Holiness in action: Rejoicing in Suffering | 1 Pet 4:12‑19

Christians often talk about being ‘in the world’, but not ‘of the world’ – and we’ve been considering that in this series too – we live here, but it’s not our true home. And sometimes that gets confusing. A cross-cultural confusion, if I can call it that.

Allow me to share an example: The other week I was enjoying a delightful craft beer (an oat cream, single hop IPA, for those who care…), and it was called ‘Pursuit of Hoppiness #9’ (each release is a different brew).

And I made the comment to Cath: “I wonder if they’re Christian brewers and this is a tribute to Jerry Bridges classic book, The Pursuit of Holiness.” Of course, Cath was quick to correct me (with a bit of ‘duh’ tone) that the tribute is to the more widely known book & movie, The Pursuit of Happyness.

That was a humbling experience for me, being a big movie fan, but also just a small example of cross-cultural confusion. BTW, I’m also a fan of that Jerry Bridges book, so if you’ve never read it – I recommend you do!

And it is holiness that we’ve been broadly considering over the last few weeks. Holiness in action. Being set apart. Being in the world, but not of it. Living here as foreigners, but heading for home in heaven.

And this morning we’re reminded that nothing makes Christians stand out more than the ability to rejoice in suffering. To have joy and peace and hope, despite hardship and pain.

And it's not just a prominent display of holiness. It’s also a deeper definition for freedom. True freedom is not in democracy or capitalism. It’s not what governments give or take away. True freedom is the ability to rejoice in suffering. Because the greatest thing – salvation; the gospel; Jesus – can never be taken away from us.

So, from the second half of 1 Peter 4, we’re going to consider the reasons for our suffering, the possible reactions to suffering, the reasons for rejoicing, and the reactions of said rejoicing.

1. REASONS FOR SUFFERING

So, why do we suffer? This is the question we considered in the Afternoon Service a few weeks back, so if you’re looking for the broader exploration of that question, please have a listen to that online.

This morning, we’re zooming in on this particular passage, and what verse 19 reveals is that we suffer ‘according to God’s will’ (i.e. if it’s not for being a criminal or a jerk). It’s God’s will that we suffer… Just as it was God’s will for Jesus to suffer. Not in the same way, but by the same will.

It’s a hard pill to swallow, isn’t it? “Are you kidding me? God wants me to suffer? I thought he was good and loving and kind? Why would he want me to suffer?”

Well, let me clarify. It was not God’s will, in creating us, that we would suffer. It was not his design. His design was for us to live in perfection and enjoyment – of him and of his world.

But it is God’s will, in redeeming us, that we suffer. Because we are weak, broken, sinful people, he wills us to suffer in order to teach us and grow us and transform us.

And see, it’s not a suffering of rejection or damnation. That was God’s will for Jesus, and for all those who live and die without Jesus. But for those who repent and believe, it is a suffering of restoration and healing.

The pruning of dead branches. The forging of metal in fire. The healing of broken bones or torn skin. The learning, the growing, the testing.

In verse 12, Peter says the fiery ordeal has come upon you ‘to test you’. And it points back to chapter 1, verse 7: “These [trials – same word] have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7, NIV)

See, one way you can still test the authenticity of gold is with fire. Fake gold will blacken when it goes through a flame (or the plating will melt off to show the metal beneath), but real gold will brighten and keep it’s colour.

So it goes with our faith. It is tested by suffering and trials and temptations, revealing whether it’s genuine or not.

Faith in ourselves, or anything other than Jesus, will blacken and fail. But faith in Jesus will brighten and strengthen. It will be proven – not because of our own strength, but the strength of the one we believe in.

So, God wills our suffering to redeem & restore, teach & test, grow & heal us.

2. REACTIONS TO SUFFERING

Then how do we react? How do we react to pain and hardship? How do we react to opposition and persecution? How do we react to discipline and correction?

Well, there’s two options. Outrage or rejoicing. Self-pity or celebration. Complaint or praise.

In verse 12, Peter says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12, NIV)

Don’t be surprised. Expect it. It’s not strange. It’s God’s will. You read about suffering in your Bibles all the time. Why think it won’t happen to you? You live in a broken, sinful world. Why think that won’t affect you personally?

You’re surrounded by people who don’t believe in Jesus, or who think we came from monkeys, or who don’t know if life means anything at all. Why think they’ll value what you value? You believe that we’re all sinners and some are heading for hell, and they know you believe that. Why think they won’t be offended by that?

And finally, you follow Jesus, the perfect God-man, who loved people without fault, and was still rejected, mocked, tortured and executed. Why think we, who are selfish and sinful, would receive better treatment than our humble Saviour?

