Peter is here building a case for a life lived to accomplish the will of God.

1 Peter 4:1-6 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 should no longer live the rest of His time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.  For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles - when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.  In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.  They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.  For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

This text immediately brings to my mind Philippians 2, “have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who though He existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.”  The mind of Christ, or His way of thinking and looking at the world, must become our mind and our way of seeing things in this world.  The first thing that this mind should effect in our lives is our fight against sin.  This is our number one weapon against sin and it is extremely effective.  In my life when I have been in the midst of temptation, if I am able by God’s grace to call to mind the attitude of Christ which led Him to the cross, that I almost immediately lose my taste for sin and that I am able to see it for what it is - a cheap substitute which would take the very life and satisfaction offered to me by Christ.

After all, haven’t we had enough of sin in our lives to see that it does not satisfy?  This is Peter’s next point, “for we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles”  It is almost as if we forget sometimes.  We forget that our past carousing, drunkenness, and sin has left us bereft of fulfillment and joy.  We also forget that these are the things for which Christ died.  We must remember each time we catch ourselves, “This is why Christ died!”

Peter here connects this idea of a life lived in obedience to God to the idea of witnessing to the rest of the world.  Just as the life lived without fear makes others ask the question, “why do they have that hope within them?” This type of obedient life begs the question from others, “Why don’t they indulge themselves in the pleasures of the sinful flesh?”  This obedience at times brings others to speak evil of us, but it also is a display of the mind of Christ, a display that there is something more satisfying than pursuing our own will.  Just as Christ went to the cross for the “joy set before Him, ” (Heb 12), we must live in obedience for the same reason.

Not only is the positive encouragement against sin given here, but the dangerous reminder of judgment.  “They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”  The fear of God is also a good thing for the believer to remember as he or she strives against sin.  Interestingly, Peter here mentions a preaching of the gospel to the dead.  What is going on in this verse?  I tend to think that here he is writing about those saints who died in faith without specific knowledge of the gospel.  For instance, Abraham died in faith, and his faith was accounted to him as righteousness.  However, he did not know that his righteousness was coming from the perfect life and sacrifice of Christ, he merely trusted God to save him.  Therefore, I think that once the sacrifice was made, these saints who were in “Abraham’s Bosom” were given the wonderful news that the sacrifice was retroactive and applied to them through their faith.