SUFFERING FROM GOD?: Reflections on I Peter 4:13–29 For Christians

Abstract

Suffering is an integral part of the status of a believer because the condition of following Christ is the Cross and leaving something, so suffering is the most important part of Christian teaching. Suffering is a fact that exists in every life in life without limits both believers and non-believers, but suffering for believers has a different meaning. The method used in this paper is a theological method with biblical theology studies. In I Peter 4: 13-29 the meaning of suffering for believers is explained, namely: first, as a test of faith to develop perseverance in the believer so that faith becomes stronger after going through purification and producing perseverance and the maturity of faith. Second, suffering for believers aims to glorify God, because through suffering and how to respond by staying grateful and joyful the Spirit of glory is in the believer. Third, suffering is God's will, because God is sovereign over all things and sustains all things with His powerful Word. In this study, the author examines and analyzes suffering for believers in terms of the theological meaning of suffering by exposing the text of I Peter 4: 13-27.

Full text

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SUFFERING FROM GOD?
Reflections on I Peter 4:13–29 For Christians
Ludwig Beethoven Jones Noya,1 Bobby Kurnia Putrawan2
Vanderbilt University, Tenneesse, USA1
Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Moriah, Tangerang, Indonesia2
Email: ludwignoya@vanderbilt.edu1
Submitted: 7 Desember 2021 Revision: 21 June 2022 Accepted: 3 July 2022
Abstract
Suffering is an integral part of the status of a believer because the condition of following Christ is the
Cross and leaving something, so suffering is the most important part of Christian teaching. Suffering
is a fact that exists in every life in life without limits both believers and non-believers, but suffering for
believers has a different meaning. In this study, the author examines and analyzes suffering for
believers in terms of the theological meaning of suffering by exposing the text of I Peter 4: 13-27. The
method used in this paper is a theological method with biblical theology studies. In I Peter 4: 13-29
the meaning of suffering for believers is explained, namely: first, as a test of faith to develop
perseverance in the believer so that faith becomes stronger after going through purification and
producing perseverance and the maturity of faith. Second, suffering for believers aims to glorify God,
because through suffering and how to respond by staying grateful and joyful the Spirit of glory is in
the believer. Third, suffering is God's will, because God is sovereign over all things and sustains all
things with His powerful Word.
Keywords: suffering, god, purity, peter, christians
Abstrak
Penderitaan merupakan bagian integral dari status umat Kristen karena syarat mengikut Kristus adalah
salib dan meninggalkan sesuatu, maka penderitaan adalah bagian terpenting dari ajaran Kristen.
Penderitaan merupakan fakta yang ada dalam setiap kehidupan dalam kehidupan tanpa batas baik
yang beriman maupun yang tidak beriman, namun penderitaan bagi orang yang beriman memiliki arti
yang berbeda. Dalam penelitian ini, penulis mengkaji dan menganalisis penderitaan bagi orang
percaya ditinjau dari makna teologis penderitaan dengan memaparkan teks I Petrus 4:13-27. Metode
yang digunakan dalam penulisan ini adalah metode teologis dengan kajian teologi biblika. Hasilnya
dalam I Petrus 4:13-29 dijelaskan pengertian penderitaan bagi orang percaya, yaitu: pertama, sebagai
ujian iman untuk mengembangkan ketekunan dalam diri orang percaya sehingga iman menjadi lebih
kuat setelah melalui pemurnian dan menghasilkan ketekunan dan kedewasaan iman. Kedua,
penderitaan bagi orang percaya bertujuan untuk memuliakan Tuhan, karena melalui penderitaan dan
cara menyikapinya dengan tetap bersyukur dan bersukacita Roh kemuliaan ada pada orang percaya.
Ketiga, penderitaan adalah kehendak Tuhan, karena Tuhan berdaulat atas segala sesuatu dan
menopang segala sesuatu dengan Firman-Nya yang penuh kuasa.
Kata Kunci: penderitaan, allah, pemurnian, petrus, umat kristen
Didache: Jurnal Teologi dan Pendidikan Kristen by https://jurnal.moriah.ac.id/index.php/didache/ is licensed
under a Lisensi Creative Commons Atribusi-BerbagiSerupa 4.0 Internasional
Didache: Jurnal Teologi dan Pendidikan Kristen
Volume 3 Nomor 2 (June 2022): 143-159
DOI: 10.55076/didache.v3i2.54

