For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps 1 Peter 2:21
The spiritual life to which we are
all called is not an easy path to tread and Christ Himself warned us that in
this world we will have tribulation, while Paul reminds us that all who desire
to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Many believe that
becoming a Christian will guarantee a life of simplicity and ease; affluence
and comfort, but we are warned in many passages that those who delight in piety
and are determined to live a devoted and godly life will meet with persecution,
and will be made to suffer because of their stand for Christ.
Indeed John not only tells us that we will suffer but informs us
that as Christians we were called to suffer for righteousness sake. He explains
that suffering is our mission in life, because Christ Who committed no sin and
lived a perfect life, suffered on the cross for our sake. Just as the Lord
Jesus suffered without complaint for doing good on our behalf and for the glory
of God – we too are called to suffer for righteousness sake, which also glorifies
our Father in heaven.
Christ gave us an example of how to live. He walked in spirit
and truth; He depended completely on His heavenly Father; He was guided and
instructed in all things by the Holy Spirit and He suffered on our account –
leaving an example for us to follow. Although He remained fully God while
here on earth, Christ lived His life as fully man.. to show you and me how
God expects all men to live – not living for self, but doing only those things
that we hear from HIM. It was for love of the Church, which is His body that
Christ suffered. He laid aside His glory to suffer and die so that we might
believe and be saved – and it is Christ’s character and conduct that we are to
emulate for He committed no sin nor was any deceit found in His mouth.
The Lord Jesus was a wonderful example of a man who was perfect
in thought and word; in action and attitude. He was patient in tribulation;
devoted in prayer and full of grace and truth – and Jesus learned obedience by
the things that He suffered. He did not complain but patiently endured by
humbling Himself and becoming obedient – even to the point of death on a cross.
As believers we have been forgiven of our sins and have received
a new life in Christ. Christ’s death on the cross not only paid the price for
our sins but also broke the power of sin in our lives. Our position in Christ
is not a license to sin but a motivation to live godly in Christ Jesus, for in
Him.. and by Him.. and through Him, we have all that is needful for life and
godliness. And a godly life is only lived when we do only those
things that we hear from Him – as recorded the Word of God for our
learning.
Let us seek to emulate our Lord Jesus in all things… by
keeping our old sin nature nailed to the cross and appropriating all that we
have in our new life in Christ, for we have been called for this purpose: to
suffer for Christ’s sake, Who left us an example that we should follow in His
steps. This cannot be carried out in our own strength.. but it can be
carried out in His sufficient strength – as we abide in Him and He in us so
that the life we live becomes a reflection of Him.