1Pe 4:14-16 | KingComments | STEP | . The glory that is spoken about in has not yet come. At present you may still be reviled “for the name of Christ”. It is the same suffering as the suffering that is called ‘Christ’s sufferings’ in the previous verse, but with another emphasis. There the emphasis is more on the suffering itself; it is a suffering that also Christ has endured for doing the will of God. It is the portion of each who follows Him. With the suffering ‘for the name of Christ’ the emphasis is more on the relationship with Himself. To be reviled for His Name is a suffering that is a direct consequence of coming out for His Name in word and in deed. The world sees in the believer the representative of Christ, Who Himself, when He was here, was the great Representative of God. Due to that He experienced: “The reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me” ( ). To Him it was no disgrace and that goes also for you if you are reproached for His Name. Peter even says “you are blessed” if that happens. The suffering of Christ and the suffering for the Name of Christ are an exceptional way of the revelation of “the Spirit of glory and of God”. In the suffering you experience that the Spirit brings you in your inner being into contact with ‘the glory’ that is His home. He is also the Spirit ‘of God’, the Spirit Who gives you the awareness of God’s full interest and support in the suffering you find yourself in. That is without a doubt a wonderful encouragement to endure this suffering with joy. You go through an unprecedented experience of God’s presence that others will also notice, for that Spirit “rests on you” (cf. ). While you’re enduring suffering on earth, you possess something that comes from the glory which connects you to it. You not only have a promise of a coming glory, but you have Him Who belongs there. I have read the biography of a Chinese church leader who had spent twenty years in detention barracks, because of his faith in the Lord Jesus. In that book he speaks all the time about God as ‘the Present One’. To him the presence of God and His Spirit was an almost tangible reality in the midst of the suffering. They were ‘present’, he knew he was in Their presence. That gave him the strength to do the hard forced labor and to testify of his Lord and Savior toward his fellow prisoners. . After presenting the privileges of suffering because of the relationship with Christ, Peter warns of a form of suffering that should not happen to you. That form of suffering is the suffering because of the sins you committed. Peter mentions some of them. The “murderer, or thief, or evildoer” are people who take or damage the life or possessions of other people (materially or spiritually). The “troublesome meddler” doesn’t seem to fit in this list, but Peter still puts him next to these other crystal clear sins. The troublesome meddler is someone who meddles unasked in other people’s affairs. Meddling limits the room for others, it takes away the freedom of others to act according to what the Lord makes clear. The busybody is doing a work of which the devastating effects often become visible in the longer term. The world has no appreciation for it, like it has not for the other three sins. It is shameful if a person, who calls himself a Christian, has to endure such suffering. . However, a person may suffer because he really behaves as a Christian, after the meaning of the name ‘Christian’. That is because he shows the features of Him to Whom the name ‘Christian’ refers, that is Christ. The name ‘Christian’ appears only here and two times in the book of Acts ( ). In both verses in the book of Acts the name is used by unbelievers who refer to those who testify of their faith in Christ. Therefore it is the world that came up with that name. By what Peter writes here we see that the Spirit acknowledges this name formally. A Christian is therefore a true follower of Christ. If you suffer “as a Christian”, that is, because you are known as a follower of Christ and act as such, you need not be ashamed of it. On the contrary, you are allowed “to glorify God in this name”. Christ has always suffered for the Name of God and glorified Him therein. You are allowed to imitate Him in this. That is a great privilege. . There is another reason why God uses the suffering of the persecution on behalf of His own. The time for judgment on the world is still to come. Peter speaks about that in his second letter. We will see that when we read and examine that letter together. In this first letter it is about God’s reign over His children. Therefore Peter speaks now about God’s judgment on His house, which is the church, but seen as a whole that consists of all believers who are held responsible for their behavior. That you are a member of the church is not only a privilege, but also a great responsibility. That is what this is about. This responsibility is greater than that of the world. The church as the people of God and the house of God, as a matter of fact, confesses to know God and to obey Him. Therefore God’s judgment has to begin here before He judges the world (cf. ; ). God first judges what is the closest to Him, what is most responsible ( ; ) to remove what is not according to His will. He wants that the wrong should be confessed and removed. For that reason He uses the world in its persecution of His own. Therefore persecution is besides a test of faith also a speaking of God to the conscience of His people. He wants to bring His own to have the same judgment as He has. That will cause them to judge what He judges, so that they may not be judged with the world ( ). By speaking about “us” Peter puts himself under the judgment that God executes on His house. “For [it is] time” for that judgment while the church is still on earth. To the unbeliever the time has not come yet to be judged, but that will happen in future ( ). The execution of God’s judgment on the world contains a serious warning for us not to be absorbed in the world. The judgment on the world is still to come and it will be terrible and definite. There will be no way to escape. . You are a righteous one and look what an effort God is making to bring you saved to the final goal. In the midst of all trials He continues His work in you. He guards you from falling away and from sliding into the world and He purifies your faith, so that you continue to respond to Who He is. Therefore “difficulty” here is with regard to all efforts of God to lead you safely through all dangers to finally give you the inheritance that He reserved for you ( ). That is a great encouragement. To the world it is a great warning. That is embedded in the question “what will become of the godless man and the sinner”, that is, those who live without God and only for themselves. The answer to that question is: they will appear before the great white throne to be judged there according to their deeds ( ). . If you are aware of the previous you will be able to understand the admonition to, if you are suffering to God’s will, entrust your soul “to a faithful Creator”. You will surely not think of escaping the suffering by adapting yourself to the world and entrust your soul to it. The world, consisting of godless men and sinners, rushes toward judgment. Therefore it is not wise to take refuge in the world to escape suffering. You rush toward the inheritance. Then remember that the degree of suffering is the basis for the joy you will have when you may take possession of the inheritance at the revelation of the glory of Christ ( ). The “faithful Creator”, your Maker, He Who completely knows you and knows how you feel, leads everything to the goal for which He has created all things. He is faithful and will achieve His goal with the world, with the inheritance and with you. On the way to His goal you are allowed, by doing good, to show that you have entrusted your whole life to Him. You do not seek to adapt yourself to the world, but you neither rejoice in the judgment that will come on the world. As long as you are here you may seek good for the people of the world, so that, in doing what is right many more will get to know Him on behalf of Whom you are working. Now read 1 Peter 4:14-19 again. Reflection: What does your suffering as a Christian consist of?

