1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
Peter wanted Christians to know what they believed, and why they believed it, so they could answer those who asked. Volumes have been written on this subject but, first and foremost, we believe in Jesus Christ because he rose from the dead. We have eye-witness testimony of this throughout the New Testament. The disciples were willing to suffer and die for their testimony (Acts 5:17-42), and they never changed their story. In a court of law, that’s simply as good as it gets. But there’s more.
In addition to the external testimony of the apostles, believers have the internal testimony of the Spirit (Romans 8:16, 1 John 5:9-11). The indwelling Spirit provides assurance to all who believe in Jesus Christ that we are God’s children. On the basis of the eyewitness testimony, and the indwelling Spirit, we know that Jesus Christ is Lord of all (Acts 10:36). This is what we believe, and why we believe it.
1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near.
This verse was written two thousand years ago, but is still true for at least three reasons. First, the end is nearer now than it was yesterday. Second, the end is near for us individually, since we’re only a heartbeat away from death. Third, if Jesus doesn’t return for a million years, it’s still near compared to eternity.
I met a man in his forties, whose health was failing, and I offered to meet with him to explain the gospel. He put it off, assuming that he had years to live, but he died later that week. The end of all things is near, and may be nearer than we think.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Peter knew his Bible well and drew on two verses from Proverbs. [L]ove covers over all wrongs (Proverbs 10:12), and love covers over an offense (Proverbs 17:9). One of the most loving things we can do for our fellow sinners is to protect their reputations. We’ve all done things we’re ashamed of, and should simply do for others what we’d like them to do for us (Matthew 7:12). This means speaking all the good we know, and none of the bad. Some sins need to be exposed, but most do not. Love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Peter knew the strength of any church depends on all believers using their God-given gifts for the good of the whole. These include serving, leading, encouraging, giving, teaching and more (Romans 12:6-8). Broadly speaking, a spiritual gift is whatever a Christian can do for the good of the church. Spiritual gifts can be used formally, as when a pastor gives a sermon, or informally as when someone mows the lawn. God expects all believers to use their spiritual gifts.
The conductor stopped a rehearsal in the middle of a song. Where’s the piccolo? he asked. The piccolo player thought he could quit playing and that no one would notice. But the conductor noticed, and so does Jesus Christ. The health of any church depends on every believer using their gifts for the good of the whole.
1 Peter 4:12 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.
Some of Peter’s readers were surprised by the suffering they were going through. Having put their faith in God, they probably thought their lives would improve. Instead, their lives became worse. If God is good and powerful, why was he letting them suffer?
This question can’t be answered to everyone’s satisfaction. It is, in fact, the primary argument atheists use against believing in a good and powerful God. A God who allows suffering might be good, but not powerful. Or he might be powerful, but not good. But a God who’s good and powerful wouldn’t allow suffering, they say.
But if God has a morally sufficient reason for allowing suffering, then suffering doesn’t disprove the goodness, power or existence God. Parents buy braces to straighten their children’s teeth, but aren’t considered evil for doing so. They allow their child to suffer pain for the good it will bring their child. This is how we should think about God.
1 Peter 4:16 [I]f you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
The unbelieving majority will always try to make Christians feel ashamed of their faith. Christians are mocked for attending church, shunning evil, and believing unusual things. Instead of being ashamed, however, Peter wanted believers to praise God they bear the name of Christ.
Tallison was working outside an elementary school in Armenia when the ground began to shake. He ran inside to get the children out, and then returned to be sure he got them all. Tragically, the ground shook again and the building fell on his head. From that day forward the town honored his widow by calling her Tallison’s wife. Our greatest honor isn’t who we are, but whose we are. We ought to praise God that we bear the name of Christ.
1 Peter 5:8 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The devil is a hungry beast that’s always looking for another meal. If we’re not alert it could be us. Many have put down their guard with terrible results.
A lady was vacationing in Africa and viewing wildlife from the safety of a tour bus. The passengers were told to keep their windows closed at all times, but the lions looked so peaceful she didn’t feel threatened. So she rolled her window down to get a better view and, without warning, one of the lions charged.
She tried to roll her window up, but it was too late. The lion got a paw inside and literally ripped her face off. Satan prowls around like a roaring lion and, whenever we roll down the window of sin, we put ourselves at risk.
Reflection and Review
What do we believe, and why do we believe it?
Why is the end of all things near?
Why doesn’t suffering disprove the existence of God?
