The Best Use of Your Time -- a study of 1 Peter 4:1-11
- mww
- 6 days ago
- 18 min read
Don't waste your life on sin; use it to serve others in God's power.
Bible Study Ideas and Commentary for 1 Peter 4:1-11
Appreciating their predicament, Peter says that these new Christians must not give into pressure are return to the pattern of the world. Instead, in the power of God and awareness that judgment is coming, they must resist and live for God. And that will require them, as a church, helping and supporting and serving one another through their dark days.
The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. (4:7)
When We Studied This Passage in 2016
Yes, Lifeway is just repeating their previous lesson. But in those notes,
I focused on different things than what I include below:
"look forward to" date
ungratefulness
fake love
a lot about spiritual gifts
the word "flesh"
the word "hospitality"
the word "steward"
You might some of those things valuable.
Getting Started: Things to Think About
Some ideas for you to consider as an opening topic.
Songs about Bad Influences
Every genre has their songs about "bad influences" or "bad behavior". What's your favorite such song, and did it ever help you avoid a bad decision?
To keep this section short and coherent, I'm just going to mention three from my childhood (my parents listened to the Oldies station in Houston). Let's start with this forgotten gem from Three Dog Night: "Mama Told Me Not to Come".
It might be a bit on the nose for this topic, but ... "That ain't the way to have fun, son."
A classic that you should know is "House of the Rising Sun". Rather than play the song for you, I'll link a video from the interesting channel Polyphonic which includes lots of great history and photos related to the song, including some of the first known recordings (it's a very, very old folk song).
The meaning of the House of the Rising Sun is always the same: It's a place of vice, a place of darkness and foreboding, and a place that one desperately wants to avoid, yet is constantly drawn back to.
But let's get to the main event! The greatest song IMO about this idea is "Hotel California". The Eagles have been famously cagey about the specific meaning of lyrics (which I begrudgingly respect), but I think it's pretty clear. They put a photo of the Beverly Hills Hotel on the cover, and one of them once said, "California is like a giant hotel."
[This video showcases how great the Eagles were live and includes lyrics. There were some lyrics I had misheard; coincidentally, I might suggest against Googling "colitas".]
The Hotel California is just California, or in particular the Beverly Hills lifestyle. It's a brilliant song -- the chorus is bright and cheery, inviting you to this wonderful, magical place. But every verse gets darker and darker. And the words are perfectly crafted to apply to just about any vice you can think of. And of whatever addiction has entrapped you there, "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."
What's your favorite song on the topic?
In this week's passage, Peter warns his readers that the bad behavior of the people around them is leading to their destruction, and his readers need to stay away from it.
What Kind of Peer Pressure Do You Face?
I'll talk about this a little more in my Big Idea, but peer pressure is not limited to kids in school. What kind of peer pressure do you face? How are you doing resisting it? (And do you need any help from your Bible study group?)
Several of you have told me that it seems our culture is going "to hell in a handbasket". (Incidentally, we really don't know where the phrase "to hell in a handbasket" comes from, but everyone agrees what it means.) But for that to be true, a significant number of people need to be participating in whatever bad behavior you're thinking about. That means adults must be giving into peer pressure.
Do you see it that way? And how is it affecting you?
The Palm Sunday Tie-in: How Are We Doing Putting Christ First in Everything?
For anyone who comes across this post in the future, know that we are studying this passage on Palm Sunday, the beginning of what Christians call "Holy Week" (the final week of Jesus' earthly life and ministry -- from the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem through the Crucifixion, Burial, and Resurrection).
I would make sure that your group is aware of our Holy Week schedule:
Sunday -- morning service includes a palm procession
Monday -- community lunch at TMC (12:00)
Tuesday -- community lunch at TMC (12:00)
Wednesday -- community lunch at TMC (12:00)
Thursday -- Service of Darkness at FBC (7:00)
Friday -- cross procession from FBC to TMC (meet at 5:30 in sanctuary)
Sunday -- Resurrection Morning!
