Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 43

 Suffering for Jesus Part 13

1 Peter 4:7-8 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. KJV Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; ESV=English Standard Version

Here are these same verses of 1 Peter 4:7-8 as translated by the ESV=English Standard Version: "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."

Now the Apostle Peter after having exhorted and encouraged and even enlisted those early believers 'in Christ' to employ themselves to turning away completely from their old life of drinking unto drunkenness and engaging in sexual immorality, he now gives them and us now the reason for our being steadfast and immovable (1 Corinthians 15:58) as he writes these words, "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." (1 Peter 4:7) (KJV). What does Peter mean by the 'end of all things'? Peter speaks of Christ return to the earth 🌎to judge, as it is written with these words, "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness. (Psalms 96:11-13) (ESV). Peter speaks so surely of this during the time he lived as if he expected the Lord's return any day, any hour, or any second. For even more sure than the sun ☀ rising and setting every day is the return of Christ Jesus our Lord to the earth 🌎. Even if we (as did Peter) physically die before He returns, the end of all things occurs then for every soul of man 👨, whether he be saved or lost. Therefore, Peter wants us who are saved to meet our Lord Jesus Christ, not in shame, but in joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8). So, Peter uses the English phrase 'be ye therefore sober' which is translated by the Greek word sōphroneō which means to be of sound mind, that is, sane, (figuratively) moderate: - be in right mind, be sober (minded), soberly. Peter also uses the little English word 'watch' which is translated by the Greek word nēphō which means (figuratively) be discreet: - be sober, watch. Watch unto prayer says Peter, that is, since the end of all things is at hand we should be in constant prayer (pray without ceasing) (1 Thessalonians 5:17) for the strength 💪of Christ's grace to keep us in His love and in obedience to His Word. We will do so if we pray as Paul wrote to the Ephesian Church ⛪with these words, "With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God's people." (Ephesians 6:18) (AMP). Here is what the JFB Commentary had to say of 1 Peter 4:7, "Resuming the idea in 1 Peter 4:5. the end of all things — and therefore also of the wantonness (1 Peter 4:3-4) of the wicked, and of the sufferings of the righteous [Bengel]. The nearness meant is not that of mere 'time,' but that before the Lord; as he explains to guard against misapprehension, and defends God from the charge of procrastination: We live in the last dispensation, not like the Jews under the Old Testament. The Lord will come as a thief; He is 'ready' (1 Peter 4:5) to judge the world at any moment; it is only God's long-suffering and His will that the Gospel should be preached as a witness to all nations, that induces Him to lengthen out the time which is with Him still as nothing. sober — 'self-restrained.' The opposite duties to the sins in (1 Peter 4:3) are here inculcated. Thus 'sober' is the opposite of 'lasciviousness' (1 Peter 4:3). watch — Greek, 'be soberly vigilant'; not intoxicated with worldly cares and pleasures. Temperance promotes wakefulness or watchfulness, and both promote prayer. Drink makes drowsy, and drowsiness prevents prayer.

prayer — Greek, 'prayers'; the end for which we should exercise vigilance."

The Apostle Peter now exhorts those early believers and we today and all true believers 'in Christ' of every era and generation to do that with one another that is above all things whatsoever and that is to truly love each other. True love 😍does no harm, it bears all things, endures all things, and true love never ever is glad in wrong doing but only in the truth, that is, all that is given to us children 🧒of God in the Word of Truth (1 Corinthians 13) (Psalms 119:43) (Psalms 119:160) (Ephesians 1:13). When we love our brothers and sisters 'in Christ' as He loves us, we care more for their well being, their comfort, and their walking and living according to the will of God than any thing else. So, Peter exhorts us with these words, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8) (KJV). Peter uses the little English word 'above' which is translated by the Greek word pro which is a primary preposition meaning in front of, prior (figuratively superior) to. It means our love for one another as 'born ones' should be the most important thing to us in this sojourn and pilgrimage home to heaven, for if we cannot nor will not love one another 'in truth' now in time ⌚when we will spend eternity with one another, then something is severely wrong. We should heed/listen carefully to the words spoken by Paul the Apostle to the Galatians, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another." (Galatians 5:13-15) (ESV). Since our desire for ourselves is all that is good, then we need to have the same desire (and even more so) for all others that Christ has given the gift of eternal life. This love for each other should be intensely emotional seeking only the good of all other true believers, not that we should use them in any capacity or that we should abuse them in any capacity, that is, be found defrauding another brother 'in Christ' by flirting with or lusting after or even sleeping with another brother 'in Christ' wife, instead heeding the words of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians, "That no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you." (1 Thessalonians 4:6) (ESV). Love and lust are like positive and negative, like hot and cold, like right and wrong, like oil 🛢and water 💦, the two don't mix for they are the opposite of one another, therefore, let us love 'in truth' (1 John 3:18). Note: "Help me your son Dear Father, Dear Lord Jesus, & Dear Holy Spirit to do just this. Amen!!!" Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 4:8, "Here is a noble rule in Christianity. Christians ought to love one another, which implies an affection to their persons, a desire of their welfare, and a hearty endeavour to promote it. This mutual affection must not be cold, but fervent, that is, sincere, strong, and lasting. This sort of earnest affection is recommended above all things, which shows the importance of it, Colossians 3:14. It is greater than faith or hope, 1 Corinthians 13:13. One excellent effect of it is that it will cover a multitude of sins. Learn, (1.) There ought to be in all Christians a more fervent charity/love towards one another than towards other men: Have charity/love among yourselves. He does not say for pagans, for idolaters, or for apostates, but among yourselves. Let brotherly love continue, Hebrews 13:1. There is a special relation between all sincere Christians, and a particular amiableness and good in them, which require special affection. (2.) It is not enough for Christians not to bear malice, nor to have common respect for one another, they must intensely and fervently love each other. (3.) It is the property of true charity/love to cover a multitude of sins. It inclines people to forgive and forget offences against themselves, to cover and conceal the sins of others, rather than aggravate them and spread them abroad. It teaches us to love those who are but weak, and who have been guilty of many evil things before their conversion; and it prepares for mercy at the Hand of God, who hath promised to forgive those that forgive others, Matthew 6:14."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Peter Exhorts the Persecuted Believers Volume 42

