Suffering Comes: Glorify God in it!! - 1 Peter 4-5

 1 Peter 4:16 (ESV Strong's)

16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Suffering Comes; Glorify God in it!

Peter knew about suffering and will know even more.  The historical account of his death is that he was crucified for his proclamation of Christ.   So, when he writes that “if anyone suffers as a Christian,” he knows what that means.   Our suffering today as a believer, in the USA, is nothing compared to his suffering.  Our fellow believers in other countries are losing their lives for the name of “Christian.”   Many, like in the days of the early church, are losing prosperity and jobs because they identify as a “Christian.”   In our country we might suffer shamming, but that is about it.   People might marginalize us.  We might be overlooked for a promotion, but almost never fired from a job.   Peter was writing to the early church and he wanted them to know that the suffer was not to simply be endured.   It was to be celebrated that we could suffer as Christians and bring glory to God because of it.   We are to glorify God in “that name.”  The name he is refereeing to could be Christ, but it makes more sense that it is the name of being a “Christian.”   The word “Christian” is only used two others times in the New Testament.   One of them is here:

Acts 11:26 (ESV Strong's)

26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

The other is here:

Acts 26:28 (ESV Strong's)

28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

This was the name used to designate those who put their faith in Christ.   It was Christ’s name attached to believers.  When we claim this name there will be suffering.  Whatever the measure of suffering we endure, we are to celebrate it as a way to bring glory to Christ and those named and identified with them.   Christ wants us to take up His name and to identify with His way of life.   That stands in stark contrast to the world.   It, in many ways, judges the world because of the moral pattern of life that it brings. That, in turn shames the world.  Therefore, they desire to shame us back.   We need to rejoice and glorify God for that privilege to wear His glorious name!