Standing Strong (10)

Big Idea: Suffering for Christ is a Blessing for the believer

A repetitive theme: The Christian can expect suffering. Sometimes this suffering is normal suffering that all people are potentially exposed to. Some is specific to them being a Christian. The Bible repeats this theme again and again. So Peter again reminds believers that they should not be surprised at these things.

1 Peter 4:12–19 ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

1 Peter 4:12 ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

This is an imperative, a command. Do not be surprised. What is the fiery trial? Some have thought this means that Christians were expecting that they may be put up as torches, a literal death by fire. Others take it to be metaphorically. Regardless of whether he expected literal fire or meant fiery in the sense of a very difficult trial, Peter pairs the trial with the concept of a test.

Truly all believers are tested in various ways. Our desire should be to pass the test, but the main poiint here again is not to be surprised when this happens. And here is perhaps a borderline sarcasm “as though something strange were happening to you”.

Peter is coming at this concept of suffering with different ways of saying the same thing. Earlier in the same chapter, he said we should arm ourselves with the same way of thinking, that suffering is a sort of proof of our turning from sin. In chapter 3 he had talked about suffering for Righteousness’ sake. Now he says don’t be surprised, as though something strange or unusual is happening.

The opposite of unusual is usual. so if it is not unusual for the Christian to suffer, it is the usual course of things. Again, Peter makes very clear that suffering is a normal part of the Christian life.

1 Peter 4:13 ESV

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

From the imperative “do not be surprised” in verse 12 we move to a new imperative “rejoice”. We are being told what not to do “be surprised” and what to do instead. “Rejoice”. Sharing in Christ’s sufferings is to be considered an honor by the believer, and certainly we saw this in Acts.

The apostles, having been warned and beaten, rejoiced.

Acts 5:41 ESV

Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

And Paul spoke as well of sharing in the sufferings of Christ, and how it was a sort of proof to him of Christ’s work in his life:

Philippians 3:7–11 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Once again, we see the concepts Peter writes about in this letter are not unique concepts. The early church was to expect this, and so are we, and if we rejoice in sharing Christ’s sufferings, we may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

In fact, this is when we will say it was all worth it. Whatever suffering we have gone through, when the glory of Christ is fully revealed to us, we will be able to say with Peter “I am glad” and we will say with Paul

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Part of this suffering may involve insults. Just as Christ was mocked and ridiculed leading up to and while he was on the cross, so we may be insulted. Once again, if this happens, we are blessed.

1 Peter 4:14 ESV

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

This is the same Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead, also known as the advocate and the Helper. Jesus had promised that believers would have the very Spirit of God within them to sustain and strengthen them.

John 14:16–17 ESV

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

In fact, Jesus told the disciples that it was to their advantage that he was going away, because they would have the Spirit.

John 16:7 ESV

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

So when Peter says that if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you, he is only affirming what Jesus had already promised. If Jesus promised these things, Peter reminded the church of this promise.

So the point is being driven home again by Peter, that the believer can expect suffering of various kinds in the life of following Christ, but the suffering a Christian endures should not be because the Christian was a lawbreaker.

1 Peter 4:15 ESV

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

We saw this before, suffering for righteousness’ sake is a blessing to the believer and a witness to the world, but suffering because of our own sin brings no merit on us. So here we have another imperative from Peter. “Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.”

Well, we can certainly appreciate that we shouldn’t be murders or thieves, but what about meddlers? What is a meddler? Someone who gets involved in other people’s business that they should not be involved in. Stirring up the pot. Gossiping. These are great pitfalls that even well-meaning believers can fall into.

Meddling can cause suffering, as can murder, stealing, and other sins. We should not be suffering for any sins we are doing. However, we may suffer for the good we do, or for the beliefs we hold. If that be the case, we are not to be ashamed of it.

1 Peter 4:16 ESV

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Here are two imperatives for the one suffering as a Christian: Do not be ashamed, and glorify. Christians do not seem to have called themselves that, but were called Christians by others. Some scholars think the term Christian was at first considered derogatory.

One should not seek out suffering as a Christian, bu if one was to suffer as a Christian, there is no shame in it. Instead, we should glorify God. As said before, the identification with Christ in His sufferings is a great honor for his followers.

1 Peter 4:17 ESV

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

This judgment is not final judgment and condemnation, but the judgement of purification.

It begins at the household of God

He holds his own to the standard first

The church should be ahead of society in all moral acts and show the world what righteousness looks like.

If even the household of God is judged, how much more those who have rejected him and His salvation through Jesus?

Again, the judgment on the church is to purify it, but the judgment on the world will condemn it.

1 Peter 4:18 ESV

And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Scarcely here means, in a difficult way.

The cross, and the humility and change of heart needed to believe, is no small thing.

1 Peter 4:19 ESV

Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Our example: Jesus

“into your hands I commit my spirit”

Also David, etc

Psalm 3 ESV

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah