I Peter 4:1-6
(A Bible Study Led
by Dr. Larry Reynolds)
October 17, 2013
1. The
second amendment to the Constitution of the United States simply says:
“A
well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the
right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
2. In
this session we are going to focus on a passage which instructs us to “arm
ourselves”...look in your Bibles to I Peter 4:1-6...notice the command
in the very first part of this passage about “arming ourselves”...
3. The
Greek word translated “arm yourselves” in v.1 is used only here
in the NT…the word was used to describe a soldier putting on his armor, taking
up his weapons, and preparing for battle...
4. We
live in a rough and tumble world...life is often like a battle...and certainly
believers are engaged in a great spiritual battle…just as a soldier needs
weapons to help him in battle, so we need resources to deal with the
difficulties/challenges we invariably will face in life...in this paragraph
Peter reminds us of some of the resources with which we should arm
ourselves...want you to see some of those resources today...
I.
We
are to arm ourselves with the right priority in life
1.
When a person comes to faith in Christ, one
of the first things which happens is that the priorities of that person’s life
begin to change...Peter describes that change in the last part of v.1 with the
phrase “ceased from sin”...the verb translated “ceased
from” means “to be done with” or “to be released from”...doesn’t
mean that a Christian never sins...it means that the desire of our heart, the
priority of our lives, the thing for which we long is not disobedience to God
but obedience to God... The whole point
is that as believers follow Christ’s example of suffering, so too, His example
of victory over sin. We are new creatures in Christ! We must live like it.
Christlikeness is the will of God (cf. Rom. 8:29; Gal. 4:14; Eph. 1:4; 2:10).
It reflects the fact that the image of God lost in the Fall (cf. Gen. 3) is
fully restored in Christ. Christians have a choice again on how they will live.
They are no longer slaves of sin! Walk in Him![1]
2. In
first part of v.2 Peter reminds us that we just have so much time in this
world...during the time that we have, which Peter refers to as “the rest
of the time in the flesh” we can choose to live for ourselves or to
live for God...we can choose to live for what v.2 calls “the lusts of
men” (which is further described in v.3) or we can choose to live for “the
will of God...”
3. But
we can’t choose both at the same time...we either prioritize our lives in a way
that reflects the way of the world or we prioritize our lives in a way that
reflects the will of God...as Jesus said in Matthew 7:24 - “No one can
serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he
will hold to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.”... and in the same passage He
said, “...for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also...”...
4. And
this passage in I Peter reminds us that life is better when our hearts are
focused not on self-gratification but the will of God...
1.
At
4:00 a.m. in the morning of May 1, 1873, David Livingstone, the famous
missionary to and explorer of Africa, was found dead in a hut built for him by
some natives in a small African village... he was kneeling beside his bed in
prayer when he died...in accordance with the custom of the people living in
that part of Africa, while Livingstone’s body was sent back to England for
burial in Westminster Abbey, his heart was buried under a tree in his beloved
Africa near the hut in which he died...
2. If
your heart were to be buried in the place you loved most during your time in
this world, the place of your highest priority, where would that place
be?....would it be in some physical pleasure?...would it be in material
possessions?...would it be in some recreational activity?...would it be in some
award or achievement?...
3. Our
ultimate priority, our highest purpose according to I Peter 4:2 should be
living “for the will of God...”...not only should we arm
ourselves with the right priority, but this part of God’s Word tells us to...
II. We should arm ourselves with the right
relationships
1. When
a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, not only do that person’s priorities
begin to change, but his/her relationships begin to change as well...new
priorities result in new relationships...
2. That’s
the basic point of v.4...there Peter says that when a person becomes a
Christian, at least some of the old relationships are broken...we no longer run
with the same crowd...we no longer do the things which once dominated our
lives...I like the way the v.4 is paraphrased in the Living Bible: “Of course, your former friends will be
very surprised when you don’t eagerly join them any more in the wicked things
they do, and they will laugh at you in contempt and scorn.”...
3. People
who do not know Christ cannot understand the radical change which occurs in the
lives of those who come to faith in Christ...
1. And
it is vitally important that we have in our lives people who do understand our
spiritual commitments and who encourage us and support us and help us along the
way...and that is one purpose of the Christian fellowship…in our relationships
with fellow believers we find a support group to help us stay on track, to hold
us accountable, to nurture us in the faith...
2. The
Christian life is a life of community, of fellowship with other believers...we
need each other...we cannot be what God intends for us to be apart from healthy
relationships with other believers...
3. Tragically,
many Christians try to live the Christian life apart from meaningful
relationships with other Christians...no-one to watch out for them, to
encourage them, to support them...
4. And
it should not be that way...this part of God’s Word instructs us to arm
ourselves with right relationships...and in addition to arming ourselves with
the right relationships and the right priority, this part of God’s Word
instructs us to...
III. Arm ourselves with the right perspective
1. Verses
5-6 and this paragraph remind us that this world is not all there is...we are
destined for eternity and we are destined for a time of judgment and
accountability...remembering that helps us keep things in this life in proper
perspective...
2.
Verse 6 has been the subject of much debate
among biblical interpreters. This has been interpreted as referring to
(a) those who are spiritually “dead in sin,” (b) those who heard and believed
the gospel but have since died, (c) those who died without hearing or believing
the gospel. Barclay preferred the third interpretation, assuming that 3:19
refers to Christ’s preaching to the dead. Consequently he believed that here
“was a breathtaking glimpse of a gospel of a second chance.” This
interpretation has no scriptural support and is contrary to orthodox Christian
doctrine (cf. v. 5).[2]
3. In
Milan, Italy there is a cathedral which at its main entrance has a large triple
doorway...
--over
the doorway to one side there is beautiful carving of roses and underneath the
carving is the inscription, “All that which pleases is but for a moment.”
--over
the doorway to the other side is a carving of a cross and underneath that
carving is the inscription, “All that which troubles us is but for a
moment.”
--and
over the center doorway which leads to the main isle of the cathedral there is
not carving but simply an inscription which reads, “That only is
important which is eternal.”
4. And
remembering those three truths will help us keep the right perspective in
life...focusing on that which is eternal will keep us from being—
--too
caught up in pleasures...
--too
overwhelmed by troubles...
5. This
part of God’s Word reminds us to arm ourselves with the right perspective...
CONCLUSION
1. Willie
Nelson, the aging country singer from the hill country around Austin, is well
known not just for his music but also for his well publicized use of marijuana…he
has been quoted as saying about marijuana, “...It’s good for stress which
is the biggest killer on the planet. If
you need some temporary help in getting through the day, cannabis (another
name for marijuana) is the best way.” [DMN, Oct.25, 2000]
2. Of
course there is a much better way to deal with the pressures and stresses of
life than that...that better way is spelled out for us in this part of God’s
Word...arm yourself, equip yourself with the right—
--priority...the
priority of God’s will...
--right
relationships...people who will nurture and encourage you
--right
perspective...viewing life in terms of eternity...
That’s
the best way to deal with the pressures we face in this world...
[1]
Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Vol. Volume 2:
The Gospel according to Peter: Mark and I
& II Peter. Study Guide Commentary Series (252). Marshall, Texas: Bible
Lessons International.
[2]
Raymer, R. M. (1985). 1 Peter. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition
of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (1 Pe 4:6).
Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