‏ 1 Peter 4:14-16

Judgment Begins With the House of God

1Pet 4:14. The glory that is spoken about in 1Pet 4:13 has not yet come. At present you may still be reviled “for the name of Christ”. It is the same suffering as the suffering that is called ‘Christ’s sufferings’ in the previous verse, but with another emphasis. There the emphasis is more on the suffering itself; it is a suffering that also Christ has endured for doing the will of God. It is the portion of each who follows Him. With the suffering ‘for the name of Christ’ the emphasis is more on the relationship with Himself.

To be reviled for His Name is a suffering that is a direct consequence of coming out for His Name in word and in deed. The world sees in the believer the representative of Christ, Who Himself, when He was here, was the great Representative of God. Due to that He experienced: “The reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me” (Psa 69:9). To Him it was no disgrace and that goes also for you if you are reproached for His Name. Peter even says “you are blessed” if that happens.

The suffering of Christ and the suffering for the Name of Christ are an exceptional way of the revelation of “the Spirit of glory and of God”. In the suffering you experience that the Spirit brings you in your inner being into contact with ‘the glory’ that is His home. He is also the Spirit ‘of God’, the Spirit Who gives you the awareness of God’s full interest and support in the suffering you find yourself in.

That is without a doubt a wonderful encouragement to endure this suffering with joy. You go through an unprecedented experience of God’s presence that others will also notice, for that Spirit “rests on you” (cf. Acts 6:15). While you’re enduring suffering on earth, you possess something that comes from the glory which connects you to it. You not only have a promise of a coming glory, but you have Him Who belongs there.

I have read the biography of a Chinese church leader who had spent twenty years in detention barracks, because of his faith in the Lord Jesus. In that book he speaks all the time about God as ‘the Present One’. To him the presence of God and His Spirit was an almost tangible reality in the midst of the suffering. They were ‘present’, he knew he was in Their presence. That gave him the strength to do the hard forced labor and to testify of his Lord and Savior toward his fellow prisoners.

1Pet 4:15. After presenting the privileges of suffering because of the relationship with Christ, Peter warns of a form of suffering that should not happen to you. That form of suffering is the suffering because of the sins you committed. Peter mentions some of them. The “murderer, or thief, or evildoer” are people who take or damage the life or possessions of other people (materially or spiritually).

