1 peter 4....the rest of your time.
We have noted that a major topic in this letter is the suffering of believers in this life prior to the glory that shall follow. Indeed Peter focuses on seven aspects of suffering that may come our way as part of the “manifold trials”.
Chapter 2 v19 Suffering for conscience toward God
Chapter 3 v13 Suffering for righteousness sake
Chapter 3 v17 Suffering for well doing
Chapter 4 v1 Suffering in the flesh
Chapter 4 v16 Suffering as a Christian
Chapter 4 v19 Suffering according to the will of God
Chapter 5 v9 Suffering from the adversary the devil
Also one of the key thoughts in the letter is the matter of time. Chapter 1 v5 “the last time”; chapter 1 v11 “what manner of time”; chapter 1 v17 “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear”; chapter 1 v20 we are living in the “last times”; chapter 2 v10 “in time past”; chapter 4 v2 “the rest of his time”; chapter 4 v3 “the time past of our life”; chapter 4 v17 “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God”; chapter 5 v6 “due time”. The burden of the letter therefore is to be aware of the passage of time The chapter focuses on our mind-set and we are to adopt the mind of Christ(verse 2), to be sober minded (verse 7), and to think positively (verse 12) by a proper attitude to all that comes our way. He presents four areas where the mind-set is to change.
• Verses 1-3 An aggressive attitude towards sin.
• Verses 4-7 A patient attitude towards sinners.
• Verses 8-11 A gracious attitude towards saints.
• Verses 12-19 A mature attitude towards suffering.
Verses 1-3 An aggressive attitude towards sin.
“Forasmuch then as Christ also has hath suffered for us in the flesh arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.” Peter has already established that because of sin Jesus suffered in His body while here on earth. Chapter 2v24 “Who His own self bear our sins in His own body on the tree;” Chapter 3v18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit.” He suffered in Hs body not for his own sins but for ours. He suffered to bring us back to God. We have to take an aggressive attitude towards sin, just like Him, for it was sin that caused His suffering and that lead to His death. Hebrews 12 v4 says we are to “resist even unto blood striving against sin”. We are to “arm ourselves with the same mind” this being a military term which suggests we are to be militant towards sin in our lives, we are to do battle with it to the point of subjugation, we are to “cease from sin”, we are “no longer to live the rest of the time in the flesh to the lusts of men.” We have gone on sinning long enough “the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles”; we are to be merciless in the battle; sin no longer has mastery over us and we no longer need to submit to it. We have lived long enough in sin because it is ugly and it is futile, and fruitless. He lists the kind of life that it involved; the abuse of sex, the abuse of alcohol, the devotion to idols. C.S. Lewis made an interesting comment in connection with this “We are far too easily pleased, we are half hearted creatures fooling around with illicit sex and excessive drinking and partying and filled with selfish ambition when the God of heaven is offering to us infinite joy such as this world cannot give us”. God has a better life for us now, a life that is more satisfying and more lasting than the pleasures of sin. The suffering of Christ was to bring sin to an end and now we can, in His mighty power overcome it.
Verses 4-7 A patient attitude toward sinners
As much as we are to be militant against sin in our own lives, we are to be patient towards those who are still in their sins. “They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot.” They don’t understand the lifestyle of believers in Christ, that is because they think we are losing out in life and we cannot do what our natural instincts would tell us to do. They don’t understand why we do not find solace in the things of the world. Life to them is self satisfaction or self gratification, excess drinking, partying, banqueting, all things to do with the flesh. A.W. Tozer wrote in his book “Root of the righteous” of the strange creature a Christian is to the world “The Christian feels supreme love for One he has not seen; he prays every day to One he cannot see; he assumes he is going to heaven by the merit of another; he empties himself in order to be full; he admits he is wrong so he can be declared to be right; he goes down in order to go up; he is at his strongest when he is at his weakest; richest when poorest; happiest when he feels worst; dies so he can live; gives up in order to gain; sees the invisible; hears the inaudible; and knows what passes knowledge.” The standards of Christianity turn world values on their head. Not only do they think us strange, “they speak evil of us” They misjudge us, they put us down because we challenge their lifestyle. The Lord Jesus was the supreme example of patience in this respect in Chapter 2v23 “Who when He was reviled, reviled not again, when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” They don’t know, as we know, that “they shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.” In light of all this we need to show patience and not judge them for there is One who will judge them righteously.
