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1 Peter 3:15-18
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Have you ever been criticized for doing the right thing? What happened?
Popular Translation
15
Place Christ first in your hearts. Always be ready to explain your hope
to everyone who asks. 16 Answer all questions gently, treat others as
if God is always present, and have a clear conscience. This way, when
others talk about you, those who hate you for the good you do in the
name of Christ will be put to shame.
17
If God want you to suffer, it is far better to suffer for doing
something good than to suffer for doing something evil. 18 After all,
Christ suffered one time for sins. He was innocent but suffered for the
guilty. He was put to death, but God made his spirit live, so he could
lead you to God.
Literal Translation
14b
Do not tremble in fear about them or be troubled, 15 but make holy
CHRIST the LORD in your hearts, always be prepared for a (verbal)
defense to all asking you a reason about the hope among you, 16 but (do
it) with gentleness and (holy) fear, having a good conscience, so that,
in whatever (way) you have talked about, the (ones) hating your good
behavior in CHRIST might be shamed (themselves).
7
For (it is) better to suffer doing good, if the will of God desires
(it), than doing evil. 18 For CHRIST suffered once concerning sins, the
righteous (ONE) in behalf of the unrighteous (ones), so that, having
been put do death in the flesh but having been brought alive in the
spirit, HE might lead you to God.
3:14b
“Do not tremble in fear about them or be troubled” The author advised
calm in the face of those who oppressed the community, despite the good
those in the community performed.
There
is an old, but cynical saying: “No good deed goes unpunished.” It seems
no matter what intentions we might have, the good we do is scrutinized
and criticized. Every saint who ever lived has had detractors. Mother
Teresa was chided for accepting money of “questionable origins” and
wasting resources on the dying. Pope John Paul II was accused of
seeking “pop star” status, while leaving the affairs of the Church in
the hands of those with questionable agendas. No saint lives without
opposition from some quarter. No good deed goes unpunished.
The
author of 1 Peter reminded his audience of that fact. If we live for
Christ, the author said plainly, we will be criticized. The question of
character comes in response. The author advised a dual approach to such
criticism: have an answer ready for the critique and answer him or her
gently and reverently. This way, we can live with a clear conscience
and the critic will shame him or herself.
In
the end, if we suffer, it is far better to suffer for the good we do.
In this way, we can walk in the footsteps of Christ. He suffered for
sinners. He died but now lives with us, so he can lead us to God.
Every good deed might go unpunished. But, even in criticism, we show others the way to Christ.
How has the criticism of others strengthen you? Your faith? Your efforts to do good for others?
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