1 PETER 4

 

OPENS WITH...SERVING GOD IN THE LAST DAYS

 

 

Verses 1-2 tells us In the last days, Christians should have an attitude of COMMITMENT.

 

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

 

 

Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind…

 

The commitment God calls us to have is NOTHING greater than the commitment Jesus had in enduring suffering for our salvation. In the last days, we need to have a commitment to God that will ENDURE through great struggles.

 

 

Jesus communicated the same idea when He told us that anyone who would come after Him must take up his cross and follow (Matthew 16:24). Taking up the cross meant that you were committed and NOT looking back!

 

 

Arm yourself with the same mind…

 

Many of us are defeated in our battle against sin because we refuse to sacrifice ANYTHING in the battle. We ONLY want victory if it comes EASILY to us. Jesus called us to have the kind of attitude that would sacrifice in the battle against sin (Matthew 5:29-30).

 

 

He who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin…

 

When a person has suffered physical persecution for the sake of Jesus, it almost always profoundly changes their outlook regarding sin and the pursuit of the lusts of the flesh. He is more likely to live the rest of his time in the flesh not for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

 

“Therefore,” which obviously ties us into what he has just said in chapter 3. Since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose. That’s really the summation of what he has just said, that’s why the therefore is there. You have seen Christ suffer in the flesh and his suffering was triumphant, so arm yourselves with that same purpose. What purpose? To be willing to suffer in the flesh knowing it produces potentially the greatest triumph. That is a marvelous statement and that is the application of all that has gone before. It is better to suffer for Christ than to suffer with the world. It is better because in our suffering for righteousness sake, when we suffer for doing what is right, when we suffer unjustly, when we are persecuted and treated unfairly and unkindly, it is that very suffering which can produce our greatest spiritual triumph, so we are to arm ourselves with that same purpose.

 

Now let me look more specifically at this statement so that you’ll understand it because the verse itself can appear at the outset to be somewhat difficult. Please note that first statement, since Christ has suffered in the flesh. That simply means, Christ has died. That’s what it’s talking about. It’s talking about his death. Back in verse 18, it says, Christ died, at the beginning of the verse. At the end of the verse it says, he was put to death in the flesh, being put to death in the flesh, in verse 18 suffering in the flesh here in verse 1, both refer to the same thing. They refer to his death. That’s what Peter has been talking about.

 

Since Christ died, implied and had such great triumph in his death, then arm yourselves also with the same purpose. Now what do we mean here by this arm yourselves, well, it is a military term properly translated. It refers to a soldier putting on weapons to fight. And in Ephesians 6:11, a form of this word is translated armor. Or the whole armor of God. Put on your armor. Arm yourselves. Take up your weapons, why? For a battle. Your life is going to be a battle and you need to be armed with this ultimate weapon. What is it? Arm yourselves also with the same ennoia, in the Greek, what does that mean? Same mind, same idea, same principle, same thought. What do you mean by that?

 

Listen very carefully, arm yourself with the same realization, the same idea, and the same principle that was manifest in the suffering of Christ. What is that? The principle that even in death I can what? Triumph. That’s the idea. Arm yourself with that great thought. In other words, be willing, listen carefully, be willing to die. Arm yourself with that great thought, that’s exactly what I believe that Peter is saying here. It’s very simple statement. Christ died and you need to arm yourself with that same idea, that you too are willing to die, because you understand that in dying, there is triumph. Now you have an alternative, if you are persecuted, and they threaten your life, you can just recant.

 

You can just deny Christ. You can just bail out. But that’s not an option, is it? So what he’s saying here is look, just what Jesus said in John 16 is going to come to pass in many of your lives, some of you are going to be persecuted, some of you are going to be killed. Some of you are going to be martyrs, arm yourself with that idea. That as Christ was willing to die because he knew in it there was triumph, you have the same thought, be willing to die for righteousness sake, because you know it can be triumphant.

