1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, which is, that he which hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin, 2 That he hence forward should live (as much time as remaineth in the flesh) not after the lusts of men, but after the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2 (1599 Geneva Bible)
Even though genuine Christians are new creations and have been purchased out of the world through the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross, as they attempt to live godly lives in the temporal, they will come under tremendous pressure to compromise by reverting back to the fleshly way of dealing with life….
This way of reacting to circumstances, both good and bad, has emotions as its catalyst motivated by a form of self-righteousness that is manifested through self-exaltation and self-protection. Here we witness ourselves reacting to the good and bad in a way that is little different than we did prior to our salvation. We may even attempt to justify our actions by proclaiming that we are only seeking justice. Pride is the culprit behind this and when we stumble into these sins it is because we are not spirit-filled and, therefore, not humble. <Continue reading post>