1 Pet. iv. 18. If the righteous scarcely be saved, ivhere shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ?
EARNESTNESS in the concerns of religion is often thought unnecessary; but the attainment of salvation is by no means easy. This appears from the representations which the Scriptures give of re- ligion ; a race, a warfare, &c.
The difficulties implied in these metaphors may well alarm the careless. With this view St. Peter suggests the awful query in the text.
I. His assumption —
The Apostle did not mean to express a doubt, but rather to assume a position which he deemed incon- trovertible. The point he assumes is, that the right- eous are saved with difficulty.
The truth of this position will appear, if it be con- sidered that the righteous are not saved without,
Deep afflictions —
[God's people are for the most part poor and afflicted*. They have much to endure on account of their religionb; and trials are for the most part necessary to their growth in grace c. If they were without affliction of some kind, they would have reason to doubt whether they were God's children indeed d. Trials are to them, as the furnace to the gold, to purge them from their dross, and to fit them for the service of their Gode.]
Severe conflicts —
[None have made such high attainments, but they still have conflicts to maintain with Satan f, and their indwelling corruptions g: it is by these that God keeps them humble h. The images by which vital religion is set forth (as running, wrestling, fighting,) sufficiently attest the truth of my position. As long as two principles remain within us, our conflicts must remain1.]
Powerful assistances —
[Who can get to heaven without them, or even do any- thing that is good without them? The aid we need, is such as nothing but Omnipotence can supply k: if ever we be kept at all, it must be by the power of God himself1.]
A very slight view of the fact assumed will suffice to shew us the reasonableness of,
II. The appeal he founds upon it —
The appeal is stronger than any mere assertion, inasmuch as it makes every man a judge in his own cause. It clearly intimates, that the perdition of the ungodly is,
1. Most certain —
[The ungodly, no less than the godly, will be summoned to the judgment-seat of Christ; but the two will be separated
a
Zeph. iii. 12. b 2 Tim. iii. 12. c 1 Pet. i. 7.
d Heb. xii. 8. e Heb. xii. 10. f Eph. vi. 12.
s Rom. vii. 15, 23. h 2 Cor. xii. 7. ' Gal. v. 17.
k Eph. i. 19, 20. ' 1 Pet. i. 5.