As with all study of Scripture, in order to rightly understand the teaching of this passage we need to read it in its context. The theme that cycles throughout 1 Peter is that of suffering as a Christian (cf. 1 Peter 2:15, 18-25; 3:8-17), undoubtedly because his readers were suffering for their faith at the time of his writing. His point is that it may be, in the will of God, that Christians will suffer even when doing good, but we can take courage that blessings follow suffering for righteousness (3:9, 14).

One area of life in which we may experience suffering for righteousness is when we speak up for Christ (3:13-17). On this subject Peter makes the following points: (1) When we speak up for Christ, we must not fear our opponents (3:13-14); (2) When we speak up for Christ, we must honour Christ privately in our hearts (3:15a); (3) When we speak up for Christ, we must honor Christ publicly in our words (3:15b-16). In conclusion, though doing good (like honoring Christ publicly) may incur suffering, Peter’s exhortation in such case is that “it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (3:17). This exhortation leads naturally from the Christian experience of suffering for doing good to two examples for us to follow and be encouraged by, first…

I. Christ Suffered For Our Eternal Gain (3:18).

1. Christ suffered as the sin-bearer: “For Christ also suffered once for sins” (3:18a; cf. 2:21-25). “Also” connects back to the suffering that Peter’s readers were experiencing, for not only were they experiencing suffering but “Christ also suffered.” He was the only perfect man who ever lived and yet he suffered. He suffered blamelessly as our perfect example and encouragement. So, the implication is, if he, the perfect man, suffered, how much more should we expect and endure suffering. In one sense, Peter is saying to his readers, “Like you ‘Christ also suffered.’” But in another sense, Christ did not suffer like us, for his example of suffering for doing good goes far beyond anything that we could experience in our lives. Nonetheless, suffering for doing good identifies us as believers with Christ who also suffered for doing good.

Just as Peter’s readers were suffering, so they should remember the example of Christ who “also suffered once for sins.” That Christ suffered “once” emphasizes the fact that his suffering for sins took place at a specific point in history, that it was a definite event at which our redemption was accomplished, that such an event had never occurred before and that it will never happen again. Indeed, his work of redemption was only required once for all time because it satisfied all of God’s holy requirements on account of sin, as the author of Hebrews reminds us: “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:12, 14; cf. Heb. 7:27). Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice for sins was universal in its scope and sufficient in its efficacy for the sins of the whole world: “He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:2; cf. Jn. 3:16). His suffering was once-for-all because it had eternal validity – his death never needed to be repeated. That’s why he “sat down at the right hand of God” - the work was finished; he could rest in the place of highest authority and honor at the right hand of God. The Scriptures emphasize the necessity, the efficacy, the completeness, and the finality of Christ’s suffering on the cross. This is particularly brought into focus when he declared on the cross, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30). The necessary sacrifice for sins had been offered, completed, and accepted by God.

Christ suffered once for sins and in so doing he had suffered at the hands of wicked men and at the hand of God. At the hands of wicked men he had suffered the most egregious mockery, torture, and unjust death by crucifixion. On the cross, men hurled insults at him: “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matt. 27:40). Beside him two criminals were justly crucified, one of whom railed on him saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39). Similarly, the religious leaders, “⁴¹ the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, ⁴² ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God; let God deliver him now if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way” (Matt. 27:41-44).

This and so much more, Christ suffered at the hands of wicked men and he suffered also at the hand of God. On the cross he was abandoned by God, which abandonment was amplified by the isolation of the darkness: “⁴⁴ It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵ while the sun's light failed” (Lk. 23:44). At that moment of complete darkness, Jesus reached the apex of his suffering when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matt. 27:46). Yet, in that moment of abandonment by God, though he was completely alone in the darkness, Jesus expressed his complete control over, and voluntary submission to, what was happening to him, “calling out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last” (Lk. 23:46).

So, Christ suffered as the sin-bearer. And…

2. Christ suffered as our substitute. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” (3:18b). The comparison with the suffering of Peter’s readers is most vivid. We suffer often for our own sins, but Christ had no sins for which to suffer. Christ suffered innocently and unjustly, not for his owns sins but for ours, “the righteous” one suffered for us, “the unrighteous.” How unjust is that! The unjustness of Christ’s suffering far exceeded anything Peter’s readers suffered, as he, the perfectly righteous one, suffered at the hands of and on behalf of those who were thoroughly unrighteous. He suffered as our substitute.

If Peter’s readers were concerned about unjust suffering for their faith (and they were), should not Christ’s suffering alleviate their concerns. Peter is not saying that their suffering was insignificant. He isn’t demeaning or minimizing their suffering, but he is pointing out that any suffering that we may endure for the name of Christ is nothing compared to his suffering on our behalf. We deserved death under the condemnation of God, for “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Death was God’s just judgement for sin. But Christ’s suffering and death was for us, the unrighteous people who had persecuted and hated him without a cause. He died the death we deserved under God’s holy judgement for sin. Whoever heard of a righteous person bearing the punishment of an unrighteous person? Well, Christ did, “⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6-8).

The theology that Peter describes as “the righteous for the unrighteous” is often referred to as Christ’s substitutionary atonement or his penal substitution. As to Christ’s substitutionary atonement, we mean that in his suffering and death on the cross, Christ took our place in dying the death we deserved for our sins. The idea in the term “substitutionary atonement” (or, “vicarious atonement”) is that our sins and their penalty were transferred to Christ on the cross, where he died in our place so that we would not have to die but, instead, could live eternally. Thus, Christ, the sinless one, took our sins on himself. This is what our text here in 1 Peter 3:18a says and means, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous.” In addition to our text, many other Scriptures affirm this truth, for example…

2 Corinthians 5:15, “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake, he (God) made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.”

1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”

Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’”

Isaiah 53:6, “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Hebrews 9:28, “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Christ’s substitutionary atonement also includes what is often called, in theological terms, Christ’s penal substitution. Penal substitution conveys the idea of punishment, that in Christ’s substitution for us on the cross he bore God’s punishment for our sins, in our place. He took the punishment we rightly deserved and which he did not deserve at all (1 Pet. 2:24). The perfectly “righteous” one suffered once for the sins of the “unrighteous.” By doing so, Christ satisfied God’s holy and just requirements against our sin. Thus, of course, by Christ’s death and by faith in him we are forgiven, set free from the punishment for our sins, and reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10). Such is the manifold grace and unbounding love of God for us, that he would send his one and only Son to die for us when we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8).

3. Christ suffered for our reconciliation: “…that he might bring us to God” (3:18c). Only through the death of Christ on the cross can we be reconciled to God. This was the great purpose in Christ substitutionary atonement that (1) we could be brought near to God (Eph. 2:13), (2) we could have new life in him (2 Cor. 5:17; Jn. 20:31; Eph. 4:24; Rom. 6:4), (3) we could be united with God (Jn. 14:20; Jn. 17:20-23), (4) we could know God (Jn. 17:3; Phil. 3:10; Rom. 12:2), (5) we could be reconciled to God through the death of his Son (Rom. 5:10), (6) we could live for God (Mk. 12:28-31; Rom. 14:8), and (7) we could have fellowship with God (1 Jn. 1:3).

Through his substitutionary death on the cross, Christ opened up the way for us to come to God through faith in him. Indeed, there is no other way to God. Jesus himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14:6). The gospel is exclusive in its scope. By this I mean that Christ is the only way to God through the salvation that he offers by faith in his substitutionary death. This is an unpopular teaching today. Society wants us to believe that there are many ways to God through all kinds of beliefs and religious systems, but Jesus teaches otherwise. He said, 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14). All roads do not lead to heaven. Jesus is the only way, as the following Scriptures (and many others) affirm:

Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Rom. 10:9, “For, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

1 Tim. 2:5, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Through faith in Christ we now have access to God (Eph. 2:18-19; 3:12; Rom. 5:2; Heb. 10:19-22). Through faith in Christ we now have been been brought into a vital, living, intimate, and personal, and eternal relationship with God, such that we can now come into God’s presence with confidence, to his very throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). And all of this has been made possible because of Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross for us, by which he, as our Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5), has brought us to God.

Doesn’t that just thrill your soul? To think of who we were in our fallen, sinful, depraved condition and to compare that with who we are now in Christ is just beyond our comprehension. That God would provide such a remedy for our sins is incredible. Why would he bother? Because he loved us. Why would God actually give his one and only beloved Son to be our Saviour (Jn. 3:16)? Because he loved us. And by faith in Christ we enter into all the riches that are ours in him – (1) we are chosen in Christ (Eph. 1:4); (2) we are predestined for adoption (Eph. 1:5); (3) we are redeemed (Eph. 1:7); (4) we have an eternal inheritance (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:17); and (5) we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14). The great, eternal purpose, then, in Christ’s suffering for sins was our reconciliation to God, to “bring us to God.”

And the great means of bringing us to God was by “…being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit” (3:18d). He was “put to death in the flesh” but that was not the end. No! Our Savior rose triumphant over sin and death. “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). Death could not hold him in the grave. He was “put to death in the flesh” and subsequently “made alive by the Spirit.”

It was of paramount importance for Peter’s readers, these suffering believers, to know that Christ’s suffering did not overcome him. Though his one-time suffering culminated in his death, he was also resurrected “by the Spirit.” From this perspective Peter shows here the relative insignificance of temporary suffering in this world compared to the eternal joy and blessing in the world to come (cf. 2 Cor. 4:16-18). Jesus suffered even to death for the sake of our eternal, spiritual gain.

