1 Peter 4:1 - I'm Done with You, Part II

“Therefore, 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.”

Not too much to add today, but I wanted you to see this. It’s another contribution from Hard Sayings of the Bible (it’s a handy book!):

“The Christian who has suffered has made a decisive break with sin. This happens totally when the Christian goes to the extent of Christ and dies; but it happens in part when the Christian suffers in any way. The act of suffering for Christ makes the attractiveness of sin hollow. The believer has put all his eggs in one basket, that of Christ, and has paid too great a price to turn back now.

This explains why it is an attitude with which believers are to arm themselves. It is the attitude seen in Christ; if Peter’s readers have this attitude their own suffering will result in their “not living the rest of their earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

While we have chosen Christ and are solidly against sin and are making good progress in the battle, we have not yet died. We may be longing for a perfection (completely done with sin) that will only be ours in resurrection, not that very real maturity (which doesn’t mean sinless) that is possible in this world.”

To sum up, “being done with sin” doesn’t mean that you won’t sin anymore. It is a change in attitude and purpose in life. When you are done with sin, you are following Christ full-tilt regardless of the outcome because your goal in life is to do His will. If suffering comes, so be it; you don’t care about the things of the world anymore. Your focus is doing God’s will as you go to school, as you go to work, as you spend time with friends and family – you are a Christ follower…not in name, but in practice.

Honestly, I’m not there yet. I still care too much for the trappings of the world – possessions, comfort, and the opinion of others. But I hope I’m making progress and I look forward to getting there one day…how about you?

“All human sin seems so much worse in its consequences than in its intentions.” – Reinhold Niebuhr