 

Now let me say it simply, voluntarily accept the potential of death as a part of the Christian life.

 

Now is that a new thought to you?

 

It shouldn’t be.

 

Matthew chapter 10 verse 38 and 39, Jesus said this, take up your what? Cross and follow me. And he said, if any man is not willing to take up his cross, having denied himself, he is not worthy to be my disciple. What did he mean by that? What does he mean take up your cross? What does that mean? That means be willing to die. There’s nothing mystical about it. It isn’t some spiritual dedication he’s talking about, no. When he said to them, be willing to deny yourself and take up your cross, they knew exactly what he meant because a cross is where people got executed. He was saying, be willing to die for me. BE willing to give your life. And for many, many Christians, that has been a reality. Paul said, frankly, 1 Corinthians 15:31, “I die every day.” What did he mean by that? I’m living on the edge. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 as he talked about the character of his own ministry, he said, we are persecuted. We are struck down, we are always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus. We are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus sake, Death works in us, in other words, he was always on the edge of death and one day he died for Christ, didn’t he? But he was ready for that.

 

Remember when he wrote his last letter? He said, I am ready to be offered. You see, he had armed himself with the same idea. He had looked at the death of Christ and seen Christ triumph in it and so he armed himself with the same idea, that I am willing to die for Christ. And Peter here, like Paul, has the same thing in mind. You will find, dear friends, that that is the ultimate weapon, that is the ultimate weapon.

 

Say, what do you mean that’s the ultimate weapon? Look, if the worst they can do to you is kill you and from your view point the best that can happen to you is to die, then you have ultimately thwarted them. That is the greatest weapon you possess. You see, that is why so many martyrs throughout the history of the church have been willing to die, because they armed themselves with that same idea, that there is great triumph in death.

 

Jesus died and triumphed over sin. And if I die, look at it in verse 1. Because he who has suffered in the flesh, what does that phrase mean? To die, has ceased from sin. Did you get that? Is death so bad? You know what happens when you die?

 

What happens?

 

You don’t sin anymore. That’s good. Because you hate sin and you would like to be delivered from sin and you would like to be godly and virtuous and pure and holy and spotless. And you see, if I am armed with the goal of being delivered from sin and that goal is only achieved through my death and the ultimate that anything that anyone can do to me is kill me, they can only bring about that which is most precious to me. So I thwart them. So he’s telling these persecuted Christians to look for the triumph in death. The worst that the hostile persecuting world can do is kill the believer and if the believer is willing to die then that’s no threat.

 

 

You read through Foxes Book of Martyrs or you read the story of John and Betty Stam or you read the story of the missionaries in Ecuador or even more contemporary missionaries who were really killed for the cause of Christ or people in communist lands or pagan lands whose lives were taken because of their faith in Christ and you ask yourself, how is it that they could endure that and the answer is, because they view death as triumph, they have armed themselves with that idea because they know that in death they cease from sin, then death has about it a certain sweetness, does it not?

 

The one who dies has ceased from sin. It’s a perfect tense verb and it emphasizes a state or condition. You enter into a condition, a permanent, eternal state free from sin. Is that bad? Not if that’s the goal of my life. What am I trying to do through my whole Christian life? What am I trying to eliminate in my life? Sin. In one fell swoop, it’s gone. So if I have that idea in my mind, hey, kill me and I’m going to be where I’m trying to get. Free from sin. Then all the fear is gone. All the threatening is gone out of persecution.

 

When a believer dies, he enters a permanent condition free from sin. Christ is the model of that. This was true of Christ, by the way. You say, wait a minute, he wasn’t a sinner. That’s right, he never sinned, he was without sin, but he came, listen carefully, into a world and it says in Romans 8:3, in the likeness of sinful flesh. And he came not only in the likeness of sinful flesh, but for sin. And then he subjected himself to evil men doing wicked things to him, so he felt the brunt of sin, didn’t he.

