Judgement is Coming

1 Peter 4:12–19 CSB

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

In my last post I talked about how we as Christians can face end times when we “stay alert, be sober minded, spend more time in prayer, love in all ways and all circumstances, Practice being hospitable, and serving each other well.” Now I would like to turn my attention to God’s Judgement.

The first thing I would like to point out is that Peter seems to be indicating that Judgement starts with “God’s household.” By stating this we learn that God’s judgement is normal and expected. What is more, for those in God’s household judgement is a sanctifying good! We have to shift our thinking about God’s judgement.

When we are facing God’s Judgment it is easy to fear and feel hopeless. I certainly have felt that way often as I look at the decay of the society around us. Even a bit closer to home I see the decay in Christian institutions as well. Anger, Hatred, Disgust seem to rule the day at times. All of this makes sense to me. Been there done that!

Peter on the other hand offers a better way in this passage. The answer is found in two paradoxes of the Christian faith. We can rejoice in suffering, and be blessed by insults. These two things it seems are related to God’s judgment for His people. Let’s explore how these apply to us.

One of the first things Peter says in this section is that we should not be surprised that when all around us has descended into unrighteous and ungodly chaos that we as believers will experience “fiery ordeals.” Further he suggests that these “fiery ordeals” are a test. We often read that word test through and academic frame of reference. That is we look at tests as something we take to get a passing grade. However, test in this since is an investigation into the quality of character you have in you. “What are you made of?” is a better way to look at this test. When hardships come you discover what a person really believes.

It reminds me of the parable of the soils. Remember the soil in which the Word of God died in the heart of one of the people. Matthew 13:21 explains why this happens “But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.” This test is a benefit. We learn whether what we have in our hearts is true or false faith. It can even be a benefit for the one that falls away for as long as he or she continues to live there is an opportunity to come to God in true faith. It is better that coming to Christ in the final judgment and finding out your faith was false and that you did not know Christ (Matthew 7:23).

A common question that comes to mind during fiery ordeals is “Why is this happening to me?” We treat it as something that is not supposed to happen. Peter is saying that we should not see this as something that is unusual. We should reach a point in our walk with God that we expect to be tested. It is a part of our walk and more importantly our sanctification with (and by) God (Hebrews 12:10). A “fiery ordeal” is similar in the way that precious metals are made pure. Gold is purified by heating it up and burning off the impurities. God wants us to be pure and turning up the heat is the instrument that he uses to accomplish His purpose.

Next we find the first paradox to rejoice in suffering. These are not any kind of sufferings. These are the sufferings of Christ.

Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII Sufferings and Consolation

If we, as Christians, have consecrated ourselves to God to do His will and to manifest His truth, as Christ did, we shall understand something of the sufferings of Christ.

We in our western cultural mindset have adopted the belief that rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are a formula for prosperity and comfort. To be honest we have had a really good run of these things. So much so that we begin to view this as the normal way of life. However, the prosperity and relative ease of life we experience in the United States is an oddity world wide and historically. Even when many of the horrific world events of the last 100 years have happened we have for the most part been insulated from the suffering these events have caused on individuals. As a result rejoicing in suffering is difficult to conceive. This lack of awareness of what it means to suffer means that we replace our idea of true suffering with trivial inconveniences. The fact is we do not know suffering. Don’t get me wrong evil still happens in the United States and suffering from that evil is a real things. However, we do not as a whole understand the depth of suffering that has afflicted the whole of humanity.

What is my point? When we see suffering as abnormal then we come to a passage that says “rejoice in suffering” we relegate suffering to some far off time and place. We do not see suffering as being expected and normal for us. Further if we do have some sense of suffering if we are really honest about it most of the time it would fall into the category of nuisance.

We need to change this mindset. I am not saying that we need to engage in self-flagellation. Self inflicted suffering is something the Bible clearly teaches us to avoid. However, if suffering is normal and as this passage seems to indicate beneficial, then we need to work on changing our mindset on this so that it aligns with the Word of God!

What are the sufferings of Christ? Two major areas in which we as Christians can participate in the “sufferings of Christ” is through obedience to God and speaking the truth.

Again with the comfort mindset we think obedience to God ought to lead to happiness. Eternally this is true. However in this life obedience can lead to sorrow, obedience can lead to extreme discomfort, and obedience can lead to persecution. In the case of Jesus obedience led to death. Taken a step further the torturous death of Christ was the plan from the beginning. The sufferings of Christ were on purpose and not some unplanned result of coming to to an evil and chaotic world. Let the sink in. If this passage is true then it may be part of God’s plan for you to experience deep sorrow, it may be his plan to have you be extremely discomforted, and God may intend for you to experience persecution. Now let me say something really difficult. If you see that as a bad thing then you are not yet prepared for the coming judgement. It is time to steel your mind. If I am honest here I am with you. I don’t like it. But I also see the need to get ready. We need to put our house in order!

