Apostle Peter writes to the followers (believers) of Jesus Christ across the world that the end of all things is near (1 Peter 4:7a). It sounds like an early warning or a hint in advance that something is about to happen. As a faithful believer in the Lord Jesus, we need to examine who this Peter is before we discuss the Scripture passage. Peter was a fisherman by profession until he was called by Jesus to be His follower. After the call, he was transformed to be a passionate and enthusiastic disciple of Jesus and turned out to be a fearless preacher and very bold in carrying out the mission of God. Peter grew emotionally and spiritually strong as time passed and became one of the most influential leaders among Jesus’ disciples. As a devoted Christian believer and committed minister of the Gospel and well-accepted leader in the early church, he is giving valuable counsel to the followers of Jesus Christ across the world to understand the purpose of God in their lives and live a life worthy of His calling.

This week’s Scripture passage (1 Peter 4:7-11) draws our attention and reminds us (believers) that the end of all things is near and we need to make our life right with God. This means that this is the last hour (now is the time) to set our hearts and minds on things above and not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-2), because (according to the Word of God) heaven and earth and everything in them will soon pass away (Matthew 24:35; Hebrews 1:11-12; 1 John 2:17). The biblical prophecies and all that is happening around us shows that time is running out and the end of all things is nearing. No human being has power to stop it because they have no power over time and space. Time is passing moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year, decade by decade, century by century, and millennium by millennium. What would have been your response if you were ever asked what would have happened if human beings were given power to manage/control the time? Most probably, you would say that humans would manipulate time according to their state of mind or interests at that particular time, all of which will keep changing from time to time. Even if only one person controls time and they are the wisest or smartest, or a person having strong moral principles or moral uprightness, still the time management would have been wrongly used at least once in their life time. Who knows, they would have moved time forward or backward or keep it in a standstill position. Imagine someone is holding the remote control for the sunrise and sunset or changing the four regular seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter) we enjoy in a year.  Definitely that person would have misused it every now and then; and there would have been chaos and disorder and life on earth would have been severely impacted. But God, being the creator, cares for everything He created and He directs everything without any delays or disorders ever since creation. The universe and everything in it functions very well, exactly how God commands.  And this is something the human mind cannot comprehend or understand.

Now, the Spirit of God reveals through Apostle Peter that the end of all things is near (1 Peter  4:7a). Perhaps this prophetical statements are connected with what Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:10-12, which states that

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat (2 Peter 3:10-12).

So, what do we do to overcome such a time as this and how do we prepare to overcome a time such as this?  As faithful believers in the Lord, we, first of all, need to be aware of God’s timing for everything He is doing in the universe; and, secondly, we need to be aware of the purpose of what is happening in the world in these days. As a believer in the Lord, we need to be very careful about our words and deeds in these days. Most of the times, our actions emerge out of selfish ambitions rather than from a selfless point-of-view, and our actions are not always right in the sight of God. Prophet Isaiah mentioned that All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags … (Isaiah 64:6). We even neglect to understand that our actions and our way of doing things are different from God’s way of doing things. God’s thoughts and ways are much higher than ours, as Prophet Isaiah stated: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Ever since sin entered the world, the times have not been favorable for the godly to lead a faithful and pious life. Apostle Paul rightly stated in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

In the light of all that is going on in the world, Apostle Peter, filled in the Holy Spirit, counsels the believers that they need to be clear-minded and self-controlled. So that they can be alert, sober minded, and focus on praying without any anxiety or concerns (1 Peter 4:7b). Let us examine what are the things that believers need to be aware of, based on Apostle Peter’s recommendations given in 1 Peter 4:7b-11a

• Believers need to be alert (v7b)
• Believers need to be clear minded / clearheaded (v7c)
• Believers need to focus and pray (v7d)
• Believers need to love each other deeply (v8a)
• Believers need to forgive the multitude of sins (v8b)
• Believers need to offer hospitality to one another without grumbling (v9)
• Believers should use whatever gift they have received to serve others (v10a)
• Believers need to be faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms (v10b)
• Believers need to speak as one who speaks the very words of God (v11a)
• Believers need to serve, they must serve with the strength God provides (v11b)
• Believers must bring glory to God through Jesus Christ for ever and ever (v11c)

In the light of the Scripture passage mentioned above (1 Peter 4:7-11) and all that we have discussed in here, we, the believers …

• • … must be able to understand the end of all things is near
  • … must understand the timing of God in what He is doing in our lives and in the world
  • … must discern God’s calling in our life and live a life worthy of His call
  • … must prepare ourselves to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives

Prophet Joel prophesied that God will pour out His Spirit on all people in the last days.

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,  your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls (Joel 2:28-32).

We do not know exactly how near the end of all things is, but we do know it will happen sometime soon, and we need to be prepared for that day. Apostle John wrote, The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1John 2:17). Listen carefully how Jesus responded to His disciples when they asked about the end time events (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:31-33):

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come (Mark 13:31-33).