Devotion for Monday 9 MAY 2011 Anno Domini

Devotion for Monday 9 MAY 2011 Anno Domini
“13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” (1 Peter 3:13-22)
“And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” Who, indeed, is mightier than the God we serve? When our Shepherd is a Lion, it is not likely that we should fear a barking dog. When we deal fairly and impartially with men in society, they will generally be less prone to deal dishonestly with us. Be fair and just with others usually will also preclude litigation over disputes. However, there are classes of scoundrels who will take even greater advantage of an honest person. “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.” When I complain about unfair treatment by trusted friends, my wife simple reminds me: “We have not lost and arm or a leg yet!” That brings things back into perspective. We have not resisted unto the shedding of blood (Hebrews 12:4) but there is One who has done so on our behalf.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” The sanctifying of the Lord in our hearts is a natural consequence of His first sanctifying our own hearts. Our hearts are a blessed sanctuary from whence Christ directs and inspires our lives. How can you give a reason for hope if you have not learned it already from Scripture? Diligent study, in faith, establishes hope founded in knowledge of God’s Nature and Way. We must know the basis for our faith so that we may render an answer to those who doubt.
“Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” Investing in a good conscience is an investment well made. A good conscience results from a conscious opposition to sin and vice in our lives. It is exercised daily and over an extended period of time. Obedience must always be conscious and not habit. The natural habit to sin is strong and never surrenders. Obedience is a daily struggle for our flesh wars against our spirit always. But a seasoned veteran of battle grows more adept at vanquishing the enemy and holding the field than does a new recruit. During the hours of greatest temptations, he will post his vedettes and pickets in the field beyond the outpost of his soul. He will deny the enemy an approach to his good conscience. The public testimony and character of a good man will not guarantee against false accusations, but such accusations will not be believed, and the accuser will bear the shame.
“For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.” Sometimes God wills us to suffer, not to hurt us, but to help others to see the God you serve. Job is an excellent example of the righteous suffering for our teaching and benefit. But when you read the last verses of Job, you will discover that God doubled all his blessings over those which he possessed at the beginning. Of course, the suffering of Christ, the righteous for the unrighteous, is the supreme sacrifice of suffering which God willed. He loved His only Begotten Son beyond our capacity to grasp; yet, He was willing for the sacrifices in order to bring us to God. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” It is far better fortune to be saved in spirit rather than in flesh only. The spirit lives forever, but the flesh will perish. Look to the long investment.
“By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” Christ suffered death over the period of his entombment. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, He preached to the spirits that were in Hell. When a person dies, the body returns to the dust of the earth, and the spirit to God who gave it. (Eccl 12:7). If these spirits were not in the prison of Hell, reserved unto the Day of Judgment, then pray tell where were they? There is no intermediate Hell or purgatory. The Apostle goes on to clarify: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” All of the earth writhed in sin during the days of Noah and, while the Ark was under construction, Noah preached to the mockers and rioters - yet only eight souls were saved of all. It seems to me that these unbelievers, though consigned to Hell, received the regard of having Christ’s victory preached unto them. There would remain no question of their great reprobation. The victory must be proclaimed in all realms.
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” This is the baptism of the Spirit which is likened to that of the Ark. Those in the Ark were saved. Christ is our Ark. If we be in Him, we, too, shall be saved.