Meditation on the First Letter of Peter, Chapter 4
The disciple of Christ should no longer live for the desires of men, but for the will of God: « Since Christ suffered in the flesh, you too arm yourselves with the same mental disposition; because the person who has suffered in the flesh has desisted from sins, 2 so that he may live the remainder of his time in the flesh, no more for the desires of men, but for God’s will. 3 For the time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have done the will of the nations when you carried on in acts of brazen conduct, unbridled passions, overdrinking, wild parties, drinking bouts, and lawless idolatries. 4 They are puzzled that you do not continue running with them in the same decadent course of debauchery, so they speak abusively of you. 5 But these people will render an account to the one who is ready to judge those living and those dead. 6 In fact, this is why the good news was declared also to the dead, so that although they are judged in the flesh from the standpoint of men, they might live in harmony with the spirit from God’s standpoint » (verses 4-6).
The desires of men represent, depending on the context, the debauchery. However, it can also represent our bad tendencies to naturally do what is bad because of our sinful human condition. The apostle Paul alluded to this inner fight against bad trends: « I find, then, this law in my case: When I wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me. I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within, but I see in my body another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin’s law that is in my body. Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death? Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then, with my mind I myself am a slave to God’s law, but with my flesh to sin’s law » (Romans 7:21-25). This change in behavior will inevitably attract the attention of the people around this Christian. It is possible that he is undergoing very strong pressure from the group in the form of insults and mockery: « They are puzzled that you do not continue running with them in the same decadent course of debauchery, so they speak abusively of you » (verse 4). Preaching to the dead means a proclamation of the good news to the whole of sinful humanity condemned by the death inherited from Adam (Matthew 8:22; Ephesians 2:1; Romans 5:12). This proclamation of the good news means that Christians are criticized or « judged in the flesh from the standpoint of men, they might live in harmony with the spirit from God’s standpoint » (verse 6).
The disciple of Christ must have a virtuous behavior and put his spiritual gifts in ministering their brothers and sisters in faith: « But the end of all things has drawn close. Therefore, be sound in mind, and be vigilant with a view to prayers. 8 Above all things, have intense love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 To the extent that each one has received a gift, use it in ministering to one another as fine stewards of God’s undeserved kindness that is expressed in various ways. 11 If anyone speaks, let him do so as speaking pronouncements from God; if anyone ministers, let him do so as depending on the strength that God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. The glory and the might are his forever and ever. Amen » (verses 7-11).
Christians who have gifts granted by God, are administrators of them. These gifts are manifested in various ways (verse 10). The apostle Paul describes them more precisely: « Now there are different gifts, but there is the same spirit; and there are different ministries, and yet there is the same Lord; and there are different activities, and yet it is the same God who performs them all in everyone. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for a beneficial purpose. For to one is given speech of wisdom through the spirit, to another speech of knowledge according to the same spirit, to another faith by the same spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one spirit, to yet another operations of powerful works, to another prophesying, to another discernment of inspired expressions, to another different tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues. But all these operations are performed by the very same spirit, distributing to each one respectively just as it wills » (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Those who have particular gifts in the congregation must act in modesty by using them « as depending on the strength that God supplies ».
Sometimes the disciple of Christ can be in a situation which seems « strange » to him, in the ‘fire » of a trial that he did not expect: « Beloved ones, do not be surprised about the fiery trials that you are experiencing, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 On the contrary, go on rejoicing over the extent to which you are sharers in the sufferings of the Christ, so that you may rejoice and be overjoyed also during the revelation of his glory. 14 If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy, because the spirit of glory, yes, the spirit of God, is resting upon you » (verses 12-14). These strange situations can be trials inside the congregation by the infiltration of spiritual wolves who are mismanaging the congregation (Matthew 7:15,16).
The sufferings of the disciple of Christ must not be the consequence of bad actions. The disciple of Christ must suffer as a Christian and not as a criminal: « However, let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or a wrongdoer or a busybody in other people’s matters. 16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but let him keep on glorifying God while bearing this name. 17 For it is the appointed time for the judgment to start with the house of God. Now if it starts first with us, what will the outcome be for those who are not obedient to the good news of God? 18 “And if the righteous man is being saved with difficulty, what will happen to the ungodly man and the sinner?” 19 So, then, let those who are suffering in harmony with the will of God keep on entrusting themselves to a faithful Creator while they are doing good » (verses 15-19).
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Peter is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, he also has the name of Simon Peter (Matthew 4:18) and Jesus Christ gave him another name, Cephas (John 1:42). Among the twelve, he was one of the three closest apostles of Jesus Christ: Peter, James and John his brother. These three men saw the transfiguration of Christ (Mark 9:1-10).
Achieving Spiritual Maturity (Hebrews 6:1)
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