In this message we shall continue our review of God’s governmental judgment as revealed in the first four chapters of 1 Peter.
First Peter 4:17 says, “Because it is time for the judgment to begin from the house of God; and if first from us, what will be the end of those who disobey the gospel of God?” This book shows the government of God especially in His dealings with His chosen people. The sufferings they undergo in fiery persecution are used by Him as a means to judge them that they may be disciplined, purified, and separated from the unbelievers and not have the same destiny as the unbelievers. Hence, such disciplinary judgment begins from God’s own household. God’s house, or household, is the church composed of the believers (2:5; Heb. 3:6; 1 Tim. 3:15; Eph. 2:19). From this house, as His own house, God begins His governmental administration by His disciplinary judgment over His own children, that He may have strong ground to judge, in His universal kingdom, those who are disobedient to His gospel and rebellious to His government. This is for the establishment of His kingdom, which is covered in the second book (2 Pet. 1:11).
We need to be deeply impressed from 4:17 that judgment begins from the household of God. This is God’s governmental administration carried out by His disciplinary judgment over His own children. The purpose of this disciplinary judgment that begins at God’s house is that God may have a strong ground to judge, in His universal kingdom, all those who are disobedient to His gospel and rebellious against His government. This applies in particular to the unbelieving Jews. The result of this judgment will be the establishment of God’s kingdom.
In 4:17 Peter asks this question: “What will be the end of those who disobey the gospel of God?” Peter is asking, if the judgment begins from us, what will happen to those who do not obey God’s gospel? This question indicates that the unbelievers, who disobey the gospel of God, will undergo a judgment more severe than that which the believers have undergone.
In verse 18 Peter goes on to ask, “And if the righteous is saved with difficulty, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?” Here “the righteous” refers to the believers, who became righteous by being justified through their faith in Christ (Rom. 5:1) and by living a righteous life in Christ (Phil. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rev. 19:8).
The word “difficulty” refers to judgments, persecutions, and hardships. This may even include illness. Many believers have the concept that because they believe in the Lord Jesus and are saved, everything in their lives should be smooth. Actually, the very opposite is true. In the Christian life we have one difficulty after another. However, some may think that because they are in the church life, they should not have any problems. They imagine that they will be in perfect health, have a high income, and be well spoken of by others. Actually, both in the Christian life and in the church life there are many difficulties. Hence, Peter says that the righteous is saved with difficulty.
In 4:18 “saved” is not from eternal perdition through the Lord’s death, but from the coming destruction (1 Thes. 5:3, 8), through the trials of persecution as God’s disciplinary judgment. The believer, who has been disciplined by God through the sufferings of persecution to purify his life, is saved with the difficulty of persecution from the destruction of God’s wrath toward the world, especially toward the unbelieving Jews, with the coming destruction of Jerusalem in view.
This Epistle was written only a few years before the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the prince of Rome. The Lord Jesus had prophesied concerning this in Matthew 24:2, when He said of the temple that not one stone would be left upon another. The Lord had predicted that judgment would come upon the disobedient and unbelieving Jews. Peter, along with all the other apostles, knew this.
We need to remember that this book was written in particular to Jewish believers. Peter warned these believers regarding the coming destruction. However, he told them that those who believed in the Lord would be saved from that destruction, but they would be saved through difficulty, that is, through persecution and sufferings. This difficulty is a kind of governmental judgment.
Among the early apostles there was a strong belief that the Lord Jesus would come back soon to judge the unbelieving sinners, who are ungodly and disobey His gospel (2 Thes. 1:6-9). Peter’s word here refers to this. In God’s government, if the righteous, who has obeyed His gospel and lives a righteous life before Him, is saved with difficulty, suffering persecution as the means of His disciplinary punishment to purify his life, where will the ungodly, who disobeys His gospel and lives a sinful life against His government, stand when the destruction by His wrath comes?