But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
Those who suffer for doing what is right are blessed and happy, and they are not to fear the terror, threats, or abuse of those who oppose them, nor to be troubled, frightened, or shaken by them. This fearlessness rests in God, who watches over the righteous and hears their prayers, so that the peace and confidence of doing right bring health and strength to body and soul. Heaven is very near those who suffer for doing right, for Christ makes their interests His own and suffers in the person of His saints, with power near both to rescue from physical harm and to save from greater evil and enable integrity in every circumstance. The call belongs to a high standard of Christian life, with love for God and for others in the heart, shown in compassion, courtesy, returning blessing for evil, setting the Lord apart within, and being ready to explain the hope within with meekness and reverence and a good conscience. Such suffering for righteousness includes being willing to suffer for truth if necessary, even to the point of losing secure employment, income, and housing for refusing to work on the Sabbath and remaining firm as a rock to principle.
Blessed Without Fear in Suffering
Those who suffer for doing what is right are blessed and happy. They are not to fear the terror threatened by opposers, nor the threats, abuse, and persecution aimed at them, and they are not to be troubled, frightened, distressed, or shaken by them. In representing unpopular truth they may meet abuse and false accusation, yet they are to stay faithful and calm rather than complain or grow resentful. This fearlessness belongs to followers of good who live under the Lord's watchful care over the righteous and His openness to their prayers, honoring Him in the heart and setting Him apart there. The peace and confidence of doing right bring health and strength to body and soul, and godliness and righteousness bring strength rather than harm.
Heaven is very near those who suffer for doing right. Christ makes their interests His own and suffers in the person of His saints, so that to touch His chosen is to touch Him. The power that stands near to rescue from physical harm or distress stands equally near to save from the greater evil. By it His servant can keep integrity under all circumstances and triumph through divine grace.
Suffering for the truth does not prove guilt, for affliction in itself is no evidence of wrongdoing. Christ the Prince of Peace proves this, for though innocent He endured the greatest humiliation possible for a human being, giving Himself as a substitute to be punished in place of the sinner. Suffering for the truth is no reason to lose happiness, for self-denial and sacrifice for Christ do not make life joyless.
Faithful Life Under Opposition
The verse belongs to a call to reach a high standard of Christian life, with God's love in the heart and supreme love for God and for those for whom Christ died. It is an appeal not merely to profess belief in the truth but to live and practice it. That practiced life is shaped by the good Word into compassion, love, courtesy, returning blessing instead of evil, and a good conscience, and those who so suffer for doing what is right are blessed and are not to fear persecutors or be troubled. This fearlessness belongs to followers of good under the Lord's watchful care over the righteous and His openness to their prayers.
That life includes setting the Lord apart in the heart and being ready to give a reason for the hope within with meekness and reverence and a good conscience, so that false accusers are put to shame. It follows Christ, who once suffered as the just for the unjust to bring people to God. In representing unpopular truth, believers may face abuse and false accusations, and they are to remain faithful and calm rather than complain or become resentful. Christians who may suffer for doing right are to cultivate a character that represents the church above, including in their home life.
The chapter speaks a message of great importance to ministers of the gospel and to ministers' wives. It calls every minister to search deep for the benefit of his own soul and to make clean work for eternity. He is to labor with zeal for an unsanctified, unconverted companion, and to seek the convicting, converting power of the gospel to search the hearts of ministers and their families, so that no irreligious element remains in their homes, because dangers will follow ministers at this time, often coming from unsanctified, unconverted wives. The chapter, together with the fourth and fifth chapters, gives encouragement for those laboring in church capacity and should be presented to them. When a worker has made a mistake, the wrong should be confessed and corrected rather than held as a position that must never be given up.
The verse asks whether believers are willing to suffer for the truth, for such suffering is part of a faithful life. Practical godliness can make believers willing to suffer for the truth if necessary. That suffering for righteousness' sake includes sacrificing a good salary and pension by refusing to work on the Sabbath, leaving secure employment after long faithful service, and losing work, income, and housing to become homeless and dependent on daily labor for bread, with wife and children living in tents. Those who suffer in this way and remain firm as a rock to principle are brave and courageous, though adrift for the truth's sake. They are to be sympathized with, prayed for, kept from lack of food, helped to find work, and encouraged to courage.
