1 Peter 4:1-11 - Suffer Righteously!

1 Peter 4:1-11

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Serving for God’s Glory

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Do we truly believe that suffering for God’s glory and not participating in the sinful acts of the world are truly and absolutely essential?  We know how Jesus Christ suffered for us as a man to take on those things that we deserve in consequence for our sin.  Do we adopt that same mind of Christ to suffer for doing what is right as we stop sinning as others living for the passing pleasures offered to us and endorsed daily by this fallen world and its myriad of cultures opposed to righteousness?  Jesus told us through Peter to arm our minds against these temptations to fit into the culture (as if that could ever help the gospel or evangelism) and to wage war against the sin in our bodies (Romans 7:23-25) and minds.  We arm ourselves with the word of God and wield this sword of holiness by the strength and wisdom of His Spirit living in we who have been brought into Christ through repentance and faith that we might now live for God’s will and not our own broken ones.  Many of us have spent some or much time in the past involved in the world’s pursuits of partying, sexual immorality, wild times, and abominations of idolatry in the occult such as horoscopes or worse.  When we come to be in Christ and associated with Him in righteous living, the world often turns on us viciously and relentlessly by speaking evil of and ridiculing us for no longer going along with them on their highway to hell.  What they forget and we must constantly remember is that they will be held accountable to God in the judgment as we will also, but that their sins have not been covered and forgiven as ours have been.  They hear the gospel as we have, yet they reject Him and know they are judged by refusing salvation from God’s wrath on the sin of disobedience to His word as in the beginning in Eden’s Garden.  Yes, the gospel is preached to those who remain in their sin that they have no excuse (Romans 1:20-21) when we all will certainly stand before the judgment seat (Romans 14:10: 2 Corinthians 5:10-11) of the Lord Christ.  Because the end approaches each passing day, we are to buy back the time we have (Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5) in this evil age (Galatians 1:4) and be seeking personal holiness in humility and thankfulness for the grace given us as we demonstrate this by love for one another and all that as many as call on His name will be saved from this tragic eternal end.  This means practical holiness and love demonstrated in our treatment of others without complaining or giving into sin in a misguided attempt at friendship evangelism that compromises the way we are to live before God and man.  May we speak and act accordingly in all we do and say as ministers of the good news by God-given abilities to glorify Him forever, our Sovereign ruler over all creation and everyone in it.  This is how to suffer righteously.