Injustice: Christian's Unnatural Response

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces Peter's background, his denial and restoration, and his commission to 'feed my sheep.' He explains that 1 Peter addresses suffering Christians, with two main…

The Bible's honest record of Peter's shameful lapse of faith and courage, followed by his bitter tears and restoration by Jesus, illustrates the Bible's divine origin and Peter's personal journey that informs his epistle.

And one such thing is the honesty with which it records the warts of the Bible. And the moles, that is, the sins, the failures, the follies of some of its most leading figures. For example, it records the tragic and shameful lapse of faith and courage in the life of the Apostle Peter. The Bible tells us that when a servant girl asks him and asserts that he is an associate of Jesus, he not only...

3:51 - 4:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not pay back evil for evil or reviling for reviling.

The natural human tendency to return evil for evil, from childhood playground interactions (sticking out tongues, pushing shoulders) to marital conflicts, is used to highlight how unnatural the Christian's commanded response truly is.

The word rendering can literally be translated not paying back, not requiting evil for evil. That's the response that is as natural to the human heart as breathing is to a healthy, living human being. To return tit for tat. And it is so native to us that all we need to do, is turn on the switch that takes us back to our youngest days that we can remember and we will all affirm that rendering evil for evil is as natural as breathing. When one of your siblings stuck out his or her tongue at you that far, you stuck out yours that far plus a little bit more for good luck. Didn't you? And when some...

17:05 - 18:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Continually bless those who do evil to you and revile you.

An old Puritan's statement that 'he who seeks to wash away the railing of another with his own railing is attempting to wash off dirt with dirt' illustrates the futility and ungodliness of returning reviling for reviling.

That is, when verbal abuse is heaped upon us in terms of harsh and abusive speech, insulting words, we are not to pay back in kind. When someone uses his words, braiding them like a whip with which to beat the ear and the spirit of another, that person who claims to be a Christian is not to begin to braid his own words to make a whip with which to strike back. When someone fashions a person, fashions a club of his words to beat another, a response is a natural one. You strike me with your words, I'll strike you with mine. And yet the word of God says, not reviling for reviling. Not reviling fo...

20:34 - 21:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Continually bless those who do evil to you and revile you.

Jesus's silence before Pilate, despite physical and verbal abuse, is presented as the ultimate example of moral courage and the 'unnatural' response, which even a heathen king marveled at.

You want to be called a wimp or a wuss? Let someone run over you with deeds and words and that's what you'll be called. Whereas the truth is, it takes far more moral courage to obey this injunction than to strike back with deeds and with words. What made that heathen King marvel was the silence of Jesus before the pummeling, both physically and verbally, as he stood trial there before Pilate.

22:35 - 23:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Live this unnatural life of refusing to render evil for evil and railing for railing, but contrary wise to pronounce and confer blessing.

Stephen's prayer for his executioners ('Lord Jesus, lay not this sin to their charge') while being stoned is used as a powerful example of blessing those who do evil, echoing Christ's own prayer on the cross.

Peter knew that it was his responsibility to live this unnatural life of refusing to render evil for evil and railing for railing, but contrary wise just the opposite to pronounce evil for evil, Announce and confer where possible blessing upon the very ones who perpetrate the evil and who also engage in the abusive speech. And now Peter says, this is what you God's people, scattered abroad in those Roman provinces, receiving the unjust treatment at the hands of the enemies of Christ and of His gospel. This is what you are not to do, no evil for evil, no railing for railing, but just the opposi...

28:36 - 29:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize your need for God's grace in the gospel if you have no desire to live this way, and seek Christ's cleansing and transforming power.

Bishop Leighton's quote, 'a Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him, but according to what he is through the grace of God and the spirit is in him,' summarizes the supernatural source of the Christian's unnatural response to injustice.

Old Bishop Leighton wrote, and his words are profoundly true, a Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him, but according to what he is through the grace of God and the spirit is in him. A true Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are toward him, but according to what he is through the grace and the spirit of God in him.

52:15 - 52:49 Read in full sermon