Verse 6 is difficult to understand or explain, but it seems to go to the overall message in these verses, where there is a contrast between “life in the flesh” and “life in the spirit (chapter 3 v18 with 4 v6)”; the “will of the Gentiles” and “the will of God”( chapter 4 v2 with 4 v3). Unconverted people cannot understand eternal things, living only for the present time. Because of this the gospel was also preached to the dead, that is those who believed but are now dead. They are considered to have been losers but they live unto God. He may even be referring to the martyrs who paid the ultimate price in sacrifice but now are rewarded. This seems to be the meaning and he confirms this in verse 7, “But the end of all things has drawn nigh..” The values of this life are contrary to God and the judgment of those in the flesh will come to an abrupt end. Therefore rather than continue to live in the excesses of the flesh in revellings and the like we are to be sober and watch unto prayer. Rather than engaging with the visible world we are to seek the invisible life with God. In verses 4-7 we have three time periods clearly indicated...”time past”; “the rest of our time”; “the end of all things”, the end of time. The things of time and sense must come to an end and we are on the verge of eternity. If this was true in Peter’s day how much more now.
Verses 8-11 A gracious attitude toward saints
We all, who have been saved, are the recipients of amazing grace and we are to minister the same one to another. The capstone of these verses is we are “..stewards of the manifold grace of God”. The word stewards is just “household servants” who are engaged in dispensing of the many sided, multi-coloured, grace of God to others in the household. God’s grace is His unmerited favour, the granting of favours to those who deserve the opposite. This has many hues, many aspects, and because He is infinite there is no end to His goodness. Each of us has a small part of this vast array of grace and we are to share our small part with the household.
He begins in verse 8 with the priority issue in Christian life, “But above all things have fervent love among yourselves....” Before any other consideration have love one to another. This is in agreement with Paul’s teaching in 1st Corinthians 13 which presents love as indispensable, such that without it we are nothing and we will not profit from anything we do. Also in Revelation 2, the Lord through the apostle John said a loveless church was better removed as a lampstand as being totally unacceptable to Him. The kind of love we are to have is not half-hearted, but fervent, literally “boiling over”. Next he gives the best reason of all, because “..love shall cover the multitude of sins”. This is a quote from Proverbs 10 v12, where love is contrasted with hatred in what it produces. Love is an attitude resulting in acts of kindness and the requirement is to conceal faults, not expose them. Of course we don’t turn a blind eye to open sins, but the tendency must always be to protect each other. The cry of David at the fall of his tormentor king Saul and his army “The beauty of Israel is slain on thy high places; how are the mighty fallen, tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon”(2nd Samuel 1 vv19-20). The godly thing to do when God’s people go astray is to cover, not publish, sin to the outside world. Then he gives a way in which this might be practically done, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging (murmuring)”. Use your homes to receive and relieve the saints...there may have been more need for this in those days, but it is still a useful way to serve His people.
We have all received a gift of grace from God, there is nothing more clear in the new testament (Romans 12 vv3-8; 1st Corinthians 12 vv4-11; Ephesians 4 vv11-15). The many lists of gifts are not exhaustive but are examples of the kind of gifts of grace given to us and we are to use them for the benefit of the people. We are all servants, household servants in the house of God and we are to use the gifts to the best of our ability. Those who speak publicly to do so “as the oracles of God”; those who serve in other ways to do it according to the Divine ability given. The issue is not self glorification or men pleasing, but that “..that God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen”.
