Fearlessly, Radically Righteous: Our Future Glory

Introduction

From the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 to today, (and tomorrow and next week, next year, and until Jesus returns,) Church history is filled with the stories of our brothers and sisters, that would rather face the cruelest and most gruesome forms of death that the most depraved human imagination can invent, than recant their faith in Jesus. Names like Ignatius, Felicitas and her seven sons, and Justin Martyr. Men like John Hus, William Tyndale, and so many other reformers long before there was a John Calvin or Martin Luther.

Or what of the unnamed ones of Lyon, France whose 3rd century crypt I have stood in, encouraged by their faithfulness. I have stood in Rome’s Colosseum and wept at the lone cross that stands as a memorial to the countless men and women whose blood was viciously spilled for the grotesque amusement of the heathen crowds. Names unknown to us in history, but they are known by our Savior, every single one of them. They were faithful unto death. Friends, believers are not just called to live well, we are called to die well, too.

And even in my own lifetime. Becky* was a missionary I worked with, went to church with. She went to the Middle East, to a particularly difficult place extremely hostile to the gospel, with the audacity to teach women how to read. Her body was never found after she was abducted.

We may be tempted to grieve over these that gave their life for the gospel. Though we cannot be happy about what these saints endured, we can rejoice knowing God uses such as these for His glory. Becky may have been brutally silenced, but those that she discipled have led others to faith, over and over again. Her story is told whenever women in her city quietly read the Scriptures in whispers to other women who have not yet heard of the hope they could have in Jesus. Becky’s death was not in vain.

Back in chapter 3, we saw how God gives suffering worth, meaning, and purpose. Peter now returns to that theme warning his people and encouraging them to be joyful, even in the depths of the cruelest persecution or hardest suffering for righteousness’ sake.

In 1 Peter 4:12-19, he gives us at least five reasons, or ways, we can rejoice when, (not if, but when,) we suffer for doing what is right and holding to the faith.

1 Peter 4:12–19 (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; 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.

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?

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

As the early church father Tertullian put it, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” In other words, the more persecuted the Church, the more it grows. How is that?

First, believers are to:

1. Expect trials

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;

Peter must have been aware of the types of persecution these believers in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey, were experiencing, or would be soon enough. Where we may think Peter might be using a metaphor, his readers would have likely imagined the illustration of the very real fear of actually being burned alive for their faith, a fiery ordeal.

One such example we know well from church history is the story of Polycarp. This faithful man martyred around 160, or about 100 years after Peter writes this letter to the believers in the same region. At that time, Polycarp was an old man, well regarded by the church since he was probably a disciple of the Apostle John. He was likely one of the very last people to know someone who knew Jesus.

Through a series of events beginning with a large crowd demanding the atheists be destroyed, (“atheist” being someone who would not sacrifice to the Roman pantheon of gods or worship the emperor, or Christian,) this crowd demanded Polycarp by name. When he was finally arrested, the officers that came to get him were welcomed by a gracious old man that knew why they were there but offered them food anyway. Many of those hardened soldiers were so impressed by Polycarp, they tried to get him to just simply recant and be set free. They couldn’t understand why someone wouldn’t just compromise and avoid an unpleasant death.

As Polycarp was brought into the city of Smyrna, (the same of Revelation 2:8-11,) more opportunities were given for him to be released. All he had to say was, “Down with the atheists.” Instead, he points to the crowd and says, “Down with the atheists.” The crowd roared with bloodthirsty spite. One last chance, Polycarp just had to curse Christ. Instead, he said, “Eighty-six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

Even as he watched a crowd hurriedly, excitedly construct the stake and the fire to consume him, he would not recant. The witnesses there tell an amazing story of how his body did not surrender to the flame, but had to be stabbed. to make sure he was actually dead.

Living a righteous life, identifying as a Christian, will give the world all the justification it feels it needs to inflict ridicule, hardship, or even violence against us, our families, friends, or anything else we would hold dear. However, what they don’t know, like the soldiers that couldn’t understand Polycarp’s resolve, is that in the midst of those times, we feel the closest to our Savior, who will be with us, keep us, and will redeem our suffering when He returns to judge the world in all His glory.

