1 Peter 4:1
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

Peter is now about to expound on Christ’s suffering, how He was able to overcome and relate it to us. How can we overcome the be able to endure suffering like Christ?

• We have to arm ourselves with the same mind.
• Philippians 2:5
  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
• But what does it mean to have the same mind as Christ? How can we have that same mind?
  • We need to be born of the word of God!
• The word mind is found in only one other place in the NT.
  • Hebrews 4:12
    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
  • Only the word of God is able to pierce through to our heart and its intentions.
  • If we are to have the same mind as Christ, we need this word.

But what does Peter mean when he says “he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin?” Must we suffer in the flesh in order to stop sinning?

• What suffering have we seen?
• 1 Peter 3:18
  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.
• The trials that Jesus went through was because he was righteous. The trials were a result of the holy life that he was living.
• 1 Peter 4:12-13
  12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
• So when we go through these trials, we can be sure that we are on the same path as Christ. Suffering unjustly, not for mistakes that we have done but simply for being like Christ.
• It’s not that we won’t sin again, but the evidence of suffering simply shows the genuineness of our faith and life in Christ.

1 Peter 4:2
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

This verse is simply expounding on the fact that we have ceased from sin.

• If we have ceased from sin then we can live to the will of God.
• We will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
• 1 Peter 2:11
  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
• In order to abstain from these fleshly lusts, we need to arm ourselves with the same mind as Christ. And in order to really do the will of God, we need His word abiding in our hearts.

Somehow many of us think that we have done something wrong when we go through trials in our life. Our thinking is like Job’s friends. He went through such great calamity that they just kept accusing him of living in sin. But here Peter expounds on the fact that if we go through trials it is evidence that we are on the right path with God. Just let us be sure that the trial that comes upon us is not because of our own sin or foolishness but for righteousness sake.

1 Peter 4:3
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Peter is referring to our past life in what we used to be. This is when we did not have the mind of Christ. This is when we were not born again of the word. What did we do?

• We did the will of the Gentiles which is opposite to the will of God.
• We walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.
• Lasciviousness means filthiness.
• Revellings means rioting,
• Banquetings means a drinking-bout or carousal.
• When we are born again or have the mind of Christ, this is no longer a part of our lives. Yes there will be change in actions, not just simply an inward change.

1 Peter 4:4
Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

Who is the “they” that is being referred to her?

• It is the Gentiles. It is all those that walk after the lusts of the flesh.
• They think that it is strange that you don’t do the same thing as them. To the same excess of riot.
• They can’t understand how living a righteous life is fun or is a blessing.
• Things like taking care of your diet or sleeping early instead of going out all hours of the night. It makes not sense how you would not go out and drink and get drunk. All the things mentioned in verse 3 are just a norm of life to many of them.

What happens when they discover that you don’t do the same as they do?

• They begin to speak evil of you. That’s how it begins.
• It literally means “blaspheming.” You can even see that in the Greek word. It also means to defame or rail on or revile. They will curse at you.

1 Peter 4:5
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

Those that speak evil of you will have to give an account to Jesus one day. He is the One that will judge the quick (living) and the dead.

• We don’t need to defend ourselves. We don’t need to feel upset. We don’t need to worry.
• Let the Gentiles do what they do. But we know that Jesus will being everyone to stand before His judgment seat one day.

1 Peter 4:6
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

This is a difficult Bible text. Let’s break this down.

“for this cause”

• What was the reason? That God is going to judge the quick and the dead. He is going to judge everyone. Those who are alive and those who have died.

“was the gospel preached also to them that are dead”

• Definitely there is no use preaching to those that are dead. Our understanding of what happens after a person dies make it of no consequence.
• But we need to preach to them while they are living, BEFORE they die.
• When we die it does not make us out of reach of God’s judgment. God does not just judge those that are alive on the earth when He comes. He judges everyone! The dead and the living.

“that the might be judged according to men in the flesh”

• While we are alive we will be judged by men. They will look at how we live and think that it is strange that we don’t live or act like them.
• This is what will bring persecution and fiery trials.

“but live according to God in the spirit”

• This is not talking about living in the spirit, floating about after we die. Our understanding of death is clear on this point.
• It is referring to a glorified body that will be given to us on the resurrection day.
• 1 Peter 3:18
  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.

