You Suffer Because You Are Righteous in Christ -- so Rejoice!!

"But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled" (1 Peter 3: 14)

When I read about righteousness in the Bible, I had always assumed that it had something to do with what I did.

If I was witnessing to other people, for example, and then someone attacked me for doing that, then I considered myself persecuted for righteousness' sake (Matthew 5: 10).

If I was doing good deeds, or if I was submitting to abuse, it was another circumstance of "suffering" for righteousness' sake.

In the past, though, I was unskilled in righteousness (Hebrews 5: 12). Righteousness is not something that I do, but something which I receive as a gift.

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive [lit. are receiving] abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

and

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

I do not earn the status of full justification and acceptance before God. Not only do I receive this gift over and over, but this righteousness has changed my identity altogether. I am a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 17).

This transformation is confirmed in John's First Epistle:

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (1 John 3: 1)

This verse indicates also why we will suffer persecution. Not  for what we do, but for who we are in Christ, will we suffer persecution. The world does not look kindly on people who walk in the gracious and unmerited favor of God. The world operates according to a system of "strive to stay alive". In Christ, we thrive as He is alive in us!

Our only task, no matter what we face on this earth, then, is to keep receiving this gift:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)

All things added, including our protection, including grace which super abounds (Romans 5: 20), even as we endure persecution:

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)