EMBRACE SUFFERING WELL
1 Peter 4:1-11
All Christians want to know how the past resurrection of Christ and our future resurrection in union with Him shape our everyday lives. We will never see how the resurrection changes our lives until we understand that all change happens by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” Romans 6:4-6. We know that persecution was the predetermined pathway for God’s Son as He rose victorious over sin and death.
All four gospels harmonize this truth, Mark says, “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Mark 8:31. When Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin the night He was betrayed, He never once defended His innocence in hopes of avoiding the cross. “And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." And the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death.” Mark 14:60-64
Jesus fully embraced His calling to suffer out of a desire to save sinners as Peter said previously. 1 Peter 3:18. And in this chapter Peter is telling us to do the same. “Arm yourself” which means “Emulate Jesus.” (v1)
Suffering well, like doing
anything well,
requires careful preparation.
If we are going to be Christlike, if we are going to be armed as Christians for spiritual warfare, what we need is the mind of Christ. As we prepare for battle, we are to literally be putting on our armor. To be unprepared is to ignore that suffering is, and evil are, not a part of the Christian life. This is why Peter says “arm yourself” it is if he is saying to us “Rise up to unashamedly endure suffering well as an aspect of your calling. Get yourself ready for suffering.” Why? As Paul said, ”For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Rom 1:16. Jesus was a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” Isaiah 53:3. How do we get ourselves ready for suffering? There are no classes to take on suffering well. There are no Coles Notes on suffering well. There are no easy way to deal with pain and suffering. Do we take a nineteen day SERE Training class like the Seals do in the Navy? How do we get ourselves ready when in reality many of us are only hanging on by a thin line of sovereign grace? If we want to suffer well, we need to learn where to stand, and where to look, when our storms come. And we do well to learn this before they do come, so that we are prepared for the storm that lies ahead.
Embracing Suffering Well Begins With An Attitude Of Christ. (v1)
Suffering well begins by thinking clearly. “Therefore” referring back to the previous verse is implying of “Christ’s greatest suffering, the Just dying for the unjust”. Arm yourself with the right attitude to endure some form of suffering for the sake of righteousness. Why? Many think the gospel keeps us from harm, sickness, and death. Anyone who thinks this way has never read, “The Foxe’s Book Of Martyrs”. Like Christ, He lived as a stranger in the world and He expected hardships and we are to expect the same. (v1) What did Jesus say to His disciples, “Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. "So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matt 10:15-28
The Christian knows that suffering and death produces the greatest victory. “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor 15:22-25. Death is the end of our sufferings and the beginning of life in the presence of our Lord. This is why we are to think clearly/same attitude in our suffering because of the promises Peter reveals in the end of this verse. (v1) What does “cease from sin” mean? This is the believer’s permanent condition before God, that we are free from sin.
We
no longer serve sin as our master.
We
don’t spend our days overwhelmed by desires.
We
have a door that is open to the will of God.
We
have a closed door to ungodly living.
The gospel of Christ frees us from the penalty of sin, and the victory over sin; and the child of God can face death/suffering without fear of condemnation. This means the believer can face death with the same attitude that Jesus had before His accusers. “Cease from sin” indicates that a child of God has a new influence over their lives of holy, perfection, which is free from sins influence and effects. “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor 5:1-7
Embracing Suffering Well Is The Will Of God For Your Life. (v2)
John wrote in his first epistle, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17
Every sin is a rebellion and disobedience to the will of God. We know that is true when David confessed his sin before a holy God. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” Psalm 51:3-4. What is the will of God for my life? “To live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men.” (v2) Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." Matt 7:24-27. We “live” this refers to our earthly life differently/transformed. The remainder of our time that God gives us, we are to be pursuing holiness no matter what the cost is. We serve our Lord and not our sinful passions, which were the deep longings of our heart and flesh. This is strong language that Peter is using here; we are to be shunning sin, not to live by our old flesh and human lusts. (v2)
The old nature is rooted the unredeemed flesh of those who continue to rebel against God. Our society continues to seek after the deep longing of their hearts and desires of our flesh, to fulfil its lusts. This characterizes the unregenerate state of many. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Eph 2:1-3. We are not to walk in this, but arm ourselves with the commitment to do the will of God and abandon our former sins.
Embracing Suffering Well Is A Transformation From The Past. (v3-v5)
What is before us is a vivid description of the tragic and devastating life pattern of the unconverted man or woman. For the true believer Peter is speaking of a time that already has pasted when sin was your master. (v3) What were those former sins of the flesh?
