1 Peter 5:10,11
The Final Word

Peter finishes with an assurance, lest even after his instructions, the congregations fail to understand that all of their salvation relies on the grace of God and none on themselves. How disastrous if they were to attempt to resist the devil in the strength of their flesh. Or if they began to believe their salvation depended upon their ability to persevere in the things to which Peter has exhorted them.

1. God has called us to His eternal glory after suffering
   1. He is the God of all grace
      1. He is the one who gave them the "grace" of the new covenant, concerning which the prophets inquired diligently and into which the angels longed to look (1:10)
      2. He is the one bringing "grace" at the revelation of Christ at the end of all (1:13), the "grace" of life as our inheritance (3:7)
      3. And in between, he is the one who gives "grace" to the humble (5:5)
      4. All this grace is his, freely to bestow according to his good pleasure
      5. We need look nowhere else for the supply of all our needs
         1. Weren't the Asian Christians tempted to do this?
            1. God was not supplying their "needs" (for peace and tranquility and the outward power of the church)
            2. Perhaps they might supply these themselves by rising up against harsh slave masters, disobeying wicked husbands, and fomenting rebellion against the state
         2. Are we not tempted to this so many years later?
            1. To decide what our "needs" are
            2. And to seek to fulfil them by whatever means we can?
      6. We need not fear that there is some need we have for which our God is not sufficient.
         1. Again, the Asian Christians are tempted
            1. They "need" a Christian master (or at least a gentle one)
            2. They "need" a Christian husband (or at least a kind one)
            3. They "need" a Christian gov't (or at least a tolerant one)
            4. They "need" a present life that is free from suffering and persecution and ridicule
            5. Why hasn't God given them these things?!?
         2. And we are the same
            1. Why is the church still ridiculed?
            2. Why must the people of God be perfected through suffering?
            3. Why must I be perfected through suffering?
            4. Surely there is a better way if only God would give it
         3. Oh how foolish and little of faith we are!
         4. And thus these sufferings that we hate are necessary, for they refine our faith and teach us to walk by trusting in God alone
         5. God has all grace. He will not fail to give good gifts to his children. We must trust him to know what is good.
   2. He is the one who called us
      1. He is the one who began the work of our salvation, calling us out of darkness into his marvellous light (2:9)
      2. Wasn't that a work of power?
      3. What chance did you have against such an awesome work of the Spirit?
      4. He called you by Christ Jesus and you came.
      5. Does your Lord lack the power to do all things?
         1. Can he not complete your salvation?
         2. That is hardly possible when he began it so powerfully
      6. He has all the grace you need and has already demonstrated his willingness to use it on your behalf
      7. But has he called us out in the wilderness to die?, Peter's audience asks.
         1. Oh such little faith?
         2. And how tenderly Peter encourages them in their little faith rather than rebuking them for it
   3. He called us to eternal glory after a little suffering
      1. He did not call us merely to suffer for doing good (2:21); that hardly takes any time at all — "a little while"
      2. But the glory... that is eternal
      3. Suffering has been his focus for the entire letter, suffering now and glory to follow
         1. And he's spent more time talking about the suffering than he has about the glory
         2. But he doesn't wish to end on that note lest the suffering fill their vision and become and end in itself and it seems to stretch on forever
      4. He must leave them with some perspective
         1. Suffering may fill this present life
         2. But that is "a little while"
         3. And God's glory is forever
      5. These are the sufferings of this present time which are not worthy to be compare with the glory that is coming
      6. This is the momentary, light affliction that is working an eternal weight of glory.
      7. This life may seem to stretch on forever. And when it does, the prospect of suffering for the next 50 or 60 or even 70 years seems too much to bear
         1. Can it really be God's purpose that we should endure such agony?
         2. To be ridiculed by the world, persecuted overtly and covertly by society, curlture and government, afflicted by the temptations of the devil for decades on end?
         3. But compare it to the length of what is coming and it's a drop in the bucket
         4. Be patient a little while longer and see what your Savior will bring when he appears in glory
      8. This is the eternal glory of God
         1. it will never come to an end
         2. This is the glory that the Son shared with the Father in timeless ages past before the world began
         3. It is the perfect rest and joy and peace that God had in contemplating and enjoying himself before there ever was a creation
         4. Into this, we finite creatures have been called. It boggles the mind. It staggers the imagination. It is more than we can even now ask or think.
      9. Even at the beginning of our salvation when he called us, he had the end in view.
2. He will provide everything necessary for our salvation
   1. Our salvation comes from God, start to finish
      1. He who began a good work in you....
      2. He's got everything already planned out, he who knows the end from the beginning
      3. He himself will see to it. He has not left the work even to angels. He has certainly not left it to you. Take courage and comfort! The God who has all grace will take complete what he began.
      4. After all the duties prescribed, this note is essential lest they attempt the commands by their own strength rather than by faith in the grace of the God of all grace.
   2. He will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you
      1. Note: the word "you" is added to make a complete English sentence
      2. But Peter's meaning is broader: God will finish everything he started. He will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle his entire dominon
      3. Note 2: He will do it, not May he do it. The NKJV does not use the best manuscripts here. Peter is making a promise
      4. These words overlap and blend together. And I want to take them that way for their cumulative force. But first let me at least bring out the basic nuances of each
         1. "Perfect" — He will complete what he has begun. He is not like a builder who begins a building without counting the cost and doesn't finish it. Has Peter told you the testing of your faith will result in praise, honor, and glory? God will see that this is done.
         2. "Establish" — He will make you steadfast and firm in your heavenward focus. He will turn your face and heart toward him and see that you walk in the good works he has prepared for you. Your position will be made secure. Has Peter told you to commit your souls to God in doing good (4.19). God will see that you do so.
         3. "Strengthen" — Just what it sounds like. Has he called you to resist the devil? He will provide the strength.
         4. "Settle" — Build you on a foundation. You are being built up as living stones (2.4ff) on the only sure foundation. He will make sure you remain on that Rock and are built on him
      5. In other words, they all mean basically the same thing.
      6. But Peter is pulling out all the stops here. He's calling in all the instruments of the orchestra. He's throwing in all the words he can think of so that you will be overwhelmed by the sheer number of ways he can say the same thing. And being overwhelmed by that, you will be overwhelmed by the thoroughness of God's commitment to care for you and bring you safely to the day of Christ Jesus
      7. Fear not, little flock
      8. What comfort to those who are surrounded by suffering and persecution and an enemy more powerful than they by far
         1. God is stronger still
         2. He will care for them and you
3. To him belongs the power
   1. He is able to do this
      1. No "glory" in original ms. This was borrowed from 4.11
      2. Peter is doing more than saying "To him be the power."
      3. He is saying, God has all the power
      4. So the things that have just been promised are in the hands of the one who has all authority in earth and heaven
      5. Who can be afraid?
   2. And he always will be
      1. The power is his forever and ever
      2. The God who has all grace has power forever and ever.
      3. This truth is precious to them; God's apparent lack of power now does not mean he has lost it or is waiting to attain it
      4. It is precious to us
         1. No matter how long our Lord tarries
         2. It is not because he has no power to establish his kingdom in its final form
      5. Amen — His message is complete

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