Sunrise Service at Savannah Valley (7:00)
Early Service (8:15)
Sunday School (9:30)
Late Service (10:45)
And just as importantly, I would make sure that you group knows why Holy Week is important. Next week's lesson is all about the Resurrection, so you'll have some more time to talk about Jesus, but you don't need to skimp on the subject.
Anyway, in this week's passage, Peter tells his readers the reason for everything he has instructed them:
so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything
So, how are you doing with that? How are we doing with that?
I am not yet the follower of Jesus Christ that I want to be, and we are not yet the church of Jesus Christ that we want to be. What are the things we need to change? What are the steps of discipleship we need to take?
This week on the Christian calendar is all about what Jesus sacrificed for us, and we are then called to make our biggest sacrifices for Him. Let's make sure we understand what Jesus did. And then, when Peter calls on us to respond, it won't seem so hard.
I truly love these words from this week's passage:
8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides.
I want to be more like that, and I hope you do, too!
This Week's Big Idea: What Is Peer Pressure?
In the background of this week's passage is a steady undercurrent of "peer pressure". And most of us think about peer pressure in negative terms:
Peer pressure is the process by which members of the same social group influence other members to do things that they may be resistant to, or might not otherwise choose to do.
But do enough research, and you'll find plenty of sociologists who believe that peer pressure can be positive -- if you around "the right peers".
I think that's as much what Peter is saying:
The world around you is going to hell in a handbasket, and they want you to go with them. Will you provide the kind of safe, stable community that will help each of you resist that temptation?
That's supposed to be the church. That's what we're supposed to be doing for one another.
Here are some tidbits about peer pressure that I found interesting. Per usual, my "Big Idea" isn't necessarily something I want you to discuss as a group! It's just a topic that I think influences how we understand the week's passage. In this case, I think we just need to acknowledge the reality of peer pressure and appreciate the effect it has on us and the people we care about.
Subtopic 1: Do Teenagers Face More Pressures Today Than We Did?
This is interesting to consider. As I've learned in my Gen Z research, their world has changed more than I appreciated. And if we truly want to help disciple those Christians younger than us, we need to understand the world they live in and the pressures they face.
The Algorithmic Self
I recently heard a twentysomething explain the challenges of social media this way: people who spend a lot of time online are forced to create an "algorithmic self" -- an identity that gets likes and upvotes and comments and otherwise "looks good" online. It might be an identity totally dissociated from their "true" self. Yes, we all know how to "put on a mask" (as we called it when I was in high school), but this generation isn't given the breaks to take it off. It's harder to learn what your identity in Christ is when you're constantly pressured to inhabit your algorithm identity.
Subtopic 2: Peer Pressure Usually Gets Easier to Handle with Age
This is both an encouragement and a stark reality. A few studies have shown that peer pressure gets easier to resist as we get older -- but it doesn't go away. Example:
Those studies basically conclude that as we get older, we get better at "self-control" (and no, none of those studies are Christian; seems like that would be a helpful variable). But that begs two very important questions:
How have your pressures changes with age?
Is your self-control actually improving?
As a Christian, you should be becoming more like Jesus every day, which means that the fruit of the Spirit should be more evident in you every day. Is it?
Where We Are in 1 Peter
Once again, this week's passage immediately follows the previous week's. In fact, it starts with a "Therefore"! So, to understand this week, we need to solid recap of what Peter has already said.
Going back to chapter 2, Peter has encouraged his readers that in Jesus, they are now a new people -- God's holy nation. That means they are now a stranger in this world (I used the word "ambassador" to emphasize that Christians have a job to do while we are here). And as we have all experienced, the world does not like strangers -- the world wants to assimilate everyone into its way of thinking and being.
So, in 2:13, Peter shifts to a series of examples of what this looks like for Christians
in a community ruled by an unjust authority,
in a "workplace" led by a cruel master,
in a household populated by non-Christians.
In each case, the real possibility for suffering exists. Peter has made it clear to his readers that choosing to follow Jesus is not easy or even safe, but it is the only way to be saved. Furthermore, they can take courage in the fact that Jesus has already suffered for them, and He overcame every enemy.
