1 Peter 4:12-19, Suffering Differently (Part 1 of 3)
[First Things]
Our new Faithful Presence Podcast series, “Thinking Deeply,” is underway with new episodes from Dr. Joshua Bowman on intellectual discipleship (out now) and Dr. Stephen Presley on his book, Cultural Sanctification (up next). New episodes every Thursday.
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[The Devo] Christian Suffering Identifies Us With Christ
1 Peter 4:12-19, Suffering Differently (Part 1 of 3)
1 Peter 4:12-19 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And“If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” And if the righteous are being saved with difficulty, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
What Peter learned through his pastoral training from Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, he is now using in his final remarks to revisit and reemphasize important themes for lives that will require a long obedience in the same direction. In this passage, the apostle returns to the theme of suffering because it is both frequently present and missionally damaging.
Peter is writing to people who know that Jesus was born; they know that he lived; they have heard of, and perhaps some have even seen, the miracles of Jesus; how he brought relief to those suffering with leprosy and blindness, and how he even restored some to life. During his life, Jesus seemed to be all about ending suffering. But now he is dead. Peter and those to whom he is writing believe that he has conquered death and risen to take his place at the right hand of God, with a promise to come again. And there is a real problem. There is still suffering. People are still getting sick and dying, including his most zealous followers.
But Peter is concerned about a different kind of suffering. One that is actually brought about by the gospel and proclaiming the excellencies of the one who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light. Those who are committing themselves to following Jesus find themselves suffering for that very reason. If life wasn’t hard enough already, now there is the suffering just for being a Christian. What about that? That doesn’t even make sense. Some of the people suffering are living their lives doing everything Jesus taught, and still, there is suffering. Perhaps you feel that way.
Unjust Suffering
As American theologian Cornelius Plantinga wrote regarding the suffering that so often accompanies our lives, this is “not the way it’s supposed to be.” Suffering was not a part of the lives of Adam and Eve until they were duped into believing that “equality with God was something to be grasped.” Sin entered the world through the Fall and brought with it suffering. Suffering is an ever-present threat, experienced through our emotional, relational, vocational, and cultural dissonance with others. Suffering affects our spiritual health and evangelical effectiveness by weighing us down with its burden, both of which are further damaged by our unhealthy response to unjust suffering.
The response many of us learn from the earliest age is that if we are suffering unjustly, we need to do two things: figure out how to end it, and if possible, find a way to make those responsible pay for our suffering. But, as Christians who will live our entire earthly lives as elect exiles, whole-life discipleship equips us to respond to suffering differently as we participate in Christ’s mission of making all things new.
No one wants to suffer. Suffering is not enjoyable. We fear suffering, we work to avoid suffering, and if we are honest, we think that suffering is always about something we have done wrong. Just like the church of the first century, suffering often surprises us, because we don’t think that we should be experiencing it.
Throughout his letter to the elect exiles, Peter has been unpacking a call for Christians to live differently and to maintain a faithful presence for the gospel to those around them. This call to living differently is one that encompasses all of life, including our response to suffering. Peter’s message is that in order to suffer differently, Christians must come to understand the role of suffering for the believer. While this is certainly true for all Christians, it is uniquely true for servants and leaders in the public square. For followers of Jesus, suffering has a purpose, one that actually brings joy!
Getting to that joy requires an understanding that Christian suffering identifies us with Christ. Peter writes,
“12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings; that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
Identity-based Suffering
One of the things that we need to make sure is clear at this point is the fact that Peter is not talking about suffering that comes from sinful behavior. Nor is it the kind of suffering that comes when you are constantly late for work, but when you do show up, you make sure to talk about the most Christian candidate.
The suffering that Peter is talking about is the suffering that Christians experience because they are Christians. Peter’s point is that we should not be surprised when this kind of suffering comes, and that in this suffering, we are actually being identified with Christ. This is why Peter writes, “14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.”
