1 Peter 4

1 Peter 4:1

4:1 There is a close connection between this section and the preceding (cf. 1Pe_3:18). We have been considering Christ as an example of One who suffered unjustly. He suffered at the hands of wicked men for the cause of righteousness. Since this was so, His followers should arm themselves with the same mind. They should expect to suffer for His name. They should be prepared to endure persecution because they are Christians. Whoever has suffered in the flesh, that is, in the body, has ceased from sin. The believer is faced with two possibilitiessin or suffering. On the one hand, he can choose to live like the unsaved people around him, sharing their sinful pleasures, and thus avoid persecution. Or he can live in purity and godliness, bearing the reproach of Christ, and suffer at the hands of the wicked. James Guthrie, a martyr, said just before he was hanged, Dear friends, pledge this cup of suffering as I have done, before you sin, for sin and suffering have been presented to me, and I have chosen the suffering part.When a believer deliberately chooses to suffer persecution as a Christian rather than to continue in a life of sin, he has ceased from sin. This does not mean that he no longer commits acts of sin, but that the power of sin in his life has been broken. When a man suffers because he refuses to sin, he is no longer controlled by the will of the flesh. 4:2 During the remainder of a believer’s earthly life, he is not controlled by human passions but by the will of God. He prefers to suffer as a Christian rather than to sin like the unbelievers. He would rather die than deny his Lord. The rest of his time in the flesh means the remainder of one’s life here on earth. The believer chooses to live these years for the glory of God rather than for the gratification of sensual appetites. 4:3 Peter is writing to some who, before their conversion, had lived in all the moral corruption of the Gentile world. There had been enough of that kind of life! As Christians, they were new creatures, and the old sins should be abandoned. The remaining years of life belonged to God and should be given to Him. The sins listed still characterize the Gentile non-Christian world todaythe sins of sex, liquor, and false religion. Lewdnessunrestrained indulgence, primarily in sexual immorality. Lustsgratification of unlawful appetites of any kind, but probably referring especially to sexual sins. Drunkennessgiving oneself over to the control of intoxicating beverages with the resulting weakening of will power to resist temptation. There is a close link between drunkenness and immorality. Revelriesriotous parties and late-night merrymaking. Drinking partiesdrinking bouts which lead to debauchery and brawls. Abominable idolatriesthe worship of idols, with all the immorality that is associated with such worship. People become like what they worship. When they abandon the true God, their moral standards are automatically lowered. These lowered standards permit them to engage in all sorts of sinful pleasures for which they have an appetite. This is why idolatrous religions breed sin and degradation. 4:4 This verse describes the common experience of those who are saved from lives of outward corruption. Their former cronies think they have gone mad and accuse them of being religious fanatics. They think it a form of insanity that the Christians will no longer participate in dances, worldly parties, and sex orgies. The clean, moral life of a believer condemns the sinner; no wonder he hates the change! 4:5 Though the ungodly blaspheme Christians in this life, they will give an account for every word and deed at the Judgment of the Great White Throne. The Lord is ready to judge the living and the dead. Clearly it is unbelievers whom Peter has in mind here. The judgment of the living unbelievers will take place before the Millennium begins; the wicked dead will be judged at the close of Christ’s reign on earth. Their condemnation will be proof of the righteousness of the children of God. 4:6 It is for this reasonthe vindication of the children of Godthat the gospel was preached also to those who are dead. Here again we come to a difficult passage. Does this mean that the gospel was preached to people after they had died or while they were still alive? And who were these people? We understand this verse to refer to people to whom the gospel was preached while they were still alive on the earth and who believed on the Lord. Because of their valiant stand for the truth, they suffered at the hands of wicked men, and in some cases were martyred. These believers, though judged, or condemned, according to men in the flesh, were vindicated by God. They are now enjoying eternal life with Him. They were not dead when the gospel was preached to them. But they are dead now, as far as their bodies are concerned. Though men thought them mad, God honored them, and their spirits are now in heaven. Preaching the gospel brings two results to those who believethe blame of men and the approval of God. Barnes explains: The design in publishing the Gospel to them was, that though they might be judged by men in the usual manner, and put to death, yet that in respect to their higher and nobler nature, the spirit, they might live unto God.

