Sanctification, Service, and Suffering

As we come to the end of chapter 4 of 1 Peter, our goal is to review what the main themes and teaching of this chapter are. What is Peter trying to teach the scattered church in Chapter 4? Before I unpack the three main themes I see in chapter 4 I want to open it up to you.

What do you all think the primary themes are in this chapter? There is an overarching theme, but I believe there are two more Peter unpacks as he writes chapter 4 carried along by the Spirit of God.

So what do you see a the primary teachings in chapter 4?

The 1st one I see in chapter for is,

I. Sanctification (1-6)

First, what is sanctification to make sure we are all talking about the same doctrine?

John Owen defines it this way,

Works of John Owen: Volume 3 Chapter 2: Sanctification a Progressive Work

Sanctification is an immediate work of the Spirit of God on the souls of believers, purifying and cleansing of their natures from the pollution and uncleanness of sin, renewing in them the image of God, and thereby enabling them, from a spiritual and habitual principle of grace, to yield obedience unto God, according unto the tenor and terms of the new covenant, by virtue of the life and death of Jesus Christ. Or more briefly:—It is the universal renovation of our natures by the Holy Spirit into the image of God, through Jesus Christ

With this view of sanctification let’s read verse 1-6.

1 Peter 4:1–6 ESV

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

In regards to sanctification Peter first points us to,

A. Sanctification in Light of Christ’s Suffering (1)

4:1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

Do you see it? Since Christ suffered, we are to think the same way Christ does, we are to have the mind of Christ. We are to be reminded that if Christ died for sin, we are to die to sin. Now we now that there is a problem here, primarily because not a one of us has ceased from sin, not one of us has mortified, put to death, and slayed every sin. However, that ought to be our desire our passion our earnest longing, to leave behind the sin that besets us the sin that weighs us down.

Why is this so important? Why is ceasing from sin a sign of our salvation? Because,

B. Sanctification is the Will of God (2-3)

4:2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Think about it, leaving behind our sinful passions is ultimately for our good. Paul says it this way,

Romans 6:20–23 ESV

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:20

Paul asks these questions,

What fruit were you getting from your sinful passions which you are now ashamed?

Then he says remember,

The end of those sinful passions is death!

But now you have been set free from sin.

Now you are slaves to God.

What is the fruit you get now? Sanctification!

Peter like Paul says remember the days in the past when you lived for your own passion which were leading you to death, you have been freed from that. You no longer have to be enslaved to these sinful passions!

BUT, Instead, In place of,

Live for the will of God,

Which Paul tells the Thessalonians, is your sanctification, your setting apart from sin, your mortification of these sinful passions and desires.

C. Sanctification for the Gospel of God (4-6)

4:6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

John Owen is helpful here again,

Works of John Owen: Volume 3 Chapter 2: Sanctification a Progressive Work

And herein lies the secret profiting and thriving of believers under the preaching of the gospel; which, it may be, they are not sensible of themselves. By this means are many thousands of acts of faith and love drawn forth, whereby these graces are exercised and strengthened; and consequently holiness is increased: and the word, by the actings of faith being mixed with it, as Heb. 4:2, increaseth it by its incorporation.

The gospel is not only preached for our salvation, but also our sanctification. We come to faith in Christ through the preaching of the Gospel and we grow in the likeness of Christ as we learn more about Christ through the preaching of Christ through His Word!

Peter, wants these church in his day and our ours to remember God the Father has done a work in the believer, by His Spirit, and through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. It is through this work that we not only are born again, given an inheritance, we are given and ultimate purpose for our life as children of God! We are to serve as his priesthood and proclaim his excellencies as those who are His people.

So we are not only saved for sanctification as we read in verse 1-2 of Peter’s letter,

1 Peter 1:1–2 ESV

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

But we are also saved for,

II. Service (7-11)

1 Peter 4:7–11 ESV

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I Peter 4:

Notice iv verse 7 Peter calls the church to,

A. Serve with a Sanctified Mind (7)

He begins verse 7 explaining time is short. The end of all things is at hand. And because of that Peter writes,

Be self-controlled; in other words to act sensibly, to be wise, to have sound judgment, to be serious, to keep one’s head.

Why is this so important if time is short?

He then exhorts the church to,

Be sober-minded; to be in control of one’s thought process and not in danger of irrational thinking.

Do you see how Peter is calling for us to be sanctified in our thoughts and minds. Were any of us irrational, unwise, lacking sound judgment before we were born again? Remember what he has just written in verse 3-4.

Stop doing what the Gentiles do, being controlled by your passions. Have your mind filled with debauchery and excess. Instead be self-controlled and sober-minded.