 Suffering for Jesus Part 12

1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. KJV  Note: AMP=Amplified Bible; ESV=English Standard Version

Here are these same verses of 1 Peter 4:6 as translated by the ESV=English Standard Version: "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."

Here are these same verses of 1 Peter 4:6 as translated by the AMP=Amplified Bible: "For this is why the good news [of salvation] was preached [in their lifetimes] even to those who are dead, that though they were judged in the flesh as men are, they may live in the spirit according to [the will and purpose of] God."

Here once again we come to a passage of Scripture that is very hard to understand (1 Peter 4:6) even after much prayer, reading, and meditation upon it, for I am one who believes greatly that there is no second (2) chance for any sinner to hear the Gospel of God preached to them after their physical death and my reasoning for this is what the writer of Hebrews declares with these words, "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment," (Hebrews 9:27) (ESV). This surely includes all of mankind from Adam until the last human born into the earth 🌎realm before Christ comes to put an end to time ⌚. What was the method or manner of the people written of in the Old Testament of being right with God? Well, when the first man and woman Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord God slew an animal and made tunics of animal skins and clothed them with it. In so doing, this was given to Adam as the way to have his sin covered by the shedding of the blood of an animal to make atonement or compensation before the Lord God to cover his sin. This method of animal sacrifice Adam passed down to all of his early offspring that came from his knowing (having sexual relations) his wife Eve. This is why we see that the offering of Cain to the Lord God of the fruit of the ground was rejected, but Abel his brother offered the acceptable sacrifice of the first of the flock of sheep (blood atonement), for as it is written, "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." (Hebrews 9:22) (ESV). The writer of Hebrews also declares this of Abel and his sacrifice to the Lord God, "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks." (Hebrews 11:4) (ESV). So, as we have understood from the things Peter has written earlier in this first (1st) letter ✉, that God's way of knowing Him and being right 👉with Him was made clear to the early descendants of Adam, yet the corrupt nature of man 👨with the majority of Adam's descendants was what was lived out predominately on the earth as we saw with Cain, for there were fewer Abel's and Noah's of early man. Therefore, we have read 📖from Peter of how Christ was in Noah preaching the Gospel to the people for 120 years while Noah prepared or built the Ark of Salvation from the Flood of God's Wrath against sin. The Lord God then makes a Covenant with one man named Abram (whose name God would change latter to Abraham) and from this Covenant the Jewish Nation was created by God. From this time forward, the Lord God had a special relationship with one group of people (above all others) on the earth 🌎. All the other nations of people's on the earth 🌎, were known only as Gentiles. How were the Gentiles of this time saved or were they saved at all? It appears to have been much war happening between the People of Israel and the Gentiles. However, we do find with Abraham that he made a Covenant with the Gentile King Abimelech, as it is written, "Now at that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, 'God is with you in everything you do; so now, swear to me here by God that you will not deal unfairly with me [by breaking any agreements we have] or with my son or with my descendants, but as I have treated you with kindness, you shall do the same to me and to the land in which you have sojourned (temporarily lived).'And Abraham said, 'I will swear.'" (Genesis 21-22-24) (AMP). "So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant (binding agreement). " (Genesis 21:27) (AMP). So, we see that some nations and individual Gentiles made Covenants with Israel and perhaps were taught of God through them to look forward to the future Messiah's reign and rule on the earth 🌎. However, the full truth of the Gospel of Christ was hidden in the days of old 🧓, even from the House 🏡of Israel, as it is written by the Apostle Paul with these words, "For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the Church the manif. And so it was and so it is that God does all things by His Eternal Wisdom and Power and all that He does is right 👉, true, and just. Amen!!!