145
INTRODUCTION
Suffering is an important part of the
doctrine of Christology and has been an issue
of debate throughout the ages, because
suffering is a fact that is very close to human
life and touches all people without boundaries.
because basically humans tend to only see a
hope that is promised by God without wanting
to experience any suffering. It is recognized
that suffering is never separated from
everyone's life as Oscar Wilde said, "I can
resist anything, except temptation."
1
So
suffering is a serious problem but it is not the
only ending of this life, because it happens
there must be a purpose and impact on the
lives of believers. The Bible teaches that
suffering is an integral part of being a
Christian, the conditions for following Christ
Jesus are the cross (Matt. 16:24-26) and
forsaking something (Matt. 19:21).
2
There are emerging and different views
about the meaning of suffering, not even a few
people think this is the result of sin, a curse
faced by a person as a result of his
disobedience and more confused with the
emergence of theology that emphasizes living
rich, blessed and abundant.
3
This is what
makes believers wrong in understanding the
meaning of suffering. This teaching is indeed
interesting because it offers humans an
1
Oscar Wilde, Janji-Janji Alkitab: Dorongan
Semangat Dalam Kehidupan Sehari-Hari Dan
Firman Yang Hidup, ed. Yacob Riskihadi
(Bandung: Yayasan Kalam Hidup, 2016), 353.
2
John Currid, Mengapa Aku Menderita?
Penderitaan Dan Kedaulatan Allah (Jakarta: Visi
Press, 2019), 147.
3
Herlianto, Teologi Sukses: Antara Dan
Mamon (Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia, 2019), 1–2.
invitation to worship God and keep loving
wealth, this teaching is very popular
practically among Christians today and has
existed since the 20th century, there is almost
no Christianity that is not influenced by this
teaching
4
even though on the other hand we
still see so many believers are still living
below the poverty line, God's servants in the
interior are experiencing difficulties in their
lives and ministry and there are still so many
believers who are struggling with sickness and
life difficulties.
If these teachings are not handled
properly, humans will become God for
themselves and blame God when faced with
life's difficulties. So this theme is very
important for Christians to know, especially in
facing this skeptical world, because indeed
suffering is not a pleasant thing, it is often
painful, the impact of which can cause a
person's spiritual death instantly if they do not
realize their spiritual relationship before God
and those things affect eternity.
1 Peter 4:13-29 is a text that shows how
followers of Christ experience suffering. A
question arises, what is suffering from God?
Merril C. Tenney makes it clear in his book
Survey of the New Testament that Christians
suffer not only some believers but all
4
Scott Schieman and Jong Hyun Jung,
“Practical Divine Influence: Socioeconomic Status
and Belief in the Prosperity Gospel,” Journal for
the Scientific Study of Religion 51, no. 4 (2012):
738–56, https://www.jstor.org/stable/23353830;
Josephine Olatomi Soboyejo, “Prosperity Gospel
and Its Religious Impact on Sustainable Economic
Development of African Nations,” OALib 03, no.
11 (2016): 1–13,
https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1103153.

146
Christians in the world suffer the same fate.
5
This statement is very supportive as a
manifestation that suffering is part of a
believer's life that has been outlined by God
because believers are called to it as good
soldiers from Christ (Comp. I Tim. 2:3 and
Lat. 3:37, 38) who are ready to endure
everything for the sake of that calling which
shows that God wants to use His people for
His sake.
So from the quote above we can see that
suffering is something that cannot be separated
from the life of a believer and it shows that
there is a relationship between God in all
events in this world or in other words, God has
the right to His creation because He created
and maintains it and sovereign over all things,
so that the believer with the same attitude
knows that he is not his own but belongs to
God (1 Cor. 7:23). God's plan for mankind
never fails because in suffering there is healing
and there is a sure hope for those who remain
steadfast in their faith in God. Today, it can
also be seen that there are different views on
the meaning of suffering, all of which are
caused by a theologically wrong understanding
or perception of the meaning of suffering from
a biblical point of view.
6
Seeing the above, this
paper aims to explore the meaning of suffering
5
Merrill C. Tenney, Survey Perjanjian Baru
(Malang: Gandum Mas, 2013), 430.
6
Russell P. Johnson, “The Gospel and the
Prosperity Gospel,” Theology 121, no. 1 (January
8, 2018): 28–34,
https://doi.org/10.1177/0040571X17730980; Egla
Mansi et al., “Poverty—A Challenge for Economic
Development? Evidences from Western Balkan
Countries and the European Union,” Sustainability
12, no. 18 (September 19, 2020): 7754,
https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187754.
based on 1 Peter 4:13-29 and its reflection for
Christians today.
In this writing, the author uses
descriptive qualitative research methods in
theological. The definition of descriptive
qualitative research is research that produces
information in the form of notes and
descriptive data in the text under study in
theological perspective. Meanwhile, this type
of research uses library research where the
author writes and develops theoretical studies
based on sources of books relevant to the topic
of suffering for believers in 1 Peter 4:13-29.
In this writing, the author first discusses
suffering in the Old and New Testaments.
Then the writer explores the meaning of
suffering in 1 Peter 4:13-29 by interpreting
literal analysis by combining the meanings of
related words from the Greek. From the results
of this interpretation, the author reconstructs to
find meaning and reflects on the suffering in 1
Peter 4:13-29.
DISCUSSION
The Word of God is the foundation and
life force for God's people. As God's people,
they learn and thirst for the truth. The thirst of
God's people for God's word has recently been
confused with various inappropriate
interpretations, which has created a problem
that never ends, one of the main factors is with
the emergence of various theological
interpretations that only promises blessings,
abundant life, riches and so on, that living in
God never lacks anything and suffers because
we are children of the King. In this discussion,

