suffering for the right reasons

For Christians the purpose of suffering is to prove their true character, to clear away the dross of sin and to allow the pure nature of Christ to show itself. some strange thing: Christians should expect and prepare for suffering.¹

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy [1 Pet. 4:13].

Why are we to rejoice in trials? Because suffering prepares us for the coming of Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 8:17, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” I think we need to face up to the fact that there is no shortcut to living the Christian life. There is no easy way. Let me repeat, the Christian life is a banquet—because He has invited us to the table of salvation—but it is not a picnic. We are to suffer for Him and with Him. And we will know the reason for each testing when we stand in His presence someday. I tell you, I would be embarrassed to sit down with Paul in glory and be on the same level with him, because he suffered so much. And today some folk criticize Simon Peter, but we are also going to look up to him when we get to heaven. The Word of God makes it very clear that suffering is a part of the Christian life. Suffering is what develops you. We hear so much talk about how everything is supposed to be smooth and lovely in the Christian marriage and in the Christian home. My friend, I do not agree with that at all—sorrow and suffering will come to the Christian home. I know of nothing that drew my wife and me together like the death of our first little one. And believe me, we wanted that little one. We sat in that hospital room and simply wept and prayed together. That is still a sacred memory in our lives—it did something for us.²

Evidence for God

Earlier I mentioned Bertrand Russell, who became an atheist as a teenager after being exposed to an essay by the philosopher John Stuart Mill. In that essay Mill argued against the existence of God, saying that if everything has a cause, then God must have a cause, and if God must have a cause, then He is just like any other part of creation. I pointed out that such thinking represents a fundamental misrepresentation of the law of causality, which does not teach that everything must have a cause, but simply that every effect must have a cause.

Another man, the son of an evangelical Methodist minister and scholar, also became an atheist as a teen. The reason for his atheism was the influence of the same philosopher, John Stuart Mill. This young man was captured by a statement Mill made that God cannot be both omnipotent and good. If God is omnipotent and yet allows the atrocities that befall human beings, then He has the power to stop the suffering. Since He does not, it is proof that He is neither good nor all-loving. On the other hand, if He is good and all-loving and does not want to see the savage brutality that afflicts the human race, then it must mean that He simply is incapable of stopping it and, therefore, is not omnipotent. That fifteen-year-old boy felt the weight of Mill’s argument and came to the conclusion that there must be no God, certainly not the God of the Bible.

Later on, this same boy told a story, which became a famous parable. It is a story of two explorers who were working their way through a jungle in Africa, uninhabited, far removed from any civilization. As they were hacking their way through the undergrowth with machetes, they came upon a clearing, and in the clearing they found a magnificent garden. The garden contained flowers and vegetables perfectly arranged in rows, not a single weed invading its beauty. It appeared to be perfectly tended. One explorer said to the other one, “Isn’t this incredible? I wonder where the gardener is. Let’s wait for him and ask him how he came to plant this magnificent garden in the middle of this seemingly uninhabitable place.” So they waited, but no gardener came.

One of the explorers said, “We must have been mistaken. There must not be a gardener. The garden must have happened by accident; it is just an inexplicable freak of nature. So let us go on with our work of exploring.”

The other said, “No, maybe this gardener is different from other gardeners. Maybe this one is invisible, and he is busy tending the garden, and we are just not able to see him.”

As they were having this discussion, one said, “Let’s set a trap for him. We will set up a wire around the perimeter of the garden and attach bells to it. If he in his invisible presence comes to tend the garden, he will bump the wires and the bells will ring, and we will know that he has been here, even though we cannot see him.”

So they carefully prepared their trap, and they waited, but the bells did not ring. One explorer said, “See? There is no invisible gardener.”

The other replied, “Wait. Maybe this gardener is not only invisible but also immaterial. Perhaps he does not have a body that will bump up against the wire and make the bells ring.”

The author of the parable, philosopher Antony Flew, was saying that the concept of God has died the death of a thousand qualifications. In the final analysis, he asked, what is the difference between an invisible, immaterial God and no God at all? Of course, the answer to that screams that the difference is the garden. How does one account for the perfect design of the garden apart from a designer?

Some time ago, I interviewed Ben Stein for the Renewing Your Mind radio program. At the time, Stein was heavily involved in the production of a Hollywood movie titled Expelled. In that movie, Stein addressed what is happening to professors and teachers on college campuses in America, and also in high schools, who have the audacity to suggest that the universe may be here as a result of intelligent design rather than as the result of a cosmic accident. Throughout the history of Western science, the work of philosophy and the philosophical foundations of science have promoted free inquiry on any question of this type with the virtue of having the courage to allow one to go wherever the evidence leads. Yet now in America there is an inquisition against free inquiry. The Orange County school board ruled any teaching of intelligent design out of bounds in the public schools. An editorial that appeared at the time in the Orlando Sentinel strongly agreed with this decision. Yet that is an unintelligent decision, because what is at stake is not just religion or theology but scientific inquiry.

In the midst of this debate about intelligent design, something remarkable happened. Antony Flew announced to the world that he had changed his mind and come to the conclusion that the evidence for God is compelling. Intelligent design is not simply an optional theory, he said, but a philosophical necessity. It has been interesting to see how the world of atheists has responded to Flew’s conversion. His character has been all but assassinated by philosophers and scientists who say that the only reason he changed his mind is that he developed dementia in old age. Flew then wrote a book, There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind, explaining why he changed, and if you read it, you will see that it does not contain the writings of a demented person.

What made Flew become an atheist in the first place was not the parable of the garden in the wilderness but the problem of suffering. When he was fifteen years old, he read Mill’s statement, that God cannot be both all-loving and good and at the same time be omnipotent, and Flew could not answer that criticism of Christianity. Nineteenth-century critics of Christianity called the problem of pain the Achilles’ heel of the Christian faith. Flew came at it from a different angle. He said that when the existence of something is asserted, whatever evidence works against it must be taken into account. For example, in order to say that the world is round, all the evidence that appears to render the world flat must be considered. The idea of a round earth took a long time to supplant the idea of a flat earth, because it was strange—so strange that it seemed much easier to continue believing that it is flat.

Scientists know that scientific theories change as quickly as weather patterns. Many things I learned in high school have long since been put aside. In the scientific world, there are paradigms or theories that attempt to describe all of reality; but so far, no scientific theory for understanding everything in the world has been free of contrary evidence. Think, for example, of the well-established claim that uniformitarian geology is a scientific truth. This holds that the changes in the surface of the earth have developed over vast periods of times in a uniform and gradual way, not as the result of a sudden, catastrophic moment that changed everything.

