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More I Peter commentaries
I Peter 1:1-8
Our Guaranteed Reservation in Heaven
I Peter 1:9-12
Experience Heaven’s Glory in the Midst of Suffering
I Peter 1:13-16
Living a Disciplined Life in Christ
I Peter 1:17-21
It is the Blood That Sets Us Free
I Peter 1:22-25
True Love is Easily Seen
I Peter 2:1-3
Children in God’s Family
I Peter 2:4-8
Stones in God’s Temple
I Peter 2:9-10
Who Christ Says we are as Christians
I Peter 2:11-12
As a Believer we do not Belong to This World
I Peter 2:13-17
Submission to Government
I Peter 2:18-20
Submission to Masters
I Peter 2:21-23
We Are to Emulate Christ’s Example
I Peter 2:24-25
Peter Takes Us to the Cross
I Peter 3:1-6
How Christian Wives can Win Unsaved Husbands
I Peter 3:7-7
Admonition for Christian Husbands
I Peter 3:8-9
Sharing in the Joy of Others
I Peter 3:10-12
How to Have a Really Good Day
I Peter 3:13-17
Always be Ready to Witness
I Peter 3:18-22
Be Faithful and Leave the Results to God
I Peter 4:1-6
Following Christ May Bring Persecution
I Peter 4:7-11
Hospitality Includes Ministering to One another
I Peter 4:12-14
Every Christian can Expect Persecution
I Peter 4:15-19
Suffering for God’s Glory
I Peter 5:1-7
Leaders Are Not to Lord Over God’s Heritage
I Peter 5:8-14
The Holy Kiss Was a Mark of Innocent Affection
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Following Christ May Bring Persecution
I Peter 4:1–6
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
During China’s Boxer Rebellion of 1900, insurgents captured a mission station, blocked all the gates but one, and in front of that one gate placed a cross flat on the ground. Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted the … More
Peter explains how the Christian who stands true to Christ during persecution doesn’t do evil. Christ never returned evil for evil and the Christian who has the right attitude of Christ toward suffering will not strike out against his persecutors.
We find in this passage a big contrast between the saved man and the lost man. The man who does not know God, is driven by his own desires and seeks only to satisfy his own appetites. The true Christian does not live to satisfy his fleshly desires but wants to accomplish the will of his father in heaven. We see where the unsaved even consider it strange that their old friends who are now Christians no longer want to run around with them (v. 4).
We need to be patient toward the lost even though we do not agree with their lifestyle or participate in their sins. We need to remember that unsaved people are blind to spiritual truth (II Corinthians 4:3-4) and dead to things that are spiritual (Ephesians 2:1). In fact when unsaved friends attack us this can be a real opportunity to witness to them (I Peter 3:15).
Application
When have I suffered the most? Has it been physically through illness, disease, injury etc. or has it been through verbal persecution by others? How has this suffering affected my life and my desire to serve the Lord? Why?
I Peter 4:1-6 (English Standard Version)
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.
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