Count the Cost

Shift in Perspective

1 Peter 4:1–2 NIV

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

When Christ stepped into our lives, He transformed us from who we once were. There is a very real transformation that occurs in our lives both instantaneously (our position) and progressively (our posture).

We are to arm ourselves with the same attitude or thinking of Christ. We are to arm ourselves with the Lord and trust in His promises.

Peater explains that it is about living a life governed not by human feeling but by God’s will. In doing so, one breaks clearly with sin.

Broken Promise of Sin

1 Peter 4:3–4 NIV

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.

Sin is ultimately empty. Sin is an empty promise that continually tells you that it will satisfy. But Jesus though knew better. He saw the emptiness of sin and in turn passed on that truth to us. Jesus did not cling to the emptiness of sin but rather He trusted the promises of God to be fully satisfying.

1 Peter 2:22–23 NIV

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

Jesus trusted God’s promises over the promises of sin even when that meant suffering. This is the great mystery that the Scriptures continually speak of. We get to know the One who makes the promises and can fulfill them. You see it is in holding to and believing in His promises over all else that gave Christ the resolve to commit no sin, not hurl insults or make threats. It is in His trust of the Lord that He endured in such a way that suffering led to no regrets but rather glory.

Count the Cost

1 Peter 4:5–6 NIV

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

We must count to cost of living a life where God leads and we follow. This life will be full of sacrifices and likely persecution and even suffering. We may not like hearing this but if we are not suffering, we are not in alignment with the Lord.

Yielding to God’s will over our own will, our feelings or the priorities of the world is no easy task and it always comes at a cost. We must be willing to deny self and take up our cross for it is only in our faithful trust that we have the capacity to live as God desires us. The truth is that many of us find ourselves with such empty and unsatisfying lives at the end of the day because we have fooled ourselves into trusting a