And with the strange Noah reference, I suggested that it likely means one of two things:
Noah lived among the most wicked generation in human history, and yet he trusted and obeyed God in the power of Christ, faithfully sharing the message of judgment and salvation. And at the end of the day, no one outside of his family listened. (An illustration of perseverance under even the worst circumstances.) --Or--
Noah's generation was corrupted by some of the worst demons in Satan's "arsenal", and they came very close to their goal of wiping out all of humanity, God's most treasured creation. But because of Noah's faithfulness, they failed. And after Jesus' crucifixion, He sought out those spirits -- now waiting in spiritual prison for their judgment -- to proclaim His victory on behalf of humanity, that their relationship with God has been redeemed and salvation is now available to all who would believe in Jesus. (An illustration of Christ's victory over His every enemy.)
I believe that Peter is either (1) using this illustration to encourage his readers to continue to boldly share their hope in Jesus, even under intense opposition and no visible signs of success, or (2) using this illustration to encourage his readers that Jesus has already won every victory, so they do not need to be frightened by those who oppose them.
Both of those possibilities are true, so either could be Peter's intent. I personally lean toward the first option, but this week's "therefore" works just as well with the second.
This week's "therefore" then immediately concludes Peter's argument:
in this life, you will likely face suffering or hardship for following Jesus,
but remember that Jesus has already suffered for you, and His victory has resulted in your salvation, so
don't be afraid of those who oppose you, all the more boldly live for Christ.
Part 1: Fully Leave Your Former Life of Sin (1 Peter 4:1-3)
Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same understanding—because the one who suffers in the flesh is finished with sin— 2 in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for God’s will. 3 For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry.
The pressures imposed by the outside world could result in one of two things:
silencing Jesus' followers out of fear of reprisal, or
getting Jesus' followers to go back "to the crowd".
Peter has already talked about silence:
3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear them or be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
So now he shifts to the other possibility.
In verse 1, "the one who suffers in the flesh" could refer back to Christ, which would mean that Jesus has dealt with sin once for all. But the context suggests that this refers to members of Peter's audience. Consider the immediate context:
3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness
3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good,
What is the cause of their suffering? Doing good/righteousness.
Peter's point? "You are suffering because you have chosen to stop walking in the sinful patterns of the world." And that's exactly what Peter clarifies in verse: therefore spend the rest of your earthly life living for God, not your sinful desires.
That's a big, all-or-nothing statement. Peter was his readers -- that includes us -- to live 100% for God and 0% for our own sinful desires. How are we doing with that?
We all still struggle with sin. But are you okay with that? Have you become complacent with your own desire to resist temptation? In my Closing Thoughts below, I'll mention a study that has shown that fewer people even care about knowing God's standard for holy living, let alone actually doing it. That means it's on us to help one another (1) know what it means to live for God and (2) actually try to do it.
If you need to pause your group time to people share their struggles, do it. But make sure that your time also includes developing a plan to help them make real lifestyle changes.
Verse 3 could be real and raw for people in your group. It is for me. I understand and believe in God's forgiveness, but I still have significant regrets about the things I did before becoming a Christian. Peter has a twofold message to us:
If you're still repeating those sinful patterns now that you're a Christian, STOP! You've wasted enough time on that; start living for God.
If you've overcome those patterns, stop dwelling on the past. Stop wasting your time and energy on things you can't change.
What's interesting about verse 3 is everything is in the plural --
unrestrained behaviors
evil desires
drunkennesses
orgies
carousings
idolatries
In other words, Peter knows that those behaviors are common in the culture and were common for his readers, who now follow Christ. It's a representative list of the kind of lifestyle God hates. Compare it to the fruit of the Spirit --
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
gentleness
faithfulness
self-control
(For that matter, compare Peter's list with Paul's description of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21.) (I go into more detail about these words in my 2016 post.)
Do you have friends who live according to "the sinful nature"? Peter's audience did.
Part 2: Trust in God's Eternal Judgment (1 Peter 4:4-6)
4 They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you. 5 They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead, so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards.
To understand this passage, you have to realize that Peter is not talking about "a second chance after death". If you try to take that meaning, Peter's words lose all of their power (and are contradicted by the rest of the Bible).