 

And then on the cross, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says he was made sin and 1 Peter 2:24 says, he bore our sin. He came in the likeness of sinful flesh. He came to receive the worst evil that sinful men could do to him. He went to the cross and was made sin and bore sin, but when he died, he was what?

 

Free from sin.

 

And all of that which he suffered in his incarnation came to an end. He was no more in the likeness of sinful flesh. He had a glorified body. He will never again be subjected to the evil deeds by evil people and demons. He will never again bear sin, it was once for all.

 

GRUDEM says,"Whoever has suffered for doing right, and has still gone on obeying God in spite of the suffering it involved, has made a clear break with sin."

 

 

If we have not physically suffered for following Jesus Christ, we can still connect ourselves by faith to Jesus, who has suffered for us in the flesh.

He no longer should live the rest of his time…

 

Peter gave us two time references that are helpful in having the right attitude in our following of Jesus Christ.

 

FIRST, no longer should we live in sin, and we should answer every temptation and sinful impulse with the reply, "no longer."

 

SECOND, we should carefully consider how to live the rest of our time. God has appointed us some further days on this earth; how must answer to Him how we live this time.

 

 

Verses 3-6 tells us In the last days, Christians should live with an attitude of WISDOM.

 

“For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles; when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

 

 

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles…

 

Peter realized we all spent enough time living like the world. Now we are called to live like Christians. It is a profound, and foolish, waste of time for Christians to live like the world, and we must simply stop being double-minded and start living as Christians.

 

 

Sadly, many Christians (in their heart of hearts) think that they have NOT spent enough time doing the will of the ungodly. They want to experience MORE of the world before they make a full commitment to godliness. This is a tragic what a mistake, and takes a path that leads away from eternal life.

 

 

Licentiousness…

 

This word begins a list of sins that Peter understood should only mark the past life of Christians, and not the present. This word means to live without ANY sense of moral restraint, especially in regard to sexual immorality and violence. It "denotes excesses of all kinds of evil. Involving a lack of personal self-restraint, the term pictures sin as an inordinate indulgence of appetites to the extent of violating a sense of public decency.

 

 

When we look at this list (lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries), we see just how LITTLE fallen man has progressed in the last 2,000 years. These problems have NOT been solved in the time since Peter wrote this letter.

 

 

They think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation…

 

When the world looks at our godly living, they think it strange that we do not follow them in their flood of dissipation (wastefulness). If life lived after the flesh is anything, it is a waste.

 

 

Speaking evil of you…

 

When we do NOT participate in the sin around us, we convict those who practice their sin, and they do NOT like that - so they speak evil of us.

 

 

"Since heathen religious ceremonies were part and parcel of ordinary life (e.g., all civic and national activities were bound up with them) the Christians were compelled to avoid what would have seemed to their fellows a wholly innocuous co-operation and to go much further than merely separate themselves from actual heathen worship." (Best, cited in Hiebert)

 

 

They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge…

 

When this account is required, the magnitude of their foolishness will be easily seen. Even if one seems to live the "good life" living by the world's rules, their life will be a waste in the measure of eternity.

 

 

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead…

 

Peter also says that because of this eternal judgment the gospel was preached to the dead. The righteous dead know, and live in constant awareness of, the reality of eternity - and are rewarded by this understanding as they live according to God in the spirit.

 

 

Peter has already told us that Jesus preached to the spirits in prison, preaching a message of judgment (1 Peter 3:19). Apparently during this same time, Jesus also preached a message of salvation to the FAITHFUL dead in Abraham's Bosom (Luke 16:22) who anticipated the work of the Messiah for them. This preaching to those who are dead was NOT the offer of a second chance, but the COMPLETION of the salvation of those who had been FAITHFUL to God under their first chance.

 

 

In doing this, Jesus fulfilled the promised that He would lead captivity captive (Psalm 66:18; Ephesians 4:8) and would proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound (Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18).