Peter wanted Christians to know what they believed, and why they believed it, so they could answer those who asked. Volumes have been written on this subject but, first and foremost, we believe in Jesus Christ because he rose from the dead. We have eye-witness testimony of this throughout the New Testament. The disciples were willing to suffer and die for their testimony (Acts 5:17-42), and they never changed their story. In a court of law, that’s simply as good as it gets. But there’s more.
In addition to the external testimony of the apostles, believers have the internal testimony of the Spirit (Romans 8:16, 1 John 5:9-11). The indwelling Spirit provides assurance to all who believe in Jesus Christ that we are God’s children. On the basis of the eyewitness testimony, and the indwelling Spirit, we know that Jesus Christ is Lord of all (Acts 10:36). This is what we believe, and why we believe it.
1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near.
This verse was written two thousand years ago, but is still true for at least three reasons. First, the end is nearer now than it was yesterday. Second, the end is near for us individually, since we’re only a heartbeat away from death. Third, if Jesus doesn’t return for a million years, it’s still near compared to eternity.
I met a man in his forties, whose health was failing, and I offered to meet with him to explain the gospel. He put it off, assuming that he had years to live, but he died later that week. The end of all things is near, and may be nearer than we think.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Peter knew his Bible well and drew on two verses from Proverbs. [L]ove covers over all wrongs (Proverbs 10:12), and love covers over an offense (Proverbs 17:9). One of the most loving things we can do for our fellow sinners is to protect their reputations. We’ve all done things we’re ashamed of, and should simply do for others what we’d like them to do for us (Matthew 7:12). This means speaking all the good we know, and none of the bad. Some sins need to be exposed, but most do not. Love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Peter knew the strength of any church depends on all believers using their God-given gifts for the good of the whole. These include serving, leading, encouraging, giving, teaching and more (Romans 12:6-8). Broadly speaking, a spiritual gift is whatever a Christian can do for the good of the church. Spiritual gifts can be used formally, as when a pastor gives a sermon, or informally as when someone mows the lawn. God expects all believers to use their spiritual gifts.
The conductor stopped a rehearsal in the middle of a song. Where’s the piccolo? he asked. The piccolo player thought he could quit playing and that no one would notice. But the conductor noticed, and so does Jesus Christ. The health of any church depends on every believer using their gifts for the good of the whole.
1 Peter 4:12 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.
Some of Peter’s readers were surprised by the suffering they were going through. Having put their faith in God, they probably thought their lives would improve. Instead, their lives became worse. If God is good and powerful, why was he letting them suffer?
This question can’t be answered to everyone’s satisfaction. It is, in fact, the primary argument atheists use against believing in a good and powerful God. A God who allows suffering might be good, but not powerful. Or he might be powerful, but not good. But a God who’s good and powerful wouldn’t allow suffering, they say.
But if God has a morally sufficient reason for allowing suffering, then suffering doesn’t disprove the goodness, power or existence God. Parents buy braces to straighten their children’s teeth, but aren’t considered evil for doing so. They allow their child to suffer pain for the good it will bring their child. This is how we should think about God.
1 Peter 4:16 [I]f you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
The unbelieving majority will always try to make Christians feel ashamed of their faith. Christians are mocked for attending church, shunning evil, and believing unusual things. Instead of being ashamed, however, Peter wanted believers to praise God they bear the name of Christ.
Tallison was working outside an elementary school in Armenia when the ground began to shake. He ran inside to get the children out, and then returned to be sure he got them all. Tragically, the ground shook again and the building fell on his head. From that day forward the town honored his widow by calling her Tallison’s wife. Our greatest honor isn’t who we are, but whose we are. We ought to praise God that we bear the name of Christ.
1 Peter 5:8 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The devil is a hungry beast that’s always looking for another meal. If we’re not alert it could be us. Many have put down their guard with terrible results.
A lady was vacationing in Africa and viewing wildlife from the safety of a tour bus. The passengers were told to keep their windows closed at all times, but the lions looked so peaceful she didn’t feel threatened. So she rolled her window down to get a better view and, without warning, one of the lions charged.
She tried to roll her window up, but it was too late. The lion got a paw inside and literally ripped her face off. Satan prowls around like a roaring lion and, whenever we roll down the window of sin, we put ourselves at risk.
Reflection and Review
What do we believe, and why do we believe it?
Why is the end of all things near?
Why doesn’t suffering disprove the existence of God?