147
we will know the true meaning of suffering. In
terminology, the meaning of suffering
according to the general Indonesian dictionary
means something that is unpleasant.
7
Suffering is something that is not good,
so suffering is the opposite of pleasure. In
other dictionaries it is said that suffering is
physical pain, discomfort caused by illness,
accident, etc., mental illness that suffers or is
troublesome, annoyance, causes of pain,
injury, disturbance of distress with full of
pain.
8
Suffering in the Old Testament
Suffering according to the Old
Testament has the meaning of the word in
Hebrew, among others: first, the word yasar
which emphasizes the purpose of suffering,
namely for discipline (Hosea 10:10), teaching
(Psalm 2:10), to punish and chastise (Jer. 6:8 ).
Second, the word ana means committing
crimes against others (Gen. 15:13),
humiliating others (Num. 24:24), being
miserable (Psalm 107:17,18) so that they
experience suffering. Third, suffering in the
word sarar the main meaning is binding,
pressing firmly, the meaning then develops
into suffering (Jer 10:18).
9
From this understanding we can
understand that the suffering that occurs in
humans does not show solely because of sin.
7
WJS Poerwadarminta, Kamus Umum Bahasa
Indonesia (Jakarta: Balai Pustaka, 2007), 624.
8
Rudy Hartono, Kamus Lengkap Inggris-
Indonesia (Jombang: Pusat Peningkatan
Pendidikan Masyarakat Umum, 2018), 195.
9
Everett F. Harrison, Dictionary of Theology,
ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Michigan: Bakers Book
House, 1991), 505.
Job's suffering is an example that suffering is
not solely because of sin, Job was a good and
pious man, piety, care and concern for his
children, as a family priest, Job offered burnt
offerings for all of them (1:5) he trying to keep
her children holy.
10
The suffering that
happened to Job confronts us with the
suffering that is common to all humans, the
war with the attack of the Shebaans (1:15);
poverty through loss of wealth (1:16-17),
humiliation due to changes in social status
from rich to poor and diseases that attacked his
body (2:7), Job also lost all his children (1:19),
Job's friends emphasized The sufferings
experienced by Job with the Traditional
Theological view "That the righteous will
prosper and the wicked will suffer" This view
is known as the "Principle of Retaliation" and
is generally emphasized in the Psalms and
Proverbs.
11
This view cannot be used as biblical
truth. Edgar Jones said that not all suffering is
the result of sin as was the case with Job.
12
Job's suffering was God's way of:
13
• God teaches or educates the believer to
turn from error and the way is the
discipline of pain, continuous suffering is
described as “a constant pain in the bone”
10
David Atkinson, Ayub: Dalam Kasih Allah
Rahasia Penderitaan, Tujuan Dan Kekuatannya
Ditemukan (Jakarta: Yayayasan Komunikasi Bina
Kasih, 2012), 20.
11
Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton, Survey
Perjanjian Lama (Malang: Gandum Mas, 2013),
433.
12
Edgar Jones, The Triumph Of Job, (London:
SCM Press, 1953), 33.
13
John E. Hartley, The Book of Job (The New
International Commentary on The Old Testament)
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 2020), 240.

148
the pain prevents him from the possibility
of enjoying a joy.
• Godly and honest people may suffer for no
apparent reason, but the result of suffering
is greater fellowship with God.
• Seeing the suffering described in the book
of Job is not just a result of sin, but rather
in a broader context, if it is analyzed that
the suffering is already a serious problem,
but the problem we can see here is how
one can faithfully believe in God despite
suffering. ? The essence of this problem is
the question of purity of faith, which is the
essence of the book of Job.
The problem of purity of faith and
obedience is also seen in Abraham's life, God
educated and taught Abraham through several
events in his life, heavy struggles as a promise
owner. In the book of Genesis God remembers
the covenant with Abraham and from
Abraham's descendants there will be a
covenant nation. God commanded Abraham to
leave his land and leave his father's family to
go to the land of Canaan. God promised to
make Abraham a great nation and bless him
abundantly. "through you all the families of
the earth will be blessed" (12:3). The first
blessing on humans given by God will be
conveyed through Abraham, and through
Abraham's family it will bring blessings to
other nations and this is where there will be
spiritual blessings that will come through
Abraham's descendants, namely Jesus Christ
(cf. Acts 3:25-26 ). Paul refers to the promise
to Abraham as “preaching the gospel to
Abraham first” (cf. Gal. 3:8).
14
Abraham
believed in God, so believers who believe in
Jesus Christ are blessed with Abraham (Gal.
3:9). Abraham the owner of the promise
several times faces obstacles, various obstacles
appear in the form of a successor heir or
various situations that threaten the main
characters.
15
The first threat arose when Abraham
and Sarai went to the Egypt to save themselves
from the famine in Canaan. The threat came
from Pharaoh who would take Sarai to be his
concubine, and as a result the child born was
not Abraham's descendant. But with God's
help this threat can be overcome. Then another
threat was the presence of Lot, Abraham's
nephew, because Abraham and Sarai had no
children so it seemed that Lot would be the
heir but this can also be overcome, the story
continues in chapter 15 by introducing a
successor heir namely Eliezer, Abraham's
servant. But God declared Abraham's heir to
be his own son, the end of chapter 15 tells of
the ratification of the covenant between God
and Abraham. Once again the agreement was
reaffirmed.
Abraham experienced trials with such a
long waiting period and Sarai's condition,
which was getting older and even had
menopause, so Sarai advised Abraham to take
Hagar, Sarai's slave girl, to continue the
14
Herbert Wolf, Pengenalan Pentateukh
(Malang: Gandum Mas, 2018), 146.
15
L. Heyer, “The Separation of Abram and
Lot, Its Significance In The Patriarchal Narratives,”
Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 26
(1983): 77–88,
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/0309089283
00802604.

