Armed with the mind of Christ

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, - 1 Peter 4.1

There are a couple of times where we are challenged to have have the mind of Christ. In Philippians Paul tells us to ‘let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.’ Here Peter uses the idea as a way to arm ourselves for the spiritual battles we are going to be in. ‘Arm yourselves with the mind of Christ that was willing to suffer for us.’ 

The mind of Christ is an awesome power. The mind of Christ allowed Him to willingly go to the Christ. His death provided victory over death and victory for the Spirit of God. 

I am no theologian so I hope I don’t mess this up, but I think there is a real application for us. 

Jesus’ suffering and death was possible because He knew that those things were not in control. He knew that His victory would defeat them. He knew that this was the only way to defeat the power of death and sin for us. When we relate this to Romans 6 we see that Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection destroyed the power of the flesh and the power of sin over us. 

When we arm ourselves with the mind of Christ we realise that this flesh has no real power over us. We don’t have to be afraid of what can happen to our bodies because we know our eternity is secure. Therefore we don’t have to be afraid. 

But I can’t leave the last line aside – ‘he who as suffered has ceased from sin.’ 

I think the  idea is that those who have died to the flesh, pictured by Jesus on the cross, are free from the power of sin in their lives. Sin has ceased to have control. That means that when I sin I am submitted to a defeated flesh even though it has no power. 

The key to living, and possibly suffering and dying, is to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ who willing submitted His flesh to the will of God and follow His example.