When we see suffering through an eternal perspective, we will make sure that we suffer for the right reasons...

This week we have been looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of 1 Peter. And in this section of this letter that we discovered a timeless truth about how we are to live out our identity as followers of Jesus who are part of God’s kingdom community in the midst of a rapidly changing culture in that living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a lifestyle that sees suffering through an eternal perspective.

In 1 Peter 4:12-19, we see Peter reveal for us two reasons why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a lifestyle that sees suffering from an eternal perspective.  First, in verse 12-14, we see that when we see suffering through an eternal perspective, we will recognize that suffering provides the evidence of our spiritual state.

As followers of Jesus, when we see suffering from an eternal perspective, we will not be surprised by suffering, because suffering reveals the evidence of the true character that is within us. And as followers of Jesus, when we see suffering from an eternal perspective, we will rejoice in the midst of suffering, because suffering reveals the evidence of a genuine and authentic faith.

Wednesday, we saw Peter make a stark contrast between two types of suffering. Peter pointed out that if a person knowingly and willingly take the life of another; if a person knowingly and willingly take what belongs to another; if a person knowingly and willingly do things that hurt and harm others; if a person knowingly and willingly meddle in the business and dealings of others in a way that causes trouble for others, then what that person experience as a result of such behavior is not the fires of trials and suffering. Instead, what that person experiences are the consequences of their selfishness and rebellion against God and others. However, if a person experiences the fires of the trials of sadness and suffering simply because they live a life that reveals and reflects Jesus as a citizen of God’s kingdom community, then they should not be ashamed.

Instead of being ashamed in the midst of the fires of the trials of sadness and suffering, Peter states that such a person is to glorify God in this name. In other words, a person who is faithfully living one’s life in a way that identifies one as a follower of Jesus who is a part of God’s kingdom community should continue to strive to influence the opinion of others in a way that enhances God’s reputation in the midst of the fires of the trials of sadness and suffering.

Instead of withdrawing from culture; instead of condemning culture; instead of compromising to culture, they were to engage the culture in a way that embraces the aspects of the culture that line up with the message and teachings of Jesus while refraining from those things in the culture that arouse a desire for what is forbidden by the message and teachings of Jesus.

By doing so, these followers of Jesus would be revealing and reflecting their distinctive identity as a follower of Jesus in the midst of those who do not believe, trust, and follow Jesus so as to enhance God’s reputation in the eyes of those who did not believe, trust, or follow Jesus. Today, we will see Peter provide the reason why followers of Jesus were to live in such a way in 1 Peter 4:17-19:

 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? ¹⁹ Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Now to fully understand what Peter is communicating here, we first need to understand a few things. The first thing that we need to understand is what Peter means when he uses the word judgment. The phrase “time for judgment to begin” refers to a time when a judge begins the process of judging the behavior of another. Peter is revealing for us the reality that when God begins the process of judging the behavior of humanity, that process of judgment always begins with the household of God. When Peter refers to the household of God, he is referring to God’s kingdom community throughout human history.

Now that leads us to the second thing that we need to understand, which is how God’s judgment has worked throughout human history. When we read the letter that make up the Bible, we see a repeated pattern when it comes to judgment. And that pattern is that God’s judgment begins with those who claimed to be a part of God’s kingdom community.

For example, before God used the Jewish people as His instrument to exercise His right and just response to the selfishness and rebellion of the nations who lived in what was referred to as the Promised Land, which nation spent forty years wandering in the wilderness as a judgment for their selfishness and rebellion?  The answer is the Jewish people who were considered God’s kingdom community. Before the Assyrian Empire was conquered by the Babylonian Empire as judgment for their selfishness and rebellion against God, who was conquered by the Assyrian Empire? The answer is the Northern Kingdom of the Jewish people who were considered God’s kingdom community. Before the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Media-Persian Empire as judgment for their selfishness and rebellion against God, who was conquered by the Babylonian Empire? The answer is the Southern Kingdom of the Jewish people who were considered God’s kingdom community.

