The Joyful Fire

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4 12-17

We as Christians need to be more discerning about how we define a fiery ordeal. The scriptures define it one way and one way only. It is persecution. A fiery ordeal is not our being in financial crises because we have spent more money than we made. A fiery ordeal is not our child drifting from the faith because we have been too lenient or too harsh with them. A fiery ordeal is not a health crisis that is directly traceable to poor diet and lack of exercise. A fiery ordeal is not a struggling marriage in which spouses refuse to submit to biblical precepts. These are not trials, these are consequences. Verse 14 of this passage defines the beginning fiery trial and promises a greater measure in blessing. The trial comes about “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ” the blessing is “for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you”. So here are two questions that we must ponder. When was the last time you were insulted for the Gospel’s sake? When was the last time you heard about the glory resting on someone because of persecution? We tend to define “glory resting on us” as something that happens when believers gather together to worship God. This passage seems to indicate that there is a higher glory when we stand alone and firm in our conviction of the truth of the Gospel.

Verse 17 says “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household” That judgment that we need to contemplate is our perpetual desire for comfort and ease, when we are called to seek and save that which is lost. If our priorities were in keeping with the scriptures our fiery trials would follow as a natural consequence and we would be “overjoyed when his glory is revealed” is us.

If we spent our money responsibly on the extension of the Gospel we would owe no debts but that of love. If our enthusiasm and joy were extant in our living the Gospel our children would most often embrace a Godly lifestyle. If we recognized the importance of being physically strong and being prepared to “go” we would not abuse our bodies with junk food. If we saw our marriage as a reflection of Christ and his church we would serve our spouses as Christ served us, without complaint or accusation, esteeming them higher than ourselves. If we did these things glory would manifest in our giving, our families our bodies and our marriages. That glory would prepare us for whatever insult followed because we would be too blessed and too connected to Jesus to be bothered by it. In fact our response would be to pray for those who insult us and persecuted us. I pray the fires in your life that are blazing that are non-biblical would be snuffed out in Jesus name, and I pray that the fires that you are called to start would blaze brightly equip for every good work, especially those associated with persecution.