1 Peter 3:8-9 KJV
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
Barnes, "...Expecting such a blessing yourselves, you should be ready to scatter blessings on all others. You should be ready to bear all their reproaches, and even to wish them well. The hope of eternal life should make your minds calm; and the prospect that you are to be so exalted in heaven should fill your hearts with benignity and love.” There is nothing which is better suited to cause our hearts to overflow with benignity, to make us ready to forgive all others when they injure us, than the hope of salvation. Cherishing such a hope ourselves, we cannot but wish that all others may share it, and this will lead us to wish for them every blessing, A man who has a hope of heaven should abound in every virtue. and show that he is a sincere well-wisher of the race. Why should one who expects soon to be in heaven harbor malice in his bosom? Why should he wish to injure a fellow-worm?..."[1]
A person has to call into suspect the kind of Christianity we have today that does not view salvation so highly as this. That a man would imply that salvation is such a wonderful blessing that a Christian could not help but wish everyone had it only tells me that many if not most in our day do not have that type of salvation.
There is too much hurting going on in the family of God today.
May God grant us a new awareness of the value of salvation so we see it as above anything in this world and could only wish good upon others.
[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
Barnes, "...Expecting such a blessing yourselves, you should be ready to scatter blessings on all others. You should be ready to bear all their reproaches, and even to wish them well. The hope of eternal life should make your minds calm; and the prospect that you are to be so exalted in heaven should fill your hearts with benignity and love.” There is nothing which is better suited to cause our hearts to overflow with benignity, to make us ready to forgive all others when they injure us, than the hope of salvation. Cherishing such a hope ourselves, we cannot but wish that all others may share it, and this will lead us to wish for them every blessing, A man who has a hope of heaven should abound in every virtue. and show that he is a sincere well-wisher of the race. Why should one who expects soon to be in heaven harbor malice in his bosom? Why should he wish to injure a fellow-worm?..."[1]
A person has to call into suspect the kind of Christianity we have today that does not view salvation so highly as this. That a man would imply that salvation is such a wonderful blessing that a Christian could not help but wish everyone had it only tells me that many if not most in our day do not have that type of salvation.
There is too much hurting going on in the family of God today.
- Too much strife
- Too much in fighting
- Too much seeking for self
May God grant us a new awareness of the value of salvation so we see it as above anything in this world and could only wish good upon others.
[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)
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