READ: 1 Pet. 4:1-6: Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, … 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. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles … they think it strange that you do not run with them … They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 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.
The suffering and death of Christ was meant to free us from sin and its consequences. Therefore, we should no longer live according to ungodliness and lawlessness (v.1). Christ wants to bring us to a life that is in accordance with the will of God (v.2).
This is very different from wanting to continue living according to the desires of people and our own sinful flesh, with all kinds of expressions of debauchery (v.3). People of the world do not understand this because they do not know Christ (v.4), but we have come to know Christ and have become new, different people (Eph. 4:17-24)!
As a result, people of the world may make it difficult for us. They slander us when we show that we do not want to join them. We should not be afraid or react in the wrong way; God will hold them accountable for their deeds (v.5).
This will happen at Christ’s second coming when he will judge the living and the dead. We do not see this judgment now. In fact, we see that believers must die just like anyone else, even if only in the flesh. But if they have accepted the gospel during their life, their soul came to life in the spirit of God, and they will live with Christ after their death (v. 6). For them, death is only a passage to eternal life. It is also important for us to pay attention to the ultimate end of everyone’s life.
How should we approach ungodly people?
Singing: Ps. 37:3