The contrast between “flesh” and “Spirit” here does not infer a material-immaterial dualism. Rather it is intended to convey the contrast between Christ’s physical death (“in the flesh”) by men and his physical resurrection to life by the Holy Spirit – i.e. the Holy Spirit was the divine agent of Jesus’ resurrection. While many translations render this word “spirit” with a small “s”, it seems unlikely from the context that this is correct. Jesus suffered on the cross and was crucified by men but God raised him from the dead by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:10-11; 8:11-13). The danger with rendering this word with a small “s” (referring to Jesus’ spirit) is that it could lead to the false teaching that only Jesus’ spirit was raised and not his body, that his resurrection was a spiritual resurrection not physical. But Scripture is clear that his physical resurrection is the guarantee of our physical resurrection at his return (1 Cor. 15:13, 16). Furthermore, this statement is a wonderful vindication of Christ’s sacrificial, substitutionary death. He died for us and God showed that his sacrifice was fully accepted and complete by raising him from the dead by the Holy Spirit. The Trinity, as always, acted in complete agreement and unity.

From the example of Christ who suffered for our eternal gain (3:18), Peter turns next to the example of Noah…

II. Noah Suffered For His Faithful Testimony (3:19-20).

Continuing his theme of suffering for doing good (from 3:8-17), Peter has reminded his readers of Christ’s example of suffering for sins, which he sustained in view of the great purpose “to bring us to God,” and which he accomplished through the great means of “…being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.”

In order to understand 3:19-20 correctly, we need to consider the entire section (3:18-20) together: “¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who in the past were disobedient when God patiently waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight persons, were brought safely through the water.”

The “also” in 3:19 echoes the “also” in 3:18, indicating a continuation but also a distinction in Christ’s activities. So, the sequence is this: “¹⁸ Christ also suffered once… was put to death… made alive” and “he also went and preached to the spirits in prison” (3:19).

There is much debate about and much difficulty over the translation and interpretation of 3:19-20. While I readily concede the interpretive challenges in this passage, and while I respect the conclusions of other preachers and scholars, and since I cannot examine all the issues and arguments here, let me briefly give you the results of my own analysis and research in seeking to answer the following interpretive questions...

1. Who were “the spirits in prison” to whom Christ preached? Various answers to this question have been put forward, the two most common being that “the spirits in prison” could refer either to fallen angels (cf. 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) or to unbelievers who had died and were in the place of punishment (2 Peter 2:9). After much study and consideration of the various arguments, the context and the language seem to me to indicate that “the spirits in prison” refers to unbelieving human beings in the place of punishment. Let me briefly support that conclusion.

First, grammatically the phrase “the spirits in prison” (3:19) is the antecedent (or, preceding referent) to the subordinate clause “who in the past were disobedient when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared” (3:20a). Grammatically then, 3:20 explains that “the spirits in prison” were all the people who refused to believe and obey Noah’s testimony, who consequently perished in the flood, and who are now “in prison” (hades) pending the final judgement. Or, to put it even more simply, “the spirits in prison” (cf. 2 Pet. 2:9) and those “who in the past were disobedient when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah” are one and the same. They are not, therefore, fallen angels as some scholars assert.

Second, “when God’s patience waited” also supports the interpretation that “the spirits in prison” refers to disobedient humans (not fallen angels), since it was for the repentance of human beings that God patiently waited in Noah’s day. “When God’s patience waited” conveys the extent of God’s grace throughout that entire time period of violence and corruption (specifically, “while the ark was being prepared”) despite the unjust response to Noah from the rebellious and unbelieving people. The phrase does not refer to an opportunity for the fallen angels to repent, for there is never a hint that fallen angels have a chance to repent.

Third, those who assert that the “spirits in prison” refers to fallen angels usually quote 2 Peter 2:4-6, Jude 6-7, and Genesis 6:1-13 in support of their position. But, in 2 Peter 2:4-6, Peter is simply citing various examples of God’s judgement on rebellion as follows: (1) God’s judgement on “the angels when they sinned” - presumably those who followed Satan in his rebellion against God - and who were cast out of heaven at that time to await their final judgement (v. 4); (2) God’s judgement on “the ancient world” who refused Noah’s invitation to enter the ark and who subsequently perished in the flood (v. 5); and (3) God’s judgement of fire on Sodom and Gomorrah because of their immorality (v. 6). Similarly, Jude 6-7 repeats these examples of God’s judgement on the fallen angels and Sodom and Gomorrah. But these passages by no means indicate that those fallen angels are “the spirits in prison” in 1 Peter 3:19. Further, Genesis 6 records (1) the utter depravity of the women who cohabited with “the sons of God” (fallen angels) and (2) the wickedness of man that was great in the earth, in response to which God declared, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man…So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land’” (Gen. 6:2-7). It’s important to note that God’s anger here was directed to the human race, not to fallen angels. Moreover, I don’t think that our passage in 1 Peter 3 is talking about the fallen angels anyway because nowhere are angels said to have disobeyed “while the ark was being prepared.”

Fourth, it was from humans that Noah suffered rejection, not from fallen angels. This is important since unjust suffering from other human beings is Peter’s theme.

Since that is who “the spirits in prison” refers to, then…

2. How and when did Christ preach to the spirits in prison? Again, the grammatical and literary unity of 3:18-20 is vital in answering this question. As to “how” Christ preached to the spirits in prison, we learn that it took place by the ministry of the Holy Spirit: “¹⁸ Christ… (was) made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ by whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison” (3:18-19).

As to “when” Christ preached to the spirits in prison, we learn that it took place “when God patiently waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared” (3:20a). This indicates that Christ preached to the spirits in prison through the agency of Noah by the same Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead.

While recognizing the difficulties inherent in this passage, my conclusion is that the “spirits in prison” refers to those same persons who were alive when Christ preached to them by his Holy Spirit through Noah, but who, at the time of Peter’s writing, were “in prison” awaiting judgement for their rejection of Noah’s testimony. This interpretation is consistent with Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 4:6, “For this is why the gospel was preached to those who are (now) dead (but who were alive at the time the gospel was preached to them), that though judged in the flesh according to men, they might live in the spirit according to God.”

The notion of Christ preaching through Noah is also consistent with Peter’s assertion in 1 Peter 1:9-11, where the “Spirit of Christ” is said to have been active in the O.T. prophets. Thus, Christ, by the Spirit, “went and preached” through the agency of Noah.

3. What did Christ preach to the spirits in prison through Noah? While the text does not specify the content of Noah’s preaching, nonetheless it clearly conveys the idea that during the entire period when Noah was building the ark, “God waited patiently” (3:20) for that sinful generation to respond to Noah’s testimony by repenting and entering the ark by faith (cf. 2 Pet. 3:9, 15; 1 Tim. 1:16; Rom. 2:4). Evidently, that was what Noah preached to them on behalf of Christ - a message of repentance and the offer of salvation. Sadly, despite Noah’s faithful testimony over many years, despite his obedience to God in constructing the ark, despite his faithful warning of a coming flood, and despite offering the people certain escape from judgement in the ark, that entire generation was “disobedient” to his message, rejecting his testimony and the opportunity of salvation in the ark. Consequently, everyone perished except for Noah’s family in the ark, “in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water” (3:20b).

In addition, we can infer what the content of Noah’s message was from three other passages…

a) 1 Peter 2:5 and 9, “⁵ … if (God) did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly… ⁹ then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.” Here we read that Noah was a “herald of righteousness.” A “herald” is someone who publicly proclaims important news. This is what Noah proclaimed publicly in addition to his silent testimony in building the ark. He was a righteous man who declared a message of righteousness – (1) that God “preserves” the righteous from his judgement and “rescues” them from trials; and (2) that God keeps “the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgement.” Indeed, Noah himself “found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8) and the only way to find favor with God is through righteousness on the basis of faith. Undoubtedly this is the message Noah preached – salvation by grace through faith (cf. Eph. 2:8-9).

b) Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Here we read that by his preaching Noah “condemned the world.” Through the Holy Spirit he preached the gospel to those who were facing God’s imminent judgement. He must, therefore, have told them about their sins and alienation from God and warned them that unless they repented and got right with God they would perish under the judgement of God, which judgement would take the form of a flood. Hence, they must flee to the ark for safety.

c) Luke 17:26-27, where Jesus also affirmed that this was the content of Noah’s message: “26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” Here, Jesus issues both a warning for unbelievers and a comfort for believers. The warning is that, just as God did not spare the unbelievers in the ancient world from the flood, so he will not spare unbelievers in our world from the final judgement. The comfort is that, just as God preserved the believers in the ancient world (Noah and his family) from the flood, so he will preserve believers in our world from coming judgement, the final outcome of which (condemnation for one and salvation for the other) depends entirely on one’s response to the gospel. This should surely motivate us to be faithful preachers of the gospel today.

From all this evidence, it seems fair to conclude that Noah preached the gospel. Since Christ was preaching by the Holy Spirit through Noah while Noah was building the ark (2 Pet. 2:5), then Noah was effectively Christ’s mouthpiece proclaiming that judgement was coming and that salvation could be secured by repentance and faith, demonstrated by entering into the ark.

4. When did Christ preach to them? Given my understanding of this passage as outlined above, this question is redundant. Christ preached to “the spirits in prison” through Noah by the Holy Spirit during the time that Noah was building the ark - not while Christ was in the grave or after his resurrection as some scholars assert.

