Heralds Digest

"By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand." (1 Peter 5:12 NKJV) Prosperity of the body includes the provision and promotion in material supplies that lead to improvement in the standard of living. While this testimony reflects the will of God for all His people, it does not guarantee the security and peace for the soul. Moreover, carnal testimony promotes envy and does not even edify anyone, except the testifier, who possibly derives gratification therefrom. Unlike carnal testimony, Silvanus' testimony does not need self-declaration. Apostle Peter and all the saints could clearly acknowledge the grace of God that brought salvation, faithfulness, and peace to him. True testimony is both self-evident and guarantee the security and peace of the body and soul.

"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”" (1 Peter 5:5 NKJV) Riches and positions puffeth the heart of man beyond the limit of his hands. The deceit thereof is the promise of greater recognition and promotion through the weight of wealth. Unfortunately, the scripture says “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble .” Empty hands may be inflated with graceless gains and faded glory; they are limited and restricted in the attainment of full glory. Unlike empty hands, humble hands are lifted with grace and glory, being patiently operated under mighty hand of God.

"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock". (1 Peter 5:2-3 NKJV) One of the wonderful buffers in times of difficulties and suffering is the availability of good leadership. A good leader leads others through fellowship with the attitude of patience and perseverance during suffering, following the example of Jesus Christ. Even when not in charge of the pulpit, overseeing elders serve the pew with passion. Unlike overseers by appointments, overseers by calling treat every negative experience as a good investment opportunity. The dividend of an elder's period of pain is the prosperity in every pilgrim's progress within the elder's oversights.

"If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified." (1 Peter 4:14 NKJV) The potency of the gospel message is not necessarily in the oration, but in the demonstration, of the character of God. God is holy, peaceful, and love. Since these attributes are anathemic to the system of the world, no one with the trace of the character of God can escape persecution. Therefore, just being a new creature in Christ demonstrates the possibility of grace, possibly in form of denial of privileges, derogatory references, stigmatization, etc. However, no can deny the fact that the persecuted soul has a rest beyond the reach of the riches of this world. Suffering for the glory of God may be strange evangelism to the system of the world; it is a common lifestyle of believers in Christ Jesus.

"If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:11 NKJV) The major challenge in human love is the use of sentiment during expressions. Removing sentiment from love takes the grace of God. Being an indispensable gift for ministers, no one can accurately seek the glory of God while speaking for self appreciation. God's type of love shares grace without the faces. Therefore, it is expected that beneficiaries of God's grace will be magnanimous with gifts that are not theirs. Only indiscriminate love seeks God's glory as the basis of expression in every public discourse or service.

"Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin." (1 Peter 4:1 NKJV) Spiritual suffering involves a deliberate admission of pain on the flesh in order to please God. Since the flesh prefers pride to pain, it takes the grace of God for anyone to voluntarily accommodate spiritual suffering. Unlike the carnal suffering for unrighteousness, spiritual suffering embraces freedom from sin for godliness sake. Therefore, the high point of genuine godliness is not the pain from suffering upon the flesh, but the cessation of the power of sin over the flesh.

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear". (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV) Calmness in the heart in times of relative peace changes normally to chaos when trouble arises. However, Apostle Paul's experience with Jesus on the sea when storm threatened to capsize their boat teaches the best way to keep the heart stable at all times. To sanctify the Lord God in our hearts is to retain the respect of what He says (or His silence) as final, irrespective of the change in environment. Christ's authority is never threatened by our life's challenges and circumstances, but by our lack of hope or reasonable respect.