Session 7
1 Peter 4:1-11
Memory Verse: 1 Peter 4:10
You’ve likely heard it said that how something is communicated is just as important as what is communicated. Peter likely agreed. 1 Peter 4:1-11 contains commands, warnings, and encouragements, but the content is all centered around one thing: how to live as a Christian in the era between Jesus’s resurrection and return.
There is a commandment to live for God’s will. There is a warning that doing so would lead to oppression. There is an encouragement to take an eternal view of such suffering. Sometimes we need to be told bluntly what to do. Sometimes we need to be warned. Sometimes we need to be encouraged. Peter does it all.
As you study this passage, ask God to show you how His commands, warnings, and encouragement apply to your life each day. Commit to embracing what He reveals and to share it with the adults in your Bible study.
Packing for a trip reveals something about a person’s personality. Some start packing weeks in advance, while others pack the morning they leave. Some put everything they could possibly need in their luggage; others take only the bare essentials. Still others buy items they need once they arrive at their destination. Believers are equipped with everything they need to grow in spiritual maturity and battle sin in their lives. (PSG, p. 64)
Suffering was a significant part of God’s sanctifying work among the believers in Asia Minor, just as it continues to be a part of His plan today. Peter consistently reminded his readers of two important truths. First, suffering is temporary. It would not last forever-even if it led to martyrdom. Second, it was necessary. It was key to spiritual growth; and, for that reason, it was more valuable than gold (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
Peter pointed to the sufferings of Christ as an example (1:11). Following His model of perseverance would bring glory to God and provide a witness to the unbelievers (2:12). He reminded his readers that God’s eyes covered them as they suffered, and He promised to one day repay evil (3:12). Peter summarized suffering in the life of believers as a blessing (3:14-15) because it provides a path toward spiritual maturity.
The realization that all people would face judgment also provided an opportunity for spiritual growth. Earlier in the letter, Peter reminded believers that they had a living hope (1:3) and that God would show His grace by completing the work of salvation He had started in them (1:10). He spoke of how Christ suffered and left Himself in the hands of the One who judges justly (2:23). Believers did not have to fear condemnation at the judgment because Christ had healed them by His wounds (2:24).
Peter also believed that Christians suffered for the glory of God. He mentioned glory nine times in the five chapters of 1 Peter. As God purified believers through their suffering, it resulted in praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1:7). He spoke of the fading nature of humanity’s glory (1:24), and the glory of Jesus’s resurrection (1:21). At the end of his letter, Peter indicated that God would call believers to His eternal glory (5:10), and they would receive a crown of God’s glory (5:4).
Chapter 4 continues fleshing out the main theme of the entire letter: how do Christ followers live out their Christian faith in the midst of oppressive circumstances? People who believe in Jesus should focus on doing what God wants, no matter what it takes. Real believers might have to give up things; but, in the long run, it’s worth the sacrifice because of what happens after they die.
Whether because of suffering, anticipation of judgment, or a desire for the glory of God, believers have an obligation to grow in faith. That growth happens because God has provided all that believers need to grow. Believers grow in faith when they desire to do God’s will, and circumstances in their lives lead them in this direction.
Read 1 Peter 4:1-11 and circle every word that indicates a sin or sinful behavior. In light of so many mentions of sin, why do you think spiritual maturity is so important? Read the passage again and list ways people progress in maturity that affect their battle with sin. (PSG, p. 65)
EXPLORE THE TEXT
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding-because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin- 2 in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. 3 For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry.
(v. 1) Therefore: At the end of chapter 3, Peter had emphasized that suffering for Christ was a blessing , not a curse. It was a pathway to spiritual growth and maturity for a believer. Ultimately, it would result in victory and exaltation, just as it did with Christ Himself. From there, Paul used therefore as a bridge to application. Because what he said about suffering in chapter 3 was true, the readers in Asia Minor could trust what he was getting ready to share in chapter 4.
