I Peter 4:12-19
Verse 12, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
I. Beloved - Those brethren in the five specific locations, evidently in local churches.
II. Think it not strange - do not be surprised.
III. Fiery trial - Trials are meant to help us, not hurt us.
A. II Cor. 8:2 - The Corinthians helped other Christians by giving of their money, even when they themselves were in the midst of much affliction.
B. Phil 1:12,13 - Paul desires the Philippians to understand that his imprisonment has helped the gospel of Christ, not hurt it.
C. Rom. 5:1-5 - Paul even got to the place where he could glory in tribulations, for he knew those tribulations helped him grow in the Lord.
IV. Strange thing.
A. I Cor. 10:11 - The Old Testament saints endured many things, and all of these things are for our example.
B. What has happened to others will also happen to us.
Verse 13, But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
I. Rejoice, not glad.
A. Romans 8:28 - We learn by experience that all things work together for the good of those that love God and for His glory.
B. Phil. 4:10-14 - Paul had learned to be content in whatever circumstance he was in.
C. Heb. 13:5 - Let us learn to be content, knowing God will never leave us, nor forsake us.
II. Glad.
A. The word also tells us that we will rejoice and be glad when God's glory is revealed.
B. God's glory.
1. This could be when the Lord returns, but I doubt it.
2. I believe this is when we, and others, begin to see more of Christ in us, and less of us.
3. Matt. 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
C. An exceeding joy.
1. This is a joy that is greater than any joy on this earth.
2. It is a joy that comes because of what God has done in us, not what we have done in ourselves.
Verse 14, If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
I. If we be reproached.
A. There is a possibility we won't be reproached.
1. God might have folks so prepared that they might receive the word instead of rejecting it, along with us.
2. Whether we are reproached or not, let us be true to God.
B. The reason for our being reproached.
1. For the name (power, authority) of Christ.
2. People are not fighting us, but God.
3. Acts 4:17 - Peter and John were not rebuked because of their personality, or the way they presented Christ. They were rebuked because they spoke in the name of Christ.
C. There are people in this world who act very stupid as far as religion is concerned.
1. When these people are rebuked, they deserve it, for they have acted like idiots.
2. In the book, Thirty Years a Watchtower Slave, the author states he was thrown in jail for witnessing. When a drunk asked him why he was in jail, he said, "For preaching the gospel." The drunk replied, "No, that's not so. You're in jail because you acted like a fool concerning the gospel." A lot of people fall into this category.
II. Our cause for happiness.
A. Not because we were able to stand up against sin, or for righteousness.
B. God has rested His Spirit upon us.
III. We are not glad, nor do we rejoice because people speak evil of Christ.
A. This part of the verse is simply stating a fact.
B. We would certainly be wrong to rejoice, or be glad because somebody spoke evil of us, or God.
Verse 15, But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
I. Wrongful suffering.
A. A murderer or a thief.
1. It is very apparent to almost everybody that these people suffer for their own wickedness.
2. They will suffer at the hand of God given civil government.
B. Evildoer.
C. Busybody in other men's matters.
1. Having been raised around laying hens, I observed of the hen will turn away from the grain on a clean feeding trough, and will be scratching in a hole or spurring the dung hill in search of one singly musty grain.
2. In order to increase egg production, we put a chain in the feed trough which had a 3/4" by 3" cross link which pulled the feed along.
3. This stirred the curiosity of the hen, and she would peck at each cross link.
4. So these over busy people, neglecting such obvious and common things into which any man may inquire and talk of without offence, cannot be satisfied unless they rake into the private and concealed evils of every family in the neighborhood.
Verse 16, Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
I. Suffer as a Christian.
A. Suffer because of a stand for Christian values.
1. There is no reason to be ashamed.
2. There will be those "religious" people who try to make you feel guilty because you stand for God.
3. They try to make you think you are standing against them instead of standing for God.
B. This passage is not speaking of the attitude the Christian has when he suffers.
C. Glorify God on this behalf.
1. Acts 5:41 - Peter and the other apostles went away rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the cause of Christ.
2. We ought to follow the example of the apostles when they follow the example of Christ.
Verse 17, For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
I. Judgment - A decision (the function or the effect, for or against {"crime"}).
II. Begin - commence or start.
A. If we believed that judgment would first begin at the church of God, then that would put all believers in the "church".
B. There are some believers who are not members of any congregation.
C. When the Scripture talks about the judgment, there are only two judgments, II Tim. 4:1, "who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom".
