By Beverly Rainwater

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. (1 Peter 4:1-4)

Saints must be equipped for warfare and suffering. The mind of Christ must be in them. Just as He was willing to suffer in order to do God’s will so must the saints be willing to suffer for His sake. Saints must keep within them the mind of being free from sin, ceasing from it, walking in the light and not in the darkness that sin had them in before they were buried with Christ in baptism. Their whole being should be that of living for God, willingly following and doing His will as His child. Once sin has been put behind the cross of Christ saints should realize that they have spent enough time, maybe way too much time, in the realm of sin and now must turn their lives around and flee from sin, not embrace it.

In these verses above Peter describes for saints the sins of a heathen world, that of the Gentiles and what they dealt in. He leaves no doubt as to what should be left behind when one leaves behind the past life of sin. He shows them exactly what they should not be doing in saying that they have spent enough time in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. He lets them know that now the world will think it strange that they no longer engage in these things. In other words their lives should show Christ, not Satan and sin. Peter is showing them that the world doesn’t even understand why or how they could live happy lives without these things, but that by their examples they should see that they indeed are happy and have full lives without sin and its enticements.

As we study these verses we should see that we as His children should live to love and obey Him, to do His will unquestionably and to show through our example that we are His and that we are happy because of it. We, as His saints, should show a life of happiness, contentment, and great joy because of the hope of eternal life that we now have.

Philippians 4:6-8 gives us more understanding into the joy and mind of those inside of Christ, as well as how to achieve and keep it:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy---meditate on these things.