I love that these words come from Peter, because Peter knows a little bit about trying to avoid the suffering that frequently results from being identified with Christ. Hours after identifying with Christ by wielding a sword in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter was confronted by an unarmed young girl. His denial was all about not wanting to be identified with Jesus because he feared that he might endure the same type of suffering as Jesus. He lied three times to avoid any type of identification with Jesus because he was afraid that it might result in his own death. Eventually, Peter and all of his disciples came to embrace this kind of suffering, because it meant that they were being identified with Christ, and that in identification with Christ they were sharing in the suffering of Christ.
Identity Politics and Suffering
The school lunchroom is the great classroom of identity politics. Every table is about who you identify with, and sitting at the right table is all about avoiding suffering. In fact, most of school is about who you identify with and avoiding suffering. Not much changes when we enter the public square. For many high-profile individuals, managing their proximity to others is a full-time job. Campaign managers, communication directors, event planners, advance teams, and public relations consultants make sure that the individual they are staffing is always seen with the right people and associated with the right issues. If there is an issue that threatens to harm the well-crafted identity of a member, usually because they have been identified with the wrong person or issue, then a full-scale response is undertaken, followed by a discussion about how proper polling could have avoided the political suffering that comes from the wrong identification.
As Christians, we are called to place identification with Christ over every other possible identification, especially when the polls tell us that the Christian response will bring persecution and damage our public perception. For those serving and leading in the public square, we must see the negative responses to our Bible-informed choices in encouraging the good, restoring the broken, creating the missing, and opposing the evil as an opportunity to be identified with Christ, who suffered for his choices in responding to those same platform issues (read: missional directives).
In identification with Christ, the Father offers us an opportunity to pass up the high-fiving that comes from manipulating others to win or promoting a policy for the sake of scoring political points, and instead offers us an opportunity to participate in the humiliation and suffering for Christ, which is a sign that the “Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you.”
Application questions
What role does public perception play in your decision-making process, especially if suffering is a possibility?
As you consider your primary party identification, what Biblically-informed ideological position that you hold could cause suffering?
What role does identification with Christ play in your decision-making process, especially if suffering is a possibility?
[Faithful Prayer]
Cabinet Agency: The servants and leaders at the Department of Defense, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as they seek to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security, and with the upcoming vote on Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (H.R. 3838) later this week.
Think Tank, Lobby group, NGO: The Professional Services Council, which advocates for the government technology, professional services, and solutions industry.
Weekly delegation: The servants and leaders of the congressional delegation of Washington, D.C., as they navigate the National Guard troop deployment that has been extended through December.
News events: On September 3, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened the inaugural board meeting of the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund (“the Fund”). During the session, the Board approved several measures to begin operationalizing the Fund, including the nomination of a Board Chair and the adoption of committee charters. Members also reviewed valuation protocols designed to enable the United States to receive preferred shares in the Fund in exchange for military assistance provided to Ukraine. Additionally, the Board discussed the possibility of initial seed investments from both the United States and Ukraine.
Personal requests: For a senior agency official dealing with the aftermath of a social media smear campaign. For a policy advisor offering critical counsel and direction on a matter with significant economic implications. For the successful closing on a young couple’s first home. For a couple serving overseas with two small children. For another couple working overseas with two school-aged children. For a newly minted GS-14 who successfully completed a rigorous assessment period. For the newly minted Executive Leadership Team of Faithful Presence, who will work to further our ministry objectives.
[The Page, The Pod & The Stack]
The American Enterprise Institute published a thought-provoking piece by Ross Douthat on the trajectory of progressives and conservatives given their birthrates and ideological shifts.
Reason has an article by Phillip W. Magness, "The Anti-Lockdown Imposters of the New Right," that examines how several New Right leaders who have now criticized the COVID lockdown either endorsed the lockdown or remained silent in the heat of the moment.
Mere Orthodoxy offers RTS student Stiven Peter thoughtfully revisiting the arguments of Richard Niebuhr and Carl Henry on how Christians can balance faithfulness to their distinct identity with meaningful cultural engagement in his article, “Christ Repairs Culture.” {Note: This piece aligns closely with the mission of Faithful Presence, which seeks to provide cultural discipleship throughout Washington by clarifying our role in society — to bring light and life to culture, cultivate what is good, create what is missing, repair what is broken, and stand against what is evil.]