Albert Einstein’s friend Immanuel Velikovsky wrote two books about the anomalies of that, mentioning, for example, the problem of the mastodons that were frozen in the icecap with their bodies completely intact. When scientists thawed and dissected them, they found undigested tropical food in their bellies. Tropical food did not get to the arctic gradually, so the perplexed scientists looked for a theory to account for it.

I am not picking on the uniformitarians. I am saying that every theory, whatever it is, has counterevidence, and if the counterevidence becomes too severe, too multiple, or too profound, the theory has to change, which is what Antony Flew said. Flew read of the holocaust in World War II, about the camps in which so many millions were extinguished, and he became aware of the slaughter that had occurred through Joseph Stalin. Today we read that Saddam Hussein killed more Arabs than any man in human history, sometimes just for the fun of it.

There is unspeakable evil in this world and unbelievable pain and suffering. When we see that, we have to ask the question that the people in the Old Testament raised more than once in the Wisdom Literature: why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer? It just makes no sense. There are few people who, in the midst of suffering, can say, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). One must have a profound understanding of the character of God and a profound trust in His goodness.³

could suffering be proof that God is real

I remember well a man who came to my office a number of years ago for counseling. He looked as if he had the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. He was stooped, his head was bowed, and his eyes were cast upon the floor. He was bearing a great deal of guilt for some trials and suffering he was experiencing. Some of his friends had convinced him that he must be living in sin or he would not be suffering so much.

He came to me so that I could assist him in identifying the sin which he had committed so that he could confess it to the Lord. As we visited and prayed together, I discovered that his friends were very wrong. He was suffering not for his sin, but because of his goodness and godliness. He was suffering as a Christian.

What a delight it was to share these verses from 1 Peter with him and to encourage him in being faithful in following Christ even if it meant some temporary suffering for the name of Christ. Peter reminded him that he should not be ashamed, but that he should glory in suffering for Christ.

I will never forget the change in the way that man looked when he left my office. His shoulders were erect, his head was high, and his face was shining with the glory of the Lord! Now he understood the reason for his suffering, and he was rejoicing and praising God for the privilege. He was not facing the judgment of God; he was facing the glory of God.

There is a marvelous solution for those of us who suffer according to the will of God. It is a profoundly simple solution—we should commit our souls to our Lord (v. 19).

He is the faithful Creator who made us in His image and who, through Christ, is in the process of making us become more and more like Him and less and less like the distortion which sin has created. He is to be trusted; He who calls us is faithful; He will do it (1 Thess. 5:24).

And, as we entrust ourselves to our faithful Creator, we should continue to do good. It is always the will of God, and it is always appropriate for the Christian to do good—even when we are suffering and hurting. That’s what Paul and Silas did as they suffered in the Philippian jail; and that’s what we should be doing day by day—to the glory of God.⁴

4:17 the time has come for judgment: Judgment does not always imply condemnation in Scripture. When used in relation to Christians, it consistently refers to the evaluation of a believer’s works for the purpose of reward (see 1 Cor. 3:10–15). the house of God: The focus here is not on a building but on believers. those who do not obey: Throughout this letter, Peter speaks of those who are not part of God’s eternal family as being disobedient (2:7, 8; 3:1, 20).

4:18 scarcely saved: No one deserves to be saved, and no one is able to be saved by his or her good works (see Eph. 2:8, 9). Since everyone deserves condemnation, the fact that anyone is saved is solely the result of God’s grace. appear: If God does not hold back judgment from His own people, imagine the end of the enemies of God who have no one to justify them before Him (see Ps. 1:4–6; RevRev. 20:11–15).⁵

1 Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (1 Pe 4:12). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

2 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 Peter) (electronic ed., Vol. 54, pp. 91–92). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3 Sproul, R. C. (2011). 1-2 Peter (pp. 172–175). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

4 Cedar, P. A., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1984). James / 1 & 2 Peter / Jude (Vol. 34, pp. 183–184). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

5 Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (1 Pe 4:17–18). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

gifts in the end

⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 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. ¹

commands

be self controlled

be sober minded

keep loving one another

show hospitality

4:7 The end of all things. The Gr. word for “end” is never used in the NT as a chronological end, as if something simply stops. Instead, the word means a consummation, a goal achieved, a result attained, or a realization. Having emphasized triumphant suffering through death, Peter here begins to emphasize triumphant suffering through the second coming of Christ (cf. 1:3; 2:12), which is the goal of all things. He is calling believers to live obediently and expectantly in the light of Christ’s return. is near. The idea is that of a process consummated with a resulting nearness; that is, “imminent.” Peter is reminding the readers of this letter that the return of Jesus Christ could be at any moment (cf. Ro 13:12; 1Th 1:10; Jas 5:7, 8; Rev 22:20). be of sound judgment and sober spirit. To be of “sound judgment and sober spirit” implies here not to be swept away by emotions or passions, thus maintaining a proper eternal perspective on life. The doctrine of the imminent return of Christ should not turn the Christian into a zealous fanatic who does nothing but wait for it to occur. Instead, it should lead the believer into a watchful pursuit of holiness. Moreover, a watchful attitude creates a pilgrim mentality (2:11). It reminds the Christian that he is a citizen of heaven only sojourning on earth. It should also remind him that he will face the record of his service to God and be rewarded for what stands the test at the judgment seat of Christ, which follows the return of Christ to rapture His church (see 1Co 3:10–15; 4:1–5; 2Co 5:9, 10). purpose of prayer. A mind victimized by emotion and passion, out of control, or knocked out of balance by worldly lusts and pursuits, is a mind that cannot know the fullness of holy communion in prayer with God (cf. 3:7). A mind fixed on His return is purified (1Jn 3:3) and enjoys the fullness of fellowship with the Lord.

4:8 fervent in your love. “Fervent” means “to be stretched,” “to be strained.” It is used of a runner who is moving at maximum output with taut muscles straining and stretching to the limit (cf. 1:22). This kind of love requires the Christian to put another’s spiritual good ahead of his own desires in spite of being treated unkindly, ungraciously, or even with hostility (cf. 1Co 13:4–7; Php 2:1–4). love covers a multitude of sins. Quoted from Pr 10:12. It is the nature of true spiritual love, whether from God to man or Christian to Christian, to cover sins (cf. Ro 5:8). This teaching does not preclude the discipline of a sinning, unrepentant church member (cf. Mt 18:15–18; 1Co 5). It means specifically that a Christian should overlook sins against him if possible, and always be ready to forgive insults and unkindnesses.

