Scripture: 1 Peter 4: 1-6

Since Christ suffered and underwent pain, you must have the same attitude he did; you must be ready to suffer, too. For remember, when your body suffers, sin loses its power, ² and you won’t be spending the rest of your life chasing after evil desires but will be anxious to do the will of God. ³ You have had enough in the past of the evil things the godless enjoy—sex sin, lust, getting drunk, wild parties, drinking bouts, and the worship of idols, and other terrible sins.^[a]

⁴ Of course, your former friends will be very surprised when you don’t eagerly join them anymore in the wicked things they do, and they will laugh at you in contempt and scorn. ⁵ But just remember that they must face the Judge of all, living and dead; they will be punished for the way they have lived. ⁶ That is why the Good News was preached even to those who were dead—killed by the flood^[b]—so that although their bodies were punished with death, they could still live in their spirits as God lives.

Scripture Commentary:

Some people will do anything to avoid pain. However, as followers of Christ, we should be willing and prepared to do God’s will and to suffer for it, if necessary. Sin loses its power to defeat us in our suffering if we focus on Christ and what He wants us to do.

A person whose life changes radically at conversion may experience contempt from his or her old friends. S/he may be scorned not only because s/he refuses to participate in certain activities but also because his or her priorities have changed. S/he is now heading in the opposite direction.

The basis of salvation is our belief in Jesus, but the basis for judgement is how we have lived. Is your life on the same track as before you were saved? Or have you begun to live for Jesus?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Peter Chapter 4

Read Other Commentary from 1 Peter:

Would You Curse God When the Devil Is Your Enemy?

Jesus Suffered For Us and Redeemed Us

Scripture: 1 Peter 2: 9-10

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Scripture Commentary:

You were lost but because of God’s love for you, you have His mercy. If you think about what your life was like before Jesus, you know now that you have His mercy.

Before Christ, you based your self-concept on your accomplishments.

But now your relationship with Christ is far more important than your job, success, wealth, or knowledge. God has chosen you as His very own. You have been called to spread His gospel. You are given the responsibility of bringing others to Him.

We are united with Jesus Christ as members of His body. We are joined in His priestly work of reconciling God and man.

Remember that your value comes from being one of God’s children.

Your value does not come from what you can achieve for yourself. You have worth because of what God does, not because of what you do.

To love Jesus Christ is to serve Him. Serve Him with all your heart, body, soul and love that you have.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Peter Chapter 2

Read Other Commentary from 1 Peter:

Faith Has Greater Worth Than Gold

Jesus Didn’t Avoid the Call, He Suffered for Us All

Scripture: 1 Peter 4: 2-4

² so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living for human appetites and desires, but [lives] for the will and purpose of God. ³ For the time already past is [more than] enough for doing what the [unsaved] Gentiles like to do—^[b]living [unrestrained as you have done] in a course of [shameless] sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. ⁴ In [connection with] all this, they [the unbelievers] are resentful and surprised that you do not [think like them, value their values and] run [hand in hand] with them into the same excesses of dissipation and immoral freedom, and they criticize and abuse and ridicule you and make fun of your values.

Scripture Commentary:

Thank you, Lord, for savings me from myself! When I think of my life before I became saved, and the Christian lifestyle I live today, I thank Our Lord Jesus Christ.

If it wasn’t for Jesus, where would my life be?

Satan lost his power over me – and you – when we turned to God. Our focus is now on God.

When some of us turned to Christ, we experienced contempt from some of our so-called friends. We were scorned for refusing to participate in certain activities. They saw the change in us and didn’t understand the new person we became.

Bring people to Christ so they will know the love He has for them.

Don’t judge them. Show them the way to Christ. Bring people to Christ so they will know the love He has for them. They are lost and Satan has a hold on them as He once did on us.

