Living in the Will of God

Intro:

The Result of Knowing Christ

“Therefore”

points back to 3:18

However, Peter in a phrase set off by commas also provides a reminder. “since Christ suffered for us in the flesh...”

That is not a complete sentence. We need more information. “Since He did this then we are to...” It is a statement of result.

The reminder is that Christ suffered for us in the flesh

He suffered for doing good

He suffered for our sin - Subsitutionary Atonement

He suffered bodily - it was real literal suffering of human flesh

Since He did that what are we to do?

We are to arm ourselves with the same kind of thinking

I believe that Peter means that we are to think about suffering the same way that Christ thought about suffering.

Acknowledge its pain

Recognize its value

Use it to further our sanctification

Scripture is consistent on this point. We must learn to think the way Jesus thinks if we are to live in and for the will of God.

We see a similar concept of arming ourselves with a way of thinking in 1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

Again a similar concept Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Following Christ’s example 1 Peter 2:21–24 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”

Paul and Peter being on the same page. Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,”

What we are really talking about is having a prepared mind

Before the persecution comes we have to have a prepared mind

Before the temptation comes we have to have a prepared mind

The Purpose of Arming Ourselves

“That he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men...”

This phrase immediately shows that Peter understands that perfection is not a reality for the believer prior to heaven.

The truth is that persecution can further our sanctification in many unique ways, not the least of which is it makes Christ even more relatable.

Prior to salvation we, by necessity, live for the “lusts of men”

That is, we live according to the world’s standards and desires.

We are trying to live up to the worlds evaluation of what they think we should be and do.

First, the purpose of arming ourselves with Christ’s way of thinking is that we should no longer live in sin.

Second, and in contrast to the first, the purpose of arming ourselves with Christ’s way of thinking is that we should live for the will of God.

After salvation, walking with Christ means that we live for the will of God rather than the lusts of men.

That is, we live according to God’s standards and desires

We try to live up to God’s evaluation of what He thinks we should be and do.

What impresses me the most about God’s sovereignty is that He has orchestrated His will so that I am most satisfied when He is most glorified. Believers often get it wrong. What you give up to live in the will of God pales in comparison to the joy, contentment and satisfaction you will have when you are living in joyful obedience to God’s desires.

The Reason We Live for the Will of God

We have spent enough time living in sin.

However much time you have spent indulging sin, trust me, you have had enough.

Nobody has to sow their wild oats. Nobody has to make their own mistakes. - we will, but in Christ it is not an absolute.

“doing the will of Gentiles (unbelievers).” - as opposed to doing the will of God.

Peter’s list of debauchery

Sensuality

Lusts

Drunkenness

Revelries

Drinking parties

Abominable Idolatries

The truth is, as the believer is sanctified he or she will gradually lose their taste for sin. Not because they are so holy but because Christ is and the more that we know Him the more we can taste and see the goodness of God.

The Earthly Result of Living for the Will of God

A basic fact of life: persecution hurts

Physically

Emotionally / Relationally

The world feels betrayed when one of their own turns from a life of sin to a life of doing the will of God.

Thus when that happens believers are often maligned or slandered. - Having the right priorities can diminish the pain of persecution.

There has always been a cost to following Jesus and this side of heaven there always will be.

However, there is a greater cost to rejecting Christ. v. 5

The Eternal Result of Rejecting the Will of God

They will give an account

This life is not all there is

There will come a time when all these unbelievers will have to give an account for how they spent their lives. Did they do anything deserving of heaven? The answer will always be no.

In fact the answer is no for all of us, but the outcome is different for those who who know Christ.

This accounting is not random.

It is given to Christ

Those who are live at His coming will be judged and those who have already died will be judged. So who is left out?

The only ones left out of this particular judgement are those who know Christ.

Revelation 20:11–15 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Believers will also give an account of our time spent on earth

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

It will be a time of examination and a time of reward. Jesus will inspect our works. What did we do with the resources God gave us? How faithful were we? Were we yielded to the Spirit, seeking to honor Christ and further His work in the world? If so, we will have reward (see Matthew 10:41–42). Did we neglect our opportunities to serve the Lord? If so, we will suffer loss of reward.

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Note, in the above passage, that our works subsequent to Christ’s salvation are of two different types—good and bad. The “fire” of God’s scrutiny will reveal the quality of our works. The judgment seat of Christ is also not a time to punish sin. Jesus took our punishment once and for all. The judgment seat of Christ is a time when we will be called on to report, to render an accounting of what we did for Jesus. It will be a serious and necessary time of reckoning, but, as God’s redeemed, we will never be condemned with the wicked.

Peter doesn’t tell us this so we can revel in some kind of revenge fantasy, but rather so we can be assured that one day everything will be put right. Romans 12:19–20 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.””

The Reason the Gospel was Preached

“For this reason the gospel was preached that those who believe in it, though they are judged in the flesh by men, might live according to God’s standards in the spirit.”

In other words the gospel was preached so that we might be rightly related to God and thus not be a part of the judgement described in verse 5.

What does Peter mean that the gospel was preached to those who are dead?

The easiest way to explain it is to paraphrase it.

“It was for this reason that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead...”

Peter is not saying that the gospel is being preached to those who have already died, but that it was preached to them before they died.

It is probably a reference to martyrdom. Peter had friends who died for their faith.