DOCTRINE OF UNDESERVED SUFFERING
May 30, 1982
  1. Terminology.
    1. "Doing right" (1Pet.2:15,20; 3:17).
    2. "Suffering unjustly" (1Pet.2:19).
    3. "Zealous for what is good" (1Pet.3:13).
    4. "Suffer for the sake of righteousness" (1Pet.3:14).
    5. "Share the sufferings of Christ" (1Pet.4:13).
    6. "Suffers as a Christian" (1Pet.4:16).
    7. "Suffer according to the will of God" (1Pet.4:19).
  2. Undeserved suffering comes in various forms and is a test to see how much doctrine you have (1Pet.1:7).
  3. Undeserved suffering yields surpassing grace blessing in P3 (1Pet.1:6,7; 2:19,20; 3:9,14; 4:14; Heb.2:9).
  4. Undeserved suffering includes verbal maligning. How do you handle it? (1Pet.2:12; 3:9,16; 4:4,14).
  5. The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example for undeserved suffering (1Pet.2:21,25), as seen in:
    1. Verbal abuse (1Pet.2:22,23).
    2. Bearing our sins (1Pet.1:18,19; 2:24).
  6. The believer’s mental attitude under undeserved suffering.
    1. It must be armed via GAP and fixed on SG3 (1Pet.4:1; 1:13; cp. Heb.11:25).
    2. It must be the same as Christ’s mental attitude at the First Advent (1Pet.4:1).
    3. It must include zeal plus knowledge (1Pet.3:13).
    4. Happiness characterizes the new mental attitude because of SG3 (1Pet.4:13; cp. 1:6-8; Col.1:24).
    5. It must not include surprise or shame (1Pet.4:12,16).
    6. It must use the Faith-Rest technique via prayer while under it (1Pet.5:7).
  7. Submission to unfair authorities is a form of undeserved suffering (boss or husband; Philm.; 1Pet.2:18-20; 3:1-6,14).
  8. Undeserved suffering is a sign of sonship and positive volition (1Pet.4:14).
  9. Undeserved suffering is brief and results in eternal glory (1Pet.4:13; 5:10; cp. Rom.8:17,18; 2Tim.1:12).
  10. Our sufferings are not unique (1Pet.5:9).
  11. Flunking the test of undeserved suffering includes:
    1. Revenge tactics toward detractors (1Pet.3:9).
    2. Verbal insults (1Pet.3:9; cp. 2:23).
    3. Rejection of unfair authorities (1Pet.2:20; Philm.).
    4. Anti-establishment or criminal activity as rationalization for evil (1Pet.2:16; 4:15).
    5. Compromising standards to get along (1Pet.4:3,4).
    6. Deceit (1Pet.2:23).
  12. Those maligning us will be put to shame.
    1. In time (1Pet.2:12,15; 3:16).
    2. Judgement (1Pet.4:5).
  13. Christ controls and determines the sufferings which come our way, since He is over our enemies (1Pet.3:14,17,19,22; 4:19).
  14. As a unique royal priesthood, we share Christ’s sufferings, and to that same extent we share His glory (1Pet.2:4-10; 4:13; 5:1; Col.1:24).
  15. Pastor-Teachers have undeserved suffering that goes with the gift (1Pet.5:1-4).
  16. Concluding exhortation: "stand in this doctrine" (1Pet.5:12).
Reviewed: February 23, 1999
© Copyright 1999, Maranatha Church, Inc.