Those who suffer for doing what is right are blessed and happy, and they are not to fear the terror, threats, or abuse of those who oppose them, nor to be troubled, frightened, or shaken by them. This fearlessness rests in God, who watches over the righteous and hears their prayers, so that the peace and confidence of doing right bring health and strength to body and soul. Heaven is very near those who suffer for doing right, for Christ makes their interests His own and suffers in the person of His saints, with power near both to rescue from physical harm and to save from greater evil and enable integrity in every circumstance. The call belongs to a high standard of Christian life, with love for God and for others in the heart, shown in compassion, courtesy, returning blessing for evil, setting the Lord apart within, and being ready to explain the hope within with meekness and reverence and a good conscience. Such suffering for righteousness includes being willing to suffer for truth if necessary, even to the point of losing secure employment, income, and housing for refusing to work on the Sabbath and remaining firm as a rock to principle.
Blessed Without Fear in Suffering
Those who suffer for doing what is right are blessed and happy. They are not to fear the terror threatened by opposers, nor the threats, abuse, and persecution aimed at them, and they are not to be troubled, frightened, distressed, or shaken by them. In representing unpopular truth they may meet abuse and false accusation, yet they are to stay faithful and calm rather than complain or grow resentful. This fearlessness belongs to followers of good who live under the Lord's watchful care over the righteous and His openness to their prayers, honoring Him in the heart and setting Him apart there. The peace and confidence of doing right bring health and strength to body and soul, and godliness and righteousness bring strength rather than harm.
Heaven is very near those who suffer for doing right. Christ makes their interests His own and suffers in the person of His saints, so that to touch His chosen is to touch Him. The power that stands near to rescue from physical harm or distress stands equally near to save from the greater evil. By it His servant can keep integrity under all circumstances and triumph through divine grace.
Suffering for the truth does not prove guilt, for affliction in itself is no evidence of wrongdoing. Christ the Prince of Peace proves this, for though innocent He endured the greatest humiliation possible for a human being, giving Himself as a substitute to be punished in place of the sinner. Suffering for the truth is no reason to lose happiness, for self-denial and sacrifice for Christ do not make life joyless.
Faithful Life Under Opposition
The verse belongs to a call to reach a high standard of Christian life, with God's love in the heart and supreme love for God and for those for whom Christ died. It is an appeal not merely to profess belief in the truth but to live and practice it. That practiced life is shaped by the good Word into compassion, love, courtesy, returning blessing instead of evil, and a good conscience, and those who so suffer for doing what is right are blessed and are not to fear persecutors or be troubled. This fearlessness belongs to followers of good under the Lord's watchful care over the righteous and His openness to their prayers.
That life includes setting the Lord apart in the heart and being ready to give a reason for the hope within with meekness and reverence and a good conscience, so that false accusers are put to shame. It follows Christ, who once suffered as the just for the unjust to bring people to God. In representing unpopular truth, believers may face abuse and false accusations, and they are to remain faithful and calm rather than complain or become resentful. Christians who may suffer for doing right are to cultivate a character that represents the church above, including in their home life.
The chapter speaks a message of great importance to ministers of the gospel and to ministers' wives. It calls every minister to search deep for the benefit of his own soul and to make clean work for eternity. He is to labor with zeal for an unsanctified, unconverted companion, and to seek the convicting, converting power of the gospel to search the hearts of ministers and their families, so that no irreligious element remains in their homes, because dangers will follow ministers at this time, often coming from unsanctified, unconverted wives. The chapter, together with the fourth and fifth chapters, gives encouragement for those laboring in church capacity and should be presented to them. When a worker has made a mistake, the wrong should be confessed and corrected rather than held as a position that must never be given up.
The verse asks whether believers are willing to suffer for the truth, for such suffering is part of a faithful life. Practical godliness can make believers willing to suffer for the truth if necessary. That suffering for righteousness' sake includes sacrificing a good salary and pension by refusing to work on the Sabbath, leaving secure employment after long faithful service, and losing work, income, and housing to become homeless and dependent on daily labor for bread, with wife and children living in tents. Those who suffer in this way and remain firm as a rock to principle are brave and courageous, though adrift for the truth's sake. They are to be sympathized with, prayed for, kept from lack of food, helped to find work, and encouraged to courage.