(v. 1) Arm yourselves: In the Greek, arm yourselves (hoplisasthe) carries a military connotation. It suggests that soldiers prepare themselves by making sure they are fully equipped for the battle. Spiritually, a proper attitude toward suffering is a key weapon in a believer’s arsenal. Since suffering is a matter of “when” and not “if,” we must understand and adopt the attitude of Christ toward suffering-which could produce more suffering as a result.
(v. 1) Suffers in the flesh: The strength required to embrace suffering as a necessary blessing is perhaps a bit easier to muster when we realize that our suffering is evidence that we are reborn and walk in a new life apart from sin. The one who suffers in the flesh for Christ proves to themselves and to the world that they’ve truly chosen a new life that is markedly different from others. This also encourages other Christians.
(v. 2) Live the remaining time: Logic alone could have led Peter to surmise that some of his readers would certainly pass away before Jesus returned, perhaps even due to the suffering and persecution they were enduring. While first-century believers looked to Jesus’s return with expectation, they also lived with the awareness that they might die before He came back.
With that in mind, Peter emphasized that whatever time God grants His people on earth, should be lived for His glory, not in the variety of ways that unbelievers do (see v. 3). God’s people should be dedicated to Him. That requires rejecting their old ways of life, the human desires that once dominated their actions and attitudes.
While gold and silver are valuable, they are not the most precious commodity in our lives. Time is among humanity’s most treasured gifts. This is why Scripture consistently challenges God’s people to be good stewards of the time they have been given. Peter made that clear in verse 2, urging his readers to avoid wasting time and using their lives to make a difference for the kingdom. Read the following verses and reflect on what each one says about using our time for God’s glory.
(v. 3) What the Gentiles choose to do: Living according to the will of God looks vastly different than living according to the world’s agenda. Practices such as unrestrained behavior (aselgeia) and evil desires (epithymia), combined with drunkenness (oinophlygia) and orgies (komoi) imply an uncontrolled common party scene in Roman culture. In addition, idolatry would have added to believers’ tensions. The Christians in Asia Minor were choosing a radically different life in the gospel.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
4 They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living-and they slander you. 5 They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead, so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards.
(v. 4) They are surprised: Gentiles found it surprising (xenizontai) that Christians did not partake in their raucous lifestyle. The Greek wording can refer to showing hospitality to an unexpected guest (see Heb. 13:2). However, in this context, the secondary rendering of bewilderment and astonishment fits better. The Gentiles were struck by the novelty of the Christians’ moral stand.
The pagans in Asia Minor took their cues from Rome. And the values of God’s kingdom varied so greatly from that cultural standard that Christians could scarcely fit into the everyday activities of life around them. This “otherness” resulted in the kinds of social persecution discussed in prior chapters. While such forms of persecution might lead to something more severe (such as torture or execution), 1 Peter implies that social persecution was strongest and most common.
(v. 4) Flood of wild living: Peter had already described unrestrained parties and carousing on the part of unbelievers. Here, he returns to that negative description of the surrounding culture. The Greek word (asotias) suggests wastefulness and dissipation. Paul used the same term to describe drunkenness (Eph. 5:18) and the kind of behavior Christian leaders should avoid (Titus 1:6).
As noted, Peter suggested the primary form of persecution in Asia Minor was social ostracization. Gentiles’ surprise soon transformed into anger and offense. The Christians were the targets of harsh words and accusations. But Peter used a word related to “blasphemy” here, suggesting that God was a target of their insults, as well.
(v. 5) Will give an account: Peter’s instruction throughout his letter is grounded in his understanding of eschatology, the study of last things. As such, he reminded his readers yet again that God will have the last word with such pagans. In the short term, it might seem that sinners are escaping judgment and thriving in their rebellion against God.
