Blessed Suffering

Review/Preview The Text

If you have a copy of God’s Word, you can go ahead and make your way to 1 Peter 4. We’re going to pick back up with our break-off series in 1 Peter, and today we arrive at part 6 of this series. Lord-willing, we’ll likely finish up this letter with Kevin in a couple weeks.

As you make your way there, let’s briefly re-consider the context of this letter, as well as where we’ve already been in this series. The Apostle Peter is writing to both Jewish & largely Gentile believers who were scattered across Asia Minor. They had come to faith in the Christ, Who had ascended to His heavenly throne about 30 years earlier. These Christians had been brought into the fold of God’s elect people as the gospel was advancing from Judea, Samaria, and across the Roman Empire.

And as the ascended King Jesus was building His Kingdom across the Roman Empire during this time, as you might expect, resistance and opposition was taking place. As Kevin will show us in the next chapter, the adversary of these believers—the Devil—was prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking ones to devour. He was on the prowl, and one of the ways that he was waging war on the seed of the woman was in and through his own seed. Not only was this in and through pagan Gentiles who were living debaucherous lives all around these believers…but most pointedly, this was in and through Emperor Nero and his satanic kingdom. In those days, there was an increase of Christian persecution that was trickling out of Rome and into other areas of the Empire, including here across Asia Minor.

And so these believers were living as Christians in the face of heightened trials and suffering. Amid these challenging circumstances…as they continued to make their way to the Promised Land of their inheritance…they needed encouragement to stand firm in the grace of God.

And brothers and sisters here this morning: though our circumstances look different today, we too face our own forms of fiery trials & suffering as we journey to the Promised Land. And so, we too, need this same encouragement. This has been Peter’s aim all throughout this letter so far. He’s gone to great lengths to encourage believers in the faith. He’s consistently sought to ground us in our blessed status as born-again children of God…he’s consistently reminded us of God’s good purposes, even in our suffering…and he’s consistently exhorted us to live holy & set-apart lives amid the various trials we face.

And within our passage today, we’re going to continue to see this pattern from the Apostle Peter. So may the Lord give us ears to hear His Spirit-inspired Words…in order that we ourselves might stand more firmly in His grace.

With that said, at this time, I invite you to stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Read The Text

1 Peter 4:12–19 (ESV)

12 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. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 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? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

PRAY. Thank you. You can be seated at this time.

Explain & Apply The Text

Well this morning, we’re going to explore this passage under 3 basic headings. And Lord-willing, together we’ll see ways in which Christian suffering is actually a sign of our blessed status, as well as ways in which we are to go about standing firm in God’s grace amid the fiery trials of life.

Expecting The Fiery Trials (v12)

So with that said, let’s jump right in to our 1st Heading for today, which is this: Expecting The Fiery Trials. Growing up as a small-town Indiana kid in the 90’s, there was one thing that particularly captured my heart from a very young age: I’m talking about basketball. I grew up playing, watching, and daydreaming about this sport…so much so that being a basketball player had become a very large part of my identity and my pursuits as a person. I had a deep love for the game, as well as a desire for continued development and to reach certain goals and ends as a basketball player. And one thing that I thought I fully knew, as I set out in this basketball journey, was that I would face struggles & challenges along the way. That it would be painful at times. This was no surprise to me, and I had confidence that my deeply-rooted identity as a player, and that my passion for the game would help carry me through these difficulties.

Well this all was put to the fiery test when I went on to pursue college basketball, where I faced a whole new level of challenges & struggling. These heightened trials brought much hardship as I began my college career, and it tested me to the point where I was on the brink of just being done with it all…just transferring schools and ending my pursuit of being a basketball player altogether.

Well to bring this illustration back to our passage for today…when it comes to our identity of being born-again Christians, and our pursuit of standing firm in God’s grace as faithful Christians, one foundational part of our mindset must be this: that we must expect fiery trials in the Christian life. In verse 12, Peter writes this: “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.”