There is a reason for this though, not just to keep us out of trouble, not just so we can grow in holiness, not just so the gentiles will be put to shame when the slander us and malign us. But we are to be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Or like he mentioned on 3:7 so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Think of it this way, we are to have a sanctified mind, self-controlled, and sober-minded in order that we might serve the Church through making supplication. What are we praying for? What do we see Paul and John praying for in their letters? The beloved. Not that they would be healthy and wealthy. Although John does pray for good health in 3rd John. However, they are praying for the sanctification, protection, and edification of the church.

How many of us think about serving the church this way?

How often do we think about our sin hindering the prayers for the church. When we pray for our members, their well being, their souls, and our mission as a church?

Does this not heighten the sense of seriousness of our sanctification?

So we are to serve with sanctified mind, in verse 8 Peter calls the church to,

B. Serve with a Loving, Forgiving, Hosbitable Heart (8,9)

1:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

In one sense I don’t want to over emphasize this phrase, but I want to give it due and stress the importance of what Peter is saying hear.

ABOVE ALL, in other words, of all the things he has just written, Peter says what I am about to tell you is of greater importance, is of higher priority, is what every believer ought to strive for.

And what does he say is above all?

keep loving one another,

Why does Peter claim that such love is above all?

Dan Doriani provides this answer,

1 Peter Living Faithfully in Community

Because the church is a society of sinners, redeemed by grace. Because we are sinners who both offend each other and take offense when no real offense is given. We cannot hope for a strong Christian community if we fail to extend to one another the grace that the Lord first gave us.

Can I get an amen? Therefore we ought to,

keep loving one another when we don’t get our way

keep loving one another when a brother or sister hurts us

keep loving one another when someone aggravates us

keep loving one another when our preferences are not considered

keep loving one another when we don’t understand why someone doesn’t meet our standards

keep loving one another when a brother or sister sins against us

Do you get the picture we are above all to love one another, Why?

since love covers a multitude of sins.

Another way to say it is we are so show grace because we have been shown grace.

We are to show mercy because we have been shown mercy.

We are to love one another as Christ loved us, while we were still sinners!

Spurgeon wrote,

Spurgeon Commentary: 1 Peter Exposition

When Christ comes, He will know you as His disciples if you love one another. But if there is an absence of Christian affection when He comes, He will say at once that you have missed the main mark of discipleship.

John Calvin expresses the same priority of loving one another.

Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles Chapter 4

And above all things. He commends charity or love as the first thing, for it is the bond of perfection. And he bids it to be fervent, or intense, or vehement, which is the same thing; for whosoever is immoderately fervent in self-love, loves others coldly. And he commends it on account of its fruit, because it buries innumerable sins, than which nothing is more desirable.

Do we ever consider our love for one another as serving one another?

Peter wants the church to know that their love for one another will be seen in their willingness and quickness to forgive one another. If we truly consider what we have been forgiven of how can we harbor forgiveness toward one another.

Instead, in verse 9 Peter writes,

Show hospitality to one another, and I love this, without grumbling.

Now Peter wrote this for a purpose. I don’t know exactly was going on in the early church here. We do have a glimpse in Acts chapter 6. There was a little grumbling going on because the widows weren’t getting cared for properly. Now I don’t know if Peter got wind of a little complaining because people were tired of caring for one another and became vocal about it or what?

Just being real a minute, do we ever serve one another with a sour attitude? We may not even vocalize it, but we are thinking it.

“I don’t have time to do this!”

“Do they really need a meal?”

“Can’t they cook for themselves?”

“I am not really in the mood to have that family over to the house”

What do you think?

The next couple verse is where Peter really drives home the call to serve. He exhorts the church to,

C. Serve One Another as Good Stewards. (10-11a)

10 As each has recieved a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

Think for a moment about all of the men and women who have been saved into the body of Christ during Peter’s day. Think about all of the backgrounds, talents, and gifts that God brought together in the formation of His church. You would have had carpenters, fishermen, business men, there were jailers, sellers of purple, tax collectors each one God had granted a specific gift for a specific purpose.

Now consider the needs of the church, you had widows in need, families in need, poor people, lame and blind people being saved. There would have been new Christians who needed discipling, sounds a lot like today. Except the growth then was massive and they weren’t built for the growth.

But notice what Peter says about each one who has recieved a gifts, serve one another, as good stewards of God’s grace:

God has gifted each one of us with a specific gift for a specific purpose. Peter calls us to be a good steward of that gift. Often we think of being good stewards of our finances, of our time, but how often do we consider if we are being good stewards of the specific gifts God has given you and me? Specifically, how often do we use our specific gift to serve, another member of Christ’s church? I will say this concept is not foreign to many of you, because I know, have seen, and have recieved the benefits of your service. This should encourage us to know that we have faithful members of the body at Pray’s Mill who are serving God’s kingdom by serving his children.

