Author: drthomasclothier

^“But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (I Peter 4:15-16).

Peter says that there are four attitudes believers must have when experiencing trials. First, Christians should not be surprised when trials come into their lives (I Peter 4:12). Second, we are to rejoice in our trials (I Peter 4:13). Thirdly, Christians are to evaluate their trials (I Peter 4:15-18). As has been clearly stated, trials are a part of the Christian life. Again, we read Jesus’ words from John 16:33. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Therefore, God wants us to assess the trials which should not take us by surprise and in which we are to rejoice. Are the trials we face due to our own sinful choices, or are they caused by something or someone else? The Apostle Peter says that no Christian should suffer because they have committed murder, theft, other criminal acts or by being meddlesome (I Peter 4:15). Peter is not saying Christians should not be punished if they commit sin, but rather that no Christian should commit such sin and thereby face the righteous and inevitable consequences for having sinned.

The word suffer (πάσχω; pascho) means to experience pain. Peter says that believers will suffer, but that suffering should never occur because a believer has premeditatedly taken another person’s life. What would propel a believer in Christ to commit murder? Perhaps in this context there were believers whose family members or friends had been abused in some way by the Roman government. Peter was saying that persecution was no excuse for lawlessness and retaliation.

One commentator writes, “As second-century apologists, or defenders of Christianity, pointed out, the only charge on which true Christians were ever convicted was the charge of being a Christian.” This is what Peter refers to in I Peter 4:16.

If any believer in Christ suffers, as indicated in vs. 13-15, because they are Christians (Χριστιανός; Christianos) or ones identified with and following the person and teachings of Jesus Christ, let them not be ashamed (αἰσχύνω; aischyno) or feel disgrace. Rather, to suffer for Christ is a glorious thing.

If we should so suffer for Christ because we are so closely identified with Christ, God commands us to then glorify Him because of the name of Jesus. We are not to complain about our circumstances, but rather we are to glorify God. We are not to criticize those who have hurt us, but rather we are to glorify God. We are not to seek revenge against those who have sinned against us, but rather we are to glorify God.

How do you view your trials? Are you surprised by suffering? Honestly, I think most of us are, in spite of the commandment in I Peter 4:12 to not be shocked and dismayed.

Are you rejoicing in your trials? Again, I think many of us don’t in spite of the commandment in I Peter 4:13. We become anxious, fearful and despondent when tough times come. Rather, we should realize that God promises to bless us when we are in the midst of misery.

Are you evaluating the reasons for your trials? Did you do something wrong? If so, repent and ask forgiveness and prepare to face the consequences. However, if you suffer unjustly when someone else has violated God’s law, you are not permitted to also violate God’s law as payback to those who have hurt you. On the contrary, we are glorify God by obeying His commandments.

Make it a priority of your prayers that you will ask God to help you obey the commandments found in this text from I Peter. It may not be easy at first to not be taken by surprise or to rejoice, or to glorify God when trials eventually come, but continue to ask, seek and knock (Luke 11:5-13) for God’s strength to be faithful to His Word. Do so boldly and shamelessly. God will answer your persistent prayer.

Soli deo Gloria!

^“But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler” (I Peter 4:15).

Peter says that there are four attitudes believers must have when experiencing trials. First, Christians should not be surprised when trials come into their lives (I Peter 4:12). Second, we are to rejoice in our trials. We are to rejoice and be glad in how we think about our trials, along with how we feel about them and the decision to rejoice while in the midst of them (I Peter 4:13).

Thirdly, Christians are to evaluate their trials (I Peter 4:15-18). As has been clearly stated, trials are a part of the Christian life. Again, we read Jesus’ words from John 16:33. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Therefore, God wants us to assess the trials which should not take us by surprise and in which we are to rejoice. Are the trials we face due to our own sinful choices, or are they caused by something or someone else?

The Apostle Peter says that no Christian should suffer because they have committed murder. Peter is not saying Christians should not be punished if they commit murder, but rather that no Christian should commit murder and thereby face the righteous and inevitable consequences for having committed such a sin.

