1 PETER LESSON 7


     I Peter 4:1 "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the
flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath
suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;"

     We discussed in the previous lesson that it should be our joy to
be willing to suffer for Christ, if it be necessary. Christ suffered
the cruelty of the cross of Calvary for us. We can do no less for Him.
If it be necessary to suffer for Him, we should be willing. "Arm
yourselves with the same mind", means to keep your thoughts stayed
upon Him. When we are willing to suffer in the flesh for Christ, we
have put Him ahead of all the flesh desires. The desire of the flesh
is where sin originates. Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave himself for me."  Willingly suffering for
Christ in our flesh is putting Christ ahead of everything else.

     I Peter 4:2 "That he no longer should live the rest of [his] time
in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

     My main message, other than the importance of salvation, in these
lessons is simple. We must make Jesus Christ, not only our Saviour,
but our Lord. When we make Jesus, Lord of our life, we are not living
for the flesh. We are controlled by Jesus' Spirit. We have turned our
will over to the will of God.

     I Peter 4:3 "For the time past of [our] life may suffice us to
have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in
lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and
abominable idolatries:"

     Gentiles, in the verse above, is speaking of worldly people who
have not received Jesus as Saviour. Everyone was like this, before
they received Jesus as their Saviour. The will of the world {Gentiles}
is to please the flesh and its lust for sin. All of the sins above are
caused by lust of the flesh. Christians are to separate themselves
away from this type of life style. We are to be a peculiar people, as
far as the world is concerned.

     I Peter 4:4 "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with
[them] to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of [you]:"

     Christians are in the world, but not of the world. The things the
world calls pleasure do not interest the Christian. The world lives to
please their own flesh. They cannot understand someone who has ceased
to be selfish, and they are always thinking of self. They speak evil
about you, because they do not understand why you are not caught up in
this sinful way of life.

     I Peter 4:5 "Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge
the quick and the dead."
     All of mankind will stand before Jesus to be judged. Each of us,
as an individual, will have to give an account of the life he lives
here on the earth. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and we which
remain shall be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. After that comes
the judgement. Those who have not chosen Jesus as Saviour will be sent
to eternal damnation. Those who live for Jesus will inherit eternal
life in heaven. It is Jesus Christ who is Judge.

     I Peter 4:6 "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to
them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."

     In the passage above, the two were separated into the living
{those who had heard the gospel and received Jesus as their Saviour},
and the dead {those who had not heard nor received Jesus as Saviour}.
To be condemned to hell, they must reject Jesus as their Saviour.
That is why it is so important for all to hear the good news of the
gospel. They must choose for themselves whether they will be condemned
to hell, or live eternally in heaven. Jesus passes the judgement, but
actually we make that decision for ourselves. Those who receive Jesus
as Saviour must live the godly life, walking in the footprints that
Jesus left for us.

     I Peter 4:7 "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye
therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

     Every generation since the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, has
felt that the coming of the Lord was near. It is even more apparent
today that we are living near the coming of Christ. Peter's
instruction, in face of this, is to get serious about God and stay
ready. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you in every decision you
make.

     I Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity among
yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

     The word that was translated charity here, is the same word
translated charity in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. It means God's kind of
love. The kind of love spoken of here is unselfish love. This love is
not because of what it might bring in return, but is a love so great
that it loves the unlovable. Give, and it shall be given to you. God
forgives those who are quick to forgive others. God knows you have
love one for another, when you are charitable to others. Jesus said,
"Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done
it also unto me." You can not do anything directly for God. The only
way you can do for God, is by doing for His people.

     I Peter 4:9 "Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

     Hospitality was actually a necessity in those days. The ministers
who travelled from town to town had to stay with the people they were
ministering to. We find a very good example of that in the following
Scriptures. Luke 9:1 "Then he called his twelve disciples together,
and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure
diseases."  Luke 9:2 "And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God,
and to heal the sick."  Luke 9:3 "And he said unto them, Take nothing
for [your] journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither
money; neither have two coats apiece."  Luke 9:4 "And whatsoever house
ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart." Look at the terrible
thing Jesus said to do, if the people the apostle stayed with did not
receive them. Luke 9:5 "And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go
out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a
testimony against them."

     I Peter 4:10 "As every man hath received the gift, [even so]
minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold
grace of God."

     The abilities that the Lord has given each of us to minister with
are not our own ability, but a gift of the Spirit that has been given
us of God.  This is called gifts of the Spirit. These gifts will be
given to us several at a time as we need them to minister with. A
steward is someone who is a protector of the owners property. That is
really what Christians are today. We are keepers of the grace of God
toward man on this earth. I will give just a few Scriptures on the
gifts of the Spirit. To get the whole picture, begin with verse 1 and
read all of it. I Corinthians 12:4 "Now there are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit." I Corinthians 12:5 "And there are
differences of administrations, but the same Lord."  I Corinthians
12:6 "And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God
which worketh all in all." I Corinthians 12:7 "But the manifestation
of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." I Corinthians
12:8 "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another
the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;"  I Corinthians 12:9 "To
another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by
the same Spirit;" I Corinthians 12:10 "To another the working of
miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
another [divers] kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues:" I Corinthians 12:11 "But all these worketh that one and the
selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."  I have
given just a few Scriptures on this, but to get the whole picture,
continue reading to the end of the chapter.

     I Peter 4:11 "If any man speak, [let him speak] as the oracles of
God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God
giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ,
to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

     The message is not our own. We are speaking for Jesus Christ, if
we are Christians. We are like ambassadors for Christ. We represent
Him to the unsaved world. We are sent by Him, with His message, to
reconcile the world to Jesus Christ. An "ambassador", just represents
the one he is sent by. They do not get the glory for the job they do.
The glory goes to the person who had the plan that sent them to
negotiate. Since it is not our message, that we bring, it is not our
glory for that message, but the glory goes to God. The praise should
go to Jesus Christ and the Father. He is exalted ruler for all of
eternity. The "Amen" means, so be it. It is as if this statement is a
prayer.