Warren Wiersbe puts it well, “The world does not persecute ‘religious people,’ but it does persecute righteous people.” Satan hates everything that would glorify God. It angers the enemy when God’s people do anything in obedience to God. Therefore, we should not be surprised when we are attacked for no other reason than simply living faithfully to how the Lord would have us live.

Now, the fiery ordeal is a metaphor, too. The concept of fire in Scripture is frequently used to describe testing. This isn’t a pass/fail sort of thing. Think of it as a refining process, what Peter says in the introduction of this letter:

1 Peter 1:7 (NASB95)

so 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;

Or James’ introduction:

James 1:2–3 (NASB95)

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

When the heat is turned up to draw out the impurities and dross and things of no value and is removed, discarded, it leaves only what is pure, able to be crafted into the vision the master craftsman has in mind. That process is not pleasant, nor should we seek ways to invite persecution, but knowing that God allows it, we know it is ultimately for our good, for the good witness to those around us, and for His glory.

We are not to be surprised, that is, bewildered as to why we are persecuted, but rather accepting of it. Otherwise, we run the risk of growing resentful or bitter, or unthinkably even develop a willingness to compromise and surrender when things get too uncomfortable for us.

So we are to expect trials.

2. Exult in Christ

1 Peter 4:13 (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.

Peter is most certainly not diminishing or being naive about these brothers and sisters’ suffering. This rejoicing is not some trick we use to make our suffering more tolerable. In our darkest suffering, remember what Jesus endured at the cross for our sake. The completely innocent Lamb of God mocked, whipped, stripped and nailed to a cross drinking the fullness of God’s wrath against sin. Whose sin? Mine and yours.

Jesus Himself teaches His disciples that they will be persecuted because of Him. There really shouldn’t be a believer that is somehow surprised as we saw in v. 12 that they will suffer persecution. Jesus Himself teaches His followers:

Matthew 5:11 (NASB95)

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

John 15:20–21 (NASB95)

Remember the word that I said to you, ... If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; … But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

But Jesus left us with the right perspective we are to have in our suffering:

John 16:33 (NASB95)

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

So, when we are persecuted for our faith, we share in Christ’s suffering. What a deep, abiding joy belongs to the child of God who can look at their situation and know, absolutely know, Jesus is with them! Our fellowship with the Son of God only grows deeper the more we must endure. Our trust in His care and wisdom and sovereignty even in this persecution, enables us to rejoice with a holy joy in spite of our human pain.

But that is not the end of the story for the suffering believer. In Christ, we have so much more waiting for us, far more than everything we ever had, currently have, or could ever have in this life. We have more than all the riches in this world combined, which will all pale compared to what is prepared for us. Besides, this world and all that it contains will be melted away in the heat of God’s refining fire

2 Peter 3:10 (NASB95)

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

In that day of the Lord, all of our suffering is vindicated when the patience of God towards the unbelieving is ended, as His wrath against all the evil of this world is unleashed. All the hurt, all the prejudice, all the injustice, all the anger, all the hate, all the vitriol, all the pain, all the tears, all the abuse, all of it will be done away with and justice will be eternally, forever satisfied.

When Jesus returns in all of His glory, all the suffering of all believers of all time will finally be settled, forever. How could we not rejoice in our darkest moments, knowing what awaits us?

So, we are to expect trials and live exultantly, rejoicing in the triumph of the promise of Christ’s victorious return. But not only those, but we get to

3. Experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 4:14 (NASB95)

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

I heard a preacher say once when he was preaching through the Exodus. He made a point that the Hebrews had seen the greatest empire reduced to nothing, walked through the Red Sea, had a visible pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night indicating the presence of God Almighty in their midst they could look to at any time and see God was with them. We might be tempted to wonder how they could fail so often having the ability to see so much. But they would be able to reply to us, “You have the completed Scriptures. You have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling inside of you. How can you fail so often?”