With you and me and the help of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we can help break this lifestyle they are living and bring them into the light. Don’t keep the joy that you received to yourself.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 Peter Chapter 4

Read Other Commentary from 1 Peter:

Jesus Is the Lamb of God Without Blemish

Christ’s Life Is an Example of How to Live

Scripture: 1 Peter 4: 1-6

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; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

For  this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Scripture Commentary:

Some people will do anything to avoid pain.  As Christ’s followers, we should live the rest of our time willing and prepared to do God’s will, and suffer for it if necessary.  Sin loses its power to defeat us in our suffering if we focus on Christ and what He wants us to do.

When our bodies are in pain or our lives are in jeopardy, our real values show up clearly.  Sinful pleasures seem less important.  If anyone suffers for doing good and still faithfully obeys in spite of suffering, that person has made a clean break with sin.

The basis of salvation is our belief in Jesus but the basis for judgement is how we have lived

Believers, however, have nothing to fear because Jesus will be the final judge of all.  In the end, we will all stand before God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Peter Chapter 4

Scripture: 1 Peter 2: 17-22

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.  Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Scripture Commentary: Free yourself from sin using Christ’s life as an example of how to live

A person is a slave to whatever controls him or her.  Many believe that freedom means doing anything you want.  But no one is ever completely free in that sense.  If you refuse to follow God, you will follow your own sinful desires and become enslaved to what your body wants.  But Christ, with did no sin, provided us with an example of how to live.

If you submit your life to Christ, He will free you from slavery to sin.  Christ frees you to serve Him, which is a freedom that results in our ultimate good.

When we reject Christ and return to our sinful ways we are worse off than before because we are rejecting the only way to salvation.  The one who turns away from Christ casts aside his or her only means of escape.

Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Peter Chapter 2

Scripture: 1 Peter 1: 17-24

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.

Scripture Commentary: God gave us His Son who was without blemish and without spot as a sacrifice for our sins

“Reverent fear” is not the fear of a slave for a ruthless master, but the healthy respect of a believer for the all-powerful God.  God is the judge of all the earth and we dare not ignore Him or treat Him casually.  It is vitally important to place your faith and hope in Jesus Christ who is the only one without blemish or spot.

We should not assume that our privileged status as God’s children gives us freedom to do whatever we want.  We should not be spoiled children, but grateful children who love to show respect for our heavenly Father.

During slavery, a slave was redeemed when someone paid money to buy his or her freedom.  God redeemed us from the tyranny of sin, not with money but with the precious blood of His own Son.  We cannot escape from sin on our own, only the life of God’s Son Jesus Christ can free us.

God’s love and forgiveness frees you to take your eyes off yourselves, so you can truly help others.  Everything in this life –  possessions, accomplishments, people, and more will eventually fade away.  Only God’s will, word, and work are permanent.

Let God prepare you and give you His gift of everlasting life.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Peter Chapter 1

Scripture: 1 Peter 4: 1-5

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;  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

Scripture Commentary: Sin loses its power when we focus on Christ

Some people will do anything to avoid pain.  As followers of Christ, however, we should be willing and prepared to do God’s will and to suffer for it if necessary.  Sin loses its power to defeat us in our suffering if we focus on Christ and on what He wants us to do.

When our bodies are in pain or our lives are in jeopardy, our real values show up clearly, and sinful pleasures seem less important.  If anyone suffers for doing good and still faithfully obeys in spite of suffering, that person has made a clear break with sin.

When you have turned to Jesus, you may be scorned for not participating in activities that you know are against Jesus’ teachings.  But know this: your priorities have changed, and you are now heading in the opposite (and the right) direction.

Believers have nothing to fear – Jesus will be the final judge over all!

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Peter Chapter 4

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1 Peter 23-25

Commentary:

We were in the world living what we believed was a good life, doing what we wanted to do. We were in some cases lost because we were not living as God intended. But through the Grace of God we were reborn. That seed in us that was in sand is now planted in Our Lord Jesus Christ, in good spiritual soil. Now, with God’s love, we can take our eyes off of ourselves and see and do for others. God loves us so much, that he sacrificed his son for us. We are no longer a slave to sin. Peter reminds us in these verses that everything in this life – possessions, accomplishments, and even people – will eventually fade and disappear. Only the word of God is permanent. Stop grasping the temporary things and focus on Jesus Christ.