Arm Yourseif With the Mind of Christ in Suffering

First Peter 4:1-6

 

ARM YOURSLEVES AGAINST SIN and Suffering

1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, 3767 since Christ 5547 has suffered 3958 in the flesh 4561, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, (NASB: )

Greek: Christou oun sarki kai humeis ten auten ennoian hoti o pathon sarki hamartiasHYPERLINK "http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=266", i.e. Christ then. having suffered for us in flesh, also you the same mind, arm yourself with, for the having suffered, in flesh, has done with, sin: (CBL)

Amplified: SO, SINCE Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God

KJV: Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

NET: So, since Christ suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin,

Young's Literal: Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, ye also with the same mind arm yourselves, because he who did suffer in the flesh

Holman Therefore since Christ suffered in the flesh, equip yourselves also with the same resolve--because the One who suffered in the flesh has finished with sin...

CBL Greek: Christ then having suffered for us in flesh, also you the same mind, arm yourself with, for the having suffered, in flesh, has done with, sin:

THEREFORE: 3767 In the light of

When you see the "therefore" (now then, or accordingly so, or by extension, here's how the dots connect." A conjunction indicating that something follows from another ore continuative. And thus used in drawing a conclusion and in connecting sentences together logically. Thus you could use "then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things, being so." So you ask the quesiton what follows or seems to flow from what has been said. So 526 times in the NT. (As Peggy Hall) http://biblehub.com/greek/3767.htm

So what is Peter looking back to. (of course Peter did not write in chapters, this was one letter.

Look back to His unjust suffering and undeserved death. But also note also the triumphant victory of Christ, as we saw in First Peter three. From the suffering of Christ on the Cross comes four triumpants (1) Sin-bearing (2) Sermon to the demons (victory over the forces of darkness) (3) Victory in Salvation (4) Supremeny over all creation.) First Peter 3:18-22.

Peter is going to reiterate here in this chapter Jesus suffered as a man and His example of selfless atttitude should be the motivated to deal decisively with sin. Jesus on the cross dealt the death blow to sin for us when He suffered and died on the Cross.

Here is Peter's point, believers are now dead to the power of sin positionally (in Christ, in union with Christ) and therefore are free from its power (Romans 7) to control us. While it is true that believers still sin far too often, but now we need to make the conscious choice to cease from sin. Sin is destructive, deceptive, decay producing and death dealing.

Thus in light of our Lord and Savior's unjust suffering in our place and as our substitute, we should hate sin, for it was sin that took our Lord Jesus Christ to the Cross.

Since Christ 5547 suffered 3958 i.e. to feel heavy emotion, especially suffering, affected, experiencing feeling of the mind, emotion, passion. The Lord has privileged us to have great capactiy for feeling (passion, emotion, affections) . Indeed, this is inherent because all people are created in the divine image. For example how Jesus in His perfect (sinless) humanity keenly felt. Luke 17:25; 22:15 http://biblehub.com/greek/3958.htm or http://www.studylight.org/lexicons/greek/gwview.cgi?n=3958

For us: The purpose of Jesus dying on the Cross was so that God could be justifed in bringing many to salvation. God could not have been right to justify sinful man. Grace to have been provide for. there was the need for a sacrifice, and Jesus death on the cross was the grace provided, and the sacrifice needed.

Thus in God's plan, when Jesus died on the Cross, we died with Him. Romans 6:3, 14 and Galatians 2:20.

In The Flesh: 4561 Jesus was God in the flesh, He took on the form of a man and lived on earth. Many might believe that Jesus was an historical figure, but do not believe He was God in the flesh, nor divine. And as man He suffered as would any person who lived. Jesus had a physical body http://www.studylight.org/lexicons/greek/gwview.cgi?n=4561 flesh

What Peter is saying, Jesus in His suffering in the flesh, is the example in their trials that is set before them. Jesus as a Man suffered and died for us, so that God could save us from His wrath. Jesus's life and work and death, and resurrection was for sin. He came to earth to deal with sin and to conquer it forever.

Therefore, as a result of Jesus Christ life and death, and resurrection we can have a life in union with Him. As Christ is our motivation to live for Him even in our suffering in the flesh.

Arm 3695 yourselves

The English word does not really convey the Greek word, which conveys the motaphor of going out to battle after putting on armor. What it means is to make ready or prepare, with a focus upon the process of equipping. Equip one's self with weapons. There is a coming battle so equip yourself with the right weapons and armor.

Of couse Peter is only talking figuratively here. The idea he is talking about is arming oneself with a mind or thought in preparation for suffering. As someone has said "remember the way you think determines how you act and react."

