Lesson 22
The Fiery Trial
I Peter 4:12-19
Every Christian who lives a godly life experiences a certain amount of persecution. On the job, in school, in the neighborhood, perhaps even in the family, there are people who will find fault, criticize, ridicule, mock, harass and basically oppose you and the gospel of Christ. This would fall under the category of "normal persecution." Peter has dealt with this stuff early in his first letter.
But in the section which forms our text for today, I Peter 4:12-19, Peter gives some explanation about a special kind of persecution which he refers to in verse 12 as "the fiery trial."
The heat was fixing to be turned up on those first century Christians. Peter could see it coming. The making of an "official persecution" was on the horizon. Peter's letter is intended to warn and prepare Christians for this - especially to arm them with the proper attitudes regarding suffering.
We know little or nothing about this kind of persecution in our blessed country. I received a letter this week from Missionary Samuel Varghese in India who asks us to pray for the safety of his family. Recently, Christian missionaries have been stripped naked and paraded through the streets, to shame and humiliate them, and some of them set on fire afterward. It's not like that for us, at least yet. That day may come. Who knows?
By calling it a "fiery trial", Peter alludes to this persecution in a positive way. The idea of is refining process that precious metals are put through in order to burn away all the impurities. He introduced this them in 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Psalm 66:10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Peter is saying that if and when this great persecution comes, this "fiery trial which is to try (test) you", regard it as something which God will use to refine and purify you.
In this text, there are four specific things taught us about suffering.
Expect Trials, 4:12.
"Think it not strange... as though some stranger thing happened unto you." Don't be surprised. Expect suffering.
How often our initial response to suffering is by saying, "I cannot believe this has happened." We tend to be shocked, to not expect God to permit suffering to come our way.
But this is a trial, a test and sometimes God gives pop quizzes. Throughout human history, the righteous (not the religious) have suffered. Cain killed his own brother Abel. The Old Testament prophets suffered for their message of righteousness. Jesus suffered as did His disciples. John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. Matthew 10:17ff But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles... And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: ... But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: ... The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.... It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
The first guideline is to expect trials.
Enjoy Trials, 4:13-14.
Now that's an oxymoron isn't it? Enjoy trials? Is that in the Bible? Look at the first two words of verse 13 - "but rejoice." In fact, there is joy all over these two verses. Four times in two verses - "rejoice, glad, exceeding joy, happy." James said, "Count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations" (James 1:2). Jesus said, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12). So how is that possible? Peter lists four reasons.
1. Christ's Sufferings - "ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings". Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Through suffering we get to be like Jesus.
2. Christ's Coming - "when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." Suffering now, but glory and gladness when Christ comes.
3. Christ's Spirit - "spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." The Holy Spirit enpowers you in an incredible way when you are called to suffer for Christ.
4. Christ's Glory - "on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." They are blaspheming God by persecuting you; you are glorifying God through suffering for Jesus.
I'd say these four reasons merit enjoying the fiery trial. For Christians, difficult circumstances can produce great joy.
Evaluate Trials, 4:15-18.
Expect trials. Enjoy trials. Evaluate trials. Well, how can you evaluate the trials that come upon you. In these four verse there are three implied questions to ask yourself in order to properly evaluate the trial. A trial should cause you to examine yourself. Be humble and completely honest before God and ask yourself...
1. Why Am I Suffering? Verses 15-16 have contain three possible reasons. First, you might be suffering because you are a lawbreaker - "murderer ... thief ... evildoer (criminal)." Second, you might be suffering because you are a troublemaker - "a busybody in other men's matters", a meddler. Isn't it interesting that a busybody is placed in the same verse as a murderer and a thief. God takes meddling serious! Proverbs 26:17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
Both of these are categories for which believers should not be suffering. 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. If that's why you are suffering, then you have brought it all on yourself. This kind of suffering is not persecution.
Verse 16 tells us the third possible reason for suffering - "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian." You may suffering only because you are a Christian. This is indeed the fiery trial. This is persecution.
So ask yourself, "Why am I suffering?"
2. Am I Ashamed Of Christ or Honoring Christ? "let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Romans 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. II Tim 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
3. Am I Seeking The Lost? (Vs. 17-18). Please don't misinterpret this verse. Peter is not saying that God wants us to start judging the house of God. This verse is not a call for us to set God's house in order. Rather, Peter is explaining why Christians suffer, why God permits His own to suffer. Peter wants us to know that God's judgment begins with the purification of His churches, but ends with His final condemnation of the ungodly. Peter is asking, "If God is willing to judge His own now, willing to allow His people, His house to suffer the refining fires of purification, how much more severe will be the suffering of the godless in the future? There are two questions asked here by Peter and the second one is a loose quotation of Proverbs 11:31. But just by asking the questions, Peter is turning our attention on the ultimate judgment of the lost. He wants us to know that no matter how bad persecution gets for us Christians, a godless eternity in the flaming fires of hell will be much worse. So even our suffering can give us a greater compassion for the lost.
How does one cease being ungodly and a sinner (v. 18)? By "obeying the gospel of God" (v. 17).
Entrust Yourself To God, 4:19.
The last verse of the chapter tells some that it possible suffering may actually be the will of God for some Christians. That might change your prayers! (Sort of hard on the name it and claim it theology, too). But it's true! It is quite possible that God's will for your life involves some pain and suffering. That being the case, then our prayers should not simply be for deliverance, but as Peter suggests here, we should commit our souls to God's keeping (as the faithful God who made us) and ourselves to keep on doing what is right. These kind of commitments all come from a deep sense of faith and trust in God. He is too wise to make any mistakes. He is too strong be out of control of our circumstances. He is too loving to bring on us something intended to harm us. Trust God and good what is right.