The word suffer (πάσχω; pascho) means to experience pain. Peter says that believers will suffer, but that suffering should never occur because a believer has premeditatedly taken another person’s life. What would propel a believer in Christ to commit murder? Perhaps in this context there were believers whose family members or friends had been executed by the Roman government. Peter was saying that persecution was no excuse for lawlessness and retaliation.

Peter then mentions other sins such as theft. No believer should be guilty of theft, which is taking something which belongs to someone else. Confiscation of one’s property by the government or by someone else was not an excuse to compensate the loss by stealing someone else’s property.

An evildoer (κακοποιός; kakopoios) is a criminal, or one who engages in doing what is bad or wrong. Being wronged by a criminal does not mean believers are to become criminals in order to right the initial wrong. We are not to break the law because we have suffered due to someone hurting us when they broke the law.

A meddler (ἀλλοτριεπίσκοπος; allotriepiskopos) is a person who busies themselves in other people’s business. These are they who give unwanted and ill-timed advice. In other words, they stick their noses into other people’s business. Christians are not to participate in such behavior.

One commentator writes, “As second-century apologists, or defenders of Christianity, pointed out, the only charge on which true Christians were ever convicted was the charge of being a Christian.” May it be so today.

How do you view your trials? Are you surprised by suffering? Honestly, I think most of us are, in spite of the commandment in I Peter 4:12 to not be shocked and dismayed.

Are you rejoicing in your trials? Again, I think many of us don’t in spite of the commandment in I Peter 4:13. We become anxious, fearful and despondent when tough times come. Rather, we should realize that God promises to bless us when we are in the midst of misery.

Are you evaluating the reasons for your trials? Did you do something wrong? If so, repent and ask forgiveness and prepare to face the consequences. However, if you suffer unjustly when someone else has violated God’s law, you are not permitted to also violate God’s law as payback to those who have hurt you.

Make it a priority of your prayers that you will ask God to help you obey the commandments found in this text from I Peter. It may not be easy at first to not be taken by surprise or to rejoice, or to not seek revenge when trials eventually come, but continue to ask, seek and knock (Luke 11:5-13) for God’s strength to be faithful to His Word. Do so boldly and shamelessly. God will answer your persistent prayer.

Soli deo Gloria!

^“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:12-13).

For the fourth time in his letter Peter speaks to Christians about the reality of trials in their lives, specifically because of their testimony for Jesus Christ. Peter has acknowledged that trials may grieve the believer (I Peter 1:7), but he has also encouraged the faithful to look at the example of Jesus Christ and how He handled the trials and persecutions He encountered (I Peter 2:18-25; 3:13-17).

Some commentators believe that Peter wrote this letter shortly before, or after, the burning of Rome by the Emperor Nero in A.D. 64. Nero’s act of blaming Christians for a fire he was responsible for marked the beginning of 200 years of Christian persecution by Rome.

Peter says that there are four attitudes believers must have when experiencing trials. First, Christians should not be surprised when trials come into their lives. The phrase “do not be surprised (μή ξενίζω; me xenizo) is a commandment. We are never to be taken by surprise when trials come, unlike a person who answers the door and is surprised by a friend who has come to visit. The word surprise means to experience a sudden feeling of unexpected wonder. This is not a problem when opening presents on one’s birthday, but it should not be our response when difficulties occur in our walk with Christ.

Second, we are to rejoice in our trials. Let me repeat that; we are to rejoice in our trials. The word rejoice (χαίρω; chairo) means to be glad in your soul. We are to rejoice and be glad in how we think about our trials, along with how we feel about them and the decision to rejoice while in the midst of them. This is also a commandment which we are to continually obey.

This is the same paradox Peter shared in I Peter 1:6-7: “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Peter says we can rejoice for a particular reason while we are in a season of trials. Our attitude of rejoicing stems from the fact that we share in Christ sufferings. Let’s not romanticize this. The word suffering (πάθημα; pathema) means to be in pain. Jesus used this word when He was speaking to His disciples during the Passover meal the night before He was crucified. He was describing His death on the cross. We may experience real pain for following Jesus Christ and being committed to biblical truth. Isn’t it awesome to consider that we may be persecuted for our faithful identification with Jesus? That’s something to seriously consider when facing persecution.

