David B. Curtis
David B. Curtis
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Good morning, Bereans. We are continuing our study of 1 Peter this morning and will be looking at verses 14-19 of chapter 4. These verses continue the subject of suffering for righteousness. I'm hoping that you saw last week that suffering is a positive thing in the life of a believer.
It's always fascinated me how people can look at the same events and circumstances and see totally different things. Two people can see the same event and yet interpret it in two different ways.
The first time that this was really made clear to me was when as a youth pastor, I left seven teenagers at King's Dominion. Let me give you a little background. In order for the teens to be able to go, they had to have a permission slip signed by their parents. The permission slip said something to the effect of, "The buses will leave King's Dominion at 8 p.m. Any teen not on the bus at that time will be left behind." And the parents had to sign it. Well at 8:00 that night we took a head count, and seven teens were missing. We knew exactly who they were, so I gave the order to roll the buses, and we left the teens and headed for home. It was a long ride back. When we got home, I began to call their parents to notify them that I had left their children at King's Dominion. I called the parents of church kids first, thinking they'd be more understanding. The first parent chewed me out royally; the second did the same. When I reminded them of the permission slip that they had signed, they said, "We didn't think you meant that."
I proceeded to call the other parents, most of whom were unsaved. As I began apologizing to the third parent, he stopped me and said, "It's about time!" I said, "Excuse me?" He said, "It's about time that someone did what they said they'd do." He said, "I signed that slip, and if my kid wasn't back on time, he deserved to be left." I was surprised, but I agreed with him.
Well, the next day (Sunday) it hit the fan. The first two parents that I called wanted me fired. They were mad as fire that I had left their "babies" two hours from home (both boys were 17 years old). Of course, it wasn't their kids' fault. That morning one of the mothers, who was a single parent, called me to say, "I want to thank you. My son went to King's Dominion a boy, but he came back a man. Thanks for the valuable lesson you taught him."
Two parents wanted me fired, and two of them thought I was a man of integrity, a hero, for doing the same exact thing. It was all a matter of their perspective. To some I was a sick individual who tried to hurt their babies while to others I was a man of integrity who taught their teens a valuable lesson. By the way, this opened the door for me to minister to one of these parents, and three of the teens called me to apologize. One called me at 3 a.m. when he got in from King's Dominion.
The same event in both cases but two different reactions. Some loved me, and some hated me. What made the difference? Perspective! It was all in how they viewed the situation. I've told you many times that how we think affects how we act. Our perspective is very important, and no more so than when it comes to the subject of pain and suffering. To many, suffering is a sign of a cruel God who enjoys seeing people suffer, or the result of a God who is helpless to do anything to relieve His people's afflictions.
Rabbi Kushner, in his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, says, "God wants the righteous to live peaceful, happy lives, but sometimes even He can't bring that about. It is too difficult even for God to keep cruelty and chaos from claiming their innocent victims." Kushner goes on to say, "If God is both powerful and good, why is there so much suffering, so much pain, so much heartache in the world? God is either good and not all powerful, or He is powerful and not all good. You can't have it both ways."
It seems that the majority of the church has bought into this lie. I think, in an attempt to shield God from accusations that he is not loving, we make Him impotent in the face of suffering. We think it is better to comfort the afflicted with the idea that God is full of sympathy, wishing the suffering would just go away, but unable to make it happen. Pain and suffering can often cause believers to question the goodness of God. Have you ever asked the question, "If God loves me, why am I suffering?" This is especially true in our day because of the prosperity Gospel.
I think if I asked you what you thought about the health/wealth prosperity Gospel, you would all say that it is WRONG! But I would dare say that you all have bought into it more than you know. We may think that it is wrong as a doctrine, but we like the idea. We like the idea of an easy, pain-free life. I would even go so far as to say that when we experience great pain, we tend to think that God has forsaken us. Subconsciously, if not outright, we have bought into the teaching of Zig Ziglar. He is a success/motivation speaker who is widely read and accepted by many Christians and pastors. He says this: "As you accept yourself, you will see yourself as a person who truly deserves the good things in life." I would dare say that most believers believe that; they think they deserve the good things in life. Most believers think they deserve certain things from God. The word "deserve" means "to be worthy." I think that most of the church believes that they are worthy of God's grace and goodness. We think that God owes us.
In a Time poll, a full 61% believed that God wants people to be prosperous. Thanks to Osteen's multi-million selling book, Your Best Life Now, this belief has swept beyond its Pentecostal base into more buttoned-down evangelical churches.
