Published: July 5, 2026 | Speaker: Mark Freitag | Series: 1 Peter - Part 41 | Scripture: 1 Peter 4:17-19
Transcript
View Full Transcript →
0:21
We've come to an end of a little section in 1 Peter chapter 4, and I'm going to read that section uh in its entirety again to set the context uh
0:33
for the focus on verses 17- 19 of chapter 4. chapter 4. 1 Peter 4:12.
0:43
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you. But
0:55
to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exaltation.
1:07
If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed. Because the spirit of glory and of God rest upon you. By no means let any of you suffer
1:17
as a murderer or thief or evildoer or a troublesome meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him
1:29
glorify God. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome of those who do not obey the
1:41
gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, let those who al
1:54
also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. Let us pray. Our heavenly father, again we we
2:08
ask that you might send the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts that he might enlighten us to these words of scripture
2:18
that we might have a heart of not just wisdom and knowledge but to to know you, to know your heart, to know your mind, and to worship you. And so we ask,
2:31
Father, that you would teach us this morning, that you would call us to attention. And we ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.
2:47
So just when you think maybe you've got Peter figured out that his words are easy to digest and to understand,
2:58
he brings to our attention judgment. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God.
3:10
It's a strong statement. He seems to be saying the suffering of believers is the beginning of God's end times judgment.
3:27
There are some issues with this passage with the Greek. There are those who translate the word that is written here in the New American Standard judgment as verdict.
3:41
And when he says, "Let it begin with the household of God." There are those who believe, and again, it's in the Greek trying to understand the
3:54
the wording. It could be from the household of God or in the household of God or with the household of God. And I'm not sure that I'm the arbiter of
4:06
all that is right here. I actually believe that there is judgment and there is verdict
4:16
because there is a comparison in this section between the believer and the unbeliever. There is a contrast and there is a
4:28
verdict that God has decided upon those as Peter says who do not obey the gospel of God.
4:39
of God. The word for in verse 17, for it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God, looks back at verses 15 and 16.
4:49
There he says if any of you suffer, don't be suffering because of your behavior, murder or thievery or criminality
5:02
or even being a meddler in business not your own. your own. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name, let him glorify God.
5:16
I believe that judgment does begin from the household of God on those who do not obey the gospel. But I think in the context and and there
5:28
are theologians who say, "Well, Peter talked about that fiery ordeal in chapter 1, that thing that tested you as it in fire." He's finished with that.
5:39
And this is something new that the fiery ordeal in verse 12 is Neero and his persecution of Christians and all the things that and I I can't
5:52
follow him there. God's house is based on
6:02
what Peter has already talked about us as living stones being built into the house of God. Old Testament illusions
6:12
take us back to the temple. That is God's house. That is where he dwells among his people. And Peter says, "This house, this church
6:25
built of living stones are those who believe in Christ." Built up, he says, as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up
6:37
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. That's what we are supposed to be, that spiritual house
6:48
where God is pleased to dwell. Again, the argument is no that Peter is just looking at a verdict on those
6:58
unbelievers. He's saying there can't be two strikes. There can't be a judgment of the house of God and then a further or later judgment of the unbeliever. And
7:10
yet Peter says in verse 17, "And if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"
7:24
There are those who believe that no, this cannot be a purging of the false believers within the visible church.
7:34
visible church. that it's not the true Christians being refined or purified. And yet again, the context of Peter is
7:44
that God is cleansing his house. God is judging the people who claim to
7:54
be his. be his. So I believe that God's judgment does begin with the house of God and from the house of God.
8:06
The image that Peter used uh in verse 12, this fiery ordeal is debated as to what Peter is alluding to in the Old Testament.
8:18
There are a number of passages where this idea of the refining fire of God is used. that it's God's presence as a refining
8:30
fire that judges.
8:42
that the refining fire of God begins with the house of God. Some call it the messianic woes. those woes that precede the Messiah's
8:55
return. Some look at the birth pang spoken of in Matthew 24, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom before the great tribulation,
9:06
persecution and hatred of believers. But I think Peter is looking back and taking from the Old Testament what
9:20
was a a common tradition if you will or a thought is that God's judgment, God's refining, God's purifying his people always begins
9:32
in his own house. And even And even in the passages that I'll look at here, there's the idea that even in that
9:45
there are times when he begins specifically with the elders within the congregation from the top.
9:56
The passages that I looked at were Zechariah 13, Zechariah 13, Ezekiel 9, and Malachi 3. And I think the significance of these is
10:09
that the order that we see is the order that Peter seems to follow in his logic.
10:23
In Zechariah 13, some take the idea and we see it as a messianic prophecy that after the death of Christ, then the real tribulation,
10:33
real tribulation, the real persecutions begin. Zechariah writes, "Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be scattered." But what is God doing in that Zechariah 13
10:44
passage? He says, "Two parts of the land will be cut off and perish, but the third will be left in it, and I will bring the third part through the fire.
