1st Peter 4:2. “That he no longer should live the rest of his life in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” FROM NOW ON. “Climb higher – get bigger – become stronger” The mantra of mankind never changes You are a failure to men, if you’re not farther than when You started climbing the ladder of sin’s wages.
But on the road to heaven, the way up is down The winner is he who surrenders Laid up for the warrior is the sufferers’ crown Who in humility gives God all he tenders.
During the years of new life even when in grief The surrendered one lives no longer for sin He is willing and wants to – whether long or brief – To do the will of God and be obedient to Him.
The past is past, no claim does it hold On one who moves onward for God The new life of faith is so superior to the old We would be ashamed not to own Jesus as Lord.
Don’t waste time looking back, now look farther ahead To the glory that in Christ will soon be revealed No longer are we servants to sin – to that we are dead – From sins’ sickness and demands we are healed.
“A new day has begun Father. Even from this moment on I pray I will look ahead to doing Thy will – not back to what men think is successful and right. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
The mind of Christ in His people prepares us for the conflict we can anticipate. Our Lord intends us to be mentally prepared to endure unjust suffering because of the nature of sin itself and the consequences of sin. We as believers are no longer under the dominion of sin. We are not controlled by it and instead stand against it. Our focus is to be on Christ, "Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despised the shame ..." We have died to sin and have risen to a new life in Christ. He is done with sin, and we also will be done with sin (ceased) literally and eternally. Presently the believer who has the mind of Christ, resolves to walk in newness of life and takes up his cross of identification with Christ each day in attitude and action. Suffering as a Christian should not make us ashamed when it is for doing good. Our sanctification (cease from sin) is actually advanced when suffering for righteousness.
The will of God for us is a constant desire to go forward in fellowship with God while we are still on earth. Our "time" is the length of our life. The destination is clear. The principle of the will of God is the determining factor as to how long suffering in life will endure. The motivation to endure comes in part from a look at the past. Six sins are mentioned beginning with filthy conduct, and ending with idol worship. When a radical change happens at conversion, we may expect contempt and opposition from old friends because we no longer associate with them in previous sinful practices. By going in the opposite direction from our past life, we incriminate those who still continue in that which we once participated. Our motivation to fulfill God's will in the present makes us change our lives to please Him now, not just because of our past deliverance from the consequences of sin.