I Peter 4:1-6
Break with sin
“Would you open your Bibles with me to...”
1Pet. 4:1 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,
1Pet. 4:2 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.
1Pet. 4:3 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.
1Pet. 4:4 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.
1Pet. 4:5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
1Pet. 4:6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Prayer
Intro
√ Last week we looked at the very important topic…
…baptism.
Water baptism a symbol of the break believers have made with the old nature.
A picture of the spiritual reality of what has happened in the life of a person who has trusted Jesus for salvation.
√ Chapter 4 – Peter calls the believer to make a break with the old life style.
Those who have trusted in Jesus find that the old sin nature doesn’t want to die!
Ex. Still experience temptation and sometimes even sin!
Ap. We need to make a clean break with the old life – no longer living to please our sin nature…
…rather, living to please our Savior.
How do we do that? Peter lays down some practical thoughts for us to follow that we might live a life like Jesus.
Think about Jesus (vs. 1a)
1Pet. 4:1a Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh…”
√ “Therefore”
The first step in making a break with sin is to remember what Jesus has done that He might save us from our sins.
A repeated theme in Peter’s writing!
Peter knew something about sin!
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it,
he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
Even after Peter began to walk with Jesus he found that his old sin nature was still trying to get the better of him! On one occasion Jesus had to rebuke him…
Mat. 16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are
an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things
of men.”
So, Peter understood how difficult it can be to make a break with our old sinful nature.
How did Peter find victory?
By thinking about Jesus and what He suffered to set us free from sin.
Ap. Peter’s point, which we find, echoed by Paul, and repeated all through Peter’s writings…
…is that the Christian needs to consider the price that was paid to set him free.
Remember, we weren’t set free with gold, silver, material things.
If we were one could almost disregard that cost because you can always get more of it.
But, we were set free by the blood of Jesus – it cost Him His life to set us free!
“but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Vs. 19
Peter uses the language of the Old Testament to describe the payment required to set us free.
Ex. The Passover Lamb
Each person had to place his or her hands on the head of their Passover lamb. When the priest cut the lamb’s throat the blood spilled all over you and you actually felt the lamb’s life slip away in your hands.
The result of that experience was that you never looked at sin the same way – always remembering that your sin has a price.
Ap. Think about Jesus on the Cross-the next time you’re tempted.
Recognize that your sin put Him there. See yourself holding a spike to His wrist and driving it between His bones into the wooden cross member. See the blood on your hands.
Watch as His life is drained away and remember that your sin put Him there.
You’ll never look at sin the same way – always remembering that your sin has a price.
The result, your conscience will be stirred and you’ll find that when you really consider the price that Jesus paid to set you free…
…you can’t sin because it doesn’t look as fun anymore – because every sin has a Victim!
Think like Jesus (vs. 1b-2)
1Pet. 4:1b …arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
√ The second step toward a break with sin is to think like Jesus thinks!
Note vs. 1
“arm yourselves also with the same mind”
“Arm” = A soldier putting on his armor before battle
One’s very life was dependent upon not only the quality of the armor, but also, in how it was put on!
Ex. The best parachute will only save you if you have the harness on!
So, Peter calls us to carefully arm ourselves with the mind of Christ – to think like Jesus thinks!
How does Jesus think? We’re not left to guess, Jesus’ closest friends faithfully recorded His thoughts for us.
John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but
the will of Him who sent Me.
Jesus was primarily concerned with doing the Father’s will – even when it required Him to suffer.
Lu 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from
Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours,
be done.”
The point, which Peter makes, is that we are to follow the example of Jesus in our own thinking.
To place God’s will before our will!
Note vs. 2 of our text…
1Pet. 4:2 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.
Note that the will of men (“lust of men”) are contrary to the will of God. That’s because our natural mind is at war with God!
Our old nature and way of thinking is dominated by…
Lust of the eyes
Lust of the flesh
Pride of life
1Jon 2:16 For all that is in
the world--the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but
is of the world.
So, if were are to make a break with sin we must not only think about Jesus, but also, learn to think like Jesus.
Ap. How do we do that? We daily chose to say “no” to our flesh and “yes” to our spirit.
Ex. Flesh dog vs. Spirit dog
Think about the waste (vs. 3)
1Pet. 4:3 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.
√ Think about the waste
The waste? Yes, Peter tells us that the 3rd thing we should think about is the wasted time and opportunities that we lost by investing our lives in sinful activities that we’re now ashamed of.
Peter reminds us that before we came to Christ that we…
“spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles”
…and then names of few of the ungodly things that we once wasted our time doing.
Ap. Only one life to live!
The time we have been given here on earth is so precious, and goes so quickly!
One of life’s greatest tragedies is invest your life in the pursuit of things that don’t satisfy and don’t last.
Ex. Solomon
Ecclesiastes expresses the absolute futility and emptiness that a life apart from God brings.
Solomon had the power, the money, and the brain to do whatever a man could want to do to fulfill the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
He sought satisfaction in the pursuit…
Fame
Pleasure
Riches
Intellectual development
…and in the end found that all of them left him dissatisfied, sad, and bitter with life.
√ Peter reminds us to think about the wasted time and opportunities of our old life so that we’ll use our time and opportunities in the present to do God’s will.
“Only one life, will soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Don’t think it strange (vs. 4-6)
1Pet. 4:4 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.
1Pet. 4:5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
1Pet. 4:6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
√ Don’t think it strange
Peter closes his thoughts by warning Christians how many of their unbelieving friends will think of them.
Note vs. 4
1Pet. 4:4 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.
Peter reveals an interesting twist in the way that people will think of you when you make a break with sin.
The same people who once thought you were so “cool” because you did the same ungodly things they did…
…now think you’re strange because you don’t want to do those things any more!
Ex. Quitting pot – Bennett’s reaction
All of a sudden you find that your old friends don’t want to hang out with you anymore because you’re…
“holier than thou”
Even when you’ve tried you’re very best to not be judgmental regarding their sin.
However, they can see that you are doing the right thing and that brings conviction in their heart because they see that it really is possible for a person to break with sin!
Worse, some of those people who once were your “friends” when you were involved in sin with them…
…now become your chief persecutors!
“Speaking evil of you” – vs. 4
Peter’s encouragement to Christians as they make a clean break from sin is to be prepared for the attacks and ridicule your old friends may bring against you.
Ap. Therefore, don’t think it’s strange that they think you’re strange!
Close
√ Brother and sisters – we’re called to make a clean break with sin!
We do that by following the example of our Savior who lived a life as a Man experiencing all of the temptations that we do…
…yet without sin!
So, to make a break with sin:
Think about Jesus and what He did to set you free from sin.
Think like Jesus so that we can live to do God’s will not ours.
Think about the waste of your sinful life before Christ.
Ap. Make a break with sin today – leave it here and don’t pick it up again.