This morning, we resume our study of a letter written by the apostle Peter, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, sometime around 62-64 A.D. This is a general epistle, a letter written to believers scattered throughout five Roman provinces in northern Asia Minor; in what is today the country of Turkey. These followers of Christ were experiencing persecution and suffering for their faith, and one of Peter’s main goals was to instruct them in how to think about their suffering, and how to respond to it. Previously, we looked at 1 Peter 4:12, in which he tells them:
“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)
We looked at four reasons why they might have been surprised at their suffering, and why they, and we, should not be surprised when suffering comes.
• We shouldn’t be surprised that our suffering seems unjust, for although it is unjust, the injustice will be remedied when Christ returns.
• We also shouldn’t be surprised that God is not protecting us from experiencing suffering, because our suffering in this life will last only a short time compared to eternity, and our faithful response to suffering brings glory to God.
• And finally, we shouldn’t be surprised when the suffering comes from those close to us — including our friends and family — or when the attacks on us seem out of proportion to the supposed offense. Because those around us who do not know Christ have been blinded, and the aroma of Christ which we bear is the stench of death to them. Therefore, we should be patient, and pray that God will open their eyes to the truth of the gospel.
This week, we continue with 1 Peter 4:12-19. Peter has told them they shouldn’t respond to suffering with surprise. How then, should they respond? Let’s look again at verse 12:
“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)
“The fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you.”
Likewise, Psalm 11:5 tells us this:
“The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” (Psalm11:5, ESV)
And so at least one reason for suffering and persecution is to test us. Now, you might ask, why does God need to test us? Doesn’t he already know what is in our hearts? Indeed he does. He knows everything about us. He knows every thought, every intention, every secret desire, every unexpressed emotion. As the author of Hebrews writes:
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)
This idea—that God sees what is in our mind’s eye, what is in our imagination, and that he hears our inner monologue—is found throughout the Bible. When King David, in the Old Testament, was charging his son Solomon with the responsibility of building the temple, he said this:
““And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)
He “searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought”. So yes, God knows what is in our hearts, everything that we are thinking and feeling. And yet he tests us. Why? The key is in the meaning of the word “test”. A test can be for the purpose of discovery or demonstration. We use a test to discover something when we start from a position of ignorance, or a lack of knowledge. For example, you might test to see if a cake is done by taking a straw and inserting it into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done baking. If it comes out with pieces of cake batter attached, it needs a few more minutes in the oven. Or a farmer might conduct a test of the soil in his fields to see what nutrients he needs to add. That’s testing for discovery.
A test for the purpose of demonstration, on the other hand, is a test that reveals something which is already known. It’s a way of bringing to light something that is hidden or unseen. For example, if a student has studied calculus diligently; if they have completed all of the practice problems and understood the concepts, then a test in math class is an opportunity to demonstrate that they know their integrals from their derivatives. The student is confident that she has mastered the material. But her knowledge of calculus concepts is hidden; no one can see it. And so a test reveals her level of understanding.
Similarly, we should view difficult circumstances as a “test”; that is, as an opportunity to demonstrate the genuineness of our faith. God knows what is in our heart, he doesn’t need to discover that. But when suffering comes, our response to it will demonstrate what is in our heart. Faith is hidden; you can’t see it. You can only observe it indirectly, through actions. And so our faithful actions in response to suffering reveal that the faith is really there. As Peter writes earlier in this same letter:
“6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These 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 1:6-7)
The purpose of suffering, for them and for us as well, is to prove, or demonstrate, the genuineness of our faith, and by doing that, to ensure that we will receive “praise, glory and honor” when Christ returns.
Now, sometimes, our response to suffering can come as a surprise; not to God, but to ourselves. For God, it’s always a test of demonstration, because he knows what is in our hearts. For us, it can be a test which brings self-discovery, either positive or negative. And that can be quite revealing, and quite useful, as well. More to come on that.
Why did all this matter for these first-century Christians? Because it was not a given that they would continue to follow Christ. Their suffering was forcing them to make a decision. Would they continue to hold on to their beliefs; would they continue to identify with Christ and share the gospel; would they continue to walk in obedience to him, even if that meant being shunned, or criticized, or persecuted? Or would they decide that it wasn’t worth it any longer to bear the name of Christ, and go back to their former religion and way of life?
