“The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining.”
We now move into a new paragraph. The heading in your Bible might read as mind does, “End-Time Ethics.” The NKJV has “Serving for God’s Glory.” I think both are appropriate! Peter had been writing in the previous paragraph about how the Gentiles will have to give an account to God. He then moves into this section on how Christians are to behave.
He starts with this. “The end of all things is near…” What does Peter mean by this? I’m going to paraphrase Wayne Grudem’s explanation from his commentary because I found it so helpful. All the major events in God’s plan of redemption have already taken place: creation, the fall, the call of Abraham, the exodus from Egypt, the Kingdom of Israel, the exile in Babylon and return, the birth of Christ, his life death and resurrection, his ascension into heaven, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to establish the church. All the events have taken place that need to happen for Jesus to return.
When Peter wrote this, was he thinking that the end of all things would be in his lifetime? We don’t know. Jesus had told them that no one knows (except the Father) when he was coming back. All through church history, people have tried (and failed) to predict when Jesus is coming back. They spend countless hours worrying, trying to figure out numbers, prophecies, etc. to discover hidden meanings so they can calculate a date for Christ’s return. But are we supposed to do that? Let’s read on.
Peter says, “… therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.” Edmund Clowney writes in his commentary, “Three times in this short letter Peter exhorts the Asian Christians to be sober. Obviously that includes literal sobriety in contrast to drunkenness, but it also indicates the attitude of mind that is the opposite of drunken stupor or delusion. Sobriety means watchful waiting for the Lord’s return, realistic living.” I think that sometimes people who get caught up in end-times theology are the opposite of this. Don’t get me wrong! There is nothing wrong with the study of eschatology. But when that becomes our primary focus above all else, and we forget to put Jesus ‘s greatest commandment into practice, we have lost sight of the big picture.
Let’s look at those two words: sober-minded and alert. Arichea and Nida in their commentary A Handbook on the First Letter From Peter, write “… the two verbs together denote complete control of oneself, resulting in calmness, sobriety, self-control, sensibleness, steadiness.” This is opposite of how the Gentiles behave in verse 3 (drunkenness and unrestrained behavior). We will continue to see these contrasts in the next verses.
The reason that he exhorts the Asian Christians to be sober-minded and alert is for prayer. He wants them to be serious about their prayer. Clowney writes, “Sobriety and a clear mind have one value above others. They equip us for prayer. Peter does not think of a prayer as an effort to induce ecstasy, but as sober, direct, profoundly thoughtful communication with the Lord.” I know I am convicted here, because while I have ongoing conversational prayer during the day, I don’t have a set time where I soberly and alertly pray for the needs of the country, my family, my friends, and my church. I do it as I think of it, but I think it should be a regular discipline like my Bible study is and I know I need to work on this.
I was watching Mike Winger’s sermon series on 1 Peter, and he suggested we watch the news like it’s a prayer request list. That sure changes things! Instead of getting stressed out and worried over the things I’m seeing, I can lift them to God in prayer. It is also a reminder to me that God is in control. We are in the end times (and have been for 2000 years!) Things aren’t going to get better before Jesus returns, so I don’t know why we are surprised by what is happening. There have been worse times in history, and there have been better. We would do well to listen to Peter’s words. “The end of all things is near: therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.”
Peter moves on to say, “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.” Here we see a direct contrast with verse 3 again. Love fills the Christian’s heart, not evil desires. Peter is directly quoting from Proverbs 10:12, which reads, “Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.” Peter had already told his readers that they were to “…show brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly…” (1:22). Here he says, “Above all…” It is important! Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was. “He said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39). We are commanded to love.
But what is love? That’s the big question for today, isn’t it? Does love mean accepting everything a person does? Or does it define itself (love is love)? Fortunately for us, the Bible gives us some definitions. Let’s take a look. First, we have the example of Jesus, who laid down his life for us. “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Next, we can go to the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. There we see that love is patient, kind, does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. How very different is the real definition of love (and how very beautiful) compared to the counterfeit we have today.
The last part of today’s section is this.” Be hospitable to one another without complaining.” This is a direct contrast to the drunken orgies of verse 3. Paul writes in Romans, “Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality” (12:13). And in Hebrews 13:2, “Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.” During the time Peter wrote this letter, the persecuted Christians were forced to travel. Roger Raymer writes this in his commentary. “Christian love may be displayed through extending free food and lodging, offering hospitality (philoxenoi lit. “being friendly to strangers”) without grumbling to those who are traveling. During times of persecution, hospitality was especially welcomed by Christians who were forced to journey to new areas.” This may not be the case today, but how can we show hospitality? Maybe we can offer a spare room to the visiting missionary. Or host our small group Bible study. You don’t have to have a perfect house to open it up to others. I decided long ago that if I waited until my house was perfect and perfectly clean before having people over, it would never happen. People are more comfortable when you welcome them with a big smile and a joyful attitude than with a perfect house.
Grace be with you!
Abundant Joy 
3 responses to “1 Peter 4:7-9”
This is very good stuff, Kimberly . . . and it’s also part of the reason that I’m in therapy, but that’s another story. The end is near, and I’ve hardly done any of what’s written here or, at least, not done anything here very well. That’s why I so identify with the so-called “thief on the cross.”
