Stewards of God’s Varied Grace

“Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

1 Peter 4:9-11

At the heart of this passage is the idea of stewardship. A steward was the one who was put in charge of his master’s belongings. Here the Greek is helpful because the word for “stewardship” (οἰκονομία) and the word for “steward” (οἰκονόμος) are derived from the word for “house” (οἶκος). And, yes, if you caught it from the sound—and you can see this from the very close Latin as well—this is the word from which we derive our English term economics. It is quite literally the “law” (νόμος) of “households” (οἶκος). What matters for us is that it the Master’s house especially in view here. Peter had already compared the church to a building: “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house” (2:5).

Doctrine. God has given us His house to open, His words to speak, and His strength to serve.

(i.) Opening up God’s House

(ii.) Speaking as God’s Speech

(iii.) Serving in God’s Strength

Opening up God’s House

A true Christian is a hospitable person, and yet the imperative is here because even a naturally hospitable person is also a naturally busy person, a naturally suspicious or guarded person, or at least a naturally wearied person. So Peter says, ‘Show hospitality to one another without grumbling’ (v. 9).

Now you cannot show what you do not have. Really, Peter’s imperative only produces fruit if the command goes all the way to the heart—to be a hospitable person. That means that we don’t just open up this or that physical place for others. It means that we are open people. We seek to open up the way for others.

Another reason that the heart of hospitality is important here is because there are many people who are either physically or psychologically unable to open many literal doors for others, or set many tables for others, or able to provide opportunities for others—who are the most hospitable people you could ever meet. If you look closely, you can see them showing hospitality.   

That this hospitality is centered on the church is clear from the language Peter uses that mirrors the language Paul uses about the church as a body in places like Romans 12 and more famously drawn out in 1 Corinthians 12. Although Peter never uses the language of one body with many parts, the same principle is set forth in miniature in these words: ‘As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another’ (v. 10a). Notice the unity and diversity of what Peter calls ‘God’s varied grace’ (v. 10b). Each one for one another. In a sense, here, there is one grace. Paul tells us why in that larger treatment of it to the Corinthians,

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Cor. 12:5-7).

So we have the same God—the Holy Spirit—being the same Giver of this grace to us. But as Paul calls it several times, a “variety of gifts” or “varieties of grace,” so Peter calls it here a varied grace. The upshot of this first point is that I am not being a good steward of God’s varied grace if I am not showing you—with my gift—Christ; and I cannot show you Christ if I do not show you into His house; and I cannot show you into His house if I do not “show the Spirit” in that particular, varied way that He has given me to open up the Father’s house.

Speaking as God’s Speech

We might be tempted to compartmentalize these next words: ‘whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God’ (v. 11a). We might think that the word ORACLES is only to be used of prophetic utterances. Even the popular imagination treats it that way—as in the Oracle of Delphi famously associated with Socrates. Actually, the whole point is to focus on the substance of the words themselves and not the manner in which they are revealed. For example, when Paul says, “To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2), he does not say the Jewish priests only or the Jewish prophets, but simply “the Jews.” In other words, the focus is not on the office or the specific event, but the word of God itself. All Christians are called to “take up … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). When the layperson takes these words upon their lips, should they be any less careful than the preacher at the pulpit? I think not. Moreover, the Greek word used for this speech is not κηρύσσω, that is, preaching, nor διδάσκω, that is, teaching; but rather, the word is λαλεῖ which is that “every day speech” that is not restricted to the special office of the minister.

Having said that, there is a heightened sense directed at preachers and preaching. As Calvin comments,

For how great a thing is this, that in teaching the oracles of God, they are representatives of Christ! Hence then comes so much carelessness and rashness, because the sacred majesty of God’s word is not borne in mind but by a few; and so they indulge themselves as in a worldly stewardship. In the meantime, we learn from these words of Peter, that it is not lawful for those who are engaged in teaching to do anything else, but faithfully to deliver to others, as from hand to hand, the doctrine received from God; for he forbids anyone to go forth, except he who is instructed in God’s word, and who proclaims infallible oracles as it were from his mouth.1

Calvin’s view is difficult to argue against here. The whole idea of ‘varied grace’ (v. 10b) does tend to highlight the specific gifts and therefore can have in mind the special office. However, I would suggest that this is not an either-or scenario: that Peter’s words can have both in view.

In either case, it is certainly a good sign in the house where we can say with Paul,

that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13).

And the real upshot is that, to the degree that we are mindful that we have God’s own thoughts available to us, then we will expend every mental capacity in making sure that we communicate all that He has to say on the subject. To say it another way, don’t waste your words on your own wisdom. Don’t waste all your conversations on superficiality, especially when you know that your audience especially tempted toward triviality and neutrality.