149
descent by becoming a surrogate wife
according to the custom prevailing at that
time. Again the threat and obstruction of the
covenant occurred with the birth of Ishmael,
the son of Hagar. In the end when Isaac was
born this Covenant promise would be fulfilled,
but once again Abraham faced a test to prove
the purity of his faith and obedience to God
where God asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a
burnt offering. Abraham's faith was severely
tested and the whole covenant seemed to be in
jeopardy. But Abraham showed how he loved
God more than Isaac and was willing to offer
up his only beloved son. When God saw
Abraham's commitment, he stepped in to save
Isaac's life and then renewed his promise to
multiply Abraham's descendants (Gen. 22:16-
18).
16
Suffering in the New Testament
According to A.S. Peake suffering,
17
the
new Indonesian translation translates many
words which mean pain, sorrow, misfortune
and torment. First, this word in Greek is
peirasmous which has the meaning of what is
happening to someone or is experiencing
16
Abraham Oh, “Canonical Understanding of
the Sacrifice of Isaac: The Influence of the Jewish
Tradition,” HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological
Studies 72, no. 3 (April 8, 2016): a3000,
https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v72i3.3000; Matthew L.
Bowen, “‘The Lord God Will Proceed’: Nephi’s
Wordplay in 1 Nephi 22:8–12 and the Abrahamic
Covenant,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-Day
Saint Faith and Scholarship 50 (2022): 51–70,
https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/the-lord-
god-will-proceed-nephis-wordplay-in-1-nephi-228-
12-and-the-abrahamic-covenant/.
17
A.S. Peake, Penderitaan Dalam
Ensiklopedia Alkitab Masa Kini (Jakarta: Yayasan
Komunikasi Bina Kasih, 2013).
something that is not good. This word in the
book of I Peter 4:12 means a flame from
torment to trial as a test that occurs for
believers.
The word Peirasmous comes from the
root peira, peras in the accusative plural form
where this word means test, temple or exam.
So here peirasmous means testing or testing by
inserting it into the fire. The sufferings of the
believers who were in Pentus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, in Asia Minor and Bithania (I Pet.
2:1) they were thousands upon thousands and
scattered during the exile by the Kings of
Assyria and Babylon. Among them are God's
children who were chosen according to God's
Plan as well as being a blessing there, clearly
they are non-Jews.
18
The conditions that
occurred at that time they were in a state of
depression both mentally and morally because
they were Christians. The great suffering they
endured during the dispersal was so appalling
that it is a common theme in the book of
Peter.
19
The social situation at the time the Book
of Peter was written, some people were rich
and some were poor after they were in their
distribution period, were more suppressed
because they were immigrants from every area
so that they had no rights at all except in
matters of worship as long as it did not disturb
the comfort and convenience of the people
situation in the surrounding environment. The
religious situation of the Romans worshiped
many gods, besides the development of
18
Adina Chapman, Pengantar Perjanjian Baru
(Bandung: Kalam Hidup, 2019), 144.
19
Chapman, 142–43.

150
congregations in various places had
experienced various obstacles from
unbelievers because they were Christians, so
that started from here the dispute occurred
until great suffering beyond humanity was
experienced by Christians. Christianity was
disliked because they did not want to be
involved in the worship activities of the
pagans.
Various false accusations were brought
against them by the emperors as the highest
government holders which led to severe
persecution.
20
Peter's purpose in writing this
letter is to strengthen Christians who are
experiencing this persecution (I Pet. 9:12),
joyful hope by providing practical guidance to
them so that they are strong to face the
suffering of severe persecution as Christians in
gentile society.
21
In this case Peter was afraid that the
believers would arouse displeasure with the
government so he was advised to follow
Christ's example in suffering innocently,
righteously and sublimely. Believers are
reminded that they have a noble calling and
heavenly inheritance in Jesus Christ, their faith
and love are tested and purified so that it will
lead to praise, honor, joy at His coming. The
message that Peter emphasized the most
relates to obedience and suffering for the sake
of righteousness for Christ and according to
Christ's example. Peter believes that if you
suffer because of the truth, God will please
20
Dave Hagelberg, Tafsiran Kitab Petrus
(Yogyakarta: Yayasan Andi, 2017), 4.
21
George Eldon Ladd, Teologi Perjanjian
Baru. Jilid 2 (Bandung: Kalam Hidup, 2010), 406.
God, so that in the context of the teaching
"Suffering for Christ" Peter emphasizes
salvation, hope, joy, obedience, surrender,
prayer, and submission.
22
In his letter Peter warns that something
new will happen, namely the coming of a
“torment fire” with real persecution. This
situation puts great pressure on the believers
and they are told how they can gain victory
over temptation for the glory of God.
23
In the
life of a believer, God longs for a believer to
depend completely only on God as a true hope.
This is where the distinctive feature of
Christianity lies, as a moral standard as a
touchstone for a believer's authenticity.
24
According to Peter H. Davids in the book of
difficult sayings in the New Testament, Peter
sees persecution in 3 ways, namely: first,
persecution is a bait of faith and shows
whether commitments and people who profess
to be Christians are sincere or not (I Pet. 4:12).
Second, persecution makes Christians one
with the sufferings of Christ, because
persecution will not only produce glory in the
future, but will also cause the Spirit of Glory
to descend upon those who are persecuted
today (1 Pet. 4:13-14).
25
Third, persecution is a
22
Wilbur M. Smith, Tafsiran Alkitab Wycliffe
Volume 3: Perjanjian Baru, ed. Charles F. Pfeiffer
and Everett F. Harrison, 4th ed. (Malang: Gandum
Mas, 2013), 1090.
23
Warren W. Wiersbe, Pengharapan Di
Dalam Kristus (Bandung: Yayasan Kalam Hidup,
2002), 166.
24
John Stott, “Menggapai Pesan Kitab Suci
Dalam Budaya Yang Berubah,” in The Living
Church, ed. Ayub Yahya (Jakarta: BPK Gunung
Mulia, 2017), 2.
25
Peter H. Davis, Ucapan Yang Sulit Dalam
Perjanjian Baru (Malang: SAAT Literatur, 2013),
2016.

