WE have just this study and one more in 1 Peter, so I would be grateful for suggestions for our next study - another book in the Bible, and suggestions from those who read the notes but are unable to attend our Wednesday gatherings would also be welcome.

This time we are looking at a relatively short passage, but one which will reward close attention. Peter deals with two aspects of the Christians life. The first is the experience of suffering (v.12-16), and the other is the reason why God allows us to go through this suffering (v.17-19).

Verses 12-16.

In verse 12 Peter indicates that the believers he was writing to were going through painful trials. Peter tells them they must not be surprised at this suffering. He speaks of these trials as something the Christian should expect.

These trials were persecution from society because they would not do things society were doing, and because they confessed Christ as God and Saviour. These trials were because their faith was tested, and there was great temptation to give up and return to the world. These trials test our faith and love for Jesus. Such suffering is not strange. Jesus warns of this suffering in John 15:18-25. The world hated Jesus and caused him to suffer. Christ's disciples must expect the same treatment.

Such an exhortation seems a bit remote to us in the UK. We do not suffer discrimination because we follow Jesus. Our livelihood, our employment, our family, are not threatened by society, and there is no restriction on our worshipping God. In Peter's time this was not so, nor is this privilege enjoyed by Christians in Moslem countries, China or the Soviet Union, and other places in the world

In verse 13 Peter speaks of these painful trials as a source of joy. The joy is not in the suffering, but in what the suffering proves, which is that we are suffering because we belong to Christ, and belong to his heavenly kingdom. Peter does not mean that we share in Christ's atoning suffering, but that we share in the hate that the world directed at him. When the world hates us for loving Christ and serving him, this means we can rejoice in the fact that we share in Christ's Kingdom and so will know the experience of his glory one day.

Verse 14 reaffirms this truth and fact.. When we suffer for being a disciples of Christ we are blessed for this means the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. When we live faithfully for Jesus the mark of his kingdom will shine from our lives, and this will cause the world to react against us. Our joy in this suffering is because we belong to, and have the life, of God's eternal kingdom.

In verses 15 & 16 Peter tells us that suffering for Christ has no shame in it, whatever the world may imply or say. There is shame in suffering on account of sin, but not in suffering for Christ.. Such suffering is a source of praise rather than shame.

We need to search our hearts as we read these verses. Why do we know little of such suffering? Is it because we are not as faithful in following Christ as we should. Is it because we shrink from standing out for Christ in the world. On the other hand we must no be like some Christians who know suffering because they are self-righteous and judgemental, and imagine there suffering is sharing in the suffering of Christ. We need to be sure we are Christ-like in the way we live.

Verses 17-18.

We may well ask why Christ permits Christians to suffer. Why doesn't he save the ones he loves and has died for from such painful trials. Peter tells in this strange way of saying that this earthly life is the time of judgement for believers.

The question is as to what Peter means by the idea of judgement. What we have to remember is that as Christians we are God's children, and we are being fitted for life in God's family in the heavenly glory.

As God's children God gives us two sorts of experience which are painful. One is chastisement, and the other is testing or proving.

We need chastisement so that we may be weaned from all the lusts of the flesh - see 1 Corinthians 12:31; 2 Corinthians 6:9; Hebrews 12:6ff. This is the act of a loving Father in heaven. Even earthly fathers know that for the good of their children, discipline must be enforced, and the old maxim 'spare the rod and spoil the child' is wise and true. Jesus chastens us so that we may never stray from his love.

God also allows trials and testing to prove our faith, and cause us to lean more on Christ by faith, and seek our joys in heavenly things rather than in worldly. The 2 Corinthians passage above is Paul accounting such experiences.

Peter in exhorting us to face these judgements bravely and faithfully, calls us to consider the condition of those who are unbelievers. They may not suffer judgement now, but judgement will fall upon them. There judgement will not be chastening, but punitive and condemning, and will last for ever. Peter presses this home by saying that if we as Christians find our Fatherly discipline so necessary and so hard to bear that it seems it is hard for us to be saved; then what will become of the ungodly, those who do not believe on Jesus as Saviour and Lord.