1 Peter 4

1 Peter 4 NIV

The central theme of the Book of 1 Peter is the exhortation of the believers to stand firm in the faith, in the face of suffering and persecution. Peter uses the righteous suffering of Christ, himself, as the ultimate example.

Living for God
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

The word therefore is used to tie us directly back to chapter 3:18. The aspect of Christ’s suffering that these passages stress is suffering unjustly because one has done good. Furthermore, it is physical suffering—“in his body.”
Paul advises: “Arm yourselves also with the same attitude.” Believers are to be prepared also to suffer unjustly and to face such abuse with Christ’s attitude—with his willingness to suffer for doing good. “because . . . is done with sin”. Such suffering enables believers to straighten out their priorities. Sinful desires and practices that once seemed important seem insignificant when one’s life is in jeopardy. Serious suffering for Christ advances the progress of sanctification. When a person suffers 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. That one 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.

“for evil human desires . . . for the will of God.” Now that Christ’s attitude prevails, God’s will is the determining factor in the believer’s life. 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.

Peter gave us two time references that are helpful in having the right attitude in our following of Jesus Christ. First, we should no longer live in sin, and we should answer every temptation and sinful impulse with the reply, “no.” Second, we should carefully consider how to live the rest of our lives. God has appointed us a particular number of days on this earth; and each of us must answer to Him how we live these days.

3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do— living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

The use of the term pagans literally means “the gentiles” in this text. Along with the term “idolatry,” this suggests that at least some of the readers were Gentile who had been converted from a pagan lifestyle.
Peter realized we have 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.

Lewdness: 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. Lewdness denotes excesses of all kinds of evil. Involving a lack of personal self- restraint, the term depicts 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.

When the world looks at our godly living, they think it strange that we do not follow them in their lives of wastefulness. If life lived after the flesh is anything, it is a waste.
The world will speak evil of us and be verbally abusive. When we don’t participate in the sin around us, we convict those who practice their sin, and they don’t like that – so they speak evil of us.

They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge: When this account is required, all who live in the sins Peter described will clearly see how foolish they have been.
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 on 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 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8) and He 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, here, Peter had in mind those in the Christian community who had already died, perhaps even dying as martyrs. If this is the case then Peter used their heroic example as a way to encourage his suffering readers to also be faithful.

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

Anticipating the end times, particularly Christ’s return, should influence believers’ attitudes, actions and relationship, causing us to be alert and of sober mind.
The end of all things is near(or at hand): If we really believe that we live in the last days, it is all the more appropriate that we submit ourselves to prayer (therefore be alert and serious in your prayers).

Peter’s assertion that the end of the age did indeed stand near and might break in at any time well represents the view of the early church.
Therefore be alert . . . 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 . . . sober minded 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. This also means watching ourselves and watching this world, measuring our readiness for Jesus’ coming.

8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

If these are the last days, then it is important for us to love those we are going to spend eternity with. In light of eternity, we must have fervent love for one another. Love does cover a multitude of sins, both the sins of the one loving and the sins of the one who is being loved.

“Where love abounds in the fellowship, 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 ensue. Love will show itself in hospitality. “Without grumbling’’ is a frank recognition that the practice of hospitality could become costly and burdensome. The Greek term denotes a muttering or low speaking, as a sign of displeasure. It depicts a spirit that is the opposite of cheerfulness.”

Love will show itself as we give to our church family what God has given us as gifts. As we do so, we become good stewards of the many-faceted grace of God given to us.
Every part is important; each one has a job to do. 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 the glory belongs Him.
“very words of God”:The Greek for this phrase is used to refer to the Scriptures or to words God has spoken.

Suffering for Being a Christian

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

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. 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 wouldn’t be meaningless. It is good to share anything with Jesus, even His suffering.

Our natural tendency, though, is to embrace the glory and the joy and to avoid any sharing of Jesus’ suffering. Or we 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.

“In as much” implies a measure. Those who have suffered more in Jesus will rejoice more at His coming in glory.

14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

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

Suffering as an evildoer is deserved and brings shame to the name of Jesus. Peter recognized that not all suffering that Christians experience is suffering in the name of Jesus. We understand this when Peter writes about the suffering that might come to the murderer, the thief, or the evildoer. Yet we shouldn’t be surprised that he also includes the busybody in other people’s matters. Such people do suffer a lot of grief and pain, but, obviously, not for the sake of Jesus. We don’t glorify God for [the] suffering. But we do glorify Him in [the] suffering. We glorify Him for what He will accomplish in us and through us with that 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. This is the first of three places in the New Testament where the followers of Jesus are named Christians.

In Acts 11:26 it tells us the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
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.
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 they could be persecuted for being numbered as a Christian.

17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[a]19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

In the context of suffering, Peter tells us that judgment begins at the house of God. Right now, God uses suffering as a judgment (in a positive, purifying sense) for Christians (the house of God). 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 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 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? 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 isn’t 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 and genuine following after Jesus Christ is sometimes a hard thing, so we understand why Peter quoted the passage from Proverbs 11:31, “the righteous one is scarcely saved.” Those who suffer according to the will of God: Peter again made 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.

The Greek word translated “commit” used here is a technical term, 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 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). Faithful Creator: 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 He is faithful, and will only do what is ultimately best for us