Biblical Perspectives, Vol. 1 No. 1, 1993.
Original scientific paper
Suffering and Cessation from Sin According to 1 Peter 4:1
Ivan T. Blazen
; Atlantic Union College, California, USA
Abstract
In the present article the author offers a thorough exegetical study of the important, and much debated, declaration in 1 Pet 4:1c. He deals primarily with the exegetical particulars not discussing extensively various views on the Statement. Thus, on the basis of the exegetical study of the text in Pet 4:1 he concludes that arming oneself with “the same thought’ in 4:1c refers back to 4,1a “since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh” —, with all that statement implies as resumptive of the preceding context. 1 Pet 4:1c adds support to this call for
Christian armament by declaring that suffering for the right (implied: as Christ did and because Christ did) and victory over the wrong are indissolubly related realities.
According to Peter, the aim of Christ’s death was to bring us to God
(3:18) whose servants we are to be (2:16) and whose will we are to follow (4,2). The basic idea involved here has a counterpart in 2 Cor 5:15: “And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Consequently, “the same thought” may contain, as a contextual implication, the idea of “for the other." In terms of the relationship
between Christ and Christians the idea is that of “one for all’ and, therefore, “all for One.” It is only in the context of this relationship that suffering and victory over sin can be brought together. Otherwise the thought would be unbiblical and unchristian. Suffering has no saving value in and of itself.
Keywords
Suffering; sin; 1 Peter; Death of Christ; flesh; togetherness
Hrčak ID:
89614
URI
Publication date:
30.6.1993.
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