Verses 12-19 A mature attitude to suffering
There is nothing surer than suffering for the Christian believer in this world. Jesus warned His disciples “In the world ye shall have tribulation...”, association with Him will bring trials. Peter calls it “the fiery trial” which is sent to put us to the test. In chapter 1 v7 he said “the trial of your faith....though it be tried by fire...”, he recognises the ferocity of the trial in some cases. He uses the same construction as verse 4...the world “thinks it strange”...now he says “Think it not strange...” take a mature attitude, because;
a) The compensations far outweigh the losses.
Future Verses 12-13.....they will be greater in the future. If we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, we shall also share in His glory. The apostles saw this clearly, especially Peter who had a glimpse of His glory on the mount of transfiguration. Paul put it like this in Romans 8 v18 “..for I reckon that the sufferings of this little while are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us”. He repeats the teaching of the Lord in the sermon on the mount.....rejoice, for yours is the kingdom of heaven! You can rejoice now, and you will have exceeding joy in the future.
Present Verses 14-16.....they will be greater in the present! What a marvellous thought is this....” the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you”. You will experience the very real Divine presence with you. It’s the fulfilment of our Lord’s words in John chapter 14 v23 “...we will come to him and make our abode with him!”. “..on their part He is slandered, on your part He is glorified.” Great sacrifice for the Lord brings both present and future compensation. The Lord differentiated between suffering for righteousness and suffering for Christ, and Peter is doing the same here. Simple association with Christ will bring suffering...”reproached for the name of Christ”, “suffering as a Christian” are the terms he uses, and we are not to be ashamed but, “..let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or evildoer or busybody.”
b) We are part of the Divine programme of correction which has already begun.
Verses 17-19 “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God....”. There is more to these verses than meets the eye. Something has begun which will continue into the future. He speaks of the beginning and end of Divine judgment. He began the chapter with the phrase “cease from sin”, and that is purpose of salvation. If we note the preposition used here (from the house, judgment has begun from the house, it starts with us and moves out). We need bible-wide input here to get the full force of the meaning. The mission of Christ was ultimately to rid the universe of sin. His programme for Israel in Daniel chapter 9 is to “..finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness...”. In Jeremiah 9 v24 He indicates what He is about “..I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness and judgment and righteousness in the earth”. At Calvary the Son of God “made purification for sins...”. The end to which He is working is “ new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (2nd Peter 3 v13). The programme has begun in which God will expunge sin from His universe. This will end with the judgment of Satan and his demons, with the judgment of living nations, with the judgment of millennial rebels and the judgment of the unregenerate dead of all time. All these events are clearly appointed in scripture. Of old, God, when He would bring about a purging in the earth, He began with the sanctuary. The history in Ezekiel chapter 9 makes grim reading, but there was to be a judgment on the rulers of Israel with the clear edict to the destroyers in verse 6...”begin at my sanctuary”. There is little doubt it is to this Peter is referring in chapter 4 “The time has come when 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?. Such is God’s abhorrence of sin, He will judge His people on earth for it’s practice, though He will never punish them eternally. This is designed to strike a chord of reverence and fear, being associated with the sanctuary from which God must begin His judgment. This is further evidenced in the structure of the book of Revelation, when before Divine judgment begins in the ungodly world (chapters 6-19), judgment takes place in the churches (chapter 2-3), where 5/7 churches are told to repent, and various measures are indicated including the possible removal of the lampstand at Ephesus. Judgment begins from the house of God, that is now, and will end with the indescribable judgment on those who disobey the gospel. No wonder Peter opens his letter with “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear” (1 v17). Peter also was witness to the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 which episode culminates in verse 11 with “And great fear came upon all the church and upon as many as heard these things”. Paul views things similarly in 1st Corinthians 11 vv30-32 “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep; for if we would judge ourselves we should not be judged; but when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world”.
In the process of this we may suffer from the will of the Lord to chasten us and so a mature attitude to suffering is required whether it’s source is human or Divine. He quotes from Proverbs 11 v31 which reads in the Hebrew “Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the lawless and the sinner”. Peter quotes the Septuagint version “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?”
His whole approach is to encourage godly fear in association with Him as He goes about His inexorable work of removing sin. Our role is to engage in well doing before a faithful Creator who in the midst of chastening will never withhold creature benefits.