We don’t know who will accept or who won’t. That is God’s prerogative. What is our responsibility?

• We need to preach the gospel to everyone!

1 Peter 4:7
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

Peter puts a sense of urgency on the need to preach the gospel, the need to be born again. What is it?

• The end of all things is at hand.

And because of the end of all things being near, what does he urge us to do?

• To be sober and also to watch unto prayer.
• In verses 3-4, the Gentiles walked in excess of wine, excess of riot.
• So Peter is giving an extra reason why it is important for us to be sober. The end times.
• So if we arm ourselves with the mind of Christ (verse 1) then we will also discern the end times as well.

1 Peter 4:8
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

“above all things”

• This is the most important point he wants to make.
• What is it?

To “have fervent charity among yourselves”

• The most important is love. This is agape love. Unconditional love.
• Why is it important?

Because “charity shall cover the multitude of sins”

• Where there is love, people are more willing to forgive and to forget. The faults of others won’t be magnified. Rather they will be concealed or hidden.
• This is actually quoted from Proverbs 10:12.
• Proverbs 10:12
  Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
• The opposite to covering all sins is to stir up strife.
• So a person with charity/love, the will not be the instigator of stirring up trouble. They will be the peacemaker.
• Notice what it says before and after the text in Proverbs.
• Proverbs 10:11-13
  11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. 13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
• Both times it is referring to the mouth. It has much to do with talking.
• So it’s not referring to how we can actually cover up sin, to hide sin. Or even forgive sin. But it is referring to the fact that we won’t talk about it, we won’t magnify it.

1 Peter 4:9
Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

Peter says if we want to be hospitable, if we want to have guests over, we must make sure that we don’t grudge.

• What does grudging mean? To murmur or grumble.
• Let us make sure that if we are going to invite people over that we don’t complain about it.
• We must watch unto prayer. What do we have to watch for? How we speak.
  • Make sure we don’t magnify others faults or sins.
  • Make sure that we don’t murmur or complain about having people over at our place.

1 Peter 4:10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

“As every man hath received the gift.” What gift is this referring to?

• It cannot be the gift of the Spirit. Why? Because Peter is telling us that as we have received it, let us make sure to minister or to give it to others.
• It is not our prerogative to give any gift of the Spirit or another person.
• So what is this gift then?
  • It must be the monetary gift or the gift of food or possessions to the point that we can be hospitable to others and those in need.
• As God has blessed us, we need to bless others as well. We need to minister the same to others.
• Matthew 10:8
  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
• We can only do this and would only be willing to do this if we have the love of God abiding in our hearts.

“as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”

• What does it mean to be a good steward? Yes, we need to take care of the money and possessions that God has given to us. But Peter gives us a deeper and bigger responsibility. What is it?
• To make sure that we use our means to bless others.
• God does not give us means and money so that we can live a more comfortable lifestyle. He wants us to be more hospitable. To bless others more. To love others more.
• I’m afraid that many of us have lost sight of this truth that Peter is trying to teach us.
• Luke 12:48
  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
• The man that was given 5 talents compared to the one given 1 talent, more was required of him. When he doubled his talents, it was 5 more. But if the man with 1 talent would have doubled his, it would have only been 1 more.

1 Peter 4:11
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God”

• This is not meaning to say that whatever we say, we should be preaching the word of God.
• The word oracles does not refer simply to the word of God. It means utterance.
• So, if we are to speak, if we are to say anything, then we should speak as if God is speaking through us. We must represent Him in character, and in this case, in word.
• In the previous verse, God has given a gift. Let us use it to bless others.
• Now God has given us the gift of speech, let us use it to bless others.

“if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth”

• The word minister means to serve, the office of a deacon, to attend, to wait upon as a host or friend.
• So if we are going to serve others, let us make sure we do it to the best of our ability as God has given to us. Let us not hold back.

For what reason?

• So that God can be glorified in all these things. That others will praise God.

So our hospitality, the means that God has given to us, the ability to speak and the strength in our bodies – all this must be used so that God will be glorified at the end.

1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Peter now moves on from talking about how to glorify God with our hospitality and means to now glorifying God through fiery trials. Somehow God used him to communicate to the Christian church about the trials that were to come upon them, and it has similar application for us today as well who will soon face persecution because of the mark of the beast.

