Life Without Mother

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.

1 Peter 4:1

Dear Friend,

I’ve been studying 1 Peter as of late. Walking through nearly verse by verse. And this one really stuck out to me.

I confessed in my last letter of my own revelation regarding the severity of my own continued struggles with sin. But, I didn’t share the solution. Or, resolution to that revelation. Because I think we both know the solution to the problem: Christ’s atonement and the Spirit of our resurrected Christ Who lives within my very being. However, I was not actively living in the victory of His atonement and empowerment.

Rather, I was living in the defeat of my sin. Thinking that God’s call to believers to “be holy” was simply an unachievable standard.¹ And yet, it’s not like He commands this and then leaves us on our own. No! He has entered into us — changing us from the inside out. He dwells within His children, enabling us to say an emphatic, “No!” in the face of every temptation. I focused on my failures. I cheapened His grace and weakened my own resistance to sin.

Thus, we come to this verse. Now, to be clear about context (because context is key): Peter says this in the middle of a letter that has two major intertwining threads through it — holiness as believers set apart by God and suffering at the hands of the unholy world. And as I read, it seems that Peter elevates holiness as the way by which to endure suffering. That the answer is not to dilute holiness to avoid persecution; rather, to identify with the suffering of prior prophets and, ultimately, Christ’s own suffering as our motivation and strength to be holy. How?

It’s all about attitude. We must have the same attitude that Christ did in His suffering. And what was His attitude?

It was a willingness to suffer — He saw the bigger picture: salvation of mankind. It was resistance to the temptation of rebelling against God’s will — consider how our LORD grieved over the pain He knew He must endure, the cup from which He knew He must drink — He grieved, resisting temptation, unto sweating blood. He “bodily” suffered even before the cross.

By His suffering the cross for our sins, we are invited into His suffering of first resistance from temptation, then persecution of the enemy (though perhaps they might present as one and the same). Do we resist as our LORD did? Unto sweating blood? I confess, never have I suffered the sweating of blood in resistance of evil. Nor do I believe that is the LORD’s literal expectation of us. Yet, do we have that attitude of fortitude.

The verse even affirms this idea with the command to “arm” ourselves with this attitude. As though to prepare for war.² The war of suffering to silence our witness. But, friend! It was suffering that made Christ’s witness shout salvation to all who would believe! By His stripes we are healed!³ Do you see, friend? Suffering can become the very magnifying beacon of the tiny flame within us that our enemy wishes to snuff out!

The attitude of Christ’s suffering in persecution was a willingness to suffer for the sake of the very ones persecuting Him.

And we see how in the second part of the verse: because when we suffer in the body, we see the physical evidence of Christ’s work in us. That we are done with sin. That we no longer identify with rebellion against God, but with Christ as our righteousness and His Spirit who enables us to walk accordingly.⁴

It’s a common phrase these days: “I’m done with you” or (with the throwing up of hands) “I’m done with this.” It’s an expression of finality. No longer wanting to associate or think about or have anything to do with something (or, sometimes, someone). Is this true of our attitude toward sin?

For the longest time, I wasn’t “done” with my sin. Even recently, it was the heart of a prayer of confession with close friends — “LORD, soften my heart toward You that I would be sickened by my sin. That it would be revolting to me because of how good and gracious and holy You are.” And the LORD has worked this into my heart!

Friend, how much I look to those who suffer bodily harm even now for the sake of Christ! These brothers and sisters truly understand this passage to the fullness in which it was written. While I am grateful for the opportunity to freely testify of His grace from the safety of this current moment and place of prosperity, how I earnestly pray that in the same refinement of suffering persecution, my life would be a witness to His life and grace.⁵

May we arm ourselves against the temptation to deny Him in the face of persecution with His attitude in suffering: setting our minds on things above — salvation of all who would believe entering into that eternal rest!⁶

And THIS is the resolution to the reality of my sin: the Gospel! The suffering of Christ on the cross displays the amazing grace of my LORD. He took my place. And His Spirit lives within me. He Himself dwells within me. Reminding me of His work — both that completed in His atonement and resurrection and His continued intercession on my behalf. With God Himself within me, what do I lack in this resistance to temptation? Is He not enough? Is the expression of His abundant, unexplainable love for me not enough? As Paul would say, by no means!

When I consider His amazing grace, no sin is small. Every sin matters. As it utterly grieves my LORD. And thus, should grieve my own spirit as He makes me more like Him by His indwelling. Grieve unto repentance and blessed reconciliation! For He is faithful to forgive me and purify me!⁷ Thus, by His Spirit, I’m forever

Done with my sin,
Hannah

1. 1 Peter 1 ↩︎
2. Just consider the image of the warrior presented in Ephesians 6 ↩︎
3. Isaiah 53:5 ↩︎
4. Romans 8 ↩︎
5. 1 Peter 1:6-7, Isaiah 48:10, Zechariah 13:9 ↩︎
6. Colossians 3:1-17 ↩︎
7. 1 John 1:9 ↩︎