There is an interesting paragraph in the fourth chapter of Peter’s first letter. While there may be a few things in it harder to understand, there are many lessons each of us can learn and apply to help us in our growth. We tend to harshly judge Peter because of his shameless denial of Jesus at His trial, but the great spirituality of the apostle as he writes this many years later is shown in both of his letters.
The paragraph begins in verse seven where Peter states, “…the end of all things is at hand.” At first glance we might assume that he was talking about the return of Jesus and the final judgment of the world. Another possibility is that he refers to the signs given for the end of the world of Judaism which the early Christians saw and knew the end was near. Jesus shows that these signs could not refer to the final end when He answers the disciples’ question about the end (Matt. 24:3) and says that end would come when the gospel was preached to every creature (Matt. 24:14) and “…all these things would happen” (Matt. 24:34-35).
The purpose of this article is not to determine what “end of all things is at hand” Peter has in mind and was at hand, but to emphasize what Peter sets forth as to our response to the realization that an end is coming. There is an end coming to each of us, as the end of our lives rushes toward us. Whatever Peter urged those Christian to do can help us focus on what really matters.
As the end of our lives approach, should we not be “… serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Pet. 4:7)? Life in our day is so cluttered that we fail to take any time to reflect that this world is passing away—it has an end. That which clutters our lives is so often so meaningless. As the end approaches, take time for serious reflection and for spending time in praying.
Peter gives a second admonition. “Above all things have fervent love for one another.” The Greek word for love is agape, which emphasizes actions not emotions. As the end approaches, show that you fervently love all of your brothers and sisters, and let love be the basis of dealing with each other—especially those who are hard to love. The results will be showing loving hospitality to one another without grumbling.
The final thing Peter mentions is using what we have for the right purpose. The gifts that were given were likely miraculous gifts from the apostles’ hands, but the application is that whatever God has given us must be used so that “…in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” As your end approaches, what should you do?
-Dan Jenkins
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