You know I think that on a general level, it makes sense to the average Christian that God ordains some level of trials for our maturation as believers in this life. But do we expect Him to ordain “fiery” trials? Severe tribulation? The book of Job kind of stuff? Here in our nation, as it specifically pertains to Christian persecution, God has been so merciful by largely shielding us from this fire. And so, generally-speaking, the specific trial of Christian persecution seems kind of foreign to us…and thanks be to God for that.

But the reality is that if the Lord grants a believer enough life in any nation, fiery trials will come. It may or may not come in the form of intense persecution, but heightened tribulation & suffering will come to every Christian in some other form or fashion. Maybe it’s a wrongful termination at work, leaving you without the job you love and in financial hardship. Maybe it’s a debilitating illness. Cancer. The death of a loved one. Maybe your dad bailed on you when you were young, or your parents got divorced when you were a teenager and it threw your world upside down. Maybe it’s the inability to have a child. Maybe you tragically lost of a child that you once held in your arms.

Beloved: there are so many different types of fiery trials that can come upon believers in this life. And as much as the heat of our suffering might get turned up, it’s important for us to remember that even these fiery trials, TOO, come from the Sovereign Hand of God for His good purposes. So fiery trials shouldn’t surprise us. They shouldn’t seem strange to us.

But easier said than done sometimes, right? The rubber meets the road when we actually find ourselves in the throws of higher grade, heightened tribulation…when we find ourselves facing very grievous trials and experiencing very real pain and suffering. When these extra painful times come, sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to us, and we find ourselves asking “why?.” “Why Father? If You say that you love me, then as my loving Father, why did you allow this happen?” “This can’t possibly be Your will for me, right?” Sometimes we can just be so taken back by our grievous circumstances that it’s hard for us to imagine how this could possibly be for our good, let alone be a sign of blessing.

And so just as the believers of Peter’s day, we need God’s grace in the form of a good reminder. A good reminder that every fiery trial that God’s Beloved Children face? He has sovereignly ordained for our lives in order to test, to refine, to sanctify, and to purify us for glory.

And so, as hard as it might be to even think about major suffering in this life—let alone actually going through it—we must expect fiery trials to come our way. Not in order to cultivate paranoia in us, nor anxious and worrisome hearts…but in order to cultivate hearts that are equipped with increasing faith, so that when the fiery trials do come, we can rest in the One Who has ordained them for our good and His glory. And this gives us reason, not for worry, but for rejoicing.

Rejoicing In The Fiery Trials (v13-16)

This brings us to our 2nd Heading this morning: Rejoicing In The Fiery Trials. There are various reasons why we as Christians can rejoice in suffering.

Because The Fiery Trials Test The Beloved

We just highlighted one of these reasons from verse 12, which shows us that our suffering is not without a good purpose. Let’s continue to unpack this a bit more. Our Father doesn’t ordain trials in our lives for Him to sit back and watch us suffer just for the heck of it. No…again, he’s in the process of purifying us. Our loving Father is in the process of training up His Beloved Children. For His glory and our good, He ordains certain fiery trials if our life in order to test and refine our faith…in order to continue to sanctify and conform us unto the image of Christ…and in order to continue to advance His gospel, and produce gospel fruit, in and through us.

As the writer of Hebrews reminds us: “‘the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?… He (God) disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

I love this analogy of an earthly father lovingly disciplining and training up his son. As you know, I’m a father to a little boy now. And I look forward to the privilege and challenge of training Jesse up. No doubt, there are going to be some rough moments along the way, for both of us as fallen humans. Lord-willing, as I strive to faithfully train up and discipline Jesse in the years to come, it’s not going to be pleasant for that boy at times. But the goal is to raise him up into being a godly and mature man…one who ultimately becomes independent of his mother and me.

Similarly, but perfectly: our Heavenly Father is training us up as His Beloved Children…and part of this process involves disciplining and maturing us in and through very painful trials…in order to raise us up into godly and mature Christians. But unlike part of an earthly father’s end goal for parenting…our Heavenly Father’s goal is to train us up into being, not more independent, but being more dependent on Him. Intimate dependency on our Father is a blessed place to be, especially for when the fiery trials of life come.

