“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound
judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in
your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be
hospitable to one another without complaint.” (1 Peter 4:7–9, NASB95)
Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “There is an appointed time
for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to
give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1–2, NASB95) It is strange to read the words of Peter nearly
two thousand years later that “[t]he end of all things is near.” But what was
true then is still true today. The end is near. Maybe it is not near according
to our timeline in light of the struggles that we face, but from an eternal
perspective it truly is, as Paul said, “momentary.” For all of Peter’s readers
their end was going to come by physical death. Their time to die would come,
and they would step out of their mortal bodies into the presence of our Lord.
It was true for them, and it is true for all who have died since as with those
who died previous. Every single person who has lived has had his or her own
time to be born and subsequent time to die. And, for everyone who has trusted
in Christ for salvation there has also been a time to be born again and a time
to step from their mortal bodies into His eternal presence.
Whatever struggle we encounter has a time limit to it, and
regardless of its intensity or its earthly duration it is going to be followed
by a release into eternity. In this Peter’s readers were encouraged both to
have hope and to keep their focus. They were not to grow weary, but to keep
their eyes on God and remain connected to Him in prayer.
There was no need to panic. God had not lost control. So,
they were to stay sound in their judgment. They were to think about things
rightly, keeping them in perspective of God’s sovereignty or infinite rule.
They were to think properly about all things in light of who they were in
Christ and not fearful of the issues or the people before them. They were to,
as God told Joshua, “be strong and courageous.” This meant that they were to
not only to pray individually but to with good courage pray with and for one another.
When we read “one another” in the New Testament it generally
refers to believers sharing a common bond in Christ and united in proximity. It
is used in conjunction with the various ways that we are to be with each other,
and it reinforces God’s plan that we be and function as one in Christ. This is
what Christ commanded. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John
13:34, NASB95) This is the starting place. It is the highest standard. It is
our priority toward each other as believers. But love is not to be separated
from truth. It is because of our love that we help one another when we stray
from truth. It is in truth that we have learned from Christ how to love such
that we are long-suffering, patient, and gracious. It is because of the truth
of God’s great mercy shown to us that we are merciful to others when they stumble.
We are all going to bump up against each other and create friction with each
other. Love is the grease that smooths things out and reinforces our spiritual
oneness. Love helps to trim off the sharp corners and round out the rough edges
as we encourage maturity and not enhance shame. It is from God’s Word that we
learn how about love, and it is in love that we help one another in times of
trial, struggle, and hurt. Love builds up. Love comforts. Love encourages.
God has shown us His great love and we are to be fervent in
our love for one another. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:9-10, “Let us not lose
heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So
then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially
to those who are of the household of the faith.” (Galatians 6:9–10, NASB95) For
any of us who have spent any time with others we know that loving others is
sometimes a difficult task, just as I know it is for those around me to love
me. It is a constant choice that we make, and when things look to most hopeless
in the progress we are to be strengthened in Christ to not lose heat and
continue in doing with is right and good. God will take care of the end result.
It is in His hands. What is for us is to keep our eyes on Him and to do what He
calls us to do, and in doing this even understand more and more how “love covers
a multitude of sins.”
Then in verse 9, Peter wrote, “Be hospitable to one another
without complaint.” I don’t know exactly why the instruction to “be hospitable
to one another without complaint” is placed here. But I am going to make a
presumption, and hope that in doing so that it is a proper handling of the
passage. Going back to 1 Peter 1:1 we read, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen….” (1 Peter 1:1, NASB95) I think
it safe to say that Peter's audience included those who had resided in the land
for the entirety of their lives and others who had only recently arrived. From
the letter, we read that believers had experienced persecution and were
suffering as a result. What we don’t know is how these people were moved around
and what the real estate market looked like when they arrived. We don’t know who
might have easily found housing and who might have been in desperate need.
From this, it is a reasonable to assume that some believers
would be called upon to house others who had fled their homes in being
scattered and were in need of shelter. And, it doesn’t take much of a look at
history to recognize that homes generally were not the sprawling estates that
we see today, but were considerably more modest. In line with this, the
resources of these homes were considerably more limited. So, taking others in
to help them, whether short or long term, could easily put a stress on all
involved. Yet, Peter wrote to them to be hospitable to one another without complaint.
Hardships happen and people need help. People can be very
inconvenient, and when put in close proximity it is easy for sparks to fly.
Hospitality here is the Greek word “philoxenoi” (Strong’s G3582 from philos
(friend or friendly toward) and xenos (stranger, foreigner, alien)), and it has
the meaning of being friendly toward a stranger or foreigner or someone outside
your home. It has the meaning of taking in someone for some period of time,
whether briefly or longer term, welcoming them and tending to their needs.
Recognizing that times were tough, these believers were encouraged to show the
kindness of Christ to one another as they paid special attention to those most
in need of help, and doing so without complaint.
Putting it all together, these believers in the days ahead
were going to need each other. They were going to need to encourage each other,
to keep each other focused on the hope within them, to pray for each other and
even to go the extra mile in helping and caring for each other. Just a few
verses later, in verse 12, Peter would write to them, “Beloved, do not be
surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though
something strange were happening to you.”
Today our world is in turmoil. Christians are
being persecuted and we are challenged in how to respond as brothers and
sisters in Christ. Hopefully Peter’s words will be a help to each of us as we
walk before Him and with each other in love with compassionate care.
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