And that’s the same choice we face when we suffer, isn’t it? Will we continue to put our hope in Christ; will we continue to trust him, and walk in obedience to him? Or will we abandon Christ as the source of our strength and hope, and instead turn elsewhere for the help we need? In other words, suffering is a time for choosing for us as well.
And so the experience of suffering reveals the genuineness of our faith (or the lack of it). It brings to light what is really in our hearts, but which was previously hidden. Now, I need to acknowledge that what I am about to say runs counter to contemporary Christian attitudes. In our day, people tend to view every profession of faith as genuine, without question. To do otherwise, for example, to respond positively but cautiously, is considered impolite, or ill-mannered, or overly scrupulous, as if we were reluctant somehow to admit people into the kingdom. But the Biblical authors didn’t assume that every profession of faith was genuine. They recognized the possibility of a superficial kind of so-called “faith” which collapsed under pressure. And they warned against this. Let me give you some examples.
The first example comes from our Lord, in the parable of the soils, in Matthew 13:1-9:
“1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Later, we read that the disciples came to Jesus and asked him to explain the parable. I’m going to focus on one part of his response, concerning the seed that “fell on rocky places”:
“20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.”
According to Jesus, there are those who respond positively to the gospel and who, in a sense, “receive” it; that is, they view it as something true and good, and they welcome it. But. “When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away”. They fall away. They decide that it isn’t true after all. Or they conclude that it may be true, but it isn’t worth it. Whether it’s true or not, it just isn’t for them. And so they turn aside from following Christ and go back to their old ways. They have a superficial kind of so-called faith, which is often based on a superficial understanding of what it means to follow Christ, but they abandon it when the going gets tough.
And by the way, this is a strong argument for talking about the demands of discipleship when we are sharing the gospel. If we talk only about forgiveness, and the love of God, and eternal life, and we fail to mention the need for obedience, and the need to persevere in the midst of trials, then the risk is that they will become disillusioned when suffering comes, and that they will then abandon the faith which they initially seemed to embrace. Do you know anyone like this?
We’re in some deep waters here, I know, but stay with me. It’s important to hammer this truth home, because it goes against the grain of contemporary evangelical Christianity.
The author of Hebrews writes the following, also to believers who were undergoing persecution for their faith, and who were also being tempted to abandon Christianity:
“23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful”
“36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,
‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’
38 And,
‘But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,” he writes. “You need to persevere”. Why? Because “he who promised is faithful”. Because “he who is coming [that is, Christ] will come and will not delay”. And because “the one who shrinks back” will be destroyed, but “those who have faith” will be saved. He is warning them, exhorting them, to stand firm and steadfast in the face of persecution, to remain faithful and thus be saved rather than to shrink back from following Christ and be destroyed in the coming judgment. He has confidence that those to whom he is writing will be saved and that they will not be among those who shrink back, nevertheless, he is warning them against that possibility. Because it is a real possibility. Otherwise, there would be no need for him to warn them against it, would there?
At this point, I know what you are thinking. No, I am not omniscient, but I know what you are thinking. You are asking me whether I believe that you can lose your salvation. The answer is no, you can’t. I’ll get to that in a moment. Those who have truly believed, those who have experienced the new birth, cannot fall away. They cannot lose their salvation. But we need to understand what can happen, which is that an apparent, superficial kind of so-called “faith” can be exposed as false as a result of suffering or persecution.
One more example: In the gospel of John, we read that there were “great crowds” following Jesus, as a result of the miraculous healings he had performed. He has just fed a huge number of people, over five thousand, with only five barley loaves and two small fish. People were saying ,” “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” The very next day after that, the crowd followed him to Capernaum on the other side of the lake, and he began to teach them some difficult things. And that’s when, from their perspective, things got weird.
