Monday, November 24, 2008

1 Peter 4:2

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1 Peter 4:2


2 That [eis] he [bioo] no longer [meketi] should live [bioo] the rest [epiloipos] of his time [chronos] in [en] the flesh [sarx] to the lusts [epithumia] of men [anthropos], but [alla] to the will [thelema] of God [theos]. KJV-Interlinear


2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. NASB


The distinction here is whether you choose to live within the power of the sin nature that resides within your physical body, or to live within the power of the Holy Spirit (fellowship).

The sin nature is a genetic defect that passes down to all of humanity, from Adam, Rom. 6:6, 7:5, 18, Gen. 5:3. When a person is born, the sin nature is the target of the original sin of Adam, Rom. 5:12. This leads to spiritual death and the subsequent sovereignty of the sin nature’s control over the person’s life, Rom. 6:12.

The sin nature is the focal point of mans rebellion against God and truth, and is referred to by various terms – sin, Rom. 7:13, flesh, Gal. 5:16, old man, Eph. 4:22.

The sin nature has an area of weakness which is sin, Rom. 12:1, an area of strength which is human good, Isa. 64:6, a tendency toward asceticism, 2 Cor. 11:13, a trend toward lasciviousness, Gal. 5:19-21, and a lust pattern, Eph. 2:3.

The sin nature is in constant conflict – the law of God verses the law of the physical body, Rom. 7:22-23

And here we have the command of God to live the rest of our days, in fellowship, under the control of Gods laws, rather than under the control of the carnal laws of the body.

You are bound by one set of laws or the other. There is no third set of laws, no self defined laws, preferences, or beliefs, by which you can free yourself from sin, or from God. You live your life either by the sin nature or by Bible doctrine. And you make that choice all by yourself. You are a slave to the one or to the other.

And it is far better to be a slave of truth, than a slave of lies.

God expects you to choose truth, rather than subject yourself to the selfish lies of the flesh, its pleasures, its arrogant opinions, its enticements, its arguments, its reasonings, its logic, all of which are deceitful traps.

God expects you to live your life in fellowship, which is accomplished by the regular confession of your sins from day to day, or how ever often you need to confess to God the Father.

God expects you to grow up in truth, by learning Bible doctrine, developing an appetite for truth, by using it in your daily life, and by advancing to maturity in your spiritual life. This is the path of your life for a complete, and thorough, and successful life. One which will last you forever.