People in Asia Minor (and the Roman Empire in general) didn't have a very robust concept of the afterlife (do we today?) -- once you died, you were just kinda gone. Certainly, you were beyond the power of the gods to punish you.
Peter is making sure they understand that this life is not the end, that there is an eternity that awaits us after death. To those who have rejected Jesus, this is a disastrous truth because it means that they will be judged and condemned for their choice in this life. Peter says this to encourage his readers (don't be afraid of them -- God will judge them).
But there is a positive spin on this that Peter also wants to make sure his readers understand: those who have chosen to follow Jesus in this life will be rewarded in eternity.
When they were alive, people were given an opportunity to respond to the gospel (the message about salvation in Jesus); the decision they made about that when they were alive followed them into their death.
In this life, people are judged by those with more authority according to their limited, sinful human standards, and sometimes that means that wicked people enjoy excess, and righteous people suffer hardship. But in the "next" life, all people will be judged rightly according to God's standards. This is "bad" if you have rejected Jesus, but it is "good" if you have trusted in Jesus.
If you don't understand and believe this basic truth, most of what Peter says will be gibberish. But if you do understand and believe that every human will, upon their death, stand before God in judgment and answer if, in this life, they chose to trust in Jesus alone for salvation, then you will be greatly encouraged to remain faithful to Jesus.
The way I put this in my 2016 post is that the partying seems like great fun ... until your parents come home; the credit card bill arrives; 8:00 am Monday morning hits; etc. Making sure your group understands that there are real, eternal consequences for their choices and actions is critical! But also, we all need to understand that God's forgiveness is greater than our failures. Think about the sins you've committed -- let it fill your heart with joy that God has forgiven you in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
So Peter's point might be super-basic to you,
deciding to follow Jesus = good
rejecting Jesus = bad
but appreciate how important it is to understand that. I daresay that there are plenty of people around us who do not really believe in eternity or judgment.
Part 3: Make the Most of the Time God Gives You (1 Peter 4:7-11)
7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
This is the crux of what Peter has to say: judgment is coming, and you do not know how long you have, so make the most of every moment.
This is not so different from what Jesus told Peter and the disciples in Matthew 24/25:
We don't know when Jesus will return. It may be earlier than expected, it may be later than expected. What matters is what Jesus finds you doing when He returns.
When Peter says that "the end of all things is near", that was literal. Early Christians expected Jesus to return at any moment. This led to some bad habits that we have talked about before -- laziness, apathy, withdrawing. Peter's clear statement counters those bad habits: "Until Jesus returns, we had better spend every moment we have doing good."
List the commands for everyone:
Be alert -- "self-controlled" (the opposite of the wicked generation)
Be sober-minded for prayer -- "for the sake of prayer" (think Eph 5:18, "Don't be filled with wine, instead be filled with the Spirit")
Maintain(ing) constant love for one another -- it's actually a participle; this is an ancient truth (Prov 10:12) that means that forgiveness overcomes sin
Be(ing) hospitable without complaining -- again, a participle; I'll talk about hospitality below.
Use(ing) you gift to serve one another -- again, a participle; I'll talk about spiritual gifts below.
If you remember your English grammar, you will recognize that Peter's primary command is to be self-controlled and sober-minded. You do that by (1) maintaining love for one another, (2) showing hospitality to one another, and (3) using your gift to serve others.
Did you catch all of those one anothers? The church, the people of God, is God's plan to help us resist the conforming influence of the world and boldly share Christ with that world. At the very least, this means we must love (forgive), be hospitable, and serve one another in the power of God.
About Hospitality. In a world without reputable hotels, unstable living quarters and rampant food insecurity, hospitality was crucial for early Christians. This actually means letting other people stay in your home. It was no more convenient then than it feels like today. Can you understand why it would be so important for a young, marginalized, persecuted church?
About Spiritual Gifts
You might not realize that Peter is talking about using our spiritual gifts. We think of Paul as the instructor of this topic, but Peter has some very simple, powerful words on this topic. If you want to learn more about spiritual gifts, including lists and descriptions and links to spiritual gifts inventories, let me point you to my previous post on this topic:
"The varied grace of God": "grace" = "charis" = "gift" (which is where the word Charismatic comes from). I think it's pretty clear that Peter is talking about the same thing as what we now call a "spiritual gift".
