Don't Be Surprised

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good (1 Peter 4:12-19).

Could there be a more timely message to believers today? All around us the world is growing more hostile to Christians. "Oh," they'll tell us, "you're making a mountain out of a mole hill." Perhaps. Except, as it turns out, in the 20th century more Christians died for their faith around the world than in all other centuries combined. So we're facing "hostilities" here. They are working at stripping us of our religious freedoms. The public is becoming more hostile to Christians while seeking to protect sexual sin and hostile religions. Whereas once it was considered "tolerance" to hold "You believe what you want and we'll believe what we want", now it's "You agree with us or we will count you as hateful and we will drag you into court and we will turn the tide of public opinion against you." Even if you argue this isn't "hostilities", you have to admit that it isn't liberty, isn't ambivalence, isn't friendship, good will, benevolence, or any other antonym for "hostility" that you might find. When the swell of public opinion says, "Keep it off the street" and we are commanded not to do so, you cannot expect a pleasant outcome.

So we read, "Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you." And we read why. It is "to test you." Don't be surprised. Okay, then what? "Rejoice." Okay, now, see? Didn't see that coming, did you? Peter says we are to rejoice when we suffer as Christ did for Christ's sake (see Acts 4:21). Of course, we aren't to suffer for doing wrong (because we aren't supposed to be doing wrong), but there is no shame in suffering for doing right. Instead, "let him glorify God." ("Are you sure it doesn't say 'Take them to court' or 'Stand up for your rights' or 'Sue the pants off 'em'?" Yeah, I'm sure.)

"Judgment", Peter says, "begins at home." Okay, He said "at the household of God." Same thing. Think about that. We deserve judgment. In Christ, we don't get the eternal judgment we deserve, but we do get the chastening of God (Heb 12:4-11). Don't think otherwise. ("God never punished me," you might think. Be warned. Hebrews says, "If you are left without discipline, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.") We expect it. We deserve it. And while we don't get the ultimate, we shouldn't be surprised if we get some of it.

Peter then tells us something about suffering that most of us don't likely consider. "Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good" (1 Peter 4:19). "What," you ask me, "you mean about entrusting our souls to God?" No, we get that ... or should. No, here's the wording. Peter says that when we suffer we suffer "according to God's will". Now that ought to get your attention. It isn't an accident. It isn't a dilemma. It isn't a surprise. It is God's will. I know. You may have been told otherwise. You may have been led to believe that God never intends you to suffer. Peter disagrees.

We can expect suffering. We can expect that things will not get better for us. We can know, in these expectations, that it is to test us. We can expect that it is an opportunity to rejoice, to be glad, to reveal Christ's glory. We can expect that it is God's will. As such, we have a faithful Creator on which to rely. Expect it. But don't worry about it. Rejoice!