1 Peter 4:7

III. THE BELIEVER’S SERVICE AND SUFFERING (4:7-5:14) A. Urgent Imperatives for the Last Days (4:7-11) 4:7 A series of admonitions is now introduced by the statement The end of all things is at hand. This has been taken to mean either (1) the destruction of Jerusalem, (2) the Rapture, (3) the return of Christ to reign, or (4) the destruction of the heavens and the earth at the end of the Millennium. We think it probably refers to the last of these. The first admonition is to be serious and watchful in your prayers. This was written in a time of persecution and means that the believer’s prayer life should be free from the distractions of panic and emotional instability brought on by stress: his fellowship with God should be undisturbed by discordant circumstances. 4:8 He must pay attention to his fellowship with other believers (vv. 8, 9), and have fervent love for all members of the household of faith. Such a love will not publicize the faults and failings of other believers, but will protect them from public view. Someone has said, Hatred makes the worst of everything. Love is entitled to bury things out of sight.The statement love will cover a multitude of sins (Pro_10:12) should not be taken as a doctrinal explanation of how sins are put away. The guilt and penalty of sins can only be removed by the blood of Christ. Neither should the statement be used to condone sin or to relieve an assembly from its responsibility to discipline an offender. It means that true love is able to overlook minor faults and failures in other believers. 4:9 One means of demonstrating love to the brethren is by practicing hospitality ungrudgingly. This counsel is especially needed during times of persecution when food supplies might be running low and when those who harbor Christians are subject to arrest and imprisonment, if not death itself. Hospitality is a tremendous privilege. In practicing it, some have entertained angels unwittingly (Heb_13:2). Any kindness shown to a child of God is reckoned as shown to the Lord Himself (Mat_25:40). No matter how slight the kindness, it will be rewarded handsomely; even a cup of cold water given in the Lord’s name will be rewarded (Mat_10:42). Those who receive a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward (Mat_10:41) which, in Jewish reckoning, was superlative. Many Christians testify to the blessing that has come to their homes and their children through hospitality shown to servants of the Lord. Jesus taught that we should entertain those who cannot repay us (Luk_14:12). This does not mean that we should never entertain relatives, friends, or neighbors who might entertain us in return. But our purpose should be to show kindness in the name of the Lord Jesus with no thought of being repaid. Certainly it is questionable whether believers should keep up a continuing round of banquets and parties with their own clique, while great sections of the world are still unevangelized. 4:10 Each believer has received a gift from the Lord, some special function to perform as a member of the Body of Christ (1Co_12:4-11, 1Co_12:29-31; Rom_12:6-8). These gifts are a stewardship from God. They are not to be used for selfish gain but for His glory and for the good of others. We are not meant to be the terminals of God’s gifts to us; His grace reaches us but should not end with us. We are intended to be channels through whom the blessing can flow to others. We are to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. The grace of God here refers to the undeserved favor which He offers to man. Manifold literally means multi-colored or variegated. Phillips translates it magnificently varied.4:11 Even if a man is gifted to preach or teach, he must be sure that the words he speaks are the very words God would have him say on that particular occasion. This is what is meant by the oracles of God. It is not enough for a man simply to preach from the Bible. He should also have the assurance that he is presenting the particular message intended by God for that audience at that time. Anyone who performs any kind of service should do it with the humble recognition that it is God who empowers him. Then the glory will go to Godto whom it belongs. A man should not become proud no matter how highly gifted he is in Christian service. The gift did not originate by his own effort, but was given to him from above. In fact, he has nothing which he did not receive. All service should be performed so that God gets the credit. As Peter points out, this honor is presented to the Father through Jesus Christ as Mediator, and also because of what God has done for us through Him. To this blessed Savior belongs praise and power forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:12