“41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” (John 6:41-42)
But Jesus doesn’t stop; instead, he doubles down on his unusual teaching, saying this:
“51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
“60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
“66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”
“Many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” The text calls them disciples. They had been followers of Christ, in some sense. They followed him, literally, from place to place. They couldn’t get enough. The loved to listen to his teaching. They were amazed at his healing ministry. But this teaching they could not accept. This teaching was too radical. And so, many of his so-called “disciples” walked away and no longer followed him.
Who were these people? By every appearance, they were sincere in their desire to follow Christ. They had seen miracles of healing and a miraculous feeding of thousands. They called him a prophet. And yet, when they found out who Jesus truly claimed to be, they were gone. A miracle-worker, yes. A healer, absolutely. A source of free food, bring it on. But someone who claimed to come down from heaven, who claimed to be the bread of life that they should consume? That they could not accept. They were out.
In their case, it wasn’t suffering that changed their mind about following Christ; it was new information about who he claimed to be. But the point is the same. People who from all appearances were genuine Christ-followers turned away from him because something happened that they did not expect. Did they lose their faith? No, they never had true faith. The apostle John addresses this question, referring to another group of former followers:
“19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (1 Joh 2:19)
“They did not really belong to us”. How do we know? Because they left. Their leaving revealed the tragic truth about what was in their hearts.
Will that happen to us? The author of Hebrews trusted that the answer was “no” for himself and his readers, yet he also warns them against departing from the faith. And Peter likewise assumes that the faith of his readers is genuine; he writes here that the purpose of their suffering was to prove, or demonstrate, the genuineness of their faith, not to discover whether they really had it in the first place. And that should be our goal as well: to demonstrate, by our faithful response to suffering, the genuineness of our faith.
So. knowing that this is the purpose, or at least one of the main purposes, of suffering, how should we respond to it? We should “rejoice”!
“13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (1 Peter 4:13-16)
This passage tells us three things we should do in response to suffering. We should rejoice (v. 13), we should praise God (v. 16), and we should consider ourselves blessed (v. 14). Now, this is counter-intuitive, to say the least. This is not our natural response to suffering. Our natural response to suffering is to complain, to get angry, to retaliate (or to imagine how we would like to retaliate). Don’t tell me you never have revenge fantasies, I know better. Our natural response to suffering is to try to get away from it, by any means necessary. Our natural response to suffering is certainly not to rejoice, or to praise God, or to consider ourselves blessed. And so how are we able to do what Peter is telling us? What is it that we understand that enables us to respond to suffering joyfully; instead of despairingly, or mournfully, or angrily? What enables us to persevere instead of giving up and walking away from the faith?
Verse 13: “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” When we suffer for the sake of righteousness, we are participating in the sufferings of Christ. What does that mean?
It means that just as he suffered, we who are united with him through faith will also suffer. And so our suffering is evidence of that union, evidence of the fact that we are joined to Christ spiritually. It doesn’t mean that his suffering on the cross was inadequate, or insufficient in any way, as if we needed to finish what he started. Nor does it mean that we are somehow atoning for, or paying for, our sins through suffering, as he did. Christ fully atoned for our sins on the cross. But we are following in his footsteps; we are following his example. And by doing that, desmonstrating that we belong to him. As Peter writes earlier in the letter:
“But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:20-21)
When we suffer for doing good, we are following Christ’s example. Why then are we able to rejoice at sharing in Christ’s sufferings? Because this tells us that we are his, and that we will therefore also share in his glory:
“16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 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 6:16-18)
When we suffer as a result of our faith in Christ and our obedience to Christ, we are sharing in his sufferings. And that means that when he returns, when he is glorified, we will share in his glory.
Back to 1 Peter 4. Verse 14: “14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” When we suffer for Christ, we should consider ourselves blessed, because it is a sign that God’s Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of glory, rests on us. Why? How is suffering, and being insulted because of the name of Christ, a sign that we have the Holy Spirit? You may remember this from the previous message:
“14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
What this passage is saying, is that we who follow Christ have a kind of spiritual aroma. For those who are being saved, it is a pleasing aroma. It smells like forgiveness, and joy, and peace, and love. But to those who do not know Christ and are not seeking God, that very same aroma, the aroma of Christ, is the stench of death. And that spiritual aroma we carry, that smell of death, is one reason for the negative reactions of those who insult us as followers of Christ.
