1 Peter 5:10 (KJV)
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Bible Commentary
1 Peter 5:10 is a Bible verse from the New Testament that helps pull us through a time of suffering, and move us toward the eternal glory of Christ.
When we submit our lives to Christ, we might make certain assumptions of what we won’t have to endure. We know He is pleased with our willingness to give Him our lives, so we believe the rewards are coming. And they are, but along with the rewards, there will most likely be some kind of suffering first. The rewards always outweigh the suffering, but it is very difficult to accept a time of suffering when what you expected was a reward.
Let’s look at some blessings during suffering:
· It draws us closer to God—we look up to Him and seek his Word.
· It helps us identify with Christ’s sufferings, what He went through when people rejected Him and crucified Him.
· It gives us a different view of the heart of God. Whatever pain we are experiencing, He experiences with us.
· It helps us identify with others who are also suffering. We gain compassion for others.
· It makes us more thankful for what we had before.
It’s no wonder that the word “grace” in 1 Peter 5:10 in the Greek means: the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude; acceptable, benefit, gift, favor.
The first part of 1 Peter 5:10 says that the God of all grace has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus. “Glory” in the Greek means: very apparent, dignity, honor, praise, worship.
The God of divine influence, benefits and gifts calls us to His honor, dignity, praise and worship. Would we be drawn to Him, or bow down before Him without enduring any kind of suffering or hardship?
Unlocking the Truth – In Need of Repair
Have you ever been broken and needed healing, or repair? Maybe you’re in that state right now. The second part of 1 Peter 5:10 says that after we’ve suffered a while, God will make us perfect, stablish, strengthen and settle us.
The word “perfect” in the Greek means: complete thoroughly, that is, repair or adjust: mend, prepare, restore.
The word “stablish” in the Greek means: set fast, to turn resolutely in a certain direction, to confirm, steadfastly set.
Maybe we need to be uprooted from a wrong path, and set fast, or turned in a different direction. If we’re going 100 mph in the wrong direction, it might be painful to be stopped, so we can be turned in a different direction.
Once we’re headed in the right direction, it can bring a peace beyond our understanding and blessings to us and those we love.
We are Empowered
The word “strengthen” in the Greek means: bodily vigor, confirm (in spiritual knowledge and power), strengthen.
What an amazing thing to know we can be strengthened not only in our bodies, but also in spiritual knowledge and power. With this kind of strength from God, we are empowered with the mind of Christ.
The word “settle” in the Greek means: to lay a basis for, erect, consolidate. Perhaps the most important of all is His promise to settle us. In order to unite us, there must be a solid basis, or foundation. That foundation is Christ, our solid rock.
Consolidate is defined as: to join together into one whole; unite.
As God unites us into Jesus Christ, we have power over the enemy, the devil, who deceives, accuses and condemns. As God gathers us together in Him, we have power through Him and in unity with one another.
There is no stopping that kind of momentous force, and Satan knows it. He is fighting tooth and nail to hang on to any piece of territory he has left in the Kingdom of God here on earth, but we have already won the victory in Jesus Christ.
Study the Bible verse of 1 Peter 5:10, and be encouraged that beyond your suffering, not only will you be repaired, but also stablished, strengthened and settled in the Kingdom of Christ.
