1 Peter 4:7-11 The Culmination of All Things

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The Culmination of All Things Is at Hand

1 Peter 4:7-11

Introduction: With these verses, we conclude the body of the letter. You can see how verse 11 brings this section to a close with a very familiar doxology (praise hymn/statement) similar to what Paul used on numerous occasions.

Dividing the letter into three major sections, this is what we see:

• 1:1 – 2:10 Who You Are in This Present World: Elect Exiles
• 2:11 – 4:11 Godly Living While Suffering For Righteousness
• 4:12 – 5:11 Hope in the Midst of Suffering

By now, the beginning words of verse 7 should remind us of a very familiar theme throughout this letter. Peter is challenging us to live our lives in view of end times and our ultimate eternal reward.

1. Living with the “End” in View
   1. What is meant by the “end of all things is at hand?” The Net Bible renders, “The culmination of all things is at hand.” It is fair to ask what we would have understood if we had been reading these words in the first century?
   2. Our first thought may have been the end of time. However, if we had read Paul (which these readers had), and if we knew the prophets (we assume these Jewish readers did), there are other alternatives.
   3. 1 Cor. 7:29-31 Paul clearly warns that the “present form of this world is passing away” and therefore these Christians were to reconsider marriage because of the added  difficulties. While it would be hard to place the destruction of Jerusalem in this category since these are mostly Gentile Corinthians, the persecution that would soon come from Nero and future emperors are real possibilities.
   4. Couple this with the knowledge Jewish readers would have had concerning Dan. 9:24-27 and the ultimate fall of the Israel nation. Remember, Peter’s audience are Jews.  By 70 AD Rome would no longer tolerate Jews with their nationalism and independent spirit. Rome would be the god that all must serve and there could be no challenges to its power. This mentality would ultimate pour over against Christians. 
   5. Therefore, since we know that the end of time was not near, possibly the best way to understand the phrase is to say that all that the prophets had foretold concerning the death and resurrection of Christ, the final days of Israel, and the bringing in of the kingdom of the Messiah is all at that “culmination point.”
   6. Now consider how we should apply these words. The “culmination” point of which Peter speaks has long been fulfilled. To quote Paul’s words, the “end of the ages” has certainly come upon us. If the “end of the ages” had come upon them, how much more us? Thus the words “therefore” sets up the message. Peter gives a short list of Christian duties in light of the culmination of all things.
2. “Therefore Be…”
   1. First and foremost, this has to do with a mental preparedness. It has to do with a way of thinking. “Sober-minded” is also translated “clear-minded.” Jesus taught in Matt. 6:21-23 that possessions are the most obvious way we clutter our thinking and lose the goal.
      “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in your is darkness, how great is the darkness!” 
   2. Therefore, both sin and possessions can blur our eternal vision.
   3. Further, it may be easy to pass by the words, self-control, but that would be a big mistake. Self-control is the foundation of maturity. Without self-control, there is no maturity and no chance of ever reaching maturity. The primary reason for lack of self-control must be laid at the feet of parents. It must be learned in youth or the struggle will be lifelong. I would suggest there are three aspects of self-control.
      1. First, self-control is the ability to say “no” to self. That is the first quality a child must learn. A child left to himself will not learn it. A child who successfully manipulates his parents to live as he desires, will not learn it. A child who is not repeatedly trained and disciplined to maintain boundaries, will not learn it. The sad part is that a significant percentage of adults today exhibit serious problems with self-control causing them to live dysfunctional and unhappy lives.
      2. Second, self-control is the ability to prioritize the responsibilities of life. (1) “Seek first the kingdom…” (2) Loving wife as self & raising children in the admonition of the Lord. (3) Providing for family (1 Tim. 5:8).
      3. Third, self-control is the ability to accept responsibilities and complete the task at hand even when the going gets tough.
   4. “For the sake of your prayers” – “for” is eis (for the purpose of). In other words, prayer is critical when the “culmination of all things is at hand.” 
      1. Prayer is not effectual when a person is not self-controlled and thinking clearly. A Christian who is thinking otherwise simply “says” a prayer; they give a “now I lay me down to sleep” prayer. The principles of the Lord’s prayer will not be prayed. The gravity of the situation is not in mind.
      2. This warning also shows us how important prayer is. It is especially important for God to hear our prayers and have a pure, clean connection with him in a time of trial. We do not want to enter severe trials without being able to rely on God to guide us through the trial.
   5. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (Cf. 1:22; 3:8; 5:14)
      1. First, notice the beginning words, “Above all else…” In other words, you just can’t get more important than this. If a local church, or more generally, a brotherhood of believers is going to survive the fashion of this world passing away, and have any effect on an unbelieving world, it will be because Christians love in this way.
      2. Now look at the phrase, “Keep loving one another earnestly.” 
         1. “Earnestly” carries the meaning of keeping loving with “an intent that is steadfastly pursued.” It is not so much emotional intensity as it is a love that persists in spite of difficulties because it is a love that covers a multitude of sins.
