Those who suffer according to the will of God
“Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right” (1 Peter 4:19).
Why do we Christians suffer? I think of three reasons for that: (1) because of our sins, (2) because God wants to bless us, and (3) because we are living worthy of the gospel. Of course not all our sufferings are due to our sins. But somehow it is not easy to shake off the thought that many of our sufferings are the result of our sins. I think a good example of this is Prophet Jonah. Why did Jonah suffer? Why was the ship that he was aboard almost broken? (Jonah 1:4) The reason was that Jonah disobeyed God's command (vv. 2-3). Likewise, we too can suffer hardships when we disobey God's command. But I think it is dangerous to think that all our sufferings are all due to our sins. The reason is that the Bible doesn’t say that all the suffering is due to sin. I think a good example of this is Job. He didn’t disobey God's command like Jonah, but suffered tremendous hardship. Not only did he lose his ten children (Job 1:18), but he also lost all his possessions (vv. 12, 15-17), even though he was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil (vv. 1, 8). He also boiled from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head and he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes (2:7-8). The reason for this was not because of his sin, but because God allowed Satan to smite Job who fear God (1:12; 2:6). As a result, Job received the God’s blessing of coming forth as gold (23:10) and God’s presence of seeing God with his eyes instead of just hearing him with his ears (42:5). Like this in the Bible, we see Jonah who suffered because he disobeyed the command of God but also we see Job who suffered greatly even though he was blameless, upright, fearing God and turned away from evil. We also see in the Bible Apostle Paul, who went through so many sufferings even though he lived his life worthy of the gospel of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:27; 2 Cor. 11:21-31). So if for whatever reason we are suffering now, what should we do? I think we should connect our sufferings to the sufferings of Jesus Christ (Nowen). In other words, when we are suffering, we should meditate on the Jesus’ sufferings, so that we may find the purpose and meaning of our sufferings. Then God will help us to persevere and endure our afflictions. As we persevere and endure, we must experience the fulfillment of God's sovereign will that He wants to accomplish even through our sufferings.
In 1 Peter 4:19, the Bible speaks of those who suffer according to God's will. My focus of the meditation of the Word is that we Christians should suffer according to the will of God. Then who are those who suffer according to the will of God? I thought of five things:
First, those who suffer according to the will of God arm themselves with the same purpose as Jesus Christ who has already suffered in the flesh.
Look at 1 Peter 4:1-2: “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” The attitude of those who suffer according to the will of God live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men but for the will of God since they firmly believe that Christ has died on the cross once for all for our forgiveness and our relationship with sin was cut off. In short, those who suffer according to the will of God don’t follow the lusts any longer and lives the rest of the life on this earth according to the will of God. They no longer engage in man's lust (v. 2), lewdness, lust, drunkenness, debauchery, pleasure, and illicit idolatry (v.3). They don’t plunge with the non-believers into the same flood of dissipation (v. 4). Because they have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do (v. 3), now they live for the will of God (v. 2).
Second, those who suffer according to the will of God rejoice that they participate in the sufferings of Christ.
Look at 1 Peter 4:13 – “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Those who suffer according to the will of God aren’t surprised at the painful trial they are suffering, as though something strange were happening to them (v. 12). Rather, they are delighted to think that they are participating in the suffering of Christ in their fiery trials. They consider it as joy even though they are subjected to various trials (Jam. 1:2). In addition, those who suffer according to the will of God think that they are blessed when they are insulted in Christ's name (v. 14). The reason they can think and believe like that is because the Spirit of glory and of God rest on them (v. 14).
Third, those who suffer according to the will of God don’t be ashamed but praise God that they bear the name “Christian”.
Look at 1 Peter 4:16 – “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” Those who suffer according to the will of God aren’t ashamed when they suffer as Christians (v. 16). The reason is that they aren’t suffering because they live for evil human desire of the past (vv. 2, 3) such as murder, stealing or any other kind of criminal or even meddling (v. 15) but because they live in faith and according to the God’s will (v. 2) by receiving forgiveness of sins and having ceased from sin (v. 1). Therefore, they aren’t ashamed when they are suffering as Christians, but rather they glorify God in the name of Christians (v. 16). In other words, those who suffer according to the will of God obey the gospel as Christians (v. 17) and glorify God (v. 16).
Fourth, those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
Look at 1 Peter 4:19 – “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” Those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator God (v. 19). And they continue to do what is right (v. 19). Even though they are suffering as Christians, they don’t stop doing good for the glory of God. The reason is that they know that they are newly created for good works in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10). Therefore, they don’t grow weary of doing good (2 Thess. 3:13), nor do they lose heart in doing good (Gal. 6: 9).
Fifth and last, those who suffer according to the will of God believe that God will Himself perfect, strengthen and establish them after they have suffered for a little while.
Look at 1 Peter 5:10 – “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” Those who suffer according to the will of God know that suffering is God's grace. The reason they know and give thanks to God when they suffer as Christians they are participating in Jesus Christ’s suffering is because participating in the suffering of Jesus Christ is God’s grace (Phil. 1:29; 1 Pet. 5:12). Not only that, but they also thank God in the midst of suffering because they know that suffering is for their testing (1 Pet. 4:12). One of the testing is when they receive the testing through suffering, they will be able to serve His church as ones who are serving by the strength which God supplies (v. 11). Those who suffer according to the will of God who receives the testing through their suffering know that the suffering they receive as a Christian is only for a little while (5:10). They also believe that God called them to His eternal glory in Christ (v. 10). They endure and persevere in the midst of suffering, knowing that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to them (Rom. 8:18). In the process, God makes them strong, firm and steadfast (1 Pet. 5:10). Therefore, they said, "To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen" (v.11).
We Christians are suffering according to the will of God. And we who suffer according to the will of God must arm ourselves with the same attitude as Jesus Christ who has already suffered in His body. And we must rejoice in participating in the suffering of Christ. We shouldn’t be ashamed when we suffer but praise God that we bear the name “Christian”. We must continue to do good as we entrust our souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. We must believe that even though we will suffer a little while, God will make us strong, firm and steadfast. I hope and pray that the will of God will be fulfilled through the suffering we receive.