151
discipline or judgment that shows that they are
God's family.
However that judgment will not end in
condemnation for His people, for they are His
family and will be saved and sanctified. So the
suffering that occurs in the life of a believer is
a gift from God, through which the glory of
God becomes more evident, making suffering
a happiness in the future.
Suffering in Greek also uses the word
Thlipsis cognate with the verb Thlibein which
means to urge or to oppress.
26
This term
appears most frequently in the New Testament
and has the broadest meaning. We find it in
the Old Testament (Greek translation) in
connection with the sufferings of the Israelites.
The main words in Romans 5:3a which use the
word thlipsis are misery from the background
of the old testament in the book of Psalms,
many find this word distress because of being
lost in the desert (Ps. 107:19), because of
imprisonment (Ps. 107:13), because of illness
(Ps. 107:19), which is in tribulation is the
nation of Israel, the tribulation is God's
punishment for unfaithfulness, but also God's
way of preparing for Himself an obedient
people.
Passion comes from God (Psalm 66:11;
71:20), but God also saves the righteous from
it. The New Testament deals with the
sufferings that the Church, especially the
Apostles, had to suffer (I Thess. 3:2; John
16:33; 2 Cor. 1:5) the sufferings they endured
to fulfill the sufferings of Christ (Col. 1:24).
26
Thomas Van Den End, Tafsiran Alkitab
Surat Roma, 10th ed. (Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia,
2015), 259.
The Christian's suffering threatens his life, and
because it is a test, by which his willingness to
follow Christ is tested while denying himself
and giving up his life (I Thess. 3:3; Matt.
16:24; cf. Luke 8:13) so that suffering must be
borne with fortitude, based on hope of the
eventual deliverance that will come from the
Lord.
Martus is a derivative of the word
martyr, which means to go to the witness. So
suffering is the foundation of the Christian life
(I Pet. 4:12–19, I Pet. 1:6–7). The believer's
suffering is also a fellowship with Christ, as
Paul experienced. Suffering is at the center of
Paul's struggle “every day I face death (1 Cor.
15:31, II Cor. 11:23–29), although the
suffering is very personal, but relational,
through this suffering Paul came to know the
suffering of Christ (2 Cor. 4:10a).
27
Paul
hoped the suffering endured to gain fellowship
in the sufferings of Christ (Philippians 1:29).
Paul identified himself with the crucified
Christ. The sufferings that were experienced
by scourges, stoning, various persecutions and
other threats to his life are evidence that he is a
servant of Christ, so that he has reason to
rejoice in that suffering.
Suffering in Greek also uses the plural
word pathemata (Rom. 8:18), this suffering is
suffering with Christ, suffering covers the
whole world. This is also emphasized by the
addition of this present age, the era from the
first coming of Christ until the second coming
of Christ, a turbulent time that causes all to
27
J. Knox Chamblin, Paulus Dan Diri : Ajaran
Rasuli Bagi Keutuhan Pribadi (Surabaya:
Momentum, 2011), 6.