Thus, Peter argues, Noah is another example of suffering for doing good, specifically for his faithful testimony concerning impending judgement.

Final Remarks.

The interpretation of these verses hangs on the context of the entire paragraph. Peter skillfully presents two illustrations in which his audience would readily recognize the similarity to their own situation. Together with Jesus and Noah, they (1) were a minority surrounded by hostile unbelievers; (2) were the righteous in the midst of the wicked; (3) bore a bold witness to those around concerning the reality of impending judgement; and (4) were spiritually empowered for their witness as God waited patiently for people to respond in repentance.

All of this is recorded by way of encouragement to Peter’s readers. Christ was vindicated after having suffered (3:18) and so was Noah (3:20). Similarly, they too would receive the approbation of God for enduring unjust suffering from unbelievers. Moreover, just as Noah was saved through the flood waters, so “baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you” (3:21a). This verse presents some interpretive challenges but, as with 3:19-20, it can only be properly understood when read in context. Just as, in the ark, the “eight persons were saved through water” (3:20b), so the antitype of baptism “saves” us in the sense of our identification with Christ (1) in his death and burial symbolized in immersion in water; and (2) in his resurrection symbolized in rising up from the waters of baptism (cf. Rom. 6:4). Just as Noah and his family took refuge in the ark, so we take refuge in Christ’s death and resurrection, by which we are saved from future judgement. Peter is not teaching the erroneous doctrine of baptismal regeneration; it’s the death and resurrection of Christ alone, which baptism represents, that saves us. Peter is teaching that the significance of baptism is not in its external, physical cleansing – “the removal of dirt from the body” (3:21b) – but in its internal, spiritual cleansing - “an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (3:21c). A “good conscience” can only be enjoyed through the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God, all of which is signified in baptism.

As further encouragement to his readers, Peter concludes this section (3:18-22) on a note of praise and triumph concerning the vindication of Jesus Christ, who “has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” (3:22). Just as Christ was vindicated for his unjust suffering by his resurrection and exaltation to a position of power and triumph, so we can take courage that, if we suffer for doing good, we also will be vindicated by our resurrection and glorification at the return of Christ. For Peter, glory always follows suffering. Even the prophets of old, who inquired into the coming salvation of which the Holy Spirit had testified, knew of the sufferings of Christ and “the subsequent glories” (1:11). And Peter himself was “a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed” (5:1). Similarly, his readers, too, will experience the “eternal glory in Christ” (to which they had been called) after they “have suffered a little while” (5:10). All of this provides the impetus for Peter’s readers to press on towards their ultimate glorification.

May this passage of Scripture also be an encouragement to us as we contemplate the centrality of the cross, specifically in connection with Christ’s suffering for sins. He suffered rejection on our behalf and for our benefit. When we try to speak up for Christ in the midst of a hostile world by “giving a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (3:15), when we feel the opposition and ridicule of unbelievers against the gospel, let us take courage that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to testify for Christ, even as God continues to extend his grace in waiting for people to respond in repentance.

Not many of us ever experience the “furnace of affliction” (Isa. 48:10) like Job, whose attack by Satan caused the loss of his family, his health, his possessions, the complaint of his wife, and the constant barrage of criticism from his three counsellors. Despite this egregious suffering, he never lost his faith in God but clung to his conviction that his circumstances were all under the sovereign control of God. In response to his wife’s advice to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9) he replied, “’Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job. 2:10).

In times of suffering and affliction, the words of the apostle Paul encourage us: “² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:2-4).

From the time that the gospel began to spread, Christians began to suffer opposition and persecution, even martyrdom, starting at Jerusalem itself (Acts 4:1ff.; 5:17-18; 7:58-60) and expanding outward to other parts of Asia Minor (e.g. Acts 12:1-5; 13:50-52; 14:4-6, 19; 16:16-24; 18:12; 19:23ff.; 20:3; 21:27ff.). As we have already noted in our previous articles in this series, undoubtedly that’s why the theme of 1 Peter is that of suffering as a Christian even when doing good (1:6-7; 2:12-12, 21; 3:14; 4:1-2, 14, 16).

All types of opposition to Christians and the gospel continues to be widespread throughout the world today, ranging from disinterest to mockery, from persecution to martyrdom. Whenever we proclaim the gospel we can expect opposition of some kind, whether it be indifference, ridicule, or outright hostility. Such was the case for Peter’s readers who were scattered across Asia Minor, which today we know, for the most part, as Turkey. Some of them were actually dealing with opposition at the time Peter was writing to them and others were facing the imminent prospect of opposition. The passage we are studying in this exposition continues that theme, specifically “Responding to Trials,” and the primary thrust of the passage is that for the Christian, suffering has divine purposes – our blessing and the glory of God.

Notice first…

I. The Privilege Of Suffering Is Identification With Christ (4:12-13)

1. Suffering now is assured (4:12). “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” (4:12). This continues the thought from 4:1 where Peter exhorts them to “arm” themselves, not with physical weapons but with the same attitude as Christ manifested when he suffered. Now Peter says, “do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you.” The implication is that suffering from trials will come, whether you are suffering now or whether it will come later. He forewarns them to not be “surprised when it comes upon you” for come it surely will. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. When “the fiery trial” comes, we should not be surprised because sufferings are part and parcel of Christian experience to the extent that (1) we “walk as Jesus walked” (1 Jn. 2:6); (2) we are salt and light in the world (Matt. 5:13-16); (3) we are “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20). When we do live for Christ, then we can expect negative reactions of all kinds and intensities from unbelievers.

So, don’t be surprised “as if something unusual were happening to you.” It’s not unusual but perfectly normal and common in our Christian experience. In fact, concerning suffering Peter says, “to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you might follow in his steps” (2:21). Jesus himself said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33). Further, lest you are concerned about how you can deal with this suffering as a Christian, the counterpart is that “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4). These are words of great comfort and encouragement despite present suffering.

“The fiery trial” is a term used here to describe the opposition that Christians face when they stand up for Christ and the gospel. In the context of metallurgy, the refining process reveals the strength of the metal (such as steel) and it removes impurities (as in the case of precious metals - cf. Prov. 17:3, Rev. 3:18; 1 Cor. 3:13; Malachi 3:2-3). Similarly, when we face “a fiery ordeal” for the sake of the gospel, such tests expose the strength of our faith and, in the process, remove spiritual impurities. Peter has already referred to this experience when he writes that “the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:7).

It’s not a question of “if” such testing will occur in our lives but “when” - “when it comes upon you to test you.” James makes the same point when he writes, “² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2-3). Again, not “if” but “when.” James points out that trials in the Christian life are inevitable, inescapable, unpredictable, individual (“various kinds”), and sustainable. That is not to say that all Christians suffer the same degree of opposition from unbelievers, but that we will inevitably face suffering of some kind for our faith due to our identification with Christ who endured the most egregious suffering of all – the perfectly sinless one (1 Jn. 3:5) was crucified for us in our place (1 Pet. 3:18). It’s all about union and identification with Christ. By suffering with and for Christ, we are united with him in his life, death, and resurrection, as Paul puts it: “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom. 6:5).

So what are we to do? Suffering now is assured but be encouraged…

2. Glorification later is anticipated (4:13). “Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ” (4:13a). This is the offset to Christian suffering now.

To “rejoice” in sufferings is a distinctly Christian response. Here Peter gives us the reason why we can and should rejoice in the midst of sufferings – “as you share in the sufferings of Christ.” Just as Christ suffered for doing good and for telling the truth, so we should expect and be willing to suffer and thus to share in his sufferings.

The apostle Paul makes the same point: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Col. 1:24). Paul associates his sufferings with the sufferings of Christ. As he continued the work of Christ (in establishing and developing churches) so his sufferings were a continuation of the afflictions vented on Christ himself. Indeed, all who minister in Christ’s name will similarly suffer with and for Christ. That’s how and why we can rejoice in sufferings. It’s all a matter of the right perspective. We can rejoice in circumstances that we would otherwise find burdensome because we are associated directly with Christ in his experience here on earth. So, rather than trials being a negative experience they become a positive experience by having the right attitude towards them and by having the right goal in mind. But this response to trials will only be true in us to the extent that it results from our identification with Christ and to the extent that we view our sufferings as sharing “in the sufferings of Christ.” In other words, we may experience trials as a result of our own bad choices or wrong associations, but the trials Peter is talking about are those that result from serving Christ and from experiencing the same opposition that he did, precisely because we are followers of Christ.

In keeping with Peter’s view of the Christian life, sufferings now are followed by glory hereafter. Indeed, this is God’s ultimate purpose in Christian sufferings - “so that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (4:13b). Suffering is never an end in itself for the Christian. Suffering is not the full picture of the Christian experience, nor is it the full reflection of our identification with Christ. There is so much more than that - there is always the end in view, namely, our glorification with Christ in his glory. This was the experience, he says, of the O.T. prophets who searched diligently into what “the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories” (1:10-11). Indeed, Peter himself was one who was “a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker of the glory that is going to be revealed” (5:1), referring probably to his experience at Christ’s transfiguration, death, resurrection, and ascension. Later in his epistle he says that suffering precedes and is eventually replaced by eternal glory: ^“10 After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Pet. 5:10-11). Just as we have been called to share in Christ’s sufferings so we have been called to participate in his glory.

The apostle Paul expresses the same truth: “¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18). It’s all in the perspective. If we have the end in view, then we can sustain tests and suffering by regarding them as a transient, visible experience beyond which lies an eternal, invisible reality into which we will one day enter. Again, Paul affirms the same truth as Peter that suffering with Christ precedes and is directly related to glorification with him (Rom. 8:17).