Brothers and Sisters: I don’t know about you, but personally, I look back and I grieve ways in which I have not suffered well in my life. At times, I’ve been confronted with some pretty heavy circumstances over the years. Those fiery trials came upon me from my loving Father in order to test me…and what they revealed was just how weak my faith in Him was…just how much I liked being in control…just how much I liked manipulating circumstances and trusting in my own flesh.

Can any of you relate? And yet God is so patient, merciful, and kind to us, isn’t He? Even when we grumble and when we buck His discipline, His love is for us is steadfast and He continues working for our good. And so far in my life, I’ve found this to be true—maybe you have too—that by His grace, over time as He continues to humble us and renew our weak faith…He tends to lovingly drag us to a place, later on in hindsight, where we can genuinely look back on former trials with gratitude and rejoicing—even though some of the suffering might even still remain—because we see His sovereign Hand in those trials for our good and His glory.

Beloved: some of you are in the midst of a fiery trial right now. All of you ...if you haven’t already, will at some point go through some form of heightened suffering in this life, should the Lord grant you extended time here. Remember that our Father loves you. And that even the fiery trials that you go through? He ordains them for your eternal good and His eternal glory. Amid the pain, this gives you legitimate reason to rejoice. So rather than letting hardship lead to a lifetime of bitterness…and rather than even finally looking back years later, in hindsight, with gratitude…may we be equipped & prepared to rejoice in the Lord now and in all circumstances. Our Loving Father is always at work for the good of His Beloved Children. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because The Beloved Share Christ’s Suffering

Well another reason that we can rejoice in fiery trials as believers is because, as Peter reminds us, this actually gives us an opportunity to share Christ’s sufferings. Peter writes this in the first part of Verse 13: “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings…”

How is it exactly, that believers share Christ’s sufferings? What does that even mean? Well we absolutely DON’T share His suffering in the sense that we somehow add to His atoning suffering. This notion is not only wrong, but it’s blasphemous. The atoning suffering of Christ was perfectly sufficient.

Earlier in his letter, Peter wrote that “Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God.” Having been reconciled and brought to God through the atoning suffering of Christ, we now enjoy fellowship with God…we have been united to Christ…we are His Bride…we are His Body…we are His Temple, the dwelling place of His Spirit! This in itself is reason to rejoice.

And as it pertains to the fiery trials that we encounter in this life, we can rejoice in suffering because we share Christ’s sufferings. From Verse 14, let’s consider one example of how this might play out in our lives. Peter writes this: “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed.” Think about this. Dear Christian, there may be times in this life when people hurl insults at you directly because you are a believer. Take heart Beloved. Rejoice in this trial. For your Savior Himself bore the insults of others as He was nailed to a cross for you. Saints: as we endure suffering as Christians, we are linked to Jesus Christ.

Christ Himself reminds of this reality in Matthew 25. While alluding to the dialogue that will take place between the wicked and the Lord when He comes in judgment, He says this: “Then they [the wicked] also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’”

Brothers and Sisters: in pleasant times and in fiery trials, the joy of fellowship with Christ is ours. Because He suffered for His Beloved, His Beloved now shares His sufferings. As we make our way to the Promised Land on this fiery road that is often marked by pain and tribulation—we have reason to rejoice. We have the joy & privilege of fellowship with the One Who suffered for us…and we have the joy & privilege of putting this fellowship on display by imitating the righteous suffering of our Savior. And not only this, but we have the ultimate joy & privilege of knowing what comes after suffering.

Because The Beloved Share Christ’s Glory

Peter writes this in Verse 13: “…rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” You know…what can really minister to our souls in the midst of fiery trials is meditating on the reality that our suffering is only temporary. After suffering, comes glory. Just as we share in Christ’s sufferings, we too share in His glory.