4:9 Be hospitable to one another. The Gr. word means “love of strangers.” Love is intensely practical, not just emotional. In Peter’s day, love included opening one’s home and caring for other needy Christians, such as traveling preachers. It also included opening one’s home for church services. Scripture also teaches that Christians should be hospitable to strangers (Ex 22:21; Dt 14:28, 29; Heb 13:1, 2).

4:10 received a special gift. A “special” or spiritual gift is a graciously given supernaturally designed ability granted to every believer by which the Holy Spirit ministers to the body of Christ. The Gr. word (charisma) emphasizes the freeness of the gift. A spiritual gift cannot be earned, pursued, or worked up. It is merely “received” through the grace of God (cf. 1Co 12:4, 7, 11, 18). The categories of spiritual gifts are given in Ro 12:3–8 and 1Co 12:4–10 (see notes there). Each believer has one specific gift, often a combination of the various categories of gifts blended together uniquely for each Christian. employ it in serving one another. Spiritual gifts were used, not for the exaltation of the person with the gift, but in loving concern for the benefit of others in the church (cf. 1Co 12:7; 13). good stewards. A steward is responsible for another’s resources. A Christian does not own his gifts, but God has given him gifts to manage for the church and His glory. manifold grace of God. This emphasizes the vast designs of God for these gifts.²

And this special love will be ready to forgive time and time again because love covers over a multitude of sins. Peter probably has in mind Proverbs 10:12: ‘Hatred stirs up dissensions but love covers all wrongs.’ Nowhere does the Scripture ever suggest that love can condone sin. God, even with the greatness of his love, never does that. What we learn here is that this ‘stretched love’ covers sin. We can overlook a fellow believer’s irritating habits, and this love will forgive others who have hurt us, and as often as necessary. Certainly, a Christian should never broadcast another believer’s failure for all the world to hear. Gossip causes much unnecessary pain in the church, and much harm to the faith outside of it.³

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms (v. 10). Every believer has some gift or gifts which can be used for the benefit of the community. Peter uses the word charisma which indicates that he is referring to a gift from God, though he does not specifically refer to the Holy Spirit. This gift is not given to the Christian for his own benefit or to pander to his pride, but in order that he might serve others, thus making him a steward or trustee of that gift. Every blessing received from God is totally undeserved; it is of his grace. Our privilege is to administer God’s grace to others in its various forms, and to do it faithfully, literally ‘as good managers’. Emphasis has often been made of the fact that as we serve God we may not always see the results we would like or even expect to see, but that our fundamental responsibility is to do what we do faithfully.

In the story which Jesus told, each servant was entrusted with talents by his master ‘according to his ability’. Some had more than others but all those who had been obedient received the same commendation; ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’ (Matt. 25:14–30). My heart should ask, ‘Will he say that to me?’⁴

So, whether Peter had in mind the coming destruction of Jerusalem, the coming end of our lives, or the ultimate consummation of the kingdom of Christ, it is still appropriate to heed his advice to be serious and watchful in our prayers, because in this age, and through all the centuries of the church, the church is called to be ever watchful, always waiting for the final return of Jesus. We are warned that, for us, Jesus should not come as a thief in the night and find us in a state of business as usual, neglecting our prayers and our devotion to His kingdom. We are to be ever vigilant, ever watchful, ever ready for the Lord, for we know not when the Lord comes. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).

If we really look for the return of Christ, then we shall think of others and properly relate to them. Love for the saints is important, “above [before] all things.” Love is the badge of a believer in this world (John 13:34–35). Especially in times of testing and persecution, Christians need to love one another and be united in heart.

This love should be “fervent.” The word pictures an athlete straining to reach the goal. It speaks of eagerness and intensity. Christian love is something we have to work at, just the way an athlete works on his skills. It is not a matter of emotional feeling, though that is included, but of dedicated will. Christian love means that we treat others the way God treats us, obeying His commandments in the Word. It is even possible to love people that we do not like!

Christian love is forgiving. Peter quoted from Proverbs 10:12—“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” This verse is alluded to in James 5:20 and 1 Corinthians 13:4 and 7. Love does not condone sin; for, if we love somebody, we will be grieved to see him sin and hurt himself and others. Rather, love covers sin in that love motivates us to hide the sin from others and not spread it abroad. Where there is hatred, there is malice; and malice causes a person to want to tear down the reputation of his enemy. This leads to gossip and slander (Prov. 11:13; 17:9; see 1 Peter 2:1). Sometimes we try to make our gossip sound “spiritual” by telling people things “so they might pray more intelligently.”

No one can hide his sins from God, but believers ought to try, in love, to cover each other’s sins at least from the eyes of the unsaved. After all, if the unsaved crowd finds ammunition for persecuting us because of our good words and works (1 Peter 2:19–20; 3:14), what would they do if they knew the bad things that Christians say and do!

Genesis 9:18–27 gives us a beautiful illustration of this principle. Noah got drunk and shamefully uncovered himself. His son Ham saw his father’s shame and told the matter to the family. In loving concern, Ham’s two brothers covered their father and his shame. It should not be too difficult for us to cover the sins of others; after all, Jesus Christ died that our sins might be washed away.

Our Christian love should not only be fervent and forgiving, but it should also be practical. We should share our homes with others in generous (and uncomplaining) hospitality, and we should use our spiritual gifts in ministry to one another. In New Testament times hospitality was an important thing, because there were few inns and poor Christians could not afford to stay at them anyway. Persecuted saints in particular would need places to stay where they could be assisted and encouraged.

Hospitality is a virtue that is commanded and commended throughout the Scriptures. Moses included it in the Law (Ex. 22:21; Deut. 14:28–29). Jesus enjoyed hospitality when He was on earth, and so did the Apostles in their ministry (Acts 28:7; Phile. 22). Human hospitality is a reflection of God’s hospitality to us (Luke 14:16ff). Christian leaders in particular should be “given to hospitality” (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8).

Abraham was hospitable to three strangers, and discovered that he had entertained the Lord and two angels (Gen. 18; Heb. 13:2). We help to promote the truth when we open our homes to God’s servants (3 John 5–8). In fact, when we share with others, we share with Christ (Matt. 25:35, 43). We should not open our homes to others just so that others will invite us over (Luke 14:12–14). We should do it to glorify the Lord.

