Bible Reading: 1 Peter 4, 5
Devotional Thought: 1 Peter 4:1, 2
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.
The best way to tell the true value of something is by what people are willing to pay for it. My house is valued at a certain price. When I was younger I had baseball cards that were said to be valued at a certain price. The real value can only be seen in what people would really be willing to pay for them. We find how horrific sin is when we look at the price Christ paid “for us in the flesh”.
I am hid in Christ. I am not longer in Adam, so I part of that group spoken of in when the Bible says “for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin”. Chris has suffered for my sins and I am in Christ. That (as a result) I no longer should live according to my lusts. When I person has a strong lust it will influence every area of their life. It effects their emotions, their spending, their time, and their friendships. The “will of God” will be that factor in my life!
In living life from the inside out I will be driven by my desire for God’s will and not the lusts of the flesh. This is who I am! This is who I have been rewired to be! This is accomplished by arming myself with the same mind – with the mind of Christ. I must view sin as Christ viewed it. In times past I was okay with living according to the will of the Gentiles (rest of the world). Now, in my God given desire to live according to God’s will I live according to a new set of guidelines. I march to the beat of a different drummer. I hold the mind of Christ in my hands! The Word of God is the mind of Christ. Before I even begin to read and study the Bible I have already acknowledged that it is perfect and the mind of Christ. It will be my source for decisions, convictions, and ministry. I must arm myself with it daily!
