1 Peter 4:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

NIV: But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

NASB: but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

CSB: They will give an account to the one who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.

NLT: But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.

KJV: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

NKJV: They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

To live for pleasure, no matter what lines are crossed, is a common lifestyle for those apart from God. It's true in our time, and it was true in Peter's time. In fact, it may even have been the routine for most in Peter's Greco-Roman era. In the previous two verses, Peter made it clear that those committed to doing God's will in Christ, those who had suffered or were ready to suffer for Him, do not participate in such a lifestyle. It may be part of their past, but living for sinful pleasures has no place in the Christian's present. Nor is it meant to be part of our future.

Self-control will not earn the respect and tolerance of pleasure-seekers, though. Peter writes that they resent Christians for their abstinence. They "heap abuse" on believers for sitting out the drinking parties and the raucous idol-worshiping.

And yet, God is paying attention. Pleasure-seekers will stand before God and "give account" of their lives at the final judgment. God—in this context, probably Jesus Himself (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1; Romans 14:9)—is ready, right now, to judge the living and the dead. This is meant to include all people who have ever lived or died. Peter implies that suffering Christians may be abused, for now. Ultimately, though, they will be vindicated by God for their refusal to go along with the pressures of culture. We will be rewarded for resisting the urge to be accepted through pleasure-seeking.

1 Peter 4:1–11 urges Christians to take on Jesus’ attitude toward suffering. We should see it as an expected part of fulfilling God’s purpose for us on earth. Those who willingly endure suffering for Christ set the course of their lives away from mind-numbing sins. This is true even when those who still commit those sins bad-mouth them. We must stay alert so that we can pray in these end times. We must keep loving each other, using God’s gifts to serve each other with God’s power in and through us, so all the glory goes to Him.

Peter continues to describe how Christians should respond when faced with persecution: Take on Christ’s attitude, and expect God’s purpose for your life to include suffering. Set the course of your life away from mind-numbing pleasure seeking. Be alert so that you can pray effectively in these end times. In fact, rejoice if you share in Christ’s sufferings. God uses suffering to refine the faith of His people, and our present suffering contributes to future glory. If you suffer, keep doing good while trusting your soul to your Creator.

Peter’s letter to Christians is about how to live in the world while suffering for faith in Christ. Thus far, he has assured Christians that their future is secure with God. We are His holy people, set apart for His purposes. Christians are called to live in submission to every human authority. Now in chapter 4, Peter writes that we should take Jesus’ attitude toward suffering and expect it in this life, avoiding mind-numbing sin while loving each other earnestly. God may use suffering in this life to refine our faith, but the end of all things is near.

Some 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus, Christians are facing greater persecution for their faith. How should they respond? How should we respond to suffering today? The apostle Peter writes this letter both to comfort believers and to encourage them to stay strong. He urges them to put all their hope in their perfect future with Christ, and to obey and trust Him in the present, even in their suffering. Christ suffered greatly; now the Christ-followers have the opportunity to follow Him even in this, showing His grace and power in their hopefulness, obedience, and faith.