But Peter is not yet done. He continues by saying that there is another reason for rejoicing. That will occur when Jesus Christ returns in His glory. The word revelation (ἀποκάλυψις; apokalypsis) means to disclose and to make fully known. Glory (δόξα; doxa) means splendor and brightness. We are to rejoice now in our trials because soon and very soon we will rejoice in the revelation of Jesus’ glory when He returns. We can therefore be triumphant in persecution.

How do you view your trials? Are you surprised by suffering? Honestly, I think most of us are, in spite of the commandment in I Peter 4:12 to not be shocked and dismayed. Are you rejoicing in your trials? Again, I think most of us don’t in spite of the commandment in I Peter 4:13. We become anxious, fearful and despondent when tough times come.

Make it a priority of your prayers that you will ask God to help you obey the commandments found in this text from I Peter. It may not be easy at first to not be taken by surprise or to rejoice when trials eventually come, but continue to ask, seek and knock (Luke 11:5-13) for God’s strength to be faithful to His Word. Do so boldly and shamelessly. God will answer your persistent prayer.

Soli deo Gloria!

^“10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (I Peter 4:10-11).

In anticipation of Jesus Christ’s soon return (I Peter 4:7), God commands believers to be self-controlled and sober-minded by loving one another and showing hospitality. He also calls self-controlled and sober-minded believers to be good stewards of their spiritual gift(s).

A spiritual gift is a God-given ability to serve. Spiritual gifts are not for the purpose of personal pride and self-exaltation. I Peter 4:10 makes it very clear that spiritual gifts are for the purpose of serving one another. As churches and individual believers serve one another with their spiritual gifts, they evidence good stewardship.

Remember that Peter was writing to Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. Using one’s spiritual gifts does not just occur when life is easy, but also when it is hard.

Peter now divides spiritual gifts into two main categories: speaking gifts and serving gifts. Let’s examine each separately.

With respect to speaking gifts, the word speak (λαλέω; laleo) means to communicate by talking. Within the context, this is to be done actively and presently. The word Laleo is but one of many New Testament words God uses to convey what manner of speaking or preaching was to be done: the man of God was to speak or preach the Word of God.

The Bible communicates two main truths: First, God exists and He is sovereign and providential. In short, He is in control. Second, this One, True God who exists and who is sovereign and providential has chosen to reveal Himself. He has chosen to do so not only through creation, or general revelation, but also in His Word, which is defined as specific revelation.

Peter says that believers who possess speaking gifts from God are to speak the oracles of God. The word oracle (λόγιον; logion) means sayings or messages. The sayings or messages believers are to communicate belong to and originate from God alone. Oracles are the utterances of God contained in the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Old Testament prophets, along with New Testament apostles, evangelists and pastor/teachers did not have the luxury of coming up with their own message and their own methodology of speaking for God. God decreed not only the message to be communicated but also the method to communicate the message. The Apostle Paul wrote Timothy and said, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:1-2).

The reason Paul gave Timothy such a stern command was explained in 2 Timothy 2:3-4: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Peter is very clear on this issue. So is Pastor Steven J. Lawson in his book The Kind of Preaching God Blesses. Dr. Lawson writes about an alarming trend in many churches and pulpits to not preach the Word of God.

“To an alarming degree, an increasing amount of preaching these days can only be described as “slick schtick.” By this I mean that form of communication in which the preacher has little to say, but tragically says it very well. This kind of nominal preaching caters to the listener by replacing exposition with entertainment. It substitutes theology with theatrics. It supplants sound doctrine with sound checks. In this sad exchange, the drama of redemption gives way to just plain dramatics. Such negligible preaching has turned many pulpits into a weekend stage for D-list actors who masquerade as preachers. The modern sermon has tragically been described as a mile-wide and an inch deep. Carnal ears will always want to be charmed and not confronted, captivated and not challenged. Those who stand in pulpits must not cave in to these demands, but must maintain the apostolic standard of preaching.”