Our promised exultation in Christ is a future one. But right now, in the midst of suffering, Peter gives his readers a blessing good for the present situation a believer find themselves. Being reviled, that is continuously reproached for being a follower of Christ, proves we are Christ’s and much more, that we also have the Holy Spirit in a measure that is experienced in a much deeper way.

It is the Holy Spirit’s work that will strengthen and equip the persecuted believer to be able to continue in the faith, as Paul writes in Philippians 3:12-14, to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Like Jesus taught His disciples that they will suffer because of Him, He also promised the Holy Spirit to a greater degree and fuller measure when they are faced with the charges of being a Christian:

Luke 12:11–12 (NASB95)

“When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

As we have the witnesses of the faithful martyrs, there are numerous stories of remarkable peace from those that faced their terrifying ends. From singing hymns as flames consumed them, to being silent as the flesh is ripped away indiscriminately from their bodies by scourging. Stephen saw the Lord Jesus standing, as if to welcome him into His presence, and he then fell asleep. There is no doubt the Holy Spirit strengthens the believer in these times. How strange a thought to wonder how the Lord of mercy could leave us when we need Him the absolute most.

All of these things being so: expecting trials, exulting in Christ and experiencing the Holy Spirit in those trials, we should take the opportunity to:

4. Evaluate our lives

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?

Peter starts with a reminder that not all suffering of a believer qualifies as coming from a place of blessing. Sometimes, we fail and we suffer the pain and the consequences of our failing. That is not to say that God ever leaves us or rejects us as His children. Even in our sin and shame, He stands ready to forgive and restore when we confess and repent.

1 Peter 4:15 (NASB95)

Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;

It’s important to note this is by no means an exhaustive list. I think it is a sort of spectrum of sinfulness from the most wicked, (humanly speaking,) murder, to the least, a “meddler”. The thief and general evildoer round out the middle of that spectrum. It’s all sin. Don’t lose sight of the fact that a meddler, someone that goes about getting all up in other people’s business in an unhelpful, unhealthy sort of way, this gossipy busy-body is really the same as a murderer at the end of the day.

Let us be very careful how we are living then. We must evaluate our lives, not by comparing ourselves to others, but by comparing ourselves to Christ.

If we are to be called by His name, let us be found worthy of it.

1 Peter 4:16 (NASB95)

but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

The name of Jesus! What glory! What honor! What majesty!

Did you know the word “Christian” is only used three times in all of the New Testament? Twice in Acts where the label is ascribed to believers by outsiders. It was meant to be a derisive, sarcastic pejorative. I think Peter is using it here, the third time, by way of reminding his readers, if that is what outsiders will call us, let us embrace that name without shame or regret. Let it not become an insult, but an honor that we would be counted worthy to share in that name to God’s glory.

Therefore, when we walk in such a way that is contrary to how God would have us, we ought to be ashamed. How damaging it is to our witness, to our confession of faith, when an unbeliever rightly calls out a believer for some sin they’ve been caught in.

Or, consider the shame when one fails to persevere in their faith, denying the faith before unbelievers. The early Church struggled greatly with what to do with people that denied Christ to avoid persecution but later wanted to return to fellowship; it was a significant problem. Some churches handled it better than others, but it bitterly divided many congregations between the faithful and the apostate.

So again, carefully hear the Peter’s exhortation here — the same Peter that denied ever knowing Jesus three times — evaluate your lives, carefully, honestly, and steel your hearts and minds now where you will stand should persecution find you.

It has been said, by the light of God’s refining fire, we are better able to look at and see areas of our life that need to be surrendered to Him. I quoted John Owen in a previous message, “We must be killing sin, or sin will be killing us.” There is no middle ground, there is no fence-sitting, there is no, wait-and-see. The time for resolve is now, while there is time. Resolve now, where and how you will stand.

