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1 Peter 3:17<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n For<\/span> it is<\/span><\/em> better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Truth to Learn<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes God chooses to have us suffer even when we are doing what we know is right.<\/p>\n Behind the Words<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cBetter<\/span>\u201d is translated from the Greek word kreitton<\/span><\/em>, which is the comparative form of kratus<\/span><\/em>, meaning \u201cstrong.\u201d So, kreitton<\/span><\/em> literally means \u201cstronger.\u201d However, used figuratively as it is here, it refers to something that is \u201cbetter.\u201d<\/p>\n The word translated \u201cwill<\/span>\u201d in today\u2019s verse is thel\u0113ma<\/span><\/em>, a form of thel\u014d<\/span><\/em>,<\/span> which refers to what God has determined. There are two words that are commonly translated as \u201cwill\u201d in the Bible. They are boulomai<\/span><\/em> (desirous will) and thel\u014d<\/span><\/em> (determined will). It\u2019s like a child going into a store to buy candy with a limited amount of money. There is his desirous will (to have all the candy) and his determined will (the specific candy purchased with his limited funds).<\/p>\n If we look carefully we see that Scripture refers to God\u2019s will in both ways. An example of God\u2019s desirous will can be found in 2 Peter 3:9<\/span><\/strong>, where it says:<\/p>\n The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us, not willing<\/strong> that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.<\/span><\/p>\n This is a use of boulomai<\/span><\/em> in reference to God\u2019s will. Hence, God does not desire<\/strong> that any should perish.<\/p>\n Meaning Explained<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Peter has not<\/span> been talking about our suffering as being discipline, though it sometimes feels that way. Let us not miss the truth that he is teaching us. When we suffer for doing good, we have a tendency to turn to God and say, \u201cHey, wait a minute, God! I did the right thing! Why am I suffering for it?\u201d<\/p>\n In today\u2019s verse, the use of thelema<\/span><\/em> indicates that God has determined<\/strong> that in some cases we will suffer for doing what is right and good. Peter is telling us that even if that is the situation for you or me, it is better than suffering for doing evil. When we suffer for doing good we can, with a good conscience, turn our hearts toward God and give Him the glory for our suffering, knowing that it is part of His plan. When we suffer for doing evil, we can only hang our heads in shame and wish we hadn\u2019t done something so stupid.<\/p>\n In the next chapter of this letter, Peter will say a similar thing about suffering:<\/p>\n Yet if<\/span> anyone suffers<\/span><\/em> as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. \u2026 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls<\/span> to Him<\/span><\/em> in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.<\/span> (1Peter 4:16, 19<\/span><\/strong>)<\/p>\n Incidentally, the word translated \u201cwill\u201d in 1 Peter 4:19<\/span><\/strong> is also thel\u0113ma<\/span><\/em>; that which God has determined.<\/p>\n Application<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Are you suffering right now because you have done what is right and you can\u2019t understand why? If so, get on your knees and thank God for finding you worthy to suffer for Him. Then, be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have in Him!<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2009 <\/span>Will <\/span>Krause. All rights reserved.<\/span><\/p>\n – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –<\/p>\n <\/span>If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 1 Peter 3:17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. Truth to Learn Sometimes God chooses to have us suffer even when we are doing what we know is right. Behind the Words \u201cBetter\u201d is translated from the Greek word kreitton, which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[85,86,76],"class_list":["post-676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-gods-will","tag-good","tag-suffer"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pd5geA-aU","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ministryofgrace.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"signature\"](\"\/signature.gif\")
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