1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect… I. THE CHURCH'S PRESENT LOT. "After that ye have suffered a while." It seems a strange thing to say that there is a necessity for suffering while here. The Church's lot is not here intended to be anything else; not that it is always the same in amount of suffering, but that it never is wholly free from it. The suffering may be inward or it may be outward. But mark, the apostle says it is "a little while." We read of "much" tribulation and "great" tribulation, but here it is for a little. "Our light affliction which is but for a moment." Perhaps it may seem long to us. II. THE CHURCH'S PERFECTION, COMPLETION, OR CONSUMMATION THROUGH MEANS OF SUFFERING. "Make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." "Make you perfect." As if thus — "Make you perfect": that is to say, "stablish, strengthen, settle you." "Perfect." The word is, literally, "fully equip you," equip you as a soldier is equipped for warfare. There are many things that go to equip a soldier: not merely his armour, not merely his sword and his shield, but his bodily frame. Now the word first of all is a full fit out, and a full equipment, so that he shall in the end, when the process is completed, be fully ready for that which is before him. "Make you perfect" is the meaning of every trial. 1. "Stablish" is more exactly rendered by "firm," "consolidate," "make firm." This, I should say, is the first part of the threefold part of the process which these three words describe: the consolidation of the Christian character, making him firm in all parts of his spiritual frame. 2. Strength. There is strength as well as consolidation needed. There are many things that are firm and consolidated that are not strong. God's object is to make us strong. 3. The third thing here specified is settling, that is, firmly rooting and grounding, so that we shall not be moved. These words describe the process that is going on through the discipline which God is exercising through every son that He receiveth. (H. Bonar, D. D.) Parallel Verses 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. |
    |