“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
VictoryinJesus asked: Are we not judged by the work of Christ? 1 Pet 4:17 “the end of them that obey not the gospel of God.” What do you believe it means to ‘obey not the gospel of God’?
The work of Christ is not yet complete; therefore the judgement is not complete. Don't forget that those who comprise the body of Christ are counted in as one with him. Judgement begins with the house of God, that is to say judgement began with the Head of the house over 2000 years ago and will continue until the last member of the body has been fully tried, tested and proven. Many are of the assumptions that Christ finished the work assigned him at cavalry, but this is not so there still remains work to be done the typical sacrifice of the Great Day of Atonement included two sacrifices, the “bullock” and the “Lord’s Goat” what was done with the one was likewise done with the other. In the anti-type the Great Day of Atonement began with the sacrifice of our Lord, but it is not finished until he has likewise sacrificed with himself all the members of his body. And then there’s still a further work to be done as was shown in the type following the Atonement Day sacrifices the Priest came out and blessed all the people. The Great Day of Atonement will not be completed until the end of the millennial day.
“Judgment must begin at the house of God [at the end of the age].” And if judgment first begins with us, “what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God [after hearing and understanding it]?”
This contrast will occur within the Church itself. A consecrated class will not be obedient and thus will not be saved. (Verse 18 continues this thought.) The disobedient consecrated are compared with the obedient consecrated. The phrase “them that obey not the gospel” does not refer to the world, for if it did, the world would be put on the same level with the Church.
Many in the nominal system mistakenly use this text to try to prove that those who do not believe now, in the present life, are doomed. However, the context shows that Peter is talking only to the consecrated. The world does not have the standard of the Great Company or the Little Flock.
Therefore, Verse 17 refers to those who are consecrated to obey but do not and thus go into Second Death. They are eternally lost, and the “righteous” are eternally saved (from eternal death). Verse 17 is saying, “If judgment begins with us, what shall the end be of those of us who obey not the gospel?” Tares are not included in this verse, just the consecrated or spirit-begotten.
1 Pet. 4:18 “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
The “righteous” who are scarcely saved would be both the Little Flock and the Great Company. The Church will get an abundant entrance into the Kingdom, but the Great Company will be “saved ... so as by fire,” i.e., scarcely saved, saved by the skin of their teeth, as it were (2 Pet. 1:11; 1 Cor. 3:15).
“Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” This verse is used incorrectly to prove there is no hope of salvation beyond the present life. For this interpretation the “righteous” are said to be the Church, and the “ungodly” and the “sinner” are defined as the unsaved world of mankind. But this interpretation would contradict other Scriptures. Verse 18 is a basis for the church denominations going out and trying to evangelize the world.
The correct interpretation is that “if the righteous (the consecrated) scarcely be saved” in the professed Church of Christ, “where shall the ungodly and the sinner (who are likewise consecrated and in the professed Church of Christ) appear? The point is that the ungodly and the sinner will not appear—they will go into Second Death.
Peter treats this subject in more detail in his next epistle. This verse is not even referring to the nominal Church but to all consecrated Christians living at the end of the age, wherever they may be. There will be a trial within the true Church!” (Epistles of Peter, Page 36)
VictoryinJesus asked: Are we not judged by the work of Christ? 1 Pet 4:17 “the end of them that obey not the gospel of God.” What do you believe it means to ‘obey not the gospel of God’?
The work of Christ is not yet complete; therefore the judgement is not complete. Don't forget that those who comprise the body of Christ are counted in as one with him. Judgement begins with the house of God, that is to say judgement began with the Head of the house over 2000 years ago and will continue until the last member of the body has been fully tried, tested and proven. Many are of the assumptions that Christ finished the work assigned him at cavalry, but this is not so there still remains work to be done the typical sacrifice of the Great Day of Atonement included two sacrifices, the “bullock” and the “Lord’s Goat” what was done with the one was likewise done with the other. In the anti-type the Great Day of Atonement began with the sacrifice of our Lord, but it is not finished until he has likewise sacrificed with himself all the members of his body. And then there’s still a further work to be done as was shown in the type following the Atonement Day sacrifices the Priest came out and blessed all the people. The Great Day of Atonement will not be completed until the end of the millennial day.
“Judgment must begin at the house of God [at the end of the age].” And if judgment first begins with us, “what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God [after hearing and understanding it]?”
This contrast will occur within the Church itself. A consecrated class will not be obedient and thus will not be saved. (Verse 18 continues this thought.) The disobedient consecrated are compared with the obedient consecrated. The phrase “them that obey not the gospel” does not refer to the world, for if it did, the world would be put on the same level with the Church.
Many in the nominal system mistakenly use this text to try to prove that those who do not believe now, in the present life, are doomed. However, the context shows that Peter is talking only to the consecrated. The world does not have the standard of the Great Company or the Little Flock.
Therefore, Verse 17 refers to those who are consecrated to obey but do not and thus go into Second Death. They are eternally lost, and the “righteous” are eternally saved (from eternal death). Verse 17 is saying, “If judgment begins with us, what shall the end be of those of us who obey not the gospel?” Tares are not included in this verse, just the consecrated or spirit-begotten.
1 Pet. 4:18 “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
The “righteous” who are scarcely saved would be both the Little Flock and the Great Company. The Church will get an abundant entrance into the Kingdom, but the Great Company will be “saved ... so as by fire,” i.e., scarcely saved, saved by the skin of their teeth, as it were (2 Pet. 1:11; 1 Cor. 3:15).
“Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” This verse is used incorrectly to prove there is no hope of salvation beyond the present life. For this interpretation the “righteous” are said to be the Church, and the “ungodly” and the “sinner” are defined as the unsaved world of mankind. But this interpretation would contradict other Scriptures. Verse 18 is a basis for the church denominations going out and trying to evangelize the world.
The correct interpretation is that “if the righteous (the consecrated) scarcely be saved” in the professed Church of Christ, “where shall the ungodly and the sinner (who are likewise consecrated and in the professed Church of Christ) appear? The point is that the ungodly and the sinner will not appear—they will go into Second Death.
Peter treats this subject in more detail in his next epistle. This verse is not even referring to the nominal Church but to all consecrated Christians living at the end of the age, wherever they may be. There will be a trial within the true Church!” (Epistles of Peter, Page 36)
