LESSON SEVEN

1 Peter 4:1-11

Living for God (4:1-11)

	1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.  2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.  3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.  4They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.  5But the will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.  6For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.  
	7The end of all things is near.  Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.  8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  To him be the glory and the power forever and ever.  Amen.
	
	V. 1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body—Victory over sin comes only after great struggle.  The writer points us to Jesus as a great example.  Christ not only overcame the temptation to sin, He suffered for sin in His atoning death on the tree.
	arm yourselves also with the same attitude—It was Christ’s inner resolve that won the battle over the flesh and sin.  If we are going to win the battle over the world, the flesh and the devil, we must develop a Christ-like determination to overcome.
	because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin—The Amplified Bible reads, “for whoever has suffered in the flesh having the mind of Christ has done with intentional sin—has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God.”  Arming ourselves with the mind of Christ will help us win the battle of the desires of the flesh.
	V. 2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires-— spiritual mind can subdue the flesh!  We don’t have to live in bondage to fleshly desires.  As long as we are walking in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16).  Having the mind of Christ changes our priorities and desires.
	but rather for the will of God—We change from doing what self wants to do to doing what God would have us to do.  “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (II Cor. 5:15).
	V. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—The old way of life was not only a wicked way of life but a wasted way as well.  “Wasted years, wasted years!  O, how foolish!  As you walk on in darkness and fear.  Turn around, turn around, God is calling!  He’s calling you from a life of wasted years!”
	living in debauchery, lust drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry—Many of Peter’s readers had lived lives of sin “to the hilt.”  Their past was a sin-soaked one.  No Christian, having been delivered from such a life, should ever go back to it again.
	V. 4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation—The Phillips Translation says, “Indeed your former companions may think it very queer that you will no longer join with them.”  But why should they?  We are Christ’s sheep and sheep don’t wallow!  Only pigs wallow (II Peter 2:22).
	and they heap abuse on you—Old companions, still steeped in sin, can make it rough on new Christians.  But mocking and ridicule will never deter the one who has armed himself with the mind and resolve of Jesus Christ. 
	V. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead—Pagans who mock their former friends who are now Christians and no longer join them in their “welter of debauch” (Knox Version) will stand before the Lord in judgement for their unbridled behavior and evil imprecations.  All men will be there, both the living and the dead (Acts 17:31).
	V. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit—The immediate context seems to indicate that the dead are those Christians who paid the ultimate price for their new way of life.  I like Robert Gundry’s comments here:  “ ‘The dead’ to whom the Gospel was preached (4:6) are not ‘the spirits in prison’ of 3:18ff.  They are Christians who have been martyred (‘judged in the flesh [by their persecutors]’) and, as a result, now enjoy the life of heaven (‘live in the spirit’).”
	V. 7 The end of all things is near—Many believe Peter wrote this epistle around 63 A.D.  If so, “the end” could be a reference to the coming destruction of Jerusalem which took place in 70 A.D.  Or it could be the impending near-destruction of the city of Rome in 64 A.D. (which resulted in the end of freedom for Christians for many years).  At this time of writing Peter’s readers were already undergoing a “fiery trial” (v. 12) under the cruel emperor Nero.  It is possible that Peter felt the end of the world was near (which he describes in vivid detail in II Peter 3:10-12).  In any event, he tells them to prepare for the end by doing the following.
	Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray—The drunken debauchery described in v. 3 was certainly no way to prepare for the end. This was the route the mockers of Noah’s time chose to go out on (see Matt. 24:37-39).  Christians are to “watch and pray” (Mark 13:33).
	V. 8 Above all, love each other deeply—It takes love to stand together during a trial of Christian faith or practice.  Some would be called upon to lay down their lives for their brothers (John 15:13).  One of the Roman emperors, Trajan, wrote in admiration, “Behold, how they love one another!”
	because love covers over a multitude of sins—If we really love our fellow Christians, we will overlook a sin that may have been committed against us in a time of stress.  Real love will “forgive and disregard the offenses of others” (The Amplified Bible).  “Love covereth all sins” (Prov. 10:12).  Love “keeps no record of wrongs” (I Cor. 13:5).  In times of great stress we simply must overlook some of the things a brother may say or do. 
	V. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling—The early Christians lost lands and houses for the gospel’s sake (Mark 10:29).  These suffering saints would need a place to stay so Peter urges “ungrudging hospitality” (Weymouth) on the part of those who still had their homes.  In the bittersweet story of Anne Frank (Diary of a Young Girl) one can see the tremendous pressure that is put on humans when times of persecution call for shared quarters.  Hospitality is a mark of a true Christian (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2).
	V. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received—The gifts mentioned here are not spiritual gifts (like 1 Cor. 12) but service gifts, special endowments from God that enable Christians to minister to each other, especially in a time of crisis like the early Christians were experiencing.  God grants different gifts and abilities to His children for service (Rom 12:3-8).
	to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms—The purpose of these special talents is ministry, serving others in their special time of need.  We must be good stewards of the unique abilities God has given us.  To use them for self or for inordinate profit is to waste our gift from God.
	V. 11 If anyone speaks—God has blessed some with the gift of words.  Some can edify, rebuke or exhort others in a public church assembly.  Others can encourage, admonish or comfort fellow-believers in private conversation.
	he should do it as one speaking the very words of God—Since speaking is such a special gift from God, the one so gifted should speak as God would speak.  “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak” was the clarion cry of our Restoration forefathers.  The Scriptures are all sufficient for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16).  Let us have so much of God in us that we will speak “the very words of God.”
	If anyone serves—In the great tradition of Acts 6 there are also those who have the gift of “serving tables,” those whom God has blessed with a servant spirit, cast in the mold Christ Himself who came to serve (Mark 10:45).
	he should do it with the strength God provides—Those blessed with a servant spirit should operate on the strength that God supplies.  As God provides the strength, we minister.  “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13).  “In him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
	so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ—Speaking and service are not only to minister to others but to bring glory to God as well.  Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
	To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.  Amen—Peter repeats this declaration in 5:11 (see also I Cor. 10:31; I Tim. 6:16; Rev. 5:12, 13).

Study Questions

1.	How will having Christ’s attitude help us in our suffering?

2.	What practices does Peter mention that describe our sinful past?

3.	What do our old friends think is strange about us?  Should this bother us?

4.	To whom must our former companions in sin eventually give an account?

5.	What is your view of the gospel preached to the dead?

6.	What is your view of “the end of all things is near”?

7.	Why would the scattered church need a deep love?

8.	Do you make it a practice to overlook sins committed against you?  Explain.

9.	What was the problem some were having with hospitality?

10.	What are “service gifts”?