Thus, if we face trials now as the consequence of following Christ and representing him here and now, and if we have the long view that these earthly experiences are going to be replaced by eternal bliss, then we can face them with joy. It’s not that Peter or James or Paul are advocating asceticism or an unrealistic, dreamworld view of our existence. They aren’t saying that life’s circumstances are always joyful occasions, for sometimes they are decidedly not. Nor are they trivializing sufferings such as health issues, loss of employment, financial downturns, relationship conflicts etc. No, what they are saying is that you “rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed” (4:13). The former (sharing Christ’s sufferings) precedes and guarantees the latter (sharing in his glory).

So first, the privilege of suffering is identification with Christ (4:12-13). In so identifying with Christ, suffering now is assured and glorification later is anticipated - we rejoice in sufferings now and participate in Christ’s glory when it is revealed. Second…

II. The Blessing Of Suffering Is Glorifying God (4:14-16)

1. When you suffer for the name of Christ you are blessed, but not for doing wrong (4:14-15). Suffering for the name of Christ is often marked by the reproach of unbelievers. “ If you are insulted for the name of Christ…” (4:14a). If our lives speak to the unbelieving world that we belong to Christ and are seeking to live for him, then we will undoubtedly encounter opposition in the form of personal slander and ridicule. The “name of Christ” is a much slandered name, being used by unbelievers in cursing. It is much slandered because of who he is. Jesus said, “If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause’” (Jn. 15:24-25).

In his sinless perfection, Jesus condemned the utter sinfulness of humanity. That’s why they hated him because he revealed the truth about them, truth that they did not like. They would rather believe the lie of the devil than the truth of God in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14:6). This and many other of Jesus’ claims earned him the hatred of humanity, expressed in all its fullness at the cross. And because Christians are united with Christ through faith in him, the world also hates us. Jesus said to his disciples, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (Jn. 15:18). The hatred that was poured out on him when he was here on earth continues to be poured out now on believers.

Our identification with Christ makes us the target of the ridicule and hatred that Christ bore here on earth. Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24). By this he meant that Christian discipleship involves our thorough identification with him, even to the point of his death. Indeed, this was the whole purpose and motivation of the apostle Paul’s life - “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phil. 3:10).

Perhaps you are wondering at this point, if the Christian life is all about suffering, is it really worth it? Well, if that is what you are wondering, here is a word of encouragement: The Christian life is also the most blessed life. When you suffer for the name of Christ “…you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (4:14b). While we anticipate the future blessing of rejoicing with Christ “when his glory is revealed” (4:13), even now we enjoy the present blessing of the Holy Spirit who indwells us and empowers us to endure all our present sufferings for the name of Christ. Indeed, “the Spirit of glory and of God” rests upon us even now. Whenever we are discouraged by opposition to our faith in Christ and our union with him, we are blessed to receive special strength from the Holy Spirit and to even now experience and be assured of the glory that is to follow.

This word of encouragement is now followed by a word of warning. “But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler” (4:15). Peter wishes to qualify the blessing he has talked about in 4:14 by pointing out that there is a legitimate cause for suffering and there is an illegitimate cause. If we suffer as a Christian by faithfully bearing the name of Christ, that is legitimate and the blessing we receive from so doing is a special sense of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But if we suffer because of our own wrongdoing and not for the cause of Christ, then that is illegitimate. In that case we are not suffering for the name of Christ – we are suffering for our own sinfulness. So, don’t think that you can live any way you want and expect God’s blessing. And don’t interpret all suffering as proof that you are living a godly life, or even proof that you are a Christian, for such may not be the case. We are responsible to ensure that our behavior is a manifestation of our faith and a true representation of the one we serve.

So, when you suffer for the name of Christ you are blessed, but not for doing wrong (4:14-15). And…

2. When you suffer for the name of Christ you can glorify God, and not to be ashamed (4:16). “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” From an unbeliever’s point of view, suffering for the name of Christ is ridiculous, even shameful. Why would anyone do that? Why would anyone commit their lives to following a dead person, who, in their opinion, was an impostor, a fraud. As far as they are concerned Christ was a false messiah and following him puts you in the same category. That’s how the world views us. That’s why they heap dishonor and ridicule on us as Christians. They dishonored Christ and cast him out and they do the same to us.

But the reality for us is that it is an honor for us to join with Christ in his sufferings, not something to be ashamed of. It’s easy to be ashamed of the name of Christ, isn’t it? That’s how the devil wants us to react – to be so ashamed that we turn away from following Christ. That’s Satan’s primary goal, to rob us of the joy of our salvation and persuade us to give up Christ. On the contrary, how we respond to Satan’s attacks as a Christian gives us the opportunity to speak powerfully for Christ and thus to bring glory to God. When we defend Christ by declaring the truth about him and his saving work on the cross, we bring glory to God. When we offer full and free salvation to those who despise us, we show the love of God to our neighbor and that brings honor to the name of Christ. In so doing we are bring glory to God “in that name.”

We can only act in someone else’s name when that person has delegated to us the authority to do so. We have been delegated by Christ the authority to speak and act in his name. This eliminates, of course, any word or deed that is not for his honor. You cannot act in someone else’s name while, at the same time, dishonoring that person or dishonestly representing him. To act in the name of Christ is to act on his authority as his representative in the world, where we are his ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20).

So first, the privilege of suffering is identification with Christ (4:12-13). Second, the blessing of suffering is glorifying God (4:14-16). Third…

III. The Purpose Of Suffering Is For Judgement (4:17-18)

At first glance, this principle may seem strange to you. But it answers the question about where God is in all this suffering and what God’s purpose is in all of this. The answer is that God’s purpose is to expose the truth about everyone - believers and unbelievers – and he does so by way of the purification of believers and the condemnation of unbelievers. There are, then, two types of judgement…

1. For the godly, judgement now is for the purpose of purification (4:17a). Continuing his thought from 4:16, Peter continues: “For it is time for judgment to begin at the house of God” (4:17a). In view of the distinction Peter has already made between (1) suffering as a Christian in doing what is right, not for doing what is wrong; and (2) suffering to bring glory to God, not to be ashamed, he now explains how that distinction is revealed and judged. For Christians now, judgement takes place in the context of the church, “the house of God,” and its purpose is our spiritual purification. Judgement takes place now at God’s house because that’s where God dwells, and where God dwells must be kept absolutely holy because God is holy (Lev. 11:44). That’s why God is exercising judgement now in the lives of Christians, his holy people (cf. 2:9) and one way he does so is by “the fiery trial when it comes upon you” (4:12). These trials act as a spiritual refining process, the purpose of which is to expose any impurities and remove them, so that the people of God are made fit for God’s presence both now in the church and in the future at the judgement seat of Christ, where judgement is not for the condemnation of their persons but for the commendation of their works that have been done for Christ.

The positive aspect to suffering in the Christian life is that God is not absent when they occur - quite the opposite. God’s purpose in our trials is for our good. We are helped to stand up under such pressure when we know that God’s intended outcome from it is that our faith be stronger and purer than it was before. That is God’s good purpose to test the genuineness of our faith, the purity and strength of our faith, for it is only when pressure is exerted that our faith is exposed for what it really is – strong or weak, pure or impure. When we see God’s purpose in trials, then we can respond with the distinctly Christian response – we can “rejoice with great joy.”

Thus through suffering, God’s judgement in the church now has as its purpose the exposure and elimination of any known sins in order to purify us spiritually and render us fit to stand before him now and in the future when Christ comes again.

So, for the righteous, the first purpose in these sufferings now is the judgement of purification, but…

2. For the ungodly, judgement later is for the purpose of condemnation (4:17b-18). This judgement of unbelievers has a radically different purpose and result from that of believers. Concerning this judgement, Peter asks two related questions…

Question #1: “…if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (4:17b). The implication in this question seems to be that the suffering that Christians endure now comes from unbelievers. So, if Christians must endure such trials and suffering now from unbelievers in God’s refining process, what will be “the outcome” of the judgement process for them, “those who do not obey the gospel of God”? While Peter does not answer his own question here, he does give us some insight into the answer in 4:5, but Paul answers the question directly: “⁶ God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed” (2 Thess. 1:6-10).

The judgement of unbelievers will take place at a future time before the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15) where Christ will sit as the judge of all the earth. That judgement will not be for commendation of their persons or works, for there will be none. Rather, that judgement will be for condemnation of their persons and their works, all of which were done for self, sin, and Satan.

Question #2: “And ‘If the righteous is scarcely saved what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’” (4:18). Quoting from Proverbs 11:31, Peter highlights the difficulty, humanly speaking, of God’s people being saved. It isn’t that believers are “scarcely” saved in the sense that they only just make it into heaven by the skin of their teeth at the last moment, but in the sense that the righteous are saved “with difficulty” due, in this context, to the suffering they endure (cf. 4:14).

God’s holiness is so pure and so demanding that the righteous are saved from his judgement by the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross (not their own efforts) and they are purified for his presence through the “fiery trial” that he inflicts on them. Nonetheless, though these trials are severe and painful, they are temporary and not an experience of which to be ashamed, but one through which they can bring glory to God. In other words, their sufferings have a redemptive objective.

