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Read Introduction to 1 Peter
 

“Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

 

but on the contrary blessing,

“Contrary” means the opposite. God expects us to operate the very opposite way of how we would generally work when it comes to people who orally assault us. 

“Blessing” – to speak well of, to praise, invoke a blessing upon, to cause someone to prosper, speak well of.  Are you willing to invoke a blessing upon your enemies? Are you a blessing to those who do you evil and even rail against you?

1 Co 4:12, “And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure.”

PRINCIPLE: 

Blessing others is God’s method of communication, even in the face of verbal abuse.

APPLICATION:

After telling us what not to do, Peter turns to what we should do. After negating vengeance in our lives, he shows us how to respond to our detractors – give a contrary blessing. Do them good. God expects us to take the guff, but he wants us to go farther — he wants us to bless them. 

We do not extinguish the fire with fire but with water. Likewise, we do not extinguish verbal abuse with verbal abuse but with a blessing. We have a much higher chance of resolving the issue by taking the high road of maturity. Do you try to get even? This is hate and immaturity. 

Maturity returns blessings for railing –Mt. 5:44, Love your enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to those that hate you, and pray for those that persecute you.” God calls us to do the difficult thing. The source of giving blessings to others is the Holy Spirit (John 7:38). 

If someone is vindictive toward us, God wants us to think about how he has blessed us. We put it in the Lord’s hands (1 Pet. 5:7). 

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