The Washington Post published this reflective opinion piece on the disappearance of benches from Washington D.C.’s Union Station and other major public spaces across the U.S., framing it as part of a broader trend known as “hostile architecture.” While authorities claim these measures address issues like homelessness, the author, Mark Lasswell, argues they harm everyone by making public spaces less welcoming and comfortable.
[What’s Happening?]
This Week
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 • 10:00 – 11:30 am ET, CSIS hosts a hybrid event, Book Talk: The World’s Worst Bet with David J. Lynch, who will explain what went right and what went wrong on the opus for globalization, and what needs to change to preserve the benefits of global integration and to build prosperity for all Americans.
Tuesday, September 9, 5:00 to 6:30 pm ET, AEI hosts a hybrid event, The Projects: A Book Event. Discussing his new book—The Projects: A New History of Public Housing—AEI’s Howard Husock will trace the rise and fall of America’s public housing system from its idealistic beginnings to its unintended consequences for low-income communities.
Wednesday, September 10, 9:30 - 10:30 am EDT, the Center for American Progress has a hybrid event, Fixing the Immigration System to Strengthen the United States. Join CAP for a timely conversation with Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), and CAP President and CEO Neera Tanden on solutions to actually fix our immigration system and strengthen border security.
Wednesday, September 10, 10:30 AM - 11:45 am ET, Brookings hosts Anger, Fear, Domination: Dark Passions and the Power of Political Speech to discuss Brookings Senior Fellow William Galston’s new book of the same name.
Thursday, September 11, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET, the Acton Institute presents an online event, Is There a Future for the Family? A panel of experts will explore themes such as the importance of family as an ideal for community health, the overlooked importance of fatherhood, and how economic factors such as inflation shape the incentives families face.
Friday, September 12, 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET, Faith & Law’s Friday Forum returns from August recess break with Religious Freedom: A 250-Year Perspective.
Sunday, September 14, 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT, D. C.’s longest-running neighborhood festival is taking place - Adams Morgan Day! Pop by for some live music, an artisan stroll, and a visit from the Washington Spirit.
Next week
Tuesday, September 16, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT, The Heritage Foundation hosts a hybrid event, Ben Shapiro on the True Story of America (and Her Critics).
Join Heritage President Dr. Kevin Roberts and #1 New York Times bestselling author Ben Shapiro for a high-impact discussion to unpack the cultural, political, and moral struggles defining our age and to chart a path forward.
Wednesday, September 17, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT, the American Enterprise Institute hosts an online event, "When AI Feels Human: The Peril of Digital Empathy," exploring the intersection of AI, human connection, and empathy.
Thursday, September 18, 6 pm - 9 pm EDT, The Institute on Religion and Democracy is having a film viewing and discussion on the 1995 crime drama film“Dead Man Walking.”
Friday, September 19, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT, Faith and Law will host an in-person panel “Religious Liberty and Parental Opt-Outs: School Choice at the Supreme Court” looking at the Mahmoud decision and what it means for the future of parental rights and religious freedom from three perspectives: a parent who had to school his child’s own school board, a litigator who worked on the case, and school choice public policy expert.
[Two Thumbs Up!] Adolescence (Netflix, 2025)
Imagine the worst thing that could happen to your family. Now, imagine that there is some question as to whether or not that event actually happened in the way it first appeared. Finally, imagine everything that comes from fighting through the process of finding out the full extent of how that event will impact your family. This is the premise of the painfully riveting limited series from Netflix.
Adolescence examines, through brilliant writing and pitch-perfect acting, the aftermath of a family who are informed that their 12-year-old son has committed the heinous murder of a classmate. What follows is an exposition of a family’s struggle to hold on to hope while facing unimaginable confusion, grief, and powerlessness.
What makes Adolescence so binge-worthy is how it handles the subject matter from the perspective of each family member via a single camera, the willingness to allow silence to speak loudly, and the examination of psychology, social media-driven behavior, and personal responsibility.
[Last Things]
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