We have noted that a major topic in this letter is the suffering of believers in this life prior to the glory that shall follow. Indeed Peter focuses on seven aspects of suffering that may come our way as part of the “manifold trials”.
Chapter 2 v19 Suffering for conscience toward God
Chapter 3 v13 Suffering for righteousness sake
Chapter 3 v17 Suffering for well doing
Chapter 4 v1 Suffering in the flesh
Chapter 4 v16 Suffering as a Christian
Chapter 4 v19 Suffering according to the will of God
Chapter 5 v9 Suffering from the adversary the devil
Also one of the key thoughts in the letter is the matter of time. Chapter 1 v5 “the last time”; chapter 1 v11 “what manner of time”; chapter 1 v17 “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear”; chapter 1 v20 we are living in the “last times”; chapter 2 v10 “in time past”; chapter 4 v2 “the rest of his time”; chapter 4 v3 “the time past of our life”; chapter 4 v17 “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God”; chapter 5 v6 “due time”. The burden of the letter therefore is to be aware of the passage of time The chapter focuses on our mind-set and we are to adopt the mind of Christ(verse 2), to be sober minded (verse 7), and to think positively (verse 12) by a proper attitude to all that comes our way. He presents four areas where the mind-set is to change.
• Verses 1-3 An aggressive attitude towards sin.
• Verses 4-7 A patient attitude towards sinners.
• Verses 8-11 A gracious attitude towards saints.
• Verses 12-19 A mature attitude towards suffering.
Verses 1-3 An aggressive attitude towards sin.
“Forasmuch then as Christ also has hath suffered for us in the flesh arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.” Peter has already established that because of sin Jesus suffered in His body while here on earth. Chapter 2v24 “Who His own self bear our sins in His own body on the tree;” Chapter 3v18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit.” He suffered in Hs body not for his own sins but for ours. He suffered to bring us back to God. We have to take an aggressive attitude towards sin, just like Him, for it was sin that caused His suffering and that lead to His death. Hebrews 12 v4 says we are to “resist even unto blood striving against sin”. We are to “arm ourselves with the same mind” this being a military term which suggests we are to be militant towards sin in our lives, we are to do battle with it to the point of subjugation, we are to “cease from sin”, we are “no longer to live the rest of the time in the flesh to the lusts of men.” We have gone on sinning long enough “the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles”; we are to be merciless in the battle; sin no longer has mastery over us and we no longer need to submit to it. We have lived long enough in sin because it is ugly and it is futile, and fruitless. He lists the kind of life that it involved; the abuse of sex, the abuse of alcohol, the devotion to idols. C.S. Lewis made an interesting comment in connection with this “We are far too easily pleased, we are half hearted creatures fooling around with illicit sex and excessive drinking and partying and filled with selfish ambition when the God of heaven is offering to us infinite joy such as this world cannot give us”. God has a better life for us now, a life that is more satisfying and more lasting than the pleasures of sin. The suffering of Christ was to bring sin to an end and now we can, in His mighty power overcome it.
Verses 4-7 A patient attitude toward sinners
As much as we are to be militant against sin in our own lives, we are to be patient towards those who are still in their sins. “They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot.” They don’t understand the lifestyle of believers in Christ, that is because they think we are losing out in life and we cannot do what our natural instincts would tell us to do. They don’t understand why we do not find solace in the things of the world. Life to them is self satisfaction or self gratification, excess drinking, partying, banqueting, all things to do with the flesh. A.W. Tozer wrote in his book “Root of the righteous” of the strange creature a Christian is to the world “The Christian feels supreme love for One he has not seen; he prays every day to One he cannot see; he assumes he is going to heaven by the merit of another; he empties himself in order to be full; he admits he is wrong so he can be declared to be right; he goes down in order to go up; he is at his strongest when he is at his weakest; richest when poorest; happiest when he feels worst; dies so he can live; gives up in order to gain; sees the invisible; hears the inaudible; and knows what passes knowledge.” The standards of Christianity turn world values on their head. Not only do they think us strange, “they speak evil of us” They misjudge us, they put us down because we challenge their lifestyle. The Lord Jesus was the supreme example of patience in this respect in Chapter 2v23 “Who when He was reviled, reviled not again, when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” They don’t know, as we know, that “they shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.” In light of all this we need to show patience and not judge them for there is One who will judge them righteously.