D. The house of God is referring to all believers, or to the church as an institution.
III. House - a dwelling, (more or less, literal or figurative; by implication a family (more or less related).
A. House can mean several things:
1. The house refers to the body.
a. II Cor. 5:1 - House refers to this earthly body and the resurrected body.
b. II Cor. 5:2 - House refers to the resurrected body.
2. The individual house of a person or family.
a. Matt. 8:14 - Jesus came into Peter's house.
b. Matt. 9:6 - Jesus instructed the impotent man to take up his bed and go to his own house.
c. There are many more scriptures in the Bible that teach that a house is an individual dwelling.
3. The place where many individual houses are located.
a. Matt. 12:25 - A city or house divided against itself cannot stand.
b. Matt. 15:24 - Jesus told the Canaanite woman that He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
c. Matt. 23:38 - Jesus speaking about Jerusalem said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."
B. Some believe the house of God is the local church of God, but I don't.
1. The local church is never spoken of as the house of God.
2. There are two places where the term "house of God" refers to the church in the institutional sense.
a. I Tim. 3:15 - The house of God is explained to be the church of God, using the term Church of God in an institutional sense. We must note that Jesus never gave any authority or responsibility to individuals except through the church He established during His personal ministry.
b. Heb. 10:21 - Jesus Christ is the high priest over the house of God, referring to the dwelling place of God where the world will now view Him. This place, according to the rest of this chapter is the local church. See Hebrews 10:25.
Verse 18, And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
I. Righteous - equitable, or just, innocent.
A. I Peter 3:12 - The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous.
B. II Peter 2:8 - Lot is called righteous two times in this verse. He is a saved man.
II. Scarcely - with difficulty, hardly, scarce with much work.
A. The word scarcely is used in the following places.
1. Acts 14:18 - Paul and Barnabas scarce restrained the Lycaonians from offering sacrifice to them.
2. Acts 27:7 - It was very scarce (difficult) for the ship to reach Cnidus because the wind was opposite.
3. Rom. 5:7 - For scarcely for a righteous man will one die.
4. Therefore, the meaning is that it was with great difficulty that God through Christ secured our salvation.
a. It doesn't mean that we are barely saved, or just a little bit saved.
b. We are completely purified and cleansed of all unrighteousness.
B. It was difficult for God to save us.
1. The plan of salvation had to be in total agreement with all of God's attributes.
a. God loves sinners, but His hatred for sin must be satisfied.
b. God's mercy desired that we be forgiven, but His justice demanded full payment for sin.
2. It was with great difficulty that God took upon Himself the form of sinful man, and humbled Himself to death, even the death of the cross, then raised Himself again to life.
3. It is with great difficulty (strivings) that totally depraved sinners are brought by the Holy Spirit to a knowledge of their wickedness and come to have a desire for forgiveness.
4. It is with great difficulty (strugglers) that a saved person deals with the wicked sinful lusts of his totally corrupted body and mind.
a. When we look at the wickedness of our minds and hearts, it is a wonder that any saved person remains saved.
b. It is only by the grace of Almighty God who keeps us when we feel we don't want to be kept.
III. Where shall the ungodly appear?
A. The thought is not to be taken apart from the first part of the verse.
B. If the righteous (saved) are kept by God and He has difficulty, where will those stand that have not God?
1. Romans 3:23 - "For we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God;"
2. Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Verse 19, Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
I. According to the will of God - All suffering is not in the will of God.
A. Some of our suffering is because of our own stupidity, and willfully following the desires of the flesh.
II. Commit the keeping of their souls.
A. We that are saved, and look into the precious Word of God will soon realize that it is totally, completely impossible for us to keep ourselves.
B. We will willingly let God keep our souls.
1. When we, as saved people, realize the extent of our wickedness, we will gladly give the keeping of our souls to God.
2. We will realize that it is completely impossible for us to keep our own souls anyway.
3. Note that it remains our place to keep our bodies and bring them into subjection to His revealed will.
III. In well doing.
A. When we realize what terrible sinners we are, that doesn't mean we shouldn't still try to obey the commands of God.
B. We will realize that it is only by the power of God that we can learn and obey the revealed will of God.
IV. As unto a faithful creator.
A. We had nothing at all to do with God creating this universe.
1. We read in the Bible how God is the creator.
2. We know He created the worlds by speaking them into existence.
3. We believe what He has done, and don't worry about it.
B. We actually have nothing at all to do with Him keeping us.
1. We read in the Bible how God has paid the price on the cross for our sinfulness.
2. We believe what He has done and don't worry about it, rather rejoicing in His great grace toward us.