Serving in God’s Strength

There is no doubt among commentators that this has the most general audience in the church: ‘whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies’ (v. 11b). This is an example of the general use of the word διακονεῖ from which we derive the word “deacon,” here in the verb form. Some say the difference between this word and the prior word Paul uses is that one is the more general steward of the whole house, versus here someone like a “table-servant.” It is more targeted. The two actions—speaking and serving—might possibly reflect the activity of elders and ministers versus deacons on that level. But, again, just like with the speaking, there is a general office application (how all Christians serve with their hands) and special office application (how deacons coordinate that service). If we think that these are unspiritual things, the next mistake we will make is to rely on our own strength. Why depend on God for this? It’s handing out bulletins or following the notes in a hymnal or balancing the books.

Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD (Jer. 17:5).

We need God’s strength for the supernatural and for the supposedly natural. If we forget that, the prophet is saying, we forget God altogether.

What does Peter have in mind by this purpose clause? This serving by God’s strength is done, ‘in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ’ (v. 11c). However this strength works, Peter’s words only make sense if its tendency is to cause others in the house to see God through one’s service. Think of where Jesus almost defines a good work for us in this way:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Mat. 5:16).

I do not mean that this is a textbook definition, but what I mean is that Jesus at least teaches us that a good work—in order to be good—must tend toward giving glory to God, that is, drawing attention to something great about God.

The same has to apply to Peter’s words about the strength in our service. Some argue that our joy in service matters here because God is more glorified when we gain in serving others, as opposed to if we do so merely by duty, or do so begrudgingly. The principle behind that is that the giver gets the glory.2 If my service draws attention to my resources as if they are the fountain of the action, then I am the ultimate giver and I receive the glory. If my giving is ultimately grounding in a gain—the joy I receive in seeing the downcast uplifted, or hope rise in the one with no friends—then when the one who receives perceives that this benefit to them is also a benefit to me, they are honored as beneficiary and God is honored as benefactor. I, the circumstantial servant, fade into the background of the transaction, if I may ironically speak of it somewhat dispassionately!

On the flip side: Have you ever met someone who had almost had a martyr’s complex about serving? A parent, or other relative, or friend, can show how difficult it is to have to constantly help out. They begin to announce how great a sacrifice they are always making! Jesus speaks about this too: “when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you” (Mat. 6:2); and He even appeals to our reward as the ground of our service:

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Mat. 6:3-4).

In other words, when we serve for the greater glory of reward with God, we draw attention to God and no longer ourselves.

Practical Use of the Doctrine

Use 1. Instruction. Taking both the general audience of all Christians speaking God’s word and the specific audience of the preaching and teaching office of the church in view, those words about speaking God’s oracles teach us six things:

First, the owner of that speech is God. Paul uses the language of stewardship even for his apostolic speech: “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace” (Eph. 3:7).

Second, the call to speak is from God: “For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure” (Jn. 3:34); and He says of those not called: “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied” (Jer. 23:21; cf. 14:14).

Third, the manner of that speech has God’s authority: “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority” (Titus 2:15); “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom” (Col. 1:28).

Fourth, the duty to deliver the message is to God. As a steward must be faithful in all of the master’s things, so the steward of God’s speech must teach all all—that’s two “alls”—“teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mat. 28:20); and “to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God” (Eph. 3:9).

Fifth, any altering of that message will answer to God: “We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word” (2 Cor. 4:2). Do not so much as wish it said something else.

Sixth, the gravity of receiving that message as God speaking directly to you: So “receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls”(Jas. 1:21), and “this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66:2).

Use 2. Admonition. The qualifier ‘without grumbling’ (v. 10) is broader than simply making unwelcoming or rude comments to the objects of our hospitality, sending mixed signals. If we view all three of these acts of stewardship together, it calls attention to how we can really grumble against God for the varied grace that He has given to us as individuals. It can take the more innocent form of anxiety that you don’t know your gift, or feeling unimportant in the body. It can take the form of envy toward others’ gifts. It can take the form of frustration toward others’ inefficiency. Just as with the grumbling of the children of Israel against Moses, so ours is not really, ultimately a grumbling at each other, but a grumbling against God. Paul tells us that,

All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills … God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose (1 Cor. 12:11, 18).

God is the Giver of this varied grace. It is for building up others. By getting outside of ourselves, we begin to exercise these gifts, and we begin to forget our reasons for grumbling.

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1. Calvin, Commentaries, XXII.2.131.

2. This is an application of John Piper’s maxim that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him,” and he applies it to this passage in a few places. This is another instance of caution I would offer to critics of Piper to not throw away all of the elements of his so-called “Christian Hedonism” either because the provocative nature of the label seems unworthy of the tradeoff, or because some aspects of his cultural commentary are certainly erroneous, or because his nuanced statements on justification may seem erroneous. All truth, whatever its medium, is still true.