Suffering, Yet Rejoicing

Many of you have heard the phrase, Nero fiddled while Rome burned. However, what many don’t realize unless they’ve studied this is how evil and deceptive Nero was when Rome did burn. Let me share a bit of ancient history with you.

It was during the summer of A.D. 64, when a ginormous fire basically destroyed Rome over a nine day period. Prior to the fire, Nero had been wanting to rebuild and update Rome. There was no proof, yet it was common knowledge that the majority of the people were convinced Nero had actually started the fire. It seems to be a logical conclusion, since it was known that he was observing this from a safe tower away from the fire and actually had his army prevent people from putting out the fires themselves. Plus, it was stated that some of the soldiers were ordered to start fresh fires.

Obviously, this made the populace very unhappy as they had lost nearly everything. In order to keep the public from attacking him, Nero blamed the Christians for the fire situation. With pagan resentment already, this made hatred of Christians even stronger. It was at that time, since Nero had stirred everyone up against Christianity that Nero began capturing Christians and tying them to poles to serve as human torches at garden parties, sewing animal skins around them to entice other animals to attack them and eat them, along with other atrocities.

All of that is what was just about to happen to the readers of Peter’s letter. When we keep these things in mind, it helps us to recognize why Peter spent so much time trying to encourage the believers in how they were to live in the midst of such unfair and horrible suffering.

So far, most of us have not experienced the kind of persecution the early church experienced. However, most have observed or experienced the unfairness of those who don’t know Christ against those of us who do. So far, it’s been mostly personal. Someday, sooner or later, it’s probably, if not already in some areas, going to come from official sources. Yet, in the midst of whatever may be happening or going to happen, I believe that we can hold on to the following principle, just like those in the early church.

Before I go any further, please understand that I am a history buff and I am thankful and grateful that I live in this nation. However, some of the things that the Bible teaches needs to be looked at from the understanding that we are citizens of heaven. Believe it or not, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, though based upon biblical principles, do not give us the excuse to disobey God’s Word. There are many times that the Bible requires of us things that are not comfortable. We must obey God, rather than man, even in some situations that we can almost justify if we’re not careful.

If our suffering is for Christ’s glory, then we can rejoice.

Not Surprising or Strange - 4:12

For many people, there is an underlying assumption that a Christian has some sort of special shield that should protect him or her from anything negative. Listen to Peter’s words in verse 12.

1 Peter 4:12 NASB95

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;

As most of us realize, throughout history and all over the world, Christians have undergone persecution and suffering at the hands of those who don’t know Christ and are opposed to Him. Yet, Peter takes time to express tender thoughts to his readers, even as they are preparing for more intense times of persecution, by the use of Beloved. This is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Remember that when we experience persecution; we are God’s beloved.

It has been said that if a Christian is not experiencing some form of persecution, they are not seen as a threat to Satan and his forces. We ought to expect persecution and hardship because of who we are in Christ; the things we say for Christ, the way we live for Christ, the emphasis we place on sharing with others the Gospel message. Thus, the phrase do not be surprised.

Fiery ordeal; fiery trial is a very picturesque phrase. We often hear of someone going through the fire when they are experiencing hard times. In the Old Testament, this was often a picture of God’s presence and holiness. It was also seen as intense judgment from God. However, Peter seems to see this as something which refines and purifies, as we saw in 1 Peter 1:7.

Please understand that some challenges and difficulties come to us simply because we are part of a sinful, fallen world. They may not be part of the fiery ordeal or trial. However, what Peter is speaking of in this verse is those harsh things which come our way because we belong to God and are intentionally identifying with God, by living wholeheartedly for God.

Happening literally means to go together. That is interesting because it implies an intentionality and not a randomness. There is nothing coincidental or by chance with the fiery trials. In other words, this is all part of God’s plan. It also is a reminder that God is in charge and is sovereign.

This gives us a basis to understand that If our suffering is for Christ’s glory, then we can rejoice.

Share In Sufferings - 4:13-14

Okay, we shouldn’t be surprised at fiery trials, but do we have to really be thankful for them? Peter tells us that we need to keep on rejoicing.

1 Peter 4:13–14 NASB95

but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

That’s right; rejoicing seems to be the opportunity theme here. Let’s look at why Peter shares this, as we see several privileges that are given as a result of going through these fiery ordeals.

Verse 13 talks about us share the sufferings of Christ. That may not seem like much until you think about it for a bit. Think of how Jesus was treated and what He was willing to do for us all because of love. Wow! And just think that if I am living my life for the glory of God, I will be treated like Jesus. What a privilege! That sounds weird, I realize. But consider that not everyone gets to do this. Only those whom God can trust to live in the way we’re supposed to when we undergo the fiery trials. Think of the apostles, after they were beaten, how they rejoiced that God had considered them worthy to suffer like that. In addition, we don’t do this on our own. Christ is with us in the midst of it all. Neither are we able to share in His suffering in a way that will provide salvation.

We also see that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice. There is no suffering for Christ without knowing you will experience being with Him in all His glory. There is also no reason we should expect to be with Him in glory, while assuming that we will not suffer for His sake. That’s probably the most opposite of what the world would want us to believe. The world teaches that things are supposed to be glorious without suffering. There are even some false teachers who suggest that a Christian is not meant to experience suffering or persecution. That is completely false. God is not magically transporting us out of suffering into glory. We see in the book of Hebrews in the Hall of Faith, many godly saints who did not experience the glory on this earth, but experienced suffering, knowing that one day they would experience glory with God.

