After You Have Suffered a While 1 Peter 5:10

Peter the apostle warned the “scattered” Christians “the devil” was “as a roaring lion” walking “about, seeking whom he may devour”, and they were to “resist” him “stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions” were “accomplished in” their “brethren that are in the world.” In chapter five and verse ten of his letter, Peter told the Christians what would happen after they have “suffered a while” where we read:

But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.

The verse begins, “But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus,...” Peter began with the word, “But” which is a disassociation conjunction which means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was previously stated, “moreover, nonetheless and nevertheless” “the God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “of all grace” which means “each, every, any, all and the whole which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness and unmerited favor”, “who has called us” which refers to “God calling aloud, uttering and inviting both Peter and the Christians” “unto his eternal” or “without beginning and end, that which has always been and always will be, never to cease and everlasting” “glory” which means “opinion, judgment, view, praise, honor, splendor and brightness” “by Christ” which means “the anointed one and the Messiah” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God and Messiah”. Peter's reference is to “God Almighty” who is filled with grace and willing that all the Christians be “called” through “Jesus Christ” to an “everlasting” “splendor and brightness” with Him.

The verse goes on to say, “...after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.” Peter added, “after that you have suffered” or “been vexed, affected and sensibly experienced bad plights” “a while” which means “a little, small and few time”, “make you perfect” which in Greek is “katartizō hymas katartizō” and means “render, fit, sound, complete, put in order, arrange and adjust”, “establish” or “make stable, place firmly, set fast, fix, strengthen, render constant and confirm one's mind”, “strengthen” which means “make strong one's soul”, “settle you” or “lay a foundation, make stable and establish the Christians”. Though the Christians were going to “suffer” for some time, the end result would be “fitness, being rendered constant, strengthened and established”.

When we consider Peter's words, we begin to understand the importance and value of the “eternal” call from “the God of all grace”. We are bound to “suffer” for some time while we are on the earth, but our “suffering” will not be forever, and the Lord Jesus through Peter promised there will be for us “perfection, establishment, strength and stability” which will last forever. May we be wise enough to hear and heed the “call of God”, and should we “suffer” in any measure, let us remember God has wonderful “eternal” gifts waiting for us after we have endured them.

Next time Peter praises God for His “glory and dominion”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.