As Christians, we are blessed. Because of your faith in Christ, you know that your sins are forgiven. Your trust in the death of Yeshua the Christ for your sins gives you the assurance that you will go to heaven when your days here are over. But have you noticed that you are not blessed with having to never go through the same pain and difficulties that unbelievers face? Christians still have bad marriages. Have you ever gone through financial difficulties? Have you ever lost a job? Christians still experience physical suffering. Christians get sick and have accidents just like everyone else. Becoming a Christian does not mean that you will never lose your job. Becoming a Christian does not make you immune to cancer or tornadoes or financial failure.
The pain and suffering of life are inevitable even for believers in Christ. We need to understand this truth because there are people who would have you believe that there is something wrong with you if you are a Christian who is experiencing great pain. They claim that poor health and poverty and every other pain of life occurs because you don't have enough faith. The fact is, everyone will experience pain; it doesn't matter who you are.
Nearly two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "The art of life is the avoiding of pain." When we first hear that statement, it appears to be true. None of us deliberately looks for pain as we go about our daily life. All of us do our best to avoid pain, but pain is an important part of our spiritual development.
In our experience of life, there are many times when we have chosen not to avoid the pain. For an example, look at the matter of childbirth. Certainly, there have been great advancements in medicine to protect the mother, but there is still a certain amount of pain in childbirth. Every woman knows that giving birth will be painful, yet women still get pregnant.
Think of the pain and sorrow that a mother and father experience as they seek to raise their child. Someone has said that when children are little, they step on your feet; but when they are older, they step on your heart! I have met many dedicated Christian parents whose hearts have been broken because of a wayward child who failed to heed their instruction and example. If everybody really lived to avoid pain, nobody would get married and raise a family; yet people do it all the time.
To the person familiar with the Scriptures as a whole and not just isolated verses, suffering and affliction are seen as the hand and purpose of an almighty and loving God. It's all a matter of perspective.
Let's look at our text.
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. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13 ESV
We actually looked at the fiery trial back on July 20 and then last week we looked at the rest of verse 12 and 13. This section from 4:12-19 is all about Christian suffering. One thing I want to drive home is the fact that Peter says, "the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you." "Fiery trial" pictures the act or condition of being on fire and figuratively (as used here by Peter) it refers to fiery trial, calamity, suffering. This is a metaphor for trials and persecutions not for common problems of daily life.
The context tells us that this fiery trial was something that was to happen soon to the first-century audience. Peter states in 1 Peter 4:7 that "The end of all things is at hand." We saw in our study of this verse that this refers to the end of the Jewish age and the Second Coming of Christ. Peter exhorts them to
rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:13 ESV
"When his glory is revealed"—is also referring to the Second Coming. So, the Second Coming brackets this fiery trial. Therefore, whatever it is, it is connected to the Parousia.
These words, "fiery trial," are often interpreted in light of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. While the verse doesn't explicitly mention Jerusalem's fall, many scholars believe it alludes to the intense persecution and suffering Christians faced during that period—both before and during the Jewish revolt against Rome.
Peter says that this trial, "comes upon you to test you." The word "test" is from the Greek word, peirasmos, which means "to test, and prove." It can mean a trial or test or it can be used of a solicitation to evil. A trial can become a solicitation to evil if we respond to it wrongly. If we are not careful, the testing on the outside can become temptations on the inside. What could cause a believer to fall away from God? Trials!
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. Luke 8:11-13 ESV
The word "testing" here is from the Greek word peirasmos. It is the same word found in 1 Peter 4:12 where it is translated "test." I got some questions last week about this text and a believer's falling away. The writer of Hebrews tells us that a believer can fall away.
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. Hebrews 3:12 ESV
The word "brethren" is adelphoi. Who is this warning to? One writer says, "This is not a reference to Christians, it refers to racial brothers, unbelieving Jews." Contextually, this is ridiculous. Notice that 1 Peter 3:1 says, "Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling." Paul only uses adelphos of his racial brothers one time and there he qualifies it for us by saying "my kinsmen according to the flesh." Romans 9:3.
The words "falls away" is the Greek word aphistemi, which means "to remove, fall away." Can a believer fall away from the living God? Yes! This is not talking about losing eternal life. You can't lose eternal life—it's eternal. It is talking about losing fellowship, discipleship, a close intimate relationship with God. This is where we get the word "apostasy." Apostasy is a believer turning away from the truth. And according to Luke, a believer can turn away for the Lord because of trials.
