63. The Faithfulness of God in Our Suffering

The Faithfulness of God in Our Suffering

1Pe 4:12-19  Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;  (13)  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.  (14)  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.  (15)  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.  (16)  Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.  (17)  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?  (18)  Now "IF THE RIGHTEOUS ONE IS SCARCELY SAVED, WHERE WILL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?"  (19)  Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

This verse is the last in the paragraph that begins in verse 12. The verse begins with ‘therefore which is indicative of a summarization or a reason to introduce a new thought. In this case it summarizes not only the paragraph but the whole letter to this point. In this verse the themes which Peter has addressed in his letter are explicitly or implicitly stated: the people of God, suffering, the will of God, faith, the faithfulness of God and depending on how you would translate the Greek word(en) in can mean either in doing what is right or while doing what is right. One refers to the action of God the other to our actions.

There are 4 Pts this morning: 1. The high position of those who suffer according to the will of God. 2. Their Present suffering. 3. Suffering in the will of God 4. Entrusting our Souls to Him

The High position of Those

The immediate context is within this paragraph beginning at verse 12. The beginning of the paragraph the recipients of this letter are called beloved. This is not the only place in this letter that they are called beloved. It occurs back in 1Pe 2:11  Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

This word beloved is the noun form of the verb agape. I want you to think about this with me for just a moment. To be the beloved of God means that we are the recipients of His special acts of love on our behalf. And it is in the Word of God that we can trace these special acts of love. You and I have been born at a unique time in redemptive history. We have the completed Canon, the Word of God, and we can trace the fulfillment of the love of God to us through the Covenants and the fulfillment of them. All of His Covenants find their ultimate fulfillment in our Lord Jesus Christ. God initiates us in His holy love in loving us before the world was and so moves in human history and our own personal history to see that love fulfilled.

Eph 1:5  In love  (5)  He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

Paul indicates that His choosing and predestining is in accordance with His will, the kind intention of His will. In that, His eternal purpose and plan is established. Many say the central theme of the Bible is about redemption. That is not a wrong answer, but it is not the complete answer. It is certainly about the glory of God. It is about How the infinitely glorious Triune God, absolutely, infinitely, gloriously, wondrously, incomprehensibly, eternally loves us who deserve not the least of His tender mercies.

On Christmas day we read (Mat 1:1)  The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: This a direct reference to the covenants made with Abraham and David and the promises they received. It was through Abrahams seed that all the nations would be blessed. And David would have an heir to sit on His throne forever. Jesus is the fulfillment of these promises. As we go to the immediate context of Peter’s letter; within the first 3 verses they are plunged into the doctrine of the Trinity and the Triune work of God in salvation. The father elects, the son accomplishes salvation and the Holy Spirit applies it to those whom God has called. It is in Christ’s sprinkled blood that the New Covenant is established, it is in His sprinkled blood that we are anointed for service and it is His sprinkled blood that we are cleansed from our sin. They see God is the initiator of salvation in that ‘caused us to be born again to a living hope’. God is the sustainer of our salvation in that we are protected by the power of God for the day of salvation 1:3. They are reminded of the high cost of salvation in the blood sacrifice of Christ and that because of Him we are being built as a temple, we are those living stones, we are that royal priesthood that are to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. It is interesting to me that Peter calls them Beloved in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit only after the deep theological foundation in chapter 1. Peter displays how they are beloved, not with empty platitudes but in God’s working in eternity and through redemptive history in fulfilling their being chosen, saved and secured. This can only be fully appreciated with the proper understanding of the sinfulness of sin and the depravity of man. It can only be understood in light of the perfect holiness of God.

The Present, Continuous fact of Suffering of Those

But the believer’s high position as the Beloved of God does not exempt them from suffering. Suffering in this verse is a present active meaning that suffering is the lifestyle of the believer. There are many kinds of suffering. None of them are pleasant or else it would not be suffering. They can include all kinds of troubles and afflictions. How far can our sufferings go? How far did Job’s go? He lost everything. His children, his wealth, his health and had the company of friends pointing the finger at him that surely he must have sinned to earn the displeasure of God and a wife who encouraged him to curse God and die. It is in the midst of suffering that time seems to stand still. We wonder when it will ever end. How many times has suffering and persecution ended in death? Suffering can include everything up to and including death. Consider all the Christians who have been martyred throughout the ages even to this present day. Peter’s letter is marked with suffering and affliction. It is mentioned at least 16x in reference to Christ and His people.

It is difficult to see the hand of God in suffering but we have the assurance that the hand of God is in it.

Suffering according to the will of God.

We have touched on the will of God being displayed in His choosing and predestining before the foundation of the world. We have seen His will worked out practically in accomplishing salvation for His people in and through the satisfaction of Christ in His fulfilling all the requirements of the Law in the keeping of it and suffering the consequences of death for our breaking the Law, and the application of that salvation through the work of the Holy Spirit.

There are several things we see in suffering according to the will of God. When we look back at 1Pe 1:6-8  In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,  (7)  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;  (8)  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,

I want to remind you of what these verses taught:

Trials for the people of God, refine faith.

“That” (1:7) points to the purpose of the various trials of 1:6: that our faith might be tested or refined, like gold, to remove the dross so that at the coming of Christ there will be praise, honor, and glory. Faith is at the very heart of the Christian life. We are saved by faith; we walk by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6).

Proof is a verb that describes either the process of determining the genuineness of something or the end result. The Puritan, Thomas Manton explained it as "Trial is not only to approve, but to improve."