In verse 14, we see that in the midst of the negative, we experience the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. That’s right! Even in the midst of being persecuted for the Name of Christ, we are blessed with God’s glory by means of the Holy Spirit. What a blessing to suffer for the Name of Christ. Whatever the world may say about Jesus, we must live our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit in such a way that we honor God, not caring what the world may think of us. Even in the midst of suffering because of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit who enables us to endure and to rejoice. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to respond to those who persecute us in ways that reflect Jesus Christ, giving glory to God.

A person is not normally persecuted for being part of a particular denomination, for that usually focuses on religion. In fact, a religious person is rarely persecuted. However, if you strive to live in a righteous, God-honoring manner because you have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are prime for persecution. Peter uses the word Christian in verse 16 as one of three times it is used in the New Testament. It used to be thought of as derogatory towards believers by those who spoke it. Obviously, it was misunderstood then, even as it is now. In fact, if you listen to different news reports or read different articles, the term Christian simply means someone who is not a pagan or a heathen. We need to understand the true definition of a Christian is one who is born again by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Regardless of how intense the persecution for our faithfulness to Christ, If our suffering is for Christ’s glory, then we can rejoice.

Don’t Suffer as a Sinner. - 4:15-18

Some would attribute all suffering to be a blessing at this point. But they would be sadly mistaken.

1 Peter 4:15–18 NASB95

Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?

Realizing that many fiery trials are for the purpose of refining and purifying, plus knowing that God’s judgment must begin with the household of God, we ought to be motivated to live our lives to reflect Jesus Christ and to bring glory to Him. Peter takes some time in these verses to help us to evaluate ourselves in light of this.

Verse 15 is a great mirror checkup. Sometimes, God’s children suffer as a result of their own foolishness. We’re not blessed if we do something contrary to God’s Word and experience suffering as a result. Plus, if I smash my thumb with a hammer, it’s entirely possible that my suffering is because of a basic lack of coordination. If I become sick after eating a gallon of ice cream, then my suffering is because of my own gluttony and greed. If I go to jail because I robbed a bank, then my suffering is because of theft. You understand my point. I find it fascinating to see Peter use a word that is not found anywhere else in the New Testament, troublesome meddler. To most of us, this doesn’t really belong in the same camp as those examples of law-breaking and evil. The word means, an agitator or troublemaker. In the context, many scholars remind us that Peter was reminding the believers to not be troublemakers in society or where they work. In other words, if we suffer for any sin on our part, don’t expect God’s pleasure and don’t play the part of a martyr. The simple self-check is to make sure that when we are suffering it is because we belong to Jesus.

Verse 16 reminds us that if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed. Don’t try to hide the fact that you are a Christian and that you serve Him. Don’t be afraid to tell other people why you believe what you believe about Jesus. Rather, keep pointing to Jesus. Keep reminding people that our God is a mighty God. Shout out to the world that God loves them and sent His Son Jesus Christ to forgive them of their sins and to provide eternal life. They must confess their sins and believe in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Which leads us to the next two verses. How many times have you heard me use the phrase, It’s not about you? It’s all about Jesus. It’s about telling the world about Jesus. Whatever you and I may be going through or will be experiencing is nothing compared with what an unsaved person will experience upon death. Discipline of the church will be minor in comparison to judgment upon the unsaved.

Verse 18 sometimes get wrongly interpreted, giving the idea that God might not be able to save a person. God is able to do what He has promised and that makes our salvation secure. However, even after being saved, some people are less than enthusiastic about what they are supposed to be doing. Think about the unsaved who are fighting against God every step of the way. Think of the evil that they perpetrate. As a believer, I need to be praying for them and witnessing of Christ to them. I dare not wish them a taste of their own medicine. Instead, I need to be willing to do whatever I can to cause them to want to turn their lives over to Jesus.

If our suffering is for Christ and our desire is for others to be saved, then we can rejoice.

Secure in Our Salvation - 4:19

Regardless of what may happen to you and me, we can be at peace.

1 Peter 4:19 NASB95

Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Therefore; in light of what we’ve read, we can trust God in every situation. He’s never caught off guard. He’s never at a disadvantage. In fact, when Peter uses the word for entrusting, commit, we must understand that this is a continual action. Be constantly committing is a great way of wording this. How does this work? Well, if we are being persecuted and attacked, rather than turn around and teach them a thing or two in retaliation, we choose to respond with good. In this way, we are responding as Jesus would have us respond. We may even go through further persecution. Remember that our goal is that they would see Jesus in us. We want them to know that we have no fear for we know where we will spend eternity, because we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. They may be able to destroy my livelihood, my reputation, and even my body, but they cannot touch my soul. I belong to Jesus.

It is interesting that Peter reminds us that God is the faithful Creator. As such, there is nothing nor anybody who is greater than He. It is the Creator Who takes care of His creation and especially takes care of His own. I have nothing to fear. There are so many Bible verses that speak of our security in Christ. I believe those verses which speak to the security and assurance of our salvation also speak to our need to live for Christ in an upside down world which seeks to destroy anything that gives glory to the One True God.