I Peter 4:1-6
Verse 1, Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
I. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh.
A. Christ has suffered in the flesh.
1. Luke 24:46 - Jesus opened the disciples understanding concerning his suffering and resurrection on the third day.
2. Acts 3:18 - Peter declared that all the prophets declared that Jesus would suffer.
3. I Peter 2:21 - Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.
B. There are those people who believe that all service to God is in the spirit, not in the body.
1. If there is any service to God, it will be done in the flesh.
2. If our service is only in the spirit, it is false service.
3. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." The only way we know God so loved the world is that his son came in the flesh to save mankind from their sins.
4. The only way anybody knows that we love God is what we do in the flesh.
5. A man who was constantly absent from the church services and said, "I'm absent in the body, but present in the spirit". The only way anybody would know he cared at all about the church services is that he was physically present at the church services.
II. Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.
A. The word "arm" means to fortify, or prepare.
1. Phil 2:5-7 - Let us have the same mind as Christ.
2. II Tim. 2:12 - If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.
3. II Tim. 3:12 - If we live Godly in Christ Jesus, we shall suffer persecution.
B. To do any less than Christ would indeed be a sin.
1. We should arm ourselves by "taking our guns in hand".
2. This means we should take very drastic action to be of the same mind as Christ.
III. For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.
A. This is referring to anyone who has suffered in the flesh for Godly principles.
1. Heb. 2:18 - Christ understands what we go through when we suffer because He has also suffered.
2. Heb. 5:8 - Christ who is our chief example, learned obedience by suffering.
B. "Ceased from sin" doesn't mean that they no longer sin.
1. I John 3:6 - Some people believe this verse means that saved people don't sin anymore.
a. If they do sin, they do not know Him.
b. This is not the teaching of this verse.
c. This verse means that the saved person will not continually nor willingly sin.
2. "Ceased from sin" means there is no yielding to the power of sinfulness.
a. A person cannot yield themselves to Christ to the degree that there is suffering for Christ in the flesh, and at the same time yield themselves to the enjoyment of sinful pleasures.
b. A person who yields his body to the pleasures of sinful pleasures will not yield himself to Christ to the degree that he will suffer in the flesh.
C. The order of the phrase might lead some simple souls to think that suffering in the flesh leads to a ceasing from sin.
1. The truth is that our flesh recoils from suffering, and toward sin! When we are saved, our body is not saved, but will be changed at the rapture.
2. The only way we can yield to God is to cease from sin, not suffer in the flesh.
3. Ceasing from sin is what causes the flesh to suffer.
4. Therefore the order of the phrase is: (1) to cease from sin, (2) which in turn causes the flesh to suffer.
Verse 2, That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
I. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh.
A. There is a time when sin must stop.
1. Some think they can be saved, and continue to willingly sin.
2. This is another of Satan's lies.
3. Rom. 6:1-6 - God's plan is for us to stop willfully sinning when we are saved.
B. The rest of his time in the flesh.
1. The person who has accepted Christ as his personal savior will still have some time left to live.
2. He should live the remainder of his life to God, not to himself.
3. Gal. 2:19-21 - Saved people still live in the flesh, but the life they live, they live by the faith of the Son of God, who lives within them.
II. To the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
A. To the lusts of men.
1. Or to the unrestrained lusts of the flesh like they did before salvation.
2. Eph. 2:1-3 - We all were complete sinners in the eyes of God.
3. Titus 3:1-5 - We all were complete sinners in the eyes of God.
B. To the will of God.
1. After salvation a person will continue living in his body, but his desires will be to discover the will of God for their lives, and follow it.
2. Eph. 5:8 - We were in darkness at one time, but since we are saved, we ought to live like it.
3. I Thess 2:8,9 - Paul followed the will of God for him, even to the point of labor and travail.
III. These examples are from "Baptist Commentary", General Epistles, I Peter, page 64.
A. Example of separation. Ko-san-lone, a converted Chinese, when in America on a visit, was deeply impressed with the little difference he saw between the style of living of many professing Christians and the men of the world. Adverting to the matter, he said, "When the disciples in my country come out from the world, they come clear out."
B. Lawful Pleasure. Undoubtedly there is a degree of natural pleasure, connected with the exercise of the appetites, which is lawful. But it is very obvious that self is the natural man, which, is always seeking for pleasure, without regarding either its nature or its lawfulness has polluted everything here. It is in connection with the appetites in their unsanctified state that we find one of the strong ties which bind man to his idols, and which subject his proud spirit. This strong bond must be sundered. No one can be acceptable to God who does not crucify and reject every form of attraction and pleasure from this source which is not in accordance with the intentions of nature, and does not receive the Divine approbation and sanction. (by Upham)
Verse 3, For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
I. Our past life.
A.
B. Note the evil we have all walked in.
1. Lasciviousness - Intense sexual craving of any kind.
2. Lusts - personal desires, will, or sexual urge.
3. Excess of Wine - debaucheries.
4. Revellings - carousals.
5. Banquetings - drinking bouts, or challenges.
6. Abominable idolatries - any worship of any god except the true God.
II. According to Eph. 2:1-3 and Titus 3:1-5, we all have sinned enough!
A. There will be someone who will say they haven't been that bad (in the flesh) before they were saved.
1. It is true that God saves people who have sinned to the extent talked about here.
2. This doesn't mean they weren't as bad
Verse 4, Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
They are in darkness, and do not understand why we cannot enjoy the sin we used to enjoy, nor the sin they do not enjoy. They mock us and make fun of us, calling us names, because what we are doing is completely out of their range of reason.
Verse 5, Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
They shall give account of all their evil deeds, just like we will. The quick refers to the saved, and the dead to the lost. See II Tim. 4:1.
Verse 6, For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Peter is taking a present day situation and applying it to the days of Noah, that we might be encouraged to know that just like the people in the days of Noah perished because of unbelief, so will the people today perish because of unbelief.
The people in Noah's day were alive when they heard the preaching of Noah, but they rejected it all. People are alive today when they hear the preaching of the gospel, but they also reject it. All of these people will die and be judged by a holy God.