Craig T. Owens

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Peter wrote to Christians—

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:14-16) 

I noticed the word “if” three times in those three verses, which means those calling themselves Christians need to check why the insults have come their way. 

(1) Is it because I have acted like everyone else? IF it is because I have acted in a way unbecoming a citizen of heaven, then I need to apologize and repent. 

(2) Is it because I stand for Jesus? “IF you are insulted because of the name of Christ,” I need to both forgive the one insulting me and be thankful that I am “blessed, for the Spirit of God rests on you.” 

(3) Is it because I have acted un-Christlike? IF I am suffering because I have not acted in a manner fitting the name of CHRISTian, I must accept the attack as God’s judgment, acknowledging my sin and repenting of it. 

(4) Is it because I have acted Christlike? IF the suffering is because my attitude and actions are Christlike, then I must “praise God that [I] bear that name,” and use the attack as an opportunity to tell others about Jesus. 

In no setting is it permissible for Christians to retaliate against the ones insulting them or attacking them. Earlier in this letter, Peter tells us that Jesus gave us “an example, that you should follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21): “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (v. 23). 

Charles Spurgeon said—

“In Peter’s day, the Christians were called, not only to what might he metaphorically termed, ‘the fiery trial’ [1 Peter 4:12], but they had literally to suffer thus for Christ’s sake. Nero had multitudes of Christians brought to his gardens, and tied to stakes, that he might light up his midnight revelries by the burning of these godly men and women smeared with pitch. They had to bear even that fiery trial for the name of Christ. Many periods of martyrdom have passed since then, in which the saints of God have willingly died rather than deny their Lord. We have fallen upon comparatively silken times; a jest, a slander, a calumnious observation—these are the only weapons with which our enemies can smite most of us.” 

We must allow the Holy Spirit to show us if the fault lies in us. If it does, then we must repent. If the fault is not in us, then we must rejoice. This requires supernatural empowerment from God—the same supernatural power that Jesus used when He chose not to retaliate against His attackers. If we trust Him, we can respond in the same supernatural way. 

Check out more thoughts about this supernatural response of Jesus in Let Your Silence Do the Talking. And you may also be interested in the post Persecution From Religious Leaders. 

If you are a church leader, I also invite you to read my book When Sheep Bite. 

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