You see, throughout the letter that make up the Bible, we see God begin His process of judging the actions of humanity with the people who claim to be a part of His kingdom community. God’s judgment throughout human history has always begun with the people that claimed to be a part of His kingdom community, to see if they were truly a part of His kingdom community.

Peter is revealing for us the reality that at the end of God’s story here on earth, just as it has been throughout God’s story here on earth, all humanity will stand before the Lord. And as all humanity stands before the Lord, the first to be judged by the Lord with be those who profess to be a part of God’s kingdom community. And at that point, the Lord will judge so as to separate those who profess to claim to be a part of God’s kingdom community from those who actually possess and genuine and authentic relationship with Jesus as part of God’s kingdom community.

Peter then asks a question that is designed to make what is referred to as a lesser to greater argument: “and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” In other words, Peter is basically saying “When we look at God’s judgment of the people who claim to be a part of God’s kingdom community, how is it going to go for those who reject the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel and live in disobedience to the message and teachings of Jesus?”

Peter’s point here is that as difficult as it has been for the people who claim to be a part of God’s kingdom community to stand before the Lord in judgment, how much more difficult will it be for those who reject the opportunity to be a part of God’s kingdom community. Peter reinforces his point by quoting from a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Old Testament of the Bible called the book of Proverbs.

In Proverbs 11:31, we see Solomon reveal the reality that if God’s judgment and justice for selfishness and rebellion is not relaxed for His own people when they do things that hurt others here on earth, how can those who reject God think that they can escape the judgment and justice of God when they do things to hurt others here on earth. Peter quotes this Old Testament proverb to reveal the reality that those who are truly a part of God’s kingdom community will not act toward others in a way that harms and hurts others, because at the end of the day, they will have to give an account to the Lord for their actions here on earth.

And because of the reality, Peter explains in verse 19 those who experience the fires of the trials of sadness and suffering as a result of seeking to follow God’s desires for their lives shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. Peter’s point here is that those who are truly a part of God’s kingdom community will place their confident trust in Jesus by doing what is right in God’s sight in the face of the fires of the trials of sadness and suffering they experience.

You see, while all humanity faces judgment, those who have a genuine and authentic relationship with Jesus do not need to fear judgment. God’s judgment will begin with those who profess to be followers of Jesus who are a part of God’s kingdom community to see who is truly part of God’s kingdom community.

And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us the reality that when we see suffering through an eternal perspective, we will make sure that we suffer for the right reasons. As followers of Jesus, we make sure that we suffer for the right reasons when we refuse to live in a way that disobeys the message and teachings of Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we make sure that we suffer for the right reasons when we live in a way that reveals and reflects Jesus. And as followers of Jesus, we make sure that we suffer for the right reasons when we live in a way that recognizes that we will be judged by Jesus.

The timeless reality is that Jesus will judge those who profess a relationship with Jesus for evidence that they possess a relationship with Jesus. Jesus will judge those who reject Him on the evidence of their rebellion against Him. And as followers of Jesus, we demonstrate the evidence of our confident trust in Jesus as a faithful judge by living according to His desires for our lives.

So with that in mind, here is a question for us to consider: How does the perspective that you have impact how you respond to the sadness and suffering that you experience in life? And if you are experiencing sadness and suffering in your life, why are you experiencing sadness and suffering?

Are you experiencing sadness and suffering for the right reasons? Are you experiencing sadness and suffering as a result of the consequences you are facing for the things that you have done to hurt God and others? Or are you experiencing sadness and suffering as a result of living a life that reveals and reflects Jesus to others?

Because, living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a lifestyle that sees suffering through an eternal perspective. As followers of Jesus, when we see suffering through an eternal perspective, we will recognize that suffering provides the evidence of our spiritual state. And as followers of Jesus, when we see suffering through an eternal perspective, we will make sure that we suffer for the right reasons…