152
experience suffering with believers. This
upheaval is described by Christ himself in
Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Even this
general suffering cannot be separated from the
suffering of Christ.
28
Because the cause is the
same, namely the power of death and the
power of the devil. But this suffering cannot
be compared to glory. The hope of sure
salvation and glory, is a source of power that
encourages Christians to remain obedient to
Jesus, live in hope, live in holiness and live in
harmony. Believers are born to receive this
glory that is preached to believers because of
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
believers are born again to a life full of hope
and that hope includes the glory of God.
Reflection on Suffering According to I Peter
4:13-29
Suffering as a Test of Faith
The problem of theodicy arises when a
believer claims that a righteous person
experiences suffering because he is
experiencing a test from God through his
suffering. This heavy suffering can be inflicted
by God himself directly on the believer or it
can be by some other medium used by God to
test him. Most of us think of a direct
relationship between suffering and sin,
between prosperity and obedience, that's what
we can see in the book of Job how Job's
friends relate Job's suffering to sin. But in the
story of Job we clearly see that the bad things
that happen to us don't have to be related to
our sins, just as the good things that happen to
28
End, Tafsiran Alkitab Surat Roma, 260.
us don't have to have anything to do with our
righteousness (Isaiah 64:6).
29
In this point of view, suffering is seen as
a “crater of candradimuka” into which a pious
person is thrown to boil him into a formidable
pious or holy person after he has passed the
test and trial. In the book of Job, a narrative of
theodicy depicts suffering as a test of one's
piety. It is written that Job was a man who was
“godly, upright, fearing the Lord and turning
away from evil” (Job 1:1; 8; 2:3) and that there
is no one on earth like him (Job 1:8b ; 2:3).
30
Has the severe suffering that God allowed to
inflict on Job by the devil has served as a
candradimuka crater, which purifies and
matures Job's piety to God?
Will every severe suffering as a test of
faith from God will surely be able to be
endured by believers within the limits of their
strength? The apostle Paul said in the new
testament that “the trials that you experience
are ordinary trials that do not exceed human
strength. For God is faithful and therefore he
will not allow you to be tried beyond your
strength” (1 Cor. 10:13).
31
Seeing a suffering
29
John Piper and Justin Taylor, Penderitaan
Dan Kedaulatan Allah (Surabaya: Momentum,
2012), 138.
30
Michael V. Fox, “The Meanings of the Book
of Job,” Journal of Biblical Literature 137, no. 1
(2018): 7,
https://doi.org/10.15699/jbl.1371.2018.1372; Agus
Santoso et al., “Haššātān and Court Traditions in
the Book of Job: Court Tradition History
Perspective,” DUNAMIS: Jurnal Teologi Dan
Pendidikan Kristiani 7, no. 1 (June 2, 2022): 40–
53, https://doi.org/10.30648/dun.v7i1.611.
31
Steven Cowan, “Does 1 Corinthians 10:13
Imply Libertarian Freedom? A Reply to Paul A.
Himes,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological

153
as a test of faith and piety that God imposes on
every believer will make the believer become
more mature through the difficulties
experienced in his life. Suffering is inherent in
life, as Victor Frankl
32
wrote, that suffering
gives meaning to our lives, makes us stronger
in living life. Of course God created the world
with suffering as a test for believers to have a
specific purpose, but suffering is a way to get
closer to Him. Suffering is a test of faith to
develop perseverance in believers so that faith
is stronger in difficulties and adversity, and
trains believers to be more dependent on God.
Some of the reasons God allows believers to
experience suffering are:
Maturity of Faith
Patience and resilience in times of
suffering make believers well-formed
Christians. Endurance in times of trial is one
of the ways of sanctification, as James wrote
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall
into various trials, for you know that the
testing of your faith produces endurance, and
let endurance bear fruit. ripe, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James
1:2-4). In the Greek term translated by Nasv
with the word "perfect" has the meaning or
meaning of "mature" so that suffering as a test
experienced by believers matures their faith.
Society 55, no. 4 (2012): 793–800,
https://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/55/55-
4/JETS_55-4_793-800_Cowan.pdf.
32
Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for
Meaning, 1st ed. (Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon
Press, 2016).
The Apostle Peter says in I Pet. 5:10
“And God, the source of all grace, who called
you in Christ to his eternal glory, will
complete, strengthen, strengthen and establish
you, after you have suffered for a while.”
Trials, sufferings and trials are part of the
believer's life to sanctify them. People who
endure in it with patience will become more
pious and holy people.
Proof of Faith
Strength and resilience in times of
suffering is an affirmation of one's faith in
Christ. In I Peter 1:6-7, suffering can test a
believer's faith and when a believer perseveres
in it it is a sure proof that they are worthy of
the kingdom of God (2 Thess. 1:4-5).
33
This is
proof of faith that a person loves Christ, proof
that he belongs to Christ and God will
strengthen him to be patient and endure in the
midst of suffering.
Faith Testimony
Believers who endure suffering will
help other believers who are in distress, so that
believers will realize that they are not alone
through the valley of the shadow of death or
suffering. The apostle Paul wrote to the church
in Thessalonica “if we suffer, it is for your
33
Jarvis J. Williams, “Sermon: ‘Don’t Be
Surprised When You Suffer for Christ, But
Rejoice!’ (1 Peter 4:12-19),” The Southern Baptist
Journal of Theology 18, no. 1 (2014): 147,
http://equip.sbts.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2014/08/SBJT-18.1-Sermon-
_Dont-Be-Surprised-When-You-Suffer-for-Christ-
but-Rejoice._-1-Peter-4-12-
19.pdf?_ga=2.215889876.2118103731.156310126
5-1939425669.1560682278.

