Read I Peter 4:1-2
“Therefore, since Christ suffered (literally – died) in His body, arm yourself also with the same attitude, because He who has suffered (literally – died) in His body is done with sin.” (v1)
Some Thoughts…
As a person who is “in Christ”, I must come to grips with a couple of things that I must do as I live my everyday life with Jesus:
1) Be ARMED with something: I’m not on this planet as a tourist, this is a war! I was a prisoner of the enemy; bound by my own sin and chained in a cell of my own doing. But now I am Free! I’m set free by the powerful hand of God to overcome the tyrannies of self-centeredness (The very core of sin). So I must put on armor… In this war there is only one suit of armor that can protect me – the attitude and mind of Jesus (see Philippians 2:5-11, and Ephesians 6:10-20). There is freedom and power and real living in the sphere of Jesus’ thoughts and attitudes and humble disposition – He said, “come to Me all you who are weary and heavy burdened, I’ll give you rest…take my yoke upon you…” (Matthew 11:28-29) I need to suite up with Jesus! This is a war… Not only do I need to put on the proper armor to protect me, there is something else I need to do.
2) Be DONE with something: I’m dead to sin – I’ve been crucified with Christ – I no longer live. I am done with sin! When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He was done dealing with sin! He has broken its power – I must choose that same attitude, the mind-set that has a different focus. I’m no longer fixated on my personal desires (whether is sensual, comfort driven, or wrapped up in personal pride) I am done with living life from my selfish perspective. As Dr. Peterson paraphrases it in The Message – “Free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what I want.” There is a contrast here – a choice of life-styles “evil human desires” or “the will (or desire) of God. In my day-to-day life my perspective has now been forever changed – His desires – God’s purposes – not my monetary comfort or my efforts to save face and avoid personal shame or ridicule. My life is lost in the life of Jesus, and there I find freedom to be the person he created me to be.
A Prayer…
Father, help me to suit up with Jesus today – All of Him – His attitudes (humility, servant hood, forgiveness) His power and His personal reality – Jesus help me today to embrace your presence as my only reality and truly to be done with sin and self-made living!. Amen.