         2. The statement, “keep loving” stresses this never giving up attitude. Paul said, “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” That is “earnestly.”
         3. Next, notice the quotation from Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” When you look at the contrasts in the text, you can see that hatred takes an event and “stirs up dissension.” In other words, a wrong is taken and stirred up to create more problems. But love does not stir up; love covers over wrongs done so that they do not bring further harm.
      3. J. D. White explains that a person acts out of love “when a private personal injury has been done to him, as though nothing had occurred. In this way, by simply ignoring the unkind act or the insulting word…he brings the evil thing to an end; it dies and leaves no seed….This consideration gives dignity and worth inestimable to the feeble efforts of the most insignificant of us to make love the controlling principle in our daily lives.”
         Cf. Ecclesiastes 7:21-22, “Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.”
   6. “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” This command is often used in other texts to refer to providing for the “stranger” or a brother passing through that needs a place to stay. However, in this text Peter is specifically talking about hospitality within the body. Notice that he repeats the phrase, “one another” three times: (1) “Keep loving one another earnestly” (2) “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (3) “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another.”
   7. Let’s further explore this command. We sometimes think that it is only commanded to elders. But it is a repeated command to the whole church. But we should ask the question, “Why?” Why is hospitality so important?
      1. First, the simplest way hospitality is shown is by having a person/people over for dinner. There is no better way to grow the love for one another Peter asked us to have in the previous verse. Jesus constantly connected with people around the table.
      2. As John mentions in 2 & 3 John, hospitality is shown for brethren who are traveling and need a place to stay.
      3. Hospitality in the context of 1 Peter would especially be practiced for those who are going through trials or who are simply in need for a more extended period of time. Keep in mind also that Peter is not writing to a local church, but to brethren scattered throughout a very large area. Therefore, these are commands that are not simply obligations within a local body.
   8. Now you will notice that Peter doesn’t just command hospitality, but hospitality without grumbling. But why would anyone grumble? That’s easy, isn’t it?
      1. Grumble because of the preparation.
      2. Grumble because of the expense.
      3. Grumble because of the inconvenience to one’s schedule.
      4. Grumble because of the wear and tear on the house.
      5. Grumble because God gave me this house and now He expects me to use it in His service?!
3. “As Each Has Received a Gift…”
   1. First, a simple point: you have a gift. Yes you do, God says you do, and he expects you to use it. That is why he gave it to you. According to this text, this gift has to do with either what you do or what you say. It has to do with acting and speaking, which covers the whole of what we have available to us in the service of the Lord (Col. 3:17). So what gift are you using in your work as a Christian in this church? What “one another” gift are you using? 
   2. This gift is to be used as “good stewards.” A steward is a caretaker for another’s goods, and stewards must answer for the way they took care of the Master’s goods, just like in the Parable of the Talents.
   3. Using the gift for speaking. 
      1. If you speak – speak as the oracles of God. Consider how important that is. In one way or another we are all “teachers.” That doesn’t mean that we all teach a class. But we all have beliefs in what the Bible teaches. We all express those beliefs at one time or another. Here is the admonition: keep it all within the teachings of the Lord.
      2. As much as possible, use biblical terms when discussing biblical principles. Stick as closely as possible to not only what the Bible says, but how it says it. A sloppy use of words leads to incorrect beliefs and poor conclusions (Use of the word “miracle”). There is a such a danger in our own personal reasonings. Paul warned the Corinthians of “plausible words of wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:3). We can so easily start ruminating on some principle, going from “a” to “b” to “c” to “d” without looking at the text. Before you know it, we have come up with some elaborate belief that turns us away from the truth. That is the reason Paul stressed the Holy Spirit revealed scripture “in words not taught by human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:13).
      3. Example: young Christian is reading about God saying certain kings of Judah “did what was right” except they didn’t tear down the high places. His conclusion: therefore, they were still saved even though they did not worship correctly. Then, apply the same thing to denominations.
   4. Using the gift of acting: “Serve with the strength God supplies.” Okay, who gives you strength? God does, right? Where are we spending our strength? Is it on things God wants us to do, or are we wearing ourselves out on our own desires? Are we spending our strength to “serve one another?”
   5. Finally, the goal: “in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ?” Therefore, nothing the Lord has asked us to do whether in word or in deed, is for our own personal praise or glory. We are always serving the Lord for his praise and glory.

Conclusion: Now how did Peter begin this section? “The end of all things is at hand; therefore…” If we appreciate the fact that we are living in the end of the ages, this is how we will be living.

Berry Kercheville