For It Is Time for Judgement to Begin With the Family of God
For it is time for judgment to brainstorm with the firm of God; and if it begins with united states, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Pet 4:17)
This is a passage that seems to come upwards whenever something bad happens to Christians.
If a pastor stumbles in sin and his church building splits, it'due south God judging his business firm.
If an earthquake wipes out a metropolis, it's God judging his firm.
Some people seem to take perverse please in threatening others with the sword of God's judgment. They seem to forget that all of our sins were dealt with at the cantankerous. We have been redeemed and sanctified by the blood of the Lamb. At that place is a day coming when Jesus will split up the sheep from the goats, merely this is simply bad news if you're a caprine animal. If yous are a sheep it is a day to await forrad to with confidence. Where does this conviction come up from? Information technology comes from a revelation of the Father's beloved equally expressed in the Son's perfect piece of work on the cross.
So what is Peter talking about when he says it's time for judgment to begin with the house of God?
I'yard going to give you ii interpretations. The beginning interpretation emphasizes things nosotros must do while the second emphasizes things Christ has already done. However, let's starting time read the scripture in context:
Honey friends, do non be surprised at the painful trial y'all are suffering, equally though something strange were happening to you.
But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of celebrity and of God rests on you.
If you suffer, it should non exist as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not exist ashamed, simply praise God that you carry that name.
For it is fourth dimension for judgment to begin with the firm of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome exist for those who do non obey the gospel of God?
And, "If information technology is hard for the righteous to exist saved, what volition become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
So then, those who endure according to God's volition should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to exercise good. (1 Pet iv:12-nineteen)
Interpretation #1: Work harder
There are merely two kinds of organized religion – organized religion based on our works or organized religion based on his blood. Someone whose faith is in the old will translate the judgment of one Peter 4:17 as penalisation for Christians. Of class they won't come right out and say it. They will use words like purification and bailiwick but what they really hateful is condemnation and wrath. They volition refer to patterns of judgment in the Former Testament but make no mention of the cantankerous. They may talk about Ananias and Sapphira but ignore Jesus.
Strip away the jargon and their message is: "Bad things are going to happen to you. God is behind these bad things, but don't worry considering far worse things are going to happen to sinners." They may endeavour and pass this off every bit "good news" by proverb it'southward better to suffer a little wrath now than hellfire later.
And what should we do in response to such a message? More works of class! Try harder to be a ameliorate Christian. Repent more and confess more. Straighten upwardly and fly right.
At that place'due south no way around it. Interpret 1 Peter 4:17 through the lens of works and you will end up with a condemning message. "Because God loves yous he's going to give you a whipping. It's for your own good."
How is it, then, that in the preceding verses Peter uses words and phrases like "rejoice," "be overjoyed," "you lot are blest" and "praise God that yous behave his name"? How in the name of all that is sensible are we supposed to get joyful over a divine whipping? Either Peter has lost bear on with reality, or he has something completely unlike in mind.
Interpretation #ii: Trust God
The key to understanding 1 Peter four:17 is the word judgment. In the original Greek this word is krima which ways decision or decree. It's the conclusion of a guess or authorisation. A judgment can be good or bad, in your favor or against y'all, merely in the New Testament krima is usually bad.
When Peter says it'south judgment time for the church, he is most likely referring to the judgment of Nero against the Christians. Look at how Peter describes this judgment:
five.12: "the peppery suffering amidst y'all that is coming to effort you"
v.thirteen: "you participate in the sufferings of Christ"
v.14: "you lot are insulted considering of the name of Christ"
v.16. "if you suffer equally a Christian, do not be ashamed"
v.nineteen: "(you) who suffer according to God's volition", significant for the gospel
Peter wrote during a time of nifty persecution. In the beginning, the New Attestation church only had to worry about persecution from religious folk. But things since escalated. At present the Rome itself was out to get them.
Because of Nero Christians were being tortured and killed for their faith in Christ. Paul was probably dead and Peter would presently exist crucified. If you lot were a follower of Christ back then, martyrdom was a existent prospect.
In lite of this awful persecution, Peter wrote to bring perspective. He did this by comparing what happens to the righteous (persecution in this life) with what happens to the ungodly (eternal condemnation). Peter says four things:
(1) Don't be surprised that you lot are suffering for the gospel (4:12). If they persecuted Jesus they will persecute you.
(2) Even though persecution is painful, rejoice on account of the coming glory (4:thirteen). It hurts now, but justice is coming.
(iii) Don't allow these trials cause y'all to be ashamed – information technology's actually a approval to exist insulted on account of Christ's name (4:14,16).
(4) In view of this, don't run and hide (similar I one time did) but commit yourselves to your true-blue Creator and keep doing good (4:19).
Is Peter maxim Christians can lose their salvation?
Not at all. In poetry nineteen he encourages the believers to commit themselves "to their true-blue Creator and continue to do good." Who is faithful? God is! You may be worried about persecution but you lot do non demand to worry about God letting you go. In the words of Spurgeon, "if he has loved you lot one time he will honey you forever."
The business is not that Christians could lose their conservancy, but that they might exist driven hole-and-corner in fear (three:6,fourteen). This is why Peter urges them to continue doing proficient, even in the face of persecution (4:17). Peter knew from personal feel what it was like to run from Jesus and he didn't desire his readers doing that. The skilful news of God's grace volition not be heard unless those who preach it are bold.
A final word on judgment
Jesus said two things virtually judgment that are relevant hither:
For God sent not the Son into the world to judge (krino) the world… (John 3:17a, ASV)
For judgment (krima) I have come into this world… (John 9:39)
Jesus did non come to guess the world, yet the globe volition be judged on account of Jesus. Remember that another word for judgment is decision. Now if Jesus said he is not the one doing the deciding (krino), just that decisions (krima) will be made on account of him, then who is making these decisions? Nosotros are. Every single one of us responds to Jesus 1 mode or another.
When Jesus returns in glory he will non judge anyone. He will simply separate those who have found their remainder in him from those who refuse him. The Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, but not all men will put their faith in him.
Let me finish with three questions for those who still recollect God is judging/punishing the church:
- Those who are in Christ are consummate (Col two:10) and perfect forever (He 10:14). If Jesus said he would non guess even the lost (Jn 12:47), why would he approximate those he has redeemed and are now reckoned perfect?
- Peter said "Christ died for sins one time for all" (1 Pet 3:eighteen). If my sins accept been removed and God is now "washed with sin" (i Pet 4:ane), so what is left to punish?
- Finally, if the punishment that brought us peace was placed on Christ (Is 53:5), how can God now punish usa? Would he non exist unjust if he punished twice for the same offence?
Merely something to think about.
___________
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Source: https://escapetoreality.org/2011/02/24/1-peter-417-its-judgment-time/
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