Prepared To Suffer For Righteousness (1 Peter 4:1-6) Series

This is an important doctrine for all believers to understand. It is this doctrine that enables us to conquer all sin and stay holy in the face of suffering. It is our union with Christ in his death. We have died to sin, and now are alive to Christ. Paul calls believers to think differently about themselves because of this. Listen to what he says in Romans 6:11: “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (emphasis mine).

The word count is an accounting term. When the believer looks at his spiritual bank account, he sees that his debt to sin is paid in full. He is no longer enslaved to it because on the cross Christ died to sin, paying the believers sin-debt. On occasion, I would look at my bank records and see a company still charging my account even though I’ve paid off the debt. At that point, I would contact that company and let them know I paid that bill and give them proof through a receipt. I refuse to pay a debt that has already been paid.

Similarly, a believer needs to look at the Scripture and understand that his debt to sin has been paid. He no longer has to obey those urges. In fact, Christ used an accounting term on the cross. He said, “It is finished,” which literally means “paid in full.” Believers must now understand what has happened in Christ so they will not fall to sin when tempted, even when confronted with persecution.

The sin debt has been paid; Christ has redeemed us from slavery to sin, and now we have become slaves to righteousness. As Peter says, the believer now lives for the “will of God” (v. 2). God is the believer’s new master, and he serves righteousness instead of sin. Look at Romans 6:18-19,

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness (emphasis mine).

How can a believer suffer for righteousness?

He must realize sin is no longer an option because he died with Christ and sin no longer has power over him. “I can take abuse from friends…I can be stepped over for a promotion…I can even die!” Why? Because sin is not my master, but God is, and he enables me to handle suffering without falling to temptation or sin. And if I do stumble, I go back to my checkbook and check my accounts. “Nope, I’m not a slave to sin anymore. I’m not paying that bill anymore. I am not staying on the ground depressed because of that stumble. I have a different debt to pay because now I’m a slave to God and righteousness.” Listen to what Paul said:

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body (emphasis mine).