154
comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it
is for your comfort, so that you may have
strength to endure the same tribulations as we
also suffer, and hope we are steadfast for you,
because we know that as you share in our
affliction, you also share in our comfort” (2
Cor. 1:6-7).
34
When we suffer patiently it is a
good testimony to others in the church that
believers are not suffering alone and it will
help other believers to stay strong when facing
suffering.
The Apostle Paul explains in 2 Cor. 1:4
“God who comforts us in all our affliction, so
that we can comfort those in any kind of
trouble with the comfort we ourselves have
received from God.” The word comfort or
strengthen in one translation is not mere
solace, but it means God's transforming mercy,
a perfect union of kindness and frankness. He
speaks the truth in wise love so that we grow
to do the same.
35
Wisdom love is a skill that
can be applied generally, so that what we learn
from God in certain sufferings can be of great
help to others in their suffering.
Suffering and the God’s will
The book of I Peter was written in the
midst of a situation of slavery, the apostle
Peter gave advice to slaves who suffered from
being persecuted by their masters (I Pet. 2:18).
The Apostle Peter advised the slaves who
34
Matthew C. Pawlak, “Consistency Isn’t
Everything: Self-Commendation in 2 Corinthians,”
Journal for the Study of the New Testament 40, no.
3 (March 23, 2018): 360–82,
https://doi.org/10.1177/0142064X18755908.
35
David Powlison, Anugerah Allah Dan
Penderitaan Anda (Surabaya: Momentum Christian
Literature, 2012).
became members of the church and followed
Christ to remain respectful, to be submissive
and not to fight against their masters, whether
they were friendly or generous, or cruel.
36
Did
the early Christian church deliberately support
slavery, and not fight against a system of
slavery that was so clearly inconsistent with
the liberating message of the gospel of Jesus
Christ? (I Pet. 2:19). The apostle Peter's advice
is quite surprising, isn't it? Because the slaves
who have lived so much as a result of being
forced to work beyond the expectations and
abilities and the inhuman chastisement of their
masters are actually asked by the apostle Peter
to live their suffering as the grace of God. The
slaves in this context were asked by the
apostle Peter to be willing to endure their
suffering as part of God's will.
37
Does this
mean the status as slaves and the slavery
system at that time was lived by the apostles
and the early church as a form of part of God's
will?
The apostle Peter's advice that
believers who were slaves to live their
sufferings as part of God's will and His grace
was in no way intended to legitimize or justify
the slavery system prevailing at that time. The
main emphasis of I Petr. 2:18-25 is how they
are in their situation, including in the status of
36
Niq Ruud, “Slavery and Submission: 1 Peter
2:18 in Context of the Greco-Roman World,”
ResearchGate, 2018,
https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.2
9586.27845.
37
Kevin Giles, “Justifying Injustice with the
Bible: Slavery,” CBE International (Minneapolis,
MN, April 2016),
https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/article/m
utuality-blog-magazine/justifying-injustice-bible-
slavery.

155
a slave who suffers, they can still imitate the
attitude of the Lord Jesus when He was treated
cruelly and unfairly (I Pet. 2:21; 4:12-13). The
primary nature of Christ was in His suffering
(I Pet. 2:33). In the midst of His struggles,
sufferings and death, Christ still displayed His
perfect integrity. The sufferings experienced
by the members of the congregation are faced
with heart, care, prayer and love which are
based on the teachings of the apostles. They
never put up a fight physically and with force
of arms. Physically they are looked down
upon, abused and their physical bodies can be
injured by the powers of this world; but in
faith in Christ they acquire spiritual riches
which enable them to rejoice.
This is the secret of the Christian life
of faith, which is to be able to rejoice with a
sincere heart even though they are being hit by
various difficulties and very heavy suffering.
From the standpoint of social status they were
probably slaves who had lost their freedom
and future. But from the point of view of faith,
they are the servants of Christ who have been
freed from the power of the world so that they
are permitted by God to enjoy the riches of His
love and blessings. Suffering itself is never
separated from God's will, because God
created everything, but God also rules and is
sovereign over all the works of His hands. The
Bible states that God is omnipotent, that His
will is unchanging, that God has absolute
sovereignty over every part of His territory.
38
Everything is under His control and everything
38
Arthur W. Pink, The Sovereignity Of God
(Surabaya: Momentum, 2011), 6.
moves according to His eternal plan, and
because all things will "work for good to those
who love Him, to those who are called
according to God's purpose". God never does
evil, but He permits or moves others to do evil,
because in the Bible it is explained that
nothing arises, exists or takes place
independently of God's will.
39
The writer of Hebrews says that “Christ
sustains all things by His powerful Word”
(Hebrews 1:3). God the Son divinely rules
over all things by sustaining all things and
events in the universe, while He brings them
all to their predetermined end with His
powerful Word.
40
In Greek, to support is phero
which means to carry, carry or produce or
carry, in the context of this verse it means to
actively and intentionally control something
that is carried from one place to another. The
word phero appears in this verse in the present
participle form which indicates that Jesus
continuously supports everything in this
universe with His powerful word.
41
So the son
of God holds every aspect of creation
including the evil aspect, suffering in His
hands and always produces the desired effect
by doing exactly what He wills.
The Bible clearly states that suffering as
a Christian is part of God's will and is a
testimony to believers so that God can see His
39
Giles, “Justifying Injustice with the Bible:
Slavery”; Ruud, “Slavery and Submission: 1 Peter
2:18 in Context of the Greco-Roman World.”
40
William L. Lane, Hebrew 1–8, Word
Biblical Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan Academic, 2015), 47.
41
Wayne Grundem, Systematic Theology: An
Introduction To Biblical Dotrine (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan, 2009), 316.