B. Exhortations and Explanations Concerning Suffering (4:12-19) 4:12 The rest of chapter 4 contains exhortations and explanations concerning suffering incurred for the name of Christ. The word suffering and its derivatives are used twenty-one times in this Epistle. The natural attitude for a Christian is to look on persecution as strange and abnormal. We are surprised when we have to suffer. But Peter tells us that we should consider it as normal Christian experience. We have no right to expect better treatment from the world than our Savior received. All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2Ti_3:12). It is especially true that those who take a forthright stand for Christ become the object of savage attack. Satan doesn’t waste his ammunition on nominal Christians. He turns his big guns on those who are storming the gates of Hades. 4:13 The privilege of sharing Christ’s sufferings should cause us great rejoicing. We cannot of course share His atoning sufferings; He is the only Sin-Bearer. But we can share the same kind of sufferings He endured as a Man. We can share His rejection and reproach. We can receive the wounds and scars in our bodies which unbelievers would still like to inflict on Him. If the child of God can rejoice today in the midst of suffering, how much more will he rejoice and be glad when Christ’s glory is revealed. When the Savior comes back to earth as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, He will be revealed as the Almighty Son of God. Those who suffer now for His sake will be honored then with Him. 4:14 The early Christians rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ (Act_5:41). So should every Christian who has the privilege of being reviled for Christ’s sake. Such suffering is a true indication that the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. This is the Holy Spirit who rests upon persecuted Christians as the glory cloud rested on the tabernacle in the OT, indicating the presence of God. We know that the Spirit indwells every true child of God, but He rests in a special way upon those who are completely committed to the cause of Christ. They know the presence and power of the Spirit of God as others do not. The same Lord Jesus who is blasphemed by the persecutors is glorified by His suffering saints. 4:15 A Christian should never bring suffering upon himself for wrongdoing. He should never be guilty of murder, stealing, evil in general, or meddling in other people’s matters. There is no glory for God in thisonly shame for the testimony of Christ. 4:16 But there is no disgrace if anyone suffers as a Christian. F. B. Meyer says this is true whether it means the loss of business, reputation, and home; desertion by parents, children, and friends; misrepresentation, hatred and even death. Under the name of Christian it is possible to glorify God in all these trials. G. Campbell Morgan admonishes as follows: This is more than glorying in the name. It is so living worthily of all it means as to glorify God. If a man is known as a Christian and does not live as one, he dishonors God. To bear the name is to take a responsibility, a great and glorious one, but none the less a very solemn one. 4:17 Peter contrasts the suffering of God’s people in this life with the sufferings of the wicked in eternity. The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. The time referred to is the dispensation of the church, which began at Pentecost and will continue to the Rapture. The house of God refers to the church. During this age, the church is undergoing judgment by the unbelieving world. Believers are experiencing their sufferings now, just as Jesus did when He was on earth. If that is so, what will be the fate of those who do not obey the gospel of God? If Christians suffer now for doing good, what will the unsaved suffer in eternity for all their ungodly deeds? 4:18 The same argument is contained in this verse, quoted from Pro_11:31 : If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner.The righteous person is scarcely saved or saved with difficulty. From the divine standpoint his salvation was purchased at enormous cost. From the human standpoint, men are told, Strive to enter through the narrow gate (Luk_13:24). Believers are taught that We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God (Act_14:22). With all the dangers and temptations that beset a Christian, it is only a miracle of divine grace that preserves him for the heavenly kingdom. That being so, what will be the doom of those who have died in their sins, unrepentant and unsaved? A vivid illustration of this truth is found in the following anecdote from the writings of F. B. Meyer: It was the earnest wish of a holy man that his death might be so triumphant that his unconverted sons might be convinced and attracted by the evident power of the Gospel to sustain and cheer in the dark passage of the valley. Instead of this, to his deep regret, his spirit lay under a cloud; he was oppressed with fear and misgiving; and the enemy was permitted to torment him to the uttermost. But these very facts were the ones which most profoundly impressed his children. For, said the eldest, we all know what a good man our father was; and yet see how deep his spiritual sufferings were. What then may we not expect, who have given no thought to the concerns of our souls? 4:19 Peter insists that sufferings must be according to the will of God. Religious zealots may invite suffering by acting impulsively without divine guidance. Those with a martyr complex tempt God in a way that leads to dishonor. But the true pathway of suffering for Christians leads to eternal glory. In view of that, they should continue to do right, no matter what the cost may be, and entrust their souls to the faithful Creator. It seems somewhat strange that Peter should introduce the Lord as Creator here rather than as Savior, High Priest, or Shepherd. Christ is our Creator in a twofold sensewe are His as part of the original creation and of the new creation (Eph_4:24; Col_3:10). In either case, we are the objects of His love and care. It is only reasonable that we should entrust ourselves to the One who made our souls and who saved them.