In these verses, Peter expanded on what he touched briefly in 1 Peter
2:20. He dealt with suffering brought about by one’s own foolish acts. In verse
15, he mentioned a few of those foolish acts - murder, theft, committing evil,
and being meddlesome. Believers should make sure that the suffering they had to
endure was due to their faith and not their foolish sinful acts. However, in
verse 16, he asserted that should a believer suffer for being a Christian, he
should not be ashamed. He should by his patient endurance bring glory to God’s
wonderful name.
Peter had dealt with how faith would be refined
through suffering. He spoke about the fire of trials that would purify
believers. So, trials and sufferings were placed in the setting of hope. But here
in verses 17-18, Peter seemed to have alluded suffering to the judgment of God.
This judgment however, was for the purpose of purifying His house. He said if
God’s own people had to endure these judgments, what would become of those who
would not embrace the Gospel.
In verse 18, Peter roughly quoted Proverbs 11:31
to indicate that even the Old Testament showed that both the righteous as well
as the wicked would receive something from the Lord. However, the wicked would
receive even more severe punishment than what the righteous would receive as
reward. In verse 19, Peter concluded this section with the word “therefore”. He
wanted to elicit the audience’s response in the light of his discussion. He
urged them to entrust their souls to God, their Faithful Creator. Here, Peter
used the word “souls” to mean the total person.
Trials in life can be endured when we see them as
God’s servant to perfect us. When facing a difficult time, deliberately turn
your focus on God. He said that He will never leave us or forsake us, so that
we can say “if the Lord is with me, whom shall I fear?” In all these things we
are more than conquerors through Him who loves us!
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