How to Rejoice in Suffering, By Rev. Foster Covington

Peter's first letter is addressed to the five Roman provinces in Asia Minor. Many from these provinces had heard his message at Pentecost (Acts 2:9) and had been spiritual colonists. Paul had labored some in Asia, but was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to work intensively there.

The occasion of the letter was persecution in the area--not an empire-wide persecution, but local persecutions that could be quite severe. They key concerns were for the preparation for suffering in the life of the believer, and to avoid suffering as evil doers.

History tells us that Nero persecuted Christians in AD 54-68, Domitian in AD 81-96 and Trajan in AD 98-117. Since First Peter was written around AD 60 it could have well been addressed to those Christians under the Neroan persecution. But since the time of Christ's death, Christians have been persecuted starting with the Jewish Sanhedran Court. It was this group of leaders who sent Saul out with a letter of authority to squash this new sect of Judaism. The Romans were quick to join them as they realized that the Christian life was incompatible with paganism, so Christianity had to be stopped.

The truth of this letter is meaningful and just as valuable to Christians today as it was then.

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied" (I Peter 1:1-2). 

As we begin with the salutation (verses 1 and 2) Peter identifies himself as the writer. He writes to the "strangers" who are scattered in the provinces. They were not strangers to Peter, but temporary residents in the areas he names. Their real citizenship was in Heaven as Philippians 3:20 states: "For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." They were refugees suffering loss and deprivation. They must have had many questions on their minds, about the why of their suffering. Is that not what we say when we suffer? "Why me, Lord?"

Not only were they "strangers," they were the "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father." In the midst of discouragement and doubt it helps the believer to remember that God chose him and he is chosen to obey. This suffering then will be for a blessing. Romans 8:28 says: "And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." The God who chose you is still in control. God had already planned before time to appoint that man could come to Him by way of the cross through faith and holiness that would be worked in man by the Holy Spirit of God. This same God could be trusted to sustain them in their time of suffering.

In the statement "through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience," Peter blends the themes of God's purpose with his insistence upon personal responsibility. Man in his free will can deny the Holy Spirit of God, but God in His foreknowledge knows who they are before they are ever born. Those who will repent are chosen through sanctification of the Spirit, but they are not changed until they obey the Spirit of God, repent of sin and confess the Lord Jesus. In the midst of the congregation of the righteous the Spirit of God moves, and only the hard-hearted are not affected. Those who are moved by the Holy Spirit but do not repent of sin and confess the Lord Jesus as Savior, will leave the congregation changed but not saved. Several years ago, I witnessed to a very prosperous businessman who had been invited to the church by his children. He had been on several occasions so we invited him to dinner. During the course of the evening, I had the opportunity to witness to him but sadly he rejected salvation. He made a comment to me that I have not forgotten: "When I first came I did not believe a word you said. But after coming several times I know what you are saying is true. If, however, I do what you are asking, it will turn my world upside down. Don't loose hope. I'm not the same man you first met." He had been affected by the Spirit's message, but not unto obedience.

The "sprinkling of the blood" was not for him. This "sprinkling of the blood" reminds the readers of the Passover. If the blood was not struck over the doorpost and the mantel, then the firstborn died. There were no exceptions among men or animals. There was a death at every house--it was the firstborn, or the lamb. The judgment of God will come upon every soul. "The soul that sinneth it shall die." The only provision for deliverance from the wrath of God is the blood of Jesus Christ. He ends the salutation with encouragement: "Grace unto you and peace be multiplied." We see the inclusion of reference to all three persons of the Trinity. All the power of Heaven is available to help the "Elect" of God.

"Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (v. 3).

Having established whom the people are he is writing to (the elect), he speaks in verse three of their hope. He calls it a "living hope" in the midst of suffering. The "elect" have this hope because of the "abundant mercy" of God. Lamentations 3:22 says: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion fail not..." In addition to his mercy there is the knowledge of being begotten in this living hope "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." The word used here is an-ag-en-nah'-o which means to bring forth again, to regenerate. In fact, the source of our hope is in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He foretold of His death and resurrection in the Gospels. Paul speaks clearly in Romans of this hope in Christ: "...like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life..." Why? Because "we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (v. 4).

This hope gives assurance of an inheritance and Peter is stressing here that God gives an inheritance that is sure. When you are a refugee, you need some assurance of an inheritance. Verse four assures them of an inheritance that is incorruptible. The people of Rawanda fled their homeland because they had no assurance of their inheritance. The corruption in their own hearts made them unwilling to trust the new government. There was no assurance of their inheritance, and they were willing to die in a refugee camp rather than take a chance and go back to their land. God gives an inheritance that is indestructible. It is undefiled because its origin is not from man. He has nothing to do with it. It is unfading because man has nothing to do with preserving it. It is secure because it is kept in Heaven. No amount of suffering experienced in this life will affect your reservation. Don't be fooled by Satan, folks, into trying their method of problem solving. Your inheritance is secure.

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (v. 5).

