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.
No comments:
Post a Comment