In Psalm 73, an ancient worship leader named Asaph wrestled with the same issues. However, both Asaph and Peter came to understand that God works in His own timing. In the long run, those who slandered Him and His people would stand before Him and be forced to give an account of their words and actions. He will judge the living and the dead, and He will make things right again.
(v. 6) Those who are now dead: The dead to whom Peter referred are likely believers who had physically died having believed the gospel. It was common for Gentiles to argue that because a Christian had died, their faith was meaningless. Again, Peter was keeping his readers’ eyes on eternity. What believers knew-and unbelievers could not comprehend-was that this world is not all there is. Those who died in Christ were (and are) very much alive in God’s presence and awaiting the revelation of Jesus at the end of time.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
(v. 7) The end of all things: Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection inaugurated the end of all things. That the New Testament writers speak of the end of all things as happening soon say as much about their understanding of Jesus’s ministry, death, and resurrection as it does about their eschatology. Knowing full well what Jesus meant, they could only speak of the end times with the same kind of certainty and urgency.
It should be emphasized that a heightened sense of urgency regarding the end of times in no way encourages speculation about when it will take place or particular signs of Jesus’s return. We still do not know the time or season (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32). Still, Peter encouraged a sense of urgency, encouraging believers to remain alert and to live like the One who is coming back until that day comes.
(v. 7) Sober-minded for prayer: The word for prayer (proseuchas) is connected linguistically to both of the prior verbs: be alert (sophronesate) and sober-minded (nepsate). Believers should use their common sense when they think about how short life is and how they use the time God has given them. People who understand history can understand how important the present is.
This insight leads to dependence on God through prayer, asking God to do things and make changes while there is still time. Knowing that God is ending history should make believers trust in him more, and this trust shows up in their prayers. When believers pray with focus, they admit anything good that happens is because of God’s kindness.
(vv. 8-9) Maintain constant love . . . be hospitable: Sober-minded and prayerful people love others well. By loving others well-fueled in part by a longing for Jesus’s return-we more easily forgive, which frees us to invite others into our lives (v. 9).
(v. 10) Gift: These are not talents or natural abilities. These are supernatural gifts offered by the grace of God to those who believe. Individuals cannot earn them, and they are given to build up the church and its members. Paul identified particular gifts in his letters (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-11). Peter described some in more general terms (v. 11). While every believer receives at least one spiritual gift, God distributes them to individuals as He sees fit for His purposes.
(v. 10) Serve others: As noted, believers receive their gift to serve others. This is good stewardship of the gift, as opposed to using the gift to gain notoriety, self-esteem, or an identity.
(v. 11) God may be glorified: Peter acknowledged that some gifts require speaking and some do not. If one had to consolidate gifts into two categories, these are the two Peter would select. If one is using a speaking gift, he or she must speak God’s Word. Gospel fidelity in one’s speech is vital for anyone who believes he has a speaking gift. In the same way, those with serving gifts must rely on God’s strength, not their own.
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 72 of the Personal Study Guide:
Guide the group to discuss the first set of questions on page 72 of the PSG. Direct adults to share their own spiritual gifts, along with ways they see God at work in other individuals in the group. Encourage the group to be specific in their answers and close the conversation with practical suggestions for growing in ministry and in service to one another.
Lead the group to voice sentence prayers in response to the main point of today’s session: Believers grow in spiritual maturity when we seek to do God’s will.
Reinforce the session by texting or emailing the group and reminding them of the practical ideas from the closing discussion. By this point, each adult should have opened their gift and used it in personal reflection on the session. Encourage them to take the ideas to the next level of application through the ministries of your church.
The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
(See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 20:11-15.)
Use multiple Scripture passages to understand a major doctrine.
What impact should the return of Christ have on our behavior now? Read the following Bible passages from the book of Hebrews and take note of what they teach about Jesus’s return and its impact on believers in the meantime: Hebrews 9:27-28; 10:19-25; and 12:25-29. How can you relate these passages to 1 Peter 4:7-11?