Lesson 72
Study of
First Peter Chapter 4
Review:
Therefore, those also who
suffer according to the will of God
- What kind of suffering is
in view here?
Next is the main verb and its
an imperative shall entrust their souls [Pres. mid.
imp] of (parati,qhmi) in the middle
voice as we have here it means to deliver over; to entrust for safe keeping.
- Present tense says this entrusting is
to be a constant pattern of our life as believers.
- Middle voice emphasizes that it is to
our advantage as believers to continually make the choices to entrust ourselves
to Him.
- Imperative, once again tells us that
this is a command to be followed in f2
We are to entrust our souls,
(yuch,) that is our life our function in f2.
Then
Peter describes who we are to entrust our life to a faithful Creator
- the adjective faithful (pisto,j) describes for us an aspect of the character of God, His
essence especially His veracity, truth and immutability would be in view.
in doing what is right. lit. in good doing (avgaqopoii<a) + en [instrumental of means]
- this describes the how we entrust to the faithful creator
our lives, how we can fulfill the command, that is to ensure that the nature of
your suffering is UNDSF.
Key to this is operating in
the will of God and that means to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, having a F/O/R of truth and a willingness to live out that truth
especially in the face of testing and suffering as we've seen in this context.
Summary!
1. When we are facing suffering, testing know
that it is God's will/desire that we pass that test and therefore that it would
remain UNDSF.
2. For this to be a reality we must learn to
relax under the often extreme pressure situations and use the resources of DVPT
available to us under E/H-S.
3. Once again this indicates that we must make
decisions (respond to the CMD) to entrust for safe keeping our life to the one who is faithful to
His Word, Jesus Christ.
4. The application of doctrine, that is faith
resting in the midst of the tests and suffering of life here referred to as
"by means doing what is right" which maintains your spiritual
integrity and momentum providing you with comfort. John
5. Principle we must understand as we consider
suffering that the important aspect for each of us is not what is the circumstance of suffering, whether its health, environment,
adversity, the CHP's or even the prosperity but the issue is your mental
attitude, what is the standard of your thinking in whatever suffering you find
yourself.
6. Suffering when oriented to, here that means
that we respond to the command to entrust your life to a faithful creator is
followed, and applying doctrine
consistently we will at some point come to realize the benefit of that
suffering.
Rabbit trail James 1:2
James
focuses his attention as he begins this letter on just what our mental attitude, our viewpoint should be as believers as we face
the pressures, the tests and often the tough circumstances of life which seems
to become increasingly more complex.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various
trials;
consider - h`ge,omai
- (Aor
mid Imp 2nd pl) - to think, to consider, to regard
(denotes a mental process - looking at the facts, adding them
up and making a proper application)
my brethren - avdelfoi, mou
- shows his equality with them as a fellow believer and expresses his deep
compassion for them.
- For the Israelite it denoted his physical heritage but for the
Believer it denotes his spiritual heritage as a result of regeneration and
indicates his new position in Christ.
Some
pertinent observations on joy in life.
#1. The source of JOY flows from the awareness of being
loved.
- As a believer you know that you
are loved in a very special way.
#2. Source of Joy is the acceptance
of one's situation as good.
- BELIEVERS are
able to do this because they know that whatever circumstances or experiences of
life they face, whether
pleasant or unpleasant can work for their advance, for their good.
Rom
The temporal aspect
is seen in the last phrase
when you encounter various trials,
encounter - peripi,ptw - to fall into,
among - Lk 10:30 he fell among robbers.
- it
draws the picture of one being surrounded by something - here by tests
various poiki,loj (adj.) - doesn't refer to #'s of
tests but to the diversity of the tests, many different types that will be
encountered in life
trials - n. peirasmo,j = trans. trials/tests when used of external;
- purpose
is to discover whether good or evil; strength or weakness in a person or thing.
1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter (are surrounded
by) various tests.
Summary 1:2
1. The Believer here is commanded to add up the facts, correlate them
with the doctrine resident in their f/o/r, regarding his/her situation, the
test in view.
2. Need to recognize, to know some facts about testing / trials
(peirosmos).
a. Tests, trials, suffering will come; they are a part of Ph-2, a part
of life, a part of CWOL.
b. They are not to be viewed here as discipline, punishment, a curse, or a calamity.
c. We should not be frustrated by tests/trials. [the
chp's of life]
3. Our response,
after adding up the facts, comparing them with our doctrinal F/O/R is to possess a MA of Joy, a
state of mind of Joy.
** This verse / context becomes more
pertinent to us as we experience the degenerative effects of aging &
growing old becomes a reality.
4. This joy is only
experienced through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life. Acts
- This is also seen
in Gal 5:22 as this MA of joy is one of the characteristics manifested in the
life of the Believer, from the fruit of the Spirit, using the illumined WORD in their
life.
5. Tests / suffering are
necessary for bel's spiritual growth, 1 Pet 1:6
Since it is necessary you have been distressed by various trials.
6. They are a means
God uses to point out our areas of weakness.
Just how weak? In
what areas?
- peirasmo,j gives
us the clue - used to discover strength or
weakness of something.
7. Tests &
suffering, the "all things" of Rom 8:28 are designed to bring us to
the goal, the objective God has for us in time.
Goal = experiential
sanctification, Christ likeness which is realized in the advancing and maturing
believer. Eph 1:4;
8. Rem: a test that
is not oriented to, flunked, reacted to by no application of BD converts that
test / situation into discipline.
9. Rem: Absolutely
no test is ever greater than one is able to handle.
1 Cor
10:13; a promise not often applied.
10. Key to right
response in any situation, the "all things" is to have God's vpt as
your F/O/R and to use it.