But what about “the ungodly and sinner” who are not sheltered by the blood of Christ on the cross, who have rejected the gospel, and who have ridiculed Christians for their faith? What will happen to them? Well, that’s a different story altogether. It might look now as though unbelievers will escape God’s judgement, but such is not the case. The reckoning day is coming when unbelievers will face God’s eternal judgement at the last day, a judgement which will be enacted by Christ himself on those who have rejected him and who, in this context, have expressed their rejection of him through ridiculing and persecuting his redeemed people. They do not face fiery trials now but they will face the eternal fire of God’s judgement later when they will be banished eternally from the presence of God in the lake of fire.

We have already studied three good purposes that God has in passing us through sufferings and trials: First, the privilege of suffering is identification with Christ (4:12-13) – that’s good. Second, the blessing of suffering is glorifying God (4:14-16) – that’s good. Third, the purpose of suffering is for judgement / purification (4:17-18) – that’s good. And fourth…

IV. The Lesson In Suffering Is To Trust God (4:19)

This also is one of God’s good purposes in suffering. Whenever we face suffering for doing good in the name of Christ, there are two principles we need to keep in mind…

1. Trust God’s will (4:19a). “Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will…” Despite all that you may be passing through today, keep in mind that your suffering is according to the sovereign will of God.

Knowing God’s will is one thing; trusting God is another. Many Christians struggle with this whole concept of knowing God’s will. While it is beyond the scope of this exposition to delve into it, let me just say that we can discern God’s will as it is revealed in his word, through prayer, through the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit who indwells us, through our transformed minds that are able to discern the things of God (1 Cor. 2:6-16), and through God’s providential ways with us. God has not left us helpless. In fact, he has given us all that we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). Our responsibility is to trust him to carry out his will in and through us.

While we might think it strange that any suffering or hardship is “according to God’s will,” when you stop to think about it, the knowledge that God has determined our circumstances (whether easy or hard), and that he has established the parameters for those circumstances should give us comfort. Whatever trials we confront in our testimony for the name of Christ, we can take comfort that those trials will never run out of control nor will we ever have to bear them alone. We can be encouraged and strengthened in our faith by the knowledge that our trials enable us to identify with Christ in his suffering, glorify God, purify us for his presence, and teach us to trust him. Our trials are for our good under the hand of our omniscient, omnipotent, all-loving and good God.

You can be assured that God is with us in suffering for the name of Christ and that whatever trials we may endure for the sake of Christ are according to God’s sovereign will. By such testing we discern the will of God, Paul says (Rom. 12:2). Submission to God’s will keeps us going, enables us to endure when things get tough. That’s what motivated the apostle Paul. He recognized that he had not yet obtained the goal – he was still on the journey: “¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12-14).

As Christians, we know that suffering for the name of Christ is not just a coincidence of circumstances. Suffering for the name of Christ does not occur by some sort of impersonal force or fatalism. No, we suffer for the name of Christ “according to God’s will.” This should be an encouragement to us just to know that God is in control. He establishes the parameters of our trials and tests - their extent and their duration - and he determines their good purpose. Every good thing we enjoy and every difficulty we face come from the hand of our all-loving God whose every act is for our good and blessing. James reinforces this when he writes, “² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). Similarly, he says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). So, James does not emphasize the trials to the exclusion of the blessings. No, both are part and parcel of the Christian life and both come from God’s good and purposeful will. God has a purpose for our good in every circumstance of life that we encounter and he brings them into our lives for us to learn and grow in our faith and in our understanding of him and his ways with us.

2. Trust God’s faithfulness (4:19b). “…entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” You can entrust your soul (life) to him. Through the finished work of Christ on the cross and your faith in him, your soul is eternally secure. You can count on it, no matter what! Your trials now may be long and dark, but your vindication is near and totally secure. The One who made us also knows all about us and cares for us more than we will ever know. We can “entrust” our lives to him for his safekeeping as our “faithful Creator.” Any suffering that we may endure for Christ’s name can be endured when we know that behind all these events is our faithful, good, and kind God. Remember, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Any sufferings that we experience in the course of “doing good” will always be accompanied by his sustaining grace.

Our tendency during tough times in our lives is to figure a way out, to rely on our own ingenuity to solve the problem, to take a different path in order to terminate the suffering. But Peter exhorts us to “entrust our souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” We must not abandon doing the right thing in order to escape the trial. Whatever our circumstances may be, we must always pursue “doing good.” Similarly, the apostle Paul encourages the believers in Galatia: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9). Giving up when things get rough is not an option for Christians. Through the empowerment of the Spirit and encouragement of God’s word and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are enabled to face each trial as it comes and so to honor and serve our “faithful Creator.”

The prophet Isaiah reminds us of God’s faithfulness: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10). In every circumstance, God is with us as he strengthens us and enables us to persevere, thankful in the knowledge that “for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Let us never forget that truth. Let us learn to trust his faithfulness. Sometime we wonder how suffering for our faith can possibly be for our good. But the truth is that it is only through such testing that our faith is strengthened and revealed to be genuine. Indeed, throughout such experiences God pours his grace into our hearts to keep us from wandering or becoming discouraged, as the apostle Paul reminds us: “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).

Final Remarks

Our theme throughout this study has been “Responding to Trials” and our thesis has been that for the Christian, suffering has divine purposes – our blessing and the glory of God.

None of us likes suffering, whether physical or spiritual. But the reality is that suffering as a Christian is inevitable because the world “hates” us even as it hated Christ (John 15:18-25). So, to the extent that we are faithful to him, we can expect opposition, ridicule, enmity, and even persecution for the name of Christ. But lest we think that suffering as a Christian is random and purposeless, our passage in 1 Peter 4:12-19 reminds us that sufferings have a distinct purpose in the Christian life. They “come upon (us) to test (us)” (4:12) in order to grant us the privilege of sharing in Christ’s sufferings (4:13; Phil. 1:29) and thus bringing glory to God (4:16). Trials of all kinds in the Christian life serve the ultimate purpose of purifying us from the sinful contamination of the world (1 Jn. 2:15-17), conforming us more and more to the image of God’s Son (Rom. 8:29), and making us fit for God’s holy presence (Lev. 11:44; 1 Peter 2:9-12).

So, with this in mind, let us confidently “entrust our souls to (our) faithful Creator” knowing that we are eternally secure in Christ. Let us press on in faith without doubting (James 1:6). As Paul exhorts us, let us “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).

Even in suffering, God’s ways are for our good as we have learned from this study. Remember that…

I. The Privilege Of Suffering Is Identification With Christ (4:12-13).

1. Suffering now is assured (4:12).

2. Glorification later is anticipated (4:13).

II. The Blessing Of Suffering Is Glorifying God (4:14-16).

1. When you suffer for the name of Christ you are blessed, but not for doing wrong (4:14-15).

2. When you suffer for the name of Christ you can glorify God, and not be ashamed (4:16).

III. The Purpose Of Suffering Is For Judgement (4:17-18).

1. For the godly, judgement now is for the purpose of purification (4:17a).

2. For the ungodly, judgement later is for the purpose of condemnation (4:17b-18).

IV. The Lesson In Suffering Is To Trust God (4:19).

1. Trust God’s will (4:19a).

2. Trust God’s faithfulness (4:19b).

As we close this study, let us be encouraged by these verses:

Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Hebrews 12:1-2, “¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (cf. 2 Thess. 3:13).

Ephesians 3:20-21, “²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me” (Col. 1:24–29).

How can we become effective ministers of Christ? How can we become an effective church?

When I was in seminary taking a homiletics class, I was told to pick a pastor I would like to model in his preaching. This is not only good practice for those studying preaching, but for any type of job or ministry. We learn by modeling others and we teach by example.

As far as ministry, there may be no better model to emulate than Paul. In many ways, Paul became Christ’s greatest apostle as he reached not only Jews but also much of the Gentile world.

In fact, God was so pleased with Paul’s ministry that he chose to set him as an example in the Scriptures of somebody to imitate. First Corinthians 11:1 says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Philippians 3:17 says, “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.”

Paul is a model, and his ministry should be our constant study. In this lesson, we will learn characteristics of effective ministers by studying Paul’s ministry to the Colossian church.

Big Question: What are characteristics of effective ministers as seen through the model of Paul in Colossians 1:24–29?

Effective Ministers Are Willing To Suffer For The Church

“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church” (Col.1:24).

Interpretation Question: What does Paul mean by “fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions”?

One of the things that must stand out is Paul’s willingness to suffer for Christ’s church. Now it should be noted, when Paul says he will fill up in his flesh “what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,” he is not talking about Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Christ’s work was perfect and complete. The writer of Hebrews said this:

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God (Heb. 10:11–12).

Christ offered one sacrifice for sins and then he sat down, showing his offering was sufficient, unlike the priests before him. However, one should be aware that some have used this passage to teach the need for us to work or make up for what was lacking in Christ’s death to earn salvation. Look at what John MacArthur said:

Roman Catholics have imagined here a reference to the suffering of Christians in purgatory. Christ’s suffering, they maintain, was not enough to purge us completely from our sins. Christians must make up what was lacking in Christ’s suffering on their behalf by their own suffering after death. That can hardly be Paul’s point, however. He has just finished demonstrating that Christ alone is sufficient to reconcile us to God (1:20–23).¹

What is Paul then referring to when he says filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? There are two aspects to this.

(1) Paul is referring to suffering the afflictions Christ would suffer if he was still on the earth. Christ said this to his disciples in John 15:20: “‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”

Christians suffer the persecution that their master would if he was still on the earth. The more our life models his, the more we will receive the same animosity he did.