First he tells us not to be surprised.

• If we study prophecy, we will know what is to come. We ought not to be surprised. Those that will be caught off guard are those who are not a student of the Word.

What are we to do in the face of these fiery trials?

• We are to rejoice.
• Why? Because we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings.

But what is it that will give us this true joy?

• I think it is a farce to say that people will rejoice when they go through trials.
• We didn’t see Jesus rejoicing when He was on the cross. He didn’t have a smile on His face and praise God. He didn’t do that when He was being whipped and slapped and judged.
• But when can we rejoice with exceeding joy? When we see the result of our sufferings. It is when His glory is revealed.
• This glory is not referring to the glory or character being reproduced in us.
• 1 Peter 1:7
  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
• When is that glory? It is at the second coming when He will appear for a second time.
• That is when our sadness and our suffering will be removed.
• That is when we will be glad with exceeding joy!
• Matthew 5:11-12
  11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

1 Peter 4:14
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Peter is still talking about being happy under persecution, or in this case when we are reproached. Why can we be happy?

• “the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you”
• The fact that we can act like Christ under persecution, the fact that we can be silent like Christ, or still love our enemy – it is not because of any upbringing, it is not because of any special quality in us.
• It is because the Holy Spirit abides in our hearts.
• When we can overcome trials, it is evidence that His Spirit is with us. When we can have peace above the storm, our happiness is found in knowing that God is with us and helping us. That He is helping us not to react and not get angry or upset or even be depressed.

“on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified”

• Those that do the persecuting, they are speaking evil of Christ.
• But for us who can endure and who have the Holy Spirit, He is glorified through the trial.
• This is not the exceeding joy that we can have that is spoken of in the previous verse. Yet we can still be happy to some extent. Why? Because Christ is being glorified through our lives.
• This is where the character of Christ shines through.
• James 1:2-4
  2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
• Even those in Acts were praising God under persecution.
  • Acts 5:40-41
    40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
  • Acts 16:25
    And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
• The early church counted it a privilege to suffer for Christ and praised God even in prison!

1 Peter 4:15
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

However, Peter warns us again that we must be sure that we are not suffering because of anything evil that we have done.

• Not because of a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or a busybody.

1 Peter 4:16
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

There are 2 types of suffering:

• For Jesus’ sake.
• Because we did evil.

The word Christian is mentioned three times in the New Testament.

• Acts 11:26
  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
• This verse comes shortly after persecution taking place in various areas because of Stephen.
• To be a Christian is simply to be a follower of Christ.
• So if we suffer for the sake of being a follower of Christ, we ought not to be ashamed.
• Examples even in the book of Acts:
  • Paul and Silas.
  • Stephen.
  • Peter and John.
  • Paul before king Agrippa.
• Why were they enabled to endure this? Because of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. They were born again!
• Where have we seen the Holy Spirit mentioned in 1 Peter?
  • 1 Peter 4:6
    For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
  • 1 Peter 1:2
    Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

“but let him glorify God on this behalf”

• Instead of being ashamed, we should glorify God. We should magnify and give honour to God.
• God is magnified through our sufferings – only if we suffer as a Christian though.

Sadly, many today just simply call themselves “Christian” but they are nothing like Him in character. Many are suffering for those things in verse 15 – as an evildoer, a busybody.

1 Peter 4:17
For the time is come that 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?

Why is it that Peter seems to bring up judgment all of a sudden? And judgment that must begin at the house of God.

• When Peter refers to the house of God, he is definitely referring to those that call themselves Christian.
• God will judge them first.

What is the house of God?

• 1 Timothy 3:15
  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
• It is the church.
• Judgment begins with the church and those in it.

But what is the purpose of this judgment?

• God is judging whether or not we are giving glory in the times of persecution and trial.
• The true character of the Christian will come out when we suffer. It will reveal whether or not we have the character of Christ or whether we have the character of the world.

“and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”

• Who are those that obey not the gospel of God? It is referring to the Gentiles and those that don’t know God but who are clearly wicked.
• Peter is asking a rhetorical question which he answers in the next verse.

