon us. Sin is departing from any definition that God has given us upon any subject in existence. When we are defined by anything other than God's definitions, we will find ourselves departing from His definition of it. Of course, as believers in Christ who have received His free gift of forgiveness through His work on the cross, we do not fear not being forgiven of our sin, past, present or future. We are forgiven in Christ. Period. However, we will want to walk in the truth and to be defined by the truth. When we walk in the truth we are being sanctified or delivered from the power of sin. You see, this truth alters everything, it allows us to transcend, even above our pain and suffering.
The Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, descended to this lost and damned world in order to defang sin and its impact upon us. Sin is departing from any definition that God has given us upon any subject in existence. When we are defined by anything other than God's definitions, we will find ourselves departing from His definition of it. Of course, as believers in Christ who have received His free gift of forgiveness through His work on the cross, we do not fear not being forgiven of our sin, past, present or future. We are forgiven in Christ. Period. However, we will want to walk in the truth and to be defined by the truth. When we walk in the truth we are being sanctified or delivered from the power of sin. You see, this truth alters everything, it allows us to transcend, even above our pain and suffering.
Submitting to those in authority over us is a reflection of the fact that we have a Savior whom we are following because we have entered into a personal relationship with Him. He never sinned with His words or His actions. Not that we could ever save ourselves, but we're brought back once again to looking to Him as our example and following His example. This means that we do not allow sin to define us. This means we let go of vengeance and we submit to being defined by the Lord. We will know that we are being defined by Him when we are walking in His truth.
Philip Yancey once said it best when he wrote, "To some, the image of a pale body glimmering on a dark night whispers of defeat. What good is a God who does not control his Son's suffering? But another sound can be heard: the shout of a God crying out to human beings, 'I LOVE YOU.' Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to - because of us. At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice. Any discussion of how pain and suffering fit into God's scheme ultimately leads back to the cross."