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 1 Peter 4:6, "Some understand this difficult place thus: For this cause was the Gospel preached to all the faithful of old, who are now dead in Christ, that thereby they might be taught and encouraged to bear the unrighteous judgments and persecutions which the rage of men put upon them in the flesh, but might live in the Spirit unto God. Others take the expression, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, in a spiritual sense, thus: The Gospel was preached to them, to judge them, condemn them, and reprove them, for the corruption of their natures, and the viciousness of their lives, while they lived after the manner of the heathen or the mere natural man; and that, having thus mortified their sins, they might live according to God, a new and spiritual life. Take it thus; and thence learn, 1. The mortifying of our sins and living to God are the expected effects of the Gospel preached to us. 2. God will certainly reckon with all those who have had the Gospel preached to them, but without these good effec1 Peter 4:6, "For — giving the reason for 1 Peter 4:5, 'judge the dead.' The Gospel preached also to ... dead — as well as to them now living, and to them that shall be found alive at the coming of the Judge. 'Dead' must be taken in the same literal sense as in 1 Peter 4:5, which refutes the explanation 'dead' in sins. Moreover, the absence of the Greek article does not necessarily restrict the sense of 'dead' to particular dead persons, for there is no Greek article in 1 Peter 4:5 also, where 'the dead' is universal in meaning. The sense seems to be, Peter, as representing the true attitude of the Church in every age, expecting Christ at any moment, says, The Judge is ready to judge the quick and dead - the dead, I say, for they, too, in their lifetime, have had the Gospel preached to them, that so they might be judged at last in the same way as those living now (and those who shall be so when Christ shall come), namely, 'men in the flesh,' and that they might, having escaped condemnation by embracing the Gospel so preached, live unto God in the spirit (though death has passed over their flesh), Luke 20:38, thus being made like Christ in death and in life (see on 1 Peter 3:18). He says, 'live, not 'made alive or quickened; for they are supposed to have been already 'quickened together with Christ (Ephesians 2:5). This verse is parallel to 1 Peter 3:18; The Gospel, substantially, was 'preached' to the Old Testament Church; though not so fully as to the New Testament Church. It is no valid objection that the Gospel has not been preached to all that shall be found dead at Christ's coming. For Peter is plainly referring only to those within reach of the Gospel, or who might have known God through His ministers in Old and New Testament times. Peter, like Paul, argues that those found living at Christ's coming shall have no advantage above the dead who shall then be raised, inasmuch as the latter live unto, or 'according to,' God, even already in His purpose. Alford's explanation is wrong, 'that they might be judged according to men as regards the flesh,' that is, be in the state of the completed sentence on sin, which is death after the flesh. For 'judged' cannot have a different meaning in this verse from what 'judge' bears in 1 Peter 4:5. 'Live according to God' means, live a life with God, such as God lives, Divine; as contrasted with 'according to men in the flesh,' that is, a life such as men live in the flesh." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of 1 Peter 4:6, "Was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead - This is a most difficult verse; the best translations I have seen of it are the following: - 'For this indeed was the effect of the preaching of the Gospel to the dead, (the unconverted Gentiles), that some will be punished as carnal men; but others, (those converted to Christianity), lead a spiritual life unto God.' - Wakefield. 'For this purpose hath the Gospel been preached even to the dead, (i.e. the Gentiles), that although they might be condemned, indeed, by men in the flesh, (their persecutors), yet they might live eternally by God in the Spirit.' - Macknight. 'For this cause was the Gospel preached to them that were dead; that they who live according to men in the flesh, may be condemned; but that they who live according to God in the Spirit, may live.' - Knatchbull. There are as many different translations of this verse, and comments upon it, as there are translators and commentators. That of Sir Norton Knatchbull, could the Greek text bear it, appears the most simple; but that of Dr. Macknight, which is nearly the sense given by Mr. Wesley in his Paraphrase, is more likely to be the true one among those already proposed. But if the Apostle had the same fact in view which he mentions, 1 Peter 3:19-20, then the antediluvians are the persons intended: For this cause - that Christ is prepared to judge the quick and the dead, and to dispense righteous judgment in consequence of having afforded them every necessary advantage, was the Gospel preached by Noah to them also who are dead - the antediluvian world, then dead in trespasses and sins, and condemned to death by the righteous judgment of God; but in His great compassion He afforded them a respite, that though they were condemned as men in the flesh, (for this was their character; my Spirit will not always strive with man, forasmuch as he is Flesh, Genesis 6:3), yet, hearing this Gospel by Noah, they may believe, and live according to God in the Spirit - live a blessed life in eternity according to the mercy of God, who sent His Spirit to strive with them. This appears to me to be the most consistent sense; especially as the Apostle seems to refer to what he had said of the Spirit of Christ in Noah preaching to the spirits in prison - the rebellions that lived before the flood."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…