4:15-16 However, we should not take comfort in suffering that we bring on ourselves for sinning, only suffering that we experience because we take a stand with Jesus Christ (cf. 2:20). Peter felt ashamed when he denied the Lord in the high priest's courtyard, but he learned his lesson and stopped feeling ashamed and urged his readers not to feel ashamed. We glorify God as we stand up as disciples of Christ both visually, as others view our lives, and verbally, as we explain our commitment to them.
4:17 In this verse and the next Peter gave two encouragements in suffering by comparing our suffering as believers with the suffering that unbelievers will experience. This verse focuses on the time of these two experiences of suffering. Our suffering is now, but theirs will be when they stand before God in judgment. Our judgment by unbelievers now is lighter than their judgment by God will be later. Our sufferings are part of the opening scene in the last act of God's redemptive drama. More severe judgment will follow on the ungodly. It helps to see our sufferings in the context of God's end-times plan. They are not an accident but an assurance of His sovereign control.174
4:18 In this verse Peter contrasted the intensity of the two experiences of suffering, by disciples now and by unbelievers in the future. It is with difficulty that righteous people pass through this phase of our existence into the next phase because this phase involves suffering for us. "Saved"(Gr. sozetai) here means delivered in the sense of being delivered from this life into the next. Yet it will be even more difficult for godless people to pass from this phase of their lives to the next because they will have to undergo God's judgment. Their future sufferings will be more intense than our present sufferings.
The purpose of Peter's quoting Proverbs 11:18 freely was to show that the Old Testament also taught that both the righteous and the wicked will receive from the Lord. The point in the proverb is that the wicked will receive even more punishment than the righteous will receive reward. If God disciplines His own children, how much more severely will He deal with those who are not His children. Our sufferings are light compared with those the ungodly will experience in the future.
4:19 "Therefore"draws these encouragements to a conclusion and introduces a command in view of them. In view of these reasons we should respond to suffering by entrusting ourselves to the God who created us (cf. Matt. 27:50; Luke 23:46). He will bring us through our sufferings safely (cf. Phil. 1:6). God is faithful to do this. Furthermore we should keep on doing what is right (e.g., submitting to government rulers, obeying masters, submitting to husbands, loving wives, etc.) rather than doing evil (v. 15). "Souls"(Gr. psychas) again refers to our total persons (cf. 1:9, 22; 2:11, 25; 3:20).
"Peter described God as the faithful Creator'--an unusual designation because only here in the NT is God called ktistes[Creator] . . . The combination of faithful' and Creator' reminds the believer of God's love and power in the midst of trials so that they will not doubt his interest or ability."175
Peter brought together four reasons for suffering in this section.
"The most striking feature of this section is its bold emphasis on the sovereignty and initiative of God, even in the suffering of his own people."176
God allows us to suffer to demonstrate our character (v. 12). Those who identify themselves with Jesus Christ will share in the sufferings of our Savior (v. 13; cf. Phil. 3:10). Our sufferings will be an occasion of God blessing us (v. 14). In addition, our suffering will glorify God (v. 16). He then redirected our perspective on suffering by reminding us of the time and intensity of our sufferings compared with those of unbelievers (vv. 17-18). Finally he concluded with an exhortation to trust God and do right (v. 19). Peter thus encouraged his readers by revealing God's perspective on their sufferings.
