Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

1 Peter 4:12

Peter had been discussing how Christians must respond to persecution.  He continues by reminding Christians that they should not be surprised when “the fiery trial” of suffering because of their faith suddenly turns their lives upside down (4:12).  They should not think “something strange” was happening to them; after all, Paul and Christ Himself promised persecution for all who desire to follow the Lord (2 Tim. 3:12; John 15:18-21; cf. Matt. 5:10-12).  Instead, Christians should “rejoice” that they “share Christ’s sufferings” as Peter and his fellow apostles had done (4:13a; cf. Acts 5:40-41), knowing that they would “also rejoice and be glad” when they join Christ in victory in the end “when his glory is revealed” at His second coming (4:13b; cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Thess. 1:7-10).

Peter then elaborates:  “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (4:14).  Consider what this means.  We know that Christians “are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Rom. 8:9).  It must first be pointed out that the Spirit dwelling within and resting upon the Christian does not inherently mean that he or she has miraculous spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:1ff).  Christians in the early church received miraculous spiritual gifts only if an apostle laid his hands on them (Acts 8:14-18; cf. Rom. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:6), not all Christians had spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:29-31), and these spiritual gifts would cease when “that which is perfect (teleios, complete) has come” (1 Cor. 13:8-10), a reference to when the New Testament would be completed upon the death of the apostles and prophets.  Thus, the Spirit dwelling in the Christian in a miraculous way was solely a temporary occurrence.

In contrast, “the gift of the Holy Spirit” was promised to all who obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:38), a promise universal in scope in that it applies to “everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” through the gospel (Acts 2:39; 2 Thess. 2:14).  This is why Peter could tell his Christian readers that “the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” and Paul could tell his Christian readers that “anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”  Indeed, the scriptural promise is not only that the Spirit will dwell in the Christian.  Scripture also promises that both the Father and the Son will “come…and make our home with” the one who “keeps my word” (John 14:23).  Stop and consider that last condition, that they will come to the one who “keeps my word.”  The concept of penitent, faithful obedience to God’s Word is crucial to a proper understanding of what it means for the Godhead to “dwell in” and “make our home with” the Christian.  The reason is this is true is because the Scriptures – God’s Word – are all inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:19-21), who in turn received His message from the Son (John 16:12-15), who in turn received His message from the Father (John 12:49-50).  When we read the Word of God and obey it, we are reading a message from the Godhead, are obeying Deity, and thus have a very close and intimate relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit.  This is why Paul could tell Christians to “…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” and speak of them being “led by the Spirit” so that the fruit or evidence of being led by the Spirit is shown in them (Gal. 5:16-25).  This could only happen by knowing and obeying Scripture.

Thus, Peter could promise Christians who were “insulted for the name of Christ” that they were “blessed” because they were living faithfully for God and thus not only had “the Spirit of glory and of God rest(ing) upon” them but also had eternal life waiting for them in the future.  We have this same promise today.

— Jon