<BrethrenVoice> 30 May 2002 TO BE EVIL-SPOKEN OF Connie Giordano "The best men and the best things usually meet with reproaches in the world. Jesus Christ and His followers, the Spirit of God and the gospel, are all evil-spoken of." - Matthew Henry Today's Christianity, I am afraid, is presented as a Crossless and trouble-free life. So many embark on their journey with Christ not really realizing that they are called to a life of suffering. They simply expect life to become "a bowl full of cherries" so to speak. Before salvation, they were in a bad situation and decided to come to Jesus for relief. Oftentimes, they are not instructed from the start by the preacher or the Christian witness that they will be required to suffer for the name of Christ. Resultantly, many fall away when persecution arises because of the Word in their lives. This ought not to be. 2 Timothy 3:12- These spiritual shipwrecks could have been avoided simply by having the Plain Truth presented to the converts which states - "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 1 Peter 2:19-21 tells us - "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps." "For this is thankworthy" - In other words, this is acceptable with God. It is pleasing and proper for a Christian to "endure grief" or that which is wrong simply because he is living uprightly before God and men - "for conscience toward God." "When ye do well, and suffer for it" - All Christians are expected to "do well." Therefore, they are going to meet with suffering as a result. The Scriptures tell us so. We cannot avoid it. "For even hereunto were ye called" - At the moment of Salvation, we were called to be sufferers. We can expect it. "Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps" - The Lord Jesus suffered for us; now we are required to suffer for Him. The word "example" used in this particular verse means "a writing copy" such as set for children to follow, "an outline or a sketch for a painter to fill up," "an example," or "a pattern for imitation." To follow in Jesus' steps is to trod exactly right behind Him, to place our feet in the exact steps that He had taken before us, or to be the closest imitation and resemblance to Him on this earth(Barnes' Notes). 1 Peter 4:14 says - "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ..." It is understood that as long as we are followers of the Lord Jesus, we will suffer reproach in this life for His Name's sake. What exactly is reproach? It is dishonor, disgrace, criticism, scorn, and shame. It includes slanders, evil reports or false and injurious charges, misrepresentations intended to damage another's reputation, as well as rude language and treatment from those who are haughty and look down upon another in contempt. J.C. Ryle is quoted as saying - "Lies and false reports are among Satan's choicest weapons." How true this statement is! Satan loves to take a good name and place it under a bad character. He will work feverishly to convince others of lies that he conjured up against the true servant of the Lord. Is it easy to suffer reproach for the name of Christ? Not at all! It can be very painful! In Psalm 69:20 David said - "Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness..." In other words, he said that the indignities down against him actually crushed his heart. They violently rent his heart. They shattered his emotions. If you have ever been lied about or had your good to be evil-spoken of, you know exactly what David is talking about here. If you ever have been mistreated by others - ...looked down upon ...treated like a common dog ...been rejected ...talked about ...had whole crowds turn against you ...had others through the jealousy of their own hearts speak lies to blacken your character ...receive rude treatment from others ...or had others speak unkindly toward you or treat you badly and never feel a tinge of conviction either but feel totally justified in their ways then you know what it is like to be reproached for the name of Christ. Perhaps you have had others receive promotions or raises that you rightfully deserved. Or maybe you did all the work on a project, but because you are a Christian, another received the commendation instead of you. You may have worked tirelessly without having anyone notice your work or be rewarded because others were filled with jealousy and strife in their hearts. You may have had people purposely seek to tear you down from your place of excellency because they considered you less than a worm and not worthy of any attention or support. Lastly, you may have had others slander you or bring forth the most insidious, treacherous, or traitorous charges against you in order to make you look bad in other's eyes. Perhaps because of this ill treatment, you suffer this day from a broken heart like David did. You just feel as though someone just shattered your heart into a thousand pieces. Today take comfort in the Scriptures which depict the sufferings of Christ for us. Read the many accusations that were viciously assailed against the blameless Son of God - Matthew 13:55 - "Is not this the carpenter's son?" There is no crime in being a carpenter's son. In fact, it was a custom of the Jews to train their children to perform a trade or manual labor. To have an honest trade was a great honor. However, these accusers of Jesus were simply looking for something in His life to pick apart or criticize. In their wickedness, they overlooked the fact that this carpenter was not just any carpenter. He happened to be of noble rank. He was of the House of David. John 1:46 - "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" - Nazareth was a very wicked place. Resultantly, to be called a Galilean or a Nazarene was an expression of the highest contempt. John 8:48 - "Say we not well that Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?" There was not a worse name that one could call another than "Samaritan." It was a term of the greatest contempt and scorn. The Lord Jesus was considered by these Jews to be an enemy to their nation, a heretic, or a promoter of division among the people. When they accused Him of having a "devil," they were charging Him of being possessed by an evil spirit as well as being a mad man or deranged. John 9:24 - "This man is a sinner." Here they falsely charged the Lord Jesus as being a violator of the Holy Law. They accused Him of being the worst of all sinners because He did not respect the Sabbath. They considered Him a great imposter and sought to convince the public of the same. John 7:12 - "For some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but He deceiveth the people." Here they falsely charged the Lord as being a servant of Satan who seeks to delude and deceive the people. Matthew 9:3 - "This man blasphemeth." Because Jesus forgave a man of His sins, He was charged with "blasphemy"or assuming the place of God. Little did these people realize that they were dealing with God in the Flesh. Matthew 11:19 - "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." Here the Lord Jesus was accused of being one given to excess and a lifestyle of catering to His flesh. To be classified as being "gluttonous, and a wine bibber" was very offensive. Matthew 10:25 - "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub..." Beelzebub was the fly god which was worshipped at Ekron. However, in order to express their total disgust and repulsion for this idol, the Jews later changed its name to mean the dung god or the god of filth. Zebul actually was a general term for all idols. It meant dung or dunghill. It represented the foulest and worst devil who was prince over all idols and idolatry. What a horrible reflection for the Son of God! Jesus, the Son of the Living God, suffered reproach. Since we are His followers, we, too, will be reproached for His name's sake. Matthew Henry in his Commentary on Matthew 11:19 said this - "The most unspotted innocency, and the most unparalled excellency, will not always be a fence against the reproach of tongues: nay, a man's best gifts and best actions which are both well intended and well calculated for edification, may be made the matter of his reproach. The best of our actions may become the worst of our accusations..." Recently, you may have asked yourself - What am I doing wrong? Why do people reject me and hate me? What am I so mistreated all the time? Why are others chosen before me? Why am I always slighted? If you are seeking to please God in all of your ways, then we can deduce that you are receiving this ill-treatment not because you did anything wrong, but because you are doing things right according to God's Word. Because you are a follower of Christ, you have entered into reproach for His Name's Sake. The Scriptures tell us that we are called to suffer for Jesus' sake. But be encouraged, O Saint of God, for you are promised a special anointing of the Holy Ghost each and every time that you are "reproached for the name of Christ." 1 Peter 4:14 - "...for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you..." The Holy Spirit will rest upon you, abide with you, and support you, giving you all the grace that you need to come through your suffering victoriously and with a glorious testimony for the Lord. AMEN& AMEN! May God Bless His Word. Connie ______________________________________________________________ ["EXAMINE YOURSELVES WHETHER YOU ARE IN FAITH." (2 Cor 13:5)] BrethrenVoice facilitates free flow of Christian information towards establishing the saved in the sustaining grace and leading the unsaved to the saving grace. TO GOD BE THE GLORY! To unsubscribe, email: <brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> To subscribe to all messages, email: <brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> To subscribe to digest, email: <brethrenvoice-digest-subscribe@...> To subscribe to web reading: <brethrenvoice-allow-subscribe@...> To post a message to the List, forward: <brethrenvoice@...> To contact the List Moderator, email: <brethrenvoice@...> To eFellowship: http://communities.msn.co.uk/BrethrenChristiansForum BrethrenVoice Home: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice