Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Wednesday after the Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
Leave a comment
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-7 (NKJV)
 
4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
 
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
 
Devotion
 
Christ has suffered for you according to the flesh. This is your motivation for striving against sin in your own flesh, for Peter tells you to “arm yourselves also with the same mind” as Christ. During the days of His earthly ministry in the flesh Christ lived for the will of His Father. Those begotten through faith should live for God’s will, rather than their will or the world’s.
 
Peter gives several examples of sins of the fl’esh from which you are to abstain: lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. His list is illustrative, not exhaustive. As Christ sought to do the will of God the Father while in the flesh, so do we. “This is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:3). God wills your sanctification because fleshly lusts “war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11) to entice and entangle you in sin, so that you become comfortable with sin and eventually forsake repentance and faith.
 
The world doesn’t understand the new life of faith or the Christian’s desire to strive against sin. The world thinks Christians are odd and prudish. But the world will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and dead. Be serious and watchful in your prayers so that you do not fall into temptation. But remember what the will of your heavenly Father is, and the example of Christ who has suffered in the flesh for you.
 
We pray: O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Thy Holy Spirit that, being ever mindful of the end of all things and the day of Thy just judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with Thee forever hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Leave a Comment