1Pet 4:10 Each one, as he has received a gift, ministering it among yourselves as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, as speaking oracles of God; if anyone ministers, as ministering out of the strength which God supplies; that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.
The varied grace of God, as the all grace in 5:10, is the rich supply of life, which is the Triune God ministered into us in many aspects (2 Cor. 13:14; 12:9). As good stewards, by the gift we have received we should minister to the church and the saints such grace, not merely doctrine or any vain thing. The fact that verse 10 is the direct continuation of verse 9 indicates that even showing hospitality is a gift. Showing hospitality to others gives us an excellent opportunity to minister to them the varied grace of God. You need grace to prepare food for your guests, to provide transportation for them, and to help them with special needs. It takes patience to wait for them if they are late. By this we see that in our hospitality we need to minister the varied grace of God to others. Of course, in verse 10 Peter does not mean that we minister grace only in hospitality. He means that we minister grace according to whatever gift we have received. The "oracles" here [in v. 11] are the divine speakings or utterances as revelations. In the ministry of grace, as mentioned in verse 10, our speaking 246 should be God's speaking, God's utterance, that conveys divine revelation. In verse 11 Peter mentions the strength which God supplies. God supplies to us the serving strength of Christ's resurrection life through the Spirit of Christ (Phil. 1:19; 4:13). (c) 2007 Living Stream Ministry.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of First Peter, pp. 245-246. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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