In my own itinerant ministry, I have often had the joy of staying in Christian homes. I have appreciated the kindness and (in some cases) sacrifice of dear saints who loved Christ and wanted to share with others. My wife and I have made new friends in many countries, and our children have been blessed, because we have both enjoyed and practiced Christian hospitality.

Finally, Christian love must result in service. Each Christian has at least one spiritual gift that he must use to the glory of God and the building up of the church (see Rom. 12:1–13; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:1–16). We are stewards. God has entrusted these gifts to us that we might use them for the good of His church. He even gives us the spiritual ability to develop our gifts and be faithful servants of the church.

There are speaking gifts and there are serving gifts, and both are important to the church. Not everybody is a teacher or preacher, though all can be witnesses for Christ. There are those “behind-the-scenes” ministries that help to make the public ministries possible. God gives us the gifts, the abilities, and the opportunities to use the gifts, and He alone must get the glory.

The phrase “oracles of God” in 1 Peter 4:11 does not suggest that everything a preacher or teacher says today is God’s truth, because human speakers are fallible. In the early church, there were prophets who had the special gift of uttering God’s Word, but we do not have this gift today since the Word of God has been completed. Whoever shares God’s Word must be careful about what he says and how he says it, and all must conform to the written Word of God.

While on our way home from the African trip I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, we were delayed in London by a typical English fog. London is one of my favorite places, so I was not disturbed a bit! But the delay gave my wife and me the opportunity to show London to a couple who were traveling with us. Imagine trying to see that marvelous city in one day!

We had to make the most of the time—and we did! Our friends saw many exciting sites in the city.

How long is “the rest of your time”? Only God knows.

Don’t waste it! Invest it by doing the will of God.⁵

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (1 Pe 4:7–11). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

2 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Pe 4:7–10). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

3 Cleave, D. (1999). 1 Peter (p. 128). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.

4 Cleave, D. (1999). 1 Peter (p. 130). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.

5 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 422–423). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

suffer for Jesus and get ready for the court

4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. ³ For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. ⁴ With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; ⁵ but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. ¹

—1 Peter 4:1–6

Suffering does not take place in a void nor does it take place without purpose in the life of the believer. To ignore suffering or to resist it would be natural, but these are not options for the committed Christian. We have the confidence that all things work together in our lives if we are trusting in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:28).

And we know that if we trust in the Lord with all of our heart and lean not upon our own understanding, but instead, if we acknowledge the Lord in all our ways, He has promised to direct our steps (Prov. 3:5–6). As we have seen in our commentary on chapter 3 of 1 Peter, sometimes our Lord allows suffering to come into our lives. Just as it was His will for Christ to suffer for doing good, it is sometimes His will for His children to suffer for doing good (1 Pet. 3:17).

As Peter closes the third chapter by sharing some benefits which come to us as we suffer for doing good, he continues in the opening verses of this chapter to identify some additional benefits of suffering for Christ.

“Arm yourselves with the same mind [as Christ]” (v. 1). The word translated as “mind” is énnoia which can also be translated as “intent” or “attitude.” As we know, our conduct is greatly determined by our mind or attitude. When our attitude is right, our conduct is usually right.

If we were to have the mind or attitude of Christ, what a difference it would make in the way in which we live day by day. Peter’s teaching is clear. Since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, we should be prepared to suffer for Him. Jesus said, “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me” (John 15:20–21).

As Peter has shared in the previous chapter, there is a kind of suffering which comes from doing good—from being identified with Christ (see commentary, pp. 167). To face such sufferings, we need to have the attitude of Christ such as He had when He agonized in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39). To entrust ourselves to our Father and to His will is always right and always best.

Also in verse 1, Peter encourages us to cease from sin. Peter shares a very interesting relationship between suffering for Christ’s sake and for righteousness’ sake. It is natural for us to sin. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). We have sinned by choice and by inheritance. No one had to teach us how to sin.

Since all of those things are true according to the Word of God, what could Peter mean when he says, “for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin”? (v. 1). I believe he means that the forsaking of sin, or repenting of sin, requires two specific steps. First we must, by an act of our will, turn from that sin.

But there is also a second step. When we turn from sin, we must turn to Christ. We must receive Him as Savior and then follow Him as Lord. As we follow Him and allow Him to live in and through us in the person of the Holy Spirit, we receive the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23), and the Lord enables us to do good. When we live lives that are good, and when we do good things for others, we will sometimes suffer for that good behavior (3:13–18).

Therefore, when you suffer in the flesh for doing good and for doing the will of God, it is an outward symbol of the fact that you have turned from sin or ceased from sin to follow after Jesus. It does not mean that you never stumble or slip into sin; it does mean that the major orientation and direction of your life is to follow Jesus. And it is often true that when we become serious about following Jesus as Lord, Satan becomes serious about attacking us. Indeed, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. But the Lord has promised us victory as we submit to Him and resist the devil (James 4:7–8).

Now Peter gets to the very heart of his teaching. That is, the focus of our living should be to do the will of God (vv. 2–6). Doing the will of God must begin with putting off the old life of walking in the flesh. Such a lifestyle is contrary to the will of God and to the life of walking in the Spirit. In verse 3, Peter reminds his readers of the post-Gentile ways that are no longer to be practiced:

(1) “lewdness” (asélgeia): “without self-restraint, debauchery, filthiness, license.” (2) “lusts” (epithumía): “evil desires, a longing for that which is forbidden.” (3) “drunkenness” (oinophugía): “an excess or surplus of wine.” (4) “revelries” (kÉmos): “carousing, rioting, orgies.” (5) “drinking parties” (pótos): “banqueting, drinking bouts.” (6) “abominable idolatries” (eidÉlolatría): “the forbidden worship of idols.”

Those who still live that way respond to us and the Lord by thinking it strange that we don’t run with them in the same flood of dissipation (v. 4) and by speaking evil of us (v. 4). However, they will have to give an account of themselves to the Lord (vv. 5–6).