According to God’s mercy, we have been born again unto living hope. By faith, with this living hope in our hearts, we look forward to when the suffering is over…when Christ’s glory is revealed, and when we receive our priceless inheritance. We look forward to this glory. And yet…here and now, amid the trials of this life, we are already partakers in the glory that is going be revealed. Throughout this life as believers, Christ gives us little firstfruits and foretastes of His glory. He applies glorious blessings to us throughout this life, even in our suffering. He does this by the power of His Glorious Spirit, Who dwells within us. “Blessed” is our status, for we have been marked for glory. Peter writes in verse 14: “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

Beloved: are any of you suffering in this season of life? Take heart by remembering that the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon Christ, and upon you. Though it may not necessarily “feel” like it in suffering, you truly are blessed beyond measure. Rejoice in the Lord amid your suffering.

And when we do this…when we rejoice as we share Christ’s sufferings, what most excellent thing then occurs? God is glorified. This is so important for us to remember. Because when fiery trials come…when we find ourselves suffering greatly, our natural bend will be inward upon ourselves. Our natural bend and temptation will be “woe is me”…it will be to grumble and complain. Not only does this kind of inward focus & posture hinder our outward love to neighbor, but ultimately it hinders our upward love and glorification of God Most High.

Remember Beloved: having been united to Christ, by faith we share in Christ’s suffering & glory. This means that until we enter ultimate glory, we’re to imitate Christ’s example of glorifying God in our present suffering. We follow the example of our Victorious Sufferer. And how did Christ glorify the Father in His suffering? Perfectly & Righteously.

On the heels of enduring over 30 years of various trials…and on the cusp of suffering through the fiery trials of betrayal, arrest, violent persecution, and the cross itself…Jesus prayed this to the Father in John 17: ““Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you… I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

Brothers and Sisters: though we will be so far from perfect in our suffering, may we strive to faithfully follow the example of our Suffering Servant. Even in fiery trials, may our chief end be to glorify God. And in glorifying God, there is joy. Not in the sense that we just slap on a happy face when significant trials come. Not in the sense that we make light of very real pain & suffering. But in the sense that Christian suffering is seen in its proper light.

For believers, fiery trials provide us with an opportunity to glorify God with our lives. And it’s especially an opportune time to glorify Him through our horizontal witness to others who witness our suffering. Some of you in this church family have greatly encouraged me by your faithful witness in suffering…by the way in which you have continued to glorify God amid significant trials.

And not only do these fiery trials provide us with an opportunity to glorify God before fellow believers, but before unbelievers as well. Grievous trials provide us with significant opportunities to bear witness to a watching world that suffers in such a different way. It’s an honor to be counted worthy of such opportunities to glorify God in our suffering.

Beloved: when fiery trials come upon us, may we not miss opportunities to bring God the glory that He deserves. As Peter reminds us in Verse 16, may we not be “ashamed” when we suffer as Christians. God isn’t glorified when His Children are filled with shame over painful circumstances that He has actually ordained for their good. Again, may we remember His faithfulness, His infinite wisdom, and His good purposes in our suffering.

Lastly…with the glory of God still in view…we also must be on-guard to make sure that any suffering we experience in this life is actually Christian suffering. Right? Back in Verse 13, Peter tells us to “rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings.” Key word: “insofar”. Not all suffering that Christians experience in this life is righteous suffering. Yes, God’s mercy is greater than all our sin…and yes, God continues to work for our good and His glory, even in and through our failings and foolishness. But God isn’t glorified when we suffer because of our sinfulness, because God isn’t glorified when we sin. Christ went to the cross in order to defeat sin for us. Peter hits on this in Verse 15, where he warns us to “let none of [us] suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.”

Friends: murderers, thieves, evildoers, and meddlers justly have in store for them eternal suffering for their sinful deeds. We ourselves…apart from Christ, justly deserve this eternal suffering. For in and of ourselves—at the deepest levels of our hearts—all of us are murderers, thieves, evildoers, and meddlers. But as the Apostle Paul graciously reminds us elsewhere, “we’ve been washed, we’ve been sanctified, we’ve been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

So having been washed clean by our Suffering Savior, why would we then go back and roll around in the dung of sin? Why bring painful and unrighteous suffering upon ourselves in this life? Why bring dishonor upon the Name of Christ by suffering at the hands of lawlessness?

