By David J. Stewart | August 2014
1st Peter 4:7-9, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging.”
1st Peter 4:1-19 is such an awesome, practical and
applicable passage of Scripture for these end times in which we live. Of
course, all of the Bible is beautiful and precious, but I read this
particular passage of the Bible today. The apostle Paul said 2,000 years ago
that the end of all things is at hand. How much more can we say today in the
year 2014 that the end of all things are at hand?
Here are the 19 precious verses of 1st Peter, the fourth chapter...
- 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;
- 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.
- 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:
- Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
- Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
- 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.
- But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
- And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
- Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
- As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
- 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.
- Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
- 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?
- And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
- 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.
Notice in verse five that God is ready to judge
both the quick (alive, meaning, born-again) and the dead (unsaved).
1st Peter 4:5, “Who shall give account to
him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.” Our duty as
born-again Christians is to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to
the dead (unsaved), in hope that they will be saved. God never forces anyone
to get saved. Each individual must choose to receive Christ's payment upon
the cross for their sins in order to be saved. Joining a religion won't get
you to Heaven. Living the Christian life won't get you to Heaven. Jesus said
in John 3:7, “...Ye must be born again.”
Love And Forgive One Another Above All
I love 1st Peter chapter 4 because it tells us how to live in these last days. We are commanded in verses 7-9 to watch for the Lord's return in prayer, and “above all things have fervently charity (love) among yourselves,” and not to hold grudges against others. If God tells us “above all” to fervently love one another, then we ought to take heed and “ABOVE ALL” do as God said! There is so much hatred in our society today. The internet is a hater's paradise.
Do you understand that God elevates loving one another and forgiving each other's sins above the importance of praying? That's what God said in 1st Peter 4:8, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Loving others and forgiving their past sins is more important than soul-winning, singing, preaching or anything else. The apostle Paul said that even if he spoke with great wisdom and the voice of angels, it would mean absolutely nothing if he failed to have love...
1st Corinthians 13:1-3, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
Nothing matters if there is no love motivating the work that we do for God. My website ministries are rooted in God's unconditional love. I've never made a single penny serving God. I do what I do because I love Jesus Christ. I love people with God's unconditional love. Our American society has a rescue plan for everything except fallen sinners. We are a throw-away society. When a person sins, society discards them, especially if they are a professed Christian. Romans 2:1, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Love compels a person to focus on forgiveness, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us (Ephesians 4:30-32).
In sharp contrast, the name “Satan” means “the
accuser.” A person is never more like the Devil than when they condemn
others by magnifying their past sins. The Holy Spirit convicts men about
present sins; whereas, the Devil haunts men about their past sins. Satan is
the ultimate finger pointer...look what ole so-and-so did! Revelation
12:10, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for
the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused
them before our God day and night.” It is a wicked thing
to continually bring up someone's past sins in a malicious and hateful
attempt to destroy them. Proverbs 11:9, “An hypocrite with his mouth
destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be
delivered.”
Serving God With What God Has Given Us
Notice in 1st Peter 4:10-11 that the Bible
tells us to use the gift and abilities which God has given to us to minister
(serve) others. God wants us to live for OTHERS. This is the fulfillment of
love. Love is treating others the way we would like to be treated (Matthew
7:1-5). This is “THE GOLDEN RULE,” that is, do unto others as you
would have them do unto you. Would you want to be forgiven of your past
mistakes and sins, or have them thrown in your face for the rest of your
life? Wicked people will always judge and condemn, but James 5:9 warns not
to do so, because God is the Judge before the door into eternity. We all
must give account to God (Romans 14:10-12).
We Must Suffer As Christ Suffered
1st Peter 4:12-13, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 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.” 2nd Timothy 3:12 plainly teaches that they who live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Living godly in Christ Jesus means more than just being saved, it means salvation plus discipleship. To be saved you DON'T need to become a disciple of Christ; but rather, you simply need to believe that Jesus died on the cross for YOUR SINS, and that He raised up from the dead (1st Corinthians 15:1-4; John 3:16).
The Devil won't bother you if you if you are a silent and idle believer. However, the Devil will persecute you if you are taking a stand for the Lord against sin, preaching the Gospel, living righteously and exemplifying the Dear Savior in your life. John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” The unsaved world hates Jesus, the Holy Bible and Christianity because the Lord is against sin. John 7:7, “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.”
If you are a born-again Christian and are not
being persecuted by the heathen world, it is only because you are going
along to get along, sinfully hiding your light. 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4,
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god
of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the
light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should
shine unto them.”
Do Right Though The Stars Fall, Do Right!
Notice in verse 19 that God addresses those who are suffering. The Bible tells us to commit ourselves to doing right, as unto a faithful Creator. There is a natural human temptation to give up and return to sin when we suffer, when things don't go right, when bad things happen to us. 1st 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.” God is responsible for everything that happens to me, but I am responsible for everything that I do.
I have not commented on every Bible verse in 1st Peter 4:19, but it is a wonderful passage of Scripture and there are many truths contained therein. I just wanted to share some key thoughts with you which the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart as I read this precious chapter.