Peter shares some insights regarding “how to live for the will of God” in the succeeding verses, particularly verses 7–11 in chapter 4. The contrast between doing the will of God and living in the Spirit and doing the will of the pagans and living in the lusts of the flesh is vivid. The two are diametrically opposed to one another. It is the difference between light and darkness, between life and death. Let us examine the truths of the following verses.²

Peter says you are now identified with Christ. When you came to the Lord Jesus and were born again, the Spirit of God baptized you, that is, He identified you with Christ. Now let that mind, that thought, be in you which is in Christ. Christ is up yonder at God’s right hand in a body totally devoted to the service of God for you and me. Do you think, my friend, if you have really been born again, if you are really a child of God with a new nature, that you can go on living in sin? Now I am a Calvinist and I emphasize the security of the believer. However, I think that there is such an overemphasis on that point that many of our Arminian friends also need to be heard today. This is one reason I feel as kindly as I do toward the Pentecostals; they are preaching a doctrine that has been largely forgotten, the doctrine of holiness. They emphasize that believers should live a holy life for God today. My friend, you cannot be a child of God and go out and live in the pigpen. Let’s face it—if you do, you are a pig. Pigs live in pigpens and they love it, but sons do not love the pigpen.³

My friend, I do not believe that you can go on in sin if you are a child of God. You have the nature of Christ; you are joined to Him. He suffered down here once; He is suffering no more, but He can help you. He sent the Holy Spirit down to indwell those who are His own. We have been baptized into the body of believers, as Peter has pointed out to us, and now, being filled with the Holy Spirit, we can live for God. We cannot do it in our own strength but in His strength.⁴

Think of what sin did to Jesus (v. 1). He had to suffer because of sin (see 1 Peter 2:21; 3:18). How can we enjoy that which made Jesus suffer and die on the cross? If a vicious criminal stabbed your child to death, would you preserve that knife in a glass case on your mantle? I doubt it. You would never want to see that knife again.

Our Lord came to earth to deal with sin and to conquer it forever. He dealt with the ignorance of sin by teaching the truth and by living it before men’s eyes. He dealt with the consequences of sin by healing and forgiving; and, on the cross, He dealt the final deathblow to sin itself. He was armed, as it were, with a militant attitude toward sin, even though He had great compassion for lost sinners.

Our goal in life is to “cease from sin.” We will not reach this goal until we die, or are called home when the Lord returns; but this should not keep us from striving (1 John 2:28–3:9). Peter did not say that suffering of itself would cause a person to stop sinning. Pharaoh in Egypt went through great suffering in the plagues, and yet he sinned even more! I have visited suffering people who cursed God and grew more and more bitter because of their pain.

Suffering, plus Christ in our lives, can help us have victory over sin. But the central idea here seems to be the same truth taught in Romans 6: We are identified with Christ in His suffering and death, and therefore can have victory over sin. As we yield ourselves to God, and have the same attitude toward sin that Jesus had, we can overcome the old life and manifest the new life.⁵

Who shall give account. There will come a time when they shall have to settle up with God who is ready to judge the quick (living) and the dead. For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead. The idea here parallels 3:19, although the word preached (Gr euangelizemai) here is different and means specifically to “evangelize.” It is probably impossible to be sure, but to the dead could mean that they are dead when Peter writes, but were alive when the gospel was preached to them. At least we know that the Bible does not teach that men have a second chance to be saved after death. That they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. If this refers to the opportunity these Gentiles had to be saved while they were still alive, we might rephrase it, “They had a choice between human condemnation by wicked men, or divine life by the Spirit.” This interpretation at least allows a consistent meaning throughout the passage for “flesh” and “Spirit.”⁶

4:6 to those who are dead. The preaching of the gospel not only offers a rich life (3:10), a ceasing from sin (v. 1), and a good conscience (3:21), but also an escape from final judgment. Peter had in mind believers who had heard and accepted the gospel of Christ when they were still alive, but who had died by the time Peter wrote this letter. Some of them, perhaps, had been martyred for their faith. Though these were dead physically, they were triumphantly alive in their spirits (cf. Heb 12:23). All their judgment had been fully accomplished while they were alive in this world (“in the flesh”), so they will live forever in God’s presence.⁷

4:5 give account. This verb means “to pay back.” People who have “pursued a course of lewdness” (v. 3) and who “malign” believers (v. 4) are amassing a debt to God which they will spend all eternity paying back (cf. Mt 12:36; Ro 14:11, 12; Heb 4:13). to judge the living and the dead. All the unsaved, currently alive or dead, will be brought before the Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11–15; cf. Ro 3:19; 2Th 1:6–10).⁸

Christians do have a judgment to face but since their sins have already been forgiven it is not a judgment to condemnation (Rom. 8:1). It is a judgment of works following conversion and to assess rewards (2 Cor. 5:10, see also Matthew 25).

However those who do not accept Christ as Saviour will face him as Judge. Jesus warned that there would be those who could offer some of the best credentials but that ‘on that day’ he would have to say to them, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers’ (Matt. 7:23)! Never has the human ear heard such dreadful words. It is the cross and its appeal that Peter has been writing about, and if the cross is rejected then there is no other antidote for sin. Almost no judgment today appears to be final. There always seems to be a higher court to which we can appeal. But not for those who hear the judgment words from Christ. His is the final word.

It is therefore important that those who understand the message of the cross, should live out the practicalities of that message in order that others might see and believe, even if there are those who will not understand. Part of their reaction stems from envy, and that in itself might be a means to an end. Chuck Swindoll puts it like this: ‘Let’s not forget that God has left us here on purpose. We’re here to demonstrate what it is like to be a member of another country, to have citizenship in another land, so that we might create a desire for others to emigrate.’

There will be times when we must speak, but there will be even more occasions when our lives will be the challenge to their lifestyle. Blasphemy will offend us but as Swindoll says: ‘you cannot clean up anybody’s lips until you’ve cleaned up his or her heart. And ultimately that’s Christ’s job.’ What we are seeing and hearing in their lives are the signs of being spiritually lost, and so we must be sure that the contrast in our lives is clearly visible.⁹

WWJD bracelets were the primary component of a fad that swept through the Christian world some years ago. The bracelets were marked with the letters WWJD, which stood for “What Would Jesus Do?” People wore these bracelets to remind themselves to behave in a manner that would reflect Jesus. I was ambivalent about whether such trinkets are helpful, because, in the final analysis, the question is not what would Jesus do in a particular situation, but what would Jesus have me do? Obviously, Jesus had a mission to fulfill that is well beyond anything we could ever be involved in. He was the Savior of the world, so He is not asking us to redo what He has already done. At the same time, the New Testament does call us to be imitators of Christ, as Christ was an imitator of God. If we are going to be Christlike, if we are going to be armed as Christians for spiritual warfare, what we need is the mind of Christ.

