“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:6-9 NASB1995)

In what do we greatly rejoice? Our salvation out of slavery to sin to walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands, all in the power of God, by the grace of God, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in the Lord Jesus, thus resulting in forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God. We rejoice that God chose us to obey Jesus Christ, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled, reserved in heaven for all who have died with Christ to sin and are walking in obedience to the Lord.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

What kinds of trials? Well, if we are those who have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as servants of the Lord and of his righteousness, we will be persecuted. And if we, by faith in Jesus Christ, as empowered by the Spirit, are spreading the good news of the gospel, as was taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles, in the correct biblical context, we will be hated and persecuted by some who do not believe.

But this “some who do not believe” includes many who profess faith in Jesus Christ but who are still living according to the flesh in sinful practices, and for whom obedience to our Lord’s commands is not their practice. And among them are pastors and elders of “churches,” and others who claim faith in Jesus Christ but who are still living to please the flesh. And so they will reject, hate, discard, slander, mock, and persecute those of us who are following the Lord in obedience, who are following the leading of God.

For, who were Jesus’ greatest opponents and persecutors? They were not the non-religious, but they were the religious. They were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Jews, the Scribes, the instructors in the law, and the rulers in the temple of God and in some of the synagogues. They were the ones who wanted Jesus dead and who tried all sorts of tricks to try to trip him up with his words so that they would have cause to accuse him. And they were the ones who planned and who had carried out his death on a cross.

So, since Jesus said that if we follow him with our lives that we will be hated and persecuted as he was, then it should not surprise us if our greatest opposition and persecution comes from within the gatherings of “the church,” and from religious people and those who serve in positions of authority within those gatherings, but who are living worldly lives in accord with business goals and marketing schemes, and not according to the Scriptures taught in their correct biblical context. So they may cast us out.

For so many of the “religious” and “church goers” and “pastors” of these institutional and market-driven “churches” are following after a false gospel message being taught by them or by charlatans and “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who are dishonest, and who are teaching lies as though they are truth. For they teach the Scriptures outside their biblical context, and they twist them to teach what they do not say if taught in context, and they distort the truth of the gospel to not teach death to sin and obeying God.

Of, if they do teach the importance of repentance (putting sin to death) and obeying our Lord and his commands, many are presenting these more as optional and not as required of God as critical components of believing faith which saves and which promises eternal life with God. So, if what you are teaching as the gospel does teach the critical nature of us putting sin to death, by the Spirit, and us walking in obedience to our Lord’s commands, in the power of God, then you may be persecuted and cast aside as unwanted.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

So, know the truth. Obey the truth. And share the truth with the people of this world and with the worldly “church,” even if you get hated in return.

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Words by Adelaide A. Pollard, 1907
Music by George C. Stebbins, 1907

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway.
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!

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An Original Work / January 6, 2026
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