1 Peter - Following Jesus Sample

Are you likely to suffer for being a Christian? Peter clearly sees suffering as part of normal Christian experience.

Christians may be taken to court and imprisoned for living out their faith in Christ. That has happened to believers all through history. But Christians should not suffer because they have done wrong. They should not be in court because they are guilty of murder, theft and the like.

• When we suffer for our faith, we may be tempted to think that God has abandoned us. But what does Peter say about God’s control (v. 17)?

However powerful our opponents may look, things are not out of God’s control. God has not been sidelined. Even our unjust suffering is under God’s ultimate control. It is not outside his will.

God can use even such suffering for our good and for his glory. Peter has made this clear already in his letter. Now he points his Christian readers to the time God did that in the most wonderful way of all. Christians are not the only ones who suffer for doing good. They follow a Lord who suffered even though he was righteous.

• Peter reminds us here of the purpose of Jesus’ suffering. He also tells us more about what Jesus’ death achieved. How does Peter explain this purpose (v. 18)?

Jesus did not suffer for his own sins – he had none. Jesus suffered for the sins of the unrighteous – that is all of us. Christ bore the penalty for our sins so that we will not have to. Christ died once to pay the price for all sins – past, present and future.

Peter tells his Christian readers that Jesus did this ‘to bring you to God’. Jesus died to restore our broken relationship with God. Reflect on all that Jesus did for you – his pure, undeserved grace.

Peter wants to encourage his suffering readers. Jesus suffered for doing good – look how God used that! Through that suffering, Christ brought you to God. Christians still suffer for doing good, but God can use that suffering too to bring more people to himself.

That is not all. Jesus’ physical suffering and death was followed by his glorious resurrection and ascension. He was ‘made alive in the Spirit’ (v. 18). Suffering now, glory to come – Peter has stressed this pattern again and again in his letter. This was Jesus’ experience. It will be the experience of Jesus’ followers too. We are to reflect on this and be encouraged.

Pray

Praise God that Christ died for sins, once for all, to bring you to God.