I know no other way to gain the mind of Christ than to immerse ourselves in His Word. Studying the Scriptures is the way by which we learn the mind of Christ, because the Scriptures reveal Christ. We are living in the most anti-intellectual period in the history of the Christian church. The application of the mind to the search for understanding of the things of God is dismissed in some quarters and actually despised in others. Feeling is substituted for thinking. Christians, we are called to think, to seek understanding of the Word of God; there is no other way to get the mind of Christ.¹⁰

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (1 Pe 4:1–6). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

2 Cedar, P. A., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1984). James / 1 & 2 Peter / Jude (Vol. 34, pp. 172–174). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

3 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 Peter) (electronic ed., Vol. 54, p. 81). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 Peter) (electronic ed., Vol. 54, p. 85). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

5 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 419–420). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

6 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2613). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

7 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Pe 4:6). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

8 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Pe 4:5). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

9 Cleave, D. (1999). 1 Peter (pp. 123–124). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.

10 Sproul, R. C. (2011). 1-2 Peter (pp. 140–141). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Jesus told the evil one he won

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹ in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. ¹

When did Christ preach to the spirits in prison? “When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah.” In Christ’s day, the spirits of those men to whom Noah had preached were in prison, for they had rejected the message of Noah. They had gone into sheol. They were waiting for judgment; they were lost. But Christ did not go down and preach to them after He died on the cross. He preached through Noah “when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah.” For 120 years Noah had preached the Word of God. He saved his family but no one else. It was the Spirit of Christ who spoke through Noah in Noah’s day. In Christ’s day, those who rejected Noah’s message were in prison. The thought is that Christ’s death meant nothing to them just as it means nothing to a great many people today who, as a result, will also come into judgment.²

3:18 For Christ also died. Peter wished to encourage his readers in their suffering by again reminding them that even Christ suffered unjustly because it was God’s will (v. 17). Ultimately, however, Christ was marvelously triumphant to the point of being exalted to the right hand of God while all of those demon beings who were behind His suffering were made forever subject to Him (v. 22). God also caused Peter’s suffering readers to triumph. for sins once for all. Under the Old Covenant, the Jewish people offered sacrifice after sacrifice, and then repeated it all the next year, especially at the Passover. But Christ’s one sacrifice for sins was of such perpetual validity that it was sufficient for all and would never need to be repeated (see notes on Heb 7:27; 9:26–28). the just for the unjust. This is another statement of the sinlessness of Jesus (cf. Heb 7:26) and of His substitutionary and vicarious atonement. He, who personally never sinned and had no sin nature, took the place of sinners (cf. 2:24; 2Co 5:21). In so doing, Christ satisfied God’s just penalty for sin required by the law and opened the way to God for all who repentantly believe (cf. Jn 14:6; Ac 4:12). bring us to God. In this life spiritually, and in the next life, wholly (cf. Mk 15:38). put to death in the flesh. A violent physical execution that terminated His earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7). alive in the Spirit. This is not a reference to the Holy Spirit, but to Jesus’ true inner life, His own spirit. Contrasted with His flesh (humanness) which was dead for 3 days, His spirit (deity) was alive, lit. “in spirit” (cf. Lk 23:46).

3:19 made proclamation. Between Christ’s death and resurrection, His living spirit went to the demon spirits bound in the abyss and proclaimed that, in spite of His death, He had triumphed over them (see notes on Col 2:14, 15). spirits now in prison. This refers to fallen angels (demons), who were permanently bound because of heinous wickedness. The demons who are not so bound resist such a sentence (cf. Lk 8:31). In the end, they will all be sent to the eternal lake of fire (Mt 25:41; Rev 20:10).

3:20 disobedient … in the days of Noah. Peter further explains that the abyss is inhabited by bound demons who have been there since the time of Noah, and who were sent there because they severely overstepped the bounds of God’s tolerance with their wickedness. The demons of Noah’s day were running riot through the earth, filling the world with their wicked, vile, anti-God activity, including sexual sin, so that even 120 years of Noah’s preaching, while the ark was being built, could not convince any of the human race beyond the 8 people in Noah’s family to believe in God (see notes on 2Pe 2:4, 5; Jude 6, 7; cf. Ge 6:1–8). Thus God bound these demons permanently in the abyss until their final sentencing. safely through the water. They had been rescued in spite of the water not because of the water. Here, water was the agent of God’s judgment not the means of salvation (see note on Ac 2:38).³

Everything else in this paragraph is incidental to what Peter had to say about Jesus Christ. This material is parallel to what Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:21ff. Peter presented Jesus Christ as the perfect example of one who suffered unjustly, and yet obeyed God.

The death of Christ (v. 18). In 1 Peter 3:17, Peter wrote about suffering for well-doing rather than for evil-doing; and then he gave the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the “just One” (Acts 3:14), and yet He was treated unjustly. Why? That He might die for the unjust ones and bring them to God! He died as a substitute (1 Peter 2:24), and He died only once (Heb. 9:24–28). In other words, Jesus suffered for well-doing; He did not die because of His own sins, for He had none (1 Peter 2:22).

The phrase “bring us to God” is a technical term that means “gain audience at court.” Because of the work of Christ on the cross, we now have an open access to God (Eph. 2:18; 3:12). We may come boldly to His throne! (Heb. 10:19ff) We also have access to His marvelous grace to meet our daily needs (Rom. 5:2). When the veil of the temple was torn, it symbolized the new and open way to God through Jesus Christ.

The proclamation of Christ (vv. 19–20). The phrase “made alive by the Spirit” (kjv, sco) creates a problem for us. In the Greek manuscripts, there were no capital letters; so we have no authority to write “Spirit” rather than “spirit.” Greek scholars tell us that the end of 1 Peter 3:18 should read: “Being put to death with reference to the flesh, but made alive with reference to the spirit.” The contrast is between flesh and spirit, as in Matthew 26:41 and Romans 1:3–4, and not between Christ’s flesh and the Holy Spirit.

Our Lord had a real body (Matt. 26:26), soul (John 12:27), and spirit (Luke 23:46). He was not God inhabiting a man; He was the true God-Man. When He died, He yielded His spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46; see James 2:26). However, it seems evident that, if He was “made alive in the spirit,” at some point His spirit must have died. It was probably when He was made sin for us and was forsaken by the Father (Mark 15:34; 2 Cor. 5:21). The phrase “quickened in [with reference to] the spirit” cannot mean resurrection, because resurrection has to do with the body.

So on the cross, our Lord suffered and died. His body was put to death, and His spirit died when He was made sin. But His spirit was made alive and He yielded it to the Father. Then according to Peter, sometime between His death and His resurrection Jesus made a special proclamation to “the spirits in prison.” This raises two questions: Who were these “spirits” that He visited? What did He proclaim to them?

