1Peter 4:1-7
Choose Suffering
Peter’s theme has been how to correctly deal with suffering, but he
deviated from that theme at the end of chapter 3. At \\#4:1\\, Peter
comes back to that topic.
As I have repeatedly stated, the suffering Peter was writing about
was persecution, but most of what he said has application to all
suffering. This section perhaps not so much because this section
deals with the Christian’s choice to suffer. While we have no choice
about some of the suffering we endure, the Lord has given to each of
us choice in suffering for Jesus.
In these verses, Peter gives us three counsels to help us make the
correct choice.
I. \\#1-3\\ Don’t Chose Sin over Suffering.
A. Before we get to all that Peter is saying, let’s look at one
of the statements he made leading up to it.
1Peter 4:1 …Christ hath suffered for us…
1. Jesus CHOSE to suffer for us. In fact, Jesus CHOSE to
suffer hell for us.
a. Peter did not elaborate on this because it is a truth
all Christians know well.
b. Jesus chose to pay the price for our souls.
c. Jesus chose to endure
hell for us.
2. Jesus also suffered physically for us.
a. Jesus did not have to suffer as He did, at least not
in this life.
b. The penalty was death in this body and separation from
God for the soul.
c. But Jesus took much pain upon Himself.
d. Why?
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was
upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
e. Some of it was for sin, but some of it was for our
healing.
(1) According the Scripture, the charismatics have
that correct.
(2) That does not mean that we will not get sick, but
it does mean that Jesus took at least some of
our emotional (peace) and physical (healing)
pains upon Himself.
(3) If you think this world is hard now, imagine what
it would have been like if Jesus had not born
some of it and taken it away!
B. Those who are suffering (for Christ) have turned from sin.
1Peter 4:1 …for he that hath suffered in the
flesh hath ceased from sin;
1. This is another of those unclear statements.
a. I believe the "he" who has suffered in the flesh is
the Christian who has been persecuted for Jesus.
(1) It is certainly not Jesus.
(2) Jesus could not CEASE from sin because Jesus
never STARTED to sin.
b. If so, Peter would be saying that if you are suffering
for Christ, you will not want to be participating in
sin.
2. Peter drew the line of salvation in the sand and said that
it puts some kinds of people on the same side.
a. The kind that it puts on the same side is those who
are willing to suffer and those who are willing to
walk away from sin.
b. On the other side of the line of salvation would be
those who won’t suffer for Christ and won’t leave
their sin.
3. What kind of sins would that kind of Christian NOT want to
be involved in?
a. \\#3\\ Peter gives some examples.
b. He started off with a pretty general statement.
(1) Don’t leave like the Gentiles. How do they live?
In sin.
(2) lasciviousness - controlled by their flesh
(3) in lusts - controlled by their cravings
(4) in excess of wine - drunkenness
(5) in revellings - like a party animal
(6) banqueting - eating all the time
(7) idolatry - working the creature more than the
Creator.
4. But Peter also listed another characteristic of the kind
that is on the willing to suffer and abstain from sin
side.
a. \\#2\\ They want to live their rest of their time to
the will of God.
b. So those on this side of the line of salvation have
three characteristics in common.
(1) They will suffer for Jesus.
(2) They will abstain from sin.
(3) They will seek the will of God for their lives.
c. Are we that kind of Christian?
II. \\#4-6\\ Don’t Chose Friends over Suffering.
A. \\#1-3\\ Peter dealt with our compromise due to sin.
\\#4\\ Peter deals with our compromise due to the sinner.
1Peter 1:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye
run not with them to the same excess of riot,
speaking evil of you:
B. Peter is saying, "Don’t let what the lost think and say about
you, cause you to sin."
1. Christians should not expect the lost to respect our views
or our behaviors on sin.
2. Some do and that is refreshing, but for most of them, our
view and behavior condemns them.
3. Why?
a. A clean life shoots down the excuses of the wicked to
live a sinful life.
b. If we can, they could.
c. If Jesus changed us, He can change them.
d. This means it is not matter of ability but—as the
Bible clearly states—a choice to reject God and to
rebel against Him.
e. Most of the lost are not going to appreciate you and
me disproving their excuses and putting them under
direct condemnation from God.
f. Do it anyway. Do it with love, grace, and kindness;
but do it.
4. The Christians’ goals are always the same:
a. To glorify Jesus Christ.
b. To obey the Word of God.
c. To witness to the lost.
6. Holy living does all three.
C. \\#5-6\\ Concerning the lost, Peter goes on to tell us:
1. \\#5\\ They are going to stand before the Judge for their
actions.
2. \\#6\\ They are going to know.
a. This is another of those difficult Bible verses.
b. I think this goes back to \\#1Peter 3:19\\.
1Peter 3:19 By which also he went and preached
unto the spirits in prison;
c. Jesus went to Abraham’s Bosom to preach to the
departed saved and lost the news of what He had done.
d. He then took the departed saved to heaven.
e. This verse appears to say that the message preached
was that Jesus paid the price and they could have
been saved if they had believed and obeyed.
(1) Not that God was offering them a second chance
but rather God was making known to them that
repentance and faith worked.
(2) If faith and repentance worked for those in the
Old Testament, how much more will it work for
those of us in the New Testament?
3. The bottom line is that Jesus wants everyone to know why
they are in hell.
a. I think it is better for them and us if we tell them
now instead of letting Jesus tell them later.
b. Don’t you?
D. Don’t let what others think pull you back into sin.
III. \\#7\\ Don’t Chose to Put Your Head in the Sand over Suffering.
1Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand:
be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
A. The end is near.
1. I realize that statement is 2,000 years old, but it is
still true.
2. Every generation of believers has been commanded to hold
that hope in their hearts.
3. However, you and I are not living in just any time.
4. Justice, freedom, reason, and truth are all under attack
in our world to such an extent that Jesus will either
come soon or our world will go again into the Dark Ages.
B. The path that the world is on is unsustainable.
1. Spiritually - The world has almost unanimously rejected
Jesus Christ as God.
2. Morally - We are at the very bottom of Roman’s Sin Spiral.
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to
retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over
to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are
not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient
to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers,
without natural affection, implacable,
unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they
which commit such things are worthy of death, not
only do the same, but have pleasure in them that
do them.
3. Technologically
a. We are advanced enough so that there is hardly
anything left in the book of Revelation to symbolize.
b. With the arrival of artificial intelligence and DNA
splicing, all that is left is for the people to be
implanted with chips and for the anti-Christ to make
his appearance.
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