1 Peter 4:11

1 Peter 4:11 ‘Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.'

‘Whoever speaks' -‘Whoever as. Christian engages in speaking about the Lord..' (Hamilton p. 245)

‘let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God' -‘let him speak as one who is delivering the oracles of God' (TCNT); ‘he must preach as one who utters the words of God' (Mof). ‘It means rather “with the seriousness of purpose which one would use if one were speaking God's words”'. (Grudem p. 176) ‘As'-‘like as, even as, according as, in the same manner as' (Thayer p. 680). ‘Utterances'-‘Divine response' (Acts 7:38; Romans 3:2; Hebrews 5:12).

Points to Note: 1. When. person assumes the task of teaching or preaching, that person must limit the instruction to what the Word of God states. 2. In the work of teaching and preaching there is no room for speculation or human opinion. 3. Intellect and rhetorical skills are not. substitute for preaching the Word (2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 2:4). 4. The phrase “as it were” would indicate that this verse governs the actions of non-inspired teachers and preachers. Which means that. non-inspired person can study the Bible and present the truth fully and accurately (2 Timothy 2:15). 5. The truth wasn't lost with the cessation of inspired speakers.

We must reject the excuse that every preacher is just preaching his opinion. 6. Seeing that every Christian who is teaching is to speak as if God were speaking through them, proves that we can all understand the Bible alike.

‘whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies' -‘Strength'-ability, might, force. ‘let him do so in reliance on the strength which God supplies' (TCNT). ‘Supplies'-present tense. ‘furnish abundantly' (Thayer p. 670) Points to Note: 1. ‘”When you are engaged in Christian service, you must not do it or give it as if you were conferring. personal favor, or distributing bounty from your own store, but in the consciousness that what you give, you first received from God.” Such an attitude preserves the giver from all pride and the gift from all humiliation.' (Barclay p. 304) 2. The word ‘supplies', originally meant: ‘To furnish the chorus at one's own expense; to procure and supply all things necessary to fit out the chorus…then generally to defray the expenses of something.' (Thayer p. 670/Arndt p. 892) 3. The verse reminds Christians that the success of Christianity isn't totally upon our shoulders. This isn't. human movement that rises or falls with human zeal and human effort. God is our supplier! (Ephesians 6:10)

‘so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ' -‘in all things so act as that the glory may be God's through Jesus Christ' (NEB). ‘The aim of everything is that God should be glorified. The preaching is not done to display the preacher, but to bring men face to face with God.' (Barclay p. 304) (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; Matthew 5:16) If one follows the instructions in 1 Peter 4:7-11, then God will be glorified. Glorying God doesn't happen by accident and we are not left wondering how we can glorify God in our lives.

‘to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen' -‘to whom'-the last person mentioned is Jesus Christ. ‘Amen'-‘so let it be, truly' (Arndt p. 45); ‘may it be fulfilled' (Thayer p. 32). (Romans 16:27; Ephesians 3:21; 1 Peter 4:20; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16; Hebrews 13:21; 2 Peter 3:18; Judges 1:25; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:13; 1 Peter 5:11).

Suffering As. Christian: