Our Conduct Before God and Man

1 Peter 4:1-6
V. 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.
(since Christ suffered) Here is our pattern for suffering; we are to have the same mind as Christ towards suffering with patient willingness. We are to have the same forgiving spirit, as found in Luke 23:34 when Jesus was on the cross. “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Also the same meekness and gentleness that Christ displayed, with thoughts of the others well being.
(For he who suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.) This passage is to be taken literally. Those who suffer generally reflect on their own conduct. They become humbled, and begin to fear approaching death. They begin to beat themselves up for their past failures, and sins. I have realized through such behavior that the best way to put the past behind me is to forgive and walk in the victory that I have received from Christ. In this way I am becoming able to walk in the present and not in the past. For walking in the past can hinder our walk in the present.
In suffering they begin to lose the taste for sins of the flesh, becoming solely focused on the suffering at hand, and their impending death and judgment. Therefore they call upon God’s mercy and are delivered from sin.
The act of suffering for Christ makes the attractiveness of sin empty. We as believers have put our trust in Christ, and see the folly in returning to sin. If Christ is the one we are really following, and He has become our great example, than suffering will separate us more and more from sinful acts, until we come to a point when we are finished with the attractiveness of sin.
We may in fact still be sinning because we have not chosen to suffer and be done with sin. Perhaps when we come to the point of choice, we choose to compromise and are amazed that we are not able to overcome temptation. While we have chosen Christ and are making good progress in the battle against sin, we have not yet died. Therefore we may be longing for perfection that will only be ours in resurrection, and live in spiritual maturity that is possible in this world.
V. 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lust of men, but for the will of God.
Again seeing Christ as our example and forsaking the flesh and doing the will of God. (Luke 22:42 “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done.”) His will being, that now that we have obtained the truth, we are to live according to the truth, though we should suffer for it, coming down to whom will we fear. Will we fear God and walk in His will for our lives, our will we fear man and walk in his will for our lives. One will save us from eternal suffering, while the other may save us from temporary suffering.
Psalm 19:7-9 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether;
V. 3For 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.
This was the life that those who Peter was writing to had lived, and was still the state of those around them. The unbelievers had not changed their lifestyles at all, only the believer had changed, and were changed by the power of God. Even as citizens of heaven, we must still walk in the world, becoming light to a dark world and an example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Since we have spent our past living for the flesh, we should now live our lives living for God.
Is this to mean that we have become boring? According to the world standards perhaps, but the peace and the joy in our hearts, are to be exhibited in a way that attracts others to us. For it is more pleasing to be around someone who is joyful, even in suffering, than someone who bellyaches about the world around them, doing nothing to change their surroundings. We also may gain an opportunity to witness to the joy in our hearts, when others become curious about it.
V. 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.
I am sure that we have heard it all you think you are too good for us, they are part of the God squad, and the list can go on. Others may feel that you are rejecting them rather than that we are choosing the will of God for our lives.
They see it as we are giving up something to walk in a way that is pleasing to God, and many turn from God because they see this as too great a price to pay. We see our former lifestyles as leading to death and destruction, and others see it as releasing energy (letting off a little steam) or having a good time. It is this misunderstanding that leads them to speak evil of you and to look for every opportunity to witness against you. Take the fact that stories of leaders that have fallen are still used as examples for others not to follow in Christ footsteps.
V. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
Our lives that have been given to us by God and it is this by which we shall be judged. What did we do with the life that was given us, with the gifts that were given us? Only one has earned the right to judge both those alive to Christ and those still dead in their sins, and that is Christ. Though I have been forgiven of my sins I still fear to have my life opened before The Lamb of God and the truth of what I did with this life that He gave me revealed. I pray that I have taken the gifts that God has given me and applied it to the work of the kingdom of God, but I know that this has not always been the case, and this causes me to have anxiety about facing Christ. Not that my salvation should be altered, but knowing that my life is pale in comparison to Christ, and I did not always act in a way that advances His kingdom.
Those still dead in their trespasses and sins have no savior to call upon, so they shall be judged outside of Christ, and have no salvation to be altered, but an eternity to live a life separated from God, as they chose to live their lives on earth.
V. 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.
Those who are dead are those who heard the gospel preached while they were alive, and were given an opportunity to live according to God in the spirit.
Out of God’s compassion for men the gospel was preached to the dead, but as referenced to in chapter three verses 19, 20, God’s compassion will not always be available to men. Gen. 6:3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days will be numbered one hundred and twenty years. I have joked that the meaner you are the longer God lets you live. Though there is no biblical truth to this, it is encouraging that the spirit of God strives with unbelievers all of their days here on earth, that they would come to know Jesus as their savior and be given an opportunity to live according to God in the spirit, rather than spend an eternity separated from God, as they chose to live their lives. Not only that but as believers the Spirit of God strives with us that we may be faithful to the will of God, so that we will not fear to have our lives on display at the judgment seat. After seeing the antics of such NFL stars as Randy Moss displayed over and over again on our big screen, I do not want my antics to be displayed on the jumbotron, in the stadium of heaven.