Speaking the truth is vital to the sufferings of Christ. If someone suffers for a lie then that does not seem all that special. That is the way of the world. Again and again lies and deceptions are creating all manner of suffering in the world. No wonder the ruled of this world is the father of lies (John 8:44). So the world suffers for lies because it is in its nature to do so. On the other hand we as believers suffer for truth (at least we ought to). This means that we need to be both selective and bold as to what we proclaim.

We need to be selective because we need to stand on the truth of God. There are so many lies around us that it is easy to fall into the trap of standing for something that sounds true, but in reality is just a lie dressed up in light. Please hear me on this. I have be grieved by how much deception is in our world today. Not so much by the deception of those who hold animosity toward God. That does not shock me or surprise their father is the Devil. I have grieved over the deceptions that are promulgated by my brothers and sisters in Christ. We have thrown discernment to the wind and hitched our future to anyone that sounds like they might agree with us. I do not say this as a judgement. Please understand my heart longs for Christians to stand for the truth of God no more and no less. So being selective is vital to an end times mindset. We cannot afford to fight battles that ultimately are rooted in deception. This is not participating in the sufferings of Christ. And I sincerely believe that the Devil wants to use these to rob us from rejoicing in the sufferings of Christ. We will suffer! Whether we rejoice in suffering is strongly connected to discernment starting with those that most agree with us. This because the Devil is a crafty one and able to masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Test everything and hold on to what is true (1 Thessalonians 5:21); and not what I feel is true or sounds like it could be true. Be selective!

Boldness is also needed. Too long we have been willing to live quiet lives so as not to disturb the negotiated peace with the world. Here is something that is vital. We cannot be bold in a worldly way. We must be bold in the Love of God. I have written many things about God’s love and there is much more to write. It is God’s love that characterizes the transformed believer. When we are bold in worldly ways (sarcasm, insults, coarse jesting, deception, arrogance, instilling fear, shame, condemnation, and the like) we trade power for love and in the end we will lose both. We must not let the world’s weapons of boldness become the poison that spews from our mouths. It is sick and wrong. It dishonors the name of Christ. We must rise above such pursuits and and pursue love! Boldness in Love is the only redemptive way to speak truth. Just to drive the point look at this passage:

Ephesians 4:14–15 CSB

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.

By truth and obedience we will naturally experience the sufferings of Christ because the world hates Christ and will in turn hate us (John 15:18).

Boldness that we have is rooted in the Name of Christ (1 Peter 4:16). In times of judgement there will be pressure to be ashamed of the name of Christ. However, our boldness comes from the very name the world wants us to be ashamed of. One benefit of judgement of God is that the label Christian (i.e. follower of Christ) that has been so distorted that it is meaningless, will have a restored meaning. Those who do not follow Christ will abandon the name Christian out of shame. Those that truly follow Christ will be bold in their Christianity.

So then how do we rejoice in this?

One key point Peter is making to us is to look forward beyond the present sufferings to when the Glory of Christ will be revealed (1 Peter 4:13). The glory of Christ is hidden from those that are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4), but one day it will be revealed for all to see. To those that are perishing it will be to mourning (Revelation 1:7). For the believer it will be for rejoicing. So one thing we keep in the forefront of our mind is that we will be glorified IN CHRIST!

We also rejoice since God is using these sufferings to help us to become the people he has called us to be. A call to Christian life is a call to suffering. This suffering is for our benefit and growth in faith and obedience. Without resistance of lifting weight our muscles don’t grow. Without suffering our faith does not grow. Therefore we rejoice in the sufferings of Christ that our faith and character might be forged in the fires of ordeal.

Rejoicing is also protective. No suffering is pleasant. Let’s be honest in our hedonistic selves we would never choose suffering. When we expect not to suffer then we can easily become bitter when we do suffer. So in this way rejoicing protects us from the bitterness that naturally follows most periods of suffering. There is a saying that “suffering can make you bitter or better.” It is my belief that the outcome is directly related to whether you can rejoice in suffering or not.

This brings us to the second paradox. It is a blessing to be ridiculed. This is something that I can understand intellectually. It seem heroic to stand for righteousness, love, and justice in the face of ridicule. Every great story has an element of this heroic stand in the face of evil. However, we don’t live in the heroic fantasies of books, tv shows, or movies. We don’t even really live in the fantasy in which we are the hero of our own story. No in reality ridicule is something that tears us to the heart and will inflame passions of rage (at times even murderous rage). Since enduring ridicule is participating in the sufferings of Christ how did Jesus handle ridicule?

