When Ridiculed (and you will be ridiculed) -- Peter's words in 1 Peter 4:12-19

Trust God and stand tall, no matter what.

Bible Study Ideas and Commentary for 1 Peter 4:12-19

Persecution and ridicule come to all believers who live their faith openly. The Holy Spirit gives comfort and strength to remain faithful. We can stand tall during such times knowing that though God will bring judgment to everyone, He will be faithful to keep our soul safe and use these tests for our strengthening.

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you (4:12)

Getting Started: Things to Think About

It May Be Tougher to Be a Christian Than You Think.

Take a poll of your group: “How hard is it to be a Christian today?” I wouldn’t be surprised if most of your group members have been insulated from the all-out assault on Christianity (and Judaism) in the marketplace of ideas. Consequently, they might not appreciate what Peter has to say. But I can tell you that it’s getting nasty out there. And the younger you are, the more you have to deal with it. If you don’t think your group is aware of harsh ridicule of Christians, then do some serious prayer and hop on the internet. It won’t take long before you find things that shock you. Here is the nicest, cleanest insult I found.

Do any of your group members have stories about being ridiculed?

This Week's Big Idea

Why Do People Make Fun of Christianity?

The basic answer is the most important: people know they are turning away from God, and it makes them behave in strange ways. One of the ways people lash out is through ridicule. And if that were the only reason, then that would be okay. But there are other reasons, reasons we should really care about.

1. People who call themselves “Christian” say and do things that invite ridicule. It doesn’t matter if we disavow those people; we’re lumped in the same boat.

2. People who call themselves "Christian" have dumbed down or glossed over biblical teachings such that the outside world doesn’t respect our beliefs.

3. People who call themselves "Christian" have gone on the offensive in an offensive or insensitive manner that just reinforces stereotypes.

4. Most importantly, all Christians have behaved like hypocrites. And every time we do or say something contrary to our stated beliefs, the world takes notice.

So, What Should We Do about It?

It’s real simple—we should do what Peter tells us to do in these verses. We should live our lives as committed followers of Jesus Christ, praying for our persecutors and seeking to walk worthy of our calling in Christ. We should stand up for our beliefs—not just for our sake but for the sake of the kids who want to know how to answer their accusers—but we should not do so the way the world does so. Instead of lashing out with satire and brimstone, we should prepare carefully and reasonably, and speak with gentleness and respect. (See 1 Peter 3 again.) And if you want to go on the offensive, so to speak, be thoughtful and gracious. Tho not perfect, these movies are attempts to do just that. (And there are others.) It’s worth watching a quality apologetic film if anything so you can know how believers are trying to defend their faith in the world. They need solid Christian examples, not Christian hypocrites.

Where We Are in 1 Peter: A Call to Righteous Living, part 4

What’s the quickest way to derail a movement? Give them a healthy dose of resistance. If you want to know how committed someone is to a cause or an event, make it hard on them. I don’t remember if I shared this "pastor story" before—in Cold War Russia, a small group of Christians had gathered for worship. Suddenly, two armed men burst in and said, “If you don’t want to die for Jesus, you had better leave now.” After several people left, the men said to those who stayed, “Now that those hypocrites are gone, we can really worship.” My guess is there's a hint of truth to that tale.

The biggest disservice anyone can give in evangelism is to convince a potential believer that Jesus will make his life comfortably great. What happens the moment he has some sort of a problem? He blames Jesus. Or he questions his commitment. Or, worse, he thinks that God’s mad at him. I think you can use marriage as an illustration here: if an engaged couple believes that married life will always be great, then they’re in big trouble. Every marriage has “problems” because married people always tend to be humans. And eventually, one of those rocky patches will exceed the definition for what one of them considers to be normal. And if those two aren’t prepared for the hard times, they will end up with major doubts and discouragement and may even abandon their commitment.

Part 1: Expect Ridicule (4:12-14)

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Don’t be surprised. I think those are really important words. If you want to throw someone off or make him doubt his ability, surprise him. Satan is really good at surprising people. Peter could have said “brace yourselves” or “gear up”. When those early converts had been pagans, they were accepted by the culture, not opposed. Now, all of a sudden, they face serious opposition. That’s enough for anyone to question a decision. Think about people who call themselves “Christian” in America today, where Christians have enjoyed prestige. What will happen as the culture turns against us? Do you think that will surprise some church members? “I didn’t sign up for this!”? Peter goes on to call this a fiery ordeal. That does not have to mean a literal “burning at the stake” kind of thing, but it does indicate a “heating up” of persecution in a metaphorical sense. He treats it in the same way James did—whether it’s a test from God or a temptation from Satan, God has allowed it and wants to know how you will respond. This persecution is being used by God to test (or “prove”) those Christians’ faith. And this shouldn’t be surprising! In the workout DVD I use, the gal keeps saying “this isn’t going to be easy” “you’re going to feel this tomorrow”. She wants to make sure we understand that getting healthy is hard work, and it can hurt. “There is no magic pill” she likes to say. Well, the same is true in faith! Growing in faith takes work, commitment, and determination. To keep growing, you have to push through harder and harder challenges (more resistance—weight training or spiritual training). So no one should be surprised when things get hard!