10:54
Refine them as silver is refined." In Ezekiel 9, again, there's a separation between those who are true to
11:04
him and those who are not. In Ezekiel 9ine, he tells uh those that he has appointed, put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all
11:17
the abominations which are being committed in its midst. But to the others, he says, "Go through the city and strike. Do not let your eye have pity and do not spare." Again, a
11:29
separation of the believer and the unbeliever. those who are with God, those who feel the abomination around them and those who do not.
11:40
And perhaps the one most familiar to you, Malachi 3, behold, I am sending my messenger. And there's more that he says about the
11:51
glory of that messenger. But he says this, "And he will suddenly come to his temple. But who can endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire
12:03
and like fuller's soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver. And he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver so that they
12:15
present to the Lord offerings in Peter is following I think these illusions speaking of final judgment but
12:26
it begins in present day. It begins with believers in the house of God. And the scriptures tell us in other
12:37
places just because you are a Christian does not mean you are not subject to God's judgment. God's judgment. You will be judged along with everyone
12:49
else, all of the human race. Paul tells us in Romans 14, for we will all stand before the judgment seat of
12:59
God. Each one of us will give an account of himself to God. So what is this smelting process that
13:10
Malachi mentions that we even know today that the ore is brought and it's heated to a very great temperature
13:21
and that natural rock that ore contains other minerals that are not the ones that we want. They're not the more valuable ones. And the heat and in that
13:33
process, the dross, the minerals that are not worth much are separated from the metals that are valuable,
13:47
the gold and the silver, the pure the pure valuable metals. valuable metals. And Peter is saying that this fiery ordeal, this judgment is for refinement
13:58
and purification. and purification. Only it's better because he's already told us in chapter one, you have been distressed by various trials. So that the proof of your faith being more
14:10
precious than gold, more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and
14:20
glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That is God's refining fire. That is fire in God's house.
14:35
And yet there is an issue with the use of this Old Testament tradition. The Old Testament passages that I read from pronounce God's judgment
14:47
on the people for violating his covenant. The covenant that he made with his people. But Peter says that God's people suffer.
14:59
Verse 14, if you are reviled for the name of Christ, they're reviled because they are living for Jesus Christ. Peter doesn't seem to indicate at least
15:12
in this passage that God is abandoning his people, that God is purnishing their sins.
15:26
So, what do we make of this? I believe that Peter is saying that their suffering is an integral and necessary part of God's plan of events
15:36
and the realities associated with the end times. end times. The things associated with the final judgment and the ultimate restoration of
15:49
creation. It begins in God's house. And it begins with us. He says, [snorts]
16:09
If all of this is so, all believers are to be judged by suffering for their faith." But how does that work? How can suffering caused by unbelievers,
16:22
that's the context, the persecution, the mockery, the things that are coming upon them, how can the suffering caused by unbelievers because of one's faith be an
16:33
integral part of God's esqueological judgment, his judgment for the end
16:43
times? How does God's judgment of me relate to a pagan's hostility toward me?
16:58
Well, follow Peter's logic. Verse 14, if you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed. If anyone suffers, verse 16, as a Christian, he is not ashamed, but is to
17:08
glorify God in this name. Verse 17, it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God. In verse 18, if it is with difficulty
17:20
that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? the sinner? The suffering caused by the unbelievers
17:31
to us. The things that unbelievers bring upon us is symbolized as God's judgment or even God's verdict.
17:44
The difference of believers to unbelievers is one of degree. Peter is contrasting us
17:55
with those who do not obey the gospel of God. So he says even if
18:06
those who are going to be saved are purified and judged by suffering then the outcome of those who reject or disobey the gospel will be much more
18:21
severe. He's alluding in verse 18 to Proverbs 11 taken from the Septuagen or the the old Greek translation.
18:31
Greek translation. If salvation of the righteous is with difficulty, a more dire outcome awaits the
18:46
The with difficulty is not meaning condemned to destruction. Nor does it depict believers as being uh as one commentator say plucked from the
18:58
fire at the very last moment. But salvation is an endtime deliverance.
19:10
It's a gift that believers receive after their enduring through suffering. It contrasts the difficulty of faithful
19:22
living with the far greater suffering of the
19:34
Knowing the pain of following Christ is knowing that we escape the horrific punishment of the godless and sinner.
19:55
But for me, reading verses like this make evangelism that much harder. We we want them to see what we've sung
20:14
Jesus, what a friend for sinners. helping, keeping, loving, we sang of him. We want the unbeliever to see what we've experienced, the joy, the just the
20:25
peace, just the the fellowship of other right like-minded people. We we we do want to tell them God loves
20:35
you and has a wonderful plan for your life, but that's not what the scripture says. The scripture says that the reality is they have to understand the degree of
20:49
separation. They have to understand the believer and the unbeliever have nothing in common.