And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. Luke 8:13 ESV
The text says they believe. What happens when a people believe? They are saved. Look at what Paul tells the Ephesians.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV
Luke says, "they hear the word and receive it." Paul states, "you heard the word of truth." Luke says, "they believe." Paul states, "and believed in him." What happens when someone believed in him according to Paul? He was sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of the inheritance.
When a person believed the good news of salvation, at that moment, he was sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit. The Greek word sphragizo, translated here as "sealed," means "to stamp (with a signet or private mark) for security or preservation" (Strong's Concordance). The word "guarantee" is from the Greek arrhabon. It is translated as "pledge" or "down payment" in other translations. The Holy Spirit, then, was given to first-century believers as a guarantee of their future redemption.
I'm stressing this because I want you to understand that trials can cause you to fall away from fellowship with the Lord. This is why it is so important that we have a correct perspective on suffering. So, it doesn't cause us to fall away. Let’s move on.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:14 ESV
Does that sound right? We are blessed when we are insulted for the name of Christ.
"If you are insulted for the name of Christ"— the conjunction "if" precedes a first-class conditional clause. The statement is assumed to be true and fulfilled according to the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. Since you are insulted. "Insulted"— is from the Greek oneidezō. Strong says, "to defame, that is, rail at, chide, taunt: - cast in teeth, (suffer) reproach, revile, upbraid." This is the same word that Peter would have heard our Lord uses in Matthew 5.
"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Matthew 5:11 ESV
In both cases, we find that we are blessed when others are insulting us because of our association with Christ. It is Christ they are attacking because we are acting like Him when we live righteously.
"You are blessed"—this is the Greek term makarios, the term that is used by Yeshua in the Beatitudes. What exactly does it mean to be blessed? Many translate this as "happy." But happy doesn't cut it for me. Happiness is an emotion that is based upon circumstances. The Lord is not talking about an emotion here. He is talking about our condition before God. To be "blessed" means to be "one who has received a gift or favor from God." We are not just talking about "happy." Blessed is the opposite of cursed. One is a favor; the other is a punishment. Peter said this in the previous chapter.
But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 1 Peter 3:14 ESV
Now, this is a simple verse with simple understanding. Peter states: "Should persecution come against you for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed," and God will reward you in eternity. We need to be continually reminded that this world is not our home and the physical is not ultimate reality! We are pilgrims here, we are just passing through.
John Bunyan, because of the hostility of his society, was put in prison in Bedford for preaching the gospel. While in prison, he wrote these words: "This prison very sweet to me hath been since I came here and so would also hanging be if Thou didst then appear." He considered it a privilege to suffer, and perhaps even to die because it would bring him to his Lord.
Here is why you are blessed: "because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you"—Peter seems to be alluding to Isaiah 11.
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. Isaiah 11:1-2 ESV
Here Isaiah points to the Messiah in His glory. Since the Christian's suffering for the sake of belief in Yeshua is a participation in the sufferings of Christ, the same Spirit rests upon the suffering believer who rested upon the suffering Christ.
They knew all about the Shekinah glory of God. The Shekinah was the presence of God. And when Peter says you are suffering, and you have the Spirit of glory, he means you have the presence of God.
Rests is from the present tense of anapauō and means "to give relief, refreshment, intermission from toil and describes one of His ministries.
Peter now says, in effect, "Make sure you aren’t suffering because of some sin on your part. As Christians, we should examine ourselves in trials (4:15-18).
But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 1 Peter 4:15-16 ESV
Does this sound familiar? It should. This is very similar to what Peter said in chapters two and three.
For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 1 Peter 2:20 ESV
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:17 ESV
As we have already seen, if we suffer for behaving badly, there is no merit in that because we are simply getting our just deserts. But when we suffer for righteousness' sake, that is different because then we reflect that experience of Christ and we stand together with Him in His suffering.
None of us want to suffer. But if we must, may it be for doing good and not for doing evil. Sometimes Christians are obnoxious and offensive and are made to suffer for it. They may wish it were persecution for the sake of the gospel, but really it is simply suffering for doing evil.
"But let none of you suffer as a"—this is a present active imperative with a negative particle which usually means to stop an act that is already in process.
"A murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler"—this group of offenders that Peter chose as examples of those who deserve to suffer for what they have done is unusual. This list goes from the worst kind of offender to the least. Even busybodies deserve to suffer for their meddling.
We all know what a murderer or a thief is. This word evildoer is simply a general term for one who does evil. Peter uses it here, apparently, to make the general point that when Christians suffer, it should not come as a consequence of practicing what is wicked, but, rather, as a consequence of persecution that results from serving God faithfully.
