When Everything Is Against You

We live in a wicked world that tends to reward evil doers and punish those who do right.  The current controversy over sanctuary cities is one obvious example.    Those who come to the United States illegally are provided an income, housing, medical care and other benefits, while those who have come legally or are American citizens go homeless, and are denied those same benefits.  Sanctuary cities go even further, protecting the illegal alien from being punished for violating other laws as well.  Even when convicted of their crimes, crooks like Bernie Madoff are not required to return all they have taken from other people, and huge corporations are allowed to keep the profits from illegal and unethical schemes by paying a comparatively small fine or bribe while companies that follow the law are forced out of business by excessive taxation and onerous regulations.  Many times, Christians are tempted to go along with the things the world does to avoid conflicts. 

I Peter 3:10-13 warns against doing so.  “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?” 

If we want to experience the best life possible we must do what is right even when everything seems rigged against us.  God is observing everything that goes on, and will intercede on behalf of those who do right.   Those who do wrong will be punished.  Only wicked people and Satan punish people for doing right.   Instead of giving in, continue to do right, knowing God will reward you.   

I Peter 3:14-17 advises, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 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: 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.  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.”

We need to learn to put God first, knowing that he is the final judge.  Powerful as those wicked forces may be, their power is still limited to what God allows them to do, and he is watching out for those who do right.  We need to place our faith in him, and if questioned about our stance, be ready to tell people why we stand for the right.   If we go along with the world, our talk of trusting God means nothing to those who hear us. 

Sometimes, God allows bad things to happen to good people in order to save others.  It is far better to just accept God’s will in such things and continue to do right.  That is the example Jesus Christ set for us, as I Peter 3:18-20tells us.  “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: 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 was willing to suffer that God’s will might be accomplished, and we need to have the same attitude, as I Petr 4:1-7 tells us.  “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” 

God may use our suffering to make them aware of their sinful attitudes and turn them to Christ.  In any case our suffering unjustly will result in our being rewarded.  We just need to remember that the end of this world is close and stay focused on his commands.  Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Real faith will enable us to serve him even when we suffer for doing so.