First Epistle of Peter
EXHORTATIONS IN VIEW OF THE END
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:7 (KJV)
"But the end of all things is at hand"
In other words, the time for the judgment of these persecutors is nigh at hand. This is a continuation of the thought that God "is ready to judge the quick and the dead".
One might say, "Peter was mistaken; it is now over 2000 years and God has not yet judged the quick and the dead." But remember, a few thousand years does not mean much to the Lord. In chapter 3, verse 8 of his second epistle Peter himself says that "with the Lord a thousand years is as one day". If at hand then how close is it now? This is the last dispensation before the coming of the Lord – time is short and eternity is very, very long. If we are suffering persecutions they will soon be over, but our persecutors will be judged and suffer for their sins for a very long time. If we keep the end in view in spite of anything that may come our way, we will eventually be at peace.
"be ye therefore sober"
This word sober could be translated "be ye therefore sound in your mind". It does not refer to refraining from intoxicating liquor, but to be restrained in mind and consequently in life. He that is sober-minded will refrain from all the sins listed in verse 3.
"and watch unto prayer"
The word "watch" means to be "vigilant", "on guard". It has the sense of being calm and collected in difficult times. The last half of this verse has been translated thus, "Be steady, keep cool, and pray". One can see how important this is in time of persecution.
The word "unto" has the sense of "with a view to". In other words, we are to be sober and watch with a view to prayer. If we are not self-restrained in mind it will be hard to pray. Likewise, if we are not watchful, calm, and collected it will be hard to pray. If we are truly expecting our Lord, it will produce prayer in our hearts. His coming is often linked with watching and praying (See Matt. 24:44; 25:13 and 26:41).
This is Peter's third reference to prayer (See in connection with 3:7 and 3:12). Consider the great importance of prayer. Without it, we are powerless. Only in Him are we able to accomplish anything. Christ says, "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). But with Him, we can be all-powerful. We have at our disposal the mighty power of God’s might. Remember the old trolley cars? They could not go unless the trolley was in touch with the live wire. So, we cannot go on for God unless we are in touch with Him in prayer. Here is the reason why some of the Lord's dear children are weak. We need to pray with the disciples, "Lord teach us to pray".
The Lord Jesus Himself is a great example of one who prayed. After a busy day, He would slip away for a time of communion with His Father. Sometimes, He spent the whole night in prayer. John (chapter 17) is one of His prayers recorded for our benefit. We hear Him praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and also as He hung on the cross. There He is not praying for Himself, but for others. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Prayer is something often and easily preached about, but not often or easily practiced. "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18:1).
Perhaps Peter was thinking of the times when he failed to watch and pray, like many of us do so often. He fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane and the Lord said to him, "What could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" (Matt. 26:40 and 41). Then again at the trial of the Lord Jesus Peter was not vigilant and certainly did not pray or he would not have denied the Lord those three times.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)
"And above all things"
Paul uses almost the identical words in Colossians 3:14, "And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness." In the apostles' estimation, love is the connection with 3:7 and 3:12.
We have a good example of love covering sins in connection with Noah. Noah drank too much wine and became drunk. He lay uncovered and naked in his tent. With a garment, Shem and Japheth walked backwards so they would not see his nakedness and covered him. This is what true love does – it seeks not to see its object's sin, but to cover it. Are we like Shem and Japheth?
Sometimes we heard someone bring up another’s past sins and failures – some from years ago.
True love will not do this. It will forgive, forget and move on with a loving heart.
Of course, a fellowship of believers must deal with serious sins within. However, it must be first dealt with in a personal way. The Scripture requires that we go to our brother alone (Matt.
18:15). If he will not listen then we go to others. Sometimes, when serious immorality is known, it is covered up. Later it breaks out into the open and causes harm to the body of Christ. If possible, it is better to nip such things in the bud rather than wait until it becomes an open sore. Even if sin is not too serious, it is still wise to visit the guilty one and try to help him out from under its bondage.
It is never wise to cover up one's own sins before the Lord or men. In Proverbs 28:13 we read, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy". The natural tendency is to cover one's own sins and to expose those of others. In prison's it is not uncommon to hear, "It's somebody else's fault". "The judge made a mistake or someone framed me". Seldom do you hear, "I am guilty". It is usually someone else. That is the reason so few obey the Lord. Many find it hard to plead guilty before the Lord. Christians should be different. When we are in the wrong confess it and forsake it.
"fervent charity"
The word "charity" here would be better translated "love" and is so in the Revised Version. This is the fourth time Peter has emphasized the importance of love (See 1:22; 2:17; 3:8 and also 5:14). Peter, Paul and John are all agreed that love is the most important of the Christian virtues. The word here is not merely affection but divine love (See in connection with 1:22). Love is the animating spirit of Christianity and as Paul says to the Corinthians, "Let all your things be done with love" (1 Cor. 16:14).
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:9 (KJV)
"Use hospitality"
If we have room for the people of God in our hearts, we will also have room for them in our homes. Hospitality was necessary in that time because Christians were persecuted. Those who followed Christ, who were forced to leave their homes and even their cities, needed to be housed by someone someplace – the apostle would have Christians do this.
Servants of the Lord did a lot of travelling at the time of the early church and they needed hospitality, too. Paul is a good example. Like Paul, Peter travelled to other places, too. When writing this epistle, he was in Babylon (5:13), not Jerusalem. In Galatians 2:11 he was in Antioch. The idea of a man having a place to preach full-time and confining his work to one group of Christians was unknown in the early church.
The servants of the Lord travelled about serving various groups, carrying on evangelistic work in new places while much of the work in each established center was carried on by local brethren. Of course, if a new work was established the servant of the Lord might stay for a time until they could carry on without him.
There is only one woman in Scripture who is called a great (2 Kings 4). A prophet of the Lord, Elisha, often passed by her home. She said to her husband, "I perceive that this is an holy man of
God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither" (2 Kings 4:9 and 10). No doubt, because of her hospitality, the Lord called her a great woman (v. 8). Great women, who show hospitality to the Lord's servants, live today. Many have professed that this entertaining has been a great blessing to them and to all who lived under their roof.
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Heb. 13:2). This was true of Abraham, who knows of how many others. The word "angel" means "messenger". Perhaps when we entertain servants of the Lord we are "entertaining angels unawares". If they are servants of God, they are His messengers.
"without grudging"
The last expression in our verse is "without grudging". It could be translated "without murmuring". Let us not entertain, then grumble and complain about it afterward or we will miss the blessing and reward.