God gives a promise that is sure. In verse five, Peter lets them know that God will keep them, and I tell you now, my friend, He will also keep you. Now they could feel sure about their inheritance, but what about them? I believe I am heir to a great inheritance, but can something happen to the heir before the inheritance is received that would cause the heir not to enter into his inheritance? Before we answer this question, let's ask another. Why would God guard what His children might never receive? Why would He promise what He could not deliver? The answer is, He would not. Therefore there is nothing that will keep the "elect" of God from entering into their inheritance. The heir is guarded by the power of God just as the inheritance is. The heir is kept by grace through faith, and the hope of this inheritance should sustain persecuted, suffering Christians.

It is not by our power that we have an inheritance, nor are we saved by our power. Ephesians 2:8 states: "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Man does not even believe by his own power. First Corinthians 12:3b says: "...no man can say Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Therefore, we must believe Romans 11:29 when it says: "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance..." The faith that causes grace to work in the life of a true believer that he might persevere until the end will last until the end. Once the believer has this fact set in his mind, he can deal spiritually with the heartbreaks and aches of this world, knowing this living hope of an inheritance is ready to be revealed in the last time.

God's power will keep the inheritance. God's power will call you, save you, and keep you until the end of your salvation, which will come when you leave this corruptible body to receive the inheritance "reserved in heaven."

A persecuted person cast adrift as a refugee in a foreign land may fear to place his hope in anything. It hurts when hopes are dashed and one may not want to hurt again, therefore the reminder of the power of God to keep what has been committed unto him.

Peter piles word upon word, and assurance upon assurance to establish the utter reliability of the believer's basic hope. This hope can only be rejected by rejecting the Gospel itself, and verse five lets us know a true believer will never do that.

"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation" (v. 6).

The assurance that a true believer has causes them to rejoice even in the midst of suffering. As heirs they could rejoice because their inheritance is protected and they are kept by the power of God. So in verse six these words of comfort are given to those who, no doubt, were doubting the provisions of God for their present condition. They were to rejoice even in their present situation: "in heaviness through manifold temptation."

The excellence and assurance of their spiritual state did not exempt them, and does not exempt us from suffering in this world. When many are "in heaviness through manifold temptations" their spirit can be affected and sadness could overtake them, and sin affect them unless someone reminds them of the short duration of suffering and the eternal provisions of God. For God knows when their spirits are ready to fail, not from weakness, but from strength. First Corinthians 10:13 tells us: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Romans 8:18 also tells us: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

'That trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (v. 7).

Therefore they should greatly rejoice even though sad because of suffering, that they might realize (v. 7) the results of the trial of their faith; that precious faith that is more valuable than gold. This is gold that has been melted down to remove all impurities, and so the relationship between trials and faith. When faith is tried impurities are removed, or it is found to be no faith. If a reminder of the rich and sure inheritance does not bring at least a little joy, your faith is no faith. But true faith is found unto praise, and prevents those that have it from fainting under pressure. Psalm 27:13-14 says: "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." This is true faith that even in the most difficult situation will cause you to (v. 14) "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the Lord."

"Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (vs. 8-9).

In Romans 10:17 we read: "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." For this reason faith is a jewel that can never be lost. It is a gift of God and it is without repentance (Romans 11:29). So glorious shall be the reward that Christ shall bestow upon those who have been faithful to him under trial, that words cannot describe it.

Let's look in verses 8 and 9 at the happy effects of faith that has been tried. First it made them love Jesus Christ even though they had not seen Him. Peter saw Him and believed, but Thomas would not believe until he saw the print of the nails and touched the scar in His side. Jesus told Thomas in John 20:29 "...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." The faith of Peter's readers caused them to love the Lord Jesus Christ even though they had not seen Him.

Second, in the exercising of their faith, even though Jesus' bodily presence was not with them, they followed Him and rejoiced with joy that was first unspeakable. There were no words to express the nature, height or depth of this joy. It was the beginning of that joy which glorified spirits have in Heaven. When one glorifies God in the midst of trials, I believe that they will break forth with expression of joy that even they will be surprised. When my dear wife was suffering through the difficulties that are associated with being treated for cancer, she would listen to Christian tapes that would make her laugh. When she was too sick to laugh, it was my turn to laugh for her and to remind her that she would laugh again. When you trust the Lord in the midst of trials you will be surprised at the joy He will place in your heart; joy that must be expressed as the old hymn says, I said I wasn't going to tell nobody, but I just could keep it to myself what the Lord has done for me.

The third effect of faith (v. 9) is the right to and a taste of eternal salvation, which is here called "the end of your faith." When we receive Christ on His terms, we have His assurance that God hath "raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." The saved have everlasting life and occasionally taste what Heaven is like. When I was a child the people in my community had a hard life, but it did not hinder them from expression of joy for the provision of God, nor did it hinder shouts of praise in the midst of the congregation. Real love was expressed, care and concern for each other was demonstrated, and as the spirit of God filled our local congregation, it was a taste of Heaven. That faith which by trials is discovered to be sound, is the faith by which believers do receive the salvation of their soul.

These nine verses of First Peter are just a taste of what Peter has in store for the careful reader. His readers were real people just like us, who made a decision to trust the Lord Jesus Christ for eternity. It may be that you are having a tough time right now. Bring things into focus through I Peter 1:13, and clear your mind of trash so the holiness of God can cheer your heart.