1 Peter 4:17-19

1 Peter 4:17-19

Because it is the time to commence the judgment from the house of God.  And if it is first out of us, what is the end for the ones who disobey the Good News of God?  And if the righteous one is saved with difficulty, what will be seen regarding the ungodly and the sinner?  Therefore, also let the ones who suffer by the will of God commit their souls to the care of a faithful Creator in doing good.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Peter draws us towards his version of Proverbs 11:31.  If the followers of God are to be repaid – repaid for their greater sinfulness, mind you – then how much more will the judgment be for those who are ungodly and sinful and unrepentant!  Peter doesn’t look at life through a lens that says the ungodly will be judged.  No, we will all be judged.  The judgment starts at the very house of God.  We who know God will begin the judgment because we are privileged and know better.  Of course, we know that we are covered by God’s grace.  God’s hand of mercy will be upon us.  But judgment will commence with us and then pass from us to those who do not believe and obey the Lord.

When you think of judgment, what images enter your mind?  How does the thought of judgment make you feel?  Do you think that day will be hard to endure or a day of your glory?

Second Thought:

I love the phrase “saved with difficulty” that Peter buries in the midst of this passage.  Don’t read this passage to mean that the salvation of humankind is almost too difficult even for God. That’s not true at all.  What Peter is reminding us about is that it came at great cost.  God put forth great effort in order to save us.  While it was an act that was certainly within His capability to do, that does not mean He didn’t expend great effort.  He took hundreds of years to prepare His people from Abraham to Moses.  He took hundreds more years to teach them about the Law from Moses to David.  Then he took hundreds more years to teach them about sin and forgiveness and re-creation in the time of the prophets.  And then only after those thousands of years of preparation did He finally send His Son to accomplish His work on the cross.  Of course, that act also had great cost as Jesus experienced acceptance among a few but rejection from the rich and powerful.  Yes, God is mighty to save.  But that does not mean that salvation was easy.  Grace, especially grace done well, is always costly.

Do you ever reflect on the costly nature of God’s grace?  What emotions are stirred within you when you think about the costliness of God’s grace?  What emotions are stirred within you when you think about the time and preparation that God took in order to prepare His salvation for us?

Third Thought:

In the end, we are really left with one position, and it is the greatest of all possible positions.  We must put our faith and our trust in God.  Whatever we do, we do it placing our trust in God’s hands.  But honestly, what better place is there to rest?  Can we save ourselves?  Is the small amount of control that we can exert over the seventy or so years that we have on this earth really even remotely as significant as the control that God can exert for us over eternity?  No, it is good to rest in the hands of God.  It is good to live in His presence.  It is good to place our trust in Him.

Is it easy to let go of things and place them in God’s hands?  Would you classify yourself as one who has committed his soul to the care of God?  How does this play out in your life?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Peter 5:1-4