This entry concerns 1 Peter 4:17-19. I realize this title could be read two ways depending on who you think is doing the judging. Are we judging others or is God judging us? Read on and find out.
I am once again using a verse mapping technique and the TEND method (marieldavenport.com).
November 16, 2024 (Verse Mapping)
Prayer
Psalm 123:1-3
1 I lift my eyes to You,
to You whose throne is in Heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand
of their master,
as the eyes of a maid look to the
hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till He shows us His mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, O LORD have
mercy on us,
for we have endured much hardship.
Verse: 1 Peter 4:17-19
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" *
19 So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (NIV '84)
*Proverbs 11:31
From here I compared the NIV '84, the EHV, the ESV, and the KJV and looked up several words in their original language and found all the definitions for them.
Outcome:
It is good to be reminded that the path to Heaven for the Christian is not smooth. We have been told to expect a bumpy ride. There will be mountains to climb and valleys to go through. At the top of the mountains there will be beautiful views. At other times, it will feel like we are never going to get out of the valley. God is with us in the valleys and on the mountain tops.
Through all of this turmoil we seek to live our lives as God intends for us to live. We live out our faith in everything we say or do - or at least try to live it out in all we say and do.
We trust God to take care of our souls. To protect them here on earth until we go to Heaven.
December 8, 2024
1 Peter 4:17-19
Take Time to Pray:
Psalm 134:1-3
1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD
who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.
Examine: 1 Peter 4:17-19
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" *
19 So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (NIV '84)
*Proverbs 11:31
Notice:
What do you notice about God's character?
God is our Creator.
God is our Father.
God is forgiving.
God demands obedience.
What lessons are being taught? Is there a sin, promise, action, command or example being taught? Is there a warning being given?
Let's look at part of verse 18, "If it is hard for the righteous to be save." We have a big problem here because no one is righteous but God. Does that mean we're out of luck? Thanks be to God, no. We have Jesus Christ as our Savior. He gives us His righteousness. But being a follower of Christ isn't easy. So, having Christ's righteousness and God's saving grace isn't easy.
Verse 18 also says, "what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? Aren't we all sinners? Does this mean we are in trouble here? No, because again we look to Jesus Christ, our Savior. Jesus paid the price for all of our sins. Because of our faith, God sees us through the lens of Jesus. Through that lens, we are holy and sinless.
What does God want us to do as we suffer because we suffer here on earth? Verse 19 says, "commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." Trust God. Lean on your faith. Feed your faith with time in prayer and worship. Feed your faith with quiet time alone with God and His Word. Do good. Will our good works save us? No. Rather they are an outgrowth of our faith. They are done in gratitude for what Jesus has done for us. They reflect our faith to the world.
Do not take your faith for granted.
Do:
Consider how you need to respond to what God is teaching you?
Question:
What is the biggest stumbling block in my walk of faith?
What can I do about it?
Response:
For a long time I have thought that my eating disorder was my biggest problem. Not even close. The biggest threat to my faith is pride. Pride in my faith. After all, don't I do it all? Worship, pray, confession, daily time spent in God's Word. If only every Christian could be like me. Wham! There is my true monster - pride. That is a hard one to face. I mean I try to be humble. I give God credit for my good ideas and my strength. I will be the very first to say that on my own I am weak and any strength that is seen is from God. And I truly believe it. It isn't lip service. Still, I can be very proud of all the things I am doing right. They are good and they are things that God wants me to do. But they are not something I do for Him. They are gifts He has given me. What have I done with these gifts? Not much.
So, what do I do about this? I need to humble myself and bend to God's will. I have to find a way to push out of my comfort zone to share what God has given me. What has God given me to share? Some rather special children's books. I need to step up and find ways to share what God has given me. Yes it is terrifying, but it doesn't have to happen all at one. Baby steps are fine. As it has been said, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
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