Bible Study - Hope (5) - The Joy Arising from Our Hope - Peter 4:1-2, 12-19 - July 5, 2020

Bible Study – Hope (5) – The Joy Arising from Our Hope – July 5, 2020

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled “Living with Hope in a Broken World.”

Our focus scripture is 1 Peter 4:1-2, 12-19.

Suffering for CHRIST can deepen our walk with HIM.

I do not like to think about suffering. I do not think any of us like to think about suffering. What is suffering?

JESUS suffered for a purpose an eternal purpose – the salvation of all who place their faith in HIM and HIS passion.

What do we read in Romans 6:1-14?

6 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? ² Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness^[a] of life. ⁵ For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be^[b] in the likeness of his resurrection. ⁶ For we know that our old self^[c] was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin^[d] might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, ⁷ since a person who has died is freed^[e] from sin. ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, ⁹ because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.^[f]

¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey^[g] its desires. ¹³ And do not offer any parts^[h] of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

In essence, when JESUS died all who place their faith in HIM, died with HIM and when GOD raised HIM from the dead those who had placed their faith in HIM were raised with HIM. Spiritually born Christians have already been raised from among the physically dead. We are upon earth to give witness to others who are lost in sin and needing a Savior.

Let’s read 1 Peter 4:1-2:

4 Therefore, since Christ suffered^[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding^[b]—because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin^[c]— ² in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. 

The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 1:24:

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church.

JESUS suffered mightily and physically for sin. HE had to suffer physically in HIS body of flesh because all flesh is sinful. Therefore, JESUS in HIS sinless flesh gave the perfect sacrifice to GOD to pay for the sin debt in full. GOD pronounced the guilty sentence of eternal death upon all of mankind when Adam and Eve sinned. But GOD had a plan to redeem mankind from eternal death by coming to earth Himself in the flesh to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. So, all people are saved? No! GOD made all with a mind to choose and HE established HIS redemptive plan such that all flesh has a choice to either accept or reject JESUS as their Savior. Spiritual rebirth happens when a person accepts JESUS as his or her Savior. Once you are Spiritually born into GOD’S Family, you are eternally HIS Son or Daughter. That is an eternal relationship that will never change no matter what.

Spiritually born Christians live in an evil world. They will always encounter opposition but rejoice because JESUS overcame the world and so will all Spiritually born Christians. Will life upon earth be easy? Yes and no! For the Spiritual born person, life upon earth is a training ground to develop perfection for him or her to serve GOD as HE directs through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit will give all Spiritually born Christians the strength, power, wisdom, etc. they need to be effective upon earth, according to GOD’S Plan and purpose.

The Apostle Peter wrote that “since CHRIST suffered in the flesh ---- arm yourselves also with the same understanding (attitude). Peter was preparing his readers for the time when they would face persecution in that time period and even today. When we, as Christians suffer, we do not suffer for our sin. Christians can suffer for the consequence of their sin. If we kill another person, we will suffer the consequence. The message is that JESUS paid the eternal penalty for all sin, in full. When we place our faith in JESUS, in that instant all of our sins are forgiven – past, present and future. Why? It is because JESUS paid, in full, for all sin for those who place their faith in HIM and HIS passion.

How do we know it is true? The resurrection is proof that JESUS conquered both sin and eternal death – rejoice in that fact.

I asked our Sunday school class to pray for the utter destruction of the Coronavirus 19 and all of its clones. Did I decide this? NO! GOD said that those who have placed their faith in JESUS have HIS power and authority to pray this prayer. We will see the virus peak and then start shrinking. As it shrinks continue to pray for the location you are in and the states that touch your state. Continue to pray far and wide as GOD annihilates the virus and it clones. Pray with us and watch our LORD at work in our world.

Satan will attempt to tell you that this is foolish but don’t fall for it. The numbers will likely go up but then the virus will encounter GOD’S wall of deliverance. We will be in battle but the victory has been won. Pray!

Let’s read 1 Peter 4:12-14:

Christian Suffering

¹² Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. ¹³ Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God^[g] rests on you. 

Why does GOD leave Spirit born Christians upon earth once they are born in their spirit? Are we to be parasites or obedient servants? Spirit born Christians are left upon earth to lead others through the issue’s humans face in life. Now is the time when Spirit born Christians are to take a knee in prayer; rejoicing as we join together in pray for the annihilation of COVID-19 and its clones, as well as the many other issues we are facing.   

Is this “fiery ordeal” too much for GOD? NO! It is an opportunity for the Spirit born Christian world to take a stand and pray for the complete deliverance of the world from the virus.

Brothers and Sisters in CHRIST, it is time for us to pray. Why? The Apostle Peter stated it best, “¹⁴ If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God^[g] rests on you.” Those Spirit born already have “the Spirit of glory and of GOD.”

Why is the world being tested? Why do we conduct quality control tests? To ensure that what is being tested is of the intended quality and will perform as designed.

Boeing Aircraft is testing its products to ensure that they perform as intended. All of us demand safe products. GOD desires for HIS Children to serve as they live in a world filled with sin and hopelessness. Spirit born Christians are a drink of fresh cold satisfying water in a world dying of thirst and in need of salvation from sin.

Spirit born Christians are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We are to live so that others will desire what we have in your relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS.

Let’s read 1 Peter 4:15-19:

¹⁵ Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler.^[h] 16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.^[i] 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?

¹⁸ And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?^[j]

¹⁹ So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

Christians are to live according to GOD’S Word. If Christians live like the non-Christian world, then there is no contrast. Spirit born Christians are to be different e.g. none to suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evil doer, or a meddler (busy body trying to tend to the business of others.)

Spirit born Christians are to live such that their lives glorify GOD. They are to live such that their relationship with GOD, through faith in JESUS, makes others desire that relationship e.g. living victoriously in a fallen world.

The Apostle Peter, in essence, stated “it is time, as Spirit born Christians to either fish or cut bait.”

Peter then addressed “¹⁸ And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?^[j]

What makes a person “righteous?” Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:21:

²¹ He (GOD) made the one who did not know sin to be sin (JESUS)^[e] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

How long did it take GOD to provide HIS redemptive plan for mankind? Since before creation. There is no other way to GOD except through faith in JESUS. So, what about those living before JESUS? The law, sacrifices and faith in the coming Messiah were place holders until JESUS paid for the penalty for sin, in full.

What does GOD’S Word have to say about faith? Consider Genesis 15:6:

⁶ Then Abram believed in (affirmed, trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord; and He counted (credited) it to him ^[a]as righteousness (doing right in regard to God and man).  

GOD accrued Abram’s faith to him as righteousness.

¹⁶ But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.^[i] 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?

¹⁸ And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?^[j]

We who know the truth of salvation through faith in JESUS are obligated to pass it on to others. Salvation is a free gift to the receiver from GOD. It cost the physical life of GOD’S only SON JESUS.

Why did JESUS do this? It is because of HIS Love. This is captured in John 3:14-21:

¹⁴ “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him may^[d] have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God loved the world in this way:^[e] He gave^[f] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,^[g] so that his deeds may not be exposed. ²¹ But anyone who lives by^[h] the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

The Joy Arising from our Hope is to be shared.

Blessings!!! And Happy 4^th of July