1 Peter 4:1-6 Suffering for the Gospel

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Introduction

1 Peter 4:1–6 NASB95

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

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Peter wrote this message some time in the AD 60s. It is addressed to Christians residing outside Israel, in churches around Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey.

Suffering and persecution are a way of life for the new Christians. Nero persecutes Christians around AD 64. Jewish Christians kicked out of synagogues in AD 70.

In this text, Peter teaches us about Christlikeness, Cost of discipleship, sanctification

Peter tells us that Christ "suffered death" in the flesh to save His people. We, His followers, must be prepared to experience the same, in our mission to reach a lost and fallen world.

Since Christ died on the cross for our sins, then we should die to self, crush our sins, that we might focus on ministering to others. We must kill sin before it kills us.

Gentiles and unbelievers are completely motivated by their sinful desires - Paul says they are dead in their trespasses and sins. All of us started out this way, but as Christians, we are to reject that way of life and follow Christ, in righteousness and suffering.

When we are born again, the old self has passed away, which was ridden with sin. We are now new creatures and rather than living for sin as we did before Christ saved us, we now should live for righteousness and Christ. The lost and unsaved live for sin, and so resent those of us who live for righteousness, because our way of life shows the poverty of theirs. Peter talks about the dead in this passage - they are the unsaved. As we learned in the last lesson, the Spirit of Christ has witnessed to the lost and the unsaved since before the flood. His Spirit witnesses through us to a lost world.

Christians must steel themselves for suffering if they are to comply with God's will

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Key Question: Why do Christians suffer?

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Answer: Christ suffered for His followers, and His followers must be expected to suffer if they are to deliver His message to a lost and dying world

Lets now examine Peter’s instruction to us.

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1 Peter 4:1–2 NASB95

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

1. Suffering death in the flesh

Explanation

Spurgeon: 1 because Christ suffered in the flesh Christ has fought with sin to the bitter end. He has now done with sin, for He has died to it.

Spurgeon goes on to say “Now, as many as have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ are one with Him: and what He did, He did representatively for them, so that they virtually did it in Him. Therefore, every believer ought to regard himself as having been put to death on account of sin—as having undergone, in the person of his great Substitute, the capital sentence on account of sin.”

Another Commentator said that the memory of our past life should stimulate us to righteousness

These verses are a command. Living for God, in the will of God, requires us to suffer - this Christ taught us.

What does Peter mean by the word flesh? The body is comprised of flesh, and that is where sin resides. Sin impacts both body and spirit. God keeps a record of our lives and will judge us accordingly. For those who follow Christ, He took the punishment for our sins and because of this, in God's eyes, our record is clear.

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Romans 6:1–9 NASB95

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.

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Illustration: How many of us were jealous or envious of the popular people we encountered in High School. Was this because they were mean or cruel to us, or simply because we would have liked to be liked, as they were. Unbelievers know, deep down that they are sinful and unrighteous - their consciences bother them. So when they see someone righteous, and living for God, it lights up for them their sinfulness and they resent it. Combine that with the fact that at the bottom of their sin is rebelliousness, so they resist the Gospel when it is shared with them. Most dont just dislike Christians, they hate them, just as their spiritual ancestors hated Christ.

Application:

Again, Spurgeon has spoken rightly: I beg you to remember that there is no getting quit of sin—there is no escaping from its power—except by contact and union with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Exhortation: Out of love, we must do all we can to share the Gospel with unbelievers, if they will hear it. It is the only way they can be quit of sin, and clear their consciences.

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1 Peter 4:3–5 NASB95

For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

2. The desire of the Gentiles (unbelievers), in which we once took part, provokes God’s judgment on them

Explanation

This is a straightforward passage. Christians, when they are born again, are new men and women. We have been forgiven for our sins and are covered by the blood of Christ’s righteousness, which He shed on the cross. The old body of sin is dead, so we cannot go back to that way of life.

The KJV puts 1 Peter 4:14 this way:

Paul said:

Romans 13:13–14 “Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

The KJV puts 4:14 this way: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

Exhortation: This verse gives us even more urgency to share the Gospel message. If and when unbelievers die in their sins, God stands ready to judge them, and they will suffer the penalty for their sins - death and condemnation to eternity under the wrath of God

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1 Peter 4:6 NASB95

For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.

3. Sharing the Gospel with the unbelievers may lead to salvation – Christ suffered for us – we should be prepared to suffer for the lost.

Explanation: Sharing the Gospel with unbelievers is a matter of urgency

We have seen that very few over history have taken the Gospel seriously - hell must be very crowded

Sharing this part of the Gospel is also a command. When Peter shared the gospel with the Roman Cornelius, and other gentiles in Acts 10, he said this:

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 10

42 “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

The result was that Christ saved Cornelius and this group. Up until this time, Christians believed that only Jews could become Christians. Because the Lord led Peter to this group, the Gospel and the Christian faith, were opened up to Gentiles.

The vast majority of the Christian Church, became populated mostly by non-Jews, or Gentiles.

Illustration: Our ministry to the Chinese in Stuttgart.

Application/Exhortation: We should be willing and able to share our faith with anyone, no matter what they look like, no matter where they come from. The results can be surprising.

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Conclusion

Others struggle with sin, and I struggle with tolerating that and responding in a Christlike way.

Our spiritual struggles are all related to sin. The ingrained sin in our flesh exerts a pull on us which we must fight daily to be effective servants of Christ.

The church is all sinners, at varying phases of sanctification, and we need to be understanding and loving toward one another in spite of this. We need to help each other overcome our sin.

As adopted children of Christ, we should have a desire for holiness and a desire to serve and please the Lord who saved us.

This all challenges me to Christlikeness with all its associated difficulties. My knee jerk reaction to conflict at any level is aggression and this is not what Christ teaches. It challenges me to holiness and purity - multiple times daily, I am tempted to sin by media, by friends, by family. My Lord is holy and pure and He seeks my holiness and purity so that I may show others the way, and enter fellowship with Him in heaven.

Our way of life should be governed by our relationship with Christ. What would Jesus have us do should be our first response to decisions and to conflict.

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Gospel appeal

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

Romans 10:9–13 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.””