 

It may also be that Peter here referred to those in the Christian community who had already died, perhaps even dying as martyrs. If this is the case, Peter used their heroic example as a way to encourage his suffering readers to also be faithful.

 

Now it is true that a believer hates sin. It is true that a believer desires to flee from sin. It is true that a believer longs to be freed from sin. All of us at some point or another in our lives in one way or another in some words or another have cried out, “Oh wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” We have all cried against our own wretchedness. We have all longed at some point in time to be delivered from the bondage of sin. Now the question comes, since sin is the evil of all evils, yes indeed, the only evil and since we hate it and long to be free from it, how can we avoid it?

 

What is required of us if we are to stay away from sin? Well, obviously, it is the major effort of our life, would you not agree to that? It is the major effort of the life of every believer to avoid sinning. Now in order to avoid sinning, we must have three perspectives, in a sense we have to live in three tenses, future, present, and past. Some would say to us, in order to avoid sin, you have to have a future look. What we do mean by that? You have got to be watching for that temptation that hasn’t arrived yet. But you’ve got to be ready so you are not caught unawares. You have to look into the future. You need to do what the disciples failed to do and Jesus said to them, watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. We have to be on the alert. We have to be watchful, careful, always looking ahead, anticipating what might come, walking circumspectly, walking wisely in light of the danger ahead.

 

We also have to have a present look. Not only are we looking ahead anticipating what might come, but we are looking at the present tense, what is surrounding us so that we are not duped unwittingly into sin. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:9, he says, “Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.” That is present tenses, whatever you see that is evil, hate it. Whatever you see that is good, cling to it. Paul said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Paul said in Romans 13:14, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision of the flesh in regard to its lusts.” So we are constantly looking to the future anticipating what might come of sin. We are also very carefully assessing the present so that we may shun sin.

 

But there is the need as well, to look to the past. One of the most important faculties for dealing with the evil of all evils, indeed, the only evil is a good memory, a good memory. And that is really what’s in Peter’s words here. He is calling on us to remember some things that will enable us to shun sin. The key to the passage is in verse 2 where Peter says that we are to live the rest of the time that we are in this flesh, no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. We are to live the rest of our lives, shunning sin and living out the will of God.

 

Now, in order to do that, yes, we must look ahead and anticipate watchfully that which might come and yes, we must apprise ourselves of the present tense, but Peter’s main point is, we must look back, we must have a good memory. Now, remember where we are before we dig into this particular text. This whole epistle is written to people who are suffering. And it has reached a certain climax actually at the end of chapter 3. And the climax there was that Peter was saying in all of your suffering remember this, suffering can be triumphant. You can be a victor even in suffering and the model for that is whom? Christ.

 

And Peter shows us in chapter 3, verses 18 through 22, how Christ in the midst of unjust suffering triumphed. In fact, he gained his greatest victory at the time of his greatest suffering. And we noted in our last several studies that when Jesus was being unjustly killed, on the cross, when he was being unfairly treated, when he was being punished, the result of hatred, the result of rejection, at the very time when he was suffering unjust treatment, dying the just for the unjust, he was triumphing over sin.

 

He was triumphing over the demon forces of hell. He was triumphing over the judgment of God and he was gaining for himself the ultimate supremacy as it says in verse 22 of being seated at the right hand of God. So in the moment of his death, he triumphed over sin. He triumphed not only over sin, but he triumphed over the demon forces of hell. He triumphed over the judgment of God, which he endured and came out victorious and he triumphed over all created beings. And it was all in his greatest suffering that he gained his greatest triumph. Peter’s point is that when you view your suffering, remember it maybe the moment of your greatest triumph. So it was with the suffering of Christ and so it may be with you as well.

 

 

Verse 7 tells us In the last days, Christians should live with an attitude of SERIOUS prayer.

 

“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.”