What else enables us to persevere in the midst of suffering?
1 Peter 4, verse 16: “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”
In the first century, the term “Christian” wasn’t necessarily a positive, or even a neutral refence. It was often used as a term of disrespect or contempt. An epithet, a curse word. We sometimes see that today, as well. More and more, as our culture departs from its Christian roots. But Peter is telling us that we should bear the name “Christian” proudly, as a badge of honor. When people call us that, even if they use the term in a negative way, even if their intention is to criticize us, or insult us, or disrespect us, it is still something to thank God for. Because it means they recognize us as those who identify with Jesus Christ; it means that our speech, and our conduct, and our attitudes set us apart as his disciples. That name, “Christian” also means that we are people who have the hope of resurrection, and salvation, and forgiveness, and eternal life through Christ. And that is something to praise God for.
Now, there is one exception. There is one scenario in which we should not rejoice because of suffering; one time when being identified as a Christian would not be good thing. And that is when we suffer, not as a result of obedience to Christ, but because of sin and disobedience. As 1 Peter 4, verse 15 tells us, “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.” If you are suffering because of sin or some kind of illegal activity, then you shouldn’t rejoice, you should repent. If you are suffering because you inserted yourself into someone else’s business, or because you were being a busybody, then you shouldn’t rejoice, you should repent. In other words, if your suffering is the result of bad behavior, it’s nothing to thank God for; instead, it’s something to confess to God.
Now we do see, from time to time, people who behave badly, who intentionally provoke conflict, who insult or condemn others, who claim to follow Christ but who do so in a prideful and boastful way, rather than a humble manner, people who cause offense by their attitudes and behavior. And when they get the predictable response, they play the victim and claim to be suffering for Christ. No. You’re not suffering for Christ, you’re suffering for your pride and arrogance. So don’t be that guy. Make sure that if you are suffering, it truly is because you are following Christ faithfully, not because you are behaving badly.
Almost done. Let’s look at the last three verses. 1 Peter 4:17:
“17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
What does this mean? Does suffering mean that God is judging the church for its sins? No. This has to do with different senses of the word “judge”. It can mean “to condemn”, and that is what we usually think of when we hear the word. But it can also mean simply, to make a judgment; to assess, or evaluate. This is what a judge in a court does; they weigh the evidence and render a decision. And this goes back to the purpose of suffering; it is a test. Suffering is a test which reveals whether or not we are truly God’s people. And if we respond to suffering in the way that Peter describes, by rejoicing and praising God, then we can be confident that the answer is “yes”, we do belong to Him.
On the other hand, Peter asks us, “what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” If even those whom God loves, those of his own household, have to endure sometimes painful testing, what do those who reject Christ and his gospel have to look forward to? And the implied answer is: something far worse.
Verse 18:
" 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
What does this mean, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved?” Does it mean that we have to work hard in order to be saved? Do we have to somehow earn our salvation? Or is he saying that it is hard, or difficult for God to save even a righteous person, so that even the best of us will barely make it? No. The point here is the same as in verse 17. It is hard, or difficult, for us in the sense that on our journey to heaven, we may have to undergo suffering as followers of Christ. And that’s hard. It’s painful. But again, Peter is saying, if even God’s people have to pass through suffering, what will happen to those who are ungodly and who reject God’s offer of salvation? Their suffering will be far, far worse.
Finally, verse 19:
“19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”
I like this verse a lot. What Peter is saying is that, when suffering comes, just chill. Don’t panic. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Keep calm and carry on, as the British would say. Don’t put your trust in people, or governments, or courts, or laws, or cultural norms, or your emergency preparedness, or your shelves and shelves of canned goods or ammunition, or anything else. Put your trust in God, and keep putting one foot in front of the other as you go about doing good. He’s the Creator. He made all this and he has it all under control. He is faithful, and he will ensure that the righteous will in time be rewarded and that the wicked will be punished. So entrust yourself and your welfare to him, put your head down, and continue to do good for the glory of God. Amen?