156
glory in it, the Lord Jesus himself also
experienced it as well as the Apostles who did
ministry to unbelievers. Sastro Soedirdjo in his
book says that Christians live as travelers,
meaning as citizens of the Kingdom of God (I
Pet. 2:12–17), as Servants (I Pet. 2:18–25) in
relation to believers. (I Pet. 4:7–11).
42
So that
God may be glorified in all things because of
Jesus Christ, even though in the life of
Christians there are various kinds of suffering
that are faced both through torture, the world's
refusal to glorify God, and witnessing that all
of their faith is not in vain in general, God
provides truth for those who believe in Him.
So the above statement contains one truth in
the context of service to others in terms of
introducing Christ as the only God, believers
must be willing to pay the price for Christ's
sake.
The understanding of the meaning and
purpose of suffering must really be studied by
the churches and believers so that they will be
strong to endure difficulties and still rejoice in
facing them because the spirit of glory is in
them. Suffering itself is the basis that becomes
the color of life and testimony of the Christian
faith in accompanying the Lord (I Peter 4:1-6).
Suffering is also the basis of the process of
refining faith as a test of believers so that their
faith will be tested through suffering (I Pet.
4:12). Suffering is also a process for believers
as part of the suffering experienced by Jesus
42
J. Sidlow Baxter, Menggali Isi Alkitab 4:
Roma - Wahyu (Jakarta: Yayasan Komunikasi Bina
Kasih, 2012), 224.
Christ,
43
so that it is a joy for everyone
because God changes it with glory in the
future when it happens for the sake of God's
name (I Pet. 4:13) and suffering itself is a
glorious honor if it occurs because through this
experience of suffering fellowship with God is
growing.
In addition, suffering is also a basic sign
that brings glory to the life of a Christian, in
fulfilling His plan, to form the Church in God's
image and expand her testimony to be more
complete in the world. God allows suffering
both in groups and individually (I Pet. 1:6-7;
Job 23:10; Psalm 119; 67-71) so let there be
joy in it. This is also one of the beautiful tools
used by God to purify one's faith so that it
becomes more perfect in God and gives
meaning to life with God which creates
fortitude. Suffering is also a proof to the world
that God is the most powerful, sovereign over
this world and has the right to human life.
44
Indeed, God uses suffering for His glory
to the extent that His people's piety towards
God is proven by the words of the apostle Paul
that suffering occurs so that God's truth and
His work are manifest in this world.
45
The
suffering experienced by believers is a
warning and consolation in preparation for an
emergency that will soon come, therefore, be
43
Currid, Mengapa Aku Menderita?
Penderitaan Dan Kedaulatan Allah, 92.
44
Craig Price, “Suffering In Light Of
Judgment: An Exegesis Of 1 Peter 4:12-19,” vol. 1
(Florida, 2018); Williams, “Sermon: ‘Don’t Be
Surprised When You Suffer for Christ, But
Rejoice!’ (1 Peter 4:12-19)”; Michael V. Fox, “The
Meanings of the Book of Job.”
45
Ladd, Teologi Perjanjian Baru. Jilid 2, 415–
16.

157
patient, be patient and continue to rejoice in
facing it, because everything happens
according to God's providence, and brings its
own blessings, as well as a guarantee to
participate in the future glory of Christ (I Pet.
4:13).
46
CONCLUSION
Suffering is an integral part of the status
of a believer because the condition for binding
Christ is the Cross, and suffering is central to
the doctrine of Christology. Suffering for
believers is not the same as the suffering
experienced by every human being, because its
meaning and purpose is filled with the light of
Christ. In several passages the Bible explains
that suffering is not always the result of sin or
curses. Suffering itself is the basis that
becomes the color of life and the testimony of
Christ's faith in accompanying God. In the
book of Peter, it gives a meaning of suffering
to believers, namely the basis of the process of
purification through a test of faith that will
prove their faith and maturity of faith.
Suffering is also a basic sign of bringing glory
to the lives of believers, in fulfilling His plan
and for forming the Church in the Image of
God and expanding the witness of believers.
Suffering is also inseparable from God's
will, because He is sovereign over all things,
everything is right under His control and
46
JET Kuwornu-Adjaottor, “God and the
Suffering of His People,” Journal of Science and
Technology (Ghana) 33, no. 1 (November 15,
2013), https://doi.org/10.4314/just.v33i1.12; Price,
“Suffering In Light Of Judgment: An Exegesis Of
1 Peter 4:12-19”; Williams, “Sermon: ‘Don’t Be
Surprised When You Suffer for Christ, But
Rejoice!’ (1 Peter 4:12-19).”
moves according to His eternal plan. Christ
sustains all things with His powerful Word.
Jesus Christ holds every aspect of creation
including the evil aspect, suffering in His
hands.
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