Living In The End Times (4:7-11)

"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"

Living In The End Times (4:7-11)

In 1 Pe 4:2, Peter wrote concerning the Christian that, "...he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." As an impetus to live out one's time in the flesh for the will of God, one should remember that we are living in the "end times" - 1 Pe 4:7a ("But the end of all things is at hand;"). It might be that Peter actually had reference in this text to the destruction of Jerusalem. Which was the end of the temple, the Levitical priesthood, and of the Jewish economy. As MacKnight points out in his commentary: "This epistle being written A.D.67, about a year after the war with the Romans began, which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Jewish state, Peter, who had heard his Master's prophecy concerning these events, and concerning the signs of their approach, had good reason to say, that they had approached."

But whether Peter has in mind the destruction of Jerusalem, or the Lord's second coming, we can still say "the end of all things is at hand"... For even if the Lord Himself does not return for another two thousand years, the time is not long when we who are alive today will be "in the flesh" no more. With every passing day, "our salvation is nearer than when we first believed", and the "end" draws ever closer. How then should we live out the rest of our time, living as we do in the "end times"?

Verses 7-11 provides guidance to "Living In The End Times" and we notice right away that it should involve prayer that is serious and alert, verse (7), “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer:”

Peter stresses seriousness throughout his epistle. The word here is sophroneo {so-fron-eh'-o}, which means to be in one's right mind; to exercise self control:

1) to put a moderate estimate upon one's self, think of one's self soberly

2) to curb one's passions

Words closely related to this are found in 1 Pe 1:13 “Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”; 5:8 “Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” (note the word "sober").

This quality is needed especially in our prayers. Otherwise we cannot pray as we ought - Ep 6:18 “with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,”. That is, with praying that is "watchful" - Lk 21:34-36 “But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man”. Serious, watchful praying is necessary, therefore, or we might not be ready for that which will come.

As we continue in our text, we see that "Living In The End Times" also calls for a love that is fervent & forgiving, verse (8) “above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:”

This is the second time Peter commands "fervent love". The first time was in 1 Pe 1:22 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently:”. We defined "fervent" as "constant" or "earnest". Here Peter tells us to make such "fervent love" the number one priority ("above all things have fervent love..."). This is reminiscent of Paul's words in Co 3:14 “and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.” And perhaps a reflection of Jesus' words in Mt 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets.”

The need for such "fervent love" is seen in its power to forgive. "for love will cover a multitude of sins". This appears to be a reference to Pro 10:12 ("love covers all sins"). To "cover sin" does not mean to ignore it, but as used by James it suggests "fervent love" does what is necessary to restore and forgive the sinner - Ja 5:19-20 “My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.”

As the "time of the end" draws near, and the Day of Judgment looms closer, how important it is that we have the kind of love for one another which will encourage us all to get rid of sin in our lives! As a further expression of "fervent love for one another", "Living In The End Times" will also involve hospitality that is gracious, verse (9) “using hospitality one to another without murmuring:”


This is an unusual use of the word "hopitality. For the word is philoxenos {fil-ox'-en-os}. It literally means "love of strangers""of the household of faith", our own brethren! - Ga 6:10 “ and is normally used in reference to kindness to those we don't know. But here Peter applies it to our love towards brethren. But if we are to show kindness to those we don't know, how much more towards those who are So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.”

There is always a need for hospitality, as our love for one another is a sign of true discipleship - Jn 13:34-35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered, Whither I go, thou canst not follow now; but thou shalt follow afterwards.” But there may be a special need as "the end draws near". Several passages suggest that persecution of the saints will increase before Christ returns (so as I understand Re 20:7-9 “And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.” ). In any period of persecution, when some Christians lose all they have, other Christians need to be ready to provide for their needs - Mt 25:34-40 “ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.”

For hospitality to be true and sincere, it must be "without grumbling". If one shows kindness with a begrudging spirit, can it be said they truly have a love of strangers (or brethren)? Only by placing a higher premium on our brethren than we do on our possessions can we show hospitality without grumbling.

Finally, in keeping with our Lord's charge to "Do business till I come" (Lk 19:13), "Living In The End Times" requires that we offer service that glorifies God, verses (10-11) “according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God; if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Each person can perform a valuable service by the grace of God, which is "manifold" (multi-faceted), where there are various ways one can serve God. And each of us are to be "good stewards" (accountable servants) of whatever gifts or abilities we may have. Even as Paul wrote to the brethren at Rome in Ro 12:3-8 “For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another. And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

With two examples, Peter illustrates the kind of service that glorifies God. Those that speak should speak "as the oracles of God". Understanding that they are speaking for God, they should speak only that which God Himself has revealed, with "sound speech that cannot be condemned" - Ti 2:7-8 “in all things showing thyself an ensample of good works; in thy doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.” Those that minister (serve) do so with the ability or strength supplied by God Himself! Certainly not with slothfulness - Ro 12:11 “in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”

"Living In The End Times", then, is living with the recognition that to God (and Jesus Christ) "belong the glory and dominion forever and ever". With that recognition, we will be careful to develop:

1) Prayer that is serious and alert

2) Love that is fervent and forgiving

3) Hospitality that is gracious

4) Service that glorifies God
How are you living now that "the end of all things is at hand"? Are you glorifying God through Jesus Christ