Mental Armor

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” I Peter 4:1-2

In the previous chapter, Peter encouraged those who had suffered persecution because of their faith in Christ reminding them of Jesus suffering on the cross. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (I Peter 3:18). As he continues in chapter four, he tells them to arm themselves with the same mind that Christ had when He suffered. When we go back to chapter 3, verse 18, we can “arm” our minds by imitating Christ’s thinking as He went to Calvary for us. First, Christ had one goal in mind as He was suffering; “that he might bring us to God.” If our primary goal in life is to bring other people to Christ, suffering will never sidetrack us. Second, Peter points out that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered once for our sins. Though He suffered infinitely in carrying the load of our sins, there was a definite end point for His suffering. No matter how bad things may get here on this earth, when we get to heaven, our suffering will be over. Third, Christ’s sacrifice was the “just for the unjust.” Suffering never seems fair to the person who is experiencing it. Fourth, He was put to death in the flesh, but brought to life by the Spirit. We must strive to be dead to the flesh but alive unto God.