     I Peter 4:12 "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery
trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto
you:"

     We know there are trials that face us all. It is not how many
trials we have or even how bad the trials are that counts, it is how
we handle the trials. If you look through the Bible at all of the
prophets and men and women of God, you will find they all faced
trials. It is not unusual for trying times to come. It rains on the
just and on the unjust. It is important how we handle that problem.

     I Peter 4:13 "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."

     These are problems that come from serving the Lord, spoken of
here. Paul thought it an honor to suffer for Christ. We should feel
the same way. God cannot trust all of us with suffering for Him. Some
would fold up under great trials. Others get stronger in that trial.
When the suffering is in the name of the Lord, it should thrill us
that God can trust us with that big a problem.

     I Peter 4:14 "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy
[are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on
their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."

     This is speaking of being persecuted for the fact that you are a
Christian, or because you are working for Christ. We find that when we
love God enough to be persecuted for Him, He will greatly reward us.
The suffering of Job, in the Old Testament, was great. He did not turn
against God. He became even more faithful in the midst of the problem.
We know there was a time when God said, it is enough. God mightily
blessed Job, in so much that his later state was better than it had
been before all the troubles came. Read the book of Job to get the
full impact of this.

     I Peter 4:15 "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or [as] a
thief, or [as] an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters."

     There is no glory or praise in being punished for sins you have
committed. That is justice.

     I Peter 4:16 "Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not
be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf."

     There is no shame in serving God. Even if a person is imprisoned
for the cause of Jesus Christ, he should not be ashamed, but count it
his duty to uphold Christ. We should count it an honor to be allowed
to suffer for Christ.

     I Peter 4:17 For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at
the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end
[be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?

     The "house of God" is speaking of the believers in Christ, or the
church. We know that God expects our lives to be clean. Jesus is
coming back for a church that is without spot or wrinkle. God will
shake the church, so that those who are playing church will be shaken
out. Only the true believers in Christ will remain. We Christians must
remember, that to whom much is given, much is required. Christians
must separate themselves from the world and its lust. We are to live
wholesome lives as an example for the world to follow. God must begin
at the church, because we are in full knowledge. God judges his own
in the hope they will turn from their evil ways back to Him. The
church is the bearer of the Light to the darkened world. If the Light
of the world becomes dark, the darkness would become great. We know
that the Christians are sons of God. The answer to what the end is for
those who do not accept Jesus as Saviour is simple but harsh. They are
headed for an eternity in hell.

     I Peter 4:18 "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall
the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

     The word "scarcely" indicates to me that the Christian has more
to do than walk the isle of a church and go and be baptized in water
to be saved. Salvation is a daily walk through life with Jesus. The
temptations of life must be overcome each day of our life. To be the
righteous, you must have, at sometime in your life, accepted Jesus as
your Saviour. This would cause you to be clothed in the righteousness
of Christ. The righteous scarcely being saved, indicates to me, it is
possible to walk away from God and not be saved. This does not mean
just committing a single sin would cause you to be lost. It means to
me turning away from God and choosing to go back into your sinful way
of life. The ungodly and the sinner will stand before Jesus to be
Judged lost.

     I Peter 4:19 "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the
will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing,
as unto a faithful Creator."

     Many believe inflicting suffering upon themselves is pleasing to
God. This is not what this Scripture is saying. This says if you
suffer from outside causes for the will of God, you are pleasing the
God who created you. Mark 13:13 "And ye shall be hated of all [men]
for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same
shall be saved." There is a battle to be fought. We must fight for
Jesus even until death if we are to be a good soldier fit for the
kingdom.








                          1 Peter 7 Questions


1.  Verse 1 says to arm ourselves with what?
2.  He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from ____.
3.  What does "Arm yourselves with the same mind" mean?
4.  Quote Galatians chapter 2 verse 20.
5.  What are we doing when we willingly suffer for Christ?
6.  He no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the
    lust of men, but to the _______ of ____.
7.  We must not only make Jesus our Saviour, but our _______.
8.  When we make Jesus, Lord of our life we are controlled by what?
9.  What is the will of the Gentiles?
10. What are the sins, in verse 3, caused by?
11. Why do the worldly people think Christians to be strange?
12. Christians are ___ the world, but not ___ the world.
13. Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the ________
    and the ______.
14. Who is the Judge?
15. Who are the living and the dead in verse 6?
16. What must a person do to be condemned to hell?
17. Have _________ charity among yourselves.
18. ____________ shall cover the multitude of sins.
19. What chapter in 1 Corinthians has to do with this kind of charity?
20. How can you do something for Jesus?
21. Why was hospitality even more important about the time this was
    written than now?
22. Quote Luke chapter 9 verse 1.
23. What were they to do against those who would not receive them?
24. What are the Christians called in verse 10?
25. Whose ability do we minister in?
26. Describe the job of the steward.
27. What are some of the gifts of the Spirit that are possible to
    receive.
28. If any man speak, let him speak as the ___________ of God.
29. We are like _________________ for Christ.
30. What does an "ambassador" do?
31. Why should they not think it strange that they will go through a
    fiery trial?
32. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, what rests upon you?
33. Who, in the Old Testament, became even more faithful with trials
    he endured?
34. There is no glory or praise in being punished for _______ you have
    ___________.
35. Judgement begins at the _______ of ____.
36. Who is the house of God?
37. Quote 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 18.
38. If we are to be a good soldier fit for the kingdom, what must we
    do?