AP

Living as a Christian

1 Peter Studies (10)                                                                                  1 Peter 4:4-11

Verses 4-6 Having described the behaviour of the pagans, which also described the believers before they were converted (see vv. 1-3), Peter now speaks about the unbelievers’ attitude towards the Christians. Just like the unbelievers of today, these worldly, pagan people, living a dissolute life, think it ‘strange’ or ‘weird’ that the Christians do not join in with their immoral lifestyle. They abuse us by calling us ‘wowsers,’ ‘bigots,’ ‘hateful’ and worse. They may even falsely accuse us of the very things they practise!

Peter reminds them that their day of reckoning, of judgment will come (v.5). Those who speak evil and do evil will have to account for their words and deeds to God who is ready to judge the living and the dead. Judgment will come for both believers and unbelievers, resulting in salvation or condemnation. “Whoever believes on him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).

Our first task is to believe in Christ, the second is to obey his commandments. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). Our obedience is the result of the grace that has come to us from our Saviour through the Holy Spirit. We obey because we are saved. We don’t obey in order to be saved. We can’t be saved by our works. Our works should be the fruits of our salvation; they cannot be the basis for it.

In verse 6 Peter refers back to what he said in 3:19, about preaching to ‘those who are now dead.’ This refers to Christian believers who had died. The good news had been preached to them, and they had become Christians. As a result, they had been judged according to men while they were on earth. This judgment was in the form of persecution because of their Christian testimony. This persecuting judgment was administered by the unbelievers. They were made martyrs in their body but alive in their spirit. After their conversion and as a result of their witness, they were martyred, but now they are alive and present with the Lord in their spirit, awaiting their bodily resurrection at the Last Day.

Verses 7 Peter again instructs about positive Christian living. The ‘of all things’ comes first in the Greek sentence, indicating that is where Peter wants to put the emphasis: of all things the end is near. We have to be ‘clear-minded’ and ‘self-controlled.’ The Greek, also in 1:13 and 5:8, means ‘sober’ i.e. not drunk. You can’t be self-controlled if you are drunk. When we are calm and collected, we can devote ourselves to prayer. We are to live as if we are at ‘the end.’

Verse 8 Love is the pre-eminent virtue and the opposite of hate. It is produced in our hearts by the Holy Spirit “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…” (Galatians 5:22). Love is a prerequisite to all proper exercise of Christian duty. Courtesy without love is a cold thing. Generosity without love is a harsh thing. Love makes all the other virtues what they should be. The reason for this exhortation to love one another is that love covers a multitude of sins.

We should not broadcast a Christian’s failings to the world. However, “It is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17). The moral failings of fellow Christians, especially leaders, should be held to account, so they can be repented of. The world will eventually be aware of the sins of Christians and if they have been covered up, our silence or inaction will be seen as consent or complicity.

Verse 9 The Greek word for ‘hospitality’ literally means ‘friendly to strangers.’ Most of our hospitality is extended to friends and family. Perhaps we should think of how we can offer hospitality to ‘strangers.’ Perhaps to refugees or people who have been persecuted for the faith. We can provide food and housing to our persecuted brothers and sisters in other countries via the Barnabas Aid Fund and similar organisations. In apostolic times, Christians who travelled from place to place to share the gospel would be dependent on Christian hospitality for their food and lodgings, as the inns were often houses of ill-repute.

Hebrews exhorts us in the same way: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (13:2).

Verse 10 Like Paul (1 Corinthians 12:1), Peter is aware that there are different spiritual gifts, charisma. The gifts are meant to serve others, not the one who receives the gifts. They are certainly not given to facilitate self-promotion. We are not in the Kingdom of God to make a name for ourselves. God’s grace comes in various forms, so that if all use their gifts, God’s grace will be spread far and wide.

Verse 11 If anyone speaks, he/she should do it as one speaking the very words of God! This is quite a challenge. It should caution us to think before opening our mouths. God’s words are always truthful, so should our words be. His words are gracious, so should ours be. When confronted with a question or situation, our first thought should be “What does the Bible say about this?”

The same thought is behind serving. We should do it in God’s strength. The purpose of speaking God’s words and serving with God’s strength is to bring praise to God through Jesus Christ. To God be the glory for all we do or say.

Questions:

Why have we seen so many Christian scandals? Has the contemporary church paid enough (or any?) attention to the need for church discipline?

In the seventeenth century, many Puritan ministers would end their letters with “Your servant in the Gospel.” How can we serve each other in the Gospel?

In what ways can we practise “Christian hospitality”? How might it mean more than inviting people into our homes?

– Alida Sewell