However, there will be suffering that is coming in the future for each of us as well. It’s called the mark of the beast.

• Matthew 24:14
  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
  • The word witness there means martyr. We will suffer for preaching the gospel.
• And before Jesus comes back for a second time, the gospel must be preached to the whole world. It will go out at the same time that persecution is taking place. And the book of Acts is that model for it.
• Acts 1:8
  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
  • The word witnesses means the same – martyr.
• The gospel was preached to the whole world during the time of the early church because the apostles and everyone suffered and even died for the sake of the gospel. It wasn’t just sacrifice, but they suffered.
• And we see this gradual expanding of the territory. From Jerusalem to Judaea, then to Samaria and the whole world.
• But how did it expand? Because they were being persecuted. They ran.
• Paul preached to Caesar as a prisoner, not because he was a free man there doing God’s work.
• Acts 8:1
  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
• The Christian’s preached the gospel everywhere because they were being hunted and persecuted and killed. They didn’t go out preaching the gospel because they had some holy purpose or vision.
• Suffering will come, and we must be ready for it.

1 Peter 4:18
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

“And if the righteous scarcely be saved”

• It is already a difficult thing for the righteous to be saved.
• We cannot be saved by works at all. We are saved wholly on the merits of Jesus Christ and faith in Him.

“where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

• Notice that Peter does not talk about the Gentiles. He talks about the ungodly and the sinner versus the righteous.
• It is too easy to take the name of Christ nowadays and call yourself a Christian. But many Christian’s suffer for their own sins in this world. And many Christian’s are not righteous but ungodly and sinning throughout each and every day.
• There is a distinction. Not with those in the church and those not in the church. But the righteous versus the ungodly.
• Yet judgment begins in the church. There will be a separation first between those that are righteous in the church and those that are not righteous and yet are in the church also.

So it is important for us to search our own hearts to see why we are in church today. What is it that drives us to call ourselves a Christian and give up time to be at church each week?

• Halfhearted Christians are worse than infidels; for their deceptive words and noncommittal position lead many astray. The infidel shows his colors. The lukewarm Christian deceives both parties. He is neither a good worldling nor a good Christian. Satan uses him to do a work that no one else can do. OHC 348.4
• It is possible to be in church and be lost. It is possible to deceive ourselves and put ourselves in a category apart from a Christian or a Gentile. But a halfhearted Christian, a lukewarm Christian, a worldling Christian.

1 Peter 4:19
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Peter then comes back to suffering. It really boils down to the fact of why we go through suffering.

• When we go through suffering and “suffer according to the will of God,” and not because of our own foolishness or sin, then it is that we can have peace and commit ourselves to Him.
• Christ is more than able to keep our souls in Him. The problem is not Christ. The problem lies in the reason as to why we are facing persecution.
  • Are we going through the suffering because of well doing or because we were a busy body or an evildoer?
• Moreover, when a Christian suffers, the fruit will still be found in well-doing. The works will still prove to be a blessing to others. We will not throw off our faith to God simply because we are going through suffering.

What is the will of God?

• 1 Thessalonians 4:3
  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.
  • God’s will is for us to be sanctified. So if we are suffering according to the will of God, we are suffering because we are a living holy, sanctified lives.
• Psalms 40:8
  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
  • The will of God is to have the law of God in our hearts. We must be born of the word. In that word contains God’s law.
  • Hebrews 10:16
    This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.
  • The New Covenant is nothing new. God wants to create a new heart in us. A heart which is filled with His word and His law.
• So if we are storing His word in our hearts, and persecution comes, then we can know that we are suffering according to the will of God. Suffering for righteousness’ sake.

“as unto a faithful Creator”

• Why does Peter bring up God as our Creator? This word in the Greek is only found here in Peter and only once.
• Peter reminds us that God is our faithful Creator. He is the One that created us. And surely, He will care for that which He has created. He will care for His own.
• God is FAITHFUL! He not only creates but He also sustains.
• But what about God as creator?
• Psalms 51:10
  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
• God can create in each of us a new heart. A heart that is sanctified. A heart that is born again.
• Genesis 2:2-3
  2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
• God sanctified the Sabbath at the very beginning in creation. And each Sabbath He reminds us that He wishes to sanctify each of us with His Spirit.