Verse 6 is difficult to understand or explain, but it seems to go to the overall message in these verses, where there is a contrast between “life in the flesh” and “life in the spirit (chapter 3 v18 with 4 v6)”; the “will of the Gentiles” and “the will of God”( chapter 4 v2 with 4 v3). Unconverted people cannot understand eternal things, living only for the present time. Because of this the gospel was also preached to the dead, that is those who believed but are now dead. They are considered to have been losers but they live unto God. He may even be referring to the martyrs who paid the ultimate price in sacrifice but now are rewarded. This seems to be the meaning and he confirms this in verse 7, “But the end of all things has drawn nigh..” The values of this life are contrary to God and the judgment of those in the flesh will come to an abrupt end. Therefore rather than continue to live in the excesses of the flesh in revellings and the like we are to be sober and watch unto prayer. Rather than engaging with the visible world we are to seek the invisible life with God. In verses 4-7 we have three time periods clearly indicated...”time past”; “the rest of our time”; “the end of all things”, the end of time. The things of time and sense must come to an end and we are on the verge of eternity. If this was true in Peter’s day how much more now.
Verses 8-11 A gracious attitude toward saints
We all, who have been saved, are the recipients of amazing grace and we are to minister the same one to another. The capstone of these verses is we are “..stewards of the manifold grace of God”. The word stewards is just “household servants” who are engaged in dispensing of the many sided, multi-coloured, grace of God to others in the household. God’s grace is His unmerited favour, the granting of favours to those who deserve the opposite. This has many hues, many aspects, and because He is infinite there is no end to His goodness. Each of us has a small part of this vast array of grace and we are to share our small part with the household.
He begins in verse 8 with the priority issue in Christian life, “But above all things have fervent love among yourselves....” Before any other consideration have love one to another. This is in agreement with Paul’s teaching in 1st Corinthians 13 which presents love as indispensable, such that without it we are nothing and we will not profit from anything we do. Also in Revelation 2, the Lord through the apostle John said a loveless church was better removed as a lampstand as being totally unacceptable to Him. The kind of love we are to have is not half-hearted, but fervent, literally “boiling over”. Next he gives the best reason of all, because “..love shall cover the multitude of sins”. This is a quote from Proverbs 10 v12, where love is contrasted with hatred in what it produces. Love is an attitude resulting in acts of kindness and the requirement is to conceal faults, not expose them. Of course we don’t turn a blind eye to open sins, but the tendency must always be to protect each other. The cry of David at the fall of his tormentor king Saul and his army “The beauty of Israel is slain on thy high places; how are the mighty fallen, tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon”(2nd Samuel 1 vv19-20). The godly thing to do when God’s people go astray is to cover, not publish, sin to the outside world. Then he gives a way in which this might be practically done, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging (murmuring)”. Use your homes to receive and relieve the saints...there may have been more need for this in those days, but it is still a useful way to serve His people.
We have all received a gift of grace from God, there is nothing more clear in the new testament (Romans 12 vv3-8; 1st Corinthians 12 vv4-11; Ephesians 4 vv11-15). The many lists of gifts are not exhaustive but are examples of the kind of gifts of grace given to us and we are to use them for the benefit of the people. We are all servants, household servants in the house of God and we are to use the gifts to the best of our ability. Those who speak publicly to do so “as the oracles of God”; those who serve in other ways to do it according to the Divine ability given. The issue is not self glorification or men pleasing, but that “..that God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen”.