Suffering in this life because of sin is, in-part, called consequences. As believers, we don’t need to have some radical, “prodigal son” story in order for God to be glorified. We don’t need to have some radical testimony of how “I came to faith in Christ at a certain point…but then I wandered away from the faith, living in sin for many years…but then God got a hold of me and here I am today.” Yes, God is glorified in those kinds of stories too, but may our story of God being glorified in our lives be a different one…one that is marked by steady faithfulness.

Whether you’re young or old here this morning: life under the sun is hard enough, right? We don’t need more suffering! So if we’re going to suffer in this life, may it be for doing good and not evil. May we follow the example of Christ. May our suffering be the righteous kind…righteous suffering that we can rejoice in, rather than be ashamed of…righteous suffering that glorifies God, rather than our own flesh.

Entrusting In The Fiery Trials (v17-19)

Well in writing to these believers of Asia Minor, all throughout his letter, Peter adamantly goes about exhorting them to live holy lives amid the grievous trials they were facing. And one of the ways he consistently bolsters his exhortations is by turning their gaze to the Just nature of God, and to His Just Judgments. This brings us to our 3rd and Final Heading, which is this: Entrusting In The Fiery Trials.

Back in chapter 1, after calling these believers to “be holy as God is holy,” he goes on to remind them that their Heavenly Father “judges impartially according to each one’s deeds”…and that in light of this, they were to conduct themselves with reverent fear before their Just Father.

Earlier here in chapter 4, Peter urges these believers to put off their old way of living “for human passions,” and to instead live “for the will of God” with the time they have remaining. The time that they have remaining until what? Until Christ’s judgment of the living and the dead. Peter proclaims that “the end of all things is at hand”…that Christ is “ready” to carry out this judgment…and that believers are to live sober-minded, holy lives in light of this reality.

And so flowing into our passage for today, the righteous judgments of God have already been emphasized in this letter, and are already close in view. And picking up here in verse 17, again we see it highlighted by Peter. He writes this: “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?”

Here we see Peter contrasting two types of judgment: one beginning “at the household of God” and the other for “those who do not obey the gospel of God”. Simply put: God’s judgment of believers and His judgment of unbelievers.

As a Jewish Christian writing to New Testament believers , it’s clear that the Apostle Peter is writing through Old Testament, Christ-centered lenses . First, he seems to be using typology to draw from the Babylon-related judgments that God had formerly carried out upon Judah, as well as upon non-Israelite nations. The declaration of those judgments is summed up in Jeremiah 25:29, which says this: “For behold, I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name [Jerusalem in Judah], and shall you go unpunished [Babylon and the other nations]? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the Lord of hosts.’”

Here we notice a very similar pattern: God’s judgment was to begin at His Household [Jerusalem in Judah], and after that, the Lord was to then turn His attention to executing judgment on the non-Israelite nations—most notably upon Babylon.

Secondly, here in verse 17, with his Old Testament, Christ-centered lenses still on…Peter also clearly seems to have the prophet Malachi in view. But in this instance, unlike Jeremiah’s prophecy—which again, I believe serves as more of a type and picture pointing to Christ’s judgment—unlike this, I believe that Peter sees Malachi 3 as being a prophecy directly fulfilled by Christ. And this gets us closer to the heart of what I believe Peter wants us to see here in verse 17 (as well as in verse 18, which we’ll get to).

We’re going to do a little different exercise right now. I want you to listen carefully as I read Malachi 3:1-4 . Then, after I read this passage, I’m going to proceed by reading a few passages from within Peter’s entire letter. And in conducting this exercise, I want you to listen for some clear similarities.

Malachi 3:1–4 ““Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.”

And now from Peter’s letter:

1 Peter 1:6–7 “In this [unfading inheritance] you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:5–8 “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.”