Those who say that these “spirits in prison” were the spirits of lost sinners in hell, to whom Jesus brought the good news of salvation, have some real problems to solve. To begin with, Peter referred to people as “souls” and not “spirits” (1 Peter 3:20). In the New Testament, the word “spirits” is used to describe angels or demons, not human beings; and 1 Peter 3:22 seems to argue for this meaning. Furthermore, nowhere in the Bible are we told that Jesus visited hell. Acts 2:31 states that He went to “hades” (nasb), but “hades” is not hell. The word “hades” refers to the realm of the unbelieving dead, a temporary place where they await the resurrection. Read Revelation 20:11–15 in the New American Standard Bible or the New International Version and you will see the important distinction. Hell is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Hades is the temporary place. When a Christian dies, he goes to neither place, but to heaven to be with Christ (Phil. 1:20–24).

Our Lord yielded His spirit to the Father, died, and at some time between death and resurrection, visited the realm of the dead where He delivered a message to spirit beings (probably fallen angels; see Jude 6) who were somehow related to the period before the Flood. First Peter 3:20 makes this clear. The word translated “preached” simply means “to announce as a herald, to proclaim.” It is not the word that means “to preach the Gospel” that Peter used in 1 Peter 1:12 and 4:6. Peter did not tell us what Jesus proclaimed to these imprisoned spirits, but it could not be a message of redemption since angels cannot be saved (Heb. 2:16). It was probably a declaration of victory over Satan and his hosts (see Col. 2:15; 1 Peter 3:22).

How these spirits were related to the pre-Flood era, Peter did not explain. Some students believe that “the sons of God” named in Genesis 6:1–4 were fallen angels who cohabited with women and produced a race of giants, but I cannot accept this interpretation. The good angels who did not fall are called “sons of God,” but not the fallen angels (Job 1:6; 2:1, and note that Satan is distinguished from the “sons of God”). The world before the Flood was unbelievably wicked, and no doubt these spirits had much to do with it (see Gen. 6:5–13; Rom. 1:18ff).

The resurrection of Christ (v. 21). Since death comes when the spirit leaves the body (James 2:26), then resurrection involves the spirit returning to the body (Luke 8:55). The Father raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 6:4; 8:11), but the Son also had authority to raise Himself (John 10:17–18). It was a miracle! It is because of His resurrection that Christians have the “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3–4). We shall see later how the resurrection of Christ relates to the experience of Noah.

We must never minimize the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It declares that He is God (Rom. 1:4), that the work of salvation is completed and accepted by the Father (Rom. 4:25), and that death has been conquered (1 Thes. 4:13–18; Rev. 1:17–18). The Gospel message includes the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1–4), for a dead Saviour can save nobody. It is the risen Christ who gives us the power we need on a daily basis for life and service (Gal. 2:20).

The ascension of Christ (v. 22). Forty days after His resurrection, our Lord ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, the place of exaltation (Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34–36; Phil. 2:5–11; Heb. 12:1–3). Believers are seated with Him in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:4–6), and through Him we are able to “reign in life” (Rom. 5:17). He is ministering to the church as High Priest (Heb. 4:14–16; 7:25) and Advocate (1 John 1:9 2:2). He is preparing a place for His people (John 14:1–6) and will one day come to receive them to Himself.

But the main point Peter wanted to emphasize was Christ’s complete victory over all “angels and authorities and powers” (1 Peter 3:22), referring to the evil hosts of Satan (Eph. 6:10–12; Col. 2:15). The unfallen angels were always subject to Him. As Christians, we do not fight for victory, but from victory—the mighty victory that our Lord Jesus Christ won for us in His death, resurrection, and ascension.

The Ministry of Noah

The patriarch Noah was held in very high regard among Jewish people in Peter’s day, and also among Christians. He was linked with Daniel and Job, two great men, in Ezekiel 14:19–20; and there are many references to the Flood in both the Psalms and the Prophets. Jesus referred to Noah in His prophetic sermon (Matt. 24:37–39; see Luke 17:26–27), and Peter mentioned him in his second letter (2 Peter 2:5; see 3:6). He is named with the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:7.

What relationship did Peter see between his readers and the ministry of Noah? For one thing, Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) during a very difficult time in history. In fact, he walked with God and preached God’s truth for 120 years (Gen. 6:3), and during that time was certainly laughed at and opposed. The early Christians knew that Jesus had promised that, before His return, the world would become like the “days of Noah” (Matt. 24:37–39); and they were expecting Him soon (2 Peter 3:1–3). As they saw society decay around them, and persecution begin, they would think of our Lord’s words.

Noah was a man of faith who kept doing the will of God even when he seemed to be a failure. This would certainly be an encouragement to Peter’s readers. If we measured faithfulness by results, then Noah would get a very low grade. Yet God ranked him very high!

But there is another connection: Peter saw in the Flood a picture (type) of a Christian’s experience of baptism. No matter what mode of baptism you may accept, it is certain that the early church practiced immersion. It is a picture of our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection. Many people today do not take baptism seriously, but it was a serious matter in the early church. Baptism meant a clean break with the past, and this could include separation from a convert’s family, friends, and job. Candidates for baptism were interrogated carefully, for their submission in baptism was a step of consecration, and not just an “initiation rite” to “join the church.”

The Flood pictures death, burial, and resurrection. The waters buried the earth in judgment, but they also lifted Noah and his family up to safety. The early church saw in the ark a picture of salvation. Noah and his family were saved by faith because they believed God and entered into the ark of safety. So sinners are saved by faith when they trust Christ and become one with Him.

When Peter wrote that Noah and his family were “saved by water,” he was careful to explain that this illustration does not imply salvation by baptism. Baptism is a “figure” of that which does save us, namely, “the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). Water on the body, or the body placed in water, cannot remove the stains of sin. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that (1 John 1:7–2:2). However, baptism does save us from one thing: a bad conscience. Peter had already told his readers that a good conscience was important to a successful witness (see 1 Peter 3:16), and a part of that “good conscience” is being faithful to our commitment to Christ as expressed in baptism.

The word answer in 1 Peter 3:21 is a legal term meaning “a pledge, a demand.” When a person was signing a contract, he would be asked, “Do you pledge to obey and fulfill the terms of this contract?” His answer had to be, “Yes, I do,” or he could not sign. When converts were prepared for baptism, they would be asked if they intended to obey God and serve Him, and to break with their sinful past. If they had reservations in their hearts, or deliberately lied, they would not have a good conscience if, under pressure of persecution, they denied the Lord. (Peter knew something about that!) So, Peter reminded them of their baptismal testimony to encourage them to be true to Christ.

