Enjoying and Expressing God while Suffering Unjustly
Bible
20 For what glory is it if, while sinning and being
buffeted, you endure? But if, while doing good and suffering,
you endure, this is grace with God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Words of Ministry~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Part 1 of 2)
...grace here refers to the motivation of the divine life
within us and its expression in our life becoming in our
behavior something gracious and acceptable in the eyes of
both man and God (v. 20). It is the motivation of the divine
life which we received at our regeneration inwardly and the
expression of this life outwardly. Then this motivation and
expression become gracious, acceptable, in our behavior. When
others observe this, they may say that this is grace in our
manner of life. Day by day we should give others the
impression that grace is with us. This means that they should
be able to see grace in our daily life.
We have often seen grace in the lives of saints who have been
in difficulty or hardship. For example, a sister becomes ill.
Everyone is concerned for her because she seems to be dying.
bear, and she is not afraid of dying. The life that motivates
her inwardly is expressed outwardly, even in the midst of her
illness. This is grace.
We all need to learn how to have grace, that is, how to use
grace. If we do this, something wonderful, excellent, and
pleasant will motivate us from within. Then we shall be able
to bear things, forbear things, and do things that others
cannot. Spontaneously, as the result of the motivation within
us, there will be a certain expression upon us. This
motivation and expression is the Triune God experienced by us
and lived out by us. To others, this is something sweet,
gracious, acceptable, and worthy of thanksgiving.
Verses1Pet 2:19 For this is grace, if anyone, because of a
consciousness of God, bears sorrows by suffering unjustly. 20 For what glory is it if, while sinning and being
buffeted, you endure? But if, while doing good and suffering,
you endure, this is grace with God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Words of Ministry~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Part 1 of 2)
...grace here refers to the motivation of the divine life
within us and its expression in our life becoming in our
behavior something gracious and acceptable in the eyes of
both man and God (v. 20). It is the motivation of the divine
life which we received at our regeneration inwardly and the
expression of this life outwardly. Then this motivation and
expression become gracious, acceptable, in our behavior. When
others observe this, they may say that this is grace in our
manner of life. Day by day we should give others the
impression that grace is with us. This means that they should
be able to see grace in our daily life.
We have often seen grace in the lives of saints who have been
in difficulty or hardship. For example, a sister becomes ill.
Everyone is concerned for her because she seems to be dying.
However, as she lies in bed in the hospital, she is full ofjoy. The sister is able to bear sufferings that others cannot
bear, and she is not afraid of dying. The life that motivates
her inwardly is expressed outwardly, even in the midst of her
illness. This is grace.
We all need to learn how to have grace, that is, how to use
grace. If we do this, something wonderful, excellent, and
pleasant will motivate us from within. Then we shall be able
to bear things, forbear things, and do things that others
cannot. Spontaneously, as the result of the motivation within
us, there will be a certain expression upon us. This
motivation and expression is the Triune God experienced by us
and lived out by us. To others, this is something sweet,
gracious, acceptable, and worthy of thanksgiving.
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