 

 

The end of all things is at hand…

 

If we REALLY believe that we live in the last days, it is all the MORE appropriate that we give ourselves to prayer (therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers).

 

Many Christians who believe that Jesus is coming soon based on prophecy charts and political events fail to apply that belief in the proper way. They fail to apply themselves to more diligent prayer.

 

 

Therefore be serious … in your prayers…

 

We must give ourselves to serious prayer. As we see the weight of eternity rushing towards us, we dare NOT take the need for prayer lightly.

 

 

Therefore be … watchful in your prayers…

 

We must give ourselves to watchful prayer, primarily having our hearts and minds watching and ready for the return of Jesus Christ. But this also means watching ourselves and watching this world, measuring our readiness for Jesus' coming.

Verses 8-11 tells us In the last days, Christians should live with an attitude of LOVE.

 

“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

 

 

Above all things have fervent love for one another…

 

If these are the last days, how much more important is it to love those you are going to spend eternity with? In light of eternity, we must have fervent love for one another.

 

 

For love will cover a multitude of sins…

 

Love does cover a multitude of sins, both the sins of the one loving and the sins of the one who is being loved.

 

 

GRUDEM says it well, "Where love abounds in a fellowship of Christians, many small offenses, and even some large ones, are readily overlooked and forgotten. But where love is lacking, every word is viewed with suspicion, every action is liable to misunderstanding, and conflicts about - to Satan's perverse delight."

 

 

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling…

 

Love will show itself in hospitality. Christians should often open their homes to others and doing it all without grumbling.

HIEBERT tells us, "'Without grumbling' is a frank recognition that the practice of hospitality could become costly, burdensome, and irritating. The Greek term denotes a muttering or low speaking as a sign of displeasure. It depicts a spirit that is the opposite of cheerfulness."

 

 

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another…

 

Love will show itself as we give to the church family what God has given us as gifts. As we do so, we are good stewards of the many-faceted (manifold) grace of God given to us.

 

 

In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul makes it clear that he was what he was only by God's grace. But at the same time, His grace toward me was not in vain because Paul put his own God-inspired efforts to work with God's grace. The idea is that if we are bad stewards of the manifold grace of God, it is as if that grace was given to us in vain. That grace is wasted, because it only comes to us, and doesn't move through us.

 

 

If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies…

 

Every part is important; each has its job to do. A man was rebuilding the engine to his lawn mower, and when he finished, he had one small part left over, and he couldn't remember where it went. He started the engine and it ran great, so he figured that the part was useless - until he tried to stop the lawn mower, and it wouldn't stop! Even the smallest, seemingly least important part of the body of Christ is important.

 

 

As we serve one another, we do it with the strength God provides, the ability which God supplies - so that to Him belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.

 

 

Verses 12-13 tells us Enduring trials with the RIGHT attitude.

 

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

 

 

Concerning the fiery trial which is to try you…

 

Instead of thinking of trials (even fiery trials) as strange occurrences, we see them as ways to partake of Christ's sufferings. And if we partake of His sufferings, we will also partake of His glory and joy.

 

 

REMEMBER Peter once told Jesus to avoid the suffering of the cross (Mark 8:32-33). "Once it seemed strange to the Apostle Peter that his Master should think of suffering. Now he thinks it strange that He could have imagined anything else."

 

 

Partake of Christ's sufferings…

 

We can only partake of Jesus' sufferings because He partook of our humanity and sufferings. He became a man and suffered so that our suffering would NOT be meaningless. It is good to share anything with Jesus, even His suffering.

 

 

Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy…

 

Our tendency is to embrace the glory and the joy, and to avoid any sharing of Jesus' suffering. Or, we morbidly fixate on the suffering and forget that it is but a necessary prelude to the glory and joy.

 

We should never deny the place of suffering in building godliness in the Christian life. Though there is much needless pain we bear through lack of knowledge or faith, there is also necessary suffering. If suffering was a suitable tool to teach Jesus (Hebrews 5:8), it is a suitable tool to teach His servants.

