ain and obey the truth
is to stir up wrath and hatred. Even the heathen assert as much. But
the fault lies not with the advocate of truth but with its rejecters.
Is the truth not to be preached at all? Must we be silent and permit
all mankind to go direct to hell? Who could or would heap upon himself
the guilt of such negligence? The godly Christian, who looks for
eternal life after the present one and who aims to help others to
attain unto the same happy goal, assuredly must act the part he
professes, must assert his belief and show the world how it travels
the broad road to hell and eternal death. And to do so is to
antagonize the world and incur the displeasure of the devil.

4. Now, since there is no escaping the fact that he who would confess
Christ and make the world better must, in return for his service and
benefactions, heap upon himself the enmity of the devil and his
adherents, as Peter says--since this is the case, we must remember
that it is incumbent upon us to have patience when the world manifests
its bitterest, most hateful enmity toward our doctrine and toward our
very lives, when it reviles and slanders and persecutes us to the
utmost for our principles. Peter here admonishes and persuades
Christians unto patience under these circumstances, and at the same
time seeks to comfort them with tender and impressive words.

5. First, Peter reminds the believers of their calling--of their
reason and purpose in embracing Christianity. He says, in effect:
"Remember, belief in Christ necessitates confession of him, and the
entire Christian Church is numbered in the holy, divine calling that
stands for the praise of God and the promotion of his kingdom." An
essential feature of this calling is the suffering of evil in return
for good. It seems inevitable that Christians be condemned in the eyes
of the world and incur its highest displeasures; that they be destined
to take up the gauntlet against the devil and the world. It is said
(Ps 44, 22): "For thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter," or for the sacrifice.
Sacrificial sheep were kept in an enclosure, not permitted to go to
pasture with the others. They were not kept for breeding, but to be
daily, one after another, slaughtered.

6. Paul would say: "What will you do, beloved Christians? Will you
live in the world and not encounter any persecution because of your
good deeds? Will you rage at the wickedness of the