Sue J Love
Loyal
1 Peter 4:12-13 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
What kind of fiery trial? It could be many kinds. But in the verses previously (1 Peter 4:1-5) we learn that, if we are true followers of Christ who have died with Him to sin, and who are now living for Him in walks of obedience to His commands, and no longer as slaves to sin, that we will be opposed by those who are still living as slaves to sin. For those who are still living in lust, debauchery, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, detestable idolatry, and/or reckless indiscretion, they might heap abuse (physical or emotional) on us.
Especially if you have left your life of sin behind you, and you have now surrendered your life to the will of God, and if you are, by the grace of God, and as called of God, speaking out against sin, including sin in the lives of many who profess faith in Jesus Christ, you will most likely be opposed by those who are still holding on to sinful practices deliberately and habitually. For you will be an offense to them, for you will be a reminder to them that God has called us out of addiction to sin so we will now obey His commands.
But we are to rejoice that we share in the sufferings of Christ, so that we may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory at His second coming when He comes to judge the people of the world and to take His faithful bride to be with Him for eternity. For the sufferings of Christ are for our good to humble us, to mature us, to make us holy, to draw us closer to God, to make us more compassionate towards others who are suffering, and so that God is able to make us and to mold us into His likeness for the glory of His name.
1 Peter 4:14-16 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler. 16But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear that name.
Why should anyone want to insult us if we are speaking the truth of the Scriptures? Well, if they do not believe in God, and so they do not believe the Scriptures, and so they do not hold to what the Scriptures teach us, they might find us an offense and an annoyance if we are calling out sin in sinful human beings, and if we are calling all people to repentance (death to sin) and to walks of obedience to our Lord and to His commands. But sadly, many who profess Jesus as Lord are also the ones doing the insulting.
Why? Because so many of them are being taught and trained that faith in Jesus Christ requires nothing more than an acknowledgment of who He is and of what He did for us on that cross and in His resurrection. Many are being taught that God no longer requires repentance and obedience to His commands, which is a lie straight from hell. And so we are an annoyance to them because we keep speaking against sinful addiction and of our need to repent and to obey God and His commands for us to be truly saved.
We are not to be ashamed of our Lord or of His gospel message or of having to suffer persecution because of our faith and for our testimonies for Christ. For Jesus Christ taught that to come to Him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) Him. For if we obey sin and not God, we will not have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:1-23).
1 Peter 4:17-19 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? 18And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Who is the family of God, or the house of God? We who believe in Jesus Christ by God-gifted faith in Him, who have, by the grace of God, denied self, died to sin (repented of sin) and who are now obeying our Lord and His commands as a matter of life practice, all in the power of God. We who believe in Jesus are His house, His body, His church. The church is not a building. It is not a church denomination. And it is not to be in partnership with the world and with the government, for that is forbidden by God.
[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]
So, in what ways does God judge His church, His body, the people of faith in Jesus Christ? He allows us to go through trials and tribulations. He allows us to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. He points out in us the things which need to be forsaken by us, and the things which we need to take hold of, instead. He prunes us, in other words, so that we will draw closer to our Lord in walks of surrender to Him and in obedience to His commands. He disciplines us for our good that we might live for Him.
But with regard to those who are not of faith in the Lord Jesus, who are still making sin their practice, even if they profess faith with their lips, they will not have salvation from sin and eternal life with God unless, by faith in Jesus Christ, they die with Him to sin and now walk with Him in obedience to His commands in life practice (not necessarily in absolute sinless perfection).
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Don’t Let Fiery Trials Surprise You
An Original Work / October 4, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
If Jesus Goes with Me
Charles A. Miles, pub. 1908
It may be in the valley, where countless dangers hide;
It may be in the sunshine that I, in peace, abide;
But this one thing I know—if it be dark or fair,
If Jesus is with me, I’ll go anywhere!
It may be I must carry the blessed Word of life
Across the burning deserts to those in sinful strife;
And though it be my lot to bear my colors there,
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!
But if it be my portion to bear my cross at home,
While others bear their burdens beyond the billow’s foam,
I’ll prove my faith in Him—confess His judgments fair,
If Jesus stays with me, I’ll stay anywhere!
It is not mine to question the judgment of my Lord,
It is but mine to follow the leadings of His Word;
But if to go or stay, or whether here or there,
I’ll be, with my Savior, content anywhere!
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!
’Tis heaven to me, where’er I may be, if He is there!
I count it a privilege here, His cross to bear,
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!