1 Peter 2:21–24 CSB

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus did not sin. Now I am not saying that we will live a life of sinless perfection. We can and likely will miss the mark. However, just because we miss the mark does not mean that we stop aiming. Jesus was not deceptive. I have already talked about this, but it drives home how important truth is. Jesus did not return insults. Jesus did not threaten those that caused his suffering. He entrusted himself to God becoming obedient and laying down his life for the forgiveness of sins and our righteousness. In this same way we can entrust ourselves to Him and lay down our lives for the service of others. That is how we respond to ridicule.

When we have a godly response to ridicule it is a blessing. When we have an ungodly response to ridicule we get what negative consequences we deserve. Another way to think about it is when we respond insult for insult we rob ourselves of future blessings that God has for our lives and for eternity.

The Holy Spirit figures strongly into how we respond to end times judgment. God’s Spirit “rests on you.” Stop and think on that for a moment. As judgement comes God covers us with his Holy Spirit.

Often times wild land firefighters carry an emergency fire shelter that can be deployed as a last resort if they become trapped by a fire. The purpose of the shelter is to deflect the heat allowing the firefighter to potentially survive a lethal situation.

This is similar to how God deals with us. The fire of God’s wrath and judgement is coming. However, his Holy Spirit covers us and shelter us to deflect the heat of His wrath. I do not think this analogy is much of a stretch in light of the verse that follow later 1 Peter 4:18 “And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

The Holy Spirit also strengthens and gives wisdom and knowledge in addition to protecting the believer (Isaiah 11:2). The Spirit of God gives us reverence for God. This reverence for God is very beneficial in times of Judgement. Reverence and not bitterness is the appropriate response to God’s discipline of our nation.

When the Spirit of God rests upon us we have the Glory of God resting upon us as well. Think about that for a moment. The eternal glory of God is a covering as you face fiery ordeals. That should put hope in your soul.

It is in this context that sufferings and insults become joy and blessings.

There is a warning to us here though. When judgement comes there will be a temptation to respond in a worldly manner. Peter stresses that we cannot go that route. He lists four sins that will place us out of God’s will for this trial: murder, theft, evil doing, and meddling. The first two seem obvious enough, but what are the second two?

An evildoer is a a person who deliberately engages in evil activity and is worthy of punishment of that activity. That is a long list of things that is covered by this one term. I wont list all of them but Galatians 5:19-21 contains a partial list of evil actions. One bible word study I did I came up with a list of 55 different evil actions that would be considered evildoing. Some that I would think are relevant to this conversation are: deceiver, insurrectionist, slanderer, sexually immoral, false witness, pretender, false teacher, scorner, and oppressor. As I said the list is long and I could go on. Perhaps I may publish the list in a separate post. The point is this, evildoers do not participate in the joy and blessings of God’s judgement. Knowing this then we must make every effort to avoid every evil as we face trials. This can be difficult. For example when facing insults for example we may naturally have the urge to counter attack, spread lies, be cruel, become proud, engage in slander, and so on. Peter is warning that our response to these things must be upright.

What is meddling and how do we avoid it? A meddler is a particular type of evildoer. Peter must see this as something that needs to be highlighted as we face trials. another translation of this word would be busybody. It describes someone who is more interested in the affairs of others than attending to their own issues. It is a tendency to point out the wrong of others as a way to gain a sense of moral superiority. Well the Bible makes it clear that you do not gain moral superiority, but that you are an evil doer when you engage in meddling (See 1 Timothy 5:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:11). We avoid meddling by following the teaching we find in Ephesians

Ephesians 4:29–32 CSB

No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

This post is already long enough otherwise I would elaborate on this a bit more. Maybe a future post.

Let me just be real for a moment. I have failed. The reality that there are time of trials in my life that I have resorted to evil rather than placing my faith in God and allowing the covering of His Spirit to guide me. I say this with great shame and sorrow. To those I have hurt I am deeply sorry. It is a shame that I carry and regret in the depths of my heart. That being said God’s grace rescues me from being hopelessly lost in regret. He is able to forgive me when I confess my sin to Him (1 John 1:9). Redemption from past mistakes is a blessing of God that even when we miss the mark God is greater than all my sin and shame.

In the end the admonition of Peter is a good place to wrap this post up.

1 Peter 4:19 CSB

So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

God Bless You

~BJ