Dealing with Suffering Biblically – Context

Yesterday we began to look at a Biblical view of suffering.  The conclusion was that all that Peter addresses in his letter is under the umbrella of the foreknowledge of God.

Moving on.

Consider the actions of the Father cataloged by Peter in 1:1 – 9 (here @ Bible Gateway):

• We are chosen (1:1) (here @ Bible Gateway)
• We are caused to be born again (1:3) (here @ Bible Gateway)
• We are protected (1:5) (here @ Bible Gateway)

Then consider the purpose of the Father’s actions:

• We are to obey Jesus Christ (1:1) (here @ Bible Gateway)
• We are to be sprinkled with Christ’s blood (1:1) (here @ Bible Gateway)
• We have a living hope (1:3) (here @ Bible Gateway)
• We have an imperishable inheritance (1:4) (here @ Bible Gateway)
• We have salvation (1:5) (here @ Bible Gateway)

Peter then notes that our response to these realities is that we greatly rejoice (1:6) (here @ Bible Gateway).  However, in the same sentence he, for the first time, brings up the topic of suffering.  He brings it up in a conditional clause.  The original is treated differently in the various English translations.  Note, that when you see differing treatments of a verse, it is a clue that you need to dig deeper into what the text says.

In many of the versions the text is rendered “if necessary,” this may be a bit weak.  The construction is a first-class conditional sentence which means that for the sake of argument it is assumed that what is stated is true.  So, Peter is assuming that they are going to be experiencing suffering.  The further context of the letter would seem to support that conclusion.

That is enough today, consider in 1 – 9  (here @ Bible Gateway) what is it that Peter suggests is the anchor to persevere well through suffering.  We will, perhaps, finish this tomorrow.

Dealing with Suffering Biblically

In the past few weeks much of my time in study has been in 1 Peter (here @ Bible Gateway).  There are several threads that permeate the book.  Many of them combine to form an encouragement for Peter’s readers to handle suffering well.

In the past couple of years, I have been privileged to serve believers in Morocco, Cameroon, Togo, and Ethiopia.  A few days after I left Ethiopia there was a riot that resulted in the deaths of over 75 individuals, additionally Christians have been murdered by Boko Haram in the northern part of Ethiopia in the past few days.  In one of these countries the rise of Islamic fundamentalists has resulted in believers being more and more cautious to attend underground churches.

In all of these countries and many other in which I have either engaged or spoken with those who have firsthand knowledge, a brand of “Christianity” is widely taught that promises that if one comes to the Lord, one will have a life of prosperity, will be healed of all disease, and essentially be protected from suffering.

A cursory reading of 1 Peter (here @ Bible Gateway) would suggest that those who promotes that brand of “Christianity” have not read Peter’s work.  Consider 1 Peter 1:1 - 9 (here @ Bible Gateway).

Verse 2 (here @ Bible Gateway) begins, in most of the translations some form of “according to the foreknowledge of God.”  The phrase “according to” is the translation of the Greek word κατὰ (kata).  In his work, Prepositions and Theology in the Greek New Testament, Murry Harris tells us that “κατά specifies the criterion, standard, or norm in the light of which a statement is made, an action is performed, or a judgment is passed.”  In other word it is the domain under which action is taken or something happens.

In the immediate context consider what Peter says happens “according to the foreknowledge of God,”

• Chosen (this is at the beginning of verse 1 in the Greek)
• Scattered
• Residing as Aliens

In fact, the placement of this at the beginning of 1 Peter (here @ Bible Gateway), indicates that all of the topics that Peter touches on in this letter are under the umbrella of God’s foreknowledge.

We will start there.  Spend some time working through the text and observe what else Peter says.  Look for the other use of kata in this passage and consider how it works with the usage in verse 2 (here @ Bible Gateway).

I will continue this in tomorrows post.

Reboot

There is still much to say.

The long absence here this year is the result of a year that has been full of both travel and challenging health.

Many times, I have started to write again.  Topics that drew me were the intersection of homosexuality and Christianity and the ordination and inclusion of women in the proclaiming pastorate (it was the controversy surrounding the changing position of Beth Moore that was the impetus).  I began to write on both but after starting the first, realized that it would consume weeks or months of posts to handle well.  On the second in talking it over with my wife, who has benefited greatly from Mrs. Moore’s ministry, it was clear that, again, the topic would consume many weeks.  It was not and has not been my focus to deal directly with issues as these.

So, I will start again.  My focus is the requirement the Lord has stated for us, if we are to be His apprentices, to abide in His Word.  It is my settled conviction that if one is truly pursuing His requirement to abide, the issues above about which I was tempted to address will resolve.

It is a further settled conviction that for the most part many if not most believers are not abiding in the Word as our Lord has commanded.  Rather they have become dependent on others to study the Word for them and to tell them what they found.  The vast number of Christian books published each year is a testament to this reality.

So, the purpose here, mostly to remind myself, is to both encourage us to abide and in some small way attempt to equip those who engage here to do so.

So, we will reboot, there is still much to say.