(2) Or, Paul is referring to how Christ suffers when any believer suffers. The body cannot feel pain that is not sensed by the head. Paul was very aware of this reality for he persecuted the church in his pre–conversion days. When Christ appeared to him, he said this in Acts 9:4–5: “‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’”

Though Paul was persecuting the church, Christ suffered when the church suffered since he is the head of the body. While the church awaits the coming of Christ and his kingdom, we will, by necessity, be filling up what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings.

Believers Are Called To Suffer

This should be the attitude of every minister. He knows he must drink a cup of suffering until the time of Christ’s return, and he drinks it willingly. He doesn’t desire it or ask for it, but he submits to the will of the Father. Remember Christ’s words before he went to the cross: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

In speaking about suffering, Paul said to Timothy, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:3). Each Christian, like a good soldier, has been called to suffer for Christ. In fact, Christ did not hide this truth when he called us to follow him. He said,

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26–27).

This is an attitude every Christian must foster as we each will suffer as disciples of Christ in some way or another. Colossians is a prison epistle; therefore, when Paul writes this letter he is under house arrest in Rome, chained next to a Roman guard twenty–four hours a day. He willingly suffered for Christ and his church as he sought to spread the gospel to every part of the ancient world. An effective minister of Christ is willing to suffer for Christ’s body. Suffering will always be present, and those who choose to avoid suffering will not be effective for Christ.

Jesus taught something similar about his death. He said: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).

If Christ had not died, he would have enjoyed the riches of heaven by himself. But through his death he brought many people to heaven. Certainly, this is true of us as well in some sense. Listen to this quote from The Believers Bible Commentary:

If we refuse to be corns of wheat—falling into the ground, and dying; if we will neither sacrifice prospects, nor risk character, and property, and health; nor, when we are called, relinquish home, and break family ties, for Christ’s sake; then we shall abide alone. But if we wish to be fruitful, we must follow our Blessed Lord Himself, by becoming a corn of wheat, and dying, then we shall bring forth much fruit. ²

A Christian can choose to live a life avoiding all sacrifice and suffering. They can choose to not get involved with others’ problems. They can choose to not bear the weight of serving or the scorn from being bold for Christ, and yes, they may go to heaven, but they will go to heaven alone without producing much fruit.

All effective ministers of Christ are willing to suffer for the body. Are you willing to suffer?

Application Questions: Why is suffering necessary to truly have a transformational ministry?

Effective Ministers Are Servants Of The Church

“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness” (Col. 1:25).

Paul said he had become the church’s servant by the commission of God. This is true of all ministers who are effective. In fact, the word minister means servant. This is what Jesus said about himself: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Every effective minister must be a servant. This would seem to be fundamental to ministry; however, we should be aware that not all ministers are truly servants. It is very possible for ministers to seek to be served in the church instead of serving. In fact, we see this with most people who attend church. When a person starts going to a church, typically the first thing on their mind is, “How can this church serve me? How is the worship? How is the preaching? How is the youth ministry? What can I get out of this church?”

Most Christians are consumer-minded. They are thinking about what they can get and not what they can give. This can also happen with those who are serving in ministry in the church. It is very easy for ministry to become about us.

In Luke 22, the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. This consumer mindset had started to creep into Christ’s apostles as well. They were starting to serve Christ primarily for what they could get. Look at how Christ rebuked his disciples. He said,

The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves (Luke 22:25–27).

Jesus said, even though the world’s model of leadership is about ruling and being served, it will not be that way with his disciples. The greatest among them should be like the youngest. In that culture, the older person was more exalted than the younger. The younger person would do all the dirty work and serve everybody in the house. Christ said that’s not how it would be with his disciples. They would be servants.

A fitting story about the American Revolution teaches this same principle.

During the American Revolution, a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions at them but making no other attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, the leader said with great dignity, ‘Sir, I’m a corporal!’

The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, ‘If you need some more help, son, call me.’ With that, the Commander–In–Chief, George Washington, remounted his horse and rode on.³

In this scenario, the corporal used his rank to order people around without being willing to get dirty and do some work. However, George Washington, the President of the United States at that time, chose to use his leadership to set the example by serving others. This is what Christian ministers do. They set the example by serving.

Listen to what Peter said to the elders of the churches in his epistle:

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:2–3).

After learning this lesson from Christ, Peter told the elders to not lord over those God had given them. In this passage, Peter actually gives three vices common to leadership. Leadership can commonly fall into the vice of being lazy instead of willingly serving. They commonly fall into the vice of being greedy for money instead of eager to serve, and they commonly fall into the trap of lording over people instead of being examples to the flock. Peter had learned his lesson, and so must each of us as ministers of Christ, if we are going to be effective. We must be servants of the church instead of seeking for the church to serve us.

How are you serving the church? How has God called you to serve the church?

Application Question: What are characteristics of a good servant?

1. A Good Servant Is Always Seeking The Interests Of Others Before His Own.

Listen to what Paul said: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4). Our questions should not be, “What do I want or need?” and “How can I fulfill my needs?” but “What does the church need?” and “How can I help fulfill those needs?”

2. A Good Servant Is Willing To Perform The Menial Or Despised Tasks.

Some people always seek to do great things but are never willing to do the little things. God finds the shepherd doing his best to honor God in the menial task of taking care of sheep, and he exalts him to do the great task of shepherding his kingdom as seen in the story of David. Look at what Christ will say to the servants who were faithful with their talents at his second coming: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness’” (Matt. 25:23).

Those who are faithful with a few things, even in what seem like very small tasks, God will put in charge of many things. Certainly, we have a great example of this in Christ. When there was no one to wash his disciples’ feet, he got down on his knees and did the chore of a slave as he washed the feet of his disciples (John 13). Good servants are willing to do the small tasks.

3. A Good Servant Is Willing To Serve In Secret Without Applause.

“Jesus said this: ‘But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you’” (Matt. 6:3–4).

Christ called for his disciples to practice serving in secret. They should only care about the applause of heaven and not of men. Are you commonly seeking the applause of others? Or, is the applause of God enough (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5)? This is a servant mentality—caring exclusively about the master. Listen again to Christ’s instructions to the disciples: “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (Luke 17:10).

4. A Good Servant Knows And Uses His Gifts.

Listen to Peter’s instructions:

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:10–11).

Each of us has at least one spiritual gift. We must know our gifts and employ them in service to Christ and his church. Certainly, at times God will call us to serve outside of our gifts, and when he does, he provides grace. But we must know our specific gifts so that we can faithfully use them as we see the need. In what ways is God calling you to be more of a servant?

Application Question: In what ways is God calling you to become more of a servant of Christ’s church?

Effective Ministers Are Faithful Stewards Of The Word Of God

“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:25–27).

Paul declared in this text that he was a faithful steward of the Word of God. The word “commission” used in verse 25 can also be translated “stewardship” as in the English Standard Version. Listen to what it says: “Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known.”

Paul was a faithful steward of God’s Word. A steward was a servant placed over the house of a master. While the master was gone he would oversee everything in the house. Paul declares himself and the other apostles as stewards of the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 4. Listen to what it says: “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:1–2 KJV).

While Christ is away from the earth, he has called us, just as he did the apostles, to be stewards of his words and his mysteries. And one day when the master returns, we will give an account of our faithfulness in studying and teaching the mysteries of God. We learn about this in 2 Timothy 2:15. It says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Who will be the stewards who are approved? It is those who have done their best in studying and correctly handling the Word of God.

Are you being a faithful steward of God’s Word? This is a quality of effective ministers.

Observation Question: According to Colossians 1:25–27, what are characteristics of a faithful steward of the Word of God?

1. Faithful Stewards Of God’s Word Seek To Present Its Fullness.

“To present to you the word of God in its fullness” (Col. 1:25).

This was something Paul had previously mentioned. In speaking to the Ephesian elders in the book of Acts, he said, “Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God” (Acts 20:26–27).

When Paul said he was free of the blood of all men, he saw himself with the same responsibility of an Old Testament prophet. God once told Ezekiel that if he was called to speak to a man in error and Ezekiel refused, the blood of that man would go on Ezekiel’s head (Ezek. 33:1–11).

Paul realized the same was true for him. If he did not teach the whole counsel of God, or if he hid certain doctrines for fear of anger or being rejected by men, God would place their blood on his hands because he did not speak. It is the same for us. If we do not speak the whole counsel of God to those around us, their blood will be held against us.

Now some might say, “Certainly this responsibility to teach the whole counsel of God only applies to preachers and teachers, right?” Absolutely not. This is the responsibility of every Christian. Look at what Christ told his disciples, and by extension us, in the Great Commission:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matt. 28:19–20).

When Christ calls his disciples to “teach them to obey everything” he had commanded, it includes the revelation of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Christ was the fulfillment of the law and his apostles continued his teaching.

Know And Teach

• This puts a burden on every Christian to know the whole Word of God and not just the Psalms when they get depressed, and not just the gospel, but the entire revelation of the Word of God through in–depth study. This means we must all have continual training. This training may be informal through personal devotions, the church, and small groups, or formal training through Bible schools and seminaries. We must be trained to be prepared to teach.
• It also puts a burden on every Christian to teach the whole counsel as they make disciples for Christ. Each Christian must be a teacher, whether that be from the pulpit, in small groups, or in one–on–one situations.

Faithful stewards of God’s Word teach the Word in its fullness. Therefore, they must study to know its fullness, and they must seek opportunities to teach it.

What else does the faithful steward do?

2. Faithful Stewards Of God’s Word Share The Mystery With Everybody.

The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:26–27).

