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SUFFERING ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD

Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19
18 April 2021

FIERY TRIALS OF LIFE

The Apostle Peter wrote about the “fiery trials” which could come upon believers. His teaching may be summarised:

  1. These are not to be regarded as “strange things”     1 Peter 4:12
  1. Believers in the first century underwent great challenges indeed!

SOME OF THE FIERY TRIALS DESCRIBED

Peter highlighted two of these trials:

  1. Some were “reproached”     1 Peter 4:14a
  1. Others suffered being “blasphemed”     1 Peter 1:14b

This was verbal abuse! There were other forms of fiery trials not described here.

PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT TO BE PUT IN THE SAME CATEGORY

Peter described some things that ought not to be spoken of in the same vein.

  1. Murderer
  1. Thief
  1. Evildoer
  1. Busybody in other people’s business

If one were to “suffer” punishment, jail time, or physical beating, because of these personal sins, this kind of “suffering” is not “according to the will of God!

TRUE SUFFERING FOR THE LORD

What is true suffering for the Lord Jesus Christ? Our suffering must be related to the Lord Jesus Christ!

  1. If we “partake of Christ’s sufferings”     1 Peter 4:13
  1. If we are reproached for the name of Christ     1 Peter 4:14
  1. If we suffer as a Christian     1 Peter 4:16

THE CORRECT PERSPECTIVE

How should we respond when we actually suffer for the Lord? Peter had these words to offer.

  1. “Rejoice”     1 Peter 1:13
  1. “Blessed are you”     1 Peter 4:14a
  1. “The Spirit of glory and of Gold rests upon you”     1 Peter 4:14b

Let us learn how to commit our souls to God as to a faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19)!