HAVING A MIND TO SUFFER – Part 2 1 Peter 4:1 – Forasmuch then as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; 1 Peter 2:21 - For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: A great many Christians think that as long as we belong to God, are the people of God, love God, and do Gods will, everything concerning us will be fine. According to this concept, we shall be blessed and may have a good job, a nice house, and an excellent family life. This concept of a Christian life is altogether contrary to Peters teaching in this Epistle. Peter knew that the more we love the Lord, the more we shall be deprived of things. He also knew that the more we do the will of God, the more trouble we may have. We may have trouble with our job, with our finances, and with our family life. If we have the mind of Christ, we shall realize that we are living in a rebellious age and in a crooked, perverted generation. Because the age is rebellious and the generation is perverse, the more we love God and do His will, the more we shall suffer. We shall suffer because we cannot go along with the trend of this age. We care to do the will of God, but the will of God is absolutely contrary to the trend or tide of this age. We would love the Lord Jesus, but this is utterly against the trend of this corrupted world. Therefore, if we love the Lord and do Gods will, we are bound to suffer. This will be our outlook if we have the mind of Christ. We need to arm ourselves, equip ourselves, with the mind of Christ. This indicates that the mind of Christ is a weapon, a part of the armor needed in fighting the battle for Gods Kingdom. If we arm ourselves with the mind of Christ for suffering, we shall be willing to endure suffering. Therefore, knowing that Christ suffered in the flesh, we also need to arm ourselves with the same mind.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 04:32:48 +0000