1 Peter 4:1

Verse of the Day Devotion.  1 Peter 4:1

“Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,” – 1 Peter 4:1

The ‘therefore’ at the beginning of this verse refers back to the end of chapter eight, which is summed up here, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;” 1 Peter 3:18. What our focus verse is alluding to is that since Christ suffered in the flesh for our sins, the readers are now to apply that insight to strengthen their own resolve to maintain the kind of behavior that is pleasing to God, whatever negative reaction may be ignited in their nonbelieving contemporaries. He paid the penalty we could not pay for the sins we committed. It took a sinless, perfect man to pay the penalty for sins. This could not be us, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23. But Jesus was perfect and did not deserve what happened, but He did it for us.

Therefore, all of us who are believers should regard ourselves as having been put to death on account of our sin, as though having paid the penalty which Jesus did for us as a substitute. And now, as someone who has been executed is clear of all guilt, so are we. As someone who has been executed should not return to his old life, should he live again, neither should we.

Due to Christ’s sacrifice we have died to sin. “Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11. And now that we live, we live in newness of life, and we live unto God. We have died to sin and passed into a new state and condition by virtue of our union with Jesus Christ our Lord. But while this is true, there is something we need to experience within our own spirits; hence the apostle says, “since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,” As He has died to sin, we are to die to sin also. This takes place, the beginning of it, at the time of conversion. The person who formerly loved sin should begin to hate it and no longer live in sin; “so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.” 1 Peter 4:2-3.

Now, unfortunately we are probably not going to live a perfect life. But still, as far as our heart is concerned, we are done with sin and desire it no more. There is no sin we should willingly do; none that we should wish to hold on to, for any sin we choose to keep and continue in will, if not done away with, cause us to fall away for we will desire it more than a relationship with Christ. Therefore, sweep them all out and live the life He has called us to.

When we give our lives to Christ and accept the loving work He did on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, we must look at our former life as gone, no longer a part of who we are. We must always look forward, knowing that we have an amazing eternal future to look forward to, if we do not look away and go back to that old life. Spend time in prayer, reading and studying His word, and giving Him the praise and adoration He deserves from us. Give yourself totally to Him. There is no better way to live,

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

1 Corinthians 13:5

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Corinthians 13:5 

“Does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,” – 1 Corinthians 13:5

In this verse, Paul starts off by saying love does not act in ways that are rude or willingly offensive to anyone.  It observes good manners at all times.  It is never rude, nor does it act like a brute, but is willing to become all things to all men.  He does this so that we can save some.  Paul, earlier in this letter, explains what He means more completely.  “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-22.  He uses the Greek word “douloo” which means he has “enslaved himself” to all. In other words, in order to bring some to salvation, he is willing to be a slave to all.

This is the idea Paul uses in our focus verse.  In all situations, we should endeavor to act such that we present ourselves in a proper way, pleasing to God, but also not to seek our own way.  We must not push our will on others but follow what they desire.  This shows that we love them enough to put them first.  We must not, as the verse says, seek our own ways above others. 

Next, he says that love is not provoked.  The meaning here from the Greek is that anyone under the influence of love is not prone to violent anger or exasperation.  It is not in the character of someone acting in love to be hasty, excited or overly passionate.  We are  to be calm, serious and patient, looking soberly at things.  This does not mean we cannot have fun.  What it does mean is that we remain in control and do not lose our patience but restrain our temper in difficult times. 

And lastly, he says love does not consider any wrongs we suffer.  This means that love, so far from devising evil against another, excuses the evil which another inflicts on us.  Put another way, love does not think about how we can do evil to anyone, and when evil is done to us we do not hold it against the perpetrator(s).  Love does not hold anything against anyone, but on the contrary, forgives everyone who does us harm.  This is the kind of love Christ has for us.  No matter what we have done, or the sins committed, He has forgiven us.  This should be our mindset as well.  We should automatically forgive and not speak or gossip about it because this may paint a distorted picture of what has actually occurred.  All we are doing is focusing on the harm done to us and endeavoring to spread this wrong to many.  This is not love, this is revenge. 

In closing, God wants us to focus on the good in people and not the bad.  He wants us to do what we can to bring the unsaved to Christ and to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to continue their journey in becoming like Christ.  It does not spread the negative attributes of people all over, but lets everyone know the positive things, and aids in their Christian growth.  I encourage us all to take these things to heart and let people see the love that is in our heart through our actions.  It will amaze us the affect we can have on people for the cause of Christ. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.