One of the responsibilities of faithful stewards of God’s Word is sharing the mystery with everybody. The word “mystery” used in the New Testament has the connotation of something previously unrevealed or not fully revealed in the Old Testament.

The mystery Paul was focusing on was the gospel coming to the Gentiles and Christ living in them. He said the riches of this mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (v. 27).

In the Old Testament, nobody knew that the messiah would come and indwell people, and, even more so, they never thought this would happen to the Gentiles specifically. Paul talks about this in Ephesians 3:6. “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”

The Gentiles could be saved in the Old Testament, but they never had the same privileges as the Jew. The Jews were called to be ministers who won Gentiles to God, but as God’s chosen people they had greater privileges. Only a Jewish priest specifically could enter the holy place, and only the Jewish high priest could enter the Holy of Holies where God dwelled.

These divisions made the Jews proud, and therefore created a great animosity between Jews and Gentiles. However, in the New Covenant these divisions have been removed. Jews and Gentiles are fellow heirs of the promise in Christ.

Now, this gives us the other aspect of being a faithful steward. For Paul, a Jew, to give his life reaching the Gentiles was phenomenal. They were separated by ethnicity, culture, and religion, and there was a heated racism that divided them. However, he was given a stewardship to reach not only Jews, but also those who were far away from God—the Gentiles.

It’s the same for us. Faithful stewards of the Word of God share it with everybody, no matter the race, culture, or socio–economic status. It was said of Christ that he was the friend of sinners (Matt. 16:19). He went to areas and to people who were not accepted. He was a faithful steward of the Word.

This seems to be a common pattern among Christians: after salvation, we are zealous and on fire to share the mystery of the gospel, but later, as time passes, we lose the desire to evangelize. Most don’t share the gospel at all, and those who do only do so with those they are comfortable with.

Unlike Paul, most are not willing to stretch themselves out of their comfort zone to reach even those who would seem unreachable. He reached out to people of a different culture than him and had antagonism towards him.

Who is God calling you to share the fullness of the Word of God with? Effective ministers are faithful stewards of the mysteries of God. If Christ came back now, would you have been a faithful steward of the mysteries of God?

Application Question: Who are your “Gentiles,” the people who you might not likely share the Word of God with? How can you be more effective at this?

Effective Ministers Have The Goal Of Presenting Everyone Mature In Christ

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (Col. 1:28).

We see here that Paul’s goal in ministering was to present everyone perfect in Christ. However, we must ask the question, “Can anyone be perfect?” Certainly, no one can ever get to the point where he never sins. When Paul uses this word he is talking about being mature in Christ. We see this as the very ministry God calls pastors and teachers to do in the church. Listen to what Ephesians 4 says:

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming (Eph. 4:11–14).

Paul describes the church as infants tossed to and fro by every wind of teaching. Being an infant is not bad. Infants are beautiful and they are gifts to rejoice in. They symbolize life and the new birth.

However, in using the illustration of a natural infant, if a person continues to act like an infant even as an adult, something is wrong. They are still using the bathroom on themselves, still crying any time they don’t get their way, still fighting over every little thing, they have no self–discipline, and they won’t sleep at night. Something is wrong with that. If they need to be cared for and comforted every time they go through a difficulty or a trial, something is wrong.

My baby daughter, Saiyah, is beautiful, but we fully hope in a year or so that she will develop more self–control and start sleeping consistently at night. We expect one day she will be able to feed herself, start helping around the house, start serving the church, start making an income, and even have a family of her own.

See, most of the church never gets out of the infant stage. They do not grow into maturity. They are not disciplined with getting into the Word of God and prayer. They are up and down with every trial in their life—mad at God and mad at others when they don’t get their way. They don’t serve and are not consistently doing the things God has called them to do.

This is one of the jobs of a minister. The minister sees all the potential in a young Christian, no matter how long they have been saved. They see the calling that God has on their lives and the things God wants them to do through them. And, they begin to invest in them so that they start to mature in the Word of God; they start to do the works of service they were called to do. This is what every minister of God does: they help people mature.

Stages Of The Christian Life

Listen to the stages of the Christian life according to the apostle John. He says in 1 John 2:13–14:

I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

John describes the three stages as the following:

Children: They have known God. They have a young and vibrant relationship with God, but they lack much else.

Young Men: They are strong in the Word of God and are now conquering the devil because of it. They are breaking strongholds of lust, depression in their own lives, and are also starting to help others. They are the front line of the church. They are out of the pews and now helping people to walk as God has called them to.

Fathers: They have known God. Unlike the children, the father’s knowledge of God is vastly deeper. They have a history with God. God has carried them through trials, worked greatly in their lives, and like most good fathers they are always sharing their story with others. They help others through the testimony that God has developed in their lives. Another characteristic of the father is that they are giving birth. They have spiritual children in the Lord and they are given to mentorship.

This is the pathway that God has for every Christian. Sadly, we have infants who stay infants for twenty years. They are in the pew and not going anywhere. They are not helping anyone. They don’t have spiritual children, and they can’t even discipline their own spiritual lives. That is not God’s plan for the church.

In fact, if the leadership of the church does not labor in maturing these young Christians, the church will eventually have many problems. Listen to how Paul described the church of Corinth:

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? (1 Cor. 3:1–3).

In describing the Corinthian church as infants, he said they could not eat solid food yet. They were living on basic doctrines of Scripture. They were worldly, which means one couldn’t really tell the difference between them and the world. They were doing much of the same things as the world and probably at many of the same places. This immaturity led to jealousy and quarreling. Immaturity often leads to church division, church fights, and church splits. The members of God’s church must be developed into maturity or it will lead to the demise of the church.

Observation Question: In verse 28, what were Paul’s primary methods of developing the church to maturity?

1. The Church Is Matured By Ministers Preaching Christ.

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (Col. 1:28).

Paul said he proclaimed him, referring to Christ, in order to mature the congregation. He also said this to the Corinthians. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5).

This no doubt refers to preaching the gospel and leading people to Christ. But, it also refers to the continual proclaiming of Christ to believers as the model of our faith. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

We must continually point people to Christ and his example. He is the example of how to handle persecutions. He is our example of how to pray. He is our example of how to live a life of faith and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If we are to help people mature, we must continually point them to the example and teachings of Christ.

2. The Church Is Matured By Ministers Admonishing Others.

A crucial part of Paul’s ministry was warning the church about sin. This is often the very area at which ministers fail in seeking to develop mature saints. Admonishment and warnings are needed. Look at what God told Isaiah to do: “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins” (Isa. 58:1).

He called Isaiah to shout it aloud and to not hold back. He was supposed to declare to Israel their sins. This is difficult because confronting other believers about sin can mean making them angry, causing them to hate us, or even result in persecution. But this is necessary in order for all of us to grow.

It should be said that the manner in which we admonish and confront sin is very important. Paul said this in Ephesians 4:15: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”

By speaking the truth in love, the church grows up and is made mature. We must tell our brothers in love:

• “It is not God’s will for you to be living with your girlfriend.”
• “Sister, it is not God’s will for you to use that type of language. You are the fragrance of God.”
• “Brother, God has called you to be the spiritual leader of your home. How are you developing your wife and children in the Word?”

These things must be said in order for the church to become mature. Solomon said this: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses” (Prov. 27:6).

It can also be translated “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” If your friend never wounds you, never challenges you about reading your Bible, going to church, or living holy, then you need new friends. We must be friends who really care and not enemies who multiply kisses. True ministers practice admonishment.

3. The Church Is Matured By Ministers Teaching Practically.

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (Col. 1:28).

Paul said he taught everyone with all wisdom. Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Wisdom is the “So what?” to the Bible study or the sermon. It answers the question, “What should I do with what the Scripture says?”

Effective ministers must apply the Bible to depression, lust, decision–making, dating, marriage, etc. Listen to 2 Timothy 3:16–17: “All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The doctrines of Scripture are useful for “training in righteousness” and “for every good work.” The minister must use wisdom in applying the Word of God to every situation. By doing this, the minister helps the church become mature.

Application Question: Have you experienced churches, ministries, or ministers that neglect these disciplines in their teaching of the Word of God (preaching Christ, admonishment, and/or wisdom)? What are the consequences of this?

Effective Ministers Are Willing To Work Hard

“To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me” (Col. 1:29).

The word “labor” means to “work to exhaustion.” There is a holy labor that every Christian must take part in. Paul pressed or labored “for others to reach perfection.” That was Christ’s call on his life. Listen to how Paul described his ministry: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Cor. 15:10).

Did he rely on grace? Certainly, it was this grace that enabled him to work hard. God has given everybody grace, but the question is, “Do we use it?” Paul worked hard using the grace that God had given him. Listen to Philippians 2:12–13: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and do of his good pleasure.”

The goal of “salvation” is not only being saved, it is the completion of it, looking more and more like Christ. Effective ministers work hard even as God works in them. Listen to this commentary about the work ethic of great saints from the past:

Martin Luther worked so hard that many days, according to his biographers, he fell into bed. Moody’s bedtime prayer on one occasion, as he rolled his bulk into bed, was, ‘Lord, I’m tired! Amen.’ John Wesley rode sixty to seventy miles many days of his life and preached an average of three sermons a day, whether he was riding or not.

Paul’s ministerial drive is a model for us all. We will never have an authentic, apostolic ministry unless we are willing to work to the point of exhaustion.