Instead, Peter tells them to rejoice. And he takes them to the experience of Jesus. Jesus suffered (and died), but on the other side He was resurrected and ascended. Take your group to John 16:21, where Jesus talks about this very thing—He likens it to birth pains, which a mother forgets after the child has been born and instead rejoices. Believers can and should take that attitude. If we get to suffer with Christ now, how much sweeter will be the victory with Christ later? In John 15:20, Jesus reminded the disciples that no servant is greater than his master; if the master suffered, what should the servant expect? Jesus emphasized the negative connotation (you must be pretty arrogant to think you should be exempt from suffering!); later Paul and Peter would emphasize the positive (God thinks us worthy enough to suffer just like Jesus!). The revelation of His glory refers to the Second Coming. That day is coming! Use this illustration: two families have made countless sacrifices for athletic training for one of their kids. The two kids have also made countless sacrifices. One of the kids goes on to be an Olympic champion. One of them fails even to make it to qualifying for the national team. Put yourself in their shoes. One of those families is more likely to say that it was all a colossal waste of time and money. One of those families is more likely to say that it was all worth every penny and moment. Well, in Jesus, we are guaranteed a victory. When we see Jesus, everything that happened to us in this life will all be worth it.

The word for “ridicule” does refer to language. Yes, persecution can be physical, but verbal abuse qualifies as well (this is one of the reasons why people think Peter wrote this before the full-scale Nero persecution broke out). Obviously, Peter has the Beatitudes in mind here (Matthew 5). Read them together as a group! They’re designed to give hope to lowly people, like us. God Himself gives His approval through His Spirit. I think we should interpret that to mean that God makes His presence known when we need Him the most, but we should remember that the whole experience is a test. God has His reasons.

Part 2: Represent Jesus Well (4:15-16)

None of you, however, should suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a “Christian,” he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name.

I find it funny that Peter feels the need to include this, but I’m glad he did. Christians today need to remember this, too. If you get persecuted or punished for criminal or immoral behavior, that doesn’t count! You have to be very, very careful with how you say this, and you don’t call out specific examples when you’re in a group setting. Got it? So . . . If a Christian smoked for 30 years, he really shouldn’t complain against God when he gets cancer and suffers. If a Christian speaks very negatively to the people around him, he shouldn’t complain when they don’t treat him well. If a Christian gets high and mighty when Christianity is in political power, he shouldn’t complain about mistreatment when the tables are turned. And for goodness sake, if a Christian breaks a law, he shouldn’t complain when he gets caught! That’s not God’s fault! On the other hand, if a Christian does everything he can to live his life according to God’s will, and he suffers unjustly, then he should rejoice. Sadly, today we have to explain what “Christian” means (see below for more). There can be a difference between a person who calls himself a Christian and a person who is a Christian. A lot of people can claim to be suffering “as a Christian”. Ask your group: how do you know when you’ve suffered as a Christian? I think it comes back to motive. If you can look in your heart and say “I did this for the glory of God and the gospel of Jesus” then you’re good. But if you acted out of selfishness or anger or pride, then maybe you haven’t suffered as a Christian. Maybe you simply got what you deserved. God can also use that as a test. If we suffer for doing the right thing, God can use that to help us see how strong our faith has become. If we suffer for doing the wrong thing, God can use that to help us see where there is sin in our lives. We just have to pay attention.

Aside: History of “Christian”

You might find this interesting. The word “Christian” only appears three times in the Bible. Here (1 Pet 4:16), Acts 11:26 (the believers in Antioch were the first to be called “Christian”), and Acts 26:28. The Greek suffix -ianos was originally reserved for slaves. For example, the Caesariani were slaves of Caesar. Antioch was a major center of business and government for the Roman Empire, and it was heavily immersed in Greco-Roman culture.

Many scholars thus assume that pagans in Antioch (or even Jews who rejected the missionary message) came up with the name as an insult. Well, Jews probably wouldn’t have done anything to associate Christians with the Jewish Messiah, so that’s out. Pagans still probably didn’t care about them that much. And elsewhere Christians called themselves followers of “the Way”. Furthermore, the verb in Acts 11:26 is active, not passive. So it is quite possible that Christians in Antioch called themselves that as a way of associating themselves more closely with Jesus.

Here’s the problem with the insult theory. (1) Christians would have considered it a complement to be called a slave of Christ. (2) About 300 years after Christ, the suffix -ianos started to mean “little” or diminutive. That was in response to Christianity, when it became en vogue to be considered a “little Christ.”