It may be worth noting that the chronology of the Flood is closely related to our Lord’s day of resurrection. Noah’s ark rested on Ararat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month (Gen. 8:4). The Jewish civil year started with October; the religious year started with the Passover in April (Ex. 12:1–2), but that was not instituted until Moses’ time. The seventh month from October is April. Our Lord was crucified on the fourteenth day, Passover (Ex. 12:6), and resurrected after three days. This takes us to the seventeenth day of the month, the date on which the ark rested on Mt. Ararat. So, the illustration of Noah relates closely to Peter’s emphasis on the resurrection of the Saviour.

There is a sense in which our Lord’s experience on the cross was a baptism of judgment, not unlike the Flood. He referred to His sufferings as a baptism (Matt. 20:22; Luke 12:50). He also used Jonah to illustrate His experience of death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 12:38–41). Jesus could certainly have quoted Jonah 2:3 to describe His own experience: “All Thy billows and Thy waves passed over me.”⁴

3:19, 20 There are various interpretations of the meaning of these verses, primarily because of the ambiguity of the phrase spirits in prison. The Greek term translated spirits can refer to human spirits, angels, or demons. There are three main interpretations: (1) Some interpret these verses as describing Jesus as going to the place where fallen angels are incarcerated and declaring His final victory over evil in His work on the Cross. These commentators suggest that Peter is referring to the days of Noah because these fallen angels were typified by the gross immorality of those “spirits” who married human women at that time (see Gen. 6:1–4; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 1:6). Depending on the commentator, this proclamation is assigned to the time between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, or to a time after Christ’s ascension to heaven. (2) Others hold that spirits refers to human spirits. Thus Christ preached to human beings who had died in Noah’s day and were in the realm of the dead (hell or Hades). Although some have insisted that Christ’s preaching included an offer of salvation to these people, this is at best unlikely and at worst misleading, for Scripture never concedes a “second chance” for sinners after death. The content of Christ’s preaching was most likely a proclamation of His victory over sin. (3) Finally, another major interpretation understands this passage as describing Christ preaching through Noah to the unbelievers of his day. Since they rejected Noah’s message of salvation, they were presently in prison—that is, hell.⁵

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (1 Pe 3:18–22). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

2 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 Peter) (electronic ed., Vol. 54, pp. 76–77). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Pe 3:18–20). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

4 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 415–418). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

5 Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (1 Pe 3:19–20). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

LIES ABOUT GOD

9 Unbiblical Statements That Bible-Loving Christians Believe

By Shane Pruitt

One of the greatest gifts that God gave mankind was the Holy Bible because the Bible is literally God revealing Himself, and communicating Himself to mankind in written word. Anything and everything that we know about God comes from these Holy Scriptures, and they contain the totality of what we need to know about becoming a Christian, and everything that we need to know about living the Christian life.
Orthodox Christianity teaches that the Bible was inspired and authored by the Holy Spirit of God using human instruments. It also believes that in it’s original languages of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic; it is without error and fault.
However, there are many things that Jesus-following, Church-going, Bible-believing Christians believe that are completely unbiblical. How does this happen? Often, we’ll hear someone quote a statement that sounds nice to us, and we’ll begin repeating it as though it’s Biblical truth without ever researching it in the Scriptures. Several of these unbiblical statements have gained enough traction that many people believe they’re actually Bible verses. Not only are the statements unbiblical; most of them teach the opposite of what the Bible teaches.
Here is a list of nine popular unbiblical statements that Bible-loving Christians tend to believe:

1. God helps those who help themselves.
   

This statement is actually anti-Gospel. Self-reliance and self-righteousness, or the attitude of trying harder and doing better actually gets in the way of the work of God. Jesus saves those who die to themselves: “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24).”

2. God wants me to be happy.
   

It’s a common belief that God exists to be our “personal genie” waiting to give us our every wish. It’s amazing how we will justify our sinful actions by saying, “God just wants me to be happy.” Happiness is tied to feelings and emotions that are often based on circumstances, and those change all the time. God wants us to be obedient to Him, trust Him, and know that everything He does is for our good, even if it doesn’t make me feel “happy” in that moment. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).”

3. We’re all God’s children
   

Although, God has created everyone. . .not everyone relationally belongs to Him. Only those who have repented of sin, placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and possess the Holy Spirit of God inside of them can claim Him as their Father: “But you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:15b – 16).”
However, those who don’t have Jesus as their Savior, nor have the Holy Spirit of God inside of them actually belong to Satan: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1 – 2).” “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10).”

4. Cleanliness is next to Godliness
   

The people around you may appreciate you staying clean, but this is not Scripture. Parents may us this unbiblical statement to motivate their kids to clean their rooms. However, I’d suggest using an actual biblical statement: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you (Exodus 20:12).”

5. God won’t give you more than you can handle
   

Actually, all of life is more than we can handle. The point of living in a fallen world is not for us to try really hard to carry our heavy burden, but rather give-up, quit, and surrender to God, that’s what faith is all about. Every thing is more than I can handle, but not more than Jesus can handle: “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself (2 Corinthians 1:8).” “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).”

6. We all worship the same God
   

Yes, there is only one true and living God: “know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other (Deuteronomy 4:39).” However, He only accepts worship that comes through Jesus Christ, not Muhammad, Buddha, Joseph Smith, etc: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).”

7. Bad things happen to good people
   

Often we place ourselves in the judgment seat of what is good and bad, or who is good and bad. The most popular way to make that judgment is by comparison. For example, Bob is a good guy, because he is not as bad as Sam. However, according to the Bible we’re all on equal ground because none of us is inherently good: “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10)’.”

8. When you die, God gains another angel
   

Plain and simple. Humans are humans, and angels are angels. This remains so even in eternity. In fact, angels are intrigued by the interaction between God and His “image-bearing” humans: “It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look (1 Peter 1:12).”

9. We’re all going to the same place when we die
   

There are two possible destinations when we pass: Heaven and Hell. However, only those who are in Christ will be with Him for all eternity when they physically die: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).”
The fact that many of us Christians believe these unbiblical statements shows our unfortunate overall biblical illiteracy. Instead of swallowing popular statements hook-line-and-sinker; may we be like the Bereans in the Book of Acts. When they heard Paul preach, they wanted to research the Scriptures themselves to authenticate what he was saying: “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so (Acts 17:10 – 11).”
What are some more unbiblical statements that you’ve heard Christians commonly use? Feel free to add to this list by commenting below!