So, don’t be surprised. Don’t be outraged. Don’t be scandalised. The kingdom of God is completely counter-cultural – completely upside-down – and so it will; we will; stand out like a sore thumb. If you’re going to be surprised, be surprised that it hasn’t been worse before this.

See, Peter could easily be saying, ‘don’t be scandalised and victimised at your suffering, as though you’re already home in heaven. You’re not. You’re in a deeply divided, deeply fractured world. And you’re often being pulled apart by its influence, like a man being drawn by ropes, and it’s bound to be painful.

So, what’s the alternative? Verse 13: “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:13, NIV) Rejoice. And ‘praise God’ in verse 16.

As James says, “Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Or, as Paul says, “I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.”

3. REASONS FOR REJOICING

Why do this? How can we say this? What are the reasons for rejoicing? According to James, trials produce perseverance and maturity. According to Paul, when we are weak, then we are strong… in Christ!

i. And according to Peter, there are three reasons to rejoice in suffering. First, it’s because ‘you participate in the sufferings of Christ’. Of Jesus, who suffered great opposition and persecution for you. Of Jesus, who bled and died for you. Of Jesus, who bore God’s wrath and judgment for you…

In suffering, you meet with Jesus – the great Sufferer. Like you meet with him in Scripture. Like you meet with him in prayer. Like you meet with him in the Lord’s Supper. So you meet with him in suffering. It is a means of God’s grace in your life.

ii. Second, it’s so ‘you may be overjoyed when Christ’s glory is revealed’. That is, when you meet with him, finally, in glory. His suffering has already been revealed, but his glory is yet to be fully made clear. When it is, we will meet him face-to-face. All suffering will fall away; only glory and perfection and joy will remain.

As Romans 8:17 says: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:17, NIV)

And Colossians 3:3-4 – “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:3–4, NIV)

As I read through the Bibles for the Persecuted devotions, this joy is displayed time and again. New converts willing to endure all sorts of pain and punishment, because the joy of the gospel far outweighs ANY suffering they’ll undergo.

As a man named Sunday Singh once said, after his conversion: “Some said I was mad; some that I had dreamed; but, when they saw that I was not to be turned, they began to persecute me. But the persecution was nothing compared with that miserable unrest I had had when I was without Christ; and it was not difficult for me to endure the troubles and persecution which now began”

Again, 2Co 4:17 comes to mind: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NIV)

iii. Then, finally, suffering shows that ‘the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests on you’. Suffering and persecution are blessings! They are evidence that God is living within you. They’re evidence that you live for more than what this world offers and belong to heaven instead. They’re evidence that you are anointed and appointed for the goal of the gospel.

What is your definition of blessing? A free country? A big family? Material wealth? A long life? None of these things are blessings in and of themselves. Blessing is the gift of God’s Spirit – himself in us – even during suffering, pain or persecution.

4. REACTIONS OF REJOICING

So, again I come back to our reaction. But this time I focus more on the ‘action’ part of the word than the ‘response’ part of the word. Three reactions that flow out of our rejoicing:

i. Firstly, test yourselves. Suffering is God’s test of your faith, but you can also use it to test yourself. If you’re outraged or victimised by your suffering, ask yourself why. “Is it because I idolise safety and comfort? Is it because I feel entitled to a cruisy life? Is it because I’m failing to believe that Jesus can use this for my good and growth?”

Behind all our actions, behaviour and attitudes are small crises of faith. And our self-pity or anger could easily be stemming from an unbelief in God’s sovereignty, his mercy, his goodness, or his glory. So, as Paul says in 2Co 13: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NIV)

ii. Secondly, commit yourselves to your faithful Creator (there in verse 19). He is committed to you and faithful to you, so you can commit to him. Or, to put it a little more challengingly, surrender yourselves to him. Remember, our hope and holiness is not in our rights and liberties – our independent autonomy. Not even a little bit. No, our hope and holiness is in our submission to the ultimate Authority – our King and Creator God.

We don’t suffer for freedom, like William Wallace, who fought against English oppression in Scotland and was executed for it (and apparently screamed out ‘freedom’ while being disemboweled). No, we suffer for our subjection to the most loving, beautiful, wonderful Lord of all – Jesus Christ.

iii. So, commit to him, and also in verse 19, continue to do good. Don’t wallow in self-pity. Don’t burrow into your sense of victimhood. Don’t withdraw in despair. Get on with the mission God’s called you to! Do good. Serve others. Offer hospitality. Speak the words of God. (From 7-11.) Use your suffering for good!

In Christ, we are always free and can always do the work of the gospel. Even if we’re in prison, we can do gospel-good. Even if we’re bed-ridden in hospital, we can do gospel-good. Even if we’re days or hours from death, we can do gospel-good.

Don’t be scandalised by suffering. Accept it. Use it. And get on with the work of the gospel!