Title: God's Glory is the Answer
God's glory is the answer
1 Peter 5:6-11, 7th Sunday of Easter, June 5, 2011
problem of hardship
Peter's letter is set against the background of the life of early Christians, who suffered as a whole. For example, 1 Peter 3:14 says: “But blessed are they if they suffer for the sake of righteousness; do not be afraid or be troubled for what they fear.” This verse means that they had many hardships, fears, and sorrows. 1 Peter 4:16 says: “If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God in that name.” Today's text expresses it more explicitly. Verse 8b says, “Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Verse 9b says, “I know that your brothers in the world suffer the same things.” Toward the Christian community that experiences suffering as a daily life, Peter is now writing with the heart of a spiritual father.
That's the reality, but there's nothing you can do about it, you think. That's right. That's the reality though. It may be nearly impossible for individuals to get out of it. Even in early Christian times, the Roman order was a reality. Christians could also live there, adapting appropriately, or making a career out of it. Peter exhorts them, “Be strong in the faith and oppose him” (1 Peter 5:9a). The target they have to oppose is the devil. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It is the Zeitgeist that enslaves our souls. As we experience today, it refers to the ideology and structure that makes life only in infinite competition. That power is the devil. Peter tells us to resist the devil.
God's Glory
How can you resist? Have you ever tried to resist? Have you ever wondered what the devil is and what it means to be looking for someone to devour? Peter is not blindly pushing his back to fight. If you do, it becomes a cult. The early Christians, including Peter, were not blindly denying the world. They were not like Don Quixote, who rushed on horseback with spears, not knowing exactly who the enemy was. They did not think they could win against the devil. The power of the devil surpasses Christians. The fight there is one hundred and one hundred defeats. You too will have the same experience. You cannot overcome the evil structure of the present infinite competition on your own. Personally, we are incompetent people. To put it bluntly, sometimes we become followers of the devil, whether we know it or not.
We must understand exactly what Peter said to resist. It's not that we can fight and win. But it is clear that we have to face it. We must and can face the devil who turns our souls into cowards. First of all, you have to face it. The ultimate victory will happen in the last days. We, who live in the middle period, must endure first. Don't even give up on it. We have to face it, and of course we can. Because there is someone who gives you the strength to resist. Peter put it this way: God “who has suffered for a little while will himself restore you, make you firm, strengthen you, and establish the foundation” (1 Peter 5:10). There are four important words in this sentence. He perfects, establishes, strengthens, and establishes. It means that he will give you the strength to fight the devil. With this power, we can face the evil forces that frighten us, turn us into cowards, and bring us back to the worship of the emperor again and again.
The problem is that it doesn't feel real. I have faithfully led my life of faith, but the foundation of my life is still shaken. There are many times when I don't have the courage to live. Far from opposing the devil, it becomes difficult for me to control myself. It would be nice if my religious life could show my external skills like boxing or judo, but that's not the case. It is difficult to tell whether that person has the ability to face the devil or not. This is because the experience of God is not clearly visible to the naked eye. I can't really explain to you right now that God gives us the strength to fight. We can only indirectly convey the facts the Bible says.
The problem is that we have not yet entered the glory of God. It is said that Moses did not see the face of God, but only the back. Peter's words that he made us enter into the glory of God are not perfect. It is a promise to go forward. The guarantee of that promise is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The glory of God is in Christ. That is why Peter says, “I have called you in Christ.” The early Christians risked their future and their destiny on this very fact. It is the fact that we enter into the glory of God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's right. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the glory of God. It is God’s way of being, God’s revelation, and God’s salvation and reign. Based on this fact, the early Christians could no longer refer to the Roman emperor as 'Curius'. We are just like them. The capital, power, and honor that the people of the world serve as gods cannot be called Qurios. Even if he suffers because of such an attitude of life, he does not feel hesitant about it. So neither should it.
What does it take to truly enrich the Christian life today? The answer is the glory of God. Those who know the mystery of its glory in Jesus Christ can stand up to the devil who chokes our souls. There is another important fact here. Peter referred to those sufferings as “temporary” and referred to the glory of God as “eternal.” Our life itself is fleeting. All possessions and powers that can be acquired in the world are fleeting. In fact, the planet Earth on which we live is also temporary. Everything is fleeting. Only the glory of God is eternal. Conversely, eternal is the glory of God. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, leads us to his glory. Amen.