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Aren’t you glad we are saved by grace? Nothing we do saves us, it is Jesus’s work on the cross. His blood has covered all of our sins. That isn’t to say that we go on sinning (as Paul says, “may it never be!”) but we know that our salvation is secure!
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Hi , (1 Peter 4:7) states :“The end of the world is coming soon. There fore, be earnest & disciplined in your prayers.”
The verse is propounded nicely in this article. This is an explanation in brief about the : 1, The sequence of the last days. & 2 . The end of the world.
(Jeremiah 33:3 ) states :’ Call to me & I will answer you, & will tell you great & hidden things that you have not known.
‘ (Revelation 1 :19)states :’Write the things which thou hast seen, & the things which are, & the things which shall be hereafter.’
(Mark 4 : 22) & (Luke 8 :17) State:’ For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret.’
Jesus had already given the sequence of the last days _: ( Matt. 24,Mark 13:5_27, & Luke 21.)
Sequence _: A) _:Arrival of Antichrist ###### (Matthew 24 : 3_15) states :’ The disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, & of the end of the world Jesus said unto them, ” Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; & shall deceive many. & ye shall hear of wars & rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.For nation shall rise against nation, & king dom against kingdom: & there shall be famines, pestilences, & earthquakes, in divers places. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place. He will go to Jerusalem, enter the Temple, stop the sacrifices & desecrate the Temple by erecting a statue of himself.’
This is also stated in : (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) :.’ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except, there come a falling away first,& that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition; Who oppose th & exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.’
(Daniel 9:27) says :“And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, & for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice & offering.’ One week means 7 yrs, After 3& 1/2 yrs. there will be _:
B) The rapture of the elect. .( Matthew. 24 : 29-31)states : ‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened,& the moon shall not give her light, & the stars shall fall from heaven, & the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:& then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: & then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, & they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power & great glory.& He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, & they shall gather together His elect. ‘
C) After rapturing will be Great Tribulation period. of 3 &1/2 yrs. ( Rev. 13 :5-7) states :’There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things & blasphemies; & power was given unto him to continue forty & two months. & he opened his mouth in blasphe my against God, to blaspheme his name, & his tabernacle, & them that dwell in heaven.& it was given unto him to make war with the saints, & to overcome them: & power was given him over all kindreds, tongues, & nations.’ ‘(Vs 5) says: ‘The power was given unto him to continue forty & two months.’ The meaning of ‘ continue ‘ is: to continue from the first 3 &1/2 yrs.of Tribulation. The Christians will go through the 1st part of Tribulation. After 7 yrs, of Tribulation period, there will be Christ ‘s second coming, & the war at Armage ddon. These 4 verses denote this_: i) (Revelation 19 :11-16 ) :’And I saw heaven opened, & behold a white horse; & He that sat upon him was called Faithful & True, & in righteousness He doth judge & make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, & on His head were many crowns; & He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself.He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: & His name is called The Word of God & the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white & clean. & out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: & He shall rule them with a rod of iron: & He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness & wrath of Almighty God.’
!! ) (Revelation 14 :14-16 ) :’ For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth & of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. & he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.’,
!!!) (Revelation 19 :19-21 ) :’I saw the beast,& the kings of the earth, & their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, & against His army .& the beast was taken, & with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, & them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. & the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: & all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
‘ !v)(Revelation 17 :14) :’ These shall make war with the Lamb, & the Lamb shall overcome them: for HE is Lord of lords, & King of kings.’ Then will be the Millenium Period Satan will be bounded & saved people will reign with Christ for 1,000 yrs :
This is stated in :(Rev. 20:1-15 ) : ”And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit &a great chain in his hand.& he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil & Satan, & bound him a thousand years & cast him into the bottomless pit & shut him up & set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled & after that he must be loosed a little season & I saw thrones, & they sat upon them, & judgment was given unto them:& I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the wit ness of Jesus, & for the word of God, & which had not worshipped the beast,neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands & they lived & reigned with Christ a thousand years.But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.Blessed & holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God &of Christ, & shall reign with him a thousand years.& when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,& shall go out to deceivethe nations which are in the four quarters of the earth,Gog & Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.& they went up on the breadth of the earth, & compassed the camp of the saints about, & the beloved city & fire came down from God out of heaven & devoured them. & I saw a great white throne, & him that sat on it, from whose face the earth & the heaven fled away; there was found no place for them.& I saw the dead, small & great, stand before God; & the books were opened: & another book was opened, which is the book of life: & the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, accord ing to their works.& the sea gave up the dead which were in it; & death & hell delivered up the dead which were in them: & they were judged every man according to their works.& death & hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.& who soever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.’
After the judgement, will be the end of this earth. As, given in,(Rev. 21 : 1-3):’ & I saw a new heaven & a new earth. ‘for the first heaven & the first earth were passed away; & there was no more sea. & I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.l heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, & He will dwell with them, & they shall be His people,& God Himself shall be with them & be their God.
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