 

To the extent implies a measure. Those who have suffered more in Jesus will rejoice more at His coming in glory.

 

 

Verses 14-16 tells us The difference between suffering as a Christian and suffering as an evildoer.

 

“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”

 

 

If you are reproached for the name of Christ…

 

Suffering for the name of Christ is a blessing, because it shows that we really are following Jesus, and that we suffer because we are identified with Him.

 

 

On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified…

 

We expect the world to blaspheme Jesus. But He should always be glorified among Christians.

 

 

Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody...

 

Suffering as an evildoer is deserved and brings shame to the name of Jesus. Peter recognizes that not all suffering that Christians experience is suffering in the name of Jesus.

 

We understand when Peter writes about the suffering that might come to the murderer, the thief, or the evildoer. Yet we should NOT be surprised that he also includes the busybody in other people's matters. Such people do suffer a lot of grief and pain, but NOT for the sake of Jesus!

 

 

If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed…

 

Suffering as a Christian is nothing to be ashamed about, even through the world may despise the suffering Christian. Instead, we should glorify God in these matters.

 

 

We do NOT glorify God for suffering. But we do glorify Him in suffering, and we glorify Him for what He will accomplish in us and through us with the suffering.

 

 

Christians were first known as "disciples," "believers," "the Lord's disciples," or "those who belonged to the Way" before they were known as Christians, first at Acts 11:26.

 

DID YOU KNOW...This is the first of THREE places in the New Testament where the followers of Jesus are named Christians.

 

WHERE?

 

1.In Acts 11:26 it tells us the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

 

2. In Acts 26:28 Agrippa told Paul, You almost persuade me to become a Christian. This shows that between Acts 11:26 and 26:28 Christian had become a popularized name for the followers of Jesus.

3. In 1 Peter 4:16 the idea is that some are suffering because they are identified as Christians. This shows that the name had become very widely used, so much so that one could be persecuted for being numbered as a Christian.

 

 

Verses 17-19 tells us Committing your soul to God in the midst of suffering.

 

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

 

 

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God…

 

In the context of suffering, Peter tells us that judgment begins at the house of God. God uses suffering as a judgment (in a positive, purifying sense) for Christians (the house of God) now.

 

 

Now is our time of fiery trial (1 Peter 4:12); the ungodly will have their fire later. The fire we endure now purifies us; the fire the ungodly will endure will punish them. Yet we always remember that there is never any punishment from God for us in our sufferings, only purification. For the Christian, the issue of punishment was settled once and for all at the cross, where Jesus endured all the punishment the Christian could ever face from God.

 

 

The same fire that consumes straw will purify gold. The fire is the same, but its purpose in application is different, and its effect is different upon the straw and the gold. Even so, Christians do suffer some of the same things the ungodly do, yet the purpose of God is different, and the effect is different.

 

If it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

 

Peter's sobering application is clear: if this is what God's children experience, what will become of those who have made themselves His enemies? How can they ever hope to stand before the judgment and wrath of God?

 

 

Christians can rejoice that the sufferings they face in this life are the worst they will ever face, throughout all eternity. We have seen the worst; those who reject Jesus Christ have seen the best of life their eternal existence will ever see.

 

 

If the righteous one is scarcely saved…

 

Since this is true - that the salvation of the righteous does not come without difficulty - then it should make us pause if we ourselves or others seem to have an "easy" salvation.

 

 

It is NOT that our salvation is difficult in the sense of earning it or finding a way to deserve it; it is all the free gift of Jesus Christ. Yet our salvation is hard in the sense that the claims of discipleship challenge us and demand that we cast away our idols and our sins. Real discipleship; genuine following after Jesus Christ is sometimes a hard thing, so we understand why Peter quoted the passage from Proverbs, the righteous one is scarcely saved.