Meddler—is from the Greek allotriepiskopos. This word is used only here in all of Greek literature. Theologians believe Peter may have coined this word, as it is not found in other Greek literature before his time. It is a compound from two Greek words: allotrios (belonging to another) and episkopos (to look over or to inspect). It refers to someone who takes on the oversight or supervision of affairs that do not belong to him. It essentially involves someone’s meddling in other people's business or responsibilities. We often refer to such a person as a busybody. It is someone who interferes in the affairs of others, seeking to control their conduct—conduct that is in no way any of their business or affair.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 1 Peter 4:15 ESV
Who is the "you" here? Peter’s audience hasn’t changed; it’s still first-century believers. So, could a believer be a murderer or thief? I guess he could. Remember, "let none of you suffer as a"—is a present active imperative with a negative particle which usually means to stop an act that is already in process. Bereans, please understand this. A Christian can do anything an unbeliever can do, but he cannot be positionally separated from God.
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 1 Peter 4:16 ESV
"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian"—"if" is another First-class conditional sentence which assumes something to be true. Christians were suffering simply because they were Christians. "A Christian"— is the Greek word Christianos which means "follower of Christ." It is only used three times in the New Testament. It became the common designation for believers by the middle of the first century (Tacitus, Ann. 15:44).
Now, let me say this: You only suffer as a Christian when you are visibly living like a Christian. It is only when you live godly in an unrighteous culture that you incur the hostility. If you manage to hide your virtue and if you manage to hide your testimony for Christ so that no one can perceive it, then it is unlikely that you will suffer persecution.
"Let him not be ashamed"—this is a present passive imperative with the negative particle which usually implies to stop an act already in process.
The word "ashamed" here is aischunomai. The dictionary defines "ashamed" as being "affected by shame." Shame is defined as a painful emotion excited by a consciousness of guilt, disgrace, or dishonor. I think that is how most people today view it.
But this is not the biblical definition of "shame." The biblical understanding of aischunomai has to do with disappointment. According to Scripture, the person who is not ashamed is the person whose trust is not misplaced and who, therefore, is never disillusioned.
When you look up a word in Strong's or Young's Lexicon, they will give you the entomology of the word, that is, the dictionary definition of the word. Oftentimes that is not how it is used in the Bible. There is another way to find out what a word means and that is by its usage. How is the word used in Scripture? In exegesis, usage always takes precedence over entomology. The reason for this is because word meanings change. So, what we want to find is usage. The way to find out usage is to get a Greek concordance and look up how the word is used in the Bible. As you find its usage, you can determine its meaning. The work is well worth it.
This meaning of "disappoint" for the Greek word aischunois is unmistakable at several important places in the Bible.
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 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 5:4-5 ESV
What do hope and shame have to do with each other? The word "kataischunō" is translated "shame" in the KJV and ESV. Kataischuno is a strengthened form of aischuno. Thayer's Greek\English Lexicon translates this as "does not disappoint." Phillips correctly paraphrases it as "a steady hope that will never disappoint us." Kittle, in his Theological Dictionary of New Testament words, says, "Extra-biblically the word 'ashamed' was often used for disillusionment."
This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5 CSB
Let’s look at Romans 1.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 ESV
We can kind of understand "ashamed" here but I think "disappointed" is much better. The Gospel is power and it doesn’t disappoint.
as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." Romans 9:33 ESV
The word "shame" here is translated: "disappointed" in the NASB. It is the word kataischuno. No one who believes in God will ever be disappointed.
One more.
Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. 2 Corinthians 7:13-14 ESV
The word here for "put to shame" is kataaischuno and would be better translated as "disappointed." Paul is telling the Corinthians that Titus found them to be just what he told him they were so that Paul was not at all disappointed.
Sorry, got to do one more.
which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:12 ESV
The word "ashamed" here is epaischunomai, the same as in Romans 1:16. It also should be translated as "disappointed." Paul wasn't disappointed because he knew that God was going to deliver him through all of his suffering. This is a banking metaphor. Paul is saying, "God has the power to keep that which I have deposited with him, and I am not disappointed at my suffering."
"But let him glorify God in that name"— because we bear that name (Christian), we must ask ourselves how can I glorify the name of Christ in the trial? How can I respond in the way he would? The Apostles responded by giving praises to God after they were abused (Acts 5:41). I shouldn’t be disappointed by the fact that I’m going through a trial but should bring glory to God through it.