You'll notice that Peter just talks about two categories of gifts:
gifts of speaking
gifts of serving
This is why many lists of spiritual gifts make that division (i.e., prophecy and evangelism and teaching are examples of gifts of speaking, and helps and giving and encouragement are examples of gifts of service).
Here's what I like about Peter's simple description: you can't get lost in the weeds. I have had many conversations with Christians who are worried whether their primary spiritual gift is mercy or encouragement. Or whether or not hospitality is a spiritual gift. To them, Peter would say, "That's not the point. You have a gift from God; use it to the glory of God."
I will admit, though, that the extra information Paul gives us is helpful. Both Peter and Paul make it clear that every Christian "has a gift", but Paul is clearer about the wide range of gifts God has given.
It's been a while since we have talked about spiritual gifts, so if you want to take a long detour on this with your group, by all means do so! Use my previous post for more details.
This time through 1 Peter, I've been more focused on "Peter's argument". In the wider argument, spiritual gifts are just another encouragement.
Things are hard for you in your wicked culture
They might get harder!
But Jesus has given you the example to endure
He has given you the promise of sure victory
And He has given you the tools you need to succeed:
God's people -- the church
God's word -- the Bible
God's strength -- the Spirit
You will hold one another accountable
You will forgive one another for failure
You will lift up one another in prayer
You will serve one another in God's power
Do that make sense how it fits together?
It does come back to the imminent return of Christ. Our time on earth is limited; there is an end point (either our death or Christ's return). We don't have much time and resource to waste, so let's not waste it. Peter calls this being good stewards. The word refers to a "manager" -- the point is that the manager doesn't "own" anything; he just manages it. The "owner" (in our case God) will ask us how responsibly we managed what He gave us (in our case our gifts). What will we say?
Peter's guiding light is simple: the glory of God. He wants everything he does and everything he says to bring God glory. We should want the same thing.
This would be your closing discussion: how do you know what brings God glory? How can you evaluate actions or words by God's glory? Don't take for granted that everyone in your group understands that. (Note: I think we have enough just in Peter's letter to make a pretty good description of that.)
Closing Thoughts: Cultural Trends in America
George Barna now works with Arizona Christian University, and he puts out an annual "trends" report.
I just want to talk about two of them.
1: The Syncretism Trains Keeps Rolling
In other words, people who call themselves Christian will continue to think and act more and more like the rest of the world.
Biblical worldview incidence has declined with each succeeding generation. Today, 8% of Boomers, 5% of Gen X, 2% of Millennials, and 1% of Gen Z are Integrated Disciples—that is, possessors of the biblical worldview.
You should see how this runs utterly contrary to what Peter has said. But look at how paltry those percentages are! This suggests that some or most of the people in your Bible study group don't really know (or care) if their words and actions bring glory to God ... according to God's standards.
2: Discipleship Drops Off the Radar
In other words, Christians are not really trying to help other Christians think, act, and be like Jesus.
CRC estimates that only about one out of every 10 born-again adults (who represent just one-third of U.S. adults) is an active disciple of Jesus Christ. And a surprisingly small proportion of them are discipling other people. Thousands of the nation’s Christian churches say they are committed to discipleship, but strikingly few do much beyond encouraging note-taking during sermons, independent Bible reading during the week, and attendance at church-initiated small groups, which research indicates are generally ineffective at making disciples.
This one is hard for me because I firmly believe in the importance of Sunday School (or other small group Bible studies), and I believe the number back that up. But here's what Barna is saying: coming to a Bible study is not sufficient for being a disciple of Jesus! Are our Bible studies really trying to help one another learn and apply God's word? Are we really trying to hold one another accountable to what we've learned? If not, then we're not making the most of the time we have. This isn't "information" that we kinda learn and then immediately forget; this is life-changing truth of God.
What do you need to do to help your Bible study group be what Peter describes and not what Barna describes?