The “troublesome meddler” doesn’t seem to fit in this list, but Peter still puts him next to these other crystal clear sins. The troublesome meddler is someone who meddles unasked in other people’s affairs. Meddling limits the room for others, it takes away the freedom of others to act according to what the Lord makes clear. The busybody is doing a work of which the devastating effects often become visible in the longer term. The world has no appreciation for it, like it has not for the other three sins. It is shameful if a person, who calls himself a Christian, has to endure such suffering.

1Pet 4:16. However, a person may suffer because he really behaves as a Christian, after the meaning of the name ‘Christian’. That is because he shows the features of Him to Whom the name ‘Christian’ refers, that is Christ. The name ‘Christian’ appears only here and two times in the book of Acts (Acts 11:26 ; Acts 26:28). In both verses in the book of Acts the name is used by unbelievers who refer to those who testify of their faith in Christ. Therefore it is the world that came up with that name. By what Peter writes here we see that the Spirit acknowledges this name formally.

A Christian is therefore a true follower of Christ. If you suffer “as a Christian”, that is, because you are known as a follower of Christ and act as such, you need not be ashamed of it. On the contrary, you are allowed “to glorify God in this name”. Christ has always suffered for the Name of God and glorified Him therein. You are allowed to imitate Him in this. That is a great privilege.

1Pet 4:17. There is another reason why God uses the suffering of the persecution on behalf of His own. The time for judgment on the world is still to come. Peter speaks about that in his second letter. We will see that when we read and examine that letter together. In this first letter it is about God’s reign over His children. Therefore Peter speaks now about God’s judgment on His house, which is the church, but seen as a whole that consists of all believers who are held responsible for their behavior.

That you are a member of the church is not only a privilege, but also a great responsibility. That is what this is about. This responsibility is greater than that of the world. The church as the people of God and the house of God, as a matter of fact, confesses to know God and to obey Him. Therefore God’s judgment has to begin here before He judges the world (cf. Jer 25:29; Eze 9:6).

God first judges what is the closest to Him, what is most responsible (Lev 10:3; Amos 3:2) to remove what is not according to His will. He wants that the wrong should be confessed and removed. For that reason He uses the world in its persecution of His own. Therefore persecution is besides a test of faith also a speaking of God to the conscience of His people. He wants to bring His own to have the same judgment as He has. That will cause them to judge what He judges, so that they may not be judged with the world (1Cor 11:31-32).

By speaking about “us” Peter puts himself under the judgment that God executes on His house. “For [it is] time” for that judgment while the church is still on earth. To the unbeliever the time has not come yet to be judged, but that will happen in future (Pro 11:31). The execution of God’s judgment on the world contains a serious warning for us not to be absorbed in the world. The judgment on the world is still to come and it will be terrible and definite. There will be no way to escape.

1Pet 4:18. You are a righteous one and look what an effort God is making to bring you saved to the final goal. In the midst of all trials He continues His work in you. He guards you from falling away and from sliding into the world and He purifies your faith, so that you continue to respond to Who He is. Therefore “difficulty” here is with regard to all efforts of God to lead you safely through all dangers to finally give you the inheritance that He reserved for you (1Pet 1:4-5). That is a great encouragement.

To the world it is a great warning. That is embedded in the question “what will become of the godless man and the sinner”, that is, those who live without God and only for themselves. The answer to that question is: they will appear before the great white throne to be judged there according to their deeds (Rev 20:11-15).

1Pet 4:19. If you are aware of the previous you will be able to understand the admonition to, if you are suffering to God’s will, entrust your soul “to a faithful Creator”. You will surely not think of escaping the suffering by adapting yourself to the world and entrust your soul to it. The world, consisting of godless men and sinners, rushes toward judgment. Therefore it is not wise to take refuge in the world to escape suffering. You rush toward the inheritance. Then remember that the degree of suffering is the basis for the joy you will have when you may take possession of the inheritance at the revelation of the glory of Christ (1Pet 4:13).

The “faithful Creator”, your Maker, He Who completely knows you and knows how you feel, leads everything to the goal for which He has created all things. He is faithful and will achieve His goal with the world, with the inheritance and with you. On the way to His goal you are allowed, by doing good, to show that you have entrusted your whole life to Him. You do not seek to adapt yourself to the world, but you neither rejoice in the judgment that will come on the world. As long as you are here you may seek good for the people of the world, so that, in doing what is right many more will get to know Him on behalf of Whom you are working.

Now read 1 Peter 4:14-19 again.

Reflection: What does your suffering as a Christian consist of?