But if anyone suffers for being Messianic, let him not be ashamed; but let him bring glory to God by the way he bears this name. 1 Peter 4:16 CJB
Trusting God in the trial brings glory to God.
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17 ESV
Time here is kairos, the word used throughout Scripture for the "appointed time." When Yeshua, Paul, Peter, and John use kairos, they are referring to the "appointed time." There was only ONE "appointed time," and it was at the coming of the Lord upon the clouds in the judgment to reward every man. This happened in AD 70.
This is an allusion to Malachi 3:1-6 where judgment starts with the Messiah coming suddenly and surprisingly to His own people. This is the fiery trial talked about in 4:12 at the start of this section.
This phrase may also be a Jewish idiom of the nearness of the Second Coming of Christ as Judge. The Old Covenant Jews and the New Testament Apostles envisioned a catastrophic judgment that would end the Mosaic age, often called "the birth pains of the new age."
The term Peter uses for "judgment" (krima, Strong: a decision) does not necessarily mean a judgment that punishes for sin. Rather, the word has a broad meaning involving also a judgment that gives an approval or metes out discipline (though not necessarily for any specific sin).
"The household of God"— there are two building metaphors in 1 Peter that relate to the church: (1) the church as a temple built from living stones (1 Peter 2:4-10) and (2) the church as the household of God (corporate metaphor of people or large family home). This phrase "household of God" is only used three times in the New Testament and always for the Church.
In the context of suffering, Peter tells us that judgment begins at the house of God. Right now, God uses suffering as a judgment in a positive, purifying sense for Christians (the house of God).
"If it begins with us"—"if" is another first-class conditional sentence. For the Christian, the issue of punishment was settled once and for all at the cross, where Yeshua endured all the punishment the Christian could ever face from God.
And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 1 Peter 4:18 ESV
This is an allusion to Proverbs 11:31 in the Septuagint.
If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Proverbs 11:31 Brenton LXXIf the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner! Proverbs 11:31 ESVSome see this verse as teaching that, since God will repay the righteous for their good works, He will certainly repay the wicked and sinners for their bad behavior. Because God rewards the righteous, how much more can we count on His punishing wicked sinners. It is comforting to know that God will punish those who cause us suffering for the sake of Christ.
Others see this verse teaching that it is "with difficulty" that "righteous" people pass through this phase of their existence into the next phase because this phase involves suffering for us. "Saved" here means "delivered" in the sense of being delivered from this life into the next.
Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. 1 Peter 4:19 ESV"Therefore" draws these encouragements to a conclusion and introduces a command in view of them. In view of these reasons, we should respond to suffering by entrusting ourselves to "a faithful Creator.
"Those who suffer according to God's will"—the reference to "God's will" is a reminder that, contrary to much errant teaching in today's church, it is often our heavenly Father's purpose that we honor him by sustained devotion in the midst of undeserved suffering. God determines whether we suffer or not. But it is up to us how we react to the circumstances God places us in. Peter is trying to encourage them to accept their suffering because it is "God's will."
When a Christian does suffer for doing good, it is God's will. God is in control even of our enemies. It is always better that we suffer for good, not deserving it, than to suffer for bad, deserving it. When we suffer and we cannot pinpoint a specific sin, then we can conclude that this suffering is God's will and He has brought it either to glorify Himself or to cause us to grow in Christ. Often God wants us to learn to trust Him alone and that can only be done as we suffer.
"Entrust their souls"—this is a present middle imperative implying that they themselves needed to continue to entrust themselves to God. The final thing a believer must do in response to a trial is commit himself to God. The ancient Greek word paratithēmi translated here as "commit" is a technical one that is used for leaving money on deposit with a trusted friend. Such a trust was regarded as one of the most sacred things in life, and the friend was bound by honor to return the money intact. It is the very word Yeshua used when He said,
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last. Luke 23:46 ESVYeshua entrusted His soul to the Father and we are to do the same.
"To a faithful Creator while doing good"—God is faithful! This is the basic affirmation of the Bible. It is the unchanging character of God that is the sure hope of every believer. God will do what He has said He will do!
"While doing good"—this is a repeated theme in 1 Peter. This letter is dominated by the admonitions to suffer for doing what is right and not for what is wrong.
"Faithful Creator"—is an unusual designation because only here in the New Testament is God called Creator (ktistes). The combination of "faithful" and "Creator" should remind believers of God's love and power in the midst of trials so that they will not doubt his interest or ability.
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