4: Good stewards of God’s grace – 1 Peter 4:1-19

4Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), ² so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God. ³ You have already spent enough time in doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry.
⁴ They are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of dissipation, and so they blaspheme. ⁵ But they will have to give an accounting to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.
⁶ For this is the reason the gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does.

⁷ The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Be hospitable to one another without complaining. ¹⁰ Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. ¹¹ Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Suffering as a Christian

¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief maker. ¹⁶ Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name. ¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinners?”

¹⁹ Therefore, let those suffering in accordance with God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. 1. What type of suffering does Peter begin with in this section? Who does he point to as our model? What results from suffering like Christ? How does this change our life?

2. Who does he contrast our new life with? How does he describe their life? What does he say about their reaction when we change. What can they expect from their lifestyle? What can change this cycle? Why would they do so?

3. What does Peter bring up next? How should believers respond to this situation? How should they interact with the people around them. What characteristics should describe believers? Why do you suppose the author stresses these?

4. How does he describe the believers’ current living situation? What makes it different for Christians? How can a person “rejoice” in such a situation? What must they avoid? How should they deal with suffering? Why is this urgent for believers?

Get Personal

How are you doing with “being an outsider” because of your faith, living differently that others in your community? How is God helping you follow Christ even though you are suffering?

4:1. Therefore – links this section back to chapters 2 and 3.

Arm yourselves – the Greek means “put on armor” – we should have the same intention or commitment to follow God’s will that Jesus had.

4:2. Human desires – Peter lists several “sins” that all come down to “doing what I want to do.” 

4:4. They are surprised – non-believers will not understand why the believer no longer acts the way they do or makes the same choices they make.

Blaspheme – non-believers will criticize and ostracize Christians from their social group.

4:5. Accounting – non-believers will ultimately have to answer to God for the choices they have made in their lives. Peter, like Paul, uses this transactional or judicial metaphor to describe what happens to non-believers when they meet God – similar to a debtor explaining why he has not paid back what he owes.

4.6. Proclaimed even to the dead – an echo from Peter’s statement in Chapter 3, with the same ambiguous and conflicting possible interpretations (see Notes on page 8).

4.7. The end of all things is near – the apostles believed that Jesus would return sooner rather than later.

4.8. Above all – Love is the central feature of Christians’ lives and relationships. In the Gospel “love” (Greek agape) is a decision, not an emotion.

Covers a multitude of sins – “covers” in the sense of “pays for” as in covering the bill for lunch, 

not in the sense of “hiding” the sins.

4:10. Good stewards – a steward is the person responsible for managing the household or the kingdom when the owner or ruler is away.

4:11. Speaks . . . serves – the two categories of Christian evangelism: telling others about the Gospel and ministering to (or serving) others with the gifts God has given the believer.

4:12. Fiery ordeal – Peter returns to his main subject: suffering. Christians should not be surprised that the secular world is against them, nor should they be afraid of it; and the model for suffering is Jesus himself, who suffered the ultimate pain on the cross and now gives believers the strength to endure what they are going through.

4:15. Murderer, thief, criminal, mischief maker – Peter reminds his audience that suffering because of what non-believers do does not justify a criminal response, even interfering in other’s business is retaliation.

4:17. Judgment – “correction” might be a better term here. The idea of God correcting his people appears throughout the Old Testament {check Jeremiah 25:29, Ezekiel 9:6, or Malachi 3:1-3].

4:18. “If it is hard . . .” – Peter is quoting Proverbs 11:31.

4:19. Entrust – on the cross Jesus committed (“entrusted”) himself to God’s hands [Luke 23:46]. Believers should do the same thing when they are suffering because of their faith.   

Memory Verse
Let those suffering in accordance with God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good, [1 Peter 19]