One thing I keep seeing across my Social Media platforms is the phrase “The end is near”
It seems like so many people are worried that everything we see is a sign of the end of times.
As I was reading through First Peter I was reminded of what Peter had to see to his audience about the end.
The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:7-9
There isn’t a hint of panic in these verses. It is the opposite. Instead of fighting to oppose what they were facing Peter called them three things
- Christians are to be alert and sober in prayer
- Christians are to keep loving one another
- Be hospitable to one another
Alert and Sober
While we are commanded to pray throughout the bible this particular is focused more on how the effectiveness of our prayers. When there is no sound judgment our prayers are not as good. Our requests to the Father are not “founded” in His will but rather our own suspicions. The idea of “alert and sober” bring about thoughts of being watchful and of sound mind. We need to be able to make knowledgable and mature judgments on the circumstances we find ourselves in.
What this does NOT mean is that we have to KNOW everything about a particular issue because we rarely will have that ability. Nor does this mean we need to “have all the facts”. What this DOES mean is that we need to be clear-headed and mature. This mature and clear-thinking only really comes from understanding how God has used history in the past to bring about His will and then trusting He will do that again (among other things).
Prayer seems to be more effective when we are alert and use sound judgment. We can pray more intelligently, and even become more patient with people as we use heavenly values to navigate earthly realities. What this verse teaches needs to be put into practice when reading the newspaper, listening to the news, or even navigating social media.
Love one another
Love is an action, not just a feeling. Love is spoken about often in the Bible. Love can also be lacking when disagreements and differences arise. However, this verse shows us that when love is present among Christians, many small offenses, and even some large ones, can be overlooked and forgiven. But where love is absent or lacking, every word is viewed with suspicion and every action is liable to misunderstandings. This is when and how conflicts arise.
If we can be honest, we have a lot of people that we have NOT forgiven. There are a lot of people who we are holding a grudge against. We can’t disagree without breaking relationship. That is the opposite of love, Biblical Love at least. This means everything we are engaged in or running from doesn’t move us closer to God, His people, or living like Him if we are absent of loving the body.
If God can reconcile with a sinner, you can reconcile with a saint
Lisa Fields
That takes true biblical love to move towards this act.
Hospitality
Lastly, this is a concept that we only associate with feeding people in our home or when we go to a hotel BUT it can be so much more. In the present context, hospitality is a concrete expression of the love connected to the previous verse and a way to further develop a way of maintaining unity in the community. Imagine being a place of healing and care for individuals? This is the power of hospitality.
Take note, that hospitality is to be done without grumbling or complaining. We just said that hospitality is one practical expression of constant love. The last time I checked biblical love does not complain. Yet how many times do I find myself complaining about someone that causes more of a break in our relationship? This is not a Christ-like attitude or action.
Such grumbling is ultimately a complaint against God and his ordering of our circumstances, and its result is to drive out faith, thanksgiving, and joy. Though hospitality to all people is certainly pleasing to God, Peter’s emphasis on hospitality to one another—that is, to other Christians within the household of faith—is consistent with the rest of the New Testament
Wayne Grudem
Now What?
So basically, I am saying that as Christians we must find ourselves practicing a different set of end-time ethics. We need to find ourselves being a source of peace and comfort in our community.
How would it look if people could recount their last conversation with you and it inspired them to love more? What if instead of passing on panic we led toward love?
If we could live out these few verses how many more people would find rest and wholeness in the Christian community?
Divine Perspective 
Concerning “love one another” and viewing others with suspicion…
We hope and expect others to take our words in the best possible light. Unfortunately we too often view others’ words in the worst possible light. And more often when we have not forgiven them.
Kind of a flip on the Golden Rule: Don’t do unto others what you don’t want them to do unto you.
Scotte, your statement is very true. It is a much bigger problem than we realize. Thank God for His grace in our lives.