Divine Living Requires World Losing

Imagine knowing that the time to live as an unbeliever is gone. It's over. Would that create utter disappointment, or a huge sigh of relief? Because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that lifestyle, those pursuits, those passions—they're officially and finally over. You don't have to live that way anymore.

This passage compares two kinds of lives: the life of an unbeliever—what Peter calls a Gentile—and the life of a true believer. One will win. We'll crave pleasure, enjoyment, satisfaction. Either it's the life of unbelievers, where the past time was sufficient for sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and lawless idolatries—or it's living as God lives, as verse 6 says.

Arm Yourselves with Christ's Mindset

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, because whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.

Peter instructs us to arm ourselves with Christ's purpose: to suffer in the flesh as He did. This mindset has implications for now and the not yet. The benefit? Whoever suffers in the flesh ceases from sin.

It's not just any suffering. It's suffering that equips us—like the trials in 1 Peter 1:6-7 that test the genuineness of our faith, more precious than gold refined by fire, resulting in praise, glory, and honor at Christ's revelation.

Peter defines this suffering throughout his letter:

• Slaves, be subject to masters—even unjust ones. Enduring sorrow while suffering unjustly is gracious (1 Peter 2:18-20).
• Christ suffered for doing good, leaving us an example (1 Peter 2:21).
• Suffer for righteousness' sake—you will be blessed (1 Peter 3:14,17). It's better to suffer for doing good if it is the will of God.

This is suffering for the gospel, not for sin. Jesus never sinned yet suffered. We're called to the same: suffer for doing good, for the gospel's sake.

The Result: Living for God's Will

So as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Arming ourselves with this mindset results in living no longer for human passions but for God's will. Want to know God's will? Suffer for doing good. That's where Jesus was—in Gethsemane, saying, "Not my will, but yours."

The Past Time Was Sufficient

For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desires of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

These aren't exhaustive, but representative: sensuality (license to sin, pleasing the senses), passions (cravings, feeling incomplete without sin), drunkenness (seeking pleasure through intoxication), carousing (excessive eating, even purging to indulge more), drinking parties (gathering centered on drinking), all summarized as lawless idolatry.

It's not just overt sins. It's any sensuality, craving, or idolatry. The time for that is gone. Is that disappointing or satisfying?

They Will Malign You

With respect to this they are surprised that you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you.

Unbelievers are shocked you don't join their flood of dissipation. They malign you—that's suffering for righteousness. Distinction leads to persecution, from verbal attacks to worse. Even in comfort, it's easy to grow drowsy and silent. But endure.

Comfort in Judgment and the Gospel

But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

Nothing goes unnoticed. God judges. Justice comes either through Christ or eternally on them. The gospel was preached to the now-dead (past preaching) so they might live in the spirit as God does. That's divine living—a transcendent life, imitating God.

Questions for Reflection

1. Do you recognize that embracing the gospel means embracing Christ's lifestyle, even forfeiting your own?
2. Does the gospel mean so much that you're content to suffer for it?
3. Are you content that your time living like an unbeliever is gone?
4. What sins are you craving?
5. What things are you emphasizing in excess, fighting to keep?
6. Do you have a constant gospel in your life, enabling you to live for God's will? Read, recite, and preach it to yourself daily until you live it.