Explore the Bible By Jay T. Robertson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
EQUIPPED TO LIVE
1 Peter 4:1–11
Living for God (1–4)
As Christ suffered when He was in the world, so Jesus’ followers should expect to encounter opposition and hardship in the world as well. “Arm yourselves with the same way of thinking” means we need to know what we believe and why we believe it and be willing to suffer for it. As the mind of Christ is formed in us, we experience transformation. Although believers will never be totally free from sin in this life, when believers endure suffering for the sake of Christ they show that their purpose in life is not to live for their own pleasures but according to the will of God and for His pleasure.
Because of what Christ has done for us and in us, we no longer serve sin as our master. We do not spend our days overcome by desires as we once did. The lives of unbelievers have not fundamentally changed from the first century to the 21st century. But believers have been fundamentally changed by the grace of God at work in them. Christ not only resides in the believer; He also presides. He transforms believers into His image. Jesus loves us too much to leave us the way we were when He saved us.
Being new in Christ means daily walking away from the old life of sin and daily walking in the new life we have in Him. Everything that is true about us positionally in Christ, God is working out in our lives practically.
Answering for the Gospel (5–6)
Unbelievers, convicted by the God-wrought changes in your life, may react negatively toward you. They may be puzzled and then outraged when followers of Jesus do not participate in their sins with them. But unbelievers do not have the last word. They will give an account and face God’s judgment.
Even death does not have the last word for Jesus’ followers. The phrase “the gospel was preached even to those who are dead” does not mean God offers people a second chance after death. It is best understood to mean Christians who had the gospel preached to them while they were alive but who have since died. Even though believers will experience physical death, believers who have died “live in the spirit the way God does.” That is, they live in heaven now with Christ, but they will live as well at the resurrection when Christ returns.
Redeem the Time (7–11)
“The end of all things is at hand” does not mean Peter was expecting Christ to return in a few weeks. It means that all the major events in God’s plan of redemption — culminating in the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost — had already occurred. Jesus can return at any time. It was “at hand” in Peter’s day, and it still is today. But the imminent arrival of the end is not a call to sit down and wait for Jesus to appear.
The imminent return of Christ ought to motivate Jesus’ followers to glorify God in everything they do. Jesus’ return should create within us a sense of urgency that should characterize every aspect of our lives. In light of Christ’s return, believers need to use good judgment and stay calm in a spirit of prayer. Don’t lose your head and act irrationally. Think clearly and pray about everything.
Stay fervent in love for one another. The word fervent means “strained.” We should stretch our love for one another to the limit. Believers also should be hospitable toward one another. Love opens the door of your heart and your home. As we expect Jesus to return, we should keep busy serving one another for the glory of God.
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