This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
1 Peter 4:17
17 For [hoti] the time [kairos] is come that judgment [krima] must begin [archomai] at [apo] the house [oikos] of God [theos]: and [de] if [ei] it first [proton] begin at [apo] us [hemon], what [tis] shall the end [telos] be of them that obey not [apeitheo] the gospel [euaggelion] of God [theos]? KJV-Interlinear
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? NASB
You have heard the saying, ‘Today, is the first day of the rest of your life.’ And so it is with your spiritual life. Everyday is the beginning and call for your evaluation. Every living moment of your life is subject to Gods evaluation. And God evaluates everyone all of the time.
Jer. 25:29
29 ‘For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,’ declares the Lord of hosts.' NASB
Ezek. 9:6
6 ‘Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.’ So they started with the elders who were before the temple. NASB
All of Gods evaluations begins with His perfect character. All evaluation is based on truth. Therefore, all evaluation begins with those who comply with His will, and then proceeds to others with lesser compliance, from there, until God reaches unbelievers, who have no compliance.
The last potion of this verse, states in contrast to the beginning of this verse, ‘what will be the outcome or those who do not obey?’
The passages in Jeremiah and Ezekiel make it quite clear, that there will be no mercy for those who do not comply. Beginning at the sanctuary of God (believers), and proceediong to those who live further and further away from His sanctuary (spiritual life), then in fact the outcome, of those who drift further and further away from God, will take on greater and greater severity, to such a point that it cannot be described by mere words. That judgment will be too awful for any description, written or verbal.
Peter is writing to people who are living under conditions of suffering. Peter tells them all, that their suffering from this world, is nothing when compared to the suffering that is awaiting people who ignore Gods mandates.
People who ignore God include believers as well as unbelievers.
However, believers who pursue their spiritual life, though they will suffer in this world, because it is the devils world, still have God as their friend and ally, and simply by sticking it out in life, by persevering in their daily studies, they will be blessed immensely and beyond measure, for the inconveniences that are brought on by the world.
Those who ignore God, give up on God, become defiant, indifferent, and so forth against God, will gain nothing for their efforts of disgust. Don’t be numbered with that crowd of losers. You have far more to gain, otherwise.
