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1 Peter 4:14-16
14 If [ei] ye be reproached [oneidizo] for [en] the name [onoma] of Christ [Christos], happy [makarios] are ye; for [hoti] the spirit [pneuma] of glory [doxa] and [kai] of God [theos] resteth [anapauo] upon [epi] you [humas]: on [kata] [men] their part [autos] he is evil spoken of [blasphemeo], but [de] on [kata] your part [humas] he is glorified [doxazo].
15 But [gar] let [pascho] none [me] [tis] of you [humon] suffer [pascho] as [hos] a murderer [phoneus], or [e] as a thief [kleptes], or [e] as an evildoer [kakopoios], or [e] as [hos] a busybody in other men's matters [allotriepiskopos].
16 Yet [de] if [ei] any man suffer as [hos] a Christian [Christianos], let him [aischuno] not [me] be ashamed [aischuno]; but [de] let him glorify [doxazo] God [theos] on [en] this [touto] behalf [meros]. KJV-Interlinear
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. NASB
Everyone who has ever lived in this world, or will ever live in this world, will be the object of hate, derision, prejudice, rejection, scorn, disdain, loathed, detested, and so forth. We are but pawns in this devils world, and innocent victims caught up in a war between Satan and God.
That is the policy of Satan, and therefore of the world. Arrogance is His foundation and hate is his motivation. In order to defeat God Satan has to destroy everyone.
So, evil is never going to be your friend.
Satan has many devices and methods to destroy you. In some cases he will use prosperity, talent, elitism and such. In most cases, he will use poverty, or enticements, or frustration.
The best and most effective tool that Satan has against truth, is the lie. And, Satan has saturated this world with religions, and even non-religions, in order to dilute, blur, and render ambiguous, the truths of God.
Regardless of your position in life, regarding truth, philosophy, religion, or whatever, you will be a victim of the world, sooner or later. And there, is the reason for these verses.
You are going to be slandered, ridiculed, harassed, and not in person, but in principle. That is to say, the policies of the world, as sponsored by Satan, and more obviously by people who pursue the policies of lies. The philosophies of government and society in general create policies and views that will have an impact on public policy, and that will sooner or later, affect you and your life.
Whether the price of bread or fuel, or the interest rates, the availability of an education, the opportunity to even pursue your dreams, or even have friends and a social life, all of these things affect your life, and are affected by the views of society.
You are a victim, whether you recognize it or not. Whether you are a billionaire, or just like everyone else, makes no difference.
The big difference between you and everyone else is your spiritual life, and their lack of one.
God blesses the believers of the world. God issues exceptional blessings to advancing believers, and especially mature believers.
Since everyone in the world is a victim, and since only believers will receive blessings because of this victim status, then it is by far better to be a believer, than not.
Unbelievers may live in the world and they will certainly be the target of trouble, if not during their life, certainly at the end of their life, but they will never be the recipient of blessing.
Their life is all for nothing.
You, as a believer, will be the target of trouble. You will not be able to escape it. So it is far better to understand this principle, stick with your spiritual life, and receive blessings from God, in the many different forms that they will come in, rather than living in this world just as unbelievers do (out of fellowship), get hammered from time to time, and get nothing out of it.
You do not have to be the recipient of direct hatred. No one has to come up to you and slap you in the face. Most of your suffering will be of the indirect kind, where you will be caught up in the worlds troubles, like in a bad economy.
Nothing is aimed at you personally, but the world will treat you as just another steer in a long line heading toward the slaughterhouse.
So, don’t get caught up in sin, don’t be a liar, a gossip, a criminal, and so forth. Don’t become part of the problem. And certainly do not get upset at life, when life goes wrong.
Remember, this is the devils world, and yet God is able to deliver you through all sorts of difficulties, regardless of what the world throws at you. Your greatest weapon for life, is Bible doctrine in your soul. All you have to do is get it into yourself, by staying the course, and letting God do the rest.
