Right Suffering- 1 Pet. 4:12-19

Right Suffering- 1 Pet. 4:12-19

We begin this morning with two stories. One story is about a man who is honorable. He is a highly decorated soldier. He is a faithful husband. This man was pulled by one of his leaders from the field of battle.

Coming to his leader with sweat and dirt from the battle, he is told to enjoy some R&R. The man, knowing that his brother soldiers are on the battlefield, kindly refuses his leader’s gracious offer.

The leader has ulterior motives, and through a course of highly offensive events, the leader has this soldier killed, in addition to other soldiers.

The other man was a leader, a politician. This man hated a group of people that he thought did him great harm. He worked against this group of people extremely hard. After a serious of events, this man, thinking he would receive a great honor from his leader, would eventually face the fate he thought to enforce on that group he hated.

One individual endured right suffering, the other individual received what he deserved. These accounts from Scripture serve as prime examples of our topic this morning. There is right suffering and there is suffering rightly. In other words, there is suffering we do not deserve and there is suffering we do deserve.

As Christians, as readers of Peter’s epistle, we are faced with suffering. But we see in Scripture that there is a right suffering, a suffering that we receive as being followers of Jesus Christ. There is also a suffering that comes from sin, from breaking the law, from being rebellious. Since we are all afflicted with the flesh, we must work to ensure we receive Right Suffering. Peter lays this out before us in 4:12-19, which I summarize like this:

Right suffering comes from loving God—not from sin, and brings an intimacy with God, while reminding us of the purifying work of God.

I. Right Suffering Comes From Loving God—not from sin- 4:12-16

Notice Peter’s phrases: as you share Christ’s sufferings, if you are insulted for the name of Christ, if anyone suffers as a Christian, those who suffering according to God’s Will. This all stems from the command to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes...”, writes Peter. Hear the love in the apostle’s voice, and the warning. We are living in hostile territory, and we hinder God’s work in our lives when we forget this. This world is not our home, brothers and sisters. So do not be surprised when suffering comes.

We show that we love God when we endure right suffering. We are moving from suffering to glory in this life, before the glory comes the suffering, and that right suffering.

Christians should expect to suffer because our entire view of life and practice is at odds with the world’s. Go and read through 1 John and this will be demonstrated for you. However, Christians often suffer for wrong things. This brief list provides an overview of the reasons Christians suffer: murder, theft, evil deeds, and meddlers.

A. Do not suffer for Sin- 4:15

Peter is telling us, look, if you break the law, and happen to be a Christian, you are not enduring right suffering, you are receiving justice. The second individual from the story I began with was Haman. He hated Mordecai and the Jewish people. He took advantage of his place in leadership and attempted to eradicate the Jewish people. When Esther revealed his wicked plot to Ahasuerus, he faced the justice he deserved.

For example, if you are a Christian and you break the law and are arrested, do not feign persecution. You are receiving just punishment. Now Peter’s examples seem to be dire, murder, theft, etc. But Christians can sin and bring about the expected judgment or punishment and think they are being persecuted. If you are a jerk to people, whether on social media or in person, you will suffer but not for right, you will suffer for sin.

B. Suffer for Loving God- 4:12-14, 16

When you love God suffering will come, it will be right suffering. Notice the beautiful connection we have with Jesus in our suffering. It is a co-suffering, a mysterious union believers have with Jesus.

Our response should not be surprise, but of celebration. Peter tells us to rejoice when we suffer with Christ in order that, when not if but when His glory is revealed we can rejoice and be glad! Right suffering, suffering that is endured for loving God and not sin, should cause us to celebrate, and Peter gives us a wonderful and almost unimaginable reason for this joy.

II. Right Suffering Brings An Intimacy with God- 4:14

We skipped over this because I wanted to devote a more focused treatment to it. This is astounding, and we cannot miss what Peter is telling us. When we suffer for loving God, we enjoy an intimacy with God that we would otherwise not enjoy.

To put it another, there is an intimacy with God that is only available to those who suffer for the right reasons. The Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. This verse comes from Isaiah 11:2 which applies to Messiah, to Jesus. However, Peter is making an incredible connection to the believer through the road of suffering.

This idea is found in Psalm 119:71, a verse the deserves our attention this morning. The psalmist is saying that if he had not been afflicted he would not understand God’s Word, at least to an extent. To make a present example, it makes an enormous difference when we think about the implications of Romans 8:28, in light of intense pain and in light of enjoyable circumstances. It is easy, in other words, to know God is in control when things are well. It is far more difficult, but greatly more instructive, when things are not going as we would prefer.

There is an intense sweetness to God’s sovereignty in the midst of painful circumstances. Think of a couple who has been married for many years. Their faithful love for years can demonstrate the intimacy of their relationship. However, when one spouse develops cancer and suffers for years, while the other spouse selflessly loves and cares for them, this demonstrates an intimacy that holding hands and kissing in public for years cannot rival.

In a more incredible way, the sweetness and glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit comforts the believer through right suffering. There are glimpses into the wonders of God’s Word that simply cannot be grasped without experiencing right suffering. There are delightful comforts from the promises of God that are not apparent without the backdrop of suffering.

When we love God and not sin we will endure right suffering, and in this suffering we enjoy an intimacy with God that is only reserved for those enduring suffering.

III. Right Suffering Reminds Us of the Purifying Work of God- 4:17-19

The final aspect about right suffering involves the work of God. He is an ever-working (John 5:17), and the progressive work of purifying His children is a life-long task to be completed in eternity. When we suffer for doing good we are reminded that God is in control and is using this for our good.

Like a child who fails to understand the pain of a doctor setting his bone, so too the Christian can fail to understand God’s work behind our suffering. God is at work in our lives, making us more like Jesus, and God loves us so much that He uses all sorts of events, people, and experiences in life to carve out the old flesh into the image of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Peter mentions judgment here, and it seems to be an odd place and even an odd way of phrasing it. But I think it is so helpful for us as we go through suffering to keep Peter’s thoughts in mind.

First, notice that judgment will come, it is inevitable. We have already mentioned this a few times, so we will not belabor this point. What we will focus on, however, is Peter’s contrast between the righteous and the wicked.

God’s judgment begins with His people (see Matt. 25:31-46 where God judges the sheep before the goats). Now, we are judged not for redemption, but for reward. Unbelievers are judged according to their works, and as a result of their rejection of Jesus they will face God’s final and full and everlasting wrath.

This is our second observation here. What Peter is giving us is an eternal perspective. It is difficult to keep a long-view perspective in the midst of present pain. Peter knows this. Think again of a child, only this time the child is stuck on the railroad tracks. The father knows a train is coming and the imminent danger for the child. The father may cause some initial pain (pulling hard, gripping tightly, etc.), and though the child is focused on that pain the father knows of the future danger.

God allows some present pain that is purposeful through suffering, but His providence guidance is for our good, as long as we continue to look toward eternity. Notice the ending, “those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator. That is comfortingly close to Jesus’s entrusting to the Father in 2:23.

Right suffering comes from loving God—not from sin, and brings an intimacy with God, while reminding us of the purifying work of God.