--------------------
The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
--------------------
February 20, 2011
--------------------
Contents:
1) 1 Peter 4:1,2 (Tom Edwards)
2) News & News
-------------------
1 Peter 4:1,2
by Tom Edwards
After speaking of the need to be baptized into Christ in order to be
saved from sin, and of the Lord's exaltation to the right hand of God,
where Jesus has been given authority over all, Peter then writes,
"Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also
with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has
ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no
longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God" (1 Pet. 4:1,2).
Christ "suffered in the flesh." This phrase is not referring to
only torturous pain, such as the scourging Jesus had received prior to
His crucifixion; but, rather, to His actual death. By comparing 1
Peter 3:18 with both the KJV and the NASB, this is made clear:
"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" (KJV). "For Christ also DIED for sins
once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to
God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the
spirit" (NASB).
Paul declares, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I
also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third
day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3,4). Not only does
Paul tell us that Jesus died for our sins in this passage, but also
that "He was raised on the third day," which refers to His
resurrection. Of course, there can be no resurrection without
there first being a death. So all the scriptures that speak
of the Lord's resurrection also indicate that Jesus actually did die on
the cross -- and not merely swooned or fainted (which some folks
wrongly believe).
We can also add that Christ did not merely die, but His death for us
was a very agonizing one. He suffered greatly in the carrying out
of it, which makes a very strong statement to the world, a statement
seen in action of His fervent love for us and His strong dedication and
devotion toward His Father.
Peter then says, "...arm yourselves with the same purpose...." To
"arm," from the Greek word "hoplizo," is "to make ready, to equip"
(Strong). It not only has the literal meaning of to "furnish with
arms," but is also used figuratively as to "take on the same mind"
(Thayer).
This reminds us of the fact that, as Christians, we also have a role as
"soldiers of Christ." We must, therefore, arm ourselves
properly. For this metaphor of being a soldier of the Lord is not
merely something we sing about, but also that which is expressed in the
Scriptures themselves. In Philippians 2:25, for example, Paul
refers to Epaphroditus as being a "fellow soldier"; and says also the
same about Archippus in Philemon 1:2. Consider also Paul's
exhortation to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3,4: "Suffer hardship with me, as
a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles
himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one
who enlisted him as a soldier." This is not to say that man
cannot "work for the food which perishes"; but the emphasis is being
put on the most important work of all -- the spiritual work -- that we
are to each carry out as a faithful child of God, which Jesus also
indicates and stresses in John 6:27 as working "for the food which
endures to eternal life." So as soldiers of Christ, we do need to
arm ourselves, to prepare ourselves for spiritual battles.
Paul speaks of this spiritual armor we are to put on in Ephesians
6:10-17: "...having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the
breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the
preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the
shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
Paul also shows the spiritual nature of this warfare in 2 Corinthians
10:3-5: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to
the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but
divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are
destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the
knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the
obedience of Christ." And in Romans 13:12, "The night is almost
gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of
darkness and put on the armor of light."
Peter says, we are to arm ourselves "with the same purpose" (1 Pet.
4:1). The KJV translates this as "with the same mind."
"Purpose" or "mind" comes from the Greek word "ennoia," which means
"thinking, thoughtfulness" (Strong) and is rendered as "intentions" in
Hebrews 4:12. We think, therefore, of arming ourselves with the
same mind of Christ, as also Paul had instructed the brethren in
Philippians 2:5 to "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus" (KJV) -- to have that same "mind," which is also rendered as
"attitude" in the NASB. Philippians 2 expresses the humble nature
that Jesus took upon Himself to be willing to leave the glories of
heaven to become a servant among men, here on earth; to think of others
as being more important than Himself, and to willingly obey His Father
-- even to the point of a painfully horrible death on a cross.
Some of these brethren whom Peter was writing to would also be facing
and experiencing "fiery trials" (1 Pet. 4:12), persecutions that would
even lead to their deaths for the cause of Christ. They,
therefore, needed to be of that same mind of Christ in facing all that,
and to maintain the same determination to keep God first -- no matter
what the cost -- just as Jesus did.
Peter also gives good reason in 1 Peter 4:1 for suffering in the flesh
and arming ourselves: "because he who has suffered in the flesh has
ceased from sin." Verse 1 begins with a focus on Christ and His
suffering to encourage the Christian to be like-minded in his service
to the Lord. Therefore, this next phrase, that "he who has
suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin," is pertaining to the
Christian.
What actually, however, does that phrase mean that one has "suffered in
the flesh"? There are two clues in the context: 1) The one
who has suffered in the flesh has "ceased from sin." To cease
from sin is to die to sin. This is also what the next verse
verifies: "so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer
for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." So the passage is
not talking about the Christian dying physically, for he is to live on
in the flesh -- but he is to die to sin, to die to the sinful desires
of the flesh; and he does that by ceasing from sin.
This type of expression is common in the Scriptures. For
instance, it might remind you of what Paul states in Romans 6:5-7,
11-13: "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His
death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that
our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be
slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Even so
consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ
Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you
obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to
sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as
those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness to God."
Consider also 2 Timothy 2:11, "It is a trustworthy statement: For if we
died with Him, we will also live with Him." In addition,
when Paul exhorted the brethren in Colossians 3:2 to set their
minds on things above, rather than on things of earth, he goes on to
explain the reason for that, by saying, "For you have died and your
life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). Because of that,
look at what Paul continues to say in Colossians 3:5-11: "Therefore
consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to
idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God
will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also
once walked, when you were living in them. But now you
also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive
speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid
aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new
self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of
the One who created him...."
In this lesson, Peter has made us aware of Jesus' willingness to die on
the cross that His followers might also have that same type of
dedication to suffer likewise, if need be. And while they live,
to strive to always put to death the sinful deeds of the body; and,
instead, live for God by carrying out His will with the same type of
determination as Jesus has shown. May that always be
so of each one of us, as we strive for that glorious and blissful home
in heaven.
-------------------
-2-
News & Notes
Let those of us who are Christians continue to remember in prayer Terry MacDonald as he is now on
medication for his heart, and also so that he will adjust to his other
medication that has recently been changed and takes a while to get into
his system to where he can truly feel the good results of it.
We also want to be remembering Terry's
wife Pam whose surgery for her neck is scheduled for this
Wednesday (23) that all will go well.
Cheryl Anderson's surgery will
be the following day (24) for her knee, and she has been concerned
about how long it might take her to heal from it. So let us also
be keeping her in our prayers.
I appreciate the men who will be filling-in for me while I'll be away
preaching a gospel meeting in Athens, Alabama, from February 20-25
(Sunday through Friday). I also solicit the prayers of the
brethren that all will go well for the meeting. If you happen to
be in the Athens area, feel free to come to the meeting at the Oakland
church of Christ that meets at 18111 Townsend Ford Road.
If you would like to receive the email version of this weekly bulletin,
just email me at tedwards@onemain.com to let me know. I'd be
happy to include you on the list for it.
--------------------
The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb.
10:36-39;
Rev.
2:10;
2
Pet.
2:20-22).
--------------------
Park Forest
CHURCH OF CHRIST
9923 Sunny Cline Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 6 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
tedwards@onemain.com
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go (Gospel Observer website)
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/audioser.html (audio sermons)