21:05
saved. The difficulty not because God has difficulty saving people but authentic Christianity costs us the hardships of following Christ among
21:18
godless people. godless people. The world's response to Jesus or indifference I guess to Jesus makes our journey in this world harder.
21:33
The hostile reaction of unbelievers to Christianity, one writer wrote, is God's plum line, plum line, testing the metal of those who profess
21:45
Christ. Faith being proved genuine as smelted gold or silver.
21:58
See, Peter's concern is, will Christians stand strong? Will they have the resolve and stamina in the face of suffering?
22:09
Or as we saw in Thessalonians this morning, will they stand firm in the true grace of God? That's from Thessalonians, but also in
22:23
Peter. That's the end of his letter to his readers. Is will you stand firm in the true grace of God?
22:34
Will insults, Will insults, abuse, mockery, rejection drive us to deny Christ? Will we renounce him?
22:45
renounce him? Will we turn back to what we saw in chapter one? chapter one? Will we we turn back to our own
22:59
forefathers? Peter called it. Will we turn out to be no better better than those who never profess Christ?
23:15
Some translate this in the second part of verse 18. What will become of the godless man and sinner? Or when will the godless man and sinner appear? And some of the commentators say, well,
23:28
nowhere. But I don't think that's the right answer. We know they will not be among those at Christ's right hand at that great day great day because of the magnitude of suffering
23:39
that will come upon them. Because as Peter says, they have rejected the gospel of God. They've made no attempt to obey him and serve him.
23:52
They have failed to bring him glory.
24:13
than to suffer as 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 Paul writes the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord.
24:27
So what is Peter's conclusion? Verse 19. Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. Entrust
24:38
your souls, he says, because he is a faithful creator. And this implies several things.
24:50
God is sovereign over all that he has made. He is the creator. He does as he pleases.
25:01
He has the prerogative to execute judgment to separate the sheep from the
25:12
But also it implies that nothing comes upon a believer except by God's sovereignty, his love and his care.
25:26
But just by stating these things, I think Peter also implies that rejection or persecution or whatever comes upon us by an unbeliever
25:38
has the power to make us doubt God's reliability and his strength. And so Peter says in trust
25:49
the the the word is a is a banking term. It means to deposit. It means to take something that is very valuable to you and place it in the hands of one who is
26:04
trusted and trustworthy. And what do we deposit with God?
26:15
with God? We deposit our soul. And we're not talking about the immaterial part, the we're talking about your life, your all
26:33
because he is your faithful creator. Someone pointed out Peter does not command us to be faithful. He reminds us that God is faithful. And
26:46
that makes all the difference I think in our attitude
26:59
because we can be confident that God will not allow suffering beyond our endurance and he will not withhold the strength to endure because God is faithful.
27:10
He is faithful to his promises that he has made to his people. In second Timothy, we read, "For I know, Paul says, whom I have believed and I'm
27:22
convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. What I've deposited with him, I know and
27:35
convince he's able to guard it." So, how do we trust him? How do we deposit our lives with him?
27:46
Well, Peter says in doing what is right, in doing good, I think basically is saying live out your life in faith. Keep walking, keep enduring, keep rejoicing
27:59
even when you're persecuted. It's easy to trust God, is it not? And love him when life is good. Right? You
28:11
see those tire covers on the back of those vehicles? Life is good.
28:23
Because when life is good, we we assume God's got this. God knows what he's But it's harder to trust the will of God when difficulties arise.
28:36
We may begin to question God's intent. We may question, "Does he care? Is he concerned about me?"
28:47
We may even question his character. Why is he doing this? Is he just being unjust for some reason?
28:57
I'm I'm obeying. I'm doing what I should do, and yet these things have come upon me. Well, Peter's already given us the
29:08
answer. What did Jesus do when he was treated unjustly? treated unjustly? Chapter 2, verse 23. Kept entrusting himself to him who
29:20
judges righteously. He deposited his soul with the faithful creator.
29:30
Would we not do the same? He did not sin. He did not retaliate. But he handed himself over to God.
29:48
So what is the result that awaits us when we follow in his steps? Again, he's given us the answer in chapter 2. you may grow in respect to
29:59
salvation. God's judgment, his refining fire both antis authenticates your faith, but it also develops your character as a
30:13
Christian. And so Peter sees judgment in the context of of hope. He sees judgment in the context of consolation.
30:23
suffering will have its consolation or in the words of the Apostle Paul again those words let it sink in
30:36
just because we're suffering as a Christian we ought to look at the results when Paul writes thanks be to God
30:46
through Jesus Christ our Lord there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Let us
31:03
Our father, we we do ask again that by your holy spirit you would speak to our hearts that we might begin to understand these words to begin to understand the things that are coming
31:14
upon us and how they fit within your glorious plan. And yet, Father, we we do ask that we uh as we heard this morning
31:26
in Sunday school, that we may never grow weary in doing good, in walking by faith. We ask that you would build us,
31:38
build us for your glory and honor, build your church. In Christ's name we pray.