Verses 12-19 A mature attitude to suffering
There is nothing surer than suffering for the Christian believer in this world. Jesus warned His disciples “In the world ye shall have tribulation...”, association with Him will bring trials. Peter calls it “the fiery trial” which is sent to put us to the test. In chapter 1 v7 he said “the trial of your faith....though it be tried by fire...”, he recognises the ferocity of the trial in some cases. He uses the same construction as verse 4...the world “thinks it strange”...now he says “Think it not strange...” take a mature attitude, because;
a) The compensations far outweigh the losses.
Future Verses 12-13.....they will be greater in the future. If we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, we shall also share in His glory. The apostles saw this clearly, especially Peter who had a glimpse of His glory on the mount of transfiguration. Paul put it like this in Romans 8 v18 “..for I reckon that the sufferings of this little while are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us”. He repeats the teaching of the Lord in the sermon on the mount.....rejoice, for yours is the kingdom of heaven! You can rejoice now, and you will have exceeding joy in the future.
Present Verses 14-16.....they will be greater in the present! What a marvellous thought is this....” the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you”. You will experience the very real Divine presence with you. It’s the fulfilment of our Lord’s words in John chapter 14 v23 “...we will come to him and make our abode with him!”. “..on their part He is slandered, on your part He is glorified.” Great sacrifice for the Lord brings both present and future compensation. The Lord differentiated between suffering for righteousness and suffering for Christ, and Peter is doing the same here. Simple association with Christ will bring suffering...”reproached for the name of Christ”, “suffering as a Christian” are the terms he uses, and we are not to be ashamed but, “..let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or evildoer or busybody.”
b) We are part of the Divine programme of correction which has already begun.
Verses 17-19 “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God....”. There is more to these verses than meets the eye. Something has begun which will continue into the future. He speaks of the beginning and end of Divine judgment. He began the chapter with the phrase “cease from sin”, and that is purpose of salvation. If we note the preposition used here (from the house, judgment has begun from the house, it starts with us and moves out). We need bible-wide input here to get the full force of the meaning. The mission of Christ was ultimately to rid the universe of sin. His programme for Israel in Daniel chapter 9 is to “..finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness...”. In Jeremiah 9 v24 He indicates what He is about “..I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness and judgment and righteousness in the earth”. At Calvary the Son of God “made purification for sins...”. The end to which He is working is “ new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (2nd Peter 3 v13). The programme has begun in which God will expunge sin from His universe. This will end with the judgment of Satan and his demons, with the judgment of living nations, with the judgment of millennial rebels and the judgment of the unregenerate dead of all time. All these events are clearly appointed in scripture. Of old, God, when He would bring about a purging in the earth, He began with the sanctuary. The history in Ezekiel chapter 9 makes grim reading, but there was to be a judgment on the rulers of Israel with the clear edict to the destroyers in verse 6...”begin at my sanctuary”. There is little doubt it is to this Peter is referring in chapter 4 “The time has come when 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?. Such is God’s abhorrence of sin, He will judge His people on earth for it’s practice, though He will never punish them eternally. This is designed to strike a chord of reverence and fear, being associated with the sanctuary from which God must begin His judgment. This is further evidenced in the structure of the book of Revelation, when before Divine judgment begins in the ungodly world (chapters 6-19), judgment takes place in the churches (chapter 2-3), where 5/7 churches are told to repent, and various measures are indicated including the possible removal of the lampstand at Ephesus. Judgment begins from the house of God, that is now, and will end with the indescribable judgment on those who disobey the gospel. No wonder Peter opens his letter with “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear” (1 v17). Peter also was witness to the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 which episode culminates in verse 11 with “And great fear came upon all the church and upon as many as heard these things”. Paul views things similarly in 1st Corinthians 11 vv30-32 “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep; for if we would judge ourselves we should not be judged; but when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world”.
In the process of this we may suffer from the will of the Lord to chasten us and so a mature attitude to suffering is required whether it’s source is human or Divine. He quotes from Proverbs 11 v31 which reads in the Hebrew “Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the lawless and the sinner”. Peter quotes the Septuagint version “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?”
His whole approach is to encourage godly fear in association with Him as He goes about His inexorable work of removing sin. Our role is to engage in well doing before a faithful Creator who in the midst of chastening will never withhold creature benefits.
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