Hopefully, this verse also challenges to think more deeply about how God has gifted us and continue to help us to grow more faithful in our service.

Next notice the two ways Peter lays out this service,

1st, in the gift of teaching.

11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God;

Here Peter is addressing preachers and teachers, whoever speaks the words of God. The is a call for Pastor/Teachers to be diligent in study, prayer, and preparation in preaching the Word. But this does not mean that church is not involved, the church is to pray for their pastors, the deacons are to serve alongside the pastors to enable them to focus on the preaching and prayer.

I love what Dan Doriani state here,

1 Peter Living Faithfully in Community

So preaching is God’s Word in some sense, yet the preacher’s words are human, too, and therefore often garbled, weak, or even false. But the Spirit “makes the broken human words become … a living word of God to the hearers.” Hebrews states that this happens in the church, and not only through the apostles: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you” (Heb. 13:7; cf. 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Peter 1:25). Preachers can and must prepare, yet we must pray that the Lord will excise what is false, improve what is true, and apply all the truth, even things hinted at rather than articulated, to receptive hearts. At best, when a congregation hears Christ proclaimed, according to the pattern of Scripture itself, they hear more than explanation and application; they hear Christ himself, imploring them to believe and to live by grace.

2nd, Peter addresses service generally,

11b whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--

We don’t have a lot of time to lay ought all of the ways God’s people can serve God’s church, from playing the piano to caring for the poor, but what I want to focus on is the source of our service, the strength that God supplies.

I am going to get real practical here for a moment. I have been really encouraged over the last few weeks watching the church serve one another. Specifically, two members of our SS class. Gerald and Sharon. I don’t even know half of what has been done, but here are just a few examples of what I have seen.

Mrs. Brenda and Mr. Denny have spent countless hours caring for them in the over the last few weeks. Visiting them, contacting folks for them, and not telling what else.

Mr. Roy, went grocery shopping for them. Adam and the youth make a difference crew worked in their yard. Here is really neat way I have seen members of this church serve the Williams. Denise and Shannon Pettinger have service dogs. They carried their dogs up to the rehab center and just let them lay beside Mrs. Sharon while she petted them and loved on them. Talk a about a specific gift according to God’s varied grace! I didn’t even know this was a way to serve. But I could tell by Mrs. Sharon’s affection towards Shannon’s dog yesterday that she really enjoyed and appreciated it.

I know there are ways each of you have served not only the Williams, but many members of this Body and I want to commend you and thank you for it.

But more than that I want to remind you of Peter’s final exhortation,

D. Serve in God’s Strength for God’s Glory! (11b).

11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look, we are all running on the ragged edge most of the time. It may seem like we don’t know how we are going to get everything done we need to get done. We may be short on time and running low on energy, but this verse ought to remind us that if we are serving on our own strength we won’t get it done.

But, if we serve as on who serves by the strength of God; we have all that we need. Remember, two things.

This old body is getting replaced. We can go ahead and stress it more than we think. When we meet Christ in the air and the corruptible puts on incorruptible we will be made like he is. This means we can go ahead and do what we need to do with this body as long as we can.

The pure motivation that our service is for the glory of God ought to drive us serve Him knowing that this is the reason we are here. To glorify God and enjoy him forever.

So we have seen sanctification and service in chapter 4, this brings us to our final doctrine Peter explains in this chapter.

III. Suffering (12-19)

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.

A. Stay Alert as Suffering Comes (12)

Remember, he addresses the Beloved, and he says, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you.

What are some reasons we have learned over the last couple months why we shouldn’t be surprised when suffering comes?

Scripture tells us it will.

Jesus tells us we will suffer.

Jesus suffered himself.

Followers of Christ have suffered throughout history.

In verse 13, Peter exhorts the Beloved to,

B. Stay Joyful through Suffering (13)

Why is that?

Because we are sharing in Christ sufferings!

When are we not sharing in Christ’s sufferings?

When we suffer from sin.

What are we to do when suffering comes? Look at verse 14.

C. Stay in Christ when Suffering Comes (14)

Remember, he rest on us, so we are to rest in Him!

The One who is greater than us, who has suffered for us, who died for us gives us the strength and power to rest in Him and withstand faithful suffering.

What else are we to do or not to do when suffering comes?

D. Stay Separated from Sin as a Saint in Times of Suffering. (15-19)