1 Peter 2:9 “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

1 Peter 4:12–14 “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.”

Beloved: the Lord whom we seek—Christ the Messiah—“In Him, all the fullness of God is pleased to dwell.” He is the Ultimate Temple…He is the ultimate dwelling place of God. And He Himself has come to His Temple. He has come to His Spiritual House. He has come to us. He is the Messenger and Mediator of the New Covenant in which we now stand. He resides in us by the Spirit of Glory that rests upon us. He has come and enlivened us to obedience in the Gospel of God. In and through His victorious suffering and the sprinkling of His blood, He has purified and set us apart among the “the sons of Levi.” He has caused us to be born again unto a “holy priesthood”…set apart to “bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord”…”to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

And as we await the ultimate revealing of Christ’s glory, we undergo His fiery judgement as members of His Household. And again, this is for our good and His glory! He is in the process of refining us, “like gold and silver.” The fire of judgment that will come when Christ comes? It already burns in the sufferings that we endure as Christians.

And oh, how different our fire of judgment is from the fire of judgment that Christ will bring upon those who reject Him. Peter implies this stark contrast with his rhetorical question: “What will be the outcome for those who do not obey the Gospel of God?” Elsewhere in 2 Thessalonians 1, The Apostle Paul answers this question pretty directly. He writes that “…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,” He will “inflict vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” Beloved: the fire that purifies God’s house will consume the wicked. Our present and momentary suffering pales in comparison to the wrath that is in store for the wicked.

And Peter continues to drive this truth home as he continues in Verse 18. With His Old Testament, Christ-centered lenses still on, he presents yet another contrast between believers and unbelievers. He writes this: “And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?””

Here, Peter is actually quoting from Proverbs 11 in the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament. And in quoting this Proverb, one gospel reality that He particularly brings into focus is the saving purposes that God has for our fiery judgment. What does it mean that “the righteous is scarcely saved.”? At first glance, this might cause the believer to doubt the certainty and security of their salvation. But we know this can’t possibly be what Peter means. Earlier chapter 1, He is abundantly clear that our inheritance is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading”…and that it is being kept in heaven by the power of God Himself.

So here in verse 18, by saying that the righteous is scarcely saved, Peter is simply referring to the difficult nature of the road that leads to salvation. Just as the waves were crashing around Noah and his family in the Ark, as we abide in the Ark that is Christ on this road to final salvation, there will be significant trials along the way. But again, as Peter highlights by way of contrast…this pales in comparison to “what will become of the ungodly and the sinner.” The momentary suffering that we face on this fiery road is infinitely less than the eternal suffering that is in store at the wicked. Like those outside of the Ark in Noah’s day, the wicked will be consumed in the judgment, under God’s eternal condemnation & wrath.

Brothers & Sisters: though the wicked will not endure God’s just and fiery judgment upon them, we can take comfort knowing that by God’s grace, we will endure God’s just and fiery judgment upon us. Why? Because, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are the Lord’s Beloved. We are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. We can rejoice because we share Christ’s suffering…and because in and through the fiery trials of this life, He is graciously purifying us and preparing us to share in His ultimate glory.

Beloved: in light of these wonderful gospel realities…may we stand firm in God’s grace by faithfully striving to endure whatever trials come our way. And may we do this by heeding Peter’s brief exhortation in Verse 19: “Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

You see, the same Creator Who set the moon and stars in their place is the same Master Architect Who is working for our good and His glory in all things…including the fiery trials that He ordains for us in this life. He is supremely wise in training us up as His Children. He is a perfectly faithful Father. And so as His Beloved Children, may we entrust our souls to Him…for there’s no better nor more secure place for our souls to find their rest. And as we strive to pursue what is good in the face of suffering, may we keep Christ, our Suffering Savior, closely in view.

1 Peter 2:21–23 “For to this [we] have been called, because Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example, so that [we] might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” CLOSING PRAYER

Benediction Text

At this time, please stand to receive the closing benediction.

1 Peter 5:10–11 “…after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”