No Longer in the Flesh

Introduction

The New International Version Chapter 4

4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 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. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 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.

Has there ever been a life changing moment where you were shocked to your senses?

The top 10 most difficult places to be a Christian were recently updated. They are Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Eritrea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, and India. For the first time since 1992, North Korea is not in the top slot.

Explanation

1 Peter 4:1-2 “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”

We must arm ourselves to think the way Christ thought which is to suffer for the sake of the gospel.

Will we ever be without sin on this side of eternity? Yes and no.

Positional Sanctification: Jesus grants you his “position,” and God sees you as if He is seeing Christ.

Progressive Sanctification: You are looking more and more like Christ every day by setting aside your sin and putting on the virtues of God.

Many believe that this passage is talking about the “position” that we have in Christ. To me, that is the easy interpretation, but I do not believe it is correct.

Why?

This passage is talking about ceasing to sin after suffering, and the rest of the passage discusses living in holiness and not simply being in a position of holiness.

So can we cease from sin?

Not completely this side of eternity.

So what does this passage mean?

We get lulled to sleep with our sin. Suffering wakes us up, and it makes us confront our lives and evaluate if what we are going through is worth it. And when we decide that Jesus is truly worth the suffering, sin becomes of such little value.

When you can have Jesus and everything else, you can go a long time without ever asking if Jesus is worth the cost of everything else.

1 Peter 4:3-4 “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;”

You once did what the Gentiles did, but now you have a new life.

Peter gives two command:

Do not join them.

Do not expect them to understand why you don’t join them.

I remember being in high school and being overwhelmed at just how insistent everyone else was that I drank.

People want you to join them in their wickedness so they can relieve the guilt that they feel over their wickedness.

1 Peter 4:5-6 “but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.”

Those who have sinned against God will have to give an account for their lives.

This is a sobering fact for those who are listening.

It may look tantalizing and fun, but do not forget that God called you out of that filth. Don’t return to it.

More so, this is the reason Peter went to them.

Their sin was not a reason to judge them.

It was every reason to go to them with the message of the Gospel.

When we hear that someone has sinned, our knee-jerk reaction is to run from them. There is some merit in this action. I would not advise an newly clean alchoholic to start preaching in a bar.

It means that we pity their estate so much that we go to them and share the love of Jesus.

They aren’t bad. They’re dead.

Their flesh failed them, but God’s spirit awoke them.

Application

I pray it does not take suffering to wake up our God’s people. But if suffering is the only way, I will pray that it happens.

Invitation