Please accept the challenge to consider Alec's conversion. Alec lived during the first century in the Mediterranean world of the Roman empire. His childhood was spent in a home where his father devoutly worshipped Jupiter and his mother was a devotee of Artemis. His parents also worshipped other gods and goddesses.
As a young man he was an avid worshipper of the gods. He frequently attended temple gatherings that worshipped the community's patron god in the temple's banquet rooms. As a young adult he carefully honored his trade guild's patron god. He frequently marched in the processions that honored the god of the hour. He even made pilgrimages to the prominent temples of the gods he worshipped.
As he grew older he became disillusioned with the gods. His past life was founded on making the gods happy. Yet, too often terrible things happened to him. When he asked the temple priests why, he was told he made one of the gods unhappy, or he offended a god he did not worship. For a while he earnestly searched for a god who could provide physical security, but he always became disillusioned. The gods seemed so fickle.
One day a man visited his city talking about someone called Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ was not one of the gods. Jesus Christ was sent by the living God Who created everything. Jesus Christ lived as a human, died as a human, but was resurrected by the living God. The Creator God who sent him raised him from the dead to make him our Savior. Now Jesus Christ sits in God's presence as Lord representing people who believe in him. He lived and died to teach people they never had to fear death again. The resurrected Jesus Christ promised believers resurrection.
The more the man declared Jesus Christ to the community, the more the community resented him. Many local Jews despised him. They declared he deceived and his message was a lie. They said the living, Creator God did not send Jesus, and Jesus was not resurrected. The local priests serving in temples dedicated to various gods resented the man and his message because he declared there was only one God. The local political authorities did not like him or his message because they feared that their patron god would be upset with their city. They also feared the Roman authorities would be upset with the city for offending the official Roman gods. The people directing the trade guilds were angry with him and his message. The gods would be angry, and upsetting the gods would make their business bad.
To make matters worse, Jesus Christ's teachings destroyed social structure. The man's teachings produced believers who assembled together for worship in a home (not a temple!). In their assemblies basic distinctions separating social classes disappeared. A slave could speak in their worship as a master quietly listened! The master could yield to the slave! Every believer shared an incredible commonalty because all believers were equally indebted to Jesus Christ!
At first Alec found Jesus Christ a curiosity. Then he found Jesus Christ interesting. Then he found Jesus Christ relevant to life--in fact, he realized why he should let Jesus Christ define life. He became a believer who was baptized into Christ.
Quickly, Alec's world turned upside down. Alec's wife could not believe she was married to a man who believed there was only one God. Jewish friends immediately considered Alec to be an ignorant traitor. His trade guild said his new faith was bad for business, so he was officially banned from practicing his trade. His means for earning his livelihood immediately ceased. The priests at the gods' temples declared Alec's decision would bring the gods' wrath on the city. The politically prominent shunned him as a disaster waiting to happen. Life was tough! It was difficult for only one reason--he believed that Jesus Christ was the son of God.
The first century world was as varied a world as is ours. To conclude all Christians suffered persecutions or that all Christians had hardships imposed on them in the first century is to exaggerate our conclusions. All regions did not oppose conversion to Jesus Christ. Some Christians endured no persecution, had no hardships imposed on them. Some Christians did. While not every believer had Alec's experiences, many did. His conversion experiences happened, but not to all believers.
Peter wrote to Christians who endured suffering because they believed Jesus Christ was God's son. Even though they suffered, God's power protected their eternal inheritance and salvation (1:5). Distressing trials verified the genuiness of their faith (1:6,7). Their unique relationship with God would eventually cause shame to those who slandered them (2:1-12). These foundation principles were to govern Christian attitude when faith in Christ caused suffering: [1] The most likely way to avoid harm is to zealously do good (3:13). [2] Suffering for righteousness' sake produces blessings (3:14). [3] Christians' good behavior shames those who abuse them (3:16). [4] It is better to suffer for right doing than for doing wrong (3:17). [5] Jesus did what he asked Christians to do (3:18). [6] Accepting suffering results in rejecting sin (4:1). [7] Suffering for Jesus produces blessings (4:12-16).
In theory that is well and good. However, Christian existence does not make pain enjoyable. How could Peter expect Christians to remember those things? How can Jesus Christ expect us to remember those things?
Consider 1 Peter 3:15: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
Consider the statement, "sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts." Before suffering occurred, decide what controlled life. Life has only one Lord. Who or what is my Lord? What controls all I am and all that I do?
To say Christ is my Lord is meaningless unless I allow him to be my Lord. Calling him Lord is meaningless if I allow someone or something else to control who I am and what I do. If he is Lord, he must be Lord of all of me--including my heart. If he is Lord, he alone must be Lord. I must set him aside as my only Lord and allow him to control who I am and what I do.
In my life, the beginning of honoring God's sovereignty is allowing Jesus to function as my Lord.
Thought Question: in practical terms, how does a person "sanctify Christ as Lord in the heart?"
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 11