R. C. Sproul is right: the ministry of the gospel is a glorious thing. But we do not have to be an apostle or a reformer or a preacher to do it. Some years ago a woman in Africa became a Christian. Being filled with gratitude, she decided to do something for Christ. She was blind, uneducated, and seventy years of age. She came to her missionary with her French Bible and asked her to underline John 3:16 in red ink. Mystified, the missionary watched her as she took her Bible and sat in front of a boys’ school in the afternoon. When school dismissed, she would call a boy or two and ask them if they knew French. When they proudly responded that they did, she would say, ‘Please read the passage underlined in red.’ When they did, she would ask, ‘Do you know what this means?’ And she would tell them about Christ. The missionary says that over the years twenty–four young men became pastors due to her work.⁴

We must be challenged by Paul’s apostolic labor and the labor of other effective ministers. We must decide to work hard in serving God as well.

Application Question: What are some areas at which Christian ministers should work hard?

1. Ministers Should Work Hard In Studying And Teaching God’s Word.

Paul uses the same word for “labor to exhaustion” about the preaching of God’s Word in 1 Timothy 5:17. He says, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”

The word “work” means to “labor to exhaustion.” In this text, Paul makes the argument that these elders should be paid because of their labor. However, we all should work hard in the study and teaching of God’s Word. Again, Scripture says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

2. Ministers Should Work Hard In Disciplining The Body.

“No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Cor. 9:27).

What does Paul mean when he says that he “beat” his body? What it means literally in Greek is “to hit under the eye.”⁵ Paul figuratively gave his body a black eye to control it. One of the things I was taught as an athlete was that we should control our body and make it do what we want it to do.

An athlete says, “Body, wake up in the morning and we will run,” even though the body says it wants to sleep. An athlete says, “Body, we are going to stop eating now because I need to stay in shape.” An athlete even learns how to control his mind to think positive thoughts in order to be successful. They are often trained to visualize being down or losing in a contest and to also visualize winning all for the purpose of not giving up. They visualize hitting the winning shot. They discipline their mind to be great.

Paul says that the rigors and disciplines of an athlete are needed to be a strong Christian. Listen, many Christians are ineffective in their spiritual life because they have never learned how to control their body and make it their slave. They don’t work hard at disciplining both their body and their mind to honor and serve God.

3. Ministers Must Work Hard In Prayer.

“I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally” (Col. 2:1).

When Paul said he struggled for the Colossians, he probably meant that he was struggling in prayer for them. He had never met them personally as he was in prison in Rome (Col. 2:1). In Colossians 1:9–14, he describes his prayers for this congregation whom he had never seen.

In the same way, we must struggle and labor in prayer for others to become mature in Christ. Most Christians never push their prayer life. But it needs to be pushed. Christ made the disciples pray for one hour, then another hour, then another hour (Matt. 26:38–45). He challenged them to work hard in prayer. We must do the same to be effective ministers.

4. Ministers Must Work Hard At Everything They Do.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Col. 3:23–24).

Too many Christians compartmentalize their faith. These are spiritual acts of worship: fasting, praying, and going to church. But work, family, eating, drinking, and hobbies are not spiritual. In reality, everything is spiritual and can bring honor to God. Paul said, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

Paul worked hard at all things in order to honor Christ. Does how you perform your regular, daily tasks bring glory to God? Even these things can bring glory to God and can be a testimony to those watching.

Application Question: In what way is God calling you to work hard to build yourself up and ultimately Christ’s body?

Effective Ministers Rely On God’s Power

“To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me” (Col. 1:29).

One of the characteristics of effective ministers is that they rely on the power of God. This would seem to be something that doesn’t need to be said; however, many ministers fail in this area. It is very easy to be consumed with ministry and yet do it in our own power and many times for our own glory.

Interpretation Question: How can ministers labor in Christ’s power in ministry? Why do so many ministers lack power in their ministry?

1. Many Ministers Lack Power Because They Are No Longer Intimate With Christ.

Listen to what Christ said to the disciples in John 15:4–5:

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’

All true ministry and true power flows out of an intimate relationship with God. Like the story of Mary and Martha, it is very easy for the disciple to focus entirely on ministry and forget to stay at the Lord’s feet (Luke 10:38–42). Many Christians are like that: they are doing many good things, but their many good things are keeping them from the best thing—sitting at Jesus’ feet.

All power comes from an intimate relationship with God, abiding in his Word and prayer. In fact, one time the disciples tried to cast out a demon but could not, even though Christ had given them power (cf. Luke 9:1). They asked Christ why and he said, “This kind can come out only by prayer” (Mark 9:29b).

Had the disciples forgotten to pray in the midst of casting out this demon? Probably not. In fact, after seeking to cast him out and failing, I have no doubt that they started asking God for power and grace. It seems that they had lacked a living, abiding relationship with God through prayer.

Earlier in Chapter 9, Christ had taken three disciples up on the mountain where he was transfigured. Maybe, while Christ was on the mountain, the nine other disciples didn’t want to wake up in the morning to do their devotions. No one pushed them to pray and be disciplined, and therefore their lives lacked power. When it was time to conquer the devil, they could not. Why? It was because they had not been tapping into the power of God through prayer.

Many Christians are like that. They walk around every day in their own power, lacking the power and resources of God. This power comes through intimacy.

2. Many Ministers Lack Power Because They Have No Faith.

In the previous account of the disciples casting out the demon and failing, Christ said they could not cast out the demon because they had not been in prayer. It seems from parallel accounts there was more to their failure than this. Look at the reason Christ gave them in Matthew 17:20:

Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

He said they could not cast the demon out because they had so little faith in God. When they saw how badly demon-possessed the child was, they started to doubt God’s power to deliver the boy. They probably started shaking in their boots.

In fact, their lack of faith was so bad Christ gave them a very harsh rebuke. He said, “O unbelieving and perverse generation . . . how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me” (Matt. 17:17). He said they were an unbelieving and perverse generation. He seems to lump the disciples with all the unbelievers around them. Many Christians are like that. They believe God for their salvation, which is the greatest gift they could ever need, but they lack faith for their daily bread. They don’t trust God when tests and trials come their way. In the trials they doubt God.

It is for this very reason that many Christians lack power. Faith is a channel for seeing God’s grace work through us and in us. Consider what Scripture says about Christ’s hometown during his ministry: “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith” (Matt. 13:58).

He didn’t do many miracles in his hometown because of their lack of faith. How many Christians don’t have God’s power working in them mightily simply because they don’t believe? They are not believing God for any great work. They read the Bible about a God who split the Red Sea, stopped the rain, multiplied bread, raised the dead, etc., and yet believe God for nothing—at least nothing that uses his mighty power.

Are we believing in God to use our church to reach many lost people? Are we believing in God to use us to stir a revival in our work place? What are we really believing God for?

With the church of Ephesus, it seems they were so powerless Paul had to pray for them to even know there was power available. Look at how Paul prays:

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength (Eph. 1:18–19).

I pray that your eyes may be enlightened to know the incomparable great power for us who believe. Some churches seem to have no power. Nobody is being changed, nobody is growing, and nobody is hungry for God. Paul says, “They need to see; they need to understand that there is power available.” In Chapter 3, he prays for the power to be turned on in Ephesus: “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Eph. 3:16).

He prays for God to strengthen them with power through his Spirit. Too many Christians are walking around being defeated by lust, being defeated by anxieties, and the Scripture says power is already at work in them to conquer that situation. But, we need to appropriate this power working in us. God provides the power—we just have to act on it. The reason many Christians are not tapping into God’s power is lack of faith.

Application Question: How do we grow in our faith and appropriate God’s power?

• Faith comes through hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). A lack of time in the Word and believing what the Word of God says will severely limit your faith.
• Faith comes through prayer. After hearing they must forgive someone seven times seventy, the apostles prayed, “Lord increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). They knew they couldn’t forgive unless God helped them. If you struggle with believing God and trusting God, then a great prayer is to ask God to increase your faith.
• Faith comes by being in and around the faith community. Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

The wise trust God because that is the wisest thing a person can do (cf. Ps. 14:1). When you hang around wise, godly people, your faith will increase as well.

Application Question: Do you feel that you often lack God’s power in your life and ministry? How is God calling you to rely more on his power?

Conclusion

What are characteristics of effective ministers?

1. Effective ministers are willing to suffer for the church.
2. Effective ministers are servants of the church.
3. Effective ministers are faithful stewards of God’s Word.
4. Effective ministers have the goal of presenting everyone mature in Christ.
5. Effective ministers are willing to work hard.
6. Effective ministers rely on God’s power.

Application Question: Which characteristic is God challenging you to work on most in order to be a more effective minister?

Copyright © 2015 Gregory Brown

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¹ J. F. MacArthur Jr., MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992), 74.

² W. MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. A. Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995).

³ Steve Brown, Jumping Hurdles, Hitting Glitches, Overcoming Setbacks. 164.

⁴ R. K. Hughes, Colossians and Philemon: The Supremacy of Christ. (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 49.

⁵ J. F. MacArthur Jr., 1 Corinthians. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), 215.

This two-part expository study was preached at Flagstaff Christian Fellowship in 2017 around the time of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther publishing his 95 theses. Audio and manuscripts are available for each lesson.

For permission to reproduce/distribute these resources from Steve Cole (including the Word document and audio files found on the individual lesson pages below) please see Bible.org's ministry friendly copyright and permissions page. Likewise, to reproduce/distribute PDF/audio versions of his messages which may be found on Flagstaff Christian Fellowship's website see their permission statement.