Week Nineteen-Day Four

There are some truly difficult ideas in today’s reading. I will offer some thoughts as we move through the text, but I will not really solve the problems. You’ll have to do that for yourself.

CHAPTER 4

 ¹ Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. ² As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. ³ For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. ⁴ They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. ⁵ But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

We need to admit that this is just uncomfortable stuff for us. “Whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.” First of all, what does this mean and then secondly do we even want to know? Do we want to be brought to a greater understanding of the benefits of suffering? Don’t we want to figure out how to make it go away? And yet, Peter’s theology does not include “how to make suffering go away”.

Sometimes when you read these guys, you get the impression that they really lived all out “for the will of God.” Sometimes it seems like this really was their preeminent concern. And you get the impression that they lived with a kind of freedom and power that we just don’t experience – or not often anyway.

It has been suggested that “suffer” in verse one really indicates “death”. That is, when you die, as Christ did, you are done with sin. But if so what does immediately after this when he says “they do not live the rest of their earthly lives.”   A better suggestion has been offered that the verse refers to Christ exclusively. He is the one done with sin. But then how do we interpret Peter’s “whoever”? This seems to suggest … well … whoever, not just Christ.

Perhaps Peter means that suffering frees us from the power of sin. This may be the best solution. The problem, though, is that Peter always means concrete acts of sin when he speaks about sin. He does not, like Paul, mean sin as a principle. So is he suggesting that we are done with sinning, meaning, like Christ, we no longer sin once we have really suffered?

“So why don’t you just answer the question, Ed?” Because struggling with the question(s) is part of doing the spiritual work that you and I must do if we are to maintain a regular spiritual diet. “No pain, no gain.” Turns out it also a spiritual principle.

 ⁷ The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

There are some familiar themes in this paragraph. What are the implications for you in this section? What are the implications for church?

But hold on … what does Peter mean by “the end of all things is near”? Could it be that Peter believed that his readers – his original readers – were near the end of time?

Honestly, I think this impression is inescapable. Peter did think he was near THE END. He clearly believed in a linear view of history, that is, history was headed in a decided direction and it was coming to a decided end. It is not infinite and it is not circular.[1] History is moving like an arrow toward a bull’s eye. So was he wrong about the bull’s eye? Was he wrong about being near the bull’s eye? Are we near the bull’s eye? And what difference did this make to his teaching and his way of thinking?

 ¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵ If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶ However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ¹⁷ For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be 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 sinner?”

 ¹⁹ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

In this section, Peter returns to the central theme of this letter. He simply will not let us feel sorry for ourselves. Not only can we not wallow in our suffering, it is even something to be rejoiced about. Here’s the difficult question facing us: this letter was written into a very different time and place. His original recipients were a persecuted minority. This is no longer true of us, at least not in America.

Oh, I know some of you will be thinking about how horribly Bill Maher can talk about Christians on his cable talk show and how the culture is turning against us, and how you can make fun of Christians today but you can’t make fun of anyone else … But this hardly compares to what Peter’s readers were facing. We are more like the persecuting majority than the persecuted minority in America today. Even if you disagree with that , you’ll have to admit that we don’t really face persecution. So how are we to read this? How are we to understand Peter’s teaching on suffering?

BEFORE YOU START YOUR DAY

1. Be careful to make note of your questions. Take your struggle with you through the day today. Let them irritate you. And listen up. God may speak into the irritation.
2. Pause for a moment. Who does this passage make you think of? Pray for them.