In other words, what are you holding onto more tightly than Christ? What secret little sin to you harbor close to your heart? What is that thing you keep close guard over so others will never find out? Peter continues, because it is a much more serious question than perhaps we have wanted to consider before.

1 Peter 4:17–18 (NASB95)

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?

“For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God.” What does he mean here? For the believer, this judgment is not for condemnation, but rather as an evaluation of obedience to Him. For the unbeliever, how much more deadly serious is the charge of disobedience! God is the judge of all humanity, Scripture makes that abundantly clear. Here, Peter is saying that God’s judgement begins with the Church, and that is not without precedent.

Keep your thumb here in 1 Peter but turn back to Ezekiel 9 for a moment. When you get 10 minutes to yourself today, I want you to read this chapter carefully, and see God begins with the household of His people and goes out from there.

It is complete foolishness when I hear people say something to the effect, the God of the Old Testament was different from the God of the New Testament. What absolute nonsense! It’s bewildering. Reading Revelation, how God is going to conclude makes the judgement of the Old Testament seem like nothing. Of course He is the same God! He is the same God that is deeply concerned for the holiness of His people.

In this vision, God starts with His temple in Jerusalem, and goes out from there. One with a pen goes and places a mark on the head of those that are heartbroken over sin, the abominations they see in their culture. These are the righteous, the ones who share God’s concern over the lost.

Those without the mark are to be cut down; old and young, men and women, children, everyone without the mark is condemned. God searches the heart, He knows it. While we might successfully hide something from the world, it cannot, it will not, be hidden from God.

Peter is picking up this theme in vv. 17-18. The believer is purified through the “fiery ordeal” in v. 12 maturing in holiness, being sanctified and becoming more like Christ. On the other hand, the unbelieving will be hopelessly consumed by it to their eternal destruction, as Ezekiel saw in his vision, they are to be cut down without pity.

So, this is what is meant by living fearless, radically righteous lives. This kind of understanding goes completely against what the world, our culture, would expect. We are to rejoice in trials? Yes, we expect them to prove we in Christ, so that when He returns, we will exalt and reign with Him forever. In the meantime, we rejoice because in our suffering, we experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit in unimaginable ways.

Not only those, but as we evaluate our lives, as we confront our sinfulness and surrender it to God’s refining fire, the process may be unpleasant, painful even. It may cost us significantly, but what it produces will endure and makes everything given up to have it pale in comparison.

5. Entrust our souls to God

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.

Lastly, “Wherefore is the ‘therefore’, there for,” as Spurgeon would ask? The refining fire of God, more accurately, the fiery ordeal that God allows, is not arbitrary or accidental, it is God’s will in shaping His followers. That may sound harsh or unkind. Does that mean God delights in watching His children suffer? Of course not! That is the epitome of absurdity! It does, however, vividly demonstrate that God’s supreme sovereign authority can use even the brokenness of this world and the ugliness of our sin to refine us.

Could there be found any greater comfort in our suffering than knowing that God has it all under His control? The intensity and duration of our suffering are all squarely under His authority.

I’m sure we’ve all heard things like, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.” While we may understand the sentiment, it’s a pleasant thought, intended to comfort, but it’s wrong and limits God being able to demonstrate His power through our lives. Instead, consider it more accurate to claim with all faith in the goodness and power of our great and glorious King, the almighty God, the sustainer of the whole of the Universe, our provider, our Father that is intimately involved with every aspect of our lives, that He does not give us more than He can handle.

It is with this God, I will not hesitate to entrust my soul to His care. It is because of the grace and mercy I have been shown in Christ that I will not be ashamed of the gospel. If I suffer, let it be according to His will for my good, for the sake of the lost around me that my life would be a living testimony, a powerful illustration of the transforming power of the gospel.

Believers in Jesus have been given a new life. We are new creations. We are not perfect, and we are not there yet, but we are being refined for a future glory that is ours in Christ. Where will you stand? What will you resolve to entrust to a faithful Creator and do what is right?

Invitation

Closing prayer

*Name changed