1 Peter 4:13-19

1Pe 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. The joy that awaits us cannot be put into words. We are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, but only in the smallest degree.  We may suffer at the hands of men because we have rejected the world and strive to serve the living God but that can never be compared to the sufferings of the Lord on our behalf. 

1Pe 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.  Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Peter’s memory takes us to the Sermon on the Mount, and tells us that reproach for the name of Christ is a mark of identity, testimony that the spirit of glory and of God rests on you, a confirmation that you are indeed one of His. 

1Pe 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. We’ve declared and teach that nothing that one does in this lifetime changes their eternal status.  Peter confirms such here.  While we would argue one who habitually performs these actions without remorse or repentance is not born of God, there are those among us who have found themselves in situations Peter describes.  He would not desire that your suffering on behalf of the cause of Christ be due to one of these crimes.  We also note that the position of busybody in other’s men’s matters appears to be equal in Peter’s mind as that of a murderer. 

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, :10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. :11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 

1Pe 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 an honor to be counted worthy to suffer for the cause of Christ. 

1Pe 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? Judgment within the house of God, undertaken by the saints can only be a temporal, worldly judgment.  We know the end of them that are called the non-elect because they will never have a new birth, or spiritual mind.  We are told that end.  But Peter is speaking of those who can obey, and do not.  The church is to judge righteous judgment, and we are taught in scriptures how to do so.  Judgment begins at the house of God.  If we judge ourselves, and one another, we’ll do much, as James instructs, to save a soul from death.   

what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  Their lives will suffer.  They have not the opportunity to appear before the throne of mercy; His eyes are not over them, nor are his ears open to their prayers.  They will submit to sin and temptation as they don’t have the spiritual strength to win the daily warfare Paul describes for us in Romans.  They won’t have the fellowship, the joy, the comfort or the rest they would find worshipping with the saints.  They will have fewer brothers and sisters to look after them, care for them, pray and cry with them, encourage them or uplift them.  They will have no lamp unto their feet to keep them on the straight and narrow road and often find themselves in the world’s ditches where the adversary roams, seeking whom he may devour.  They will be blown about by every wind of doctrine, and ever learning, never finding the truth. 

1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  Our context is timely obedience.  So that we, and Peter, are not misunderstood, let us declare here, that the elect, the righteous, were saved at the cross by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God and that saving is eternally to heaven, completely, and it is a finished work in which the Father himself is well pleased.  

When Peter says the righteous are scarcely saved, we often read it as ‘being barely saved’ as if Christ almost failed.  What a tremendous interpretation error that would be.  We might be better suited to look at the word scarcely as “few.” Luk 13:23-24 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.  

Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  

Those who do not find it (the strait gate) are also children of God. Only God’s children would desire or even make a half-hearted effort.   He says in Luke MANY will seek to enter in – the non-elect or the wicked would not seek such.  Many that make the attempt are blinded by the world’s false religions, their own misunderstanding of scripture or ego that says they must do something to finish what they believe Christ could not. 

Therefore, FEW, dare we say a scarce few will be saved by the strait gate and narrow path. Our ungodly position in our natural state, prior to our eternal salvation concludes that this scripture is in the same vein as Heb 2:3 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”  

where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? If Peter is still speaking of God’s children, the born again child who remains in the world, then they shall appear in the world, suffering according to the choices and decisions they make, bearing the burden of their continuing sin. These are those whom Paul admonished in Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

1Pe 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. Wherefore – if your suffering comes while attempting to be obedient, bear it well, committing the keeping of the soul to God.  2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

Wrapping up Chapters 3 and 4 on how to live a Christian life in the world and in the sight of other Gentiles, Peter now turns to instructions for the church.