Caution: This link may contain ads
12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
What kind of fiery trial? It could be many kinds. But in the verses previously (1 Peter 4:1-5) we learn that, if we are true followers of Christ who have died with Him to sin, and who are now living for Him in walks of obedience to His commands, and no longer as slaves to sin, that we will be opposed by those who are still living as slaves to sin. For those who are still living in lust, debauchery, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, detestable idolatry, and/or reckless indiscretion, they might heap abuse (physical or emotional) on us.
Especially if you have left your life of sin behind you, and you have now surrendered your life to the will of God, and if you are, by the grace of God, and as called of God, speaking out against sin, including sin in the lives of many who profess faith in Jesus Christ, you will most likely be opposed by those who are still holding on to sinful practices deliberately and habitually. For you will be an offense to them, for you will be a reminder to them that God has called us out of addiction to sin so we will now obey His commands.
But we are to rejoice that we share in the sufferings of Christ, so that we may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory at His second coming when He comes to judge the people of the world and to take His faithful bride to be with Him for eternity. For the sufferings of Christ are for our good to humble us, to mature us, to make us holy, to draw us closer to God, to make us more compassionate towards others who are suffering, and so that God is able to make us and to mold us into His likeness for the glory of His name.
1 Peter 4:14-16 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler. 16But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear that name.
Why should anyone want to insult us if we are speaking the truth of the Scriptures? Well, if they do not believe in God, and so they do not believe the Scriptures, and so they do not hold to what the Scriptures teach us, they might find us an offense and an annoyance if we are calling out sin in sinful human beings, and if we are calling all people to repentance (death to sin) and to walks of obedience to our Lord and to His commands. But sadly, many who profess Jesus as Lord are also the ones doing the insulting.
Why? Because so many of them are being taught and trained that faith in Jesus Christ requires nothing more than an acknowledgment of who He is and of what He did for us on that cross and in His resurrection. Many are being taught that God no longer requires repentance and obedience to His commands, which is a lie straight from hell. And so we are an annoyance to them because we keep speaking against sinful addiction and of our need to repent and to obey God and His commands for us to be truly saved.
We are not to be ashamed of our Lord or of His gospel message or of having to suffer persecution because of our faith and for our testimonies for Christ. For Jesus Christ taught that to come to Him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) Him. For if we obey sin and not God, we will not have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:1-23).
1 Peter 4:17-19 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? 18And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Who is the family of God, or the house of God? We who believe in Jesus Christ by God-gifted faith in Him, who have, by the grace of God, denied self, died to sin (repented of sin) and who are now obeying our Lord and His commands as a matter of life practice, all in the power of God. We who believe in Jesus are His house, His body, His church. The church is not a building. It is not a church denomination. And it is not to be in partnership with the world and with the government, for that is forbidden by God.
[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]
So, in what ways does God judge His church, His body, the people of faith in Jesus Christ? He allows us to go through trials and tribulations. He allows us to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. He points out in us the things which need to be forsaken by us, and the things which we need to take hold of, instead. He prunes us, in other words, so that we will draw closer to our Lord in walks of surrender to Him and in obedience to His commands. He disciplines us for our good that we might live for Him.
But with regard to those who are not of faith in the Lord Jesus, who are still making sin their practice, even if they profess faith with their lips, they will not have salvation from sin and eternal life with God unless, by faith in Jesus Christ, they die with Him to sin and now walk with Him in obedience to His commands in life practice (not necessarily in absolute sinless perfection).
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Don’t Let Fiery Trials Surprise You
An Original Work / October 4, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
If Jesus Goes with Me
Charles A. Miles, pub. 1908
It may be in the valley, where countless dangers hide;
It may be in the sunshine that I, in peace, abide;
But this one thing I know—if it be dark or fair,
If Jesus is with me, I’ll go anywhere!
It may be I must carry the blessed Word of life
Across the burning deserts to those in sinful strife;
And though it be my lot to bear my colors there,
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!
But if it be my portion to bear my cross at home,
While others bear their burdens beyond the billow’s foam,
I’ll prove my faith in Him—confess His judgments fair,
If Jesus stays with me, I’ll stay anywhere!
It is not mine to question the judgment of my Lord,
It is but mine to follow the leadings of His Word;
But if to go or stay, or whether here or there,
I’ll be, with my Savior, content anywhere!
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!
’Tis heaven to me, where’er I may be, if He is there!
I count it a privilege here, His cross to bear,
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!
Caution: This link may contain ads