 

 

Those who suffer according to the will of God…

 

Peter again draws a distinction between those who suffer according to the will of God and those who suffer otherwise. Not all suffering is the will of God.

 

Commit their souls to Him…

The word "commit" is a technical one, used for leaving money on deposit with a trusted friend. Such a trust was regarded as one of the most sacred things in life, and the friend was bound by all honor to return the money intact.

 

It is the very word Jesus used when He said, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit. (Luke 23:46)

 

 

So when Christians commit their souls to Him, they leave their souls in a safe place. God is a faithful Creator, and we can give ourselves to Him as pliable clay in His hands.

 

 

Faithful Creator…

 

PETER REMINDS US...So much of the agony we put ourselves through in times of trial and suffering has to do with our disregard of God's faithfulness, or of His place as Creator. He is our sovereign Creator, with the right to do with us as He pleases. Yet JESUS is faithful, and will only do what is ultimately BEST for us.

 

JOHN MACARTHUR sums up these last scriptures well, “ So, all of this helps us to see the importance of a clear evaluation of our suffering. It is to be for righteousness’ sake, not become of sin. We are not then to be ashamed when we suffer, but to honor God because He is purifying His church where judgment must begin if we’re going to be a pure people to reach the world. And so, when you see yourself suffering, look at it, see it for what it is, evaluate it. It should be a good reminder of how much more severe judgment could be and will be for those without Christ. How do you handle suffering? Expect it, rejoice in it, evaluate it, see it for what it really is. It’s God graciously purging His church for usefulness, for communion with Christ, for greater weight of glory. It’s not to be compared with that terrible suffering that the sinners and ungodly will endure forever.

 

One final point: expect suffering, rejoice in suffering, evaluate suffering; fourthly, entrust yourself to God. A godless man can’t do that. The sinner can’t do that; it would be too late. You and I can in the midst of our suffering. Verse 19, “Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right.” The word therefore is there because of the true perspective on suffering just summed up. Because you now understand suffering, you now understand that it is remedial, corrective, purgative, instructive. You understand that God uses it to test you, to purge you, to make you more useful, to give you a greater weight of glory. “Therefore, in the midst of it, let those also who suffer according to the will of God,” it is in His will as He cleanses His church, “entrust their souls.”

 

 

We are suffering according to the will of God. It is His purpose, it is His intended purpose for His children: to purge, purify, chasten, to make us tender, to make us effective. The word “entrust,” by the way, is a banking term. It means to deposit for safekeeping, just go through suffering taking your soul, and depositing it with God. The word “soul” means your life, your being, your person. “Give it to a faithful creator.” That’s the only place in the Bible where that phrase is used. Why does he use it? Listen to this, he uses the word “creator” to remind us that we’re simply giving back to God what He created, which means that He is most capable of caring for it, right? And when we say He is a faithful creator, we can trust Him with it. As creator, He best knows the needs of His beloved creatures. As a faithful creator, He will meet those needs because He is faithful to His promise. “My God shall supply all your needs.” By the way, the word “entrust” here, entrust their souls to a faithful creator, paratithēmi, is the same word exactly used of Jesus when on the cross He entrusted His Spirit to the Father. Same word. In the midst of His suffering, He gave Himself to God. Peter says give your life to God for Him to sustain in the midst of the greatest suffering, and He is trustworthy, and He will be faithful. And that verse ends, “In doing what is right.”

 

 

That’s where it ought to be. We do what’s right; we commit ourselves to God. We suffer, we entrust our souls to a faithful creator, and do what is right. To say it another way: while doing what is right, take what comes; commit yourself to God. No defection, obedience, commitment, faithfulness. Just keep doing what is right. So, when suffering comes to the believer, we expect it, we rejoice in it, we look at it closely and evaluate it. Is it a result of sin, or is it a result of righteousness? And is God just purging, purifying, testing, that we might be more useful, more glorious?