Monday 13 April 2009

Arm yourselves with the same mind


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, 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. 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. 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.
- 1 Peter 4v1-4

I like how Peter makes an application of what he has been teaching. Because of all that has been said. We are to ‘arm ourselves with the same mind’ as Christ. This of course is reminiscent of Paul’s injunction to ‘let his mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.’

The mind of Christ charges us to live in a different manner. We are no longer to live our lives pursuing the lusts of men, but like Christ, who suffered for us, we are now to live in such a way that we are constantly desiring to do the will of God. We now longer go after all the stuff that we used to. Paul tells us in Romans that with the same intensity that we used to go after lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, and such we are now to pursue the will of God.

The mind that we are to arm ourselves with is the mind that will do anything and go through anything to follow the will of God. We have spent enough time doing the other, now lets give it all to doing His will.

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