I kind of like the thought that disciples in Antioch came up with the term for themselves, wanting to be distinguished from Jews (knowing that would bring persecution), and wanting to be known specifically as slaves of Christ. Good job out of them.

Part 3: Focus on the Creator (17-19)

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? And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So those who suffer according to God’s will should, while doing what is good, entrust themselves to a faithful Creator.

These are tough words (see below for a summary). After building his audience up with encouragement about the value in suffering, Peter drops a hammer of warning. This persecution that has come? That’s also a part of God’s judgment on us. There are several ways of reading this. (1) Christians who respond the wrong way to this persecution will be punished. (2) God is using persecution as His judgment on the church for their sins (like Jews and the Exile). (3) God is using persecution to separate “the wheat from the tares” in the church first. Or (4) God simply begins all judgment with the church, not in a negative sense, but because the church knows the most about God. I see truth in all of those, but I think it’s the last one. Peter has just talked about the Last Day; judgment is tied to that day. And judgment will be for everyone. Peter quotes Proverbs 11:31 to remind his audience of the challenge of salvation. I personally think this calls to mind what Jesus said in Matthew 19 about how hard it is for a rich man to enter heaven and then for anyone to be saved. Why? Because it is impossible for a human to do it; only God can make it happen. Even the righteous person is searching for a narrow road. What hope does a sinner—someone who disobeys the gospel—have? Absolutely none.

This is an argument from the lesser to the greater. Think: “if that test is going to be hard for the smart, disciplined, and well-prepared student, how do you think the yahoo student is going to do on it?” Just like the disciples said to Jesus in Matthew 19 “who then can be saved?” Peter gives us the same answer Jesus gave him: entrust yourself to God. Luke 23:46, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” So after all of that hard talk, Peter comes back around to words of beautiful encouragement: God will take care of you. Yes, persecution has hit. Yes, judgment is coming. And yes, it’s going to get really bad. But God is faithful; we can trust Him.

Do you know what happens if a piece of pottery or a precious metal is removed from the fire before it’s done with the process? It doesn’t bake uniformly or have all of the impurities removed, which means that it is just an accident waiting to happen. Don’t bail out of the “fiery ordeal” you’re going through. If you do, you won’t be as strong of a Christian as you will be on the other side. Instead, trust God that He knows what He’s doing. These ordeals are necessary! They make you stronger. They prove how much you’ve grown. Think of somebody you know who’s going through a real challenge to his/her faith (even somebody you’ve heard about through the news). Write that person an encouraging note. Think of yourself—what challenges are you facing? Your leader guide recommends memorizing a Bible verse or two. I think that’s a great idea; use 1 Pet 4:19 for starters. Let’s get in the habit of using God’s Word to get through our hard times.

Aside: Judgment in the House of God

If every believer goes to heaven, what’s with this judgment talk? Peter has earlier said that God judges based on truth, and He judges the secrets of a man’s heart. Read Matt 16:24-28, Rom 14:12, 2 Cor 5:10—Jesus and Paul verify that judgment comes to the house of God. What does that mean? We’re not exactly sure. We do know that the only “work” that makes a difference in salvation is believing in Jesus (John 6:29). This is in stark contrast with the prevailing Roman mythologies which taught something to the effect of crossing the River Styx for a court of judgment where pious deeds would be weighed against wicked deeds. Christian judgment is not like that. However, it is clear that God wants us to take seriously all of our behavior; whether this will be through rewards in heaven or simply through the process of examination, people will debate. But Jesus and Peter and Paul want us to know that we should not look at salvation as a “get out of hell free” card and then ignore our behavior in life. Behavior is our evidence of salvation.

Aside: Salvation in 1/2 Peter

Some folks have a problem with Peter because we don’t fully understand exactly what he means. The biggest issue is with respect to salvation. Like in this passage, Peter talks about being saved with difficulty even as a righteous person (as if the two are related). You might remember in Acts 2, Peter tells the crowd to repent and be baptized; soon after he tells them to “save themselves.” And you may already have noted that 1 Peter has seemed to connect our behavior with staying saved.

Realize that Peter is speaking in a different era to a different kind of person. They didn’t have a theological background for “prevenient grace” or a robust theology of the Holy Spirit. They understood life in terms of action. That’s not far off from how we talk today. When people want to be saved, we tell them what they have “to do.” Why? Because telling people to wait around until they think the Spirit has fallen on them doesn’t always compute. We understand that God must act in salvation, but the person desiring to be saved does not. Besides, I believe that desire was clearly put within them by God.

Remember that Peter is also the man who told the Sanhedrin that healing is available only in the name of Jesus; salvation is also found only in the name of Jesus (Acts 4). Rather, we should see Peter’s proactive approach to salvation as in perfect keeping with his active faith. As much as anyone, Peter connected faith with deed. Jesus wasn’t someone to believe in; He was someone to follow. Christianity wasn’t a belief system; it was a way of life. I think Peter would find an inactive faith to be no faith at all.