Faith is compared and contrasted to gold. Gold was and is of high value. It was a measure of wealth and worth. But Peter is saying that faith, refined by fire, is more precious than gold. How? Why? Gold only has value in this life. It may provide creature comforts and ease in this life but it does nothing for the soul. It can offer no solace, no hope, no promise for the future. While faith does not provide creature comforts, it is precious in comforting and soothing the soul when fixed upon Christ. It is compared to gold in that as gold is made more pure in the refiner’s fire; as the dross floats to the top of the gold and skimmed off. Faith likewise is made more pure in the fires of affliction.

2.Trials are temporary, necessary, and under God’s control.

Temporary is seen in now for a little while. There are times when we endure trials for many years and it may be difficult to grasp Peter’s meaning here. That’s a little while compared to eternity. Paul expressed the same thing when he said, “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18).

Trials are temporary; salvation is eternal. In a short while, Jesus Christ is returning in glory and we will spend all eternity with Him. Our present trials, no matter how great, will pale in significance in the light of eternity. Thus, in the midst of our pain, we can have great joy if we will focus on the shortness of time and the eternal glory that awaits us when Jesus returns.

Necessary - If necessary points to only that which is necessary and not one thing more. God is not spiteful or evil in the unnecessary affliction of His people. Rather only those trials and afflictions which are necessary for the growth in faith are permitted; not for our detriment but for our good, as God has ordained that we should be conformed to the image of His beloved Son. Of Jesus it is written, “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:8). How much more so us?

Under God’s sovereign control. The implication of verse 7 is that God is the refiner. He is the metallurgist proving our faith as gold, removing the dross. Eph6 and 1Peter5 speak of Satan and spiritual warfare. We know from Eph6 that Satan’s spiritual warfare against the people of God are specific and unique to each believer. I Peter 5 says that Satan prowls about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The comfort in these two words ‘if necessary’ is the knowledge that Satan is that heavy hammer intent on the destruction of those whom he strikes. But he is just a tool of our heavenly Father, who wields it not for our destruction, but for our shaping and molding. Each blow placed specifically and with just the right amount of force to accomplish His design. I heard this analogy many years ago and I don’t remember the Puritan who first coined it.

So there is purpose in suffering according to the will of God. It is in suffering that our faith is refined in the fire of affliction.

Those that suffer let them entrust their souls to the faithful Creator

The word entrust is a banking term. It is the taking something of value and depositing it where it is kept safe. The real value of this is not in the action itself but to who the action is directed. We are commanded to entrust our souls to the faithful Creator. To entrust that which has infinite value to that which finite makes no sense at all and yet we do it all the time. We trust our bank accounts and retirement savings to keep us secure in our old age and yet we do not have the assurance it will be there in that time. We entrust our insurance companies and yet they cannot keep us healthy or keep us from dying. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul?

The verb is a present passive verb meaning that it is a continuous action. We are continually entrusting our souls to the One who is not only able to keep it but will keep it.

1Pe 1:5  who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Pe 2:25  For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

This is only the second place in the NT that God is referenced as the Creator. And here Peter use the adjective faithful. Peter references God as Creator as show of His power in creation and sustaining of that creation. Surely He who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them and sustains them but the word of power, He who holds all things together, He who created the soul, saves the soul, is able to sustain the soul in trial and suffering. Proof of His faithfulness lies in the daily working of His creation. The sun rises on the good and the evil likewise the rain also comes. The sun keeps in track in the day and the moon and stars by night.

God is faithful in His consistently being the God of the Bible. He is faithful in infinite holiness, He is faithful in infinite justice, He is faithful in infinite love from which His mercy and grace spring forth. And every day we wake to a new day sunshine or rain, warm or cold; each day we see the sun make its path across the sky, when evening comes, the stars appear, the moon rises in the suns place is a testimony of His faithfulness to each and every one of us who have entrusted our souls to Him that He will not let us go. What we have entrusted to Him is eternally secure, not locked in a cold lifeless vault, but locked in the vault of God’s eternal love that he daily displays to us.

Proof of His faithful love is seen in our salvation.

In doing what is right or while doing what is right. There is a Greek word that can be translated either way. I believe the right translation is “in doing what is right:

This application is two sided. Entrust your souls to Him in doing what is right. If it is God’s will that we should suffer, it is not because He is capricious or hates His people. No, the cross is the ultimate testimony of His love. Scripture after Scripture testifies to His unfailing love of His people, why then would He mistreat them? He does not. But God so loves us that He will not abide sin in His people, God so loves us that we will be conformed to the image of His Son. He so loves us that He would reveal the worlds hatred of and for the people of God lest any of us would be tempted with what the world offers.

In Sunday school we have been learning about Joseph. God revealed in dreams to Joseph that he would be in a position of authority over his father and brothers but it wasn’t until much later after he had endured evil and suffering that he understood the why of it. We may never know the why on this side of heaven. But we have the testimony of Scripture to understand that it is not without purpose and if our eyes are really set on the things above rather than the things of this earth. And if we are so enamored with the idea of peace and safety, or with our comfort maybe we have set up idols in our lives that we do not want to remove.

I remember ready a parenting book when the kids were very little. The first read through I hated that book because it wasn’t about making my kids obey it was about removing my idols of peace and quiet. It is the same principle here.

If the meaning is while doing what is right. It is setting our face like flint in and for the purpose of holding fast our confession of Christ. It is only right we do so in light of Christ, our surety, who stood in the gap for us.