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Proverbs 7:21-27
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to
yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes
to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird
hastens to the snare, He did not know it would
cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the
words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded, And all
who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.
Father God, thank you for all you do in our lives. We
praise Your Holy name. Amen!
Book of I Peter 4:1-9
NKJV
This week’s lesson starts out with,
“Victory over Sin” and ends with the “Judgment of God”.
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,
Therefore,
since Christ suffered for us in the flesh; What Peter is telling us is that through suffering,
pertaining to living for Jesus and not the desires of our flesh, helps us be
like Christ, although our human nature is to avoid suffering and persecution
and go along with society in a quiet fashion, but we need to always remember we
will answer for our actions at some point. If we claim to be followers of
Christ, we should be willing and prepared to do God's will and to endure the suffering
that goes with a Christlike lifestyle.
Let’s take the Apostle
Paul’s life as an example. Paul suffered greatly in many occasions after he
accepted Jesus as his saviour and was baptized, with one occasion where those
that stoned him considered him dead and maybe he was because he refers to a
time of an out of body experience. Here is a list of what Paul endured for
Jesus; 2 Corinthians
11:23-28 Are they
ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am
more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more
frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three
times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked;
a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in
perils of the Gentiles, in
perils in the city, in perils
in the wilderness, in perils in
the sea, in perils among false
brethren; 27
in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in
fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28
besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the
churches. What Paul
went through for Jesus is unbelievable, and we shy away from speaking out
against the immorality of our society, for fear of offending or being offended
by words. We need to ask God for some of what Paul had, fortitude.
Arm
yourselves also with the same mind; Just
like Peter and Paul we need to arm, train, and prepare our mind so that we can
do the works of Christ. This is a very difficult thing to do because of our
human nature, and that is why we need to have that Spiritual Birth so the Holy
Spirit will come and live within our hearts to gives us the fortitude we need.
It is faith in the Cross of Christ that provides the armor we need to foster a
Christlike mind.
This readiness to suffer
and die the apostle speaks of as armour, and having this, is represented as
being armed. Armour is put on for offensive or defensive purposes in war; and
the idea of the apostle here is to prepare our mind to meet with persecution
and trial; to prepare us for death if engaged in conflicts and strife pertaining
to standing up for Jesus especially in meeting with persecutions and trials. We
are to put on the same fortitude which the Lord Jesus had, and this will be the
best defense against our foes, and the best security of victory.
For
he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; To “suffer in the flesh” is to die.
The expression here has a proverbial aspect, and seems to have meant something
like this: “when a man is dead, he will sin no more;” referring of course to
the present life. So if a Christian becomes dead in a moral sense - dead to
this world (Born Again), dead by being crucified with Christ he may be expected
to cease from sin. The reasoning is based on the idea that there is such a
union between Christ and the believer that his death on the cross secured the
death of the believer to the world. 2
Timothy 2:11 This is a
faithful saying: For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him. Colossians 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden
with Christ in God. We
can overcome sin when we focus on Christ and what he wants us to do. Anyone who
suffers for doing good, and still faithfully obeys in spite of suffering, will
have dominion over 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.
That
he no longer should live the rest of his
time in the flesh for the lusts of men; This phrase goes right along with the last phrase of
verse one. When a person is Born Again, spiritually they die to their old
sinful way of life and begin a new life guided by the Holy Spirit. All of a
sudden their eyes, mind, and heart are opened to the sinful lifestyle they have
been living and they no long want to live that way; they realize their words
and actions are offensive to God and go against His divine nature.
But
for the will of God; What
Peter is saying here is that a person no longer wants to live for the lusts of
the flesh, but for holiness and eternal life with their Creator. Paul tells us
this in Corinthians that he was sent to preach the truth without misleading or
clever speeches, so people will come to realize how sinful their life is and
then repent of it and be baptized. 1
Corinthians 1:17-18 For Christ
did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words,
lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 18 For the
message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who
are being saved it is the power of God. Based on these verses by Paul, note that he is saying we have
to repent to be saved.
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.
For
we have spent enough of our
past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles; The meaning of this is that each and
every person born starts out living a life of sin. We can observe this in the
conduct of people the ages of 2 and up. Who taught the toddler to be selfish
and not share toys; to bite and hit; to throw temper tantrums; to be rude,
etc.? No one did they were born with that nature of self. This is why as
parents we have to curb this type of behavior. As parents we are to teach our
children God’s ways and not man’s ways. As infants some denominations conduct
infant dedications and some infant baptisms. Have you ever listened to what the
pastor or priest say? Both rituals are a contract between God and the parents, god
parents, and congregation agreeing to raise the child in a Godly way. Neither
ritual cleanses a baby of sin, if this were the case then children and adults would
have a totally different disposition than what they have, wouldn’t they? There wouldn’t
be the terrible twos, disobedience, no respect for authority, etc. It is
because of the sin nature that everyone needs to repent and accept Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-3 And you He
made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which
you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of
disobedience, 3
among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
children of wrath, just as the others.
