Nov. 11, 2026

Dear Friends,

I hope you can join us tonight for Bible study. Our Scripture is 1 Peter 4:14-19. Notes are attached. 

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

NOVEMBER 11, 2026

1 Peter 4:14-19

12 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. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also

rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are

blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a

murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be

ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 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?

18 And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while

doing good.

______________

v 14 – “If you are insulted …”

insulted – oneidizó, a strong verb, to upbraid, defame, reproach, revile

“for [en] the name of”— could be translated as “in” the name of Christ or “within” the name of

Christ; the idea is that of a person being reviled because they belong to Jesus and live under

his authority and carry his name

“you are blessed”

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you

falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they

persecuted the prophets who were before you.”—Matthew 5:11-12

Peter had heard Jesus teach this very thing—and now he lived it.

It’s the same word, makarios, and the message is consistent.

“Rejoice and be glad!”—Jesus said, “for your reward is great in heaven.”

and here

“because the Spirit of glory …”

Some form of the word “glory” appears hundreds of times in the Scripture

It is a hard word to define—especially when we mean the glory of God.

It means all of the holiness, splendor, magnificence, beauty, power, majesty, and honor that

belong to God. But somehow all of these attributes and others are represented by the light of

his Presence. God’s glory is often spoken of as something we see. It is manifested.

“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around

them, and they were filled with great fear.”—Luke 2:9

Here, the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of glory and of God.

And this Spirit “rests upon you.”

2

Peter did not say you will be filled with the Spirit—but that “the Spirit of glory and of God rests

upon you.”

This is a sign of God’s favor and blessing.

“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens

were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest

on him.”—Matthew 3:16

Some, mainly earlier, translations include: “On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He

is glorified” (NKJV) or words to that effect. This text in not found in the body of older Greek

manuscripts, generally considered to be more reliable than most of those available in 1611

and before.

v 15 – “But let none of you suffer …”

“murderer,” “thief” – legal implications, and one could hope that they were hyperbolic, but they

may not have been

“evildoer” – a more general category—and a serious one. See Luke 13:23-27.

“meddler”— allotriepiskopos: allotrios [not one’s own] + episkopos [overseer]. The only

appearance of this compound word in the NT. Busybody, troublesome meddler—basically a

minder of other people’s business. People who believe their calling is to police where they

have no calling or jurisdiction. Only four examples given, and this is one of them!

v 16 – “Yet if anyone suffer as a Christian …”

There is nothing to be ashamed of if a person suffers for Christ. Sometimes, Christians

themselves are quick to shun a fellow Christian who suffers for his faith—especially if that

suffering is instituted by the government or other power brokers. For example, Christians

who pray outside abortion clinics and are arrested; the baker in Colorado; Christians who

resisted what they considered to be unlawful during Covid; etc.

“let him glorify God in that name”—in the name of Christ, going back to v 14.

v 17 – “For it is time …”

more lit. “Because the time [kairos] to have begun the judgment from [apo] the house of God

[has come].”

“ … our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all

lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for

good works.”—Titus 2:13-14

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a

refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will

purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in

righteousness to the LORD.”—Malachi 3:2-3

“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”—

Hebrews 12:6

God does allow his own people to be sorely tested—and his purposes are for good.

In the OT, God often will use a neighboring, ungodly nation to discipline his own people, but

when that time has past, he then restores his people and punishes the ungodly nations that he

had used.

Evil sometimes has its day, but evil is under judgment.

“and if it begins with us …”

more lit. “moreover, if first from [apo] us, what will be the finish of those disobeying the gospel

of God?”

3

“If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!”—Proverbs

11:31

At the end of Job’s testing, God spoke with him with some severity. But then …

“After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My

anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me

what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and

go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job

shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your

folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz

the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the

LORD had told them, and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.”—Job 42:7-9

v 19 – “Therefore, let those who suffer …”

Suffering that is permitted by God is, in this sense, according to God’s will. Suffering is not

God’s ultimate or eternal will for any who belong to him.

more lit. “let them commit their souls to a faithful Creator in well doing.”

A desire for deliverance is, I think we can say, assumed. But meanwhile, we trust God with our

very souls—placing all in this hands—and we continue, as best we can, in well-doing.