Suffering Persecution for Christ Part 2 1 Peter 4:16-19
Last Sunday, we began a two-part series on suffering persecution for the sake of Christ.
We focused on 1Peter 4:12-15. In that passage we saw three things. (1) V. 12: We
must not think it a strange thing if we suffer persecution for Christ. (2) V.v. 13-14: We
must respond to this kind of persecution with joy and to our persecutors with love. We
are to do so because we are identifying ourselves with Christ’s sufferings for us. (3)
V.15: If we suffer persecution, it must be for Christ, not because we invite it by our
foolish behavior.
Today, let’s focus on verses 16-19. We will see three more things the Apostle Peter
says concerning suffering.
I. We must give God the glory in the midst of suffering.
Verse16 says, Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let
him glorify God in this matter. (KJV: on this behalf; Older manuscripts have: in this
name, referring to the name Christian).
The word Christian was coined as a term of derision by those who opposed Christ and
His followers (see Acts 11:26). It means a Christ-follower or one who belongs to
Christ. Peter is saying that if we suffer because we belong to Christ, let us not be
ashamed. Rather, let us give glory (honor) to Christ that we are called by His name - the
One who came to earth and suffered for us.
Peter and the other apostles practiced what they preached in regard to suffering
persecution for Christ. On one occasion they had been imprisoned by the Jewish
leaders for preaching the gospel. That night, God sent an angel to miraculously deliver
them. Then they continued preaching Christ. When the authorities discovered that they
had escaped from prison, they brought them back before their council. They were told to
no longer preach Christ. Peter’s response was, We ought to obey God rather than
men (Acts 5:29). They were then beaten, told again not to preach in the name of Christ
and released. Acts 5:41-42 records what happen then. It says, So they departed from
the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His
name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and
preaching Jesus as the Christ (Messiah).
These apostles did not rejoice because they enjoyed the pain of suffering. Rather, they
were so submitted to Christ that they were willing to suffer anything for Him, even death.
Can we say the following concerning submission:
Submission to God is taking from His hand absolutely anything He chooses to
give us,
Looking up into His face in love and trust, even thanksgiving,
And knowing that the confines of the hedge in which He places us are good, even
perfect, however painful they may be,
Simply because He Himself has given them!
(Anonymous to this writer)
A life submitted to God gives Him glory in all things, even persecution. God wants us to
mature in Christ to the point that we see all things, both the good and the bad, as being
filtered through His gracious and powerful hands.
II. We must recognize that suffering is a part of God’s judgment of us as His own
people.
Verse 17 says, For the time (opportune time) has come for judgment to begin at the
house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end (outcome) of those
who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely
saved (saved with difficulty), where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (a
quote from Proverbs 11:31)
The words the house of God refers to God’s people – His church. The words
judgment beginning in the house of God do not refer to the same kind of judgment
the ungodly will receive. They will receive the judgment of eternal separation from God.
That is, since they are separated from God now, they will continue to be separated from
Him for eternity.
Note verse 18 again. (See above.) This is a quote from Proverbs 11:31. It probably
alludes to Genesis 19:15-26. This passage tells of God rescuing Abraham’s nephew,
Lot, from wicked Sodom just before He rained fire and brimstone on the city. God sent
angels to tell Lot to leave Sodom but he was not willing. Finally, the angels dragged
him out of the city just in the nick of time to save him from the fires of judgment. This is
a picture of a righteous one (Lot) being scarcely saved or saved with difficulty by God’s
grace and mercy.
In order to save us or any sinner, God has to snatch us out of the fires of judgment .
Otherwise we would be consumed by His wrath. Why does God have to rescue us?
Left to ourselves, we will ignore God or reject Him outright and die in our sins. (See
John 6:44,65.)
Verse 18 is telling us that God judges, not only the wicked, but also His own people. Yet
this is a judgment in terms of the purifying and refining of His people. As we experience
the sufferings of life, both physical suffering and suffering from persecution, we are
being tested in regard to the genuineness of our faith. When persecution drives us
closer to God, it shows that we truly belong to Him.
So when we experience persecution, it does not mean that God is absent from our lives
or has abandoned us. Rather, through suffering and persecution He demonstrates His
purifying presence in our lives. He uses our suffering to strengthen our faith and
character. Our fiery trials can be compared to gold and other metals that are refined by
being placed in a container. It is then heated until the dross (impure metal) is separated
from the real gold. The dross is removed and only the pure gold remains.
Romans 5:1-5 gives an excellent description of how the trials and sufferings of life refine
us and make us purer and stronger. It begins with our justification in God’s sight – the
justification that gives us peace with Him. Justification is the declaration that we are just
and righteous in God’s sight through faith in Christ. So this passage on suffering begins
with the gospel. Then it continues by speaking of how justification impacts our lives
when sufferings come our way. Let’s read it. Therefore, having been justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom
(Christ) also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope
of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations (sufferings),
knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and
character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured
out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Verse 5 is telling us that God’s love
is so powerful that we never lose hope in Him even during suffering. (See Romans 8:28-39.)
III. We must entrust our lives to God when we experience persecution.
Verse 19 says, Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit
(entrust) their souls (being) to Him in doing good (KJV: well-doing), as to a
faithful Creator.
This verse is saying that when we suffer persecution for the sake of Christ, it is God’s
will that we suffer. Therefore, we must commit our souls to Him. The word commit
means to entrust, i.e. to place our lives before God for His care. It is in the present
tense and thus means to keep on committing or entrusting. The word soul means our
very being (identity). So we must keep on entrusting our very being to God! This is the
key to living for God’s glory and our victory!
Notice that Peter says we are to entrust our souls to God in doing good. Our
persecutors are doing evil when they persecute us. We, however, respond by doing
good. Why? Because God is a faithful Creator. Therefore, He will see us through the
trials we face. This means that all suffering passes through His hands. No trial ever
comes to us apart from His Sovereign oversight. He designs to use suffering and
persecution for His glory and our ultimate good.
We are all familiar with the FDIC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. It insures
the money we deposit in banks. However, we know that it is possible for the federal
government to fail financially. But not so when we deposit our souls to God. We are
always “safe in the arms of God.” Remember: God does not send persecution as a
punishment for our sins. That punishment took place when Christ died on the cross as
our substitute. Therefore, we must understand two things:
(1) Without suffering, we will never truly experience God’s presence, purpose and
power to preserve us. His preservation enables us to persevere in times of persecution
for Him,
(2) Through suffering, God shows us that we belong to Him. We are a part of a long line
of sufferers, i.e. the prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, the apostles and faithful
Christians throughout the ages. We glorify God for whatever He sends our way because
He is our God. He created us. He redeemed us. He sustains us. And He will one day
eliminate all suffering when we enter His presence in glory. For now, we trust God in the
good times and the bad times.