A Crown of Thorns

A Crown of Thorns

1 Peter 4:1, 2

“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, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

We live in a world with a fallen nature, one that hates the will of God. Our natural desires are to be our own god, to make our own rules, to hate righteousness and love wickedness. Scripture says that we have all gone astray, that none has sought after God, and if we are seeking Him it is because He is drawing us to Himself (Isaiah 53:6; John 6:44). This is our natural state before we are born again, we are dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1).

Therefore, when the Spirit of God makes us alive in Christ, He changes our desires. Now our spirit wants to do the will of God yet our flesh still wants to do its own will, thus we have a war in our members for the rest of this life. Any person who is truly following Christ Jesus will live for the will of God, and that means that our flesh will suffer.

If a person still does all they please in life, they don’t belong to Jesus. For Scripture tells us that whoever lives according to the flesh will die, but if, by His Spirit, we put to death the deeds of the body we will live; for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8:13, 14). This is essential to understand. We have multitudes of professing Christians who still live for their own will and are not led by the Spirit of God.  

Please dear reader, if you say you follow Christ then arm yourself with the same mind; prepare to go to the cross. Let nothing stop you, die to yourself and pursue His will. Then you will find true life! Let your spirit thrive; obey your Master! Don’t look to the right or the left, nor follow the average professers; follow Christ!