The church, believers in general and pastors and preachers in particular, must remain resolutely committed to speak the oracles of God. In other words, we must remain firmly faithful to proclaim what God has said in His Word.

If your pastor does proclaim what God has said in His Word, take the time to thank him for doing so. Do it today. Your word of encouragement may be just the thing he needs to keep him going. If you are attending a church in which the pastor does not preach from the Bible, you may want to prayerfully consider finding a church with a pastor who does.

If you are a teacher of a Sunday school class, or the leader of a small group, remain resolute yourself to teach the Word of God. I encourage you to read 2 Timothy 3-4.

Soli deo Gloria!

                       

 

 

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:^” (I Peter 4:10).

In anticipation of Jesus Christ’s soon return (I Peter 4:7), God commands believers to be self-controlled and sober-minded by loving one another and showing hospitality. He also calls self-controlled and sober-minded believers to be good stewards of their spiritual gift(s).

The Apostle Peter now addresses the subject of spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift is a God-given ability to serve. I learned that definition during my first year of Bible College over 40 years ago and I have never forgotten it.

Spiritual gifts are just that, gifts. The word gift (χάρισμα; charisma) is a gift which is freely and graciously given by one individual to another. Within the context of spiritual gifts, believers receive what God has given them. One pastor explains that spiritual gifts are “a gracious divine endowment: an extraordinary gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling and working in a special manner in the individual (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6; Rom. 12:6, 8).”

Notice that the text says that God has given each believer a spiritual gift. I have heard several Christians over the years say that God didn’t give them a spiritual gift. According to I Peter 4:10, this is not true. It is also true that God may give believers more than one spiritual gift.  However, according to I Peter 4:10 we can be confident that each believer has at least one spiritual gift, perhaps in a combination with other gifts uniquely blended together by God in that believer’s life.

The word “received” (λαμβάνω; lambano) indicates that each believer has actively received a spiritual gift at a particular point in time. The English translation of the verb “received” indicates that this action occurred in the past. This implies that God gives each believer a particular spiritual gift(s) as a singular event, as opposed to a continuous action. In other words, it appears that God gives us our spiritual gift(s) all at one time, and not continuously as the need requires. Also, a spiritual gift cannot be earned, achieved or pursued. It is received through the grace of God the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:4, 7, 11, 18).

This does not mean, however, that each believer will know immediately and completely each and every spiritual gift they possess from God. Discovery of one’s spiritual gift(s) usually takes time and is accompanied by spiritual maturity.

Spiritual gifts are not for the purpose of personal pride and self-exaltation. I Peter 4:10 makes it very clear that spiritual gifts are for the purpose of serving one another. To serve (διακονέω; diakoneo) is to presently and actively minister to someone other than yourself. If each believer does this, and this is done within the context of a church, the church will have and evidence genuine spiritual health and well-being.

As churches and individual believers serve one another with their spiritual gifts, they evidence good stewardship. A steward (οἰκονόμος; oikonomos) means one who is in charge or who holds a responsibility. For example, an administrator or a manager of a household. Believers have a responsibility, before God and the church, to manage their spiritual gifts. They are to do so in a good (καλός; kalos) fitting and beautiful way.

To do so displays God’s diversified (ποικίλος; poikilos) or varied grace. In other words, no one believer is more important than any other believer. We all need one another (I Corinthians 12:12-26).

Ask God right now to reveal to you through His Word what your spiritual gift(s) may be. I encourage you to read Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:11-16. Additionally, ask your pastor or spiritual mentor what spiritual gift(s) they see evidenced in you. Begin serving where, when and how you can to see what it is that God gives you the ability and joy to accomplish for His glory and for the benefit of the church.

One final note. Remember that Peter was writing to Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. Using one’s spiritual gifts does not just occur when life is easy, but also when it is hard.

Soli deo Gloria!