Peter is not talking about light armor but heavy armor. We are in a battle field of demons, world, and the flesh, all called sin. You can't just array yourself with flimsy robes of armor. (devotional books, etc)

The Greek verb for arm is in the aorist imperative (I know what is that!!) Well it calls for a decisive choice to effectively accomplish this action and implies an urgent and immediate call to do so. An aorist imperative states that an action occurs without regard to its duration. (And I wondered in high school why are the parts of speech were so important!)

Peter preaches that those who read this letter or heard him teach, that they are to have a personal responsibility in doing the arming. Put on the whole armor of God as Paul said in Ephesians 6.

Its only has you have his mindset in your mind and purpose that you can be victorious in any conflict. Fiery trials will come, count on it, To walk worthly of our calling will take a discipline mindset and a reslove to be armed daily with Ephesians 6.

Yourself 5210

You is placed first in the sentence for emphasis. You yourself....also

With the same mind 1771 the act of thinking, consideration, meditation,

Or even better "with the same purpose". And refers to a thought, principle, counsel, resolve.

And Peter all through his book has said prepare you mind, gird your mind (1:13) Keep sober in your spirit (5:8).

Here then in the context, the principle of thought and feeling referred to is that of the dying life voluntarily accepted and put on as armor, and finding in the courageous pursuit of the spiritual life. There is this forming motivations that will help in the battle with sin.

The only other place this word is used is in Hebrews 4:12. "ennoia" is the word intentions of the heart.

There is this high resolve which like Christ will come a measure of actual suffering as Christ did. What we pray for is that our suffering will not give in to the gratify the bodily craving. But our mind will be resolve to be like the mind of Christ.

So Peter is say that for us is that righteous living begins right thinking or intentions.

Because he who has suffered 3958 in the flesh has ceased from sin: Romans 6:2,7,11

Christ suffered 3958. He experience the sensation of suffering. He suffered in the flesh, which could mean physical or psychological suffering. (Pascho)

In the flesh 4561 He really in the body suffer as we would. But also Jesus did suffer the sin that was put upon Him. Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23.

he that hath suffered in the flesh ceased 3973 from sin 266

The idea of Peter is that the goal of our lives as believers is to "cease from sin."

That thought to "ceased" means to stop, restrain, refrain, quit, desist. To come to an end. Ceased is in trhe peerfect tense (there we go again with parts of grammar) which signifies a definite break with sin's rule at one point in time (which would be the day of our salvation and when we identified by faith with Christ's propitiatory work of Romans 6) with the effect of that once for all break from the domination of SIN continuing in their new life in Christ.

Since "sin" has been delt with. Since sin is no longer reigns and contrdols us as in Romans 6, and since we have ceased once and for all from our former slavery to SIN and now are slaves to Christ, slaves to righteeousness.

The perfect tense of the verb emphasize's a permanent eternal conditon free from sin. The worst that can't happen to a believer suffering unjustly is death and that is the best that can happen because death mean's the complete and final end of all sins, if the Christian is armed with the goal of being delievered from sin, and that goal is achieved through his death, the threat and experience of death is percious. Romans 7:5; 18 and First Corinthians1:21 15:42,49. The great weapon that the enemy has against the Christian, the threat of death is not effective. MacArthur study bible.

But a word of causon here. Other religions will use death in a wrong sense, saying that death will bring gratification to the flesh in death. So death to them would be good. That is why we have those kill themselves to kill others.

So Peter again as he has been, encouraging his readers that even though they may currently suffer or soon will enter a season of suffering, they are going to be overcomers in Christ as in Fist John 5:4-5 and they have effectively broken with their former slavery to the old master as we saw in Romans 6:17-22. He alone with Paul has well stated that the power of sin has been terminated by Christ's death on the Cross and now that we can walk in the newness of life again in Romans 6.

Peter is also saying (well I am sure in his sermon which we don't have recorded) believes don't so much fight for victory as from the victory that has already been accomplished on Calvary. I Corinthinas 1:18. We have been saved, were are presently been saved. we are daily been kept by the power of Christ victory over sin.

Suffering, plus Christ in our lives, can help us have the victory over sin.

Of course suffering can have a purifying effect in our lives, so often when we have suffered we will cease from sin. And also it is true that has we are identified with Christ in His sufferinng and death (on the cross) we therefore can have victory over sin. As as we yield ourself to God and have the same attitude toward sin that Jesu had, we can overcome the old life and mainfest the new life.