Sensuality…….This
word can be translated “debauchery”…. those who engage in unbridled sensual
pleasures, fornication, or one who lives lawlessly. Rom 1:21-32
Lusts…….sinful
passions that drive people into such indulgences. 1 Thess 4:5
Drunkenness
this is referring to habitual intoxication.
Orgies or carousing…..
Refers to participating in wild parties of uncontrolled conduct.
Drinking parties…..
Sessions were people engaged just for the sake of becoming inebriated.
Lawless idolatry…… worship of false gods.
These despicable sins are never to entertain as we walk in union with Christ. Peter mentions these terrible sins to remind the believer of the pain it caused them before the gospel saved them. Peter mentions these sins to motivate the child of God to diligently to avoid such behavior. This world is falling into a deeper depravity and we are never to join them and compromise the gospel for the sake of safety and comfort. But we are to be willing to suffer well for the sake of gospel, because it will cause them to be “surprised” (v4) Meaning they will be “astonished or shocked” and this will cause them to be offended and resentful towards you and I. Why? Sin is a normal lifestyle for the unbeliever as Peter says here “debauchery”
“Debauchery” represents the person’s mind is so corrupt that he, or she, thinks about nothing but evil and how they might indulge in sinful passions. They want everyone to join in and accept their evil so that they feel validated in their sin and wickedness. And when you refuse to join them; you now become their enemy because of your refusal to engage in their ungodly and immoral practices. (v5) Peter says you will be “Malign” literally means to “to blaspheme” to slander or defame someone or to speak evil and judge.” They will speak evil/judge of you, but as Peter said, “having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.” 1 Peter 3:16-17
This behavior towards the true church is more evident today with Hollywood, Music Industry, Media and the perversion of the family. We will suffer for righteousness sake to preserve the family in an evil world system. We will suffer for righteousness sake for the protection of the unborn. We will suffer for righteousness sake for the sake of biology. We will suffer for righteousness sake for Biblical truth and the only way to God. But there is coming a day when the slander will be Judged and have to give an account for their lawlessness. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.” Matt 25:31-33
And according to the Scriptures every Goat’s mouth will be closed and they will become accountable to God for every lawless act or deed in their rebellion. (v5) Here is the waring from a biblical standpoint. There are only two conditions when someone dies….in the faith or out of the faith. Society always asks how they died. Heart attack, accident or old age and so on? The right answer to that question is this! We die in faith, or we die in our sin.
Embracing Suffering Well Is Our Hope Of Eternal Life. (v6)
We arm ourselves with the genuine hope of the reality of eternal life. The believer overcome sin, and death, escape judgment, and enter eternal heaven in holy perfection. Peter refers, though many have died for the sake of the gospel and judged by man, they triumphed in victory through Christ. (v6) This verse refers to those who were dead, (those who heard the gospel and believed the gospel) but died by the time Peter wrote this letter. Many questioned in the early church of whether those who died and missed the Lord’s return may have missed the promise of Glory, especially if they were killed by enemies of Jesus. Paul settled. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thess 4:13-18
Even when a believer endures unjust suffering or death we should be willing and unafraid. Especially knowing that all death can do…. is triumphantly bringing us into the presence of our Lord. Our suffering well ends in victory and it’s also an example of grace given for those who are still living to endure well. Christian writer Randy Alcorn has known his share of suffering, both personally and most recently in walking his wife through a terrible war with cancer. He endures with her by imagining all that is kept in heaven for him. In his book “Heaven” Randy wrote this, “Anticipating heaven doesn’t eliminate pain, but it lessens it and puts it in perspective. Meditating on heaven is a great pain reliever. It reminds us that suffering and death are temporary conditions. Our existence will not end in suffering and death — they are but a gateway to our eternal life of unending joy.”
Does anyone experience real
joy in suffering that does
not savor the preciousness of refining?
Our suffering well is doing something despite the fact we may not see what it is doing. Our suffering well is demonstrating what love is like inside the body of Christ as we endure for the sake of righteousness. Our suffering well points us in the right direction to know that we are not alone in it. Christ went before us to soften the blows of this life for all eternity. Jesus said, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:18-19
Suffering well is the theme
of Peter’s letter to
exile believe who waits for Heaven.
As one theologian, wrote about suffering well in this life. “He was wounded to heal you. His nails sealed the promise of heaven for you. His tears drenched your suffering with meaning, and hope, and even joy. His blood bought you a family, more than can be counted, bound together by a love that cannot be measured. Jesus suffered to show us, whatever we might suffer, how to suffer well.” We have nothing to fear in Christ and we have nothing to fear in embracing suffering in this life. No one but God Himself could keep us on the resurrection road when such difficulties loom in front of us. The Spirit indwells us to enable us to suffer well in union with Christ.
Comments