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which
are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry,
sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the
like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who
practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
When
we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and
abominable idolatries; This
is just a short list of how an unsaved person walks in sin.
Lewdness- The unlawful indulgence of lust;
fornication, or adultery. In Scripture, it generally denotes idolatry.
Lust-Wants and desires,
covetousness.
Drunkenness- Is intoxication;
inebriation; a state in which a person is overwhelmed or overpowered with
spirituous liquors, so that his reason is disordered. The affects of alcohol is
evident with one drink.
Revelries-Lively and noisy
festivities, especially when these involve drinking a large amount of alcohol.
Drinking parties-Going out
and consuming alcohol with groups of people.
Abominable idolatries-Praying
to an object, person, place, or thing that is here on earth, Heaven, or abyss
below, other than to Jesus for our needs.
Here is just a few other
lists in the Bible of sin: Titus 3:1-3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and
authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak
evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we
ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts
and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Romans 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to
retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not
fitting; 29
being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,
evil-mindedness; they are
whisperers, 30
backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving,
unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that
those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but
also approve of those who practice them. 2 Timothy
3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will
come: 2
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving,
unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors,
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a
form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! Colossians 3:6-8 Because of these things the wrath of
God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when
you lived in them. 8 But now you
yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
language out of your mouth. Ephesians 5:3-5 But
fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among
you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse
jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this
you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
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.
In
regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation;
Anyone that repents
and starts living for God, all of a sudden will not want to and will make up
excuses not to run with a crowd of rabble rousers, foul mouthed, drinking, etc.
group. Their old buddies/girl friends will not understand this new conduct; it will
be a mystery to them.
Speaking
evil of you; As a result
of this new conduct the child of God will be made fun of, be spoken evil of,
gossiped about, etc. This new conduct is a sign from God via the Holy Spirit
residing in the Born Again individual and assurance one is saved and bound for
Heaven.
Before I was saved I loved
going to parties and wedding receptions and indulging in the alcohol, but after
my spiritual birth I no longer had any desire, in fact now I only go for a very
brief time to offer congratulations or find an excuse not to go where alcohol
flows.
5 They will
give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
This verse is referring to
Jesus judging all at some point in time. When Jesus returns there will be those
that are alive along with those that have perished. All will be judged.
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.
For
this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead; Peter makes this statement to give
assurance to those around him that those who heard the Gospel, accepted it, and
then died a physical death were saved and in Heaven. Peter’s time era was
plagued with martyrdom and this concerned other believers that those who
suffered death would not see Jesus.
That
they might be judged according to men in the flesh; This phrase is referring to the
unsaved judging the actions and faith of the saved. These Christians of whom
Peter speaks, were judged very harshly by men while they were alive. They were
judged to be unfit for human society, and some were killed for their testimony.
In fact, Paul mentions this in Hebrews 11:36-39.
But
live according to God in the spirit; This
refers to every Saint of God who has lived and died and is now with the Lord.
7 But the
end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your
prayers.
Just as the believers and
Apostles thought Jesus would return soon because of the state of their society
we are seeing the same thing. We must pray unceasingly and be watchful each
day, we know not the hour.
8 And above
all things have fervent love for one another, for "LOVE WILL COVER A
MULTITUDE OF SINS."
9 Be hospitable to one another without
grumbling.
Peter here reinforces the
Second Greatest Commandment; Love thy neighbor as thy self. If we truly love
God, loving our neighbor will fall right into place along with living a Godly
life.
Colossians
1:16 For
by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
Romans
3:23 for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans
6:23 For
the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say
to you,
unless one
is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The
Lighthouse Full Gospel Church
Sinners Prayer; Pray this, and if you
believe it with your heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord
Jesus I know I am a sinner. I confess my
sins to you; I am sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a
sinful lifestyle.) of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness. I believe that only you can forgive sin. I commit my life to you and ask you to come
into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my
Savior.” I believe this and have faith
you will make a new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my
heart and lead me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.”
(John 3:16,17; Romans
3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-13; Ephesians
2:8-10; 1 John 5:11-14; 1:6-10)
(Sin: Rom. 1:22-32; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph.
5:3-7)
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