LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE

part 2

A LETTER FROM PETER - 1 Peter 4:4-11

4 Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. 5 But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. 6 That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit. (1 Peter 4:4-6 - NLT)

Peter is aware of the tall poppy syndrome that will rear its ugly head once those with this new Christian community start to evidence the changed life. Former friends will probably have great delight in reminding us of our more irresponsible and sinful behaviour. What we need to keep firmly focussed on is our citizenship and status now, as a citizen of the new holy nation with a new standing with God, and new values and a completely new focus on our lives.

All their negative reactions, criticism and slander belong with them and in the final analysis, they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone. They have seen the evidence of a changed life and heard the testimony of those in this new Christian community, and now they will have to account for their response.

Verse 6 is a reflection back to the closing verses in the last chapter and the comments made there will suffice.

7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11 - NLT)

A common theme running through the words of New Testament writers is the events of end times; the parousia, or the second coming of Christ as judge and ruler of the world. However, while we firmly believe this to be true we cannot apply it in this narrowest of senses. It may well be that these early writers sincerely believed in the imminent return of Christ but the reality is that over 2,000 years have passed and it has not eventuated.

There is another side of this coin that we need to take quite seriously and it is this: we will all, without exception, experience a personal parousia, when we will stand in the presence of Jesus after death. It is this realisation that should keep our feet on the track of the kingdom lifestyle, earnest and disciplined in [our] prayers.

Is there a link between verses 7 and 8? At first glance it might not be too obvious However, it may well be that the nearer we live to the reality of eternity, the closer we will live to others, particularly those of the holy nation, for we all share a common destiny. Consequently, we owe each other the Christian love required of us by Jesus in John 13:34-35 and explained by Paul in 1 Corinthian 13.

Love covers a multitude of sins. And we find ourselves in somewhat of a conundrum to understand fully what Peter means. Does it mean that if I can deeply love another God will forgive their sins, or even, because of the depths of my love, He will forgive my sins? That seems to contradict much of what we believe the Bible teaches. Or perhaps, more correctly, it is speaking about indescribable love of God for all humanity, who in His grace will forgive the most atrocious of penitent sinners.

Peter focuses in on one of the great outcomes of authentic community, genuine hospitality. Never is this holy nation more vibrant and energised than when it is reaching out to those in need and he is not talking just about the many of the great helping and compassionate programs churches run. Rather, he is speaking directly to those who are within the royal priesthood he addresses in chapter 2.

The essential role of the Old Testament priest was ministry to people in God’s name. However, now there is a dual role here for those in the royal priesthood and that includes everyone who belongs to this Christian community.  They are the two crucial roles of pastoral care and evangelism., both are ministry to others. They are essential roles without which the community could not function and develop.

There is the privilege of ministering to, and caring for others and building a sense of interdependency and support between the members of the new Christian community and even those outside; what we may term today as pastoral care. Genuine Christian hospitality is an authentic outcome of the royal priestly activity in which all those with the holy nation can participate at some level. In many ways, it is the mortar that will bind the living stones together. Kind acts of hospitality and love sink deep within the deepest recesses of human nature, often to be recalled and re-enacted by the recipients.

Perhaps too much has been made about spiritual gifts over recent years with a tendency to be selective in how we serve as royal priests. There are times, when in humility, we just do what needs to be done regardless of our gift mix. However, if we have been given the privilege of a particular gift we must develop, pursue and utilise it to the very best of our abilities, tempered with huge dollops of humility and devoid of any hint of pride. In the final analysis,       it never